The Shadow of the Bear

Why so silent?

2011-12-30T22:17:00.002-06:00

Honestly because there has been nothing to report. Every time I think about posting, I realize that all I have to say is... "Sorry guys. No news about the DVD release yet."

I know. The wait is longer than any of us expected. But stuff happens and Regina and her family are working really hard on a lot of stuff right now (they just took over publishing the John Paul 2 High books). I've been through surgery and major personal stuff including the ongoing battle with my health.

However I've gotten through the most intense phase and from now on I'm really going to try and post at least once a month, even if it's just to say that I don't have a whole lot to say.

Actually that's not entirely true... I do have one fun little piece of news. Are any of you Tumblrs? You should check out the new Regina Doman/Fairy Tale Novels themed tumblr! It's pretty cool actually for there to be something like that run by neither myself nor Regina... but anyhow the blog owner is looking for submissions and stuff so go on over and check it out if you're in a tumblring mood.

(Oh, and I also have a personal tumblr where you'll find all the cool pictures and humor and short anecdotes and quotes that I come across but aren't big enough for a full post on my blog. Check it out at www.elenatintil.tumblr.com)

Updates

2011-07-28T12:16:00.005-05:00

Quick update...

I've been having a wonderful month of July being able to focus on school and not crazy film stuff! Well except for the one day last week when my computer was tied up for 8 hours transferring footage to Regina's hard drive. The hard drive is now in the mail, and when Regina receives it she'll pass it on to the editing company that is doing the final work.

There is also some discussion of shooting a few pick up shots... please pray that Regina is able to coordinate that and get the shots that are needed to finish the film.

We are still hoping for a Christmas release and it looks like we will hopefully be able to meet that deadline.

Have you enjoyed following this blog for the past few years? Want a new project to follow? I'd like to invite you to check out my personal blog (elenatintil.blogspot.com) where I discuss movies, books and writing, or my sewing blog (seamstressconfessions.blogspot.com) where you can see my sewing projects and learn about life as a Fashion Design Major!

The Premiere

2011-06-28T17:33:00.005-05:00

And now at long last, the news you've been waiting for... how was the premiere?

Wonderful.

We had over 100 attendees who were extremely positive about the film and by the general sounds of laughter during the screening seemed to enjoy it a lot.

I had a crazy, awesome time and was thrilled to see my work at last on the big screen. I only wish ALL of you could have been there!

But, since that wasn't possible, I instead am going to share with you some of the best photos of the night. Thanks to Hannah and Amanda for giving me permission to use them!

Lastly I know you all are about to ask...

The DVD will be coming out later this year. Regina herself is taking over coordinating the final polishing work so that I can focus on college. This means we could see the DVD anywhere between September and Christmas. However I no longer have control or the responsibility to worry about that timing, for which I am immensely grateful. When I have a date I will of course post it here immediately, but it may not be for awhile.

Video: Snowball Fight

2011-06-23T13:44:00.002-05:00

In honor of the premiere tonight, I release to you one last scene --- the snowball fight! This also includes music!

You can watch it at youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOGakk_ZXAk

Final Premiere Updates

2011-06-20T22:12:00.003-05:00

Tickets will remain available for pre-order until midnight tomorrow (Tuesday). If you don't get your order in by then, you'll need to purchase at the door. (checks prefered but cash accepted. No credit cards.) At this point we WILL have tickets available at the door, but they will be first come first served, so if you do plan to purchase at the door, come early! You can arrive as soon as 5:00. We advise arriving no later than 5:30 to get decent seats, and the program will begin at 5:45.

Following the movie (which will be running at 1 hr 50 minutes), we will have a short presentation followed by a question and answer session with the actors. Afterwards there will be a chance to request autographs from the cast and crew. (We advise bringing your own pen and paper ;) )

We originally were going to try to have concessions, but at this point will be unable to do so. Do plan to eat supper ahead of time!

We're dressing up for the occasion and would like to invite all of you to do the same! Formal dresses and suits are welcome, "church clothes" are also completely acceptable for the more casual folk.

Again, this is not the 100% completed version of the film -- we are working desperately to do all that we can do, but were unable to get all the ADR or music completed in time. It's a minor miracle (and the support and assistance of my amazing family) that is even ensuring that the sound is good enough to allow the premiere to proceed. (You wouldn't believe how close it's been over the past few weeks). As I type this my own health has kept me pretty much incapacitated for most of the day... I hope and pray that I will be able to make it through the premiere myself.

However, for all that, there is so much for this night that I am excited for and I would not have fought so hard for it if I didn't care so much for all of you and believe in the story we are telling and it's power to shine through no matter how rough the medium.

In order to get the sound done, I had to lend out my computer. Therefore I have limited internet access and limited time (as I prepare for the coming days). If you have any questions, I BEG you to check our FAQ section, or e-mail theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com and Janny, our ticket manager will do her best to answer (she knows most everything important AND she has my text number if I can't get to the computer to answer, however she's also working a full time job so patience is appreciated!)

Finally, I've answered this many times in many places but I keep getting asked... YES. There will be a DVD. It will not be available until later this summer. All information regarding it will be posted here on this blog.

Thank you all for your support, prayers and patience. Please continue to offer up supplications as we get through the final part of what has been a very difficult process.

Rob's Story

2011-06-18T21:48:00.002-05:00

Meet Rob Tirsch. Good looking, got a way with girls. And he just happens to be showing attention to one of our heroines....

Sound isn't final in this video, but the picture is fine cut! Also, I kept the youtube quality low so that you all could watch it easily no matter what your internet speed. The actual movie is much higher quality.

SOUND :)

2011-06-17T09:06:00.002-05:00

(Rob, stunned by Rose's accusations)

Many many thanks to my friend Alicia for directing me to a website where I could get just about all of our needed sound effects free! You can visit it here: http://www.grsites.com/archive/sounds/

(To download, right click the file type you want and hit "save link as")

I had a blast last night laying in the sound effects and most of the prom music.

We're still looking for a suitable swing song, at least something to use as a placeholder for the premiere. It needs to be free and public domain and we'd greatly appreciate any help!

ONE WEEK!

2011-06-16T13:17:00.000-05:00

The movie premieres exactly ONE WEEK from today. I can't believe it, can you?

Oh yes... and if you are planning to come and haven't ordered your tickets yet, may I point out that there is no time like the present? ;)

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-06-15T17:44:00.002-05:00

We are so close, folks...

Every day I have to deal with adjusting to a new idea of what the movie at the premiere is going to be like. I have to give up stressing about a piece of sound, or a missing shot, or a type of music. It's been a lot of hard lessons for me.

HOWEVER. That said. I think even if you all saw the movie right now, understanding that music, audio and color correction were not done, you would STILL vastly enjoy what you saw. Because the whole story is there. The characters are there. The journeys, the moments, the lines...

I've done three films previously and this is the first one where I have sat down and watched the rough cut and actually been excited about it.

Will it be perfect? No. Will it be "The Shadow of the Bear"? YES.

And those of you who are coming to the premiere get to see this all on the big screen AND meet the actors, myself and Regina!

What would I rate the movie?

2011-06-13T21:34:00.002-05:00

What would the movie be rated?

I've always thought it would be the equivalent of a PG-13 rating. Why? The movie is quite faithful to the book and Regina has always said the book is intended for ages 14 and up. If you would like to see a rundown of more mature content in the book, I suggest checking out Regina's Picky Parent Guide here: http://fairytalenovels.com/docs/Picky%20Parent's%20guide%20to%20Shadow.pdf

Screenshot Monday

2011-06-13T10:56:00.000-05:00

Back from the wedding (and it was WONDERFUL!). Now to catch up on movie stuff...

Our Ticket Coordinator is in the process of moving to another state, so please be patient if she doesn't reply to your e-mail immediately. :) Thanks!

"Paper Moon" update

2011-06-09T19:32:00.001-05:00

Word came in today that we will not be given permission to use "Paper Moon" in the movie. This is disappointing to me because I do love the song very much... but since there's nothing to be done about it, I'm moving on to trying to work out an alternative song that will fulfill the need.

Fine Cut complete!

2011-06-07T23:16:00.002-05:00

The fine cut is -- well just about --- complete. I still have to do the credits and input a couple shots, but the timing on everything is locked --- it can't be changed. I did the ENTIRE fine cut today and am really very pleased with how it turned out. My rough cut was not so very rough which was why the one day thing was even possible.

So now I'm off to celebrate a wedding. I'll be back next Monday to get the movie finished. :)

In need of some audio assistance.

2011-06-06T12:37:00.002-05:00

Mr. Freet is not a very pleasant man, is he? (Our actor, Greg Bunce, on the other hand, is awesome)

So! We are in need of some assistance! Those of you who are forum members have probably already read Regina's message, but I will repost it here:

As you probably all know, Elizabeth has been struggling with illness for these past few weeks and that has been VERY frustrating for her particularly as it's inhibited her ability to finish the movie.

The GOOD NEWS is that, thanks to the support of her family and friends, the Shadow of the Bear movie premiere will still happen!

The BAD News is that it probably will not be 100% perfect, although Elizabeth is going to do her darndest to get it to be at least 95% perfect. There's always time to perfect it for the DVD release.

So please pray for Elizabeth in these coming weeks before the movie premiere. As I told Elizabeth tonight, "If God asks you to do something and He really doesn't want you to screw something up, He tends to make sure you're as weak as possible when you do it. Because that way, He can be strong through you."

So all I can think is, God must have big plans for this movie! Please pray!

~Regina Doman

My co-producer and I are working as hard as we can to get the movie in the best possible shape before the premiere. I spent nearly every free moment in the last week and a half doing nothing but editing. Yesterday I probably put in a good eight hours. I will be continuing to work right up until Tuesday night --- but Wednesday I am due to leave town for five days to be in the wedding of my very oldest friend.

The picture itself should be in pretty good shape by then. My co-producer, Josh, is working on getting all of the ADR done. We've got one composer signed on and are trying to secure a second so that we can get as much music as possible done before the premiere.

However, I have just been informed that the level of audio work that needs to be done is so great that my co-producer cannot complete it in time for the premiere. I might be able to do some, but since I'm severely hard of hearing it's not a very practical or optimistic situation.

Therefore we would like to see if any of the fans have the experience, software and time to help us get the SOTB audio into good shape. You should be able get a good idea of what we need from the clips I've posted. And while we can't promise any monetary compensation, you WILL get to see the entire film quite early. :)

If you are interested, please send me an e-mail at theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com ASAP!

While Audio is our biggest concern, we could also use assistance with color correction, if that interests anyone.

New Clip: A Visit to St. Lawrences

2011-06-05T12:10:00.002-05:00

Bear takes Blanche and Rose to the church of St. Laurences and shares a little bit about his past.

(As always, this is still a rough cut. We're starting ADR work this week though!)

To Order Tickets

2011-06-03T12:58:00.004-05:00

Tickets are $7 each.

Simply send an e-mail to theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com with the number and names of the attendees, as well as whether you'd like to pay via paypal (preferred) or check.

As soon as we receive your payment your tickets will be confirmed. You will be able to pick them up the night of the premiere.

If you have registered for ReginaCon (full time or Thursday) your tickets have already been taken care of.

Because space is limited, we encourage you to order your tickets as soon as possible. We cannot guarantee that there will be any available to purchase at the door.

Screenshot Friday and a chance to see more Movie Footage!

2011-06-03T12:19:00.001-05:00

Blanche and Rose discuss whether or not they can find Bear's Penthouse.

NEWS!

Want to see some exclusive new footage from the movie? If you're a Minnesota fan, stop by the Minnesota Catholic Homeschool Conference and visit the Chesterton Press table and ask to see some of the movie footage!

Screenshot Wednesday and some FAQ's

2011-06-01T10:55:00.002-05:00

Rose shares her intention to do some sleuthing.

So I've been getting some questions over and over again that I feel I should probably answer here once and for all. ;)

#1 -- When will we be able to order DVDs?

Hopefully July. The movie will still need some final color and sound tweaks after the premiere, and there are also things like a blooper reel, commentary (???) and subtitles to pull together. Then the DVD actually has to get produced! That all takes time, and I'm due to move in August so we'll see how it all comes together!

#2 -- are we getting a trailer?

No. I've recently been very sick, and only just got the last of the footage a week ago. This means that if we are going to have any sort of presentable film for the premiere I have to devote all of my attention just to getting the movie edited. I will however continue to post movie clips, as those would have to be edited anyhow and take minimal time to render and upload.

#3 -- I'm coming to ReginaCon/Fairy Tale Festival. Do I still need to order tickets?

Nope! If you paid the full price (or Thursday day price) for the festival, your ticket is included in that.

Captured by an Evil Prince

2011-05-31T10:23:00.002-05:00

Once again the talented and creative Chelise has taken a scene from the movie and redrawn it in the realm of fairy tales! I am absolutely in love with Rob's coat. Please. Someone commission me to make it so I have an excuse to sew it! ;)

Screenshot Monday

2011-05-30T16:03:00.002-05:00

Some of my absolutely favorite scenes are the quiet romantic ones between Bear and Blanche. Hannah and Jed are such marvelous actors and their onscreen chemistry makes you truly believe you are watching Blanche and Bear.

In this scene, Blanche confesses her feelings to Bear.

In the meantime, take a look at my editing stories here: http://elenatintil.blogspot.com/2011/05/editing-till-my-eyes-blur.html

Premiere Set!

2011-05-29T11:11:00.003-05:00

It's official, folks!

The premiere for "The Shadow of the Bear" will be held in Minneapolis, MN at the St. Anthony Main Theater on Thursday, June 23rd, 2011.

Festivities will commence at 5:00 pm.

The cast, crew and Regina Doman will be in attendance.

Formalwear or nice dressy clothing requested.

(Girls, please no strapless dresses, deep cleavage or skirts above the knee.)

We have limited seating so tickets will be available for order ahead of time. We recommend you order as soon as we get the system set up. Tickets will be $7 a piece.

Because seating is limited, and because the movie is a PG-13 equivalent, we would not encourage children under the age of eleven to attend.

To keep track of the latest information regarding the premiere, I highly suggest that you visit our event page on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106559492767607

To learn how to order tickets, please visit this page: http://theshadowofthebear.blogspot.com/2011/06/to-order-tickets.html

Bear and Fish Clip!

2011-05-28T15:48:00.001-05:00

I took a short break from editing to upload another quick clip for you all! It is, again, rough in that the audio has not yet been done, but visually it is quite close to what the final product will be. Watch it here, or watch a higher rez version on youtube.

This scene is not in the book. It was adapted from a series of scenes that appeared in the award winning radio adaptation. I just couldn't resist the chance to give Fish more to do!

Screenshot Friday

2011-05-27T11:37:00.002-05:00

Blanche awakens.

I love eyes. I probably pay more attention to them than any other physical feature. So I was thrilled when one sequence in the film allowed me to spend a lot of time on Blanche's beautiful blue eyes. :)

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-05-25T18:59:00.000-05:00

Rose vents her frustration over the situation with Rob.

Screenshot Monday

2011-05-23T23:00:00.001-05:00

Take one down, pass it around... 99 bottles of beer on the wall.

Can I ask for prayers? I haven't been able to edit at all or contact composers for the last two days due to a violent attack of nausea. I would really like to be able to get back to work (not to mention sit up without feeling worse!).

Screenshot Friday

2011-05-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

Rose and Suzanne chat at Rob's party.

Screenshot Thursday

2011-05-19T09:39:00.002-05:00

Rose creeps down into Freet's basement!

NEWS and UPDATES

I've been blown away by the number of composer applications we've received! Now to sort through them and figure out who to use. Please pray for us!

Editingeditingediting... is never done. Last night I edited my second fight scene and it was crazy. Anthony's coming over tonight and I'm hoping for his input on all of my cuts. The footage is great, I just have to make sure it flows.

THE PREMIERE -- if you've been keeping an eye on the blurb on the top of the page, you've probably noticed that yesterday I changed the date to the "23rd" and the city to "Minneapolis." We are in negotiations with a theater in St. Anthony Main (which is a part of Minneapolis across the river from the Guthrie) and we hope to visit it and confirm everything next week. We could use prayers on this as well!

Getting the rights for "It's Only a Paper Moon" could be complicated and I frankly don't have the time to do it (I am still trying to figure out if I actually have time to breathe), so thoughts, expertise and offers of help from those who feel confident in this area would be greatly appreciate. (Please e-mail me at theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com)

Meet Regina Doman and the Director and actors of SOTB!

2011-05-18T11:06:00.002-05:00

Do you live in the Midwest? Are you a fan of Regina Doman? Then ReginaCon 2011 is the opportunity of a lifetime for you!

Regina will be teaching workshops on writing, I'll be talking about filmmaking, plus there will be murder mysteries, a FTN-themed Swing Dance (we've rented out an auditorium for it!) and more!

We're behind on our minimum registrations though, so if you haven't registered yet I would like to encourage you to do so soon! You can find out more information at Regina Doman's website.

And don't forget, your registration for ReginaCon covers the cost of your ticket to the MOVIE PREMIERE! :)

Screenshot Tuesday

2011-05-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

Rose creeps into Freet's House.

Composer wanted!

2011-05-14T16:02:00.004-05:00

We are looking for a composer!

Due to a variety of issues, it's only now that we have been able to start the process. However with the movie premiere just five weeks away, that means we need someone who can get pretty involved right away!

We need someone who has the know-how and a hard work ethic, who is willing to work fast. Even if we could just get a few unique themes that would be better than having to use entirely stock music.

Know of anyone? Have them contact me at theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com. Don't know of anyone? You can still help by reposting this to your blog, facebook, tumblr, twitter or forum!

Screenshot Saturday

2011-05-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

Rose sneaks into Mr. Freet's house. His security code COULDN'T be 666... could it?

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-05-11T23:20:00.000-05:00

Rose is excited about going to the Opera!

Screenshot Monday

2011-05-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

Blanche worries that going to the Opera with Bear may not be the wisest idea.

Screenshot Saturday

2011-05-07T13:55:00.001-05:00

We had a little bit of a scene where Blanche unpacks a few things. This is to show a) that the Briers are still recent arrivals to the city, and b) why the set changes between this scene and the previous one. We got a load of props from Regina after filming the first scene and had to figure out how to incorporate them into the set without setting off the screaming of the continuity nitpickers. ;)

Video: "Princesses in Disguise" - Extended

2011-04-26T20:27:00.002-05:00

Friends, I have a treat for you today.

This is not the trailer. I so badly wanted to have that done for you all, but right now I need to focus on getting the movie itself cut.

However I appreciate so much what you all have done to bring the production to this point and I want to share something with you.

So I present to you the rough cut of the second half of the "Princesses in Disguise" conversation.

Rough cut means that we have done NO audio correction, we have NOT fine cut between shots, and there is no color correction or music added. However it gives you a look at the actors and camera technique.

I hope you enjoy it!

Screenshot Thursday

2011-04-21T10:14:00.000-05:00

Today we have a pretty cool image.

If I am correct, this is the first image we've released of Rose held captive by Freet. Pretty dramatic stuff....

Screenshot Saturday

2011-04-16T13:43:00.000-05:00

Carl teases Blanche

Screenshot Tuesday

2011-04-12T12:58:00.000-05:00

Rose comes to Blanche's defense and tells off Eileen and Lisa.

Screenshot Saturday

2011-04-09T08:50:00.000-05:00

Does this picture need any explanation?

Screenshot Tuesday

2011-04-05T12:35:00.002-05:00

Today's screenshot is another look at the "Princesses in Disguise" scene. This scene was a rather difficult one to adapt, as the dialogue is important both to the plot and to the fans, but it doesn't translate well visually as it is basically people just sitting around and talking for ten minutes.

Regina suggested that I break the discussion into two bits -- therefore we do have Rose start the conversation earlier in the story, while she and Blanche are at school. It's a pretty neat intro and I think it'll work well.

The second half of the scene I enlivened visually by adding a chess game. The pieces on the chess board were great metaphors for the different kinds of fairytale characters the Briers and Bear are talking about. In addition, it's my own personal nod to "Black as Night" in which chess imagery figures prominently.

Screenshot Friday

2011-04-01T09:04:00.000-05:00

In today's photo, we see Rob holding Blanche captive!

Screenshot Monday

2011-03-28T09:52:00.001-05:00

Today we get a glimpse of Rose's excitement when she tells Bear about "Fairy Tale Identities."

Screenshot Friday

2011-03-25T10:38:00.001-05:00

Finally got some new screen captures! Today's shot is at St. Catherine's. Blanche has just escaped teasing and is willing herself not to faint...

Updates

2011-03-20T11:32:00.003-05:00

Hey friends!

Sorry for the long silence. Coming home from vacation meant I had a ton of 'real life' responsibilities to catch up on! Also I had pretty much exhausted my store of screen captures and need to take some more before I share them with you.

No new developments on a trailer yet, except that I am open to ideas! So if you have an idea for a trailer, post it in the comments and let me know!

Secondly, we are looking for a theatre at which to host the SOTB premiere in June! It needs to be in the Twin Cities or the northwest metro, have the capability to project digitally (and preferably with a good clear picture), and also not be too expensive (I don't think we could spend more than $500 at the very most to rent the place for the evening). So if you have any leads, or want to do some internet searching and come across something, please let me know! You can send your findings to theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com.

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-03-09T08:48:00.000-06:00

In today's screenshot, Blanche eavesdrops on Fish and Bear in the Penthouse scene.

Screenshot Saturday

2011-03-05T07:59:00.000-06:00

Eileen.

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-03-02T10:12:00.000-06:00

Trailer plans

2011-03-01T15:02:00.001-06:00

I've been asked again about when the trailer is coming out... I'm still waiting for that footage, which I hope to get as soon as I return home from vacation, sometime after the 11th of March.

Screenshot Monday

2011-02-28T12:56:00.001-06:00

So apparently Saturday isn't going to be the best day for uploading screenshots... oh well. Enjoy today's picture of Fishy...

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-02-23T12:13:00.002-06:00

Today's screencapture is another shot from the Penthouse scene.

Note of interest for those of you who weren't around when I first blogged about this day... yes, according to the book, Blanche is supposed to be in her prom dress in this scene. However, the dress was being shipped to me and had not arrived by the time we had to leave to shoot the scene. So I had Hannah bring a kimono and wear that in the scene and our logic is that it was something Bear's mother had around and Blanche was cold or whatever and wanted to put it on. (We do see her putting it on over the prom dress in the scene when she wakes up, which was filmed at a later date).

So when did the prom dress arrive? When I got home from filming that date, the package was waiting for me. Figures.

Screenshot Saturday (on Monday)

2011-02-21T11:36:00.001-06:00

I apologize profusely for missing Saturday's screenshot! It was my birthday this weekend and things just got far too busy. However the upshot was that I had a group at my house on Saturday that watched most of my current rough cut and gave it their approval. So rest assured that editing is going well!

Today's shot shows Rose entering Freet's basement...

Cinematography

2011-02-18T10:56:00.002-06:00

Are you a film fanatic? Want to get in the business? Or just enjoy movies?

Over on my personal blog today I wrote up a piece on the power and history of cinematography. If you're interested in film, you might just find it interesting!

Rose and Fish Fan Art

2011-02-17T11:33:00.001-06:00

Another beautiful work by Chelise! She did this in honor of St. Valentine's Day and again used one of our SOTB publicity photos. I think it's fantastic! (and who else here wants Rose's dress?)

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-02-16T10:39:00.002-06:00

Blanche gets kidnapped and Rob smokes.

Okay, there was no real smoking going on (except maybe by accident). The cigarettes were real and everyone who handled them was over 18 and perfectly legal, but none of them were actual smokers so there will be some fun editing and effect work going on...

Screenshot Saturday

2011-02-12T10:56:00.002-06:00

Editing is progressing well. Yesterday evening I discovered about three hours of footage that I did not realize I already had. Most of it was the footage shot last spring while I was in Virginia, and therefore this was the first time I'd had the chance to see any of it. I must say for the most part I was quite impressed by the quality of the shots and acting, which is a huge relief because it was a very scary thing for me to entrust any part of the film to any director other than myself.

Today's screenshot is from Blanche's POV when she eavesdrops on Bear and Fish in the penthouse.

Fan Art

2011-02-10T11:43:00.002-06:00

This beautiful drawing by Chelise F. was based on one of the production photos. I am in awe!

Have you done any SOTB movie artwork? Want to share it with other fans? Send it to theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com and we just might post it on the blog!

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-02-09T12:12:00.000-06:00

A peek at the scene I've been working on this week. Rose ungags Fish.

Tidbit from the editing room

2011-02-08T14:56:00.003-06:00

Editing is SO intense! I've been working on the footage from Freet's basement. It's an intensely difficult scene because there is a lot of movement to match up, some whispering, many different angles and takes to have to choose from, plus brilliant acting that just sends chills down my spine. Freet is so evil, Fish is so amazing, and Rose is just tragically heroic. I cannot wait for you all to see it!

Screenshot Saturday

2011-02-05T11:19:00.002-06:00

Yep folks, it's going to be Saturdays and Wednesdays!

Today's screen capture is from the scene I was editing last night. "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things, shall be well."

You have not truly heard poetry until you hear Bear quote in this scene!

Elenatintil's Academy Award Extravaganza

2011-02-04T13:48:00.003-06:00

Attention, movie buffs!

Over on my personal blog I am hosting a month-long celebration of the 2011 Academy Awards! These include polls to chose our own winners from the official nominees, our own categories, fun tidbits on the nominees, and more! Check it out today!

Elenatintil's Academy Award Blog Extravaganza 2011

Introduction

Discussion of Nominations

Promo Video with Hathaway and Franco

Best Picture Nominees in LEGOS

Short Films - Our Category

The O'Donnells Invade SOTB

2011-02-03T18:06:00.002-06:00

(L-R, 1 Terabyte Harddrive, wireless mouse, Vegas Pro 10)

Even though our film project is "The Shadow of the Bear," my room seems to have suffered an invasion of the O'Donnell family. In addition to getting a Wacom drawing tablet and external DVD burner for Christmas, I also have all the beautiful things above that you, our fans, made possible.

Each and every one of these three things was a dream that I didn't really believe would come true. A sticking point. Something standing between us and the end. And you guys came through every time. It truly is amazing.

Now if I could only get Alex to do the editing for me...

Screenshot Wednesday

2011-02-02T17:33:00.003-06:00

Sickness has interfered with my ability to make a trailer, but I am going to start releasing a few screenshots for your viewing pleasure!

A screenshot is a single frame from the actual movie. So it's a brief glimpse into what you'll see on the finished project.

Today's picture is from a shot of Rose (supposedly!) doing her homework at the start of the film.

IMDB pages and updates

2011-02-01T15:08:00.003-06:00

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4098744/
Josh Brist, the co-director on SOTB, recently got an IMDB page! Visit it and click the "See Resume" link to take a look at all the projects he's been involved with in the past. I show up a couple of times!

We're talking about possibly setting up a SOTB IMDB page as well, although we have to do more research.

Not much for other news, as I still battle some crazy health stuff, but I do have everything I need to edit now, thanks to all of you amazing fans!

Mouse and Mini Posters

2011-01-03T13:09:00.002-06:00

Looks like I may have found a mouse! I'm just confirming it all now. I'll make a more formal announcement when everything is set in place.

Mini posters! They're sitting in my room right now, waiting to get autographed. I was going to try and track down some of the actors this week but - surprise! I'm stuck in bedrest with an inflamed pancreas. So I do sincerely apologize and I'll be working on getting the posters signed and sent off as soon as I'm allowed up again (should be by Friday).

Editing and a final filming thing...

2011-01-02T12:45:00.003-06:00

Editing software is hooked up and running! I started work on a few scenes the other night... and realized just how very much I need a mouse. Otherwise my fingers are going to die very quickly! (If anyone donates a workable mouse, I will send them an e-mail full of cool brand new screencaps from the footage I now have access to...)

Secondly, Hannah (Blanche), Josh (Assistant director/producer), and I sat down and answered about a dozen of the questions submitted by fans. I think we have about a half hour of footage that I'll be able to share soon! It was really fun and we had a blast answering the questions. Hopefully you all will enjoy watching it too! We're having some footage upload issues right now, so it may be a few weeks before it's available to view, but I wanted to let you all know that it's been filmed.

Software arrived!

2010-12-21T13:23:00.004-06:00

Vegas Pro arrived in the mail today and is sitting in front of me right now! Many, many thanks to Shaylynn for taking care of making the order for me!

Editing should start in earnest as soon as Christmas is over!

Those of you wondering about your posters and the video of answers -- those goodies are still happening, they're just taking some time. Thank you for your patience!

Oh and I'm still looking for a mouse.

Software is ordered!

2010-12-08T17:10:00.003-06:00

Excitement just gets greater!

So I'm going to be editing the film on my laptop... and I could really use a mouse. I only use a touchpad right now, but for that much finger tapping it would really save my hands if I had a mouse.

So! If any of you have a gently used mouse (with a middle scroller!) in good condition that you would like to donate to the SOTB cause, send me an e-mail at theshadowofthebear@ymail.com

I'll probably ask for a picture first, and an awesome bonus feature would be a wireless one. But I'll see what options there are... :)

$400 Reward Post

2010-12-03T15:56:00.002-06:00

You did it!

Fans and friends of the SOTB movie, I am so humbled by and thankful for your generous outpouring of support this fall. This film truly would not be possible without your encouragement, both verbal and financial. Thank you so very much!

We will be ordering the Vegas editing software very shortly here -- and then I will get to work editing! Hopefully I will be able to give you all a trailer by the end of the Christmas holidays.

Our Artfire store and donation button will remain in place until we release the DVD. There will still be costs to cover between now and then and any help is welcome.

Now, let's break out the confetti and celebrate this milestone!

$350 Reward Post

2010-11-27T11:11:00.003-06:00

Wow, you guys are amazing! Less than 24 hours after my last post we recieved two donations that added up to $55! That brings us up to $375 which means I only need $25 more before I order the software! We are so close!

Those who donated -- I will be sending out the screen captures to all the recipients at the same time. Either on December 3rd, or when we hit the $400 mark -- whichever comes first. :)

And now it's time for the $350 reward post...

In the comments below, you all will have a chance to submit your questions. On December 10th, I will chose the 10 best questions, which I will then answer in a video along with one other SOTB cast member. We will put this online as soon as we have the editing software to properly convert it.

Please take the time to read our other SOTB Q&A's, as well as some of my informative posts. We will NOT answer any questions that have been clearly answered anywhere else on the site. So if you haven't been eagerly reading each post from the beginning, now would be a great time to do some researching!

The Clock is Ticking

2010-11-26T19:15:00.003-06:00

We are running out of time to finish this film before the Premiere date! There are just seven months to complete post-production and we still don't have an editing software!

First off, I'd love to hear in the comments what sort of products you all would like to see in our shop. We would be more than happy to do special commissions, so please contact me at theshadowofthebear@ymail.com if there is a particular piece you'd like to have us make for you.

Secondly... I have a special offer. Today I found the missing SOTB clips CD and was able to finally make the screen captures of the two scenes we have edited. I have over 20 captures from the "Bear telling off Rob" and "Princesses in Disguise" scenes in addition to the one at the top of this post.

However, I will not be releasing them to the public. These captures will be a special present for anyone who spends over $10 in the store (or donates) between now and December 3rd.

So! You've got one week and $10 to spend (or donate) in order to get these screen captures!

And remember, more awesome stuff is coming when we hit $350!!!

Mini Poster Drawing Winners!

2010-11-20T13:02:00.002-06:00

Well, we've thrown the names in a bowl and drawn out the lucky three...

*drumroll*

Joy D.

Mary Grace D.

Abigail B.

I have e-mailed the three winners and they should be receiving their posters shortly! Thank you all so much for entering! We got 35 entries, which was a bit more than I was expecting.

$300 Milestone Award Post

2010-11-10T16:33:00.003-06:00

And with a donation eCheck just clearing, we passed the $300 mark!

Which means it is now time for me to write a long post with all those little cool details for the true fans to geek out over.

So the director (that's me) is going to ramble...

I first met Anthony (Fish) and Hannah (Blanche) at a film camp. That film camp was really one of the most pivotal happenings of my life. So much changed because of that. One of the biggest was of course meeting these two brilliant actors.

Hannah is a prolific actress. I'm pretty sure she couldn't count off her shows on her hands even if she used all her fingers AND her toes. She's played roles all across the board. I personally have seen her as such roles as a punk (Godspell), Mrs. Cratchett (A Christmas Carol) and Anne Frank (The Diary of Anne Frank). I was unable to watch her in "A Little Shop of Horrors" but I understand she was faaaaantastic. Currently she is in the very demanding musical "Into the Woods" as Cinderella's mother.

In addition to acting, Hannah is a fantastic seamstress. Her sewing skills were actually the bond that really started our friendship. We found out that we both wanted to sew for the same show (Beauty and the Beast) and had a marvelous day working together in which we found we were kindred spirits. Hannah sewed both Blanche's white dress and did the alterations on the teal dress.

As some of you know, Hannah is naturally a strawberry blond. In order to achieve Blanche's necessary dark hair, we had to borrow a wig which Hannah bravely wore all 18 months of filming despite the uncomfortable scratchyness of it. In order to get her eyebrows dark enough, we had to apply mascara to her eyebrows. It looks surprisingly real and really pulls the whole look together.

Anthony, on the other hand, has done very little acting. His "break out" role was in an independent film called "Lights Out" in which he played one of the main characters, a depressed and angsty teen named TJ. This showed me what a brilliant actor he was and I knew he'd be perfect for Fish - even though in real life Anthony is one of the most pleasant and ready to laugh people I know.

Anthony and Hannah and I (and my co-director, Josh) were all in a writer's group together the summer I made the decision to do the movie. It was actually the night of our summer formal dinner that I told Hannah and Anthony about the project. Believe it or not, I have pictures of the conversation when I told Anthony about the idea. We're walking though the park, with a group of elegantly attired young people, and I'm sprouting off all of my grand plans for the project while trying not to trip over my long dress.

For the first three months of production, Anthony was in Arizona helping his grandparents. However, once he returned he through himself headfirst into the production, regularly driving 45 minutes and spending many nights away from home in order to not only act, but also film and manage lighting for our shoots. When Anthony is behind the camera, he has a one track mind and moves intensely around adjusting lights, reflectors and dials.

Sharayah (Rose) and Jed (Bear) popped into my life when I volunteered to costume a community production of Beauty and the Beast.

Jed was "Bear" for me the moment I met him. Even though the two young men are actually rather different, there is still a certain air about him that calls to mind the mysterious hero of SOTB. Between his dreads and the range of emotion he displayed playing the Beast, as well as his kindness and consideration of others, I knew he would be brilliant as Bear. Still, you could have knocked me over with a feather when he actually agreed to take the part!

Jed is an intense and focused actor. When learning his lines, he will go off and study them exclusively, stopping only to ask me questions about motivation, or permission to alter a few words. He is adventurous and always ready to try new things -- but detail oriented enough to be the one person on set who I can always count on to watch out for his own continuity.

One friend used to beg me every time I talked to her to make SOTB into a musical. That was impossible for a million different reasons -- but I have to say, Sharayah could have pulled off a musical Rose with an Oscar-worthy performance. Having seen her as Nancy (Oliver!), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), Hodel (Fiddler on the Roof) and Cinderella (Into the Woods) I know this girl is going to be a hit on Broadway. Like Rose she is completely unafraid of anything, and ready to accept and love a host of people into her life.

She didn't blink once when we put a plastic bag over her head, or pointed a pistol at her -- but that could have had something to do with the fact that her dad was playing Mr. Freet! She underwent crazy shenanigans with the red hair issue -- finally getting to the point where her hairstylist would not dye the hair anymore and chopped it off. In her dedication to the film, Sharayah bought a human-hair wig with her Christmas money to ensure that we could finish the project.

And do you want humor? Just watch Sharayah and Hannah together! They'll sing musicals, make jokes, or practice their lines in crazy accents. (Our favorite? "Holy Candlesticks" in heavy Minnesotan!).

I cannot wait to get a trailer pulled together so that all of you can see more of the amazingness of these actors! We're so close --- just $83.00 more to go!

$250 Milestone Reward Post!

2010-11-07T12:04:00.003-06:00

Thanks to some generous donations, we've crossed the $250 mark and are well on our way to $300!!! We just need $113 in order to be able to purchase our software! (although more than that would be good to cover tax and shipping so that I don't have to pull the extra out of my tiny bank account). Can we hit that before Thanksgiving? If so, we could have a trailer by Christmas!

Anyhow, it's time for the $250 reward post!

For THREE special fans there will be a a SOTB Mini-Poster! I will only be making three copies of this poster, so now is your ONLY chance to get one of them!

The fans will be selected by RANDOM DRAWING on November 20th.

To enter the drawing, send an e-mail with the subject line "Mini Poster Drawing" to theshadowofthebear [at] ymail [dot] com. Include your first name and last initial in the body text. Winners will get a reply on November 20th that will ask for their mailing address so that we can know where to ship the posters.

You are only allowed to enter ONE time --- UNLESS you make a donation between now and then of at least $5. If you do make a donation, you will be allowed to enter the drawing an extra time for each extra $5 you donate. The name on the donation must match the name on the drawing entry, and when making the multiple entries you should indicate that you donated so we know it wasn't just an e-mail fluke.

All e-mails must be submitted by midnight on November 19th!

We will announce the winners on November 20th.

Why we currently can't sell movie merchandise

2010-10-28T17:36:00.003-05:00

Some of you have asked me why you haven't been able to buy movie merchandise as we had proposed as a fundraising idea earlier this year.

Well, the answer is that although we got permission from most of the actors, there was one crucial person we were unable to get permission from.

This was of course very disappointing for us all, but there is nothing else we can do at this point. I wish very much that I could make those items available for you, but I tried everything in my power and was unable to secure the permission.

When is the trailer coming?

2010-10-28T16:34:00.003-05:00

...when we sell more stuff! We're still just above $200, and we need another $200 before we can buy the software! That trailer isn't coming until we have something to edit on!

How can you help? By checking out and purchasing items from our artfire store!

Don't see anything you want, but still would like to help? You can make us a direct donation! Just click the button in the left-hand corner of this page!

$16.00

$15.99

$17.00

$8.00

Remember, it's almost November 1st. Buy your Christmas presents early from our Artfire store, and you'll be helping out SOTB in the process!

Welcome to...

2010-10-17T09:58:00.004-05:00

I just want to say a big "WELCOME!" to anyone who is visiting the blog after picking up one of our mini-flyers at the Twin Cities Book Fest yesterday. It was great to meet all of you and I hope to see some of you at our premiere in June! Meanwhile, please enjoy browsing our site! We've got tons of pictures, interviews, and even a copy of trailers (though not the best quality) for you to enjoy!

Want a signed SOTB mini poster?

2010-10-15T11:05:00.001-05:00

Well first we have to get to $250!!!

But don't worry, we're close, and we've got some lovely new items for you to look at!

$200 Reward Post

2010-10-13T11:38:00.014-05:00

HALFWAY THERE! We are halfway there! Imagine me singing it, oh wonderful fans! We are halfway to getting our editing software! And let me tell you, I am ready to start piecing this baby together!

So, as a reward and to encourage you all to buy even more stuff so that we can get the software - here are the rest of the outdoor pictures - and include some of my favorites!

Remember! The next milestone includes a signed mini-poster for a lucky fan! And because you all are amazing, I've decided to give away THREE posters instead of one when we reach this goal! So keep shopping our artfire, and recommend it to others as well! There is more awesome stuff on the site all the time!

$150 Goal Reached! Reward post!

2010-10-12T20:16:00.012-05:00

Technically we reached the $200 goal, but I didn't want to post all the pictures on one night, so tonight you guys get Fish, and tomorrow you get the rest of the Outdoor Shoot Photos.

Congratulations! We've passed the halfway point! We're halfway to getting the software - and a trailer!!!!

Now Fish yourselves out... and keep your eyes peeled for a couple of extras I threw in because you are all so awesome.

Books and SOTB stuff... and meet the director - for FREE!

2010-10-12T11:57:00.002-05:00

Hey friends!

This is just a heads up to let you know that I'm going to be at the Twin Cities Book Fair this Saturday running a table for author Regina Doman. I'll have her books on sale, as well as some SOTB movie-related stuff.

The Book Fair is free, and there will be a USED BOOK SALE, as well as a lot of cool authors and speakers. So if you don't have plans on Saturday, it would be a really good thing to check out - whether you're a bookworm, a Regina Doman fan, or a homeschooling mom. Plus you could see me in action!

The Fair will be held at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College. That's right down by St. Mary's Cathedral and Loring Park, so not too far for most of you.

Find out more information about what will be available here:http://www.raintaxi.com/bookfest/

Hope to see you there!

SOTB Premiere Weekend Announced!

2010-09-29T14:58:00.002-05:00

We have our weekend nailed down, folks!

The Official Premiere of "The Shadow of the Bear: The Movie" will be taking place on the weekend of June 23rd-26th, 2011 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

We do not have our exact evening decided upon yet (and probably won't until we hit February or March), but hopefully knowing the weekend will enable as many of you as possible to work out your calendars to make it to the event!

It is going to be a fabulous evening - a formal affair with props and costumes from the movie on display, a chance to meet the cast and crew (and Regina Doman!), and a program including a question and answer session with the audience.

And of course, the movie itself.

Tickets will go on sale sometime late winter, but they'll be very reasonably priced - certainly under $10.00 apiece. (I'd love to be able to offer them under $5, but at this point I can't promise since I don't know how much the space will cost to rent out. Pray for us that we'll find a good theater with digital projectors, reasonable rates and an accommodating manager in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities!)

There's another reason you should make it out to Minnesota that weekend! This year the annual gathering of Regina Doman's fans (lovingly dubbed "ReginaCon") will be taking place in our lovely state! Regina and her husband Andrew will be flying out to join the festivities and we'll have a whole host of fun activities like a Fairy Tale Novel Swing Dancing Party, a Murder Mystery, writing workshops with Regina, filmmaking workshops with me, and more! It's also going to be incredibly cheap for the quality of what we're offering - just about $50 per person to cover food, Regina's transportation, and space rentals (although if you elect to stay at a hotel instead of camping out like the rest of us, you'll probably be spending more). We're also discussing family rates for those coming out en masse (which is a ton of fun as well!), but I can't give any more details on that at present. Also, if you come to ReginaCon, you WILL get a significantly reduced ticket price for the SOTB Premiere!

And yes... I know what a bunch of you are about to ask. "What if I can't make it to Minnesota? How can I see the film?"

There will be DVDs for sale in the beginning of July and I'm hoping to work out a way to bring large screen showings to other places in the US. More about that coming soon!

If you have any more questions about any of this, please e-mail me at theshadowofthebear@ymail.com

Rising slowly...

2010-09-28T13:39:00.002-05:00

We've hovering around $110.00 this afternoon... can we hit $150 by the weekend? It's UP TO YOU!

In anticipation of this, I've started the poll to see which character you all want to see more pictures from! The winning character will get all pictures previously unreleased posted in a special blog post... (excepting only the final day outdoor pictures that will be released at the $200.00 mark).

As always, more products are constantly being released!

Some of my current favorites...

$5.00

$3.00

$7.50

$35.00

$12.00

See one you like? Want to find more? Go to our Artfire Store!

We hit $100!!!

2010-09-26T18:12:00.004-05:00

So here are the next batch of pictures! Bear and Blanche - but I also included two of the sibling photos because I love you all so much. :) I will release the rest of the sibling and group photos when I release the Rose and Fish pics at $200!

Some more items to showcase...

2010-09-26T11:51:00.002-05:00

No folks, we still haven't reached the $100 mark! However, we just got some lovely new items into the shop, so maybe that will spur things on! Below I've shared some of my favorites!

$15.00

$3.50

$4.00

$6.00

As always, more items are coming soon! Check them all out at our Artfire store!

$50 Goalpost reached in ONE DAY! Reward Post!

2010-09-22T22:34:00.007-05:00

Wow. You guys are absolutely AMAZING! It's only been one day and you've already hit the first milestone! $55.00 in 24 hours! That is fantastic!

Of course that means we've depleted our stock of merchandise quite a bit! I just uploaded some lovely bracelets (see pictures at the bottom!) and there is a TON more stuff coming! So stay tuned!

Meanwhile, I owe you guys a treat!

Unfortunately, I was not expecting you to hit the milestone so soon and I can't find my copy of the two scenes anywhere! Rather than make you all wait for me to get a new copy for the editor (or dig through tons of stuff to find it) I'm going to give you the first batch of photos from that super special photo shoot. (there are more than enough for three separate batches!) But I'm going to save the very best ones for last, so if these make you happy, remember better ones are coming!

We have a ton more beautiful pictures - I only gave you guys two of the nice posed ones tonight because I want to save the others for bigger milestones. You'll get to see more awesome Bear and Blanche ones in just $45.00!!!

And I want to say thank you all again so much! It is so encouraging to have you all helping us out! I can't wait to show you the finished film!

Anyhow, here are five more of the awesome products we have for sale!

SOTB Fundraiser

2010-09-21T22:42:00.003-05:00

So filming's done. What's next? Editing of course.

Only it's a bit hard to edit without an editing software.

The software and computer we were going to use are not available to us at the level we need in order to complete the film in a timely manner (meaning less than 5 years from now). So we need to buy our own copy of Sony Vegas Pro 9. The very cheapest we can get this software for is $400.

We do not have $400.

However our fans have rallied and we have an awesome fundraiser going on to raise the money we need to get our software! And guess what? You can help - and get some cool stuff in the bargain!

How?

Check out our ARTFIRE STORE!

Artfire is a website that allows individuals to sell handcrafted items. Our most dedicated fans have created their own store full of awesome jewelry, cute scarves, and more! Check it out - there is something for everything and more items coming! ALL proceeds will be going to help buy the editing software!

If you don't find something you like for yourself, perhaps you can find a gift for a mom, aunt, grandmother, friend or sister! Most of them are very inexpensively priced. We usually get between 100-200 answers on any given polls - so if half of you spent at least $5 we'd have our money raised in no time!

I've got even further incentives!

Remember how you guys want another trailer? And to see those awesome pictures of Bear, Blanche, Rose and Fish I mentioned last month? Well you'll get them - once we hit certain milestones on the fundraising meter (which you can see on the left!)

What are they?

at $50

-I will release screen captures from the two scenes I previewed at ReginaCon.

at $100

-I will release the pictures of Bear and Blanche from our photo shoot at the last day of filming.

at $150

-I will do a character poll and the highest ranking character will have all decent previously unreleased pictures - released!

at $200

-I will release the Fish and Rose pictures.

at $250

-I will do a special giveaway of a signed miniposter for the movie to one lucky fan! (this will be through a random drawing that you will all have a chance to participate in)

at $300

-I will write a special post with many previously unreleased details about the filming process.

at $350

- I will collect the 10 best questions from fans and answer them on a youtube video along with a TBD actor from SOTB.

At $400

- after the software is ordered, delivered and properly installed on my computer, I will edit and release a THEATRICAL TRAILER!!!

Need more incentive?

These are just a few of the beautiful and cool items we've got for sale! And more are being uploaded all the time, so if you don't see something now, check back next week for more options!

Go to our Artfire Store and start helping us get this movie done!

You asked for it...

2010-09-14T11:54:00.009-05:00

... and you got it!

Mr. Freet's Basement won the poll, so I've gone through and pulled out all the pictures that weren't horrible and posted them for your enjoyment.

Trying to find the best way to tie Fish's shoes.

Escaping! Not as easy as it looks...

This picture comes with a story. See, it was late at night...

And I was very, very tired, so once filming was done I just laid down and went to sleep. Apparently everyone else thought this was hilarious...

And took silly pictures. Thanks, Anthony.

Keeping Fish hydrated. Well, if you're tied up you can't even give yourself water...

Are ya'll happy now? ;)

Q&A time.

2010-09-06T12:25:00.013-05:00

Filming is done... which means I'm ready to take more questions.

Here is how this works.

Leave your question in the comment box of this post.

You can leave as many questions as you want.

I will give you all until the 10th of September to ask away! Then I will write a post giving as many answers as I can.

PLEASE read the previous Q&A's before asking your questions to avoid redundancy (you can find them here and here). I will not answer any questions that have clearly been answered previously.

EDIT: I am going to start answering questions below. I've gotten so many today and some duplicates are starting, so read these before you submit your own!

kittycat said...

1. Stephen Foster? Did you have him? If so, can we see a pic?
– No. We decided back at the beginning of the project that the Fosters were one of the elements that would have to be scrapped in the book – to – movie process. Condensing SOTB was much harder than you'd expect, and there were things that would just have to go in order to make the project a manageable size. Regina was consulted in making all major changes and gave her approval to them. 2. Are the rumors true that you're making Black As Night?
– Are there rumors? I hadn't heard. No, we will not be making BAN. 3. Will this film be released on the internet for us to watch, or do we have to buy it? If we have to buy it, how much will it cost?: -- We'll be releasing it on DVD and the cost will be between $15 and $20. All proceeds will go towards reimbursing the Cast and Crew for the time and money they have invested in this massive project.
Porpoise said...

Can we expect any more movie clips or film stills to last us until the film is released? It's a long wait till June 2011. ;)

– There will certainly be more trailers and film stills coming!

2) Could you re-tell any funny bloopers or a comical circumstances involving any of the main characters?

– Other than what I've already posted on the blog? No, but I can tell you that the blooper reel will be included on the DVD and you all are in for a real treat!

3) What was the most awful thing that happened on set, but at the end of the day Our Lady came though and everything turned out perfectly?

– Probably the day we got kicked off the St. Catherine location.

4) Can we expect another trailer with more footage? Don't take this the wrong way; the other ones did their job. They made me want to see more! lol!

– Yes. There will be more trailers coming.

5) Honestly, in your own opinion, how much alike to book is this movie?

– I think it is very like the book. There are certain location things I would have liked to do differently if I had a bigger budget, but overall I am quite happy with the script – and particularly the actors!

6) What is one thing that you wish you could've done during production, but weren't able to do?

– There are some shots I wish we could have gotten but we simply ran out of time.

7) What was your favorite scene to film?

– Anything that had Anthony and Jed acting together. Their brother chemistry was brilliant! Oh and the stuff in Freet's Basement was awesome as well.

8) What was the most surprisingly excellent scene that you filmed which made you fill with pride and joy? Or if there are more than one, what were the others?

-The last scene. It almost made me cry. Also, the scene with Rose and Rob in Rob's basement.

9) Which character BEST fit their part?

-It's all a matter of individual taste. I think all four of our main characters are astonishingly excellent and when they are acting it is difficult to believe that I'm not really in the room with Blanche, Rose, Bear and Fish!

10) What scene makes you laugh every time whenever you see it or think about it?

-Hmmm, that's a hard question. There are so many good parts! Hannah and Sharayah fakign Minnesota accents to memorize their lines... Jed making silly faces at the camera... they aren't scenes, but they are parts of the process which I'll never forget.

11) What was the most romantic scene you filmed?

-Oh there are so many beautiful Blanche and Bear parts! The park scene, the prom scene, the end scene... Jed and Hannah were always amazing.

12) If you were on a desert island with no food or water, who would you want with you: Jed, Hannah, Anthony, or Sharayah? Why?(If this is too prying, you don't have to answer. :)

-I can answer this one because Anthony and I actually had a long conversation about how we would survive on a deserted Island (We both love LOST). So Anthony. But I think Jed would be very helpful as well, and Sharayah would keep us all from dying of boredom, and Hannah would be a huge practiccal assister.

13) Did filming this movie change your view of the book? If it did, how did it change?

-Well writing a screenplay always makes you get rather tired of a story after awhile. That said, I think writing it did expand my understanding of the themes of the book.

14) What are you most proud of, looking back on this whole adventure?

- That we've made it this far, despite all of the hurdles we've had to leap!

15) Can we pretty please see pictures of the last scene with Bear and Blanche? As least one? ;D

- We've got two fundraisers going on for the film that I'm going to post about hopefully next week. When we've raised our first $100 dollars for that, I will post the Bear and Blanche photoes.

wakingrosealltheway said...

will the movie come out in theaters too?

Probably not.

Vianneygirl-Rose said...

Are there any major scenes that you had to leave out while filming?
If so, what are they?

- I believe I have posted pictures or mentioned all of the major scenes we've filmed. So basically, if you haven't heard about it yet, it didn't get filmed.

Valia said...

What park did you film the scene where Rose and Fish meet for the first time in? A friend had said it reminded her of the park across from the Minneapolis Institute of Art, but was unsure as to whether it was the park or just reminiscent of it (and I couldn't tell, either, but it piqued my interest). Thanks!

- We filmed at Loring Park, which is by the Walker Art Center and the old Guthrie location.

BriarRoseGrimmBros said...

Are you going to maek the other two books into movies.

- Nope. No budget and I am hopefully never producing another film in my life.

2. And what about alex odonnel and the forty cyber theives

`- Again, no. Although I would love to direct a stage performance of “The Midnight Dancers.”

indigo said...

What was the biggest change you made from the book?

You'll have judge that for yourself. Hopefully none of them are very big – I think leaving out the Thrift Store Scene and the Fosters are the most drastic cuts we've had to make (which is pretty good, all things considered).

In a three or four words, what would you say are the character journeys of the four main characters--how are they different at the end of the story than at the beginning?

- If you've read the book then you should already know what they are. I wouldn't say that their arcs are any different in the film, though we may have made some of them a bit clearer.

~Trini C.~ said...

1. Do Rose and Blanche both know how to play violin and piano?

- Nope! They are both beautiful singers and I believe Sharayah can play piano... but neither of them can play their characters instruments. My sister and I were the violin and piano hand doubles, respectively.

2. Where is this premiering?

Minnesota, in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities!

Lady Blanche Rose said...

I have a question. What will you be doing for the soundtrack? Will it be original music or known songs (but it seems like it might be hard to get the rights for them)? I'm curious because music is always one thing I really notice when I watch movies!

- The music will all be original (or perhaps some canned bits if we get pressed for time). A long time friend of mine is going to be doing most of the composing, however he is getting married next June so it's possible we might need to bring on some other talent to get everything done.

Anonymous said...

What kind of screen are you going to be using for the movie premier? And how big will the screen be?

- Hopefully we will be able to rent a theatre for this.

Will all of the cast members be at the premier?

- That is the goal!

Will there be a time at the premier when we can get autographs from the cast/crew members? :)

- Absolutely.

Anonymous said...

Will Regina Doman be at the movie premier?

- Most likely!

Anonymous said...

Will the DVD include "Behind the Scenes" or interviews of the cast/crew?

- Possibly a few interviews. However making behind-the-scenes features is a LOT of extra editing that I know I won't have time for. Unless someone else appears on the scene, I think the most likely feature are some commentaries because they're the least amount of work.

Do you know approx. how long the movie will be?

- I don't, actually. The estimate has been 2 hours, but until I start editing, I have no idea how close that will be.

Will you ever release the "official script" as a book/booklet for purchase?

- No. Regina owns the script rights and since it may get sold again someday I'm quite certain we will not be publicly releasing it.

Anonymous said...

Will you be selling any props from the movie

- Just about everything used in the film was an item taken from our own homes - which means that we and our families regularly use them and really don't want to sell them. ;) The "Rose" dress (which can be seen in the September issue of I&F) will be up for auction during the Premiere next June.

Ready to see some of the EXCLUSIVE photos?

2010-09-01T17:24:00.005-05:00

Remember how I wouldn't post pictures from the final scene? Well, there are a couple waiting for your enjoyment over at the newest issue of "Ink and Fairydust" along with new interviews from Anthony (Fish), Sharayah (Rose) and Josh (Assistant Director). Check it out here!

http://issuu.com/InkandFairydust/docs/september2010

It's time for a new poll!

2010-08-29T12:09:00.003-05:00

And this one asks... "Which film location is your favorite?"

Take a look at the options on your left, leave a vote, then comment at the bottom of this post and let us know why you chose what you did! The Location with the most votes will get a special release of new pictures!

Day 34 - August 21st 2010 (More)

2010-08-28T22:02:00.014-05:00

Part two of the pictures from day 34!Rose and Rob, getting Rob's last scenes.
I forgot the nun costume at home, so we got a substitute teacher in St. Catherine's for a couple of days. ;)
Part of the class. It's really rather an art form to work with extras. You have to figure out where to place them, and what they need to do, and if they're moving through the scene you have to time it so that you get movement throughout the entire shot, and then run it again to tell everyone to take more time, or walk two feet to their left...

Suzanne and Rose help Mr. Freet.

"We always seem to get on his bad side..."
Choreographing a cat fight!
Rose and Eileen going at it! Oh the screaming there was that day!
Poor Karina is dead.
Just kidding!

Day 33 - August 20th 2010

2010-08-27T11:36:00.012-05:00

Day 33 had a rough start. Due to some miscommunication, the proper permission hadn't been secured to film at our location. That combined with the fact that it was freshmen move-in day at the college meant that we got kicked off.

Now I have to say, getting kicked off a location has only happened to me once before in filming. It is not at all a fun experience - I really don't recommend it. But God was gracious and after some frantic calling we managed to secure a second location just five minutes away from the first one. And despite all this, we still managed to finish filming ahead of schedule!

The valiant extras marching off the first location.
Waiting for equipment to get picked up.
The new location! (and yes, that's Sister Geraldine!)

The girl with the long blond hair on the right is Lauren.
Eileen and Lisa -- baaaaad girls! ;)
Blanche the eavesdropper.
Dramatic shot of Rose the eavesdropper...
The Hills are Alive...

Filming is done.

2010-08-27T10:07:00.001-05:00

It's completed folks! I'm still pretty much in shock...

more photos coming soon!

Day 32 - August 18th 2010

2010-08-26T09:58:00.006-05:00

August 18th was a special day. Not only was it the only time all four main characters shared a scene, it was also the day we shot what will become the ending scene and final shot of the film. Furthermore, it was Jed and Anthony's last time on camera.

By the time we we got to that last shot, I was about ready to cry. It is just so amazing to finally be at this point at last. We've known all along that the final scene would be one of the last scenes we were going to shoot, so doing it really brought home the fact that we were almost done.

We have a TON of pictures both from that scene and of the photoshoot we did afterwards. However, I can't release them yet. You'll get to see Rose and Fish in a few of them in the September issue of I&F which will be released next week. For Blanche and Bear, we have a special fundraiser that I'm going to tell you about in an upcoming post. So stay tuned!

Meanwhile, a few teaser pictures of the last scene.

Rose's hair.
Getting the shot! (Yes. I'm eating. I threw up that morning so halfway through the afternoon Josh ran out and got me some stuff that I thought I could keep down.)
In honor of the last day I made special cookies. :) (No, these are NOT the costumes from the final scene!)
Sharayah trying to figure out how to call for Bear, in the scene after the thrift store.
Getting a store to film in was one of the complicated things that we realized just wasn't going to happen. So I wrote a scene similar to the one in the audio drama to explain where the dresses came from and the "Bear Selling Chalice" bit.

We had a bit of spare time in the morning so Anthony took some lovely pictures of our Blanche.

An example of how much stuff we lug around between shoots.

Day 31 - August 17th 2010

2010-08-26T00:23:00.010-05:00

Back into the middle of nowhere to get scenes involving our heroines, our bad girl, Mr. Freet, and a nun.

But first... two guys and a camera.
Mr. Freet and Nun discuss the meaning of art.
(Yes, I finally got a cameo.)
Hannah brought along knitting to keep herself occupied. Sensible girl!
Ooooh... scary Mr. Freet!
Mean girls.
Nice girls.
So. Story time. We could not get our Principal back. Hence the creation of a vice principal to administer detention. (again... CAMEO!)

Rose and Blanche's Last Day

2010-08-24T22:48:00.002-05:00

We hit the second to last day of production today, and said goodbye to Sharayah and Hannah who have been our faithful, patient heroines. Both of them finished scenes in their prom dresses, with Hannah's last shot taking place in the penthouse, and Sharayah's... well she wasn't terribly happy that her last shot was in Rob's bathroom setting up a distraction by... yeah, flushing the toilet. It was pretty funny.

Anyhow, it was a crazy day, with four separate locations and lots of driving and backtracking to collect missing costumes and props because this director's mind is just about worn out from this project.

More pictures should be up by Thursday, and the September Issue of I&F will feature an exclusive interview with some cast and crew!

Day 34 - August 21st

2010-08-23T18:21:00.004-05:00

I've got some pictures from two cameras (thanks Meg and Emily!) that I can share with you from day 34! Still waiting for the third camera (Anthony's) to give you the bulk of everything else (including a lot more from day 34).

Some of our beautiful and amazing extras!

Some general set craziness.
Knocking over Mr. Freet.
Rehearsing lines.
Um... guys... have you been working too hard? Or did Fish just become a piranha?
Directors on duty. Sorta.
Getting down the lines for telling off Rob...

TWO DAYS LEFT!!!

2010-08-21T19:13:00.000-05:00

We've done four days of filming since Tuesday, which is why I haven't been able to get any pictures up yet. Hopefully by tomorrow or Monday they'll start coming up!

Two more days to go and THEN WE ARE DONE FILMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MORE LOCATION NEWS FOR FRIDAY!

2010-08-18T10:17:00.001-05:00

I just found out last night that while we can film in ST. Bonifacius on Saturday, it won't work on Friday.

So this is going to sound complicated, but I'm hoping it will make it possible for more of you to come to one day or the other!

On FRIDAY, we will be filming at NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE in St. Paul.

On SATURDAY, we will be filming at ST. BONIFACE SCHOOL in St. Bonifacius.

If you have any questions, please let me know immediately

LOCATION CHANGE!

2010-08-16T12:51:00.000-05:00

We are changing the location for the August 20th and 21st shoot from Northwestern College, to St. Boniface, MN. Please e-mail me if you are planning to come so that I can send you the address and other details.

We still need many more extras, so please round up your friends!