DEAR DIARY #5 - LOOKING BACK ON THE PAST YEAR

As the contract expires, and the final cut of the film renders, I am feeling reflective and an amazing sense of accomplishment. Having watched the full film itself multiple times over the editing process and especially in these final days of the edit, I have seen all that we managed to pull off, and I couldn’t be more proud.

As last summer approached, I was feeling the weight and strain of the seizure I had at the top of the year 2023, and all the disruptions to my routine that came with it. When I was reminded of the Dollar Baby Program, and I decided to take the proverbial leap, and toss Whatsabudget’s hat into that ring!

Mixed metaphors aside, the malaise of those days needed something to shock my system into….maximum overdrive (sorry, not completely sorry). And with film being my primary outlet for coping with my stresses and persistent depressive mental messes, I decided what better way to tackle this monumental low, than with an exceptionally monumental cinematic endeavor.

Something beyond anything like Whatsabudget Films had attempted before. Like a budget. And an adaptation of the work of one of the most preeminent authors or our modern era of fiction. Or at least one of the most well known and culturally celebrated horror writers of today! Now here we are.

One year later, and a new 44 minute short horror film exists in the world that didn’t before. And it is something SO special, I cannot wait to share it with you! And I will be doing so very soon!

THE ROAD AHEAD

All those who donated and supported the film along the way will be given access, but otherwise, the film will live in virtual obscurity outside it’s festival runs and handfuls of public screenings we manage to pull together. But everyone reading this will likely get a sneak peek of the project.

So keep an eye on your inbox, as we will be sending links to all of those who were part of this journey before the month’s out!

In the meantime, as we move towards fulfilling all of the campaign perk promises and getting the DVD made of the film to send to the King himself, I am mapping out festival plans and more for the film going forward. We will likely need more funds and assistance to get a good reach for the film, but again, plans.

Many people commented on the cast & crew shirts we had made for the swag packs and our team, digging our drip and wondering where they might grip their own. And we are planning to sell some of the shirts on our website to help fund some of the festival runs to come. So keep an eye out for that too and get some official movie merch if you missed out or want to get some extra gear!

SIX DAYS OF MAGIC

When I first pitched the film’s full fleshed out script to Travis, I proposed a 14 to 15 day shoot. I figured, with everything involved in those 45 pages it would take us at least that many days to effectively create and capture all of that on camera.

Our producing partner, Megan MacGrath had other ideas. She looked it all over and saw it only breaking down into a four to five day shoot. With location and actor availability being what it was however, we had to split things up more than was otherwise necessary, and we ended up with six total days of shooting in the end.

My friend, and frequent collaborator, Ian Brander (Matchbot, Real Michigan, ART) commented on how impressive it is that we got so much coverage and tackled in that amount of time. And it wasn’t something I had really given too much thought to, but yeah, it was!

Which, now as I think back to the sheer amount of script and shots we packed into our casino day, I am amazed still that we managed it. If you were to see my shot sheet from that day, you would probably have a better idea of the scope…well, here:

Ignore the chicken scratch scribbling that likely confirms some sort of sociopathy, and focus on the over 35 setups and shots we had to get in that single day. Marvel at the magnificence of our adaptability and commitment.

It took over 30 of us in one day to pull it off, but we did it! And while the shorthand above may not mean too much or make much sense to most, it should at least help to demonstrate the chaotic nature of the shoot without the need for a lot of deciphering.

And while that was certainly the most extreme example, there were other days that were plenty packed with pages and plot to cover in the time allotted. So we were most definitely moving! With a quarter of the budget, and less than half the original planned window to magic it into existence, there was chaos aplenty.

But there was more magic. More persistence, professionalism, and dedication to the call and craft than there was mayhem. So we conquered the feat and achieved what should have been impossible.

THE DREAM IS ALIVE IN COLORADO

As the industry continues to evolve, in the indie scene and beyond, we often hear how you have to be in certain places in order to make this film dream a reality. Colorado is typically not on that list.

But what I experienced over the course of my time here, this single project exemplifying the point in the most dramatic and dope fashion possible, is that the dream of film is fully alive in Colorado. Without a doubt.

I have made over 60 short films since dipping my toes in these waters back in 2012. But this one…this one is special. It showed me more than ever why we do what we do. Why we tell stories. Because of the magic we get to touch and be apart of for even just a moment.

That’s the dream. And looking back at these “six” days that were the culmination of the last year, it is all so dreamlike I sometimes struggle to believe it wasn’t all just that. And that I will wake up still sitting in front of my computer staring at the Dollar Baby program screen from the edge of my bed. Laptop softly buzzing in my hands. No entry made, and no chance yet taken. But so far…

So until then, we press on! Into the dream!