Post Production...Officially!

WOW..it's been quite a while since anyone has posted on this blog. We have all been extremely busy though so, please forgive us. We have FINALLY finished shooting everything. WooHoo! That is a wrap! Jon and Marty have been busy syncing all the audio up while Niki, Arleen, and I have been getting all of the finances in order. Jon is now in the process of editing the film and we are in the works looking for some good music for the soundtrack. On behalf of the production team I would like to thank everyone that helped us through out the shoot. Everyone was amazing and very helpful. From Cape May to Time Square people have been so wonderful and helpful and we really can't thank them enough! Hopefully we will be able to create a wonderful film that everyone will enjoy and can be proud of. So, stay tuned for more updates. I promise next post won't take so long. By the way: That is one of our AC's George! He was real good at Rock Band...or so he thought.

Rain rain..go away!

Well folks...today is the big day for our final shoot! And guess what? It's pouring outside! As you all know, this scene takes place outside in Jersey City. Luck might be on our side though. Seems as if the rain is suppose to stop right around the time we start shooting! We are all preparing as we speak. On my side...I have been getting all the wardrobe and props together as well as the food for the crew and cast. We are set to sail around 4pm. Hopefully, the wind will be at our backs as we sail into the sunset. The team is pumped and we are ready to do this! Ok...I'm off like a dirty shirt. Ta-ta.




Patrick

Doing it..and Doing it...and Doing it well.

Hi Folks! It is I..Patrick again. I wanted to let everyone know that we are now on track to finish our last day of filming on Sept 9th! It's looking like it will be a great night and we are all psyched to get our final scenes shot and start on Post-production. Everyone is also excited to see each other again! Working together for almost a month with 20 other people has created a fun loving and truly awesome experience. We were like one huge family and we all are looking forward to one last night together! The past few weeks have been spent coordinating a date for our final day, working out the editing process, and banging out the web page. Me, Jon, Marty, and Niki have been doing all this on top of having to go back to our "normal" jobs. It has been an amazing team effort on all fronts! Tomorrow, we are having a production meeting in NY to make sure all is set to go. We will keep all you Sneakers and Soul Fans in the loop over the next few weeks! Talk to you all soon!

--Patrick

Slow But Steady!

Good Evening folks! This is Patrick and I wanted to let everyone know whats going on. It's been a while since anyone has written so here we go...

Well, as Jon stated earlier, we have one more scene to shoot and a few montages to get done. We were originally set up to shoot the scene this coming Saturday....unfortunatly... that's not gonna happen. So, we are now aiming for Sept 5th. It seems like all the pieces are falling into place so we should be set to go. This also gives us some time to get the web page up and running at full speed! If you didn't know... our web page (sneakersandsoul.com) is up..but not done. But I promise you all....by next week....it will be ready to go!

So, once we are finished shooting, it's on to post-production. This is where Jon is at his best! He is the magic maker! The man with the plan! The bees knees! The cats...ok...you get it. Anyhow, as you can tell we are all psyched to get it done. The finish line is in view! So, wish us luck...or break a leg....or whatever you feel is appropriate and check back soon! Thanks again for everyones support!

and that's a wrap...kinda

We've officially filmed for 23 days. We've trekked through the pine barrens of NJ all the way up to the grand ol tourist-filled Times Square. We've fed people home cooked meals made by Moms, family members, friends, and the producers themselves for those 23 days. This is an independent film from start to finish. Day 23 was suppose to be our finish, but we hit a bit of a snag. But, what would an independent film be without some sort of snag?

In Odgen Park, located across from NYC in the lovely Jersey City, we had one of our biggest scenes to film - our climax. But, we ran out of time. We filmed about 3 shots out of a 7 page scene. So, it looks like we'll be heading back! Off the bat, it seemed like an epic fail. But, now that it has all soaked in, I know when we go to film this scene next time, it will be even better. Things happen for a reason. So far everything that has changed from our original plan, or when we've encourcountered a problem, our solutions have always been so creative, that they've only made our film BETTER. It's a shame that our last day of filming didn't work out, but now we get to bring the crew back for one last hurrah. I love everyone on that crew - so bringing them back again would be amazing and a treat. I'm ready to run out of the gate Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid style on this one.

Until then - time to look at some footage! There are 23 days of our project just chilling on 2 massive hard drives. Time to plug that baby up and start sifting through the last month of our lives (in high definition!) We've still got a lot of work ahead of us with the edit and the reshoots...looks like we're going to need all the Japanese Mr T muscle we can get.

-JZ

Last Day in NJ

So after tonight's shoot, we leave Jackson, NJ and drop everyone off back in NYC.  It seems that everyone is ready to get back to their own beds and I have a feeling I'm going to be happy to have a bed to myself (been sharing one with Jon for the past few days).  I can't help but feel sad to leave, though.  It's been so fun being on location, and despite the cramped conditions, our awesome evenings will be sorely missed.

Arleen and Patrick have been wonderful hosts here in Jackson.  They've put up with so much and have kept up the standard of wonderful hosting that was set by the Zelenaks.  Big thanks also to parents, grandparents and other family members who cooked us some yummy meals and helped by watching little Patrick and Katelyn while we invaded the LaMorte house.  

The highlights of our Jackson shoots have gotta be the evenings.  The shoots went well and we had some beautiful locations, but the fun really started at night.  My favorite event was certainly Beer Dodge Ball.  With a couple awesomely impromtu rule-making, we created a game for the ages.  It started as four of us playing "keep the ball in the air" and ended with a glorious team portrait.  Looking forward to the rematch at our wrap party.  

Well, I have to run.  It's time for lunch and then we start the backyard scene.  It'll be our first exterior night shoot, so that's exciting.  Before I go though, HUGE props to Billy, SJ and Marie.  This week, they've performed what I believe are their most challenging scenes of the movie.  Not only did they knock it outta the park, they also had a lot of fun doing so (and in the process, gave the crew a really good time, too).  Of course, the crew did a great job pulling these elaborate scenes off.  The producers provided some impressive challenges for the sound and picture team, but they got the job done so friggin smoothly.  

K, here's to our martini shot in Jackson.  See you in Brooklyn!

-martyB

Half way there!

Howdy yall! All I can say about the past two weeks is WOW! What an unreal experience. There has been amazing ups followed by unreal downs but...here we stand...on schedule and half way done! Things this past week were pretty insane but then we got to the bowling alley. Shooting there re-charged everybody. Woody and his friends were so awesome and helpful with all our needs. The mouse trap bowling alley rules! But, as the day pressed on we knew there was still a hitch. Over the week we fell behind. We had one more scene to shoot and would have to do it immediatly after the bowling alley. Why is that a big deal you ask? Well, we all were up at 3am! Then, we shot at the alley till 4pm! So, do get that scene in and get back on schedule we would have to pack up, drive 30 minutes to our location, set up, and shoot till we were done! And guess what....We did it! We pulled together as a team and knocked it out! Boom! This act alone raised my spirits 100 fold. We have such an amazing team. I can't even begin to describe how much pride and aww I have for everyone who has been part of this project. Through the untrained eye we appear to be a bunch of rag tag kids playing dress up and running around with cameras and lights. But we all know better...we know who we are. We are Sneakers & Soul. Walk your heart out baby!