film burn

Film burn frame from the opening title sequence of Hangs Upon Nothing. I really dig some of the designs that show up in these film burns at the beginning and end of each roll of film. Each frame is totally unique. Visual snowflakes.

This project is on Twitter now too: https://twitter.com/HangsupoNothing

& Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hangs-Upon-Nothing-a-16mm-surf-film/246361802068338

film titles

Preparing to shoot the film title on 16mm film with my Bolex.  I've decided to make a 16mm print of the entire movie to tour with later this year.  So going to need to have the movie title on actual film.  I figure after going through all the work of shooting this movie on 16mm film, it's worth it to make a print and do an independent tour of the movie projecting it from 16mm film.  I've put together a new lineup of musicians to tour with the film, and we started rehearsals recently.  So far it is looking very promising.  Still need to cut the entire 16mm negative!  It is going to be one huge reel of film.  

atoll, orion, & a poster

16mm film frame of Chuck Corbett paddling back out in the distance. I shot this footage from the deck of Chuck's boat, the Tuaraoi, anchored in the calm lagoon quite far away. There was a bit of a breeze, and the 60 foot boat rocked back and forth slowly and gently. I used a really long lens and my tripod. In motion these shots have a really nice life to them, there is this gentle sway to them.

Two days ago we added the final percussion touches to the finale of the soundtrack, a song called Orion. Aside from deciding on a song for the end credits, the original score of the movie is now done. Orion is an 8 minute song that stretches over the last few scenes of the film. My idea for it was something that had the feel and scope of the earth and space, I also wanted it to be the sonic equivalent of a grand finale at a fireworks show. It's sort of fitting that the final song of the film was by far the hardest to create. 

This Rogers marching drum is a big part of the soundtrack, and you can hear it in the trailers. It's the deep boom, the one you feel. In the movie it feels like the pulse of the earth to me. That's kind of how I've looked at it in the soundtrack. You don't always notice it, but it's there.

I bought this drum on a whim about ten years ago from Dynamite Music in NW Indiana. I noticed it up on a shelf, and figured someday I could probably use it for something...turns out it has helped shaped this soundtrack.

Rough sketch of a poster concept I've had for a while now for the film, a lineup of silhouettes of all the surfers in the movie.

this project on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hangs-Upon-Nothing-a-16mm-surf-film/246361802068338

long shot

Daniel Jones heading out, late afternoon, 16mm Bolex Rx-5 film frame, Fujifilm.

bolex in bangkok

I was in Bangkok during the celebration of the King's 60th year on the throne. The city was lit up even more than usual, and everyone was wearing yellow. This was early on while traveling and filming on this project. This was actually the first batch of film I shot with my Bolex, which I bought off Ebay. So I wasn't sure if it even worked properly at this point.

I watched some of the ceremonies of the celebration on television, and I absolutely tripped out when I saw the King had a team of guys shooting the occasion with wind-up 16mm Bolex cameras! Royal Bolex shooters decked out in ceremonial dress. Could not believe it. Almost the exact same model as my camera.

I found one film lab in Bangkok that processed 16mm film, it's at Kantana, which is like the Warner Brothers of Thailand. I showed up there with my girlfriend, and she goes, "Whoa! That's P'_____(don't remember the name, a Thai moviestar)!!!" There was a huge netted golf driving range next to the Kantana building, all part of the complex. I took my 4 little 16mm film cans to the lab, and the lab workers looked a bit puzzled by this. They usually only deal with feature films and commercials I think. We had to then go to the accounting office, a room full of young ladies clad in yellow, where they also seemed really puzzled about my small 4 can 16mm order.

They were all cool to us though. Got my footage back, and at their post house they even let me take a look at it on one of their transfer machines for free to make sure my camera was working properly.

One more thing, I've got a new trailer ready for release. It's 5 minutes long with original music. I think it'll be out next week.

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