The evolution of a film...

Filmmaking is two parts exploration and improvisation and one part preparation. Personally, I prefer the "wing-it" approach to the craft. I rarely have a specific blueprint when I travel to a location and that's part of the magic and mystery to the making movies. Keep this in mind...happiness is the doing. I prefer exteriors and natural light primarily because the natural world is the greatest special effect there is. Below are some on-location photos from our entry to SSF's entry to the popular ABC's of Death II short film contest. I don't normally participate in contests such as these, but any chance to shoot outdoors is a welcome endeavor. It is our intention to complete a truncated version for the contest and an extended-version, a "Director's Cut" if you will that will feature much of the footage that will end up on the cutting room floor (or my deleted folders) due to the restrictions of the competition. The ABC's of Death contest rules state that submissions can not exceed 3 minutes in length and since I have a tendency to shoot large amounts of coverage, these artistic parameters are almost impossible. However, with enough time, patience, and craftsmanship, whittling the copious amounts of footage we have shot (74 minutes, 106 set-ups, and counting), should be relatively painless. Here are some BTS photos taken by Tony Lee Gratz and yours truly.