Archive for the ‘on location’ Category

Kuliglig

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

I have adjusted my body clock lately to work during the twilight hours. Parang taga call center. Part of the reason is because I’m working with two vampires who want instant feedback and comments on their work/queries because we are rushing post-production like anything. That would be my musical scorer Diwa de Leon, and my sound mixer Mark Villena.

We text each other at midnight, 3am, 5am, and expect instant replies.

I can’t blame them. I took me a long time to put together a decent cut of the film so the two couldn’t start right away with their work. Now they’re both working under pressure. Whatever pressure Cinemalaya puts on me, I pass it on to them. Hehehe. (more…)

Tags:
Posted in in the editing suite, on location | No Comments »

The final twist

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Got back from our 3-day shoot in Ilocos Sur yesterday. I’m just recovering from the exhaustion and stress that I endured.

The shoot didn’t go as smoothly as I had wanted. So much time was wasted because we were plagued with logistical problems. Actors were not on location as scheduled, some costumes got left behind, and the lighting equipment took forever to get to location.

In addition, the site looked so different from the way it was before. It had been raining since we left last time, so the place was wet, muddy, and plants had grown everywhere! It looked like a completely different place! Oh and here’s the clincher — the hole, which was dry as a bone when we left it, now had water in it about 4 feet deep. (more…)

Posted in on location | No Comments »

After the storm part2

Friday, April 3rd, 2009
by ana agabin

Here I am, resolved to never again make another indie film in my life.

As I mull over the events of the recent shoot, I get a text asking me to call Robbie Tan, head of the Cinemalaya monitoring committee.

“Robbie, I’m not done with shooting. I scheduled eight shooting days. I shot for ten days, I still didn’t finish it.”

Robbie assures me that it’s perfectly normal and encourages me to keep it up. I explain that I didn’t want the quality to suffer just because I’m pressed for time or money. He says that that’s the way it should be.

They expect a rough edit soon. I reply that I’d get to it.

By golly, I’ll get to it… and remember the pains we went through to shoot it? (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in on location | 7 Comments »

After the storm

Thursday, April 2nd, 2009

Why in the world do people go through with it? I mean producing and directing indie films, and going through all the hardships just to make a film?

WHY?

After what I went through shooting for ten days, I just don’t understand it.

24k-shoot-ana1

I want to go back to doing high-budget documentaries and AVPs. I want to be able to hire the people I want at their requested talent fees, and provide them comfortable amenities, and work in an easy environment.

This indie filmmaking thing is just not my cup of tea.

I went through such anguish during the latter part of shooting 24k that one thought persists in my mind: it’s simply not worth it.

Tags: , ,
Posted in on location | No Comments »