Screening and DVD Release
A SHORT FILM ABOUT LETTING GO SCREENING & DVD RELEASE
Sabi Pictures celebrated the release of A Short Film About Letting Go and it’s accompanying DVD with cast, crew and well over 100 fans at the Downtown Independent theater last Thursday evening in Los Angeles. The screening included short films by several artists at Sabi, a Q&A with filmmakers and cast, topped by a rooftop afterparty and a ‘Letting Go’ DVD release celebration. The showing of support for such an independent effort was surprising to see on an otherwise ordinary Thursday evening, and filmmakers reciprocated with screening some of the best short films at Sabi Pictures.
This film was a labor of love for all involved and took a year to complete. It is the brain-child of writer/producer Daniel Carmody and writer/director J. Erik Reese – who teamed up with cinematographer/editor Joshua Nitschke to bring the story to life. Executive Producers Kevin K. Shah and Zak Forsman discovered Erik’s films after he came to work on Heart of Now – wanted to produce his next effort. After several discussions and development meetings, the production team began casting last summer.
Originally titled ‘Moments’ during its script and production phase – the film transformed in editorial through countless explorations due to the dramatic improvisation captured on set. The result of this artistic collaboration is evident in how well the film was received Thursday evening. The Q & A was a lively discussion on impov on-set, what the script looked like, how the actors worked with Erik, and the challenges, and the process of post. Comment and ratings cards were handed out and the results were equally telling. Close to 90% of our attendees would “Definitely Recommend / Really Liked” the film, according to our survey. Sabi Pictures relies on its fans and audience to shape and guide its future, and all of the artists at the company wish to sincerely thank everyone who came out to celebrate cinema as entertainment and art Thursday evening.
A Thank You To The Production Crew of Moments
Interdependent filmmaking, a phrase which I learned at Sabi, but until I worked on Moments with an exceptionally gifted cast and crew I now truly understand the phrase. David Shiriwastaw “Smokey”, Ron Santarsiero and Mycel Stokes proved to be one of the greatest crews I have worked on set with. Three people might not sound like much of a crew, yet all of them participated and truly mastered multiple roles on set. Moments could not evolved to what it has without their dedication and enthusiasm for the project. They all had a role, which was just as important Erik’s role, and my role in writing Moments, just as important as Josh’s role in photographing and editing Moments.
Smokey a fellow filmmaker which I met when I attended Sonoma State University, where we both collaborated on film and stop animation projects. He had just recently moved down to Los Angeles before we started working on Moments, I knew from working with him in the past that Smokey is someone that I wanted to be a part of this crew. Smokey would be the first crewmember to arrive on set and the last to leave each day of production. He was in charge of the digital transfer of the footage, and in setting up lights, slating scenes and setting up dollies. Yet one of the biggest roles Smokey played, which I’m not sure that he realized he did was keeping the crew’s energy level high, with his humor and zest for collaborative filmmaking, played in integral role in the positive atmosphere we all worked in. His sprits never faltered when matched with daunting tasks and his work on Moments is much appreciated and will never be forgot.
Ron Santariero, the professional, Ron had worked previously with Erik, Josh and I on Take 2, he proved to us on that production that he had filmmaking abilities that surpassed his peers at Cal State Northridge. Ron can grip and operate cameras with such ease and precession that an observer could make comparisons of his work to that of a master painter working on his magnum opus. On Moments, Ron brought professionalism to the set, which made us all strive to be better filmmakers, from calling out and slating scenes, to helping Josh with the camera and setting up the lights, Ron was always two steps ahead of you. Ron is truly an invaluable part of any crew he is on.
Mycel Stokes, the one man band. Mycel boomed and mixed on set. He had worked on many professional shoots in the past and commented us on our style and abilities. We too would like to comment on his amazing abilities and honesty on set. What you see on the screen is the work of many individuals working in an interdependent collaborative atmosphere to create what you see. Mycel was the lone artist of capturing all the sound from set. Truly an incredible amount of responsibility to carry, which Mycel carried with class and confidence which many of us will strive to match on future projects. His honesty was commendable, telling us when he truly felt he could have done better and telling us about audio glitches on set instead of finding out about them in the dailies. He is a true master of his craft.
These guys are amazing at what they do, and I speak for everyone at Sabi that we all would love to work with them on future projects and cannot imagine Moments without them.
Thank You
Daniel J Carmody.
Interdependent Filmmaking
As many may know, Moments has reached picture lock. The film to me, has been a living, breathing and organic process. If anyone has not tried editing their own project several times with several endings, openings, middles, then I humbly suggest to try it and by several I mean more than 15 times! In all honesty, it helps explore the film in EVERY possible way. The only downside is that you watch the film over and over again and you begin to get tired of it. Yes, this is prevalent factor. However, the end results prove nearly flawless and the experience is a unique one. Furthermore, editing a film to explore rather than to reach picture lock shapes the film in it’s most truthful way to tell a story. It also helps perfect the art in time and dedication. I will be the first to admit, Moments took some time to reach picture lock and to some filmmakers time is a horrible factor.
Everyone always wants to see the end product without actually trying to get there. We often see an award and a glorious masterpiece that makes people cry with tears of joy and passion. However, I will also be the first to admit that Moments has not turned out like that. I do not see a glorious film. I do not see any awards. I do not see people crying with passion either. However, what I do see is an honest film that tells not a set and stone story, but a moment in which all of us have in our lives. This concept is a universal one. Everyone has Moments…everyone.
This is what the creators of Moments set out to do. As one of the filmmakers, I had no desire to make an award winning masterpiece which would send me to fame and fortune. I had the desire to share an honest glimpse into the lives of average people. I do not mean to sound negative with all the “I dont think this will be etc.” But, the goal was not to be anything but a truthful film…that’s it. And to say that this is a glorious film would not be truthful because there is no one universal truth as to what is gloriously good or bad. After watching Moments numerous and numerous times I know that some people will like it and some people will hate it. I’m not sure if there will be a strong middle. Probably not. This is not a typical short film. It is a film that challenges the way stories are told and for this I’m very glad to be apart of this project. And as Lars Von Trier would mention, it is important to have your own voice as a filmmaker. Who are you? Are you just another filmmaker? Or are you a true creator that creates rather than to imitate and regenerate the same material over again.
Let’s hope not!
Post Cinematography
I’ve talked about some of these issues in past posts, so if any of this sounds repetitive I truly am sorry – I am trying to make the most comprehensive entry to date. One of the questions I am often asked is “What are the difficulties of being both editor and DP on the same project?” And it’s a good one – because there are several: enough that one of my film professors told a whole class that it’s a bad idea for one person to fill both roles. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much – even when I was little, all someone had to do was tell me that I wasn’t able to do something and I’d go out there and prove them wrong. Nobody tells me what I can’t do.
So the difficulties are that the two roles have two very different interests. The Editor wants to tell the best story using whatever assets available. The Director of Photography wants to create beautiful imagery on the screen that helps tell the story with flawless camera movement, flawless staging, etc. So when the Editor wants to put a take on the timeline the the DP feels is a flubbed take, things get heated. The DP has a reputation at stake: nobody knows that a particularly poor take included in the edit was actually executed flawlessly five other times, and only the first take with the best acting was a flub for camera. Nobody sees the wonderful shots that the editor is cutting away from the film. The Editor just has to make cuts flow and for the story to have good pacing and be filled with truth – and he doesn’t care that the DP might end up looking incompetent. He doesn’t care that his decisions might mean the the DP will never shoot again!
And the DP, well, he shot this beautiful dolly shot. Perfectly staged, perfectly executed. What do you mean it ruins the pacing, he asks. Wait, why are you taking out that insert, its gorgeous! What are you doing to my art? These are the questions he asks of the Editor as he sees his beautiful frames deleted one by one. There are so many shots in Moments that I love that are gone now, and it really does still make me sad that they don’t fit. As the DP, I get to thinking in the editing bay, “How can I work this shot in?” As an Editor, I should be thinking, “Do I really need this shot?”
That said, there are advantages to exercising both crafts. In the Edit room, I get to see truly how many mistakes I made as a DP – I get to watch over and over again every mistake I made; I get to lament the lack of coverage. Editing the footage I shoot makes me a better DP. I’m not sure at this point how being a DP helps my editing; one could say I am more familiar with the footage since I shot it all, but if there is another advantage I’m not sure. Some might say it’s a disadvantage because I lose objectivity and can’t approach the film fresh with no preconceived ideas.
Why did I start editing my material? I’ve never taken an editing class, so this is a good question as well. I like to edit it because I’m a control freak. Sort of. I really like deciding what gets shown and what gets hidden, I like the final product being something I’ve had a chance to come to terms with before it’s shown. I like that working with the footage in the edit room allows me to explore “post – cinematography” – that is the orchestrating and ordering of the images for just visual effect. I think that’s an important aspect that can be neglected by an editor who doesn’t have a very attuned visual sense.
I recently shot a short that I wasn’t able to edit. I found myself not feeling as invested in it because it seemed like it wasn’t really my footage – it felt as if I were giving it away. That is one reason I like to edit what I shoot; I really feel like it’s mine, and I am forced to own it at a much deeper level. I would love to always fill both roles on any project, and I would insist on it in a collaboration with Dan and Erik.
THE EDITOGRAPHY OF J. NITSCHKE
EDITOGRAPHY – The study of shooters who edit and editors who shoot.
THE EDITOGRAPHY OF J. NITSCHKE
A Case Study in Interdependent Editing & Interdependent Cinematography
Moments – a film by sabi, has something special that very few films have – a member of the team that wore hats traditionally belonging to 2 entirely separate artists (whose paths do not normally converge). That is, in the case of Moments, the editor of the film was also the cinematographer — and the person that shot the film, conversely, also edited the film. Seems simple enough, but the implications (for the filmmaker that understands both) are enormous.
There is, emerging, a new breed of nano-budget filmmakers out there like those being cultivated at Sabi Pictures – and Joshua Nitschke is among them & a powerhouse of an artist. Give him colored pencils or a camera, and you have someone that can create something beautiful for you, and be humble about it throughout the whole process. The fact that this man is both an editor as well as a cinematographer is an amazing aspect of the new interdependent filmmaker.
At first glance it seems a natural continuity – editing what you shoot – but it’s easier said than done. While working on set with scripted improvisational drama (and with the guidance of an artistic producer and a visionary director) Joshua had to learn how to edit the improvisational takes without letting the cinematography take precedence in his mind – that is, he had to cut for what was “most honest” and not for what was always “most beautiful”. Often with dramatic improvisation, an editor sifts through hours of footage to find a moment that is honest… but what about also having to resist the urge to scrap something perfect because of a technical glitch, or a camera movement, or a flaw in the staging of the scene? What about embracing imperfections and playing with the subtle nuances of movements and softened focus planes in one story, and hard, linear staging and perfect focus in another? What about the two styles of the films that exist in Moments – how did this editor/cinematographer reconcile all of these dichotomies? These are secrets we hope to find out in our exploration of J. Nitschke – of which this article is only the beginning.
Joshua Nitschke and Aqua Yost (Jamie) on the set of Moments - a film by sabi
It’s a subjective dilemma – having to choose between ‘how it looks’ and ‘what serves the story’ – and both editors and cinematographers are meticulous about their craft (and must be). But in our case (Moments) the creative project and the brains behind it (Daniel J. Carmody & J. Erik Reese) required Nitschke to be the ultimate diplomat between both halves of his artistic self. There has been several times that people in independent films have worn more than one hat, sometimes its writer / director, or perhaps actor / producer – but once in a while you get a pairing within an artistic individual that stamps itself as new, unique, and incredibly original. A shooter holds a lot of power in being the eyes through which all audiences will experience the story – and an editor holds a lot of power in deciding what dramatic improvisational moments make it into the tale. Needless to say, Nitschke’s hand is present in every frame of this beautiful film experience and thankfully so.
[More about Joshua Nitschke: He has a deep love and appreciation for the photographic and cinematic arts, but also has a mistress for mathematics and academia in general (he is incredibly smart). At Sabi Pictures, nothing could have prepared Joshua for his experience with Moments - and we hope that he shares his knowledge with us as we release the film. From the pod-casts retelling the editing phase of production – to the filmmaker’s blogs on this site, this single article cannot do not do justice what Joshua had to endure in the creation of this film. He is two halves of the same person that constantly has to work together to discover, uncover and create those beautiful, life changing, weighted and honest moments... Those poignant choices we do or do not make in an instant. Joshua came through for this film and for his friends that made it with him. What he has put together for the rest of us is something compelling, gripping and honest. What Sabi Pictures has premiering soon worldwide is a brief flash of life in front of you that changes everything. Those instances for which the film is named.
COLLABORATION: ARTFUL COMPROMISE
How Joshua did it was the art of compromise (and no one is harder on himself than Joshua). On set, if there was a technical problem with the gear, you could see it in his face, and feel it in his spirit – but he’d eventually shake it off and get back to it. His own system of checks and balances made him one of the hardest working cinematographers I have ever met. If things were going well (as they were during location scouting & production) nothing could bring him down – not even a gash in the palm of his hand so deep it required multiple stitches (just before production). These ups and downs (that are vintage Joshua to the people that know and love him the best) balance themselves out into a hard-working perfectionist. He is a man that passionately presses on when he his most needed, and handles his responsibilities to the story, his team, and his film superbly. And he knows how to collaborate - which is the art of compromise.
[More about Nitschke: When it is time for execution – he is a stead-fast, trustworthy creative force to be reckoned with. I hope that he can offer, over time – more insight on the sabiforum and on this Moments main site into how he explored the material that he made Moments, from the challenges he faced, to what went wrong, to what we can learn from. And most of all, how he was able to (despite everything) craft an honest and beautiful story that resonates with sharp and cavernous chords long after the final cut to black (like the echo of a train rolling across a distant track). We hope to know more about how he settled upon the distinct looks for each story - and how he worked with the footage he shot - and how he helped make Moments. And most of all, his fans look forward to his contributions to Sverige in 2009.]
All of us at Sabi Pictures are thankful for his dedication to Moments – a true work of art – and we are grateful for his contributions to the interdependent filmmaking movement.
Waking up is hard to do!
This morning in Uppsala I woke up to my dreadful alarm clock. It was a dim day as usual with not much noise coming from the outside. It was boring and I wanted to sleep through it. What is more interesting is waking up from dan lifting my bed mattress completely up until my head was nearly upside down. What a way to begin to a shooting day! It’s a wonderful thing to know that Daniel and Joshua are my film family. Even though Dan was extremely tired himself (getting less sleep than myself) he persisted on with a firm yet positive attitude in waking me up. I must admit, I miss them alot in my production for Sverige: A foreign Crime.
In the past days I have been getting up early to prepare for this. As anyone who knows me well knows… I love to sleep in. During the production of Moments I remember waking up around 4:00am some days and going to bed the night before at 1:00pm. Moments was a wonderful experiance. Lately, I have been working with Dan, Josh, Kevin and zak from skype and email. Unfortunately, dan will not be lifting my mattress, however, dan is still the same producer that keeps me going by pushing to make everything better and I love how brutually honest joshua is (as anyone who knows josh will concur!). Having Josh and Dan as my teammates makes every project feel as though it were the best project in the world. Lately, Josh has been extremely helpful in guiding me with editing material, detailed camera functions, and pre shooting guidelines. This is ultimately the beauty in working with sabi. Reflecting back on Moments I miss how wonderful it is to have such a great team surrounding you and challenging every limit.