Watching the "Dailies"...

From left to right: Alex, Kim, Lelo and me.

Can you tell how tired we are?

Shooting the Tough Stuff

Yesterday's shoot was probably the most demanding one in the entire story, particularly for the actors.

I'm glad I saved it for later in the production. The trust and rapport we built over the last few months payed off in a huge way. Stunning, generous performances were given by Lee, Toby and Stephanie as they explored their characters' climactic moments.

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

Lars' unraveling was both beautiful and painful to watch.

It was hard to resist the urge to run onto the set and "save" him.

Image: Jen Storch

How much can you trust a recently deranged sister?

Lars will soon find out.

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

The aftermath of the explosive events in Lars' room.

We had to re-do the floor, there was so much broken glass.

Go Hunter

This was one of the first images taken yesterday and you just know, that anything starting like this, is going to end badly. The giant bottle of fake blood we bought at the beginning of the production was reduced to a few drops and one more character has been eliminated.

Where is this all going? It's looking more and more like a horror flick!... I sure hope that the B&W final product will do wonders to tone down the gore and elevate the dramatic.

Birth, Food, Sex & Death.. All in an Evening's Shoot

I don't think we ever shot so many scenes in one session as we did last night. Finished short of midnight and looked up to see Kim and Lelo's faces exhausted and drained. Moment of guilt. Stephanie and Lee who also shot were let go earlier but Anna who worked till the bitter end, just waltzed out with a bottle of wine as if her night was just starting.

She had just given us a mesmerizing performance for the butchering scene while we gawked, not knowing whether to laugh of barf.

Hiroe and Cristina had obviously done a fantastic job prepping these animals for their ghoulish death.

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

At times it looked like a magician's show, at times like opening Christmas presents and at times like a derange cooking show.

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

No comment.

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

Hiroe looking on with satisfaction as her stashed "goodies" finally see the light of day.

A Bridal Night to Remember

Stephanie and Lee gave a beautiful performance yesterday.

They were well prepared and stayed deeply entrenched in their opposing archetypes throughout.
Lee and Stephanie did all their own stunts (As if there was an option...) courageously and beautifully.

It was a pleasure to shoot them work. Watching the resulting images later was sort of heart wrenching.

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Back on Track!

It was a very efficient shoot yesterday and a wonderful send off to the 2nd and last portion of the production.

Anna and Tom got to do most of their acting lying down (we heard no complaints there!) and Jen got to man two "light-sticks" simultaneously (Is there an industry name for a bulb on the end of a broomstick?) and tolerate the obvious arm-pain with stoic resilience.

Some may have taken away from this shoot a certain disturbing ending of the baby, incidentally made out of dough, and involving our beautiful canine starlet...

But I prefer to linger on other more benign sights such as Tom in Petro's sexy underwear dirtied so well by Alex, or Stephanie stuffing 3 joints into her mouth as the drunk Natashia...

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

Once cast, Zoola threw herself into the role of "Dog" with the passion of a true star.

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

Relaxing at MoCCA

Image: Maggie Fishman

Standing behind a table all day felt like being on vacation, compared to a shoot day... Got to talk to tons of interesting people. Sold a few books too... and promoted ISNESS shamelessly! Thanks to those of you who visited me!

APRIL 10-11 MoCCA Fest!

Taking a break from production to be at the coolest alternative comics festival in the world.

Come visit! I'll be selling my illustrated 'HEARTS IN JEOP" and promoting the graphic novel.

I'll be sharing a table with Erin Cadigan and her luscious, fantastical T-shirts and with anthropologist-turned-comic-artist Maggie Fishman. This event is a feast for the eyes and minds of anyone who lives on the words-literature-illustration-comics-film spectrum.

WWW.MOCCANY.COM for more info.

The cover of Hearts In Jeop

Postcard image and design by Lelo Lourenzo

Celebrating the Midpoint of Production With a Fine Dinner

Image by Lelo Laurenzo

The wine flowed and so did blood, tears and goulash.

We shot fast fast, I'm amazed that Lelo and Kim were able to catch what they did.

The sheer incompatibility of the family members in the story really surfaces in this scene.

The dinner marks the turning point from mere post-apocalyptic dysfunction to downright Greek tragedy.

The amazing roast-pig is the creation of the talented Hiroe Gotto who spent most of the previous night giving it the finishing touches.

The bridal makeup and hair on Stephanie DeLatour were done by Amanda Ryan and it was Mia Bauman who had the pleasure of messing up James Allerdyce yet again.

On the right is Catriona Rubenis-Stevens who gave a stellar performance as Lil'.

Finally "Hunter" In All His Glory!

Image by Kimberly Boldrini

Hunter's costumes took the longest to design. We had been through at least five "drafts" until we settled on this amalgam of wild-man-hero elements from different cultures.

Lee endured the weight and awkwardness of his additional accessories gracefully. They included 4 amazing dead animal props completed just in time by Hiroe Gotto and Cristina Atkins.

The dog was an intruder, though now we're considering casting her.

Toby and Lee Working the Bath Scene

Image by Lelo Lourenzo

It was a really special shoot. No storyboard. We relied on the knowledge and rapport we established over the last few shoots. We worked slower, making decisions as we went along.

We may have just found our modus operandi for this bastard child of film and comics. At least for now...

Just Another Day in a Post Apocalyptic Household

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Yesterday was an ambitious shoot. Lots of aspects of the home life.

Still struggling with lights/actor/camera positioning.

Anna and Tom gave it their all and set a standard for Nanna and Petro's passionate, larger than life relationship.

Anna had her makeup half off when Stephanie promptly reminded us that we forgot to shoot an entire scene... OK, I'm sure this happens to the best... Doesn't it?

Stephanie Dances Her Way Through the Makeup Scene

Image: Lelo Lourenzo

Last night we had a short shoot with Stephanie to catch up to schedule.

It was Natashia's makeup scene. on the set were Kim, Lelo (cameras) Amanda (makeup) Alex (lighting and props) and myself.

It was short and sweet and we should have lots more of these mini-shoots. It takes some stress off Sundays and the intimacy allows for some pretty special stuff to happen.

Alex & Jen: A Perpetual Source of Light and Tech- Solutions on the Fly

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Jen holds the torch during a bathroom scene with Stephanie.

Perhaps because she is a terrific photographer in her own right, Jen has been able to keep our moving actors beautifully lit at all times.

Check out her blog http://storchinator.wordpress.com/category/picture-takings/

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Alex takes low-tech green screen solutions to the extreme.

How do you keep a blow-dryer on the leading lady's hair without being captured by the camera?

Turn yourself into a moving green tent!

Oh, and the rusted and aged props in the foreground are the result of her skillful work as well.

Tom Lights Up on Second Shoot Day

Image: Kimberly Boldrini

Tom was suspiciously agile at rolling a "joint" out of an unyielding piece of corn husk and a very dry tobacco/epazote mix...

This is the first image to be posted from the work of our new photographer, Kimberly Boldrini, who came on board only 4 days before the first shoot and joined Lelo to create a very effective, fast moving and thorough "shooting machine". (Ok, so we're still all bumping into each other on the set but by the end of it I'm sure it will be a ballet to behold...)

First Shoot!

Image by Aurelio Lourenzo

Anna, Cat and Toby doing some family bonding at the end of a take.

One scene in the can and 20 more to go...

Final Rehearsal

Image by Lelo Laourenzo

Cat & James rehearsing Lil' & The General for the last time.

It was a super busy day with six separate mini-rehearsals and lots of scrambling for lighting solutions and last minute costumes and props.

Next week we begin the long haul of shooting the final images, expecting to wrap in early June.

To all those coming along for the ride:

Thank you for getting us this far! Good luck and see you at the other end!

Test Shoot With Stephanie

Image by Lelo Lourenzo

Just wrapped up a test shoot with Stephanie.

We worked on the two scenes in which she is completely alone.

Lelo shot and Alex helped with the lighting. It was a quiet set, for a change.

Michael Calloway, our costume designer for Natashia and Nanna waltzed in with the finished bridal dress just as we were about to begin the bridal makeup scene.

It looked amazing! Thanks, Michael!

Test Shoot with Anna & Stephanie

Image by Lelo lourenzo

Anna and Stephanie improvising a birthing scene while Lelo and I struggle with a yet unformed lighting scheme.

Working behind the scenes are Alex Ceribelli (set) Amanda Ryan (makeup) Vesta Goodarz (2nd photographer) and Isabelle Thielle (TLC & food!)

Crewing UP!

Makeup & Special Effects:

Arielle Toelke www.arielletoelke.com

Mia Bauman http://miamua.carbonmade.com/

Hiroe Goto

Cristina Atkin http://www.cristinamakesthingsup.com/

Amanda Ryan

Prop Master:

Alexandra Ceribelli

Photography:

Lelo Lourenzo

Kimberly Boldrini http://www.kimboldrini.com

Jennifer Storch http://storchinator.wordpress.com

Costumes:

Michael Calloway stylelikeu.com/closets/michael-calloway/

Catering:

Isabelle Thiele