Space for rent

It's official... the laboratory at the William Marshall School of Temporal Science at Miskatonic University is now closed. The computers have been packed up, the power cells discharged, the mice freed, and the Event Chamber has been permanently dismantled. All that remains in the cold and damp, grey concrete warehouse, is a massive triangle scar... the footprint of a metal behemoth we filmmakers called our friend.

Below is a tribute video to the Event Chamber...

The footprint of a giant.

The set is emptying out now. All of the props have been moved out or destroyed. Our lab has reverted back to it's former warehouse state of being. There is almost no resemblance now to what it was just a week prior. The painted grey walls and a pile of extension cords are the only indentifiers. This set was never "like home", but I know a few of us had spent more time here, than in our actual homes during the course of shooting.



The Chamber in a beauty pose.

We're moving on to the next phase of the film. In fact, we're currently location scouting. We're out of the lab and out in the real world all on our own! We'll be filming exteriors, interiors, day... night... all that stuff. This blog will have a totally different look from here on in. But that's not to say we aren't without a few surprises. Ahh! Suspense! You'll be coming back, I can tell.

This is POST-destruction clean up... still looks amazing.

Original design in stunning cardboard and packing tape.

Lyle London of Art In Metal

Matt Scheick of Art In Metal

But seriously, I wanted to post this blog to give the Event Chamber, the Portal, the robots, and the lab a proper send off. It's been amazing shooting in there. We've been very fortunate, and the footage is looking incredible. A big special thanks to lead builder Matt Scheick, Lyle London, and all the guys at Art In Metal who brought the Event Chamber and Portal to life. We were gob-smacked when we first saw it, and we still are every time we see it.

Amen.

-Luke (D.P.)

Filming in the lab, complete!

This week saw the last days of filming on the Intersect laboratory set. Let's celebrate with another behind-the-scenes video! Yes? Look below...

VIDEO:::

Turn your old, discarded jewelry into cash now!

Don't you just wonder what was so funny and interesting?

Blog updates stopped for a while... over the past few weeks we had been shooting lots of the automated robots zipping around the Event Chamber, the Portal turning on and off, doors opening and closing... sort of "2nd unit" stuff with no actors... so I didn't see the need for an update. But we just finished the last scene inside the Event Chamber with Jason and Leeann, so it's blog time!

Leeann Dearing and Ashlyn Melancon

"Trust me guys, this is how people will stand in the future."

The 2nd unit filming wasn't as bad as I might have made it sound. There was actually quite a lot of interesting things we did. Like pouring giant trash can loads of blood all over the Chamber and melting prop mice with a lighter. Oh, memories for a rainy day.

Killed with a thought.

No one else saw it... but this blood spill was the spitting image of my dog, Dr Poncho Diaz.

After all our clean, sterile lab shots were committed to film we started the process of destroying it. Yes, you remember the giant feller in the bomb vest... did he ever get around to doing what he set out to do? We'll make that the cliffhanger. Sure, look at the photo below, but you'll have to see the movie for the real answer. Science fiction... after all... is fiction. Fake. Lies. Twists. Things could be misinterpreted, or skewed... even a the blog of a mad DP. Mad as in mental, not angry.

Luke (R) with Matt Sheick (L)... the Portal builder has become the Portal destroyer.

Post portal destruction

In one interpretation of the movie... uh hum... our lead girl, Caitlin met a dirty end. Our makeup artist Ashlyn Melancon dove in to the job of roasting Leeann's face. Check out the amazing work.

Leaving the set on the last day of shooting was bittersweet. Boy, that'd be great to say... and right sappy. Really, leaving on the last day felt like when your mom lets you sleep in on a school day. I for one was ready to go home and rest. But don't despair... I get to go back all month and spend a lot more time there as we strike the set... pack up the portal, reset the original lighting, and bin all the now useless props. Don't lament for me just yet. And don't worry... I'll have photos of the whole thing. Time lapse too? Maybe. Geez, pushy.

...and what a party it was.

Mirror mirror...

Just working out some new dance steps.

As ever, I promise "more to come". Maybe even the briefest peek at a little footage? You'll just have to check back in. We do thank you for reading... come again soon.

-Luke (D.P.)