Busy times ahead

Since the shoot has finished, the post production side up to this point has been, well...quite laid back. I have taken my time to choose an editor, make sure everything is backed up correctly and workflows checked and adhered to, met with the composer, colourists, onliners and various sound designers and even fitted in a minor re-shoot.

However now that our May deadline looms larger, things have started to pick up a bit as all those things I had been working on and were ‘in progress’ now have to be sorted in the next few weeks. This includes getting a voiceover artist for our Clowns UK representative, an ADR session for all the actors, the mastering of the film and the premiere and 101 things in between. Looking at the next four weeks I can’t see a single day when I won’t be dealing with one aspect of the film or another...and this doesn’t count the day job, which is in its busiest time of the year with The FA Cup and Euro 2012.

I don’t say any of this to get any sympathy, more as a reminder of how much persistence, doggedness and enthusiasm are the most key aspects to film-making , at least in my opinion. There are times when you just want to go home and go to bed, especially after a stressful 14 hour day and a wonderful (and very patient) wife waiting for your return, but to continue striving forwards and pursuing things that may be slightly beyond our reach is what make it all worthwhile in the end.

As I type this I am sat with colourist Andre Rusu (although I forgot my camera so you will have to do with the crap Blackbery picture) having already met with composer Alexis yesterday. We are now at the stage of fine-tuning and making sure the final touches give it that cinematic feel we have been working for all along. Me and Andre will be working till late tonight and again tomorrow and after that will be an ADR session with Attic Sound and all the actors on Monday, followed by more grading most evenings and a sound meeting next weekend before we move into getting everything locked in the first few weeks of May.

This all brings up another thought...what will I do when this film is done? It has been in my brain for nearly four years and has been a journey that I really haven’t thought about the end of and yet we will be premiering (fingers crossed) this time next month. Can’t think about that too much at the moment as best to concentrate on things one bit at a time, rather than seeing the end before we have accomplished it but it is genuinely the first time I have thought about having the film completed!