"Things..." episode 005.

005: Get it in writing. No. Really.

I'm including this for my own benefit as much as yours. If you're shooting on location, and it's a location you don't own, get the appropriate paperwork signed up front. Here's an example of a location release, though you should consult with a lawyer (not a filmmaker with a blog) when it comes to this sort of stuff.

As many times as I've been told "get it in writing," and as many times as I've passed that advice on to other filmmakers, I find myself not getting it in writing all the time. And, almost every time, it ends up biting me on the ass one way or another. Even if the person in charge of the location says "no problem." Even if the person in charge of the location is your best friend. Settle on all the details of the shoot (especially the date, duration, and price) up front, on paper, and save yourself a lot of heartache.

"Other Worlds Than These" episode 004.

004: Hearts of Darkness.

I probably shouldn't mention Hearts of Darkness, a documentary about the making of Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, because it's so hard to find. It's never been released on DVD, and it's out-of-print on other home video formats. I only got to see it because Stacey got me a used Laserdisc copy for Christmas last year.

But I have to mention Hearts of Darkness because it is awesome. I think it's as compelling and entertaining as Apocalypse Now. I'm not going to try to write an in-depth review (Ebert's more eloquent than me anyway), but I will say it's required viewing for anyone interested in the filmmaking process. I would never endorse the purchase of a bootleg movie, but... well, by hook or by crook, you need to get your eyes on Hearts.

One more thing for the filmmakers out there. After watching Hearts of Darkness, no matter how rough of a day of filming you might be having, you'll at least be able to say, "Well... it could be worse."

"Things..." episode 004.

004: Insure a shoot.

It was bound to happen eventually. I asked for permission to shoot at a location. The people in charge of that location said, "sure, you just need a million dollars of liability insurance."

A little web research revealed...

1. A liability insurance policy for ten days of low-budget filming only costs five hundred dollars.
2. That policy will not cover real guns and blank ammunition.

Crap.

I could have asked the price of big-budget filming insurance, but I figured that would open a whole 'nother can of worms. We'll just work around any real gunplay while we're shooting insured.

The low-budget policies I looked at also exclude stunts and pyrotechnics. So if you're looking to insure a movie shoot, plan accordingly. If you're ready to start shopping for a policy for your project, check out CSI Entertainment and Film Emporium.

Touch. Me, I'm sick.

I got my iPod Touch last week, and it's a great little machine. I used it to show off the "non-trailer" for Interplanetary at the Sidewalk fest over the weekend.

I also got sick at Sidewalk. Probably something to do with too much socializing and not enough sleeping. So, yes, it was a fun festival.

EDIT: Link changed to reflect new server address (2008-Oct-01).

EDIT: Link changed when QuickTime "non-trailer" file moved to a different server (2007-Dec-31).

Michael Shelton saved my life.

So it's officially Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival season here in Birmingham, and I'm already hurting. And I haven't even seen a movie yet. I thought tonight might be the end of me, as I was working on too much beer and not enough sleep. Then Interplanetary actor Michael Shelton went down to Marty's and brought me back the best damn grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had in my life.

Thanks, Michael.

Speaking of Mr. Shelton, I'm playing a set with his band, Michael Shelton and the Effect, tomorrow for Sidewalk. We'll be at the Speakeasy at 8:00 p.m. -- stop by if you're in the neighborhood.

"Other Worlds Than These" episode 003.

003: The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

If you're a fan of films and filmmaking, you should check out the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. Sidewalk, Birmingham, Alabama's original film festival, celebrates its ninth year this weekend.

From what I can tell, this year's fest features a particularly strong batch of features and short films. I can personally vouch for The Ten, Murder Party, Blood Car, and Lunch, and I'm excited to see Great World of Sound, American Fork, and Cup of Joe, among others.

It's not just about watching movies, though. Sidewalk is known as a social film fest where filmmakers and film watchers can freely interact. If you'd like to pick the brains of all different kinds of filmmakers, Sidewalk is a great place to do it.

The Sidewalk guys were nice enough to ask me to moderate a panel on horror/comedy movies featuring the Murder Party and Blood Car filmmakers. So I guess I'll be doing a little brain-picking myself. If you make it to the festival, try to stop by my "SideTalk" panel. It'll be at 4:00 on Saturday afternoon.

Night shift.

We spent 20 or so hours of the weekend filming at DeSoto Caverns. Call time for both days was 7 p.m., which means we didn't finish Saturday's shooting 'til around 7 a.m. on Sunday. It was kind of weird, wrapping up the shooting day, coming out of a cave into the light of morning.

Many thanks to the Johnny, Tim, and Al at DeSoto Caverns for their hospitality. And many thanks to the weekend's cast and crew for putting in the long hours.

Some photos from underground...