Close To The Summit

I haven't posted anything in a couple of weeks, been up to my eyeballs with US Visa stuff, which has been a head melt, but is now, hopefully, sorted. Meantime - - the lads at the Element have bee work tirelessly on Derelict and I'm happy to report that I signed off on the grade today!!! HURRAY!!!

Final Checks on the Grade at Element today in Dublin
(Have to admit I changed the image, it was only afterwards I realised it was the last shot in the film that was up! Idiot!)

Film looks great. Very happy with it. I left with a large smile today. Had some time to kill so grabbed a coffee in the National Gallery, where I made an entry into my notebook, last page, which was fitting considering the first page was also Derelict! Back during inception, when the idea was forming. Now, the reality is almost complete. This thursday I meet Chris O'Grady to finally hear the sound mix. Hopefully there wont be too much left. I'm looking forward to getting it done and getting it out. But the summit of the mountain is in view, at very long last!

Raise My Hands is still riding high on the festival circuit. Official Selection at the Hollyshorts Film Festival in Los Angeles in August, and we get to screen in the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre, which is pretty cool, quite a historic place! That's the one with all the movie stars hand and foot prints in the cement out front! So I'm excited about that.

From the notebook:

The sketch is what the first location looked liked.
It was to be more Experimental, but we ended up
going more traditional.

Most of the names changed,
Tony became J, Joe became Daniel
Ed became Tone, Smithy became Davey-boy
(and turned into J's brother)
Sandra became Kate Laurence stayed the same
and Son Andrew became Daughter Louise.

Shadows and Whispers

Parts 10 & 11 of my ongoing horror/suspense/fantasy/adventure/whatever it is - story! 

Part 10: Knocking on Doors.

In the sky the murder swarms.

Beth paces. Tony watches through the binoculars. He sees the three stop at the tree line. The murder circle above them.

"What's happening?"

"They're coming... wait... they've stopped."

Beth approaches the window.

"Why?"

"I think they're hiding from the crows."

"Let me see."

Beth takes the binocluars and finds them. Above them hundreds of crows begin to land on the trees.

"What are they waiting for?"

Then, a distance away, on the other side of the trees the giant crow flies into the air. Beth gasps and backs away form the window. Tony doesn't need to ask why. He can see the giant bird.

"Look at the size of that thing!"

Making the Grade

I was at the Element today with john Lawlor (Derelict DOP) to look at the grade. Alan Foley was the man with at the wheel, he did a fantastic job, film looked great and my nots were minor. Over all I was very happy. Looks as I imagined it. So I can't really ask for more... well, just a tiny bit more!


Sound is ready for my to listen to, so looking forward to that. Then we'll be ready to put the two together and finish the job I started two and half years ago! These things always take a lot longer then planned! And I say finished - finished one part, begin another,  that may take up just as much time!


Here's a track from the film's sound track, by Dermot O'Mahony, for your listen pleasure.


Meantime, I've been throwing out a stream of consciousness story on facebook, as you may have seen below. It's been fun. I enjoy writing it. Helps me relax. I have no idea where it's going. I don't even know if it makes sense at the moment, probably not yet. I think it needs to get going and I need to start explaining a few things... I will when I figure those things out! It's been fun just throwing it up there, I would usually write this way, but this would be the draft no one would see, the first draft, that would be rewritten and rewritten. But you know, life's too short. And I don't expect anyone would ever publish this stuff anyway, or fund my films, so I just have to do it for myself, share it, and maybe one or two people read it, see it and enjoy it.


Anyway, here's the next part:


Part 9: Another.

Huddled among the trees. They speak in whispers.

Night Is Near.

I've been writing a daily story over on my facebook page the last few days, quite enjoying making it up day to day. No idea where it's going, which is part of the fun. People seem to be enjoying it, so thought I'd throw it up here for those who aren't friends on FB. Each day is a new part. As a blog bonus I've included Part 5 here first! 


See what you think:


Night is near. There is a storm coming. A dull muffled crack sounds above the clouds. The power is out. Prayer is all that's left. In the distance he stands. Waiting for dark. 

Night is near. And there is a storm coming.


Part 2:

John stands outside his house. Watching the fading light over the distant hills. The street lights are out. With the cloud darkness comes all too quickly. The warm light from candles and a fire calls him in. Church bells ring out. Father Landy? What is he doing? No one's going to mass tonight. Everyone knows what's coming. Still the church bells ring. Jack gets his coat.

"I'm going out." His wife steps into the hallway from the kitchen.
"You can't."
"Just to the church, see what Father Landy is up to."
"John, don't. Wait till morning. Please."
"I'll be back in 20 minutes, don't worry. Keep the door closed, OK?"
"Be careful."

John takes a gun from inside his coat and checks the clip. Puts it back.

"I always am. Look, I wont be long. I promise."
"I'll watch for you."

They kiss. He leaves.