MUTANTVILLE PRODUCTIONS

Changing the face of independent horror.

MVP Picks Up More G.H.O.S.T.S at Opera House.

geo-streebo-alan-make-up-shoot-dec-10-2009Last night saw the Mutantville Players return to the opera house once more for another round of pick up shots.  Luckily we weren’t just shooting windows and door frames this week as we were able to suit up and get bloody for another cool special make-up FX shot.  Alan Whitley out his boomstick down and picked up the latex to play the part of our supernatural visitor.  Alan underwent a grueling 3 hour session at the hands of special make-up FX kingpin Todd A. Britt.  The air was chilly but Alan’s spirits were warm under layers of silicon, tubing and buckets of blood as he brought our ghostly friend to unatural life!  With this shot in the can – we have only two major FX shots left and G.H.O.S.T. will be complete.  This Sunday, the Mutantville Players are heading to the green and grassy hills of South Carolina for our final pick up shots with two of our leads – Kathy Sandvoss and Scott Thomas.  The journey to make G.H.O.S.T. has been an amazing one.  It will be sad to see it all come to an end.  Be sure to keep checking Mutantville.com for your up to the minute MVP news!

~~Streebo

Posted 3 months ago at 8:54 am.

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G.H.O.S.T. Post-Production Going Strong!

ghost-poster-01 Principle photography on G.H.O.S.T. ended two weeks ago – but you would never know it on the Mutantville Mothership.  The producers have been hard at work keeping the websites updated, shooting pick up shots, designing posters, and editing the actual movie.  The first assembly is coming together and we couldn’t be happier with the results so far.  We keep producing new promo posters so keep checking here and on Facebook for the latest designs.  Be sure to add your feedback so we know which posters people like.  Speaking of posters – here’s a strong early contender for final poster status.  It’s a simple still shot taken during filming – but it says everything about the project in one powerful image.  What do you think?

Keep checking Mutantville.com for your up to the minute MVP news and more.

~~Streebo

Posted 3 months ago at 12:33 pm.

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G.H.O.S.T. Finale Ends With Whimpers And A Bang.

GHOST-FINALE-NOV-21-2009 013

Make-up FX Maestro Todd A. Britt brings another ghostly creation to life during the wee hours of the night.

Last night, Mutantville Productions wrapped principle photography on G.H.O.S.T. after a long fifteen hour shoot.  Kathy Sandvoss earned her final Scream Queen stripes and Super Diva status by battling her way through another challenging shoot.  Thanks to our good friend, couture designer, Luis Machicao for lending his tremendous talents in supervising the filming of his costume designs for the finale of the movie.  Lead actor Scott Thomas persevered another bloody and bruising shoot to bring our central ghost to life.  Clint Jones showed his horror heart by enduring several make-up sessions.  Dave Tunik gave his all in taking another bloody bite out of his role and a gelatin prop.  Jason Wheely gave a heartwrenching performance as a haunted young TV producer.  Jack Stecher pulled out all the stops to give a bravura performance as the crazy caretaker of the opera house.

Special thanks goes out to MVP’S own maestro of make-up FX – Todd A. Britt for bringing all of his Sith talents to bear in creating several macabre make-ups over the course of the fifteen hour marathon.  Additional thanks goes to Sylvia and Sierra for lending their talents to the make-up department by resurrecting our supernatural visitors once more.  Thanks again to Allan Whitley for toughing out another long night to lend a strong hand and keep our boomstick steady for another night.  Special thanks goes out MVP’S own Costume Diva, seamstress and assistant to Mr. Machicao, Angela Pritchett  who although unable to attend our final shoot due to schedule conflicts, put in many a long night on the set of G.H.O.S.T., lending her considerable costuming talents to help bring the production to life.  Thanks to John R. Sexton for putting on a layered performance as Grandfather last month.  Thank you to Kayli Tolleson and her mom Janna for lending their talent, energy and support to G.H.O.S.T. over the course of the shoot.  And last but not least a very special thanks goes to my mom, Momma Streebo, for being a beacon of strength and inspiration to me over the years and for dusting off her sewing machine to create Johnny Reb’s jacket in whole – mere days before the first shoot.  And to anyone that helped that I may have overlooked here, thank you for your help, we could not have done it without you all.  Thank you.

This project has been an amazing journey and I thank you all for sharing it with me.  Production may be complete – but post-production begins immediately as we will continue with editing, sound design and shooting final make-up FX shots of the movie.  Be sure to keep tuning in to Mutantville.com and Mutant TV for your up to the minute news on G.H.O.S.T., C for Chaos, and MVP.

~~Streebo

Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago at 7:44 pm.

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Final Shoot of G.H.O.S.T. Tonight!

dressing-the-triage-setMutantville Productions is proud to announce that today is one year and a day since we began planning what became G.H.O.S.T..  Tonight marks the final shoot of principle photography.  We  are very excited about how great the performances, FX and footage has looked so far.  We couldn’t be happier.  Better still is the fact that next week we all get to celebrate by being lazy and enjoying Thanksgiving with our families.  See you all soon.  Remember it wouldn’t be possible without you.

~~Streebo

Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago at 12:04 pm.

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G.H.O.S.T. Haunts The Opera House Once More.

scott-ghost-01Last night heralded yet another amazing day of filmmaking on the set of G.H.O.S.T..   We had an absolute blast shooting all of the elements that make horror fun – chases, ghosties, and other supernatural occurrences.   Kathy Sandvoss put on a bravura performance as our gutsy heroine enduring take after take and bump after bump like a seasoned pro.  Jack Stecher brought all of his years of experience to bear to imbue our creepy caretaker with a life of his own.  Clint Jones continued to put on a solid showing as the beleaguered Seth.  Dave Tunik and Jason Wheeley were able to survive a grueling make-up session to bring an amazing sequence of supernatural terror to vivid bloody life.  Scott Thomas had his moment to take the center stage and bring the spirit of our ghost into four colored action!  Thank you to Sylvia and Sierra for coming out and lending their talents as make up assistants again.  Props to our ever reliable boom stick operator Allan Whitley for his sure hand and attentive ear throughout the shoot.  Thanks to Jeremy for lending a hand shooting the behind the scenes segments.  Everyone would like to extend a hearty handshake to Anne Reid for lending her talents as a massage therapist to keep everyone relaxed and loosened up for the duration of the shoot.  Thanks to everyone for staying late and toughing it out.  We are on the home stretch now – with the end in sight.  Next Saturday will mark our final major shoot on the production of G.H.O.S.T. and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.  This will be an amazing project and you will all be very proud of the final film.  Thank you all – because without you – our movie wouldn’t be possible.

~~Streebo

Posted 3 months, 3 weeks ago at 2:52 pm.

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G.H.O.S.T. Still Lives!

GHOST-1A loss of power on the set last week set production on G.H.O.S.T. back by one week.  It will take more than that to keep a good G.H.O.S.T. down.  The Mutantville Players are rested, ready and assembled to get back on set tomorrow and finish what we started.  We can never thank you all enough for your hard work and dedication.  This has been an amazing project from beginning to the near end.  Thanks for coming on this amazing journey with us.  Please take a minute to check out the preliminary designs for the t-shirts and promos for G.H.O.S.T.  We have more on the way and you can only learn about it right here on Mutantville.com!

Posted 3 months, 4 weeks ago at 7:42 pm.

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Six Quick Tips to Keep Your Low Budget Film From Sucking

CASTING-GHOSTFrom ASAP TRIP:  The Film Sensei’s Six Quick Tips to Keep Your Indie Film From Sucking!

And here, my loyal students, are those tips to help you avoid some of the pitfalls I encountered as a beginning low budget filmmaker.

1. Lay Off the Zoom!

Yes, I know that George Lucas did it in the new Star Wars films and, yes, I know it was popular in the new Battlestar Galactica show, but all playing around with the zoom on your camera will do is make your footage look like a tourist shooting vacation movies out on the Florida Keys. A really good cameraman can make a zoom look ok (or semi-acceptable)…a really really good cameraman, that is. For the most part, though, a zoom will look shoddy and amateurish. Your best bet is to break your zoom controller or, at the very least, the finger closest to it. A dolly, stedicam or even hand-held track in will all look 1000% better than a crappy zoom.

2. Vary Your Angles

One of the most common mistakes of most new directors and a whole heck of a lot of indie and guerrilla filmmakers is shots all looking alike. Most low budget films are shot very tight and never really open up for a long view – they’re full of close-ups, two shots and cramped quarters. They also tend to be diagram shots framed at eye level. If you want to make your film more excited, or more interesting, pull back for longer shots, tilt your camera, shoot from a bird’s eye or worm’s eye angle – use your camera angles to help set your mood and control your audience’s level of tension/suspense/drama. A good guide is to pull back further than you think you should (or push in further). Make sure to change things up a bit or your footage and your film will become stagnant and boring.

3. Use Proper Lighting

One of the hardest things for most indie, low budget and guerrilla filmmakers to learn is how to properly light for the DV or HD cameras they’re filming on. With a much lower contrast range and higher need for light than the human eye (and film), lighting for DV/HD cameras can often be a bit counter intuitive. In other words, what looks good to your naked eye often won’t work for your finished film. If you’re not careful you’ll wind up with footage too dark to use. If you’ve worked with, or lit for, film cameras then it may take a little while to get used to the change in methodology. I’ve shot with a number of really good DPs recently who made the mistake of lighting for their eyes and not for the camera we were shooting with. Shoot some lighting tests before you begin principal photography so you can get used to your camera’s dynamic range.

4. Write for What You Have

Since most low budget, indie and guerrilla filmmakers also happen to write their own material, the number one thing you should keep in mind when putting your new screenplay together is: write for what you have! The best way to give your film a higher production value is to make use of anything and everything you’ve already got access to. It’s tough to go out and find a cemetary or a muscle car or an airplane, but if you’ve got friends/family with unique locations, props or wardrobe then you can make your little $5000 movie look like you spent tens or hundreds of thousands on it. It worked for Robert Rodriguez and it will work for you.

5. Get a Good Tripod

Hand holding is great on a date with your girlfriend (or boyfriend, we’re not sexist here at the Film Sensei’s DOJO), but it should be used sparingly on a film set. Get a good fluid head tripod and make use of it as much as possible to give yourself a solid base to work from. Remember, hand held footage is great as long as it is used for a purpose and for an effect. If you’re just doing it because you’re too cheap to spring for a good set of sticks then your film will suffer for it.

6. Get a Good Mic

I feel like I’m starting to sound like a broken record after yesterday’s post about essential audio equipment for indie and guerrilla filmmakers. However, it’s a point well worth repeating over and over. While your audience may forgive a little wonky storytelling, dark images or even bad acting, the one thing no one will forgive is bad sound. There is almost nothing you can do that is worse than poor sound quality, and nothing that will make you look more like an amateur – well, short of accidentally filming all day with your lens cap on. Decent mics are available even for those of us on a more modest budget and there is absolutely no excuse to be shooting with your camera’s onboard mic – EVER!

There you have it: the extent of my wisdom. Yes, I know there are a lot more things to keep in mind and that will help (like making sure to get a good AD to help run your set properly or not hiring actresses you want to sleep with), but if you follow these six tips you’ll have a good head-start on keeping your first low budget film from sucking worse than a two-dollar whore.

That’s it from the depths of the DOJO for tonight. Until next time, Keep Shooting!

-Mat N., the Film Sensei

via Six Quick Tips to Keep Your Low Budget Film From Sucking | Asap Trip.

Posted 3 months, 4 weeks ago at 7:33 pm.

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Blackout Sets G.H.O.S.T. Back By One Week.

G.H.O.S.T.Nov_07_2009 016We had a rather productive day of filming this past Saturday – productive that is – until we were set to roll the cameras on our finale scenes when we lost all power to the opera house.  We hoped it was nothing more than a tripped breaker or perhaps a blown fuse – but after three hours in the dark – we were worried that it was something a bit more serious.  We sent the cast and crew home only to discover to our pleasant surprise – that the problem was indeed a blown fuse which was easily fixed.  Before losing our power – we were able to shoot two scenes earlier in the day as well as an extended photo shoot featuring our full cast.

With help from assistants Sylvia and Sierra, our make-up FX expert Todd A. Britt was on hand to provide some amazing ghostly make-ups.  Their make-up efforts were not lost as we were able to catch the supernatural victims in an exhaustive series of photos and promo shots.  Expect to see those pop up as promotional posters somewhere down the line.

The producers of Mutantville Productions would like to extend a hearty thank you to our cast and crew.  You all dealt with the delay like real professionals and we were able to make the best out of what was potentially a disastrous situation.  Due to the set-back – we have extended the shooting schedule of G.H.O.S.T. to include November 14th and 21st – giving us just enough time to wrap before Turkey Day!  Thank you all for everything you do.  I look forward to seeing you back on the set for our finale this Saturday!

~~Streebo

Posted 4 months ago at 11:06 am.

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Michael Lynne at The Indie Summit: ‘Stay independent’

STREEBO-SHOOTSFrom indieWIRE.com:  The following are Michael Lynne’s opening remarks from Friday’s Independent Film Summit, presented by MoMA & indieWIRE (with Zipline Entertainment).

As someone who grew up in the independent film world and helped shepherd a company from “Reefer Madness” to “Lord of the Rings,” it is a pleasure to be here today.

I think it is ironic that I have been asked to kick-off this Independent Film Summit, having been a principal in perhaps the most successful independent film company in history – which has nevertheless become one of the biggest victims of the consolidation of film production and distribution that has so negatively affected the independent film universe. Fortunately, we are living to fight another day in our new production company, Unique Features.

There are however, several very telling points which can be made in this regard:

1 – If you are independent and value the freedom which that brings – stay independent. There is no free lunch – if you are owned by a major studio, you will ultimately be governed by major studio guidelines and major studio decision-making. It is kind of a Faustian bargain. When New Line agreed to be acquired by Turner Broadcasting, we had access to wherewithal for production and distribution substantially beyond what was available to us as a free standing public company. The ambitions which we had for New Line could be accelerated by years. But there was a catch – as Ted Turner said to us about six months after the merger when we referred to him as our partner – “Yes, guys, we are partners in a way and we are definitely friends – but you did sell your company to me – let’s just keep that in mind as we go forward.”

2 – Independent filmmaking emerged in a significant way in the early ‘80s with the arrival of New Line, Miramax, Cannon, New World, Tri-Star and others.  Each of those companies had a game plan and a strategy for the space they would occupy in the industry landscape.  It was an earlier time of irrational exuberance and lots of capital and very expensive debt was available.  The anticipation that we were on the brink of a new generation of film companies, was palpable.  Obviously, some of those companies have left a significant film legacy, but the truth is, and this is very telling, none of them today, if they exist at all, exist in the same ownership configuration in which they existed then.  And none is truly independent now.

3 – Just as there was an opportunity then for independent, maverick organizations to make films for underserved audiences and to create new paradigms, the same opportunity will undoubtedly come out of the very difficult times for independent filmmaking today as fresh, out-of-the-box thinking on content and delivery, from passionate and talented filmmakers and producers, finds its way through the ambient noise of the establishment to a public hungry for the new.  It may be one of us in this room – or it may be a kid with a dream, a digital camera and a fire in his or her belly.

4 – We should be prepared to rethink all of the commonly accepted practices and pre-conceptions about film production and film distribution.  There is and will be less funding available for the production of independent films and for the release of those films.  (In fact, there will be less funding available for the production and distribution of films in general.)  We will see the conventional timing and formats for film viewing re-invented to a meaningful degree.  Where films are seen, when they are seen, who pays for them to be seen, are all going to change dramatically in the next 5 to 10 years.  Some of those changes will make the process easier and some will make it much harder.

5 – Tough economic times may favor movie-going in theaters, but it won’t solve the shrinking DVD sector and, on balance, it has, and will probably continue to, encourage the production of safer product for a more mainstream audience looking for escape from their stressful private situations.  Obviously, that has never been the basic mission of independent filmmaking.  The real challenge is to work toward creating films that are original, thoughtful, even challenging, but which nevertheless can capture the imagination of audiences who will always be responsive to something new and unexpected and yes, to films that are entertaining, in the broadest sense of that word.

6 – As an industry we’ve tried to preserve the idea of windows of distribution, ordering the availability of our product by distribution channel, starting in about every instance with the theatrical distribution window.  And I don’t know a filmmaker who doesn’t want his film seen in a theatre on a big screen with beautiful sound.  But we should be prepared for the possibility – not clear how far off – that there will be 50 or 60 million flat-screen HDTV’s capable of receiving digital downloads around the world.  And someone will have the quintessential tent pole which can be ordered for $40 a household before theatrical release.  The stakes are high – maybe 2 or 3 billion dollars on one night high.  Of course theatrical exhibitors will have something to say about that.  But it will also be an opportunity for more niche product which can be targeted to a specific segment of that digitally connected audience, on an incredibly efficient and lucrative basis.  For independent films, we are talking about a version of the long tail, which one day may be a real lifesaver for these special films with discreet audiences who can then be identified and addressed directly.

7 – All in all, there is a lot to consider.  We are in a very interesting moment in time.  It is a time of complicated issues but of enormous potential opportunity.  Of course, everyone knows the famous William Goldman quote about our industry: “Nobody knows anything.”  It is cautionary, humbling and probably entirely true.  And we should all keep that in mind as we continue our conversation today.  The fact is, there are no real experts on the future of our business or any business – although I think I’ve found one expert.  He’s a true visionary who understood totally the risk of being too certain about what lies in store for us.  So in addition to William Goldman’s sage advice, let’s keep in mind what Yogi Berra said (which applies very much to our topic today): “The future ain’t what it used to be.”

Michael Lynne, a co-founder of New Line with Robert Shaye, with whom he also co-founded the new production company, Unique Features.

Read the rest of the article at the link below:

via Michael Lynne at The Indie Summit: ‘Stay independent’ – indieWIRE.

2 – Independent filmmaking emerged in a significant way in the early ‘80s with the arrival of New Line, Miramax, Cannon, New World, Tri-Star and others.  Each of those companies had a game plan and a strategy for the space they would occupy in the industry landscape.  It was an earlier time of irrational exuberance and lots of capital and very expensive debt was available.  The anticipation that we were on the brink of a new generation of film companies, was palpable.  Obviously, some of those companies have left a significant film legacy, but the truth is, and this is very telling, none of them today, if they exist at all, exist in the same ownership configuration in which they existed then.  And none is truly independent now.

3 – Just as there was an opportunity then for independent, maverick organizations to make films for underserved audiences and to create new paradigms, the same opportunity will undoubtedly come out of the very difficult times for independent filmmaking today as fresh, out-of-the-box thinking on content and delivery, from passionate and talented filmmakers and producers, finds its way through the ambient noise of the establishment to a public hungry for the new.  It may be one of us in this room – or it may be a kid with a dream, a digital camera and a fire in his or her belly.

4 – We should be prepared to rethink all of the commonly accepted practices and pre-conceptions about film production and film distribution.  There is and will be less funding available for the production of independent films and for the release of those films.  (In fact, there will be less funding available for the production and distribution of films in general.)  We will see the conventional timing and formats for film viewing re-invented to a meaningful degree.  Where films are seen, when they are seen, who pays for them to be seen, are all going to change dramatically in the next 5 to 10 years.  Some of those changes will make the process easier and some will make it much harder.

5 – Tough economic times may favor movie-going in theaters, but it won’t solve the shrinking DVD sector and, on balance, it has, and will probably continue to, encourage the production of safer product for a more mainstream audience looking for escape from their stressful private situations.  Obviously, that has never been the basic mission of independent filmmaking.  The real challenge is to work toward creating films that are original, thoughtful, even challenging, but which nevertheless can capture the imagination of audiences who will always be responsive to something new and unexpected and yes, to films that are entertaining, in the broadest sense of that word.

6 – As an industry we’ve tried to preserve the idea of windows of distribution, ordering the availability of our product by distribution channel, starting in about every instance with the theatrical distribution window.  And I don’t know a filmmaker who doesn’t want his film seen in a theatre on a big screen with beautiful sound.  But we should be prepared for the possibility – not clear how far off – that there will be 50 or 60 million flat-screen HDTV’s capable of receiving digital downloads around the world.  And someone will have the quintessential tent pole which can be ordered for $40 a household before theatrical release.  The stakes are high – maybe 2 or 3 billion dollars on one night high.  Of course theatrical exhibitors will have something to say about that.  But it will also be an opportunity for more niche product which can be targeted to a specific segment of that digitally connected audience, on an incredibly efficient and lucrative basis.  For independent films, we are talking about a version of the long tail, which one day may be a real lifesaver for these special films with discreet audiences who can then be identified and addressed directly.

7 – All in all, there is a lot to consider.  We are in a very interesting moment in time.  It is a time of complicated issues but of enormous potential opportunity.  Of course, everyone knows the famous William Goldman quote about our industry: “Nobody knows anything.”  It is cautionary, humbling and probably entirely true.  And we should all keep that in mind as we continue our conversation today.  The fact is, there are no real experts on the future of our business or any business – although I think I’ve found one expert.  He’s a true visionary who understood totally the risk of being too certain about what lies in store for us.  So in addition to William Goldman’s sage advice, let’s keep in mind what Yogi Berra said (which applies very much to our topic today): “The future ain’t what it used to be.”

Michael Lynne, a co-founder of New Line with Robert Shaye, with whom he also co-founded the new production company, Unique Features.

Posted 4 months ago at 9:21 am.

Comments

Light At The End Of The G.H.O.S.T.

009The final two weeks of production on G.H.O.S.T. are upon us. We are more than pleased with our progress so far. Everything has been outstanding. All of the cast and crew have risen to the occasion time and again and we can never thank you enough. When we developed the idea of what became G.H.O.S.T. way back in January over a basket of nachos and salsa – we never expected it would become as good as it has. With the rise of interest in the paranormal sub-genre with the blockbuster success of independent films such as Paranormal Activity – this can only augur great things for the future of G.H.O.S.T.. Thank you all for your hard work. We have some tough shoots ahead of us – but we know that we have the right cast, crew and courage to see it through. See you on the set, MVP.

~~Streebo

Posted 4 months ago at 8:22 pm.

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