The cycle of independent films can be a long one,
especially when funds aren't readily available for unforseen
expenses. Our video edit has been completed since July of
1998 and receives favorable reviews whenever it is shown.
We've held back from getting the negative cut, mostly for
cost reasons and the fact that Two Dollar Pistol Films has
moved on to it's next project, a feature film entitled
Staring at the Sun.
However, the negative cut list was completed with the help of David
Emrich at Post Modern. Suzy Phillips, a local negative cutter
is tentatively scheduled to cut the film so and
WesternCine will do the print.
I also commend Sony Classical Music, in particular Jeanne DaSilva in the
New York office, for their cooperation and concessions to us
regarding the use of Shoenberg's "Variations for Orchestra,"
which we used for the main score.
The
four days of shooting were not without their problems and setbacks but
the crew overcame them and emerged with nine rolls of
incredible footage.
The first two days of shooting were held at Belmar Village in
Lakewood, CO. The staff at Belmar was exceedingly helpful
to the production as we took over the Peterson house for two
days. Being a museum, we had particular restrictions to work
around when it came to setting up lighting and staging
action. Overall, we were able to get every shot we needed,
including a stunning low-light cellar scene.
The second two days of shooting were shot at night -
9:00 pm to 4:00 am to be exact. The location was Union
Station in historic Lower Downtown Denver. The building
management was a little less accomodating than at the
previous location which raised the pressure level. Our time
allowance was very strict and the shooting schedule had to
maintained or we would have risked not having enough
shots to tell the story.
We were able to overcome all of the obstacles and used this
landmark to its full potential. Many of our shots were
beautifully lit which prompted someone on the crew to
suggest changing the title of the film to "Money Shots."
The film processing was done by Alpha Cine labs in Seattle,
Washington. They did a great job with the exception of
forgetting to tail punch the rolls. The film was transferred to
Beta at Crosspoint in Lakewood, CO. The film will be
edited by Laura Loory, a current AFI student. We will be
editing the film on Avid at the new RRCC facility at the old
Lowry Air Force Base.
The soundtrack is being composed by Dennis J. Hare who is
working closely with the editor. The song "Mack the Knife"
has already been recorded at FTM studios by the George
Nelson quintet. This song will serve as background music
throughout the film (pending permission from Warner
Brothers). We are also considering the use of Shoenberg's
"Variations for Orchestra," and are seeking permission from
Sony Classical.
If you are interested in helping finance our new feature length project or
want additional information about this film, please
and we would be glad to talk to you.
