WHAT’S UP LOVELY is my 3rd feature film — but the first project in which I allowed for time to reshoot the film and do pickups. It helped tremendously.

http://www.grking.com
http://www.WhatsUpLovely.com

FOREWORD:
In shooting “What’s Up Lovely” there were several techniques that I had to use in order to keep the costs down. Working with a micro-budget forces one to be very resourceful and aware of one’s limitations (sometimes in a good way….sometimes not).

With this film, not having much money meant that the locations we chose either had to be in a place that someone could help us secure for no fee (i.e. a friend’s place, someone’s workplace, etc) or shoot in a spot without prior permission with the risk of getting booted – guerrilla style. This should mainly happen once you’ve exhausted all resources, favors, funding and you still need to shoot at a particular location (without causing disruptions or safety concerns for anyone involved).

Of course there could be creative reasons for a filmmaker to shoot guerrilla style, but for the purposes of this article I am referring to a situation where one would like to shoot in a public space — for example a city street — without permits or permission. Please note I am not talking about private property where you would be considered breaking and entering.

To be guerrilla and shoot in a spot where one does not have official permission there are several steps to take in order to be prepared.

1. Location Scout – this is the first and most crucial step. First finding the spot that fits what you need to tell your story. Once you find it, be sure to scout it at the same time of day you would plan to shoot there (is it a weekend day? A weeknight? Monday vs. Friday?) Be mindful of foot/vehicle traffic in the area. Blocking or impeding any path is bound to draw serious attention and could get you kicked out. Ideally, look for more unpopulated areas.

2. Look for practical light sources – Try to find ways to light your scene using the available light. Do not bring in tons of lighting equipment and gear. You want to avoid getting in the public’s way at all costs unless you have a shooting permit and have permission from the proper authorities.

3. Bring minimal crew and equipment – Bring the essentials of what is needed to complete the scene. Does everyone need to be there to get it done? If not, have them wait on standby at a designated location – or even better give them the day off. The motto for this day should be “less is better”. You should also inform the cast and crew that you plan to shoot in an area without permission to make sure they are comfortable with the situation. If they are not, you need to figure out an alternative.

4. Rehearse in another spot. Assuming you have scouted the location and know its nooks and crannies, have the actors block out the action in another “safe zone” so they know what to do in the actual spot. This way no one is wasting time in the shooting area trying to figure out what to do and how to shoot it. If the action is blocked out ahead of time, the DP/crew can also see what is going to happen in order to move the scene along efficiently with you.

5. Get in and get out. Be sure to get what you need first. What are the essential shots you need to tell the story? Grab those first. Any expendable shots should be held off until the end and considered icing on the cake. If you’re not sure what shots to grab, you probably aren’t ready yet.

6. Be prepared with a contingency plan. Have a backup location should you not be allowed to shoot in your first choice. The last thing you want is to send everyone home. I’m sure juggling schedules to make the day happen was tough enough – so why go through the hassle again when everyone is there ready to go? Have a location A, B and even C if needed. Get that scheduled scene done no matter what.

7. You are a film student. People love them and support aspiring filmmakers. They understand even more that as a student you probably don’t have much money. I’ve experienced it first hand that people in NY are supportive and will leave you to your own devices if you just say: “I’m a film student.”

EPILOGUE:
So for all intents and purpose, this article is meant for your simple reading pleasure. I am neither condoning such behavior nor admitting to having done so in the past.

This is more of what I would do in theory if I had to shoot in a spot without permission. A hypothetical. Yeah, that’s it. If anyone formally asks how I was able to shoot in a certain location, I’ll always respond that we actually filmed on a sound stage made to look exactly like New York City.

***Please note that this does not apply to all situations as some cities have different permit requirements or may not have them at all. Check with your local film commission for guidelines.***

Since people quite often asked what we used to shoot WHAT’S UP LOVELY, I thought I’d share my DP’s (Jason Varner) email he sent to me a few days prior to flying in to New York to shoot the film (back in April 2009).

In addition to the list below, we ended up renting a wheelchair to act as our dolly for $1/day and borrowed a friend’s skateboard for Jason to ride as our steadicam. Mind you, when we first started out with the project’s concept and scope we aimed to “keep things light”.

The following email reminds me of two things.

#1 – Jason Varner is a kick-ass DP

#2 – You can make a film with some creative DIY workarounds. Don’t let money be the only obstacle stopping you.
———————————————————

Date: April 1, 2009
From: Jason Varner
To: Gary King
Subject: Completely Out of Control

SO here it is, the gear list. I may have to ship you some things.

Cameras;
2 HV30s
1 HV20
Canon Wide Angle Lens
Nikon D90 with 20mm, 35mm, 50mm, 60mm, 85mm lenses and a 2x
Eumig 128XL Super 8

Sound;
2 Sennheiser G2 wireless with Countryman B6 lavs
Sennheiser 416 Shotgun
Neumann KM 185 Hypercartioid
Juicedlink CX231 Mixer
Juicedlink CX211 Mixer
K-Tek Shockmount
Carbon Fiber boom pole
Rycote Softie

Lighting;
2 Flolight Microbeam LED light panels
5 LED kickers

Support;
1 Bogen carbon fiber monopod
1 Bogen aluminum monopod with tripod base
1 Shoulder mount camera rails setup w/lens hood
1 Lighting stand w/adjustable arm
1 multiclamp w/magic arm
1 multiclamp w/adjustable arm

Batteries;
10 HV20/30 batteries
6 Nikon D90 batteries
6 Sony batteries for the Microbeams
12 rechargeable AAs
26 rechargeable AAAs
chargers galore and mad bits and cables

Earlier this month, I posted a blog about making a film and facing its praise and criticism (you can read it here). The main question it led to was this:

How do you find your audience — so they can find YOU?

What I mean by this is we as filmmakers first need to find an audience (i.e distribution) to get our films out there. This is a given. In today’s market, independent filmmakers realize that it is simply not enough to strive to make a quality piece of work. Half the battle (if not more) is spending time and effort to get the film out there via various outlets — by whatever means — to give audiences the opportunity to experience your work. With savvy grassroots campaigns and marketing techniques, indie filmmakers obviously know this emerging component is crucial for a film’s success.

However, I have learned that now more than ever it is imperative to not just find an audience — but to find YOUR audience. This is crucial and therein lies our dilemma. Our Catch-22. Our chicken and the egg. In order to gain a loyal following, you first have to get the work into the hands of the film enthusiasts who will appreciate your type of film. Finding your audience is the only way you can continue to prosper as a filmmaker and sustain a career. Your audience will be there to support you for every film you do.

What’s the best way to get your film out there to maximize its exposure? How do you find that person who is ready for your unique cinematic experience? If there were easy answers, everyone would do it. However, I do know that they are out there….hungry for good films. Hungry for your film. I can’t really name one person who says they don’t watch movies — but it’s getting harder and harder to compete in today’s film market (Hollywood, cable/TV, video games, etc) to be noticed and have your film be in demand.

NEW YORK LATELY (Post Screening Q&A)

I completed my first feature NEW YORK LATELY (NYL) in October 2008 — and just now it is starting to find its legs in the festival circuit. I am a big proponent of showing up in person (if possible) for every festival screening. Making an appearance shows that you appreciate the festival selection as well as gives an opportunity to make connections with people who support you. With each festival visit, I hope to plant the seeds of my future work — so that for those that enjoy NYL will look forward to WHAT’S UP LOVELY coming next year. Hopefully, awareness spreads throughout their network, so that people become more interested in seeking out my films (past/present/future).

My main learning lesson with NYL (in terms of PR) was it is never too early to begin building awareness. I started to publicize it once I completed the entire film in October 2008, which I believe now was way too late. With LOVELY, there is already a growing awareness of the film — and this is months prior to it being ready for festivals, screenings and the DVD/VOD release.

Audiences at 2009 Sedona Film Festival in line for NEW YORK LATELY

Are festivals the only way to bond with film enthusiasts? Thankfully not anymore — although I do have to say screening your film in front of a packed crowd in a theater is an incredible rush. However, there are new avenues (both on the Web and in person) to form connections with potential viewers of your work. The independent film movement is ever-shifting — so wouldn’t it be great if you had supporters following you no matter what?

So I ask you: Who is your audience? Where do you find your supporters? Film Festivals? Film Series? Self-Initiated Private/Public Screenings? DVD giveaways? Online Streaming? Film trailers? Blogs? Official film websites? Social Networking? Friend/Family/Colleagues? Whatever else you can think of?

Yes.

Since this is my first post for NEW BREED, I wish to introduce myself and let everyone know how excited I am to be included in this film movement. These are exciting times and to be participating with such a collection of talented and emerging filmmakers is an honor.

WHAT’S UP LOVELY (currently in post-production) is my latest DIY feature film. I will never forget the way it transpired and how quickly it went from concept to shooting (about one month). The experience since then has been nothing but exciting and inspirational — which I can directly attribute to the collaboration with its main actress (Jenn Dees) and cinematographer/producer (Jason Varner).

JENN DEES, JASON VARNER (DP) and that’s me in the mirror

It had been about a year after shooting my first DIY feature NEW YORK LATELY. I was talking to my friend and regular collaborator Jason Varner about our next projects — and how I wish that we could shoot something quick and fun…but that since he recently moved from Brooklyn to Colorado (I live in New York) it was not possible. He responded with “I’ve got JetBlue miles…” — and we were off to the races.

I took a week to create an 8-page treatment for the story about an woman’s struggle with loneliness and her after-hours journey embarking on a series of strange encounters wandering the dark metropolis. I specifically wanted to work with Jenn Dees again, after having met and worked with her on NEW YORK LATELY.

The talented and beautiful JENN DEES as Luci

I met with Jenn and discussed the treatment. We then worked on it together. I wanted to involve her in the creative process from the very beginning. Our approach to this film would not include a traditional script, but rather use the treatment as our guide and utilize heavy improvisation techniques to find our story. This was both exciting and daunting. Jenn and I agreed that although we would shoot many scenarios and options, we would discover our real story in post….or rather the story would discover itself.

Our main concern was would audiences be able to relate or sympathize with the main character (Luci). The last thing we wanted was to portray a very unlikable protagonist with no redeeming qualities — as the film could be very inaccessible and struggle to find viewers. But we also wanted to create a realistic portrayal of a woman who is not just a one-note character. Because of this, I asked Jenn if she would be interested in creating a series of voiceover pieces for Luci to describe her world and her life experiences. She enthusiastically agreed. We decided that she should come up with the writings after we shot the film (after she had experienced being Luci).

In late April 2009, Jason flew in from Colorado and set up shop at my apartment. He would stay for about a month as we shot for 21 days. Since Jenn worked a day job, our shooting schedule usually would start around 6pm (which was fine since the majority of the film took place at night) and last until around 1am. Jason and I would head back to my place to log and view the footage each night — which meant we went to bed around 5am. It was a hectic schedule that I soon found an odd comfort in.

I’d like to share a picture to show the type of DP JASON VARNER is….

Since there was not a lot of money behind this DIY film (is there ever?) we decided to use minimal equipment to be able to get around the city quickly and easily — and to be able to shoot under the radar. It helps that New York City residents are so used to seeing film production going on, that we were never noticed.

Case in point, here’s a shot from the film that we were able to get undetected. We were in and out in less than 30 minutes.

Once we wrapped in early May, it took me about 10 weeks to edit an assembly cut together from approximately 30+ hours of footage. I was really encouraged from what I was seeing, but was not sure if the film was working how originally planned. The only thing to do now was get it in front of an audience to gauge the response and gather feedback. I would hold a test screening — a process I both love and dread. It was held this past weekend.

Next up: The Test Screening

WHAT’S UP LOVELY Official Website
An Indie Life Blog

WHAT’S UP LOVELY – Teaser from Gary King on Vimeo.