Behind the scenes...

[LouCipherr]

There's always one thing I was curious about when it came to making movies and music: what does it actually take to create these projects? What about all the stuff that happens behind or off camera or when the mic isn't turned on? Well...

To give everyone an idea of what went into making Deadlands, we decided to shoot some interviews after the pickup shots were done this weekend, which marked the final bit of film rolled for Deadlands. I think I speak for everyone involved when I say, woohoo!! :D

Originally slated to end up on the DVD (and who knows, in some form it may still), Dj figured why not put them up on the website so everyone can check it out prior to the release of the film. I thought it was a great idea, so the approximately 54 minute talking session between him and I will be going up on the official Deadlands website in a series of 4-5 'webisodes' - of which, part one is already online. ;)

Mind you, we just stood in front of the camera and decided to 'wing it' - but there's a lot of useful and interesting information in there on the process it took to create this beast. Ever wonder why it took 14 months to complete this project? Wondering if we ended up wanted to choke each other after a night of filming? Curious about the budget? or perhaps how we managed to get 200+ extras to participate - and why they kept coming back for more? How did we manage to close down a stretch of road in Gaithersburg not once, not twice, but a total of four different times for filming? It'll all be in there, plus a lot more.

Check out the first of a series of webisodes Behind the Making of Deadlands: The Rising (http://www.playingwithdeadthings.com/BEHINDDEADLANDS.html)

We hope you guys enjoy a look at what it took to create Deadlands, and we look forward to getting the final product out to everyone. It's so close to being completed you can almost taste it...

LC

[Fulcifan91]

I watched both, and they were good. I don't know if I was only entertained because Iworked on it, and know you two, or if it was actually entertaining, i guess you'll just have to wait for someone elses feedback!:)

Because one thing I hate on DVD extras is boring segments, but i think this one was great.

[MinionZombie]

Look at you two cool-ass motherf*ckers hanging out on a Mustang, smoking all cool with your bottled water...:D

I'm just ribbin' ya, a cool video there. I'm loading up #2 right now, some nice incites into the making of Deadlands. Once I get my videography business off the ground then I'll splash some of that cash down on a copy of Deadlands.

One question Dj - where's my shout-out?! :lol::p

[DjfunkmasterG]

Episode 4 or 5, I can't remember exactly.

[MinionZombie]

Episode 4 or 5, I can't remember exactly.

What, really?

[DjfunkmasterG]

Yes... We do mention you. :D Of course by your real name as well as forum name. We mention quite a few forum members, and if they have film projects we mention them too.

[MinionZombie]

Ah wicked, cool beans my man. :cool:

I look forward to my shout out. *need a two thumbs fresh smiley*

[LouCipherr]

Damn right, MZ - we mention ya! :D Along with quite a few others here at HPotD, although you might have to wait for some of the other webisodes to be posted. We set up the camera and started talking, and to our own shock, when we stopped we had recorded a 54 minute 'chat'! :lol: So much for being time-efficient (which seems to be a reoccurring theme with Deadlands, doesn't it Dj? :lol:)

...and man, there ain't nothing cool about me, my smokes and my water bottle! :lol: :lol: I'm just a music & movie geek with a metal haircut... what can I say. :o

I'm glad you guys are enjoying these. I think dj and myself had a lot of things to say that without these 'webisodes' wouldn't be possible to relay to people. If there's one thing I always enjoyed is when a filmmaker or a musician let you "in" on everything that you'll never see - and that's kind of what we tried to do with these. Not only that, it gives us some time to address some of your questions - the main one being "WTF is taking you guys so long to finish?!" well, that gets answered too, so keep an eye out for future episodes.. err, websiodes (man, am I the only one that hates that word? 'webisode'? :lol:)

LC

[DjfunkmasterG]

****, I would have kept going if we hadn't run out of tape... Well we didn't run out, I just didn't want to crack a new tape cause it was getting late.


however, I was thinking of recording a sit down with everyone involved, all the Principal players in the crew and Principal cast... I may yet still do that. These little webumentaries are fun. :D


so keep an eye out for future episodes.. err, websiodes (man, am I the only one that hates that word? 'webisode'? :lol:)

LC


Well we will now call it Webumentaries (Sp?) :p

[Danny]

that kicks ass, and yeah webumentaries sounds better webisodes sounds liek those lame words like teh and roxors.:rolleyes:

[LouCipherr]

:lol: yeah, what hellsing said. :D


Webumentaries - I kinda like that. :)

[MinionZombie]

Cool as, I look forward to seeing my shout out, hehe.

Indeed, it's cool to see behind the scenes stuff (I always make sure to cut together a "making of" type featurette when I do a DVD of my short films - often end up including a photo gallery, a commentary and any other things that might have come from all the footage).

I like the idea of video logs - like the Clerks 2 "Trainwreck". I was following that for months (it's now finished I think, I still keep checking in JUST in case a new one pops up), I think it's a great idea. I've been watching the few that are busted out for Hot Fuzz, but the "Trainwreck" saga for Clerks 2 has been utterly excellent, been watching them all back lately.

For short behind the scenes videos I like the name "vlog" - a video blog, or "web doc" I suppose. Webisode suits episodic content, like "Flatmates".

[DjfunkmasterG]

BTW guys... The 3rd part of the Webumentary has been edited and will be released this week. After that only 2 more parts.

[zombiegirl]

I love the first two webumentaries/vlogs. ( I like vlogs. :) ) It makes me want to see deadlands even more. I am amazed by your budget. I really don't know anything about filming but i never thought you could do anything like that for 10G. Many kudos.

[DjfunkmasterG]

WEBUMENTARY Part 3 is now uploading... give it about 25-30 minutes

Link: http://www.playingwithdeadthings.com/BEHINDDEADLANDS3.html


Also A quick message from the DVD that should be on every DVD presented in this format.

http://www.playingwithdeadthings.com/235Message

[dmbfanintn]

I know you best be mentioning me up in there!!!!:rockbrow:

[MinionZombie]

Cool, I'm loading it now ... damn connection here is taking it's time though, grrr!

So that's how you say your name, I kept pronouncing it like "Oog-a-rek". :)

*curses WMP* I wish they'd show a progress of download type colour in the ... err ... progress bar, so I knew how much had loaded. *ack* Now it's playing it without me telling it to, ack! Damn you Bill Gates!!!

These vlogs are well good though, I look forward to parts 4 and 5. Oh yeah, was it just you two guys in the school parking lot talking at a camera, or was there someone else there? If not, didn't you feel a bit random to any passers by?

[DjfunkmasterG]

It was just us and the camera in the parking lot. We finished filming a scene where we were looking at a map to find a back way to his house and when we got done I just popped in a new tape and we shot the breeze for almost an hour...

oh and we recorded the WIDESCREEN Message explaining the 2.35:1 widescreen. I wanted to show people a Full Screen image then have it migrate into the proper 2.35:1 ratio and explain the bars are normal. :D

We had a few people come by and just look at us, but who cares.

[MinionZombie]

lol, I like the 2.35:1 bit, I get so tired having to explain to loads of people the difference between the ratios and why Pan & Scan is the spawn of the devil. That said, only films that were filmed in widescreen should be presented as such, we've now got the opposite of Pan & Scan these days. Films shot in 4:3 being fooked up to 16:9...yuck.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Then there's my fillm which was shot on both 16:9 camera and a 4:3 camera so the aspect ration ended up WIDE. :D

[LouCipherr]

I think he does that stuff to confuse people. :lol:

I love that 2.35:1 intro - I also cannot stand it when people watch a widescreen movie and say "part of the picture is missing" - not it's not you dolt! in widescreen you actually see MORE of the damn picture! :mad:

I guess not only do some people not understand widescreen, but they just don't care to educate themselves about it - that's what really drives me nuts.

I think that intro is cool because when it moves from 4x3 to the proper aspect ratio ("this bar is normal" :lol:) you can actually see how 'wide' it gets and if you watch Dj's car carefully (watch the lefthand side), you'll see just how much more of the picture you actually get to see. ;)

widescreen, GOOD! fullscreen, pan & scan, anything 4x3 BAD! :D

LC

[MinionZombie]

Shooting in 4:3 and then leaving it as such is fine by me. Shooting in 4:3, but deliberately shooting wide to leave space to put in black bars afterwards is also fine by me. What I hate is when a film has been shot in 4:3 (or thereabouts) specifically for that format, and then some muppet company comes along and chops it up and gives us less picture just to it fits a bit better on a widescreen tv - just stretch the image, you don't notice it after a while, you get quite used to it in fact.

But 2.35:1 (or ooh, 2.40:1 :p) is my preferred format though...not that I have the equipment (or particular yearning) to do it at the moment. I used to film my shorts in 16:9, but then had to get a new camera, which does the old "stretch the 4:3 image to make 16:9 after some software manipulation" thing, so I just sticked with normal 4:3. I'm going to try out the widescreen mode on the camera with my editing software again to see if I can be arsed, lol.

I think the special feature on the Die Hard: Special Edition DVD should be made mandatory viewing ("Why Widescreen?" I think it's called). I'm going to show that featurette to my Mum to help explain to her what this ratio biz is all about (even though I've tried on numerous occasions).

[DjfunkmasterG]

But 2.35:1 (or ooh, 2.40:1 :p) is my preferred format


That is my preferred format. I hate 16:9(1.78:1/1.66:1) and 1.85:1. Just give me Anamorphic 2.35:1 and I will be a happy man. I will never shoot anything again in any other aspect ration than 2.35:1. I have done two projects in that ratio...

Eating Habits (which I serve as editor and have no say in aspect ratio)
LHOCHHAR 2006: The Year of the Dog (a project that Thomas Fant, DP of DEADLANDS, and I did in January for the Nepal celebration of the new year.)

EH is being set to 1.85:1
LHOCHHAR: was 1.78:1

However, on the DVD for LHOCHHAR I put a similar message explaining the format (WS) however I used text.

I wanna come up with my own ratio 2.27:4 or something :p

[LouCipherr]

Man, even stuff shot in 4x3 and presented in 4x3 gets on my nerves. Get with the times, people! :lol: :moon:

[DjfunkmasterG]

Well the majority of god fearing Americans, and humans in general whom own TV's, own only a 4:3 TV, so to them they are getting the full picture and are "with the times."

:rockbrow: :moon: :lol:

[MinionZombie]

Hmmm, widescreen is a pretty popular type of TV. Like here in the UK, you'd be hard pushed to actually purchase a 4:3 TV (unless it's a 14 inch portable type affair, anything above 14inches and you've got no chance). Go into an electrical goods shop and you'll only see widescreen TVs.

Here we've got one widescreen TV, a 21 inch 4:3 and four 14 inch 4:3 portables ... and there's 3 of us living here :lol:, what's even more random is that we've actually had more TVs than that in this house. :cool:

[DjfunkmasterG]

I see more Widescreen TV's at best buy and Circuit City, but Wally World (Wal-Mart for the sarcasm illiterate) stocks more 4:3 Tv's and most people can only afford Wally World.

[LouCipherr]

Webumentary #4 is up.

Make with the clickey here. (www.playingwithdeadthings.com/BEHINDDEADLANDS4) :D

[Fulcifan91]

whoo hooo, eating habits plug :):)

i cant wait for #5

[DjfunkmasterG]

Part 5 has a lot of plugs...

But yes folks part 4 is finally online, it took a while, but I got it up there and rendered Part 5 and it is ready to go for Today. :D

[MinionZombie]

Rock on, part four was cool, don't you just hate assholes who insist on driving by at the wrong time? Looking forward to the part five plug-a-thon. :D

[LouCipherr]

:lol: plug-a-thon - sounds like a marathon commerical for tampons! :lol:

[DjfunkmasterG]

Part 5 is online


www.playingwithdeadthings.com/BEHINDDEADLANDS5

[MinionZombie]

WIIIIICKED!!!! :D

Cheers for the shout out Dj - mucho appreciente, and *cheeky grin* I made Trapped for ... dun-dun-duuuuun ... £0 (not whining, just chipping in :)). I think I should rename my production "company" to "Literally No Budget Films".

My biggest budget has been ... cripes, actually about £50, that was for "my NIGHTMARE" - under £5 for fake blood ingredients and £45 to borrow this bloke's camera to I could upload the last and very important footage after my camera (at that time) crapped out. With Trapped I was able to use the remaining blood from "my NIGHTMARE" and had finally gone miniDV.

Likewise, "VHS" was made for about £3 (blood ingredients) and errr...my next literally no budget short - "I Am Zombie Man" (add another to your list, sir :cool:) was also made for £0...

Now, if you were counting costs in terms of time, then there is a great deal of personal cost as I spend quite a bit of time in the end of the day, because I end up doing everything on the film quite literally, except for acting, and even then I offen find myself doing the voice over material...likewise for "I Am Zombie Man" (which is mid-edit / late re-write for V/O stage). Should hopefully have "IAZM" up online by the end of the month, target running time of between 5 and 10 minutes.

You'll be glad to hear though, that I am jotting down ideas for a short film script (a comedy, not horror though) to film with my business partner (Nelson Six Productions for videography, look out people! :)), and the current, off-the-top-of-me-'ed budget for that will be ... *drumroll* in the vicinity of ... *drumroll part two* ... £5,000. ($9,407.07).

Aye captain, on big old leap and bound. The idea is to get a logistically not-so-complex short film shot first (for experience and whatnot) so that when we get around to doing another short film we have planned (called "T34" currently) we'll have some more experience and contacts under our belt, for the (much larger and logisitcally complex) production...

*phew*

Rant over, thanks again for the shout-out, it's nice to be appreciated and I'm glad people like what I put out there to the wolves. Rock on with Deadlands, it looks friggin' kick ass ... *ahem* now I'll go and watch the rest of the webisode, hehe...(even though CLEARLY the best bit is over :lol:)

Oh, and I'm Scottish, but live in England, so you're still correct. :) Long live the pound!

[DjfunkmasterG]

Glad ya liked the shout out. I was trying to give everyone a shout out I could think of. On the DVD commentary I mention quite a few more people.

[MinionZombie]

Well, flattery ... or just a snifter of attention ... will get you everywhere with me, baby. ;)

[DjfunkmasterG]

You guys want a laugh,

here are some older Documentaries on the making of DEADLANDS.

http://playingwithdeadthings.com/media/BTSDEADLANDS.wmv
and
http://playingwithdeadthings.com/media/BTSDEADLANDS2.wmv

Really old stuff from summer 2005

Includes clips from one of the Alternate endings

[Danny]

holy crap is that the dude from ghost hunters?:lol:

just kidding but it was cool to actually see something cus i cant watch most wm vids online cus of some unkown frikkin' problem with my pc, but hey cool job man it looks very cool :thumbsup:

holy crap more smileys!:D

[LouCipherr]

That was the first BTS, wasn't it? With the PA doing his best Steve Irwin imitation?

"we're looking for the elusive zombie... uh oh! there's one right there! look at 'im!"

:lol:

[DjfunkmasterG]

Yeah that was from our very first weekend of principal photography.