mine

…and a golden underwear trophy. Awesome. Tonight “Meltdown” won big at the Box[ur]Shorts film festival (see the blurb on their website). The festival’s awards screening took place at the New Beverly Cinema and was attended by a by a packed house. It was an awesome night and all the films in the top ten were so impressive – great company to keep. A million thanks to the festival coordinators for putting on a wonderful event and thank you to the sponsors for a wonderful gift basket and the free booze. Yeah us!

Me, David (director) and Ryan (producer) and the golden undies.

2010 is shaping up wonderfully. The feature I shot late last year is nearly completed with picture lock a couple of weeks away. Today, we shot a few FX shots of the new grim reaper for the trailer and it looks absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to share the trailer which should be done in a few weeks also.

We had planned on shooting on the Panasonic HVX200 but it produced too much noise and compression artifacting to be useful. I took along my Canon 5D Mark II to shoot behind the scenes but ended up shooting the plates with that. We were all surprised by the improved image quality of the camera in video mode and were able to overlook the annoyance of the 30fps frame rate. Best of all was when we shot full frame stills as image sequences. Very clean keys from that. Our VFX supervisors will be taking those image sequences and apply a little frame interpolation in between frames as well as other hocus-pocus. The staccatoed motion is creepy and lends itself to what we’re trying to do with the character. It’ll be a huge improvement to the film. It’ll be fun when it’s all done.

Splice Magazine interviewed me on use the Red One camera. Splice is distributed in Canada aimed by The Filmpool Cooperative – a non-profit that encourages indie filmmaking in Saskatchewan.

I downloaded a couple of the back issues and it’s a very cool magazine that’s available in both a physical and PDF version. It’s got a great, almost hipster aesthetic and the information is very down-to-earth and useful. Can’t wait to get a physical copy of the magazine and share the article.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It was finally time to strip away the shackles of the past and finally embrace Los Angeles fully. Long gone will be the days of up turned noses when giving a 714 number. Starting today and continuing for at least the next year, all calls to my old number will be forwarded to my new telephone number. I won’t be able to received text messages sent to my old phone number, so please make the change to your address book, cell phone or other communications device.

Also, to my New York friends, I’ve got a local-ish number for you. I’m east and left coast-able now. Thank you Google Voice!

Requiscat in Pace
[714] TACO_GOD

say hello to “nothing-at-all” & “DISTORT-BUM”

Earlier this year I purchased a 5D. Love it. Absolutely, love it. I’ve done some food photography, taken some wonderful photos of my pets, and captured some behind-the-scenes photos from some of my productions as well as holiday memories. Without a doubt, the larger chip and image processing with the 5D is leaps and bounds better than my last DSLR. As for motion images, nothing significant as yet but I might in a couple of weeks when I shoot a music video.

This weekend, I had a chance to shoot a trailer on a reservation just outside of Reno using the Canon 7D. The verdict… images are great, the working pipeline not so much. I’m hoping to have some screen shots soon. I’ll also write more soon as I collect my thoughts on the process. Till then here are some photos from the shoot. (Photos take with my iPhone & 5D)

Crew and director review a shot.

Brave actor shivers in the cold – Stone Mother and Basket at Pyramid Lake

The Pyramid

Me standing in front of what I think is the Temple of Doom.

No one is likely to care about this but here it is… If you’ve worked with me in the past year, you probably can’t hear me on my walkie. My old earpiece got replaced with one that supposedly has noise canceling and a kevlar in the wires. Great but no one could still hear me. During “Zombie Roadkill” the gaffer’s father came by one day and brought some goodies he sells. What did I get? By far the best earpiece I’ve ever had. It’s a single cable instead of the usual two and best of all, everyone can hear me now. He also sells a version that lets you plug into your iPhone. Email me if you want his contact information.

I can’t wait to write more about this fantastic project but it’ll likely have to wait until the series is released. For now, what I can say is that this week I shot a web series directed by David Green. It’s being produced by Ghost House Pictures and will be shown on Fearnet.com as well as on Pay-Per-View on the Comcast cable television system.

We’re shooting with two the Panasonic HPX-3000 cameras, a couple of Panasonic HVX200 cameras and a Sony EX3. Almost all of it takes place at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, CA. Quantum Creation FX created our puppets.

It’s a long list of great people who worked on the project. I’ll update and thank a bunch of those folks in the couple of days. Till then, a heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful folks to worked on this project. You’re the best.

Here’s some online news clips: Fearnet.com / Variety / Huffington Post / IMDb

DEAD AIR on Netflix… sweet. Who knew!? I shot this movie a couple of years back and it’s good to see it out there for the masses to see.

Just finished a commercial for a refinancing company shot, yet again, on the HX200 with a Letus lens mount. Funny spot. I’ll post a link when they become available online.

Clay (dir) keeping it together. Yes, that is a credit card suit.

The little camera that could.
Drew readies the shot.

Looks are good!
See! I was there…

Bernie (CLT) making it look good.
Dwight manning the jib.   

After much debate and back-and-forth, I went and did it and bought a Canon 5D Mark II. It should be somewhere over the US right now on its way to my eager and waiting hands. In addition, I’m getting a 24-300mm lens and the battery grip. I’m looking at also getting a Zacuto Z-Finder. I can’t wait to give it a go when it arrives. Anyone game on shooting a short, music video or commercial?

Just finished a video for the Chumash Casino Restort and Next Movement Entertainment. It’s the video that plays in the hotel room television and features the amenities the hotel and casino offers. I think what I like best about what we did is give it a cinematic look. There’s that and the fact that we shot lots of food related segments. Can’t wait to see the video finished.

The year of good news continues. “The 20 Second Rule” and “Meltdown” will be screening as part of the Los Angeles Comedy Festival. They better like it!!!

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with being interviewed on camera. Tonight I was interviewed for the “Box of Shadows” behind-the-scenes video. I think I’m getting better at it. It’s all about the practice, honing the craft. Yes, I think this is part of the job. The way I look at it, everyone who works on a film needs to support the film if it’s gonna succeed. Word of mouth, blogs, social networks – it’s all about getting the buzz going. I’m just doing my part. Can’t wait for the updated website to go online. It’ll have some of the BTS as well as a teaser and more pictures and press.

JUST KEEPS GOING

Sept. 12 – Ah, San Francisco. Yeah. We screened there as part of the San Francisco International Short Film Festival. Great crowd, fair projection and lots of very good company in attendance.

↑ On the ride up, we passed a display of flags honoring the victims of 9/11 on the lawn of Pepperdine University
→ Best meal this trip goes to the House of Nanking. It was a recommendation from David Green, the director of the short film we were there to see.

↑ David Green, “Meltdown” director looking dapper just before the show.
→ Our screening venue, the Red Vic Movie House.

↑ Producer Ryan Hendricks up in front while we answer questions about the film.

Good times had by all. We screened at three other festivals that week and got another Audience Choice Award in Chicago and DC Shorts. Yeah us! They like us, they really, really like us.   

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE…

Aug. 12 – I just got an email that “Meltdown” also won an Audience Choice Awards! Yeah, us!

MELTDOWN WINS BEST NARRATIVE AT HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL

Aug. 09 – A big congrats to David and Ryan (and by extension, myself) on winning Best Narrative last night at HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood. First of many I’m sure. It was the best part of what was arguably a rough night.

On the heels of the very well run Palm Springs festival, I was a bit disappointed with the way this festival was organized. This list goes something like this:

* More than an hour late to start our screening and if it weren’t for the fact that I kept asking what the hold up was, we would have never known. No one came out to make an announcement despite the fact I could clearly see all the festival planners milling around outside the theater. If you’re gonna make us wait, serve drinks!

* The shorts we were grouped with were strangely incongruous. Unless there’s a thread of commonality I missed, homeless runaway kids who kill someone on their way to a commune should hardly be mixed with food fighting for there survival against a wrathful growth of ice!   

* It may sound petty but the parking validation machine didn’t work. Not a big thing usually unless you’re asked to pay $24 for parking! Really!!! And when the issue was brought to the attention of the organizers and theater manager, the response was almost laughable. The theater owner said to us, “if you drive real close to the car in front of you at the exit, you can probably slip through the gate”. Not the response I would have liked. Or the event organizer who said, “whoa that sucks” *(REALLY!) and could do nothing despite the fact that the program ran an hour late plus the awards which we were not aware where taking place after our screening. Fortunately (and surprisingly) we did find a parking attended who could do something for us – it still is going to cost us $12.00 for the privilege.

Venting is done now back to the positive. We won something and that’s really is great. We had a chance for several of our friends and family to see our little movie that we’re all very proud of and to spend some time together. That’s what matter.

I’ll add some pictures from the night later today…

New toy, indeed! I know I always say that I don’t want to own equipment but there are a few things I just have to have. This is one of them… or three. What did I get? It’s a Rosco LitePad 3″x3″ DL, a 3″x6″ HL LitePad and 2 channel 5 amp dimmer also from Rosco. I’ve used LitePads in the past and recently used one that Key Grip Andrew M. brought to the set of “Box of Shadows”. I guess I was sold on getting one after that. In the future, I would like to get a few that are slightly lager but for now these are great for product shots, eye lights, night car interiors and possibly for fire effects. I love that it’s also DMX controllable. Let’s shoot something!

Aug. 22: Tonight I saw a 4K presentation of “North by Northwest” at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science and it looked extraordinary. As I understand it, it was originally scanned at 12K x 8X and finished in 4K with the presentation on a Sony 4K SXRD projector. I was also informed that most of the work was scanned from an original camera negative which, unfortunately, had damage on most of the blue layer. To fix the problem, they used the blue channel from the color separation reels. Warner Bros.’ Motion Picture Imaging (MPI is WB’s restoration division) did this in anticipation of the 50 year anniversary of the film and Blu-ray release.

It looked so clean and wonderful and quite possibly as fresh as a first run screening back in 1959. What a wonderful treat. Thank you Aaron for the invite.

Greetings all. As some of you know, I love using my middle name personally and lately, professionally. So to that end, I went ahead and purchased a new web address:

egpetersen.com

In the coming months, I’m going to migrate my email and web address to the new domain. I’m keeping the old one (eric-petersen.com) but you’ll likely be getting email from the new domain and the site will be mirrored to both.

Please change your address book to reflect the new domain. Thank you all for your understanding.

~gustavo

The only constant is change…

July 31: Done, done, and done. 24 days of shooting is over. I’m very proud of our little film and I look forward to sharing footage as it becomes available to the public. Great job everyone involved in making this production.

Mike you’ve been using your legs like a sucker all this time.

Andrew and his short-shorts – Yer a braver man than I, Gunga Din
Andrew’s “cop lights” gag

Jeff (“Sutton”) – notice anything different about him?
Mauro B (Director) & Pam (Casting) “What are we waiting for?!”

Another self-portrait
Oh “Jimmy” – boys will be boys!

Who broke the toilet?!
Morning surprise from the house puppy! Clean up on isle one.

Haley (Set Dec.) cools off from the scorching Valley sun
Pam (Casting) gets caught up on all the celebrity dish at lunch

I think we broke Dave (1st AD)
Reel 38!!! We were hoping to hit 100 to break open the chapagne

Gabriella (Exec. Prod.) treats the crew to ice cream! So welcomed.
Drew’s (1st AC) new toy – laser measuring device

Please don’t fall on the nice actor
Ha, ha, fun with my glasses. Everybody take turns -but, Koby won.

Don’t be scared Jarod, it’s only a movie (“Platt”)
Drew operates while Janell (2nd AC) practices pulling focus

Mike (PA) readies for the inevitable – zombieness
Yoshi (G/E) with a new hairdo! Nice look.

Reza (Sound Mixer) steps in for Chris (who’s on vacation!)
Wes (“Young Man Addict”) readies for his scene – intense!

Last shot of the shoot – car-to-car
Mauro (Dir.) and his wife – super sweet

The boys sans Andrew M.

July 20: We’ve concluded the third week of principle photography and so far so very good. Here are some pics from behind the scenes. In the next few days, I’ll add notes and anecdotes about the show. Till then, enjoy.

Our first shot of the movie, a hostess tray shot from our “hero” vehicle.
Chirs H. (Sound Mixer) along for the ride. Man that coffee looks good!

Brian (PA, bless his heart) filling in the role of 2nd AC
1st AC, Drew A. dealing with tight spaces in a mobile home

Jason (1st AC) readies for the heat under the tent
Mike filling in the 2nd AC duties

Kazu (Key Hair/MU) painting in veins and tracks
Chris and me high atop Dap Studios

Day-for-Night

Prepping for the Safe POV – cool

Mauro B. (Director) directs Aaron (“Kyle”) during the breaking up scene
Drew A. (1st AC)

Key Grip Andrew M. after a long nights journey – great shirt!
Cody (Data Acquisition) and Russell Y. (Post Supervisor) still in a good mood after a long night

Let the training begin
Liz (“Julie”) in the ring ready to knock me out

Day one at Willow Studios
Koby (BB Grip) preps the dolly track and keeps us all smiling – woki masu!

Tape measures are so last century!
Finally inside at Willow Studios

View from the top floor.
Kazu admires and Mike (Art Dept.) readies to help out Jeff S. (Stunts & Pract. FX) with a knife throw

Ah, the burning coffin

The last photo has nothing to do with this. This is what we saw at the end of our day and the beginning for everyone else. It seems it was a warehouse with old cloths.

The start of our day with the sun setting on downtown.

Jeff S. et al. prep for the fall off the side of the building.

My favorite pic of me from the shoot.
Library in Silver Lake. Awesome Craftsman style design.

Mauro lining up a shot at Escarpment Studios. I’m so glad i got a photo of this.
Wife brings cupcakes to set. Yum.

Mauro is the pinball wizard – don’t mess with the man!
Jeff S. (Stunts) helps Jarod G. (“Platt”) with a stunt

Creepy stuff in the basement
Chris (Grip) waits like a cat ready to spring into action

New food from a new caterer
Andrew (Key Grip) and Chris (Grip) reporting for duty

Mauro’s (Director) beautiful handiwork
Drew’s (1st AC) fortune cookie messages for the slate

Sandwich from Langer’s – what a great way to start the day – Thank you wife
Brian (PA) might have found a new profession in Art Dept.

Get to work – OK, it’s really is funny!
I love this mirror – I look so thin

Drew (1st AC) and Andrew (Key Grip) are ready for the Hogan’s Hero’s as Klink and Shultz
A tried Brian (PA) awaits the end of the day

Moment of Zen – no, not really. just something i thought looked really cool – the chains that bind perhaps

June 4: Happy 4th of July! Week one of principle photography is done. Started the week with a 7:30AM call time and ended the week with a 10PM call. I love all-nights like I love events with an open bar, great while it’s happening but the next day not-so-much. I’ll post some pics soon. Till then, it’s been a great start of the show, with some great images, great performances and working with a really great crew.

June 29: Today we started principle photography on the movie. Rough first day but what we got was worth it. Just review the first half of the day’s still images and we got some good stuff. More to come…

June 22: Gearing up for another RED feature movie with pre-production going on this week. It’s a great script and our test from not too long ago looks great. Can’t wait to share more in the coming weeks.

This is a great one-sheet.

June 26: I have been so derelict in not adding this to my blog, so here goes… “The 20 Second Rule” screened at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival.

View from our hotel room. Jeff Cole suggested this hotel – what a great suggestion! I loved this place.
Our room key. A great room, full bar, more like a loft than a hotel room and it’s dog friendly! Loves it.

Clay’s “taxicab photo” – nice
And the contestants are… This was one of the best run film festivals I’ve been to. The last film festivals I’ve had a film in have been scheduled with an odd sort of films. This one, all the films were first and foremost, actually short (how novel). The all has the same tone, in our case comedy. It made it more cohesive and easier to watch one after the other. Great job.

Pimping our movie.
Packing the screening. Say “cheese” everyone.

My beautiful wife and me.

What a fine way to end the evening. A little fight broke out back at the hotel between a drunk and a drunk. It seems that the Mike Tyson school of fighting is doing well. You might be able to see it in the photo but if you look real close in the upper third of the screen just left of center, you’ll see a tiny bit of ear. That’s right… ear! Dude really, what the hell. Fight like a man!