MODVEC news

July 5, 2019

We had a great casting call last Saturday, and we are waiting for a few video auditions before we make our final casting decisions. Things are now starting to move very quickly...We've already done test shooting at a lot of the locations and vfx testing for some of the later lighting effects in the final scenes, making sure the lighting contrast stays within the proper zone.

Our film is about two women who are tasked with stopping a psychotic traveller who is creating a trail of catastrophic events, but are diverted by the arrival of a young woman who complicates their plans.

The story will explore the themes of toxic masculinity, the manipulation of language, and the censorship of the powerless and their history. Its controlling idea is about people deciding to work together to defeat a more powerful common enemy. There will also be a lot of cool fun lighting effects. :-)

June 11, 2019

We are finally starting work on my sixth film! It's been written, storyboarded, and shot-outlined. The next step is holding auditions for the actors and scheduling rehearsal and film time. I'll be updating the website as the film progresses!

The film will be about 30 minutes long, shot on my new Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera and edited with DaVinci Resolve. As you can see from this image capture, the Black Magic Cinema Camera's dynamic range and color science takes the cinematography to the next level compared to most DSLRs...I'm looking forward to the whole process!

June 9, 2015

The Chronology Protection Case is now availalble on iTunes and Amazon, including Amazon Prime! It includes the extended ending that takes place in later years and was filmed with the same actors ten years later. Thanks to everyone for their help with the updated version!

Check out my blog of how I met Paul Levinson as a result of a slightly risky endeavor...

"The Chronology Protection Case" was filmed on Hi8 video, and the update of CPC is a transformation from analog video to a black and white film-noir, which seems to carry the story and intensity better. More on that in my blog about the whole CPC update and conversion undertaking...

August 16, 2012

Finally a new update! Something exciting is happening to one of my first films--we're filming an updated final scene to The Chronology Protection Case, a film I made in 2002 from a novelette by Nebula-nominated sci-fi and media author Paul Levinson. The film is a murder mystery that takes on more metaphysical overtones as the story progresses.

January 4, 2011

Just got a Canon t2i DSLR kit, and also bought a 50mm f1.8 prime lens. It's amazing how far digital has come; and the shallow focus of the 50mm prime really gives everything a beautiful intimate film-like quality:



I'll be using this camera exclusively for all future projects!

June 30, 2010

Hey everyone! The showing at the Regal Cinemas Riverfront Stadium was great and well received; thanks to all who attended! After seeing the full set of films, I think we might have been one of only two narratives chosen for the local shorts program!

Thanks to Matthew, we are now in the Internet Movie Database (IMDB)! Check us out!

April 5, 2010

The SC Film Festival Screening of "Deal" is Sunday, May 9th, 12 noon, at the Regal Cinemas Riverfront Stadium Twin! It will be shown with other short films as part of the local shorts program. Matthew, the DP for "Deal", also has one of his films in the shorts program as well!

Information about the program and how to buy tickets are available at the SC Film Festival program website.

March 24, 2010

Hey everyone! In case you didn't know it: We just got selected for inclusion in the 2010 Santa Cruz Film Festival! I want to thank everyone for their hard work and energy!



It's been about a year and a half since we first finished shooting "Deal". This is usually the pace with a film project; you help out and then see results a year later...

The SC Film Fest is from May 6-15; I will keep you all posted on the date and place of the showing when the info becomes available.

Thanks again for all your hard work and patience. I hope everyone is well. I'll keep you posted! :-)

--Jay

September 21, 2009

Oh my God--A great deal of thanks to everyone who packed the house at the film premiere! Attendance was about a hundred...We filled the theatre, and there were actually people sitting in the aisles, and a few had to poke their heads through the back doorway, so I apologize for that! Did anyone get any pictures? :-)

Afterwards we walked to the Cypress Lounge for drinks and whatnot, and from then on walked to Laurie and Jeremy's house for more drinks and debauchery. It was a great day, and all of you made it possible.

Special thanks to Sarah Greene for the projector, and Adrienne for her skill at figuring out how to set up a large projector screen in a non-movie-theatre theatre. It was important that we showed a high-resolution version of the film, and the presentation was very successful thanks to a lot of help from many sources.

The next action item will be to make DVD copies of "Deal" to send out to the cast and crew. After that we'll send this film out to the film festival circuit--I'll keep updating the MODVEC website with any recent news, and if we get into any festivals, I'll update the imdb.com website to credit the cast and crew.

We might also have another house showing for people who missed the premiere (or people who want to see it again). I'll let you know!

As always, I will keep the Deal film cast/crew informed on the status of this film and future projects (and only them; this email is just the final spam-y thank-you to everyone), and update the website with blogs about "Deal" and other cinematic subjects of note.

Thanks again to everyone for your wonderful help and considerable sacrifice. We couldn't have completed this project without you all. You rock!

--Jay

August 28, 2009

Okay people! After a lot of scheduling, confirming, and reconfirming, we finally have a date for the premiere of "Deal" at the Actor's Theatre. Please keep in mind that the priority for the date was the availability of the two primary leads, and--of course--the theatre itself. I apologize to a few of you that said you could not make the selected premiere date, but we had to choose a date some time over the next two months and our selected date was the earliest available compromise. (We will also schedule another house party some date after the premiere to show the film once more.)

Anyway, the date for the premiere is Saturday, September 19th, 4pm, at the Actor's Theatre. I will be mailing out invitation postcards to as many people as possible, just 'cause it's fun to get them. I will also send out a more official email invitation to everyone over the next week or so.

I'll be keeping you updated; please call/email me with any questions, and check your mailbox over the next few weeks! :-)

The Actor's Theatre website is http://www.santacruzactorstheatre.org/.

--Jay

August 5, 2009

Hi everyone. Looks like the final film will be 20 minutes long.

We've got the music in. It's pretty much time to schedule the premiere. :-)

Okay, people: We are going to have a showing of "Deal" at the Actor's Theatre some upcoming Saturday afternoon, followed by a party 'till 10pm at a to-be-specified location. What I need from everyone is which Saturdays you are available during the months of August and September.

Here are the following Saturdays in August and September:

August 15
August 22
August 29
September 5
September 12
September 19
September 26

Please let me know which days are _not_ available and I'll try to accommodate as many people as possible! (Some of you have already responded.)

The Actor's Theatre is a great place to show films; I've shown two previous films there and it's like an actual big-screen theatre experience. It seats about 100 people so please bring your friends and family and anyone you want!

You've got my email address; Please let me know. I'll keep you posted!

I also mail out actual invitation postcards, so even though I should have most of yours please email me again if you're not sure; the postcards are sort of cool to get...:-)

I'll keep you posted!

--Jay

July 26, 2009

All the visual effects for the film are done and edited in, including final color correction. The only major thing left to do is the music replacement and a single voice over. Then it's done done. :-)

The premiere will probably involve a showing at the Actor's Theatre sometime in August, and then a party immediately after at Fredrick Street park. I'll be posting the details soon, and inquiring people directly about which days are free for them...

Wow, nine months--a little longer than I expected for a short film, but I definitely learned a lot. I want to thank everyone for their hard work and patience, and I'll be contacting you all soon!

Please call me at any time for any questions. I'll keep you posted!

--Jay

July 14, 2009

The voiceovers have been recorded, processed and edited in; thanks to Marc and Bonnie Primbsch for their work.

After a lot of matchmoving, experimentation and rendering, the first visual effects shots for the final scene are completed! It was a little complex, involving a lot of steps:

It seems that 90% of the effort in visual effects is discovering what you did wrong and starting again with new knowledge. The good news is that the vfx workflow has now been established so the rest of the shots should go very quickly.

In every film I've made, I've written in some visual effect that I didn't yet know how to do. When you finally learn how to put it all together it's a great feeling.

I hope you like the movie poster we made.

Hope everyone's having a great summer. I'll keep you posted.

--Jay

May 24, 2009

Hey everyone! Getting closer. We filmed and edited in the final external establishing shots, and tightened up the editing. Vfx shots and VO work is next, then the final music, color correction, and credits.

I was interviewed in April by Geraldine Conley for a Community TV show about local filmmakers that she produced and edited herself. It was really fun to talk about "Deal", my previous films, and the filmmaking process in general. Hopefully it will be shown on San Jose or Santa Cruz CTV soon; I'll try to keep you updated if any of you want to see it!

Thanks for mailing me all the bio information; I'll continue to update the website as more info comes in. As always, give me a call if you have any questions or comments!

I'll keep you posted...

--Jay

April 18, 2009

Hello film people! Sorry for the update delay--much has happened!

First things first: There is now a short clip of "Deal" up on Youtube so you can get a taste of what we were actually making...:-)

"Deal" is almost complete--the final outdoor test vfx shots were really cool but showing you a picture would probably spoil the whole ending 'cause it's a big money shot...Anyway, here's what's left to do:

Speaking of credits, film people...I don't have the full names of many of you, so I need you all to email me:
  1. Your full name as you would like it to appear on the credits
  2. Home address for mailing premiere invites
  3. A short personal biography of a few sentences (like they have in theatre programs)
The web site is almost complete and there's a "Bios" section for "Deal" I'm setting up (let me know if for some reason you don't want to be on it).

Oh, another thing: Candid pictures! Check out

http://www.eatagoodbreakfast.com/Pics/jaymovie/

http://www.eatagoodbreakfast.com/Pics/jaymovie2/

for some pictures that Martin took of the film. Personal note to self: Don't stand next to great looking talent. :-) Thanks to Martin for the shots. (Check out his cool website, too!)

We're in the home stretch everyone...I'll be updating the website and sending out premiere screening invites when we get the location down.

Thanks to everyone for being a part of this project!

--Jay

March 6, 2009

I've finally put together a website for MODVEC films; it's about time I had something tangible I could point to if I really wanted to imply I was a serious filmmaker. :-) I had to re-learn html and css scripting from years ago but there's a lot more tutorials and templates than there were in the nineties. Thanks to Tristar Web Design for providing a template that I could figure out and manipulate.

I'll post more soon--the next step is a test vfx shot of the final apocalyptic scene in "Deal". Wish me luck!

--Jay

March 3, 2009

Hey film people! Just an update about "Deal"!

Short update this time--I had a few other deadline projects I had to finish (stupid rent and bills and food), so I've done a little more vfx and color correction work. I'm also going to be interviewed on Community TV on Wednesday for a show produced by Geraldine Conley (one of the PA's on deal who also brought a lot of great food). It should have a short clip of Deal; I'll let you know when I have more info...

I might put the clip on youtube as well so everyone can see what we have from the film...I'll let you know what happens in any case!

I hope everyone is doing well. I will keep you posted!

--Jay

January 28, 2009

Hey film people!

We showed the rough cut of "Deal" with completed audio editing (and placeholders) to the DP and some others, got some good feedback, with only minor editing changes needed; none technical. Basically the actors and crew kicked ass; it's the editor who's still holding this film up. :-)

I must say the dialogue was almost perfectly recorded, no pops or dropouts. Nice work Brandon. :-)

There was good feedback about the visual effects; the whole "black screen plate" thing worked out! Thanks to Judith and all the PA's for the great work!

Matthew (the DP) has completed the flashback footage; we'll be getting it soon to incorporate into the film.

The final big thing is the 3d match-moving vfx; I'm already starting to do some test footage before we create the final shot. I'm excited about the possible results.

The film will be about 20 minutes long, and it's looking great. I'll post some new images soon.

I'll keep you posted!

--Jay

December 30, 2008

Hey everyone! Now that the holidays are almost over I want to give you all a quick update on the status of "Deal"...

Filming is all in the can, save for some quick pickup flashback scenes with Jennifer.

Matthew generously dumped all the footage to a hard drive so I didn't have to recapture everything. Cool! :-)

The film has 12 scenes; right now I've finished the rough edit of scenes 1 through 10, although I'm only half-way through the film because scene 11 is the longest.

We've experimented with different visual effects for the ghost scenes, and we've come up with something that looks pretty cool...Thanks to Judith and everyone for patience in the ghost/plate filming!

The most difficult vfx scene will be the final one: We will be using a 3d match-moving program to convert the 3d camera tracking into data that can be imported into Lightwave, a 3d modeling and rendering program. I'm actually excited to see how it progresses.

So far the acting has been fantastic--thanks to all the actors for being so engaged in the rehearsal process.

I will post some stills when I can compress them more for emailing.

I hope everyone had a holiday filled with joy!

I'll keep you posted!

--Jay