Donnybrook Production Services

This adage dates back quite a while, and is actually rooted in a more complex management formula too dizzying to cite here verbatim.  After all, I’m simply maintaining a self-serving and (dare I say) witty & entertaining blog, not crafting an outline for a management strategies handbook.  Nevertheless, there’s something about this maxim that has always resonated with me.  It was adopted and employed heavily @ Get-Kinetic, the Philly-based production company that I called home for several years.  And it’s stuck with me since journeying into the treacherous freelance terrain nearly a year ago.

Regardless of how solid and stable a relationship one might adopt with a client (or potential client), there’s no denying that vendors and employing firms/individuals will always find themselves at odds over this belief; with the later party nearly always pushing to secure all three of these things to their own selfish benefit.  Holding the line when it comes to this set of conditions falls squarely on the shoulders of the bidding party, and the delicacy with which it must be maneuvered is an art form in and of itself.

Being a relative ‘newbie’ with regards to the established world of self-employment (I kinda feel like a full fiscal year in the books is necessary to live down this title), I’m still trying to figure out how to get client-folk to swallow this typically bitter pill.  I have, however, been lucky enough to develop a number of solid professional relationships over the course of my first year as a freelancer…and I suppose that if 12 or so months down the road I’m still trudging along with my head above water (and still maintaining this witty & entertaining blog), perhaps I’ll have amassed a bit more worthwhile advice on the matter!

“I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don’t want to do that.” – Lloyd Dobler, “Say Anything”; 1989

OK, so it’s Monday morning, and I have yet to resort to diving out of any windows in despair over the heart-wrenchingly early departure of the Phil’s from the 2011 Post Season.  That said I’m reeling, and still feeling more than a little frustration over the whole debacle that was Friday night.  It might’ve felt better if we got blown out…it might have felt better if we lost 1-0/2-1 in extra innings, given the pitching match-up…perhaps the frustration may have been rivaled if we goofed and blew some sort of huge, cushy lead.  But alas, none of those were the case.  Instead, we limped offense-lessly through a disparaging nine innings of torture!

My brother put it succinctly (as he’s often able to do with the Phil’s when I’m struggling to find the logic), when he addressed the fact that the Phil’s have never been a good ‘small ball‘ club.  And it’s true, they’re just not.  Rather, they’re at their best when exhibiting an awe-inspiring performance, and lack the steady attention to the fundamentals of the game.  In their recent playoff success stories, they rode the long ball all the way to the World Series for two straight years.  Since then, with injuries prevalent, they’ve been unable to capitalize on the basics and principals that make most baseball teams successful.  Now granted, two things are a given: 1 – I’ll feel a heck of a lot better if the Card’s ride their late season hot streak all the way to a parade, and 2 – I’ll be sporting my Phil’s caps all through the year, anxiously awaiting them to take the grass @ Citizen’s Bank in April.  I cant help it…I’m a lifer!

Having said that, and as I’ve often done this past season, I started to see correlations to the film production industry here in Philly…another often frustrating situation.  The fact of the matter is, all major film markets (New York & L.A. first among the list) witness a sustaining, year-round level of consistent ‘small ball’ production activity.  Episodic TV, reality-based TV, indie level feature film production, and big budget studio offerings all balance the slate.  Here in the CoBL, however, it seems we’re more ‘flash in the pan’ when it comes to our annual production docket, with typically only a handful of big-budget films swooping in for short stints before leaving the scene vacant for even longer stints.  And just like the Phil’s, with their impressive collection of Aces, Philly has all of the key ingredients to be a perpetually strong film market, making it all the more frustrating that it cant seem to capitalize on them.

I’m as loyal to the Greater Philly film region as I am to the Fightin’s, but sooner or later the draw up the turnpike will prove to be a sweeter temptation than I can ignore.  And while I’ll no sooner become a native New Yorker than a Yankees fan, there’s no arguing that the fruitful production-sustenance of the Big Apple is an appetizing proposition.

Having spent a part of this past weekend helping out with some loose ends on the indie feature “Backwards”, as they were back in the saddle for some pick-up footage, I’m hearing rumors that the film is coming together quite nicely.  And while it was fun to get back into the field with a collection of the department heads & crew again, I’ll admit to being at least mildly distracted by NLDS Game 1 (the Fightin’s were also hosting the visiting Card’s down @ CBP).

While balancing my UPM-esque duties with my addictive Phil’s fever, I was reflecting on the growing collection of local philmmakers that are proud to set their sticks in the Greater Philly region.  The gents over at the South Jersey-based Kphat Productions always seem to be up to something feature-film related, and have begun to amass an impressive collection of company credits.  Meanwhile, the Producer/Director team of  James Madison &  Nic Reader seem to be ready to take their Expressway Productions moniker to the next level, hot on the heels of their successful short film collaboration “Runner”.  And with the likes of Ben Hickernell’s “Backwards”, the environmentally conscious indie darling “Future Weather”, and the horror treat “Alpha Girls” all bound to hit screens in the coming year, we could be in store for a potential hat-trick of Philly-based philm fare witnessing some much deserved exposure.

As I ramp up talks this week with the philmmakers behind the comedy “Angus”, penned by local screenwriter David Greenberg, I remain as optimistic as ever that Philly will soon witness its full potential as a viable and sustaining film market.

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!

I’d certainly never profess to be the world’s foremost authority on podcasts, or anything cyber-induced for that matter.  I’m one of those late bloomers who’s only recently (in the past few years or so) thrown his respective hat into the ring that is the ‘blogosphere’ of modern technology.  I am, however, capable of discerning what’s interesting and worthy of attention…at least I think so, anyway.  It’s that reserved palette for all things pop-culture that has me tuning in to the weekly “Doomed to be Awesome” podcast.

If there’s any truth to the old adage that ‘two heads are better than one’, then imagine the destructive power that could be wielded by four heads.  Such is the case where D2BA’s founding fathers team of Gary Irwin, Matt Casale, Brendan O’Brien, and Dom Fera are concerned.  Armed with ‘phones’ of the micro & cell varieties, these gent’s engage in a weekly conversation about…well, pretty much anything entertainment-infused.  Film, television, music, photography, fine arts, and all things viral are equal fodder for discussion.  And rather than relegate themselves to the depths of irreverence, this quartet opts instead for the higher road.  As a result, the podcasts and associated website have attracted fans of all shapes of sizes…and things are just getting started.

So go ahead and gather your family members, pull the roast from the oven, and set your url in the direction of the family-friendly fare that is “Doomed to be Awesome“…there’s plenty of ‘awesome’ to go around!

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.