DEAR DIARY #4 - PRODUCTION WRAPS - POST WORK BEGINS

I have been wanting to write this latest entry of the production diary for a minute now since we wrapped. But between all the responsibilities and tasks that wrapping set forth on my path, and needing to get some rest to catch up on all the sleep I missed out on the last month and half or so, I needed some time.

Being in the immediate moments, the days after we wrapped, I was an absolute emotional wreck! I was so overwhelmed with the huge highs from the production, and all of the gratitude for everyone involved, that I would weep at the mere thought of the times we shared on set.

If you follow me on socials, then you know…

That also made penning this entry a bit difficult, since the simple act of reflection on set wrought the weepies. But I had stories to share, and insights to offer! However, trying to conjure them through my pen was not happening.

NOTHING BUT ROSES

And it’s funny, because as I look back, with a slight bit of distance, I realize that I have nothing but amazing feelings to share about the entire process. And that final day had shitshow tendencies at times, so the fact that I can only see the good is a huge statement on how packed with awesome it all was!

I know the fact that this was such a monumental moment for my own creative life and career (I mean, we made a film based on a Stephen King story!!!), no doubt colors my view with that familiar rosy tint on my glasses, but I’m seeing nothing but roses here!

And I’m not even sorry about it! For someone with PDD (Persistent Depressive Disorder) who doesn’t get a lot of highs registering for long periods, basking in the glow of this last month and a half for nearly a solid week now has been a very refreshing change of pace for me.

And I owe that magical feeling to all of you who are reading this, and everyone who contributed to the project in each of your ways! What we accomplished was something phenomenal. Something we should never have been able to pull off with the budget we ended up with, but that we pulled off nonetheless.

Never doubt the capabilities and resourcefulness of a group of passionate and dedicated artists with a goal in sight and a mind to make it happen!

ADAPTING FOR THE ADAPTATION

As I have mentioned a number of times in relation to indie filmmaking, the ability to adapt to your current circumstances is a must have in every creatives arsenal, and while making the adaptation, did we ever have to use it. And not just in bad ways, but good ones too.

There were a number of moments that presented themselves, that demanded our adaptation to get what we needed and then some, and our team handled every single instance like absolute pros.

The thing that made this film tricky in ways that many others aren’t necessarily, is that we were up against a deadline that made this our one and only shot to make it all happen. We couldn’t come back later to try again, so being able to adapt and make it work was key.

And without such a fantastic team backing me up every step of the way, I am not sure we would have been able to pull it all together given some of the challenges and unexpected hurdles we faced. But we crossed that finish line with hands high overhead. Victoriously. And only an hour behind schedule too!

THE POST SHOW

Now I begin the process of piecing it all together in post. With two amazing AD’s at my side throughout the production phase, I have so many wonderful notes to guide me through the edit. Pointing me to the takes we highlighted in the moment as the ones to use.

This will hopefully speed up the editing process bunches. This is not to say that I won’t lose hours drifting through all the takes we wrote off just to relive the magic of the days and watch the scenes take shape from each of the adjustments between takes. Just that when I do, it won’t have been necessary.

We had so much cooperation from our local community, our closing credits have grown in scope by a bit. In ways that make a director/producer’s heart swell. My crew members have joked on a number of occasions that we could fund our next projects by making me pay a dollar every time I thank every one, as I’m prone to shows of gratitude, so I like to see our credits grow like that.

Not just because it means I get to be all prolific with the praise, but because it stands as a record to that level of support and shows of faith given to our film and our team. Because that means everything to an indie producer of media like myself.

MORE TO COME…