147. Blue Horizons Continued: "World's Easiest Catch: Zen of Rock Crab:" Pre-production Package

Here is the link to the ENTIRE preproduction package pdf:

http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/1preproductionmerged.pdf

Link to the treatment: http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/3worldseasiestcatchzenofrockcrabfina.pdf

Link to the Cast / Crew: http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/4castandcrew.pdf

Link to the Proposed Budget / Timeline:

http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/5budgettimelines.pdf

Link to the Working Script / Sketch for Trailer / Music Video:

http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/6workingscript.pdf

Link to the Shotlist: http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/7shotlistdonetobecompleted.pdf

Link to the Talent / Model Release Form: http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/8talentmodelreleaseform.pdf

Link to the Location Release Form: http://stokastika2.googlepages.com/9locationreleaseform.pdf

I don't know why it took me so long to get to the point to finally place the preproduction package on line! Finally, it's here! I think Michael Hanrahan made the students construct a pre-production package for this course, not necessarily because our short, student films really needed something this elaborate, but I feel he was giving us training wheels so that we can expand on our skills in the NEXT project :-)

I vividly remember working on the preproduction package "overtime." Both Maria de Oca and I turned in our package late... then again it's "twice as much work" simply because we were the only ones doing "solo" projects. Last night (March 18, 2008), we watched the three Greenscreen projects, and I had come to realize that larger groups in film production are "random conglomerations" of a film, but if you are solo, or a very small crew, there is a greater likelihood of consistency or flow of thought throughout the entire film.

There are certain things I think in large production groups that are "anti-environmental," sorry to be so extreme. One, large production groups are usually centralized in power, rather than decentralized and fostering more individualized and localized creativity and individuality. Secondly, inclusion of a large group involves high degree of "division of labor," and then each individual becomes responsible for one part of the film, rather than having a more holistic understanding creating a film. This is one point I will make to the Coastal Fund: it's not the zen of rock crab, but it's the zen of film-making. A huge reason why we humans do not relate to environmental problems is that we don't have a systematically holistic understanding of what other humans do; we are overspecialized and do not experience, nor witness the nuts-and-bolts of other people's labor, nor their interactions with their environments. So, I can argue to the Coastal Fund, instead of playing a mocu-carbon-offset game in film production, I will approach environmental problem solving through maintaining "small-scale-zen-film-maker" production operations, such that I will impose as much work upon myself and least on others.

The next round of shooting, I am now honing into "shooting like an editor" (Oscar's famous quote!). I know exactly what I want. As soon as I have a solidified script, I am good to go!

Nuts-and-Bolts for Film Pre-Production Package, Shotlist Sample from Michael Hanrahan for Ty-Warner Sea Center

In class, Michael Hanrahan explained to us that a "Shotlist" is like a grocery-store to-do list for film. It's very important to collect shotlists, especially if you have a very specific style you are shooting for in a film, and need to string the images with a unique level of connectedness. I admit I did not have an on-scene or pre-prep shotlist, primarily because I was thrown into a Black Box of crab fishing and didn't know what to expect. Ultimately, randomness of a black box slowly started to sort out into patterns and rhythmic behaviors and predictability. And then, with each trial of filming, my motions became more smooth, rhythmic, and creatively daring! I think I become more daring and experimental with each trial of filming, simply because I get bored of the mechanics of the previous trial. I always escape reptition, and try to break habits. I always try to expand my box of perception and action!

Once a system becomes predictable (like the rock crab fishing industry system), then I can make a shotlist, because I know what to expect! I think in part, Michael was expecting us to plan and predict too much, to a point where no one was going out and filming. I kind of knew the only way I would learn is to drop myself into the black box of the outdoors. I kind of knew that I had to set aside all this "planning and predicting" of filming in class, and just go fall off a log, and bruise my knees! Because ultimately, planning and predicting doesn't apply to the FIRST TIME you ever do anything!