Intersect filming wrapped!!

Yes, you read that correctly... we're officially done filming! Sure, there may be a few pick-up shots to grab, or a building to shoot... but for all intents and purposes, Intersect principal photography is wrapped!

This blog post is actually a few weeks coming. We've been busy going over the footage and editing the first few scenes. I've been sort of slacking on the blog front. But here it is! And isn't it great? Let's start with a video. This is a bit of a departure from the standard Intersect blog video... it's less of a Fit For Rivals blasting, greatest hits from behind-the-scenes video... and more of a short-form docu-soap / road-movie bro-film about the last day of filming.

:::VIDEO BELOW::: (Disclaimer: because of the raw nature of this video, there is some sharp language.)

The video was shot in the same "from the hip" manner we shoot every video... so it's a little rough... but it felt like something that needed be put together in a way that would cap off the end of the long Intersect filming journey. It's a little insight into how Gus, Jason, and I work when left to our own devices.

We needed a new location. And that meant leaving Phoenix. Our road trip took us to northern Arizona, between the towns of Springerville and Alpine, in the wooded area recently destroyed by a massive forest fire. The stark, depressing landscape made for a uniquely desolate setting for the scene we needed to shoot.

We drove for 6 hours through the night, charged our RED batteries in the motel while we slept, and woke up early and got right to work. We we're fairly deep in the mountains when we started filming, and far from any power outlets, so the charge we had on our batteries had to last us the entire shoot.

We got very lucky with regards to weather and sun, and had very consistent light through the whole day. Granted, the temperature was in the mid-30's, and we we're freezing, but focusing on the work and keeping our bodies moving made it tolerable. We ended up getting everything we needed on the 2 batteries we had. Careful planning and conserving our shots saved us in the end. You can see in the video how close to the wire we really came as we filmed till the camera literally shut off.

In the end, we were all astounded by the quality and beauty of the shots we were able to get with such a small crew. We left feeling very relieved and secure in the fact that that we now have a complete movie on our hands. No matter what happens now, we have a solid film, and it's time to put it together.

It's worth noting that before this road trip, we overcame another large hurdle associated with filming in Phoenix... finding an attic. Finding any "filmic" architecture in Phoenix is hard enough as it is, then throw in the added difficulty of an attic, and it's a right tricky thing. Again, diligence and luck paid off.

After months of sticking our heads in all our friends crawl spaces, and asking everyone we knew, we found the most amazingly perfect attic in a slightly older part of Phoenix. The physical shape of it made for very easy camera placement, and gave it a very cinematic feel. The items that ended up in the scene were actually all handpicked and arranged by us, from the owner's cache of amazing keepsakes and furniture. (Aside from our props) We really couldn't have asked for a better location. By the end of it, we had a pretty epic scene on our hands.

I almost threw in some video of us arranging the items in the attic and placing our lights, but I didn't want to detract from the road trip video. Oh well, maybe something for the Blu-Ray. :)

Over the next few months, as we continue to edit and make new progress on the film, we will still be blogging and possibly throwing up some footage from the scenes we're working on. We'll also be more diligent with our Twitter usage... so be sure to follow us @IntersectMovie for more frequent updates.

Thanks for hanging with us this long! We're thrilled with the footage we have, and we can't wait to share it with you.

Stay tuned!

-Luke (D.P.)

Blog post #1

Welcome to the Intersect movie blog!

We are going to attempt to be diligent in updating this blog with every step of the filmmaking process... from preproduction, design, casting, filming, editing, and through to distribution, and eventually world domination! We hope you stay tuned.

Unfortunately, we're already fairly deep into the preproduction phase of the film... FORTUNATELY, that means we at least have something to talk about in this first blog! I will attempt to re-chronicle what's gone on in the past few months. Jesus God, time flies! Granted, the first month was just lots of boring meetings and food being eaten. But I'll try to catch you up to speed! Hello, my name is Luke Holwerda, and my title on this film is Director of Photography, and whatever else I end up doing that needs done. Let's get to it already!

::: June - July 2010 :::

Gus Holwerda

During this time, our Writer/Director Gus Holwerda was putting the finishing touches on a script, and we were discussing how we should attack this film. We already had our lead actor, Jason Spisak, (Piranah 3D, Lightbulb, Everything Must Go with Will Farrell, and recently guest starred on Lie To Me with Tim Roth), who we have worked with in the past. We all liked how we worked together, and decided we should team up and try to make something very special and worthwhile to all of us.

Jason Spisak

Luke Holwerda

Gus presented us with a script for a time travel mystery film. We were all very excited and motivated to get started working on the film, and immediately scheduled a number of Friday night Paradise Bakery meetings. This went of for a couple weeks until I was able to secure a cozy conference room at the Orpheum Lofts downtown. Tres chic! From then on, we were official.

Jason started to gather actors and file the SAG paperwork, Gus and I went location scouting, and we started making endless lists of to-do's and to-buy's. We all agreed that the hardest part, and the most important part of the film was the laboratory / portal set. We knew there was no way to secure a physical location like that... especially not a real lab that could meet all the expectations of the three of us... so we went on the hunt for a giant warehouse to build a set in.

::: August 2010 :::

It's really amazing how fast you can shift from shooting an independent short film wherever possible, to building your own set in a warehouse. Jason found us an amazing space, in a nice neighborhood, and we got a nice deal on rent to boot. The only stipulation was that we had to clean it out.

A couple of weekends later we had the place cleaned out and painted... and we started deciding on set dressings. Gus remembered hearing about ASU holding auctions to get rid of their old science equipment... a few weeks later we were buying giant loads of broken or decommissioned equipment none of us had ever seen before. It was time to get the team together! Our good friend and long time film collaborator Brad Murren and his brother Paul joined the effort and helped us haul all the new gear to the warehouse.

Brad Murren

During this time, Jason, Gus and I were meeting with a metal sculptor named Lyle London at Art In Metal in Phoenix, who was working with us to develop the prop for our time machine/portal based on the design we worked up in our meetings. As we continued with our weekly meetings, and our discussions with Lyle, we started to feel the direction we needed to take the set. We designed a super bad-ass "event chamber" in which the portal is contained. Sort of a blast proof room as well as a concert hall. After arguing back and fourth on the design of the chamber, we finally landed on something we all thought was as unique as it was ominous... a triangle!



Luke's initial design in stunning cardboard

Original whiteboard sketches

Jason's rough portal sketch

Luke's portal design in plastic

The design of the room came quickly after that. It was our breakthrough. It was genesis. It suddenly gave the script an iconic, filmic, and eerie feel. A giant triangle shaped chamber in the center of a cold laboratory... with two giant sliding doors in the middle. How sci-fi is THAT!!??

::: September - October 2010 :::

As I am typing currently, we are still filling out the warehouse, starting to light the room, and working out the preliminary steps for the CGI involved in the movie. The all important casting is coming soon as well.

The chamber and portal are being built, and we have a delivery date scheduled for some time in the next two weeks. Equations are being written on chalk boards... desks are being nailed together... camera angles are being visualized... and money is going up in smoke!

We're creeping very quickly towards our first day of shooting. We're loosely planning on around the first of November to fire up the RED. Lots of set construction, lighting, casting, rehearsals, testing, and eating still need to be done. And we will continue to post on this blog the progress we make all along the way. Friend us, like us, follow us, love us, digg us, join us, help us, and watch the movie when it's done!

-Luke (D.P.)