The Rough Cut

I've heard and read all the stories of how horrified film directors usually are when they screen the initial compilation of scenes and sequences of their first movie in sequential order for the first time. Most of the comments center around the fact that the first cut is way over the desired 2 hour or less running time of the film; or that the film is such a mess that they can't see how it can possibly be turned into the movie they envisioned when they signed on to their project. I can identify with them...to a degree.

 I've always had three primary fears about seeing the first rough cut of Beautiful Noise:

 1) Will it run way too long given the way I showcase the 16 songs in the Musical-Drama?2) Will it drag out in any way due to either bad writing, bad directing, subpar acting or the overall pacing of the film?

3) Will it be entertaining and thought provoking enough to garner good word-of-mouth after it's release?

My editor Marc Alcorn was thrilled with the initial result after we glued the movie together for the first time. I was, at best, encouraged that we were at least on the right track. Marc is a solid pro in the editing biz with many years of experience at his craft. I've worked with a lot of terrific editors and he's without a doubt at the top of the list of the best I've ever worked with - so I was a little worried with his overly enthusiastic response right off the bat. He's an extremely creative, precise and nit-picky editor and he lets nothing get past him if a cut doesn't feel or look just right. The guy is a harsh critic of his work and will labor for as long as it takes to nail a 5 second edit and fight me to the enth degree if he disagrees with my final edit decisions, which keeps me on my toes and is healthy for our final product. So, needless to say, his expression of awe with our first cut both delighted and concerned me. Delighted 'cause Marc knows what he's talking about...concerning 'cause I am holding the film to an extremely high standard from the get-go. Marc is too of course, but I'm not interested in simply being one of the best indie films to ever come out of Florida. I'm interested in entertaining and hopefully enlightening a worldwide audience in some small way. That's why the movie is being submitted to film festivals around the globe. I want all my films to be compared to all others, be they big studio features or small budget indie projects. It doesn't matter. A movie is either good or bad. There's no in-between. Whether or not it ultimately finds its audience is a marketing question. But nothing good can happen if the film simply doesn't do it's primary job - to entertain.

 The good things about that first rough cut were obvious:

 1. It came in at an hour and 45 minutes long...which is just about perfect for a Musical.

 2. It didn't drag at all...if anything, it moved a touch fast for my taste in the opening sequences.

 3. As for it's entertainment value, the Soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission - but Marc was most stunned and I was most happy about the uniformly wonderful acting performances turned in by the Cast. I mean, these are all relative unknowns acting in our film, but they were extremely good throughout, and often-times great. I mean it. Great. I guarantee you'll care about and identify with more than one of the characters and you'll be absorbed into the Story we're trying to tell without the distraction some indie films face...bad acting. It's a sizable cast and they all delivered the goods and made their characters believable and memorable.

So what was the problem? It was the same challenge every writer-director faces when he/she is editing their first feature film. The only way to smooth out the edges I was seeing in that first pass was to cut out some of my favorite lines or small scenes that I just really loved. Yeah, we had limited options sometimes due to technical difficulties with how we may have shot a sequence that made Marc's job editing a nightmare at times...but in a few places I simply had overwritten a scene or some dialogue. It was just amazing to me how much we were able to enhance the pacing and flow of the film as well as the already good performances of the cast by making subtle changes. Trimming, tightening, lengthening scenes in some cases, cutting to just the right beat or lyric of a song - all those little, tedious things and gut decisions I had to make made such a huge difference.

Last Sunday night was the first big test. We invited 20 people made up of cast, crew and a few civilians to screen the rough cut. Marc and I explained in great detail that we were nowhere near the finish line of delivering the final product and that the audience needed to overlook the need for color correction or a final sound mix or the fact that a few pick up scenes still needed to be edited in later. Everyone understood and they were all anxious to see where we were in the process. I can't begin to tell you the level of anxiety that engulfed me when the lights dimmed and the opening sequence began. All I could think of was - "God, what if this sucks? Will they smile/chuckle when I did? Will they get emotional like I still do at certain places in the piece? Will the music work its magic as intended?" Marc, on the other hand, had the look of the conquering hero on his face. He was supremely confident that what the test audience was about to see would not only be well received but probably amaze everyone in the room.

Thank God, Marc's take on things was spot on.

After an extended round of applause when the film ended the group shared their insights and ideas with us for over an hour. Everyone contributed to the discussion and all their input has been taken into consideration as Marc and I shape the final version of the rough cut to submit to some nationwide spring film festivals before the December 31 deadline. Once again, it's mind boggling what a coupla new pick-up shots and some more tweaking of the film does to the overall impact of a movie. We've added, deleted and continue to polish the rough cut of Beautiful Noise...and the Story I wanted to tell is shining through more and more each day. It's nice to know this is the worst that the movie will ever look. The final cut you'll see when the film is released will be head and shoulders better than what we have now...and what we have now is pretty cool...

Separate from the test group screening, I showed that first rough cut to Jay and later on to Kimber. They, of course, studied their own key performances carefully and came away from the experience with sighs of relief, terrific ideas on how to improve the film overall, and big smiles. They should smile. They are both great in the film and should become hot commodities in the film and music world as a result of their wonderful work.

In a few days I'll show the rough cut to Danielle. She was my very first Casting decision and now she'll be the last big test before we submit our work-in-progress to all those film festivals for consideration. Like Jay & Kimber, I completely trust her creative take on things. She's wise beyond her years.

In spite of my best effort as their Director, Jay & Kimber still had extremely heavy loads to carry to bring their respective characters to life and make you care about what happens to them - and they just nailed it! But now that I have a little time to sit back and really look at this movies' scope and scale - how I wrote it; how we shot it; what I wanted to accomplish - I see clearly how the heaviest burden regarding the success of this ambitious film rests squarely on the shoulders of a soon to be 19 year old actress/singer. Some thought it a bold, even brash move to cast Danielle so quickly way back when we started. After all, the whole movie really rides on that one decision. But it took me about 5 minutes to decide on her after our first meeting and audition. I just get a "knowing" when something or someone is placed in my Path that belongs...and I quickly knew she was right and deserving of the opportunity - even though all I really had to go on was that initial meeting, some YouTube videos of her winning American Idol Juniors back when she was 11 years old...plus a cool little intro video she advanced of her playing acoustic guitar and singing a vintage Bob Dylan tune...

It's a little scary to think about now, but the cold hard fact I faced was if Danielle couldn't pull off the complex lead character I wrote in a meaningful, moving and convincing way, the movie would fold like a house of cards. Sure, I may get a wee bit of credit for my direction, but believe me - once Danielle and I fell into a groove and mind set about her character depiction- it was all her sheer talent and strong desire that fueled her work. If I could turn back time and have my choice of any young actress on the planet to play the lead role in this movie - knowing what I know now - it would still be Danielle White. Taylor Swift and the rest of 'em can all take a hike. Danielle became and is "Dez"...and along with Jay & Kimber...is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment world.

In the final analysis, it was a lot to ask of any young thespian, regardless of their experience or skill set, as you'll understand when you see the film. But Danielle's thoughtful and at times jaw dropping performance, as well as those of her co-stars, will not only entertain the hell out of you, but will force you to think seriously after you leave the theatre about the message the film strives to deliver.

What more could an audience ask for from a movie?

What more could a Writer-Director possibly ask for on his first feature film?

Danielle, Jay, Kimber, King and the rest of the troupe - they are all so Beautiful Noise.

Steve

Mission Accomplished

Ah yes...the thrill of Victory in battle. It was touch and go all week, but my Team pulled together in the clutch and helped me film some crucial pick up shots that enable me to complete the rough cut and ship it to the film festivals on time. What we have now is not only a great final sequence to Beautiful Noise, but also an ending that leads perfectly into the sequel. I didn't compromise. Now it's the movie I intended to make...and not some smaller version of what it could be.

So now it's on to the Sunday night invitation-only private screening of the rough cut - which will no doubt generate some insightful critiques of the film - and then Marc and I will adjust and polish as necessary. It's amazing what a little creative writing and a handful of well-placed 5 to 30 second scenes can do to immeasurably improve the understanding and pacing of a feature film...

Heartfelt thanks to Isaac, Ryan, Jerry & Ralph and to Jim Minor at Riverview HS for making the day happen.

As a Bonus I also got word from Jim that Riverview just cleared the date of Friday, April 1st for the "Beautiful Noise Concert" Event starring Cast members singing songs from the movie and Jay performing his full-blown Neil Diamond show. We'll probably sell out 2 shows for that extravaganza. It's more than a concert - it's gonna have theatrical elements and clips from the movie and all sorts of musical surprises...so it's a show not to be missed. The cool thing is that our Concert in the fabulous 1,000 seat Riverview Performing Arts Center takes place just days before the Sarasota Film Festival, where we're hopeful to have our World Premiere of Beautiful Noise.

So once again, the teachable moment here for aspiring filmmakers is simply this: 

Never give up and never give in when it comes to doing whatever it takes to get your movie made the way you want to make it! It's your Voice...it's your Dream...it's your Art. To hell with the mountains you gotta climb to make your film. Just go for it! Surround yourself with people who believe in your Vision and then don't let go of the reins - no matter how hard the circumstances and distractions try to buck you off course.

If you don't quit, you can't fail.

See it through...no matter what.

Steve

“Oh Shit!”

So there I was last night, just rolling through the happy process of editing the final minutes of the rough cut with editor-extraordinaire Marc Alcorn when the dreaded "Oh shit!" moment happened. I suddenly realized that the current ending we shot was, of course, based on the original draft of my screenplay - something that was written long before the thought of a sequel ever crossed my mind. The scenes we shot are great...but they do nothing to set up the sequel...which is essential 'cause both the prequel - "Serenade" and sequel - "Heartlight" are slated to start preproduction early next year. 

So my old nemesis, Anxiety, paid me another visit. And I was defenseless at that moment to fend him off. 

The edit session the night before was pure Divine Guidance at work. I asked Marc to take a particularly critical sequence of the movie that was painstakingly edited with a great song originally planned for the film and alter it to accommodate a new song I recently found by Suncoast songwriter Dean Johanesen. Marc looked at me like I was crazy, which happens a lot. In fact, we had to edit in a total of 3 new songs that night, so it was probable that we'd have to re-edit all the targeted sequences...which would have been a huge pain.

But then the Magic happened.

Again.

The new songs not only sounded better, but the lyrics of each tune perfectly matched the action and dialogue of each scene as edited. I mean, they were a dead-on perfect match! As if they were meant to be there all along. It was just eerie...and miraculous. One of those moments when you get a chill 'cause you know that something unique happened that is unexplainable - unless of course you believe, as I do, that there are no accidents and that everything happens for a reason...

But last night it felt like the wheels had come off the wagon. I just couldn't figure out how to set up the sequel with the footage already shot. Another day of shooting more pick up scenes is problematic due to actors' availability and budget constraints - but we're up against a deadline to submit the rough cut to the spring film festivals - so I need to scramble with a cool rewrite and hope like hell my Team and I can pull together in the next week to shoot and edit a coupla key closing scenes that sets up the next movie while still maintaining the emotional punch of the current film. 

Could I leave well enough alone? Yeah, I could. But I won't. I refuse to compromise. We've all come too far and worked too hard to settle for anything but the very best ending to Beautiful Noise possible and the chance to start the sequel off on the right foot. So now it's up to me to do one last rewrite of the closing moments of the film and then implore elements of my talented Team to gather one last time to bring it all home.

Stay tuned... 

Steve

Harley's, Hitchhikers & Motor homes

Shooting pick-up scenes after principal photography has wrapped is a common practice for major feature film productions, but a rare luxury for indie movies like ours. As the 'Beautiful Noise' editing process enters its final phase, Marc and I decided to huddle with co-producer Ralph Barnette to quickly pull a small commando crew together, as we needed to shoot scenes that not only fill a few small continuity holes in the footage we have on hand, but that also helps us tie the Story of "Beautiful Noise" together visually.

For 12 hours yesterday lead actors Jay & Danielle and our dynamic BN "Run & Gun" Crew - featuring Rod Millington, Ryan Lebar, Alexia Pepper, Brandy Luke, Bud Buckley, John Mulligan and newcomers Andre and Jessica - joined Ralph, Marc and me on a chilly but sunny Suncoast day that turned out to be one of the most memorable of the entire shoot. From dawn to well past sundown, our dynamic troupe moved as fast as we could from location to location to film exteriors featuring an assortment of Harley rides and stunts, hitchhiking, motor homes and a return to "Noah's" Myakka homestead. We also shot a quick interior scene at one of the finest dining establishments on the planet, the legendary Michael's on East in Sarasota. The last shot of the day was my favorite and was completely improvised on the spot. After getting the candlelight dinner scene we needed at Michael's in the can, I decided to drag my tired Team to one last location before darkness completely engulfed the coastline. We made it over to the Ringling Bridge, which connects the mainland with Lido Key & St. Armands Circle, just as dusk was settling in. Wanting to take advantage of the breathtaking post-sunset golden hues of the sky in the backdrop, I quickly positioned Danielle - who had already switched out a killer black evening gown straight out of an Audrey Hepburn film into her "Dez" hitchhiking ensemble - on the walkway at the midpoint of the bridge and directed her to simply stroll down toward the camera and then pause to gaze across the magnificent Bay, which had a single sailboat gliding across the serene water. It turned out to be an incredibly cool shot and it was apropo that the final sequence of our movie was filmed at the most beautiful time of day in one of the most scenic spots on Florida's west coast. I couldn't think of a better way to say 'Thanks' to the community for embracing our production than by showcasing our young star in such a spectacular Sarasota setting. The simple shot not only works to propel the storyline of the journey of a key character in the film, but also serves as a reminder of the journey of "Beautiful Noise". Our musical-drama could not look and sound as great as it does on such a low budget without the enthusiastic support of so many wonderful Sarasotans and area businesses.

My sincere thanks to one and all, and an extra high-five to Danielle & Jay, Marc and Ralph and our BN "Commando Pick-Up Shot" crew - all of whom went well above and beyond the call of duty yesterday to help me bring the words on the page to Life in such a passionate, heartfelt way.

            Steve

THE COUNTDOWN

Having worked non-stop these last 15 months writing, shooting, scoring and editing the film, the Thanksgiving holiday provided a good excuse to power down, recharge the batteries and take a look at Beautiful Noise with a fresh perspective. It was time well spent. Not only does the rough edit of the film look better than it did before the break, I also discovered two great songs from a new member of our Soundtrack Team that perfectly fills a couple of musical gaps I've been wrestling with for a few weeks. Suncoast singer-songwriter Dean Johanesen was a 'band member' Extra I met on the set on the very last day of principal photography. Dean approached me after the concert scene we shot and let me know that he loved the experience and was willing to help out any other way he could. A few weeks later I called him out of the blue to thank him again for his time and to ask if he had any original songs I could listen to, as I am deep into writing the BN prequel and sequel and on the lookout for new tunes. Deans' new CD was chocked full of great music, but when I heard "Godspeed" & "Last Dance", I knew immediately I had spots for them in the film. Danielle cut an incredible version of "Godspeed" this week in the studio and Jay is set to record "Last Dance" soon. Both songs are just fantastic and add immeasurably to an already hit-laden Soundtrack album.

So the Countdown is on. After we shoot one more day of pickup scenes with Jay & Danielle, Marc and I will have the rough edit ready to submit to select Film Festivals around the country, just in time to meet the early January deadlines. Then the final post-production work of color correction, ADR looping, Foley sound effects and the final sound mix of the Soundtrack and film audio all comes together early next year. And then - the world premiere of Beautiful Noise will be upon us in the Spring. What once seemed a long way off is suddenly rushing toward me. I'm ready for the embrace. 

            Steve