First Post
Seems somewhat arbitrary to begin a blog in mid December. Probably better to wait until 2009 but I’m going to anyway. Starting at the beginning of a year just seems too formal and places way too much burden on completion and continuation. I can live without that especially since every diary I ever started seems to peeter out by mid February. On that basis, this should be done by January 20th.
So just to bring new readers up to speed… which I guess is everyone. I’m just finishing post production on a fantasy adventure film I wrote and directed called SOLOMON KANE. Movie has turned out pretty good but there’s still a few things that need doing, which is what I’m up to now.
I’ve been in London all this week in a mixing studio doing a sound polish on Kane. The task has been to add some detail and dimension to a few areas of the movie that felt like they could open up a little more. Today, specifically I’ve been adding detail to the giant fire monster near the climax. It’s an unbelievably cool special effect courtesy of French FX house ‘Buf’ and needs a great sound to make it work. It’s all there and really does fill the theatre and with a good surround sound I don’t think the word ‘awesome’ is out of place. Trouble is, the damn thing is so loud now that it feels like I’ve spent the day at a Metallica concert (though I’ve gotta say that German metal gods ‘Accept’ were actually the loudest band I’ve ever seen.) Everyone on the team is mentally exhausted after 10 hours of massive roaring flames and grinding metal. There’s a decibel meter in the room which tells me the creature is just a little quieter than a jet taking off. Kinda makes me smile. But it can’t just be a wall of sounds, there has to be detail within it and that’s where the endless polishing, tweaking and finessing comes in. As I’m just the guy sitting at the front whilst more talented and techically skilled people actually do the work, all I can do is listen an approve (or not) as they make the changes. Sometimes I’m busy, most of the time I’m not.
I’m using the time to try and figure out some plot points on a thriller that I’m adapting. Hard to concentrate with a jet-engine taking off a few meters from your head. Still, gotta be done.
And just to show that I’m really concentrating on the work that has to be done; I started this blog. Classic displacement activity.
I’ve been waiting for KANE with baited breath since I heard about it over a year ago. Any idea when we’ll see a trailer? or even a teaser? Keep up the good work!
I’ve got teasers, trailers and clips waiting to be unleashed but the truth is that this kind of marketing and promotional stuff is not within my control or brief. I’m not a producer on this picture and have no say at all in how or when material is made available. It’s up to the distributors who are releasing the movie in different countries. It’s frustrating to me because I want everyone to see how well this is coming together. I have to be patient just like everyone else.