I was recently brought on board to help production manage a global IPO Roadshow campaign for IMS Health, working in tandem with Exton, PA based production house Paksima Productions. Executive Producer Jamila Paksima and I have known (of) one another for quite a while, but we’d never actually collaborated directly on a project to point. It turns out that Jamila is every bit the force of production nature I’d heard about, and the project was a perfect fit for her challenge oriented and thrill-seeking approach to producing.
The assignment called for ENG style field shoots in no less than 5-countries, spread across multiple continents, time zones, and cultures…at times, in simultaneous fashion. I had a few key production allies in the mix to lean on, with DP Steve Buckwalter and Producer phenom Tracy Schott along for the ride. I’m better off for knowing Alexa Danner now as well, a seasoned NY production head that I met for the first time on this project. I was also able to re-enlist the key aesthetic sensibilities of Israeli Cinematographer Alon Grego, whom I’m once again indebted to for his consummate professionalism and versatility. And it was nice to have an excuse to collaborate with the resourceful fella’s at Prime TV in the UK again, a vendor I was first introduced to while filming on location in London a few years back.
A key takeaway for me in all of this is just how small the planet can feel with technology and ingenuity in the mix. Partial reliance on integrated communication tools like Skype were vital, as was the ability to think outside of the box with regards to ambitious expectations and timelines. It’s safe to say that nothing is terribly unorthodox when it comes to 11th hour production travel needs, and it remains true what they say…where there’s a will, there’s a way. Many lessons learned, and mission accomplished.
In a year that’s witnessed such professional escapades as holing up in a centuries old ‘Church’ to brave the winter, camping out with zero ‘Remorse’ on a vast colonial estate to enjoy the lazy days of summer, and setworking (oh yeah, it’s a thing) with such silver screen sirens as Ashley C. Williams, Lili Bordan, and Katrina Law, deciding on an encore is no easy feat. But I suppose shipping out to the Potomac-panhandle town of Harpers Ferry, WV is as good a follow-up as any.
With a story line that spans both WWI & WWII, the production logistics have been challenging. Jimmys, tanks, troop carriers, and the occasional horse chase sequence with Poncho Villa’s revolutionaries have ensured that the gig remains a whirlwind of production-centric merriment daily. But being the workaholic type, and a glutton for productionment (I mean punishment), I probably wouldn’t have it any other way. Being en’trenched’ in work has taken on a whole new meaning…bah duhmm bump!!
A few important shout outs are fully warranted here, since I have found fast allies in both Peacemaker National Training Center and the Virginia Museum of Military Vehicles. And the fine fella’s over at Sunbelt Rentals have been terrific as well. All in all the project amassed a fantastic crew, and it’s been a lot of fun…and now I’ll have my own war stories to tell for many years to come, I’m sure!
OK, so to recap the summer thus far, I’ve basically been hanging out on a 100+ acre farm in the middle of Doylestown, PA, from the 18th-Century. My ‘office’ is a tool shed, that I think was roughly constructed circa 1720, give or take…with WiFi, naturally, though it’s likely that was an add-on along the way. I’ve got a bunch of coworkers just across the gravel driveway, in a farm house that was once the estate of a colonial governor. And my good buddy Crenshaw, Production Designer extraordinaire, is just a stone’s throw away (no pun intended) in his barn down the road. AKA his ‘scenic shop’, of course. If all of this sounds like I’m suffering from heat exhaustion, fear not! While it is indeed mighty hot ’round these here parts, I’m actually on board as the UPM for the supernatural indie ‘Remorse’, currently calling the Penrose Estate in Horsham Twp it’s home…away from home.
The thriller, starring femme fatale Katrina Law (of ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Legend of the Seeker’ fame) and leading lady Lili Bordan (from TV’s ‘Battlestar Galactica’), has been snuggly nestled amongst the fields, flowers, and fowl in this perpetual landmark for its month long stint of principal photography. Director Quinn Saunders, a veteran TV Director, and Film Professor at Cal State, fell in love with the site instantly, and decided it to be the perfect backdrop for this eerie feature film foray. To be honest, I’m not a super fan of being here once the lights go dark, but would be remiss if I didn’t cop to the fact that the place makes a pretty perfect setting for a spooky movie. Bring on the spirits…no, not THOSE spirits, the ones for the wrap party 😉
I’ve always felt that what I was lucky enough to do for a living was pretty unique, and kinda cool to boot. But recently, while exploring (uhh, I mean scouting of course) a network of tunnels underneath of Central Park in NYC, it really clicked. Since last month, I’ve been teaming once again with Director Josh Mawer and agency client Jamestown Associates to develop a PSA for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. The PSA campaign will bring awareness to the ‘Water for the Future’ initiative that the DEP is undertaking, to reinforce the water supply to sections of the outer boroughs in Brooklyn and Queens, and ensure that the City of NY will enjoy fresh tap water for many more generations to come.
The water supply system in NY is one of the most extensive in the world, but with the help of geography (and more than a little gravity), it’s treatment efforts are actually one of the simplest. But they are long standing, and in need of reinforcement, reinvention, and repair. To that end, the DEP is launching the ‘Water For the Future’ campaign, which will help residents understand the efforts that are being undertaken on their behalf.
The project has not only been a chance to collaborate once again with Josh, and JA, but has also led to newfound creative relationships with Erica Palgon Casting, in New York, as well as a plethora of new on screen talent including Jodi Applegate. I’ve also thoroughly enjoyed working with my new post production friends at Buttons NY. Nevertheless, the little kid in me has enjoyed the cable car rides to Roosevelt Island and the exploratory efforts of the real ‘underground NY’ most of all. Plus, I’ve always wanted to scale those crazy acorn towers in Greenpoint…mission accomplished!
With the Northeast Corridor still reeling from the impact of Superstorm Sandy, efforts of stalwart agencies like the Red Cross are paramount. For more than a century, the American Red Cross has been coming to the aid of those in need. As a way of giving back, and helping the communities where I live and work, I decided to push forward with a creative treatment that had been kicking around in my head for a while…one that seemed an all-too-perfect fit for the Red Cross.
Teaming once again with Director Josh Mawer, we created an ad that we branded for the non-profit’s vital emergency relief work in the aftermath of Sandy. I wrote, produced, and co-edited the spot, with Josh taking up the directing reins once again. This teaming is quickly becoming one of the better creative collaborations I’ve formed over the years. DP Steve Perrong brought his aesthetic prowess to the project, lensing the spot beautifully on his EPIC. With the help of a pristine set of Cooke S4 Primes, courtesy of 1st AC Tom Fanelle, the spot takes full advantage of some great locations in and around the Philly area…not to mention a stunning eventide opener in Rittenhouse Square.
This was an extremely personal project, and I couldn’t be more proud of the way it all came together. Check it out here:
The spot is driven by a tremendously catchy tune, courtesy of the Brooklyn-based ‘American Authors’. The band, who graciously offered up their hit track ‘Believer’ for the cause, is quickly catching fire…look for them to be big next year. My 8-year old niece, Frankie, lent her voice for the fitting VO. An additional shout-out of thanks to local Philadelphia vendors Videosmith, Get-Kinetic, Expressway Grip, and Location Lighting, who all donated equipment, personnel, and support, effectively rounding out one of my favorite projects on the year by far.
It’s just about this time each year that I grow a tad nostalgic, with Halloween just around the corner, as I recall with fond memory the horror film ‘Of Darkness’ that I produced with my brother back in 2006. The film was met with admirable success during its festival tour, screening at horror-con fav’s like the NYC Horror Film Festival and H.P. Lovecraft Festival, and later went on to secure distribution through FEARnet. I love a good horror flick anyway, so to have been a part of creating something that has endured in cult horror circles is great.
The film can be purchased on amazon, and is also available for instant download for just a few measly bucks. But if you really want to immerse yourself into full-on ‘Darkness’, plunk down the cash for the DVD, and enjoy a bevy of goodies; like the far-too-serious behind the scenes snippet that I cut together. Fond memories…
I’ll have a chance this weekend to check out the latest feature film offering from a good buddy of mine, and local Philly Philmmaker, Ben Hickernell. ‘Backwards’, the rowing inspired offering which makes expert aesthetic use of Philly’s own Boathouse Row, stars James Van Der Beek and Writer/Producer Sarah Megan Thomas in the lead roles.
The film, which opened locally last weekend to moderate reviews, offers a glimpse behind the curtain at the world of Women’s Olympic Rowing, and the sweat equity endured by athletes competing for spots on the official US Rowing Team.
While the reviews may be so/so, I’m confident that the rowing scenes themselves will look great. DP Harlan Bosmajian was our Cinematographer on the film, and was assisted by Key Grip Nic Reader, of Expressway Grip fame. The boat rigs, which were custom built for the project, were painstakingly crafted especially for the film by Nic and his Best Boy Zac Rubino…and they allowed for some fantastic camera placement that I look forward to watching on the big screen. And who knows, maybe the ‘Beek himself will make an audience appearance.
It’s been a fun year so far, and I’m coming off of a particularly busy stretch. I’ve just finished up a campaign for the South Carolina Ports Authority, with Director Josh Mawer, which witnessed filming stops at the Fuji, GE, & BMW plants…all of which rely on the SCPA for logistical advantage. The project was shot over the course of several trips to the Charleston, SC area this summer, and took full advantage of some homegrown SC production crew.
The spots were lensed flawlessly by DP Justin Berrios, and the production’s RED Epic package was rented locally through my new best friends over at Osprey HD. Lee Dashiell & Co are a great bunch, and they have a ton of quality work to their name…be sure to look them up if you’re ever in need of high end production support below the Mason-Dixon!
After a recent stretch of producing shoots OUTside of the Philly philm production world, it’s nice to be playing in my own backyard again. This month, Donnybrook had the chance to join forces with MG Pictures as I jumped on board to co-produce a promotional spot for Hawaiian Airlines with Director Mark Gambol. Mark and I have been friends and colleagues for years, so it was bound to be fun to step behind the camera together for his longtime client Barclaycard while managing the creative reins for the Delaware-based credit card provider’s latest production effort.
The shoot was a 3-day endeavor that witnessed location filming pit stops in West Chester, Media, and Swarthmore…in addition to a green screen sponsored layover at the client’s own swanky digs in Riverfront Wilmington. Local Philly-harvested talent included Patrick Michael, who’s always a blast to work with. And Patrick might have reason to get the Guinness folks on the horn, after donning more than 2-dozen authentic Hawaiian leis in a single take…who knew Orchids weighed so darn much. That’s gotta be some kind of record, right? I’ll look into it, and get back to you…as well as Patrick, who’s still nursing a sore neck (& a free Mai Tai)!
Principal photography for the kids concept “Team Toon” recently came to a close, after more than a year in the production trenches. The Fremantle Media produced series, which blends live action with animation, tells the story of Dylan, Sam, Ash, & Iko, a foursome of middle schoolers that also just so happen to be world renowned super heroes…at least in their own minds.
The Cartoon Network bound ‘Toon’ is set to witness a premiere in 2013, and should impact the quartet of young stars fame-factor nicely. I had a blast working with the four as-yet-unknown youngsters, while serving as the show’s UPM for the first quarter of this year. And Trevor, Jon, Jerome, and Meg are all fantastic kids, with bright futures ahead of them. I’m happy to see that the show has come to satisfying close, and wish the cast and crew all the best.
"Paul is the gold standard for producers. No task is too tough, no deadline impossible. Every time I've hired him, the job has been done right - on time, and on budget!"
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Ray Carballada CEO, AmpiFLY
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"I needed someone I could trust to run a large job for my company, while I was out of the country. If not for Paul, I wouldn't have been able to handle the job...simple as that. He made me look good, and I know I can trust him with my clients, and my reputation."
Mark Gambol Owner, MG Pictures
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I've served as Production Counsel on several pictures with Paul, and have always found him to be exceptionally hard-working and professional. He is a diligent problem-solver, detail oriented, and has a tremendous work ethic.
