Stills from The Set

Our Production Team consists of professional film crew people, volunteers and student interns from all over the Suncoast, all of whom bonded together beautifully to help me produce our movie. Among the most skilled of us is the incomparable Rod Millington. Rod is without question one of the finest photographers in America and he not only provided us with outstanding stills from our varied locations, but he also jumped in to help with lighting our sets and serving the production as a 2nd unit camera operator. Rod was one of the many Sarasota-based professionals who heard I was producing an ambitious indie feature film on a low budget and volunteered his time and talent to help me create "Beautiful Noise". I figured he'd come and go and help whenever he could, which would have been great, but he kept showing up on the set everyday at 5:00 am and pitching in and working with the Crew all day long - so I sat him down and made a formal deal to compensate him for his invaluable service. All my actors, especially the stars of the film, went out of their way to thank me for the wonderful atmosphere that was created for them to work in - and Rod's professionalism and enthusiasm added immeasurably to the positive vibe that was prevalent each and every day on the set.

So, for the rest of post-production right up until our World Premiere in the Spring, I'll be working with our webmaster Ryan Lebar to post some of Rod's great work. Keep checking back to see the weekly pictorial updates...and for the growing legion of fans of our little musical-drama clamoring for more videos, we'll also be releasing a new Trailer and Music Video from the film in the near future.

Marc and I are working diligently editing the film...and yes, there are lots of great shots to choose from that are cutting together beautifully; but make no mistake, there are some technical issues we're overcoming daily that have to do with every element of the shoot - from blocking the shots to weather to directing to acting to continuity to sound to focus to you name it. I don't want anyone to think that everything is all peachy-keen and we miraculously did everything right on every take. We didn't, as the outtakes and the behind-the-scenes "Making Beautiful Noise" special feature on the DVD will clearly show . But it's all part of the process...and we have more than enough great stuff in the can to create a truly memorable movie experience!

Steve

Edit...Write...Edit...Sleep...Edit...Write...

 "If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you I came to live out loud." - Emile Zola 

Living out loud' has been my modus operandi for as far back as I can remember and it is an essential element to keep in mind when you're writing screenplays. I mean, what's the point if your Characters don't express themselves in ways that really connect with movie audiences? And I'm not just talking about verbal or physical gymnastics, as many times I find that 'less is more' when trying to portray a characters' feelings. I'm referring to the challenging task of writing scenarios and dialogue that bring your story to life in a vibrant and often passionate way that resonates throughout the movie. This, I believe, is especially important when you're creating musical-dramas.

Making the decision to continue the Story of Beautiful Noise with a prequel and then to resolve the Trilogy in a sequel was easy, 'cause I have a lot more to say about the themes of Life that were touched on in this first installment - and because I know my Characters better now thanks to the wonderful portrayals Jay and Danielle and Kimber & King and the rest of the Company delivered. The tough part is sticking to a dedicated writing schedule while I'm editing all night and developing the film festival marketing plan for the current film most of the day. But that's the Key. Writing each and every day, and at the same time of day, is the only way for me to stay sharp and take advantage of the raging flood of ideas and subplots that dance in my head.

Holed up with my editor, Marc Alford, to edit Beautiful Noise is a great experience as the film seems to be cutting itself effortlessly. We're agreeing on almost every take to use in the final cut and we can plainly see that something special is unfolding on the screen. It's a helluva rush to see Danielle's amazing acting ability infuse such life into the movie and to see Jay play off her lead and react so convincingly to where her 'Dez' wants to take his 'Noah'. And then to watch Kimber, a complete newcomer to film acting, play her role like her life depended on it - well, suffice it to say that no director was ever more eager than this one to get to the editing suite every night to watch his tremendous performers create such memorable Characters.

So it's a whirlwind schedule of Edit...Write...Edit...Sleep...Edit...Write...and so on. And I'm lovin' every minute of it.

The prequel is already outlined and carries the Title of: Beautiful Noise 2 - "Serenade". I'll have the first draft completed within a coupla weeks as Inspiration has once again taken hold of my senses. And I expect the first rough cut of the current film to be ready by Thanksgiving. And then, of course, there's the business of mixing, mastering and marketing the hit Soundtrack we have on our hands... 

It 's simply amazing what an indie filmmaker can accomplish when you banish all doubt and elect to "Live Out Loud". 

Steve

"Beautiful Noise" - the Trilogy!

Now that principal photography is wrapped, I'm getting back to my daily early morning beach walks at Siesta Key to fuel my creative writing. That's a good thing, because I've decided I have more to say on the subjects of Inspiration, Redemption, Hope & Love...which means I'm starting to write the Prequel and Sequel to Beautiful Noise right now. I can see from the editing so far that we have something very entertaining and extremely marketable on our hands. The formula worked: Strong, Edgy Storyline + Dynamic Original Songs + accomplished but relatively Unknown Actor/Singers = Potential Hit Movie. There's lots of other important elements and spices that need to be added to the recipe, but I gotta keep that part of the formula to myself!

"But Steve...shouldn't you wait until you see how the first film is received...?"

Wait for what? That's the conventional wisdom that Hollywood studios usually follow. And they have to, because big studio films cost tens of millions of dollars to make and market. But that's not the case with our Sarasota-based production company. When you see the movie you'll bet we had to spend millions of dollars on the movie and Soundtrack...but a New Generation of Indie Filmmaking is being created right here in Sarasota thanks to the Digital Age of Moviemaking - so all it takes is a great Story on the pages, a reasonably low budget, the willpower of a Producer to pull all the creative production elements together, Investors who now have the ability to become involved on the ground floor of a musical-drama Franchise with the luxury of viewing the first Beautiful Noise as their guidepost, a Cast & Crew that love to work together, and a little Divine Guidance to watch over our Low Budget-High Quality enterprise.

I already have the basic Outline and Theme Songs for the two films set and I'll be huddling later this month with a coupla people close to me and the project to flesh out the subplots. Now that I know how the Prequel starts and how the Sequel ends, the scenes and the dialogue will come quick to me. I'll have the first draft of the prequel completed by Thanksgiving. Both movies will be filmed back-to-back in 2011. That saves both time and money. Locations I'll be scouting for both films include Sarasota, Florida; King Errisson's Acklins Island resort in the Bahamas; and also a great spot I know in Snowmass Colorado. I know this sounds expensive, but when you have friends who own cool properties you'd be amazed what can be accomplished on a tight budget.

Hey, if you're gonna dream, Dream Big, and then put it all into motion! That's how Beautiful Noise came to be...and that's how the two new films will be born. When you see the current movie you'll understand what compelled me to take another ambitious step to make not one but two more BN films. I have several other projects already scripted waiting patiently for my attention - but Beautiful Noise has captured my heart and my imagination, plus I'm a sucker for movies that make you laugh and make you cry and that features killer music. The footage I'm editing with Marc Alford confirms that we're on to something big and that it's a Story worthy of three films. So what am I to do but dance to the music that my Muse is laying down?

When you follow your heart and your gut instincts, you can't go wrong...as long as you never, ever give up until you see your vision through to the end, no matter what the obstacles. That's the Secret of successful indie filmmaking that I've come to learn...

So in addition to post production on BN 1, I'm getting deep into the writing and producing activities required for BN 2 & BN 3. My Cast has been put on alert - Kimber and Doug, Danielle and Chris Mc have all been asked to submit songs for the new films - so here we go! All together now...

Steve

I Am...I Said

"Did you ever read about a frog who dreamed of being a king, and then became one. Well except for the names and a few other changes, if you talk about me, the story's the same one..."

 

The first moment I heard Neil Diamond's  "I Am...I Said" come across the radio it hit me like a ton of bricks. Going through a difficult period that many teenagers go through, I was searching for answers revolving around what I was going to do with my life. Looking back, it was a bit of a curse to be such a deep thinker in my mid-teens, 'cause it would have been a lot more fun to just play hockey, raise hell, chase girls and focus on the more trivial things in Life. What struck me most about that first encounter with Neil's lyric was that someone else knew exactly how I felt and could put that feeling into words...and that connection to that lost, longing, mournful feeling in my gut somehow seemed to lighten the load. 

"Well I got an emptiness deep inside and I've tried, but it won't let me go. And I'm not a man who likes to swear, but I never cared for the sound of being alone..."

 

I say all this now  'cause I think it's important for aspiring filmmakers to be aware of the need to brace yourself for the huge wave of emptiness and, dare I say, deep sorrow that washes over you the day after you wrap principal photography on your first film. I thought that the daze I was walking around in today was due to the lack of sleep from the 20 hour days I've put in for weeks now...but that's not the case. I simply miss the creative bubble that I lived in with my Cast & Crew day after day, night after night...watching everyone pull for each other, cheering every musical performance...laughing and crying together...overcoming obstacles big and small - and rushing over to hug an actor when the emotion of a particular scene overwhelmed us and holding them for a moment to thank them for their gift of putting everything they had inside them into the words I wrote for their Characters. I don't know if all this happens on other film sets...or if this will ever happen again...but it all happened, and then some, every day of our shoot. 

Flashes that run on a loop non-stop in my head include watching my small but extremely capable and dedicated crew frantically rush to break down a set and move to another location as fast as possible so we can stay on schedule; the artistry of the makeup people and the attention to detail the art director and production designer took to make certain our film had an authentic look and feel to it; our choreographer working with Jay & Danielle on the all-important "Dance" sequence and to see the smiles on my stars faces as they locked eyes and got into the scene in a way far better than I wrote it; all the production assistants who worked like slaves without complaint just for the experience and the film credit; all the people who took time off their day jobs to help coordinate the lodging and transportation and catering, etc; all the effort it took just to make sure the stages and venues we were allowed to use looked like real performance settings; those high school students who no doubt learned more in one day on our set then they will in a year of their study of film in school and the amazing looks on their eager faces; the months working with my guys in the recording studio to create a Soundtrack that will blow everyone away with its song selection and production; those ad-lib moments during takes from the actors that, thank God, I kept the cameras rolling on long after the scripted scene was finished. And then to think of all those who said it couldn't be done...that you absolutely cannot make a film with the scope and scale of "Beautiful Noise" on a shoestring budget with unknown actors and a relatively inexperienced crew from Sarasota. They were wrong. 

And most of all...best of all...all those private moments and conversations with cast members on the set riffing back and forth about how they think their characters should react in certain scenes and what I was looking for in their performance...and then off the set, getting to know them personally, sharing pieces of our lives with each other and realizing how much we care about the material and each other - and knowing what this opportunity I offered really means to them and how it can positively impact their careers and lives. 

And then suddenly...I'm alone again.

"I am I said...to no one there. And no one heard at all, not even the chair..."

“Beautiful Noise" was conceived and written in solitude. The songs were selected by me alone, as was the momentous decision to create an indie film production company and make the movie right here in Sarasota, while walking Crescent Beach on Siesta Key every day for weeks and months. 

"I am, I cried.

I am, said I.

And I am lost and I can't even say why..."

 

I love writing and making movies that both entertain and enlighten.

I love this movie.

I love and miss my Cast & Crew.

So to you aspiring filmmakers, be prepared for that first day after principal photography wraps. 'Cause it's a killer. 

"...leaving me lonely still." 

Steve

Unsung Heroes

We wrapped the main body of principal photography today with some of the most exhilarating scenes of the entire shoot. We have one more day of pick ups to lens later on, but the heavy lifting is now behind us. The climatic concert sequence featuring Jay was shot today at the beautiful new Riverview Performing Arts Center and it was nothing less than spectacular. Linda Nook, Jim Minor and the entire Riverview Team and Student Body were just fantastic to work with. One of the best parts of the day was the time our production staff took to answer questions from all the film/drama students at Riverview who not only watched how we did things but who also worked the shoot as intern production assistants. The looks in their eyes as they watched how and where the soon-to-be-widely acclaimed 'Beautiful Noise' camera team of Chambless & Goodbrad set up our shots to capture everything happening on stage was a wonderful sight to see. Jerry & John went out of their way to answer all the questions the kids threw at them and I was constantly surrounded by eager students who watched me direct the action. It was a teachable moment and it was really great to have all that positive energy from those kids to help fuel the vibe of the day.

And then Jay hit the stage singing our new version of Joni Mitchell's classic "Free Man In Paris".

It was a logistical challenge to capture all the magic of the moment with our primary camera, The Red, and the Canon 5D we used for B-roll, but Jay was spot on and we blew through the sequence quicker than anyone imagined. In between setups I grabbed a guitar from one of the band members and backed up Jay for a coupla Diamond tunes to keep the crowd ramped up. "Sweet Caroline" & "Cherry Cherry" was well received, as was "Sweet Home Alabama" performed by dynamic band member Tony Tyler. The energy in the venue was off the charts and the 500 or so extras, including Jay's Mom and sister, really carried the day for us. My sincere thanks to everyone at Riverview High School for helping us make some 'Beautiful Noise' in their fantastic venue. 

The true unsung heroes of the day were Claire Franklin and Bud Buckley. Both of these highly talented people worked many long days on behalf of the production to make sure we captured the authentic look and feel of a huge concert setting - and believe me...it was no small task. Claire worked with me to hand-pick deserving local Suncoast musicians to be Jay's backup band in the sequence and Bud was responsible for the overall staging of the event. Working with his friends from Troll Music, Bud made certain that everything on the massive Riverview stage, from the stage plot plan to all the instruments and sound equipment, was perfect. He and Claire took the vision I had for this important concert sequence and expanded on it - and our film shines as a result of their collective effort. I'm really very proud to feature local SRQ musicians throughout "Beautiful Noise" because these great artists work on a nightly basis to create the eclectic, vibrant music scene Sarasota is famous for without getting a lot of notice. I'm glad we could showcase them in the film. 

Other heroes included people like Rod Millington, Annette Breazeale, Jen O'Connor, Alexia Pepper, April Baker, Ryan Lebar, Brandy Luke and so many others whose names you'll find in the credits. These dedicated professionals juggled their busy schedules to be on set to provide support to the production that was well above and beyond the call of duty. They were the glue that helped us all stick together through all the ups and downs of the process. Their presence and devotion to what we're trying to accomplish was felt by everyone involved - and I am forever grateful for their love and support of "Beautiful Noise".

So we did it. We planned our work, worked our plan, improvised where necessary, embraced the support of the community and made it happen. And we laughed and cried and lost sleep and bonded as a Team - Actors & Crew - like nothing I've ever experienced before...and I've been lucky to have experienced a lot over the course of my career. We can't have a traditional Wrap Party just yet because some of the actors had to exit early due to prior commitments, but we'll all be together to celebrate our achievement with Gusto early next year when we have a chance to premiere the movie here in Sarasota. In the meantime, while the Team takes a breather I'll be working on a daily basis with our editor Marc Alcorn to create the final product. The editing process is where the rubber meets the road and Marc and I are excited about the challenge. 

There's much more to do before we see "Beautiful Noise" on the big screen, so stay tuned as I'll continue to post info about the process as we guide this musical drama through post production.

Steve