**Correction** Today’s screening (Friday) is now in the 2-4 slot.  Somewhere in the middle of it.

Had the final sound mix yesterday.  Next step online-ing.  Almost finished.

For those of you in the LA area, the last week of school at CalArts consists of nothing but screenings of all the films made that year.  Igloo will be playing twice.

Thursday the 14th - 10:00AM - 12:00PM (near the end)

**Friday the 15th - 2:00PM-4:00PM

Bijou theater, 2nd floor - CalArts

24700 McBean Parkway Valencia, CA

This post originally mentioned something about seeing this guy.

note the tail

I reread it a few times and decided to nix it.  It made me feel slimy.  Nuff said.

About the foley, Gregg Barbanell was absolutely amazing to watch work.  Highlight of the session - his recreation of rabbit footprints in the snow.  That and the baby shaking.

Gregg Barbanell and a car door

Good news on the Igloo front, we just received a grant which awarded us a free professional foley session ($1000 value - whoohoo!). For those of you who don’t know what foley is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foley_artist

I originally didn’t think of applying to it because our production sound is relatively decent, but my sound designer Yin recommended that we at least try for it. And I’m glad we did. I’ve always been curious about the world of foley and this will be a good opportunity to learn more about it.

Other than that Igloo is pretty much picture locked. Aside from sound and some tweaking of credits, it’s almost done. Very exciting.

I’m in the thick of editing. Everything is there - it’s just a matter of doing the work to make it work. I have to confess though, I’m terrible at receiving feedback. After every group critique I go through the same cycle. I show a version to class - they give me feedback. Most of which is helpful and I agree with, but there are always a few comments that don’t quite sit right with me. I go home wounded and defeated. Self doubt creeps in. Than defiance. Then outright rejection of the whole feedback process. And when I finally settle down, I get back to work and try to make it better. It’s the same thing every time. One of these days I’ll rise above it. I think the more personal a film is, the harder it is to take criticism. Your decisions are a direct reflection of how your brain works. It’s like receiving criticism about your synapses. What can you say? Uh…sorry? At the same time I want it to be good. Not just good, great. So I know I just have to take it. Wrestle with it. Toughen up.

Some stats:

139 blocks of styrofoam

13 (ish) rolls of film

13 crew members

7 days of shooting

6 script pages

3 igloo builds

3 actors

2 hours and 13 minutes of footage

2 live rabbits

2 cabins

1 rabbit suit

1 very happy and exhausted director

More pictures to come soon, I promise.

Has anyone heard of Mac Davis?  Last night I had to pick up a few records for the set, and at 10:00 I walked into Amoeba records and grabbed three of the most random selections, entirely based on cover art.  One of which was a Mac Davis album.  For kicks we played “Music in My Life” during a scene with Jimmy and Kate, and it was eerily well suited for the moment (as was Gorav as Jimmy).  Sometimes randomness works.

Other than that, day 2 was another on schedule, super fun time.  I think I have the dream team.  I couldn’t be happier.

Side note:  Directing a film in an igloo is not so good on the back.  Half the day is spent bent over.  For those of you who know I have back issues - send your good back thoughts.  I need um.

how could anyone resist this?

Day 1 - went well, amazingly well.  

1 - The igloo did not collapse - that’s a plus.  

2 - Rabbit wrangling was ridiculously fun and funny.  I’ve never watched rabbits hump that closely.  It’s soooo fast.  By the end of the day, Jimmy’s sister/mother/we don’t know, was clearly worn out from being chased and humped and chased and humped. 

3 - We’re on schedule!  

4- Bad news - we burned through a lot of film (here Jimmy - come here!  Come here!  No, not there.) and Kodak is closed until Tuesday.  Good news!  Miraculously, there was a guy selling our exact stock on craigslist.  Sketchy?  Yes, very.  Cross your fingers for us.

Must sleep.  Pictures later.  Oh the anticipation.

Wendy from the rabbit rescue center did eventually show up (traffic), and she was absolutely lovely and helpful and well versed in all things rabbit.  Things I learned:

-Rabbits like cilantro

-Rabbits like hoping into cave-like places.  And hopefully igloos.

-Jimmy humps everything, including his sister, who could actually be his mother, but in this film will be playing his girlfriend.  Yay rabbit incest!