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.)

6 days of shooting, in the can.

As of today, we've blown through 6 days of our planned 18-day shoot inside of the lab set. (That's 1/3 for you folks following at home) Barring any more major setbacks, or days for reshoots, we're basically on schedule.

How about a video, right up front like? It's just below... click play to watch.



So what did we do in 6 days? We roped in a hoard of background artists... or "extras"... dressed up our cold lab set with some warm glowing light from a bunch of hanging orbs, and had a party to unveil the worlds first time travel machine. Dean Foster from Miskatonic University led the festivities... our now fully grown whiz kids ran a demonstration of the portal they designed, while Larry Fincher of Science Journal America and other members of the press watched.

Slade Hall as Larry Fincher.

But what would a movie be without someone messing up the whole shooting match? Some crazed nutbag broke into the lab after hours, strapped a bomb-vest to himself, and went nuts. Oh, what a world.

Jose Rosete and his giant man fist.

All in all, it's been a productive week and a half. Chock full of window cleaning, chamber dismantling, and awkwardly uncomfortable camera shots.



Matt Sheick and Lyle London from Art In Metal, on set helping with a tricky shot.

Said tricky shot... the dolly needed some extra room out the back of the Event Chamber.

By the end of it all, we we're all charged by the great footage we got. We ended everyday saying "we got some amazing stuff today." Many thanks to all the great people who suffered the long hours, traded in their weekend to be told where to stand and when to talk, and stayed to help us get the shots we needed!!

Gus and one pile of extras.

Genesis. The first working time machine.

For the party scene we needed to create a set of relics. The very first portal built by Dr Ryan Winrich and his friends Dr Nate Beaumont and Dr Caitlin Webb... as well as a jar of marbles (the symbolic "first objects sent through time"), and Dr Winrich's early notebook... complete with illegible scribblings and unattractive sketches.

My rectched handwriting and doodles. Made slightly more retched for film purposes.

Ashlyn Melancon, makeup extraordinaire.

What happens THIS week you ask? Well, I'll tell you this much... it will be amazing. You will have to check back in for an update. See that... a hook.

Jason and Gus were very proud of this Miskatonic seal... sadly it will barely be in the final film.

Leeann Dearing, Abe Ruthless, and Jason Spisak

Stay chesty out there... all day!

-Luke (D.P)