Flood

Just a quick update. Sadly, on August 13, a connector on a toilet water line in a bathroom adjoining my studio flooded busted, and the studio flooded. I lost my sound isolation room, and the studio is completely gutted.

It’s been a very stressful time; the original film footage, computer, external hard drives, film keepsakes and paperwork, monitoring equipment, piano, and hand-written music manuscripts were exposed to 4-5″ of water. Fortunately, my film and music projects seem intact, but until I resume work on the projects, I won’t be completely at ease. I’m in the process of figuring out how to reinstate what I had in the studio before. So there’s been a long period of inactivity on the film and music front since the flood.

The timing of the flood is particularly frustrating, because I’d finally gotten past the biggest challenges and speed bumps of the film, and was on the way to the finish line. Hope things get put together quickly so I can move forward again.

Progress Report

Roughly halfway finished with “Meadow: Miranda Roto.” There may be cleanup involved (painting out foliage). Or I may not need to worry about it. Miranda will need to be blurry in this “Meadow” shot.

Meadow: Miranda Roto

In the Calendar, you’ll see “Meadow: Miranda Roto” for a while (see screenshot). This refers to the phase of a composite I’m working on. I’m extracting (rotoscoping) Miranda from a shot where she runs into a meadow. Then I’ll put her into another live action shot (composite).

“Reveal” Shot Finished!

The huge visual effects shot I started working on on Aug. 14 2011 is finally finished. That was the main one–the climactic reveal of the meaning of the film; and it presented so many challenges. There are close to 100 versions of it that existed. Now, there really isn’t too much left to do on “Wood.”

Special Features

Sorry for the lack of updates. I’ve been spending some time with my music projects and also preparing special features for the “Wood” Blu-ray/DVD. I know it seems odd to do this when the film’s not finished yet. But I wanted to capture a few interviews with specific people (for the special features), and two of them are sadly leaving Austin this month. (Dad and Mom were crew for my interview with Fr. James Martin [of Austin’s St. Ignatius-Martyr]–one of my favorite people.) So I’m ping-ponging between a few projects. Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Theresa Hodapp’s 2nd Anniversary

Today is the second anniversary of the day Theresa Hodapp, our Beautiful Young Woman, entered Heaven. Remembering her and her beautiful family.

 

Photo of the “Week”

2nd AD Amy Soto and PA Rachael Daigle (purple) busy at work. Windsor-Moore Prep students wait for their next scene outside the “school.”

Still working on the visual effects shots. Wish I could show the finished ones to you, but they’re spoilers.