Freekstorm VFX Blog

Eeek!

We have three weeks to go before The DVX Fest deadline, and it looms before us like a big scary abyss, not unlike the bottomless cavern which features in our new, mega-awesome CGI movie extravaganza. Roll up! Roll up! We have princesses, we have heroes, we have oodles of big scary trolls…(near) death, glory and redemption …just what a good Quest-fest needs!

Yeah, yeah, you can tell we’re beginning to panic, eh? We’re less than three weeks away and we still haven’t finished shooting. AND because this is a CGI-heavy movie, I’d planned at least a month in post production. AND we’ve blown the budget, yet again. AND we haven’t even STARTED on the audio. AND the actors are having paranoid fits and declaring that they’re all terrible (why didn’t anyone tell me that producing a movie is primarily about massaging actors’ bruised egos?)

In fact, I think I’m rather struggling at this whole “producing” caboodle. It’s my first time, you know. I guess my mental state veers between “clueless” and trying to keep the cast and crew motivated. I have pinned a large sign to my wall with the slogan “KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!” and I’m trying to follow that mantra. Although the whole movie seems to be in pieces at the moment, I’m hopeful that in around a week or two’s time, it will all miraculously and suddenly gel together. It has to! (As I said, blind optimism works for me right now.)


As of today, the only thing that IS definitely on track is the meticulously planned and executed CGI. I wish I could tell you the ins-and-outs about what Rich has been up to regarding the artwork, but it’s so horribly technical (see above) that it goes completely over my head. However, he has promised me that when the movie is over, he’s going to share some of the “how did I do that?” aspects, as well as some of the outtakes (which are paralytically funny, but I would say that because they’re my kids and I think they're incredibly cute.)

So, all in all, despite varying levels of panic from the Director and existential angst from the cast and crew, I am going to say something very Producer-like to my movie-making crew:

Remember, this is our very first movie! Winning isn’t important. No, not at all. Why? Because, we’re really doing it! We are making a movie!!! Do you realise how HARD that is? How few people actually do it? Just finishing will be a huge achievement!

So…

KEEP GOING GUYS!!!

Nearly there…

Labels: cast, producing, visual effects