Welcome to "The Shadow of the Bear" movie blog!

We are an independant young adult-run production based in the U.S. Midwest. The film has been in pre-production since summer 2008, and wrapped up filming on August 26th, 2010.

We premiered the project on June 23rd, 2011 at the St. Anthony Main Theater in Minneapolis, MN to a delighted audience of over 100 viewers.

For details about the future of the project, click here.



Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Ideas Wanted!

Hello Friends!

We over here on the crew of "The Shadow of the Bear" are in a bit of a dilemma. We are preparing to film the final fight sequence in St. Lawrence church and we are trying to figure out the logistics of exactly what is going to happen.

As most of you know, we are making this film without a budget. Things like tapes and costumes are paid for out of our own pockets (Primarily the directors) and we have no money (or time at this point) to construct any sort of set for Mr. Freet to fall through. Regina has given us permission to change the structure of the scene to eliminate the floor element, so long as Bear is the one who defeats him, preferably with the help of Blanche. No coincidences, of course, and we want to keep the same feeling as the sequence in the book.

Today we realized that this would be an EXCELLENT point to canvass fan opinion. We need ideas.

They must be in consideration of our financial and time limits (we film this on the 28th of December) and we can't add any extra characters or change locations. So please don't throw out anything that would be impossible or just plain unfeasible.

Otherwise - join the fun!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess this is pretty typical, but I always wished for more fight scenes with Bear (though Fish is my favorite!:))but what about somthing like a fight scene/ Blanche getting Freet's gun (will he have a gun?)...a knife fighting scene might be cool too...(ok, I'm obviously feeling a little violent..:))Ooh! Blanche should hit him with the plate! Never mind... What ever you guys decide to do I am sure it will be wonderful!!! Can't wait to see everybody else's ideas!!!

Beatrice said...

Hmm.... tough decision, because you could do any number of things. You could have a fight scene between Bear and Freet or Blanche and Freet. You could also have Freet trip and clock his head on a hard object which knocks him out or makes him break his leg. A fight scene would be a more exciting ending though. When Blanche comes into St. Lawrence's and finds Bear tied up she could try to get him free, then Freet attacks her. Bear finishes freeing himself and grapples with Freet to save Blanche. Of course, since Bear is a little the worse for wear, Blanche will need to help him to defeat Freet (Hey, that rhymes!). I think it would be preferable that Freet gets knocked out, gets his leg broken or even shoots/ stabs himself be accident as we would not want either Bear or Blanche to seriously hurt/ kill Freet.

Maria Gianna said...

Freet shoots at Bear, Bear jumps over the side of the alter rail that he is chained to but still gets shot, yells, same as before. (however, this would be Freet's last bullet, unlike before) Bear tells Blanche to run, she does, and then turns back, just as before only Freet doesn't fall in the hole. Instead, while he is occupied with Bear (lots of kicking, punching, and swinging of the gun), Blanche runs up behind Freet. She figures she can't defeat him, but Bear might so she pushes him CLOSER to Bear (maybe she can throw something at him or push him with something...like a gold candle holder thing). Blanche should probably yell something heroic when she pushes Freet, but I can't think of anything. Bear gives Freet a shove toward the alter rail and Freet crashes into it. He gets hurt. Bear, though injured, is able to pin Freet down long enough for the police to get there. Maybe Freet even hit his head or something. Broke his leg? I dunno. You could just make it obvious that he can't stand and that would be good enough so that Bear can 'capture him'.
Bear could even use the chains on his hands as an advantage in the fight!

Maybe?

Can't wait to see the other ideas!

Anonymous said...

I have an idea. What if after Blanche puts the plate on the alter and Mr. Freet starts to go and get it, Bear maybe picks the lock on his hand cuffs and fights with Freet and Freet brakes a legs or gets pined under something that keeps him from running away before the police get there and he and Bear can have there talk about who Freet is going to shoot. So Bear is also stuck there to have that talk, he gets hurt too. Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

Mmmhh.... I love Mario's idea... but it somehow must include the dialoge between Freet and Bear about his soul. I like the idea that Freet is beating Bear, and Blanche comes back to fight Freet. (An awesome way for her to overcome her fear/fatalist side) Then Freet twists his leg... (?) and cant get away before the police come, but it seems rather important that he have the chance to kill himself or do further harm to his arch-enemy, Bear. But it would be complicated for him to still have a gun, if he hasnt already shot Bear. Then, again, he likes causing needless pain, so maybe he is beating bear up for the enjoyment of it before he kills him. (Sorry, its a rather scattered post...) Merry Christmas!!

~Emily

Alora Borealis said...

Wow this is a tough decision to make for you guys but I hope and pray you come up with something great! Let's see.... well... I agree with everyone else so far. All of these ideas are great. I just read this part over again in the book and Blanche does distract Freet with the paten and Bear does swing his foot around knocking Freet's feet out from under him. But instead of Freet falling through the rotten floor boards, he could fall to the floor knocking his head and he is "knocked out cold". But he was not knocked out and was only faking it. Mr. Freet did get hurt a little bit maybe blood could be on his head or something. And when Blanche runs to get the police he threatens to shoot Bear. Just like in the book Bear talks to him and then the police come. Just like in the book, Mr. Freet attempts to shoot Bear and Bear jumps away. I hope you find an idea that helps! Good Luck!

Anonymous said...

OH! ok, i hope you like this one; ok, so Bear gets hit on the head and is suffering a concussion in the book, right? so how about if he were unconcious, then Blanche puts it on the altar and goes over to Bear... who is NOT handcuffed to the rail, but is still unconcious. (or, if he was handcuffed to the rail, maybe Blanche could take a candelstick holder or something and break the chain) then Freet goes up to the altar, gun in hand, and picks up the paten. he starts to leave, when the sirens in the background startle him. he thries to run, but trips and half falls into the hole,flinging the paten across the room.Bear finally wakes up, starts rolling around on the floor w/ Freet. they fight over the gun and Blanch tries to help but is pushed away. she falls next to the paten, which she picks up, then freet throws Bear off of him (Bear is now in front the hole... maybe 3-5 feet from it) Freet takes aim at Blanche and fires; the bullet bounces off the paten and hits Freet in the leg. he falls back onto Beat face down, Bear throws up his legs and flips Freet over his head into the hole, where he also breaks his leg. then the police burst in.

or, if you aren't going to do the hole, maybe a chandelier should fall on freet and break his leg.

I love that you guys are doing this!!! i can't wait to see the finished product!!! i hope this helps you in some way! God bless you all!

~Agnes

Unknown said...

Instead of having Bear kick Mr. Feet so he falls through the floor, could Bear kick something so it falls on top of Feet? I was originally thinking of the main altar falling and pinning Feet down. Upon further consideration, I figured that that would mean the tabernacle falling too (very bad) and it would not be easy to film. Would a statue or something work? While Feet is pinned under the with of the alter/statue/whatever (probably suffering from a few broken limbs from the crash) he would still be able to talk with Bear similar to the way he does in the book. He would still have a chance of shooting Bear, too, but his shoot obscured by what ever fell about him (very much the way the floor worked in the book).

Agnes said...

oh, yeah, i forgot about the talk... (and i call myself a fan!) ;) anyways, yeah! i like the statue idea, elizabeth! but i did like the chandelier... (sorry, phantom of the opera fan!) but yes, i think something falling on top of freet would be cool... sooo... let me re-phrase my last idea, if i may? freet shoots bear in the arm, they fight, then freet drops the patent and blanche picks it up. freet shoots at her; the bullet bounces off the patent and hits... something that creates a domino effect which knocks the statue/altar/chandelier or whatever onto freet/freet's leg, who still had one shot. they talk and have the whole soul conversation, then the police burst in, freet fires and bear jumps over the altar rail to safety. freet is arrested.

well, whatever you guys decide, i know it'll be great!

~Agnes

Audrey said...

I like Elizabeth's idea!

Anonymous said...

I love Agnes' idea!

Grace

Anonymous said...

Hi my name is Adriane Therese and I fell in love with these books! I know you probably hear this alot buy I think you guys (and girlz) are doing all of us fans a great thing by making a movie...I can't wait!! well, as for an idea, how about making it so that Freet gets the paten and when Bear trys to stop him, Freet grabs Blanche and when she trys to get away, bumps one of those things that holds lots of candles, which hits Freet, making him let her go, and then pins down his legs. That way, you can still make it that Freet fires the gun and all. Hope this helps! God bless ya'll,
~Adriane Therese-16yrs.

Gwen said...

I wish I could have helped supply ideas, but needless to say, every one else had some great ones!!! :)