So my first real directing gig was a success. In this post, I’ll take you through a little bit of behind the scenes stuff, and give you an insight into how I did it.
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Anyway, this was a project I never intended to do until my dad, as per usual, suggested it. He said it would be smart to try and make something virtually, and so I thought this up.
I put out a casting call and got all my actors through Facebook filmmaking groups. They were all Alberta actors, two from Calgary, and one from Edmonton, and shockingly, Geordie Cheeseman, the man who plays Bill, was an experienced actor with credits in films alongside talent such as Michael Fassbender and John Rhys-Davies. Incredible. This man was in the same films as Magneto and Gimli.
I learned this afterward, actually. I knew he had major credits, but I hadn’t checked precisely which ones.
All three of them were the first real actors I had ever worked with, and so I was completely nervous for this. I got them onto a Zoom call to do a practice reading of the script, which also acted as a kind of callback audition for the three of them.
They were brilliant from the start, and they understood my directions and suggestions perfectly. I was lucky to have talent like that for my first project – easy to direct and passionate about what I was telling them.
Here’s a clip of me staring at my computer, not knowing Zoom was recording at the time. I think I was waiting for the actors to join the call.
I look spaced-out either way.
On the recording day, there were technical issues, which always has to happen on a set, even if that set is virtual. I used a program called Zencastr, which recorded the microphones of the actors locally on their computers, then created mp3 files for me to download. There was no chance of bad audio due to internet lag or problems of that sort.
I edited the drama through Adobe Premiere and Audition, and added various foley sound effects like papers shuffling and the jingle of the pocket watch chain.
So yeah. It was a big project for me, but overall, it went smoothly. It’s now up on the 8 Leaf Films YouTube channel, as well as on my website, where it can be downloaded directly as an mp3.
Next year, whenever this virus is under control, I’m planning a proper film, and since I’ll be done with school, I’ll have time to work on it fully. I haven’t decided which of my two scripts to do. Both are written – it’s just a matter of determining which will be the best to film with the resources I have at present.
So thanks for reading the behind the scenes of IWRIM. This was quite the learning experience for me, and I’m incredibly happy with how it turned out. If you haven’t already, have a listen, then rate the drama on its official IMDb page. Ratings help it get seen by more people.
All information about it is available on my website. Just find it through the menu or scroll down the home page to the link.