Donnybrook Production Services

These days, it seems that the lighter on your feet you are the better.  Since breaking out on my own back in January, the only fixed asset investments I’ve made have been of the mobile/portable variety.  A new iPhone 4, a portable wireless printer, a fancy ‘WiFi anywhere’ apparatus, & a new mountain/road Cannondale hybrid!  Well, OK, I’ll concede that last purchase to be just as much for personal use as professional…but you get the gist.  The long and short of it, adopting the mantra ‘local to anywhere’ has been almost essential.  And with the major Northeast Corridor markets of DC to NYC only a hop, skip, & jump away, it’s a nice luxury to settle in behind the wheel of a 6-cylinder/4WD office, and be on site within 2-3 hours time.

What’s being left in the rear view are the days of ‘tethered to the desk’ infrastructure, replaced instead with a sort of lily pad to lily pad approach.  Hopping from one WiFi hotspot to the next is common, and almost assumed.  Kudos to Barnes & Noble, for their (albeit delayed) decision to do away with the pay to play internet access.  Instead, they’ve opted to join the ranks of the Panera Breads & Starbucks of the world by allowing all customers to use their in-house WiFi free of charge.  And I hear they even sell books there as well!

These days it’s easier than ever to stay ‘connected’, and the modern mobile freelancer can keep tabs on his/her world from just about anywhere…sorta gives the notion of being tied up at the office a whole new meaning!

With his latest win at this years Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon was propelled to the rank of third all-time in racing history.  While the win was only his third of the season, it constituted his 85th lifetime, placing him on the top-3 list behind only Richard Petty and David Pearson.  And while it’s highly unlikely he’ll be able to overtake Petty’s 200 wins all-time, he does have a legitimate shot at Pearson’s record of 105.

Now I don’t fancy myself a super-fan of NASCAR, as it’s been my experience that you’re either a ‘race guy’ or your not.  A solid case in point, the producer I just worked with on my last project certainly was…Brian, you know who you are.  Having said that, claiming to not know who Jeff Gordon is because you’re not a race fan is like saying you’ve never heard of Tiger Woods because you don’t follow golf.  After all, guys like that are just as much pop-culture icons as they are representatives of their respective craft.

I, for one, found Mr. Gordon to be a swell fellow when I had the unique opportunity of working with him ealier this year.  I produced a spot for a pharma client that used Jeff and his wife (model Ingrid Vandebosch) as its lead spokes-folks.  The campaign, directed by Kevin Hack of Get-Kinetic and shot on the RED One by DP JR Campbell, was aimed at raising awareness for parents to the dangers of Pertussis (also known as whooping cough).  Both Jeff & Ingrid were enjoyable to work with, making the otherwise hectic production schedule far smoother than it likely should have been.

So again, my hat’s off to a nice guy who actually does get to finish first…apparently 85 times and counting.

With principal photography officially in the can (or, more appropriately, stored efficiently on the hard drives), it’s on to the post-production leg of things for Director Ben Hickernell, Producer Sarah Megan Thomas, and their rowing infused feature “Backwards”.  Editor Phillip Bartell (“In Her Shoes”, “Undertow”) has been in Philly since week two of production back in July, and has been working out of ODM in Old City.

The film, lensed on the RED One by DP Harlan Bosmajian, took full advantage of the tapeless format by enlisting the services of NYC-based post house Mega Playground for all digital intermediate duties.  With twice-weekly treks up the turnpike, footage runners were dropping off fresh drives for transcoding.  As a result, the filmmakers were able to stay on top of the projects aesthetic and coverage benchmarks while viewing dailies from footage only a couple of days old.

The film, starring James Van Der Beek, Glenn Morshower, and Margaret Colin (alongside Thomas herself) is slated for a 2012 release.  You can stay on top of the latest news, notes, and nods by visiting the “Backwards” facebook page.

Maybe it’s the fact that I’ve been immersed, at varied times throughout the year, in the development of the indie horror-feature “Sufferance” that I’m Line Producing.  Or perhaps it’s just because I’m a sucker for a well done (and well marketed) horror/thriller infused project.  Either way, a few of Fall TV’s looming lineups have me kind of excited.  In somewhat strategic order, here are a few of the shows I’m most ‘tuned’ in to:

(1) The Walking Dead; Sunday’s @ 10p on AMC – If the sophomore season of this show is anything like the first, then starting October 16 I know exactly where my buttocks will be squarely planted on Sunday nights.  The series is based on the graphic novels by Robert Kirkman, and AMC has done as much justice to this show as they’ve been able to do for pretty much everything they lay their hands on.

(2) American Horror Story; Wednesday’s @ 10p on FX – Knowing full well that I suffer from a morbid sense of what constitutes cool, I’m happy to admit that this show’s creepy viral campaign has me chomping at the bit for October 5 to arrive.  In addition to being disturbingly cool, however, the teasers do little to spoil much of anything where the show’s particular plot line(s) are concerned…it’s equal parts refreshing and curiosity inspiring.

(3) Dexter; Sunday’s @ 9p on Showtime – Not to be a subscriber-based TV snob or anything, but let’s face it…cable is just kicking Network TV’s heiny all over the place!  Dexter, the series based on the collection of novels by Jeff Lindsay,  kicks off it’s sixth season on October 2…and rumor has it that this time, ” all hell breaks loose”.  Oh goody!

Now, to show that I’m a good sport (and not a TOTAL cable-centric elitist), here’s a matching top-3 list of Network based shows that I’m willing to offer a fair shot at impressing me:

(1) – Terra Nova; Monday’s @ 8p on FOX – While the 8pm time slot (on FOX, no less) is enough to invoke at least mild trepidation, the fact that Steven Spielberg is involved offset those concerns with at least a glimmer of hope…enough to sucker me in for the premiere on September 26 anyway.  It will have to be a better crafted show than Mr Spielberg’s disappointing “Falling Skies”, however, if it intends to keep me coming back for more.

(2) – Once Upon a Time; Sunday’s @ 8p on ABC – I think it’s the fact that this show’s trailers have my wife and I equally intrigued that’s encouraged me to bump it into the ranks of this list.  After all, it constitutes the first time in a great long while (arguably, since ABC’s former hit LOST) that we’ll potentially agree on a series.  As a result, we’ll both be destined for the couch on October 23.

(3) – Grimm; Friday’s @ 9p on NBC – Supporting evidence that this show is doomed from the get go (Friday as a time slot and NBC as the network) be damned…I still find myself really (really) pulling for this one.  And if the October 21 premiere does anything to facilitate my hopes, I can always DVR it and watch it on a different night of the week for principles sake.

So there ya have it, a mixed bag of sure-fire crowd pleasers and hopeful contenders.  Combined with AMC’s “The Killing” and HBO’s “Game of Thrones” (both apparently relegated to 2012 scheduled returns), there’s bound to be something here for everyone with a penchant for darker material…at least enough to get us through the chilly winter months anyway.

I’m proud to share a link to a recent project I produced for Director Doug Spangenberg of Space Monkey Studios.  Back in late June, prior to heading off for a week’s worth of relaxation in sunny Jamaica, I had the opportunity to team with Doug, and Philly-based DP JR Campbell, on an EPK shoot for Universal Music artists Il Volo.  I’ve worked with JR a number of times, as he’s become one of my preferred DP’s, but it was the first time working with Doug.  At any rate the project went very well, and after an exhausting day of traversing the ‘big island’ that is New York City, trailing the trio of Italian youngsters on their 24-hour media blitz, we had certainly acquired a plethora of footage.  Now, after having had a chance to watch the final product, i must say that it’s nice to see that the end product came together so nicely…great job Doug!

You can check out the video here, on Doug’s Vimeo page.

There’s something to be said for a gig that solidifies nearly two straight months of steady work…long live feature film opp’s!  However, I’m finding a number of fringe benefits to my current run as the UPM on “Backwards”, in addition to the welcomed financial stability.  Chief among those benefits has been a privileged glance behind the curtain of Philly’s very own Boathouse Row.

With more than a week’s worth of production along Kelly Drive, and pit stops at the Waterworks and Philadelphia Art Museum, we’ve set up camp in Vesper Boat Club…one of the more prominent rowing clubs along the waterfront stretch that is Boathouse Row.  Surrounded daily by more than a century’s worth of history, it’s been a humbling experience to say the least.  And the funny thing is, I’m one (of many, I’m sure) that’s come to take this world-famous strip of Philly real estate for granted.  I’ve driven, peddled, and even strolled past these houses countless times over the years, all the while largely oblivious to the daily goings on taking place on their docks.  It’s been fun to gain such all access status to such a historic location, and i’ll never look at this section of the Schuylkill the same way again.

In fairness, working for weeks on end with the talented crew and cast has been a noteworthy fringe benefit as well.  Director Ben Hickernell and I have been pals for years, so working with him was bound to be fun.  The film does, however, mark my first teaming with Line Producer Brian David Cange, and only my second with 1st AD Michael DelPolito…both of whom I look forward to subsequent collaborations with for sure.

With wrap looming ever closer, it will be equal parts refreshing to get some much needed R&R, yet a bit of a bummer to part ways with the crew…bittersweet.

I’ve recently been in contact with a group of indie filmmakers, in a largely consultative capacity, after a mutual film friend put us in touch.  Director/Producer Dwight Wilkins and Writer/Producer Joseph Ruggiero, the filmmaking duo behind A Rose on Ninth Street Productions, are currently in the developmental and fundraising stage for their feature film.  ‘Rose’ is a feature-length script, based on Ruggiero’s book of the same name, that focuses on an Italian-American family in South Philly.  And while the book is a period piece, set squarely in the Italian Market in the 1950’s, the script is a contemporary take on the same plot.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to a fundraising event that the filmmakers held this week, at Cesare’s in Bristol, and it was encouraging to see that level of passion and commitment to a project.  It never ceases to amaze me when I come across a dedicated group of filmmakers, caught full-tilt in the midst of kick starting a passion project.  I wish Joe and Dwight all the best as they continue to bring “A Rose on Ninth Street” to life, and hope to be a more active part of the project as it moves forward into development.

In some respects, the City of Philadelphia is clobbering the competition when it comes to PA-centric bragging rights.  The Fightin’ Phil’s hold a significant advantage, after all, over the trailing Pirates, when it comes to the State’s baseball rivalry.  Regardless of their 1-1 split in the pre-season ending On-Deck Series, the Phil’s have established themselves once again as the team to beat in the NL East…or, even arguably, in the NL overall.  With the team well on its way to another championship season, their four straight NL East division titles offer them a hefty edge against the woeful Pirates (who haven’t even witnessed a winning season during the same stretch).

Having said that, the efforts of the PaFIA seem to be tilted strongly in favor of our sister city to the west, as Pittsburgh continues to attract high profile films looking to take advantage of the State’s tax incentive.  Already this year, films like “Steel Town”, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, and “The Dark Knight Rises” have all staked a claim in the vicinity of the three rivers, while Philly sits in absence of any features of note thus far in 2011.  A disheartening statistic after recent years have witnessed the likes of “Transformers 2”, “Limitless”, “Law Abiding Citizen”, and “The Last Airbender” setting up camp in the CoBL.

I’m fortunate enough to be jumping on board the first feature of note (the indie “Backwards”) to visit Philly this calendar year, but remain conscious of the dwindling options nonetheless.  I, for one, love our fair city and decided long ago to settle in the Greater Philly region.  It’s for that very reason that I remain hopeful (or dare i say optimistic) that Philly will once again start to hold its own in the production showdown.  Maybe not in lopsided Phil’s versus Pirates fashion, but at least enough to even up the odds!  Here’s hoping…

So it’s looking like I’ll be making the ever-popular ‘Turnpike Trek’ tomorrow, when I head up to the Big Apple bright & early for my latest field-producing assignment.  Teaming for the first time with Director Doug Spangenberg, we’ll be jumping around the City capturing some EPK footage for Universal Music.

The camera, helmed by local Philly-based DP JR Campbell, will be pointed in the direction of the trio of teen sensations “Il Volo”.  These Italian youngsters, on the heels of their crowd-raising appearance on “American Idol”, will be in NYC for just over a day.  While there, they’ll embark on a marathon PR tour that will witness them making pit-stops at a number of national talk-shows.  In between their scheduled visits, our crew will look to capture the teens taking in some of the sights and sounds synonymous with New York, with Times Square, Central Park, and Little Italy set to make our list of backdrops.

I think that my Caribbean-bound vacation plans are coming just in time, as I’m sure I’ll need my stint in Jamaica to recover from and abusive day in the ‘City that never sleeps’…or, as I’ve come to know it as, the ‘City that kicks your butt’!