Yesterday was supposed to be a shoot day. It was raining, at times hard. My actors were game. I was game. We went on and shot most of what resembles a woman staring at a nearly nude man with Japanese letters on him at the top of Enger Tower. Enger Tower is a giant medievalesque tower in Duluth and at the top floor, it was raining, cold, windy, and a terrible shooting experience. Memorable but perhaps I don't need such highlights.
The camera, a Canon 5d II, broke while we were out, getting the ominous Err 30, which according to online reports, means you're just fucking screwed. And such, after a hour's filming, the day was complete. Instead, I drowned my sorrows in wine, mexican food, and conservation the rest of the night. My lead actress knew of another filmmaker and I rented his camera for the rest of the shoot filming today. Then of course, my camera decided to start working again. But the damage has been done and I no longer trust my camera. Perhaps with counseling, we can work it out.
So today is hopefully the last day of shooting and I can take some more vacation days the rest of the time. There's so many Duluth friends I haven't got around to seeing yet. I hope many come to the screening tomorrow night.
Showing posts with label Duluth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duluth. Show all posts
Monday, June 10, 2013
Friday, May 3, 2013
Fin
The movie is complete, a wrap, all in, all over, brought about, brought to pass, buttoned up, compassed, concluded, consummated, depleted, drained, effected, effete, executed, exhausted, fixed, fulfilled, over, perfected, terminated, through, wired, and even wrought. Wanna see it? You have 3 Options:
1) Wait for it to come to a film festival near you. Pretty risky.
2) Purchase a DVD straight from me! I've included commentary and even a bonus film, never before seen, about a whale. Sweet deal!
3) The Zinema 2 Arthouse Cinema in Duluth, MN is hosting the World Public Premiere in two screenings Jun. 11, 2013. Admission is $8. I'll be making a triumphant MN return to present it along with some of my previous work. This is a great opportunity to say hello or kick me in the nards. Given the press the film received during production, I expect a sell out. Tickets are going through the Zinema http://www.zeitgeistarts.com/zinema-2/tickets. For my local friends, I'm working on getting something setup.
I hope Duluthians will like it. I'm less concerned with how the town is presented and more so, will they dig a 17 min plotless art film? Early feedback is that Duluth just comes off as cold and not terribly dissimilar to anywhere else. This was on purpose to begin with, but I just couldn't say no to that title. After watching the film, I urge you to find a better name.
If you were a Kickstarter backer, you'll be getting your swag by next week. If you weren't, I'm already working on a new project that you can donate to! I'm looking to upset the classical music/high art world this time.
Til then,
VG
1) Wait for it to come to a film festival near you. Pretty risky.
2) Purchase a DVD straight from me! I've included commentary and even a bonus film, never before seen, about a whale. Sweet deal!
3) The Zinema 2 Arthouse Cinema in Duluth, MN is hosting the World Public Premiere in two screenings Jun. 11, 2013. Admission is $8. I'll be making a triumphant MN return to present it along with some of my previous work. This is a great opportunity to say hello or kick me in the nards. Given the press the film received during production, I expect a sell out. Tickets are going through the Zinema http://www.zeitgeistarts.com/zinema-2/tickets. For my local friends, I'm working on getting something setup.
I hope Duluthians will like it. I'm less concerned with how the town is presented and more so, will they dig a 17 min plotless art film? Early feedback is that Duluth just comes off as cold and not terribly dissimilar to anywhere else. This was on purpose to begin with, but I just couldn't say no to that title. After watching the film, I urge you to find a better name.
If you were a Kickstarter backer, you'll be getting your swag by next week. If you weren't, I'm already working on a new project that you can donate to! I'm looking to upset the classical music/high art world this time.
Til then,
VG
Thursday, January 31, 2013
DAY 6: Thanks For Coming In
Where I live here, there is a McDonalds & Burger King across the
street from each other. I thought that fascinating until I saw there's a
Wendy right behind BK. That's just silly.
It's officially cold here today. Last time I was outside, it was 1 degree. I'm told by weather.com it actually feels like -21. It's still not cold enough for me honestly. I mean, yeah I don't want to stay out there, but I wanna feel the worst you got. It's like when you ask for spicy at a Thai restaurant but they don't think you can take it, so they really give you medium. If there's no fear an appendage might fall off, it's not cold enough. BUT, on the plus side, it IS finally cold enough to bust out the arctic gear for a fashion show. Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog ladies ;)
At the end of today's auditions at 8:00p, I was completely exhausted. Even though I started only at 4, I saw lots of people today and I said the same things to most of them. My voice & mind were gone by the end of the sessions. Lots of good people and I think enough to make my decisions. I'm gonna stew over it tonight & tomorrow & revisit some of the audition tapes. I certainly met some interesting people through the sessions. One girl works at UPS but is also a blacksmith & a rapper. Another works in microbiology and we discussed bacteria, sometimes in relation to stds. She also said I was really weird. Sometimes on these little unrelated side stories, I get a better idea on the actor than when they just read lines and I'm not against adding some of this real element to their fictional characters. One of the roles (Younger Woman On Date) has to improv why they love animals. If all else fails, I can just take the responses from these auditions and make a "Duluth Women Love Animals" movie.
Tomorrow & Saturday, it's "time to get serious." Time to start making some decisions and prep everything for filming, which looks like it will be the end of next week. I want to get all my chores out of the way and go back to simply experiencing Duluth. It's better blog fodder.
It's officially cold here today. Last time I was outside, it was 1 degree. I'm told by weather.com it actually feels like -21. It's still not cold enough for me honestly. I mean, yeah I don't want to stay out there, but I wanna feel the worst you got. It's like when you ask for spicy at a Thai restaurant but they don't think you can take it, so they really give you medium. If there's no fear an appendage might fall off, it's not cold enough. BUT, on the plus side, it IS finally cold enough to bust out the arctic gear for a fashion show. Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog ladies ;)
At the end of today's auditions at 8:00p, I was completely exhausted. Even though I started only at 4, I saw lots of people today and I said the same things to most of them. My voice & mind were gone by the end of the sessions. Lots of good people and I think enough to make my decisions. I'm gonna stew over it tonight & tomorrow & revisit some of the audition tapes. I certainly met some interesting people through the sessions. One girl works at UPS but is also a blacksmith & a rapper. Another works in microbiology and we discussed bacteria, sometimes in relation to stds. She also said I was really weird. Sometimes on these little unrelated side stories, I get a better idea on the actor than when they just read lines and I'm not against adding some of this real element to their fictional characters. One of the roles (Younger Woman On Date) has to improv why they love animals. If all else fails, I can just take the responses from these auditions and make a "Duluth Women Love Animals" movie.
Tomorrow & Saturday, it's "time to get serious." Time to start making some decisions and prep everything for filming, which looks like it will be the end of next week. I want to get all my chores out of the way and go back to simply experiencing Duluth. It's better blog fodder.
 |
| Hey, is it too late? I wanna audition! |
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Day 2: I've Arrived & To Prove It, I'm Here
A quiet man let me into my apartment which I rented from a woman on AirBnb. He didn't say much. I asked where the pool was. He said "Lake Superior." It's a nice apartment. A little feminine but it'll work and way cheaper than some crap motel. A picture of Jesus sits in front of the toilet. He stares at you and he cries when you poop.
There's something called Alternate Side Parking. I'm parked on the side everyone else is, so I guess I'm good? There is snow. It's all around. There's a light drizzle now. There's also a lot of what I think is called "smud" - snow & mud. It's a blast to drive on. Your car goes this way and that way. Fun and little shady like any good carnival ride. One of my biggest goals with this trip is to successfully return the car to ACE without any incident.
Driving up from St. Paul this morning, I found this state really is beautiful. It's like what you always thought Christmas should look like from a California perspective. It was a "warm" 32 degrees today. I'm told the negative numbers are coming this weekend which I look forward to. I wanna know what cold is. I want Duluth to show me.
My only venture in town today was going to Super One Foods. I thought getting groceries for my apartment would help cut down on costs. Not so when you shop at the Super One. It's like Safeway without the club card. Paying full price for things you know are overmarked hurts so bad. And they didn't have sliced salami or even salami sticks? Yet, they had entire displays of pepperoni. I looked for the beer aisle twice until I realized those couple 24 packs of Milwaukee's Best were it. They asked if I wanted paper or plastic. In SF, plastic is the devil's bag so I said paper. They gave me paper bags without handles. How can I carry 4 bags without handles in one trip? No wonder they looked at me weird. Really roughing it out here, folks. (SF SNOB ALERT)
Tomorrow I might meet people. I look forward to this.
 |
| My Cute Little Apartment. |
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Journey Begins
Tomorrow at 4:00am, a shuttle will take me to San Francisco Airport where I'll take a plane to Minnesota. I also stop in Phoenix but by the time I get there, she'll be rising. Why do people always say "safe travels?" It's not like I'm flying the plane.
The film continues to get press in Duluth. Here's a radio interview I did for a local radio station: http://www.wtip.org/drupal/content/filmmaker-vincent-gargiulo-duluth-horrible-film
Two days of auditions are lined up Wednesday & Thursday. I'm feeling good about these prospects. I'm glad alot of them are actual Duluthians and not just a bunch of actors shipped in from Minneapolis (though there are those too). I could use a few more auditions for women in their 30s so if you are such an age and will be in Duluth at the same time, let me know. I also hope to secure all locations this upcoming week too. Luckily, there's not all that many. Once I have actors & locations set, we'll shoot for approximately 3 days. That should probably do it. I've tried to keep things simple and my crew will consist of myself, a fantastic cinematographer named Keith Horn, sound guy Dan (of course), and a stable of young optimistic people who want to help. I hope I don't crush their cinematic dreams with my increasing use of profanity and pessimism as the days go by. Hey, filmmaking isn't always fun ok!
I have encountered one slight setback so far. I am sick. Yesterday, I was really bad and saw visions of things usually reserved for my films. Today I am ok. At least, good enough to get on an airplane. With the help of my friend Mucinex D, I hope to be better soon. There is much to do.
Starting today, I'll be writing a daily entry here about my adventures in the Land of Lakes (love their margarine). Be ready for exclusive Duluth filmmaking coverage. Let's go to Minnesota!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Casting Call
Title: Duluth Is
Horrible
Synopsis: A series of vignettes chronicling a few lonely people in Duluth, MN searching for a connection in a bleak winter.
Project Type: Short Film
Usage: DVD, Film Festivals, Eventual Internet
Shooting Dates: We're shooting 3 days between Feb.4-14. Specific dates TBD and can work somewhat with your schedule. Most roles will be needed 1-2 days, except the Lead.
Shooting Location: Will be in Duluth, MN.
Audition Time: Wed. Jan. 30 from Noon-4. Thu. Jan. 31st from 4-8. Please email vincent@vincentgargiulo.com to set up time and receive a script. Please include any acting experience and a picture. If you cannot make either and want to audition, please email me.
Audition Location: Duluth. Address given after setting up appointment.
Union Status: Non-Union
Compensation: Copy, Credit, Expenses, Mileage, Select Roles Additional $
Submissions Due: Jan. 30
Roles:
Broken Hearted Man (35-45/M)
Lead. After girlfriend breaks up with him, goes on a trip out of state. Sits on a bench outside and sings acapella the brief title song. Sings a full song at karaoke.
Must be willing to travel out of state (expenses paid) Feb. 13/14. Must be able to sing decently. Comp: $100
Redditor (18-30/M)
Asks for advice on the website, Reddit, on a situation about his roommate & cat. Later seen watching porn in the dark.
Office Worker (21+/M)
No lines. Walks through the office 3 times. Every time he turns a particular corner, there is something unusual.
Wasted Woman/Carmen Miranda 1(21+/W)
Says one line to herself overheard at work "If I didn't get wasted every night…". Later briefly seen dressed as Carmen Miranda.
Zookeeper (40-50/M)
Shy man who works at the zoo as a groundskeeper. Draws doodles of the animals. On online date with younger woman.
Must have mustache & be able to draw doodles of animals quickly.
Younger Woman On Date/Carmen Miranda 2 (26-34/F)
On date with zookeeper but not at all interested. New in town. Loves animals. Later briefly seen dressed as Carmen Miranda. No accent preferred.
Must be able to improv some lines about why she loves animals.
Broken Hearted Woman (35-45)
Seen walking at night alone. Later seen sitting at home listening to a home recording of herself
Must be able to sing a short song. Comp: $50
Lesbian 1/Carmen Miranda 3 (21+)
No lines. Seen briefly making out with another woman in everyday office clothes. Later briefly seen dressed as Carmen Miranda.
Must be comfortable with kissing another woman. Comp: $50
Lesbian 2/Sex Chat Girl (21+)
Seen briefly making out with another woman. Later is revealed she does an internet webcam sex show.
Must be comfortable with kissing another woman. No nudity in sex chat scene but very suggestive clothing. Must be comfortable discussing sexuality frankly. Comp: $150
Male Tourist (26+)
Him & his girlfriend are seen arguing in their car driving round town. They also go to the Mall. No accent preferred.
Must be able to drive.
Female Tourist (26+)
Her & her boyfriend are seen arguing in their car driving round town. They also go to the Mall. No accent preferred.
Synopsis: A series of vignettes chronicling a few lonely people in Duluth, MN searching for a connection in a bleak winter.
Project Type: Short Film
Usage: DVD, Film Festivals, Eventual Internet
Shooting Dates: We're shooting 3 days between Feb.4-14. Specific dates TBD and can work somewhat with your schedule. Most roles will be needed 1-2 days, except the Lead.
Shooting Location: Will be in Duluth, MN.
Audition Time: Wed. Jan. 30 from Noon-4. Thu. Jan. 31st from 4-8. Please email vincent@vincentgargiulo.com to set up time and receive a script. Please include any acting experience and a picture. If you cannot make either and want to audition, please email me.
Audition Location: Duluth. Address given after setting up appointment.
Union Status: Non-Union
Compensation: Copy, Credit, Expenses, Mileage, Select Roles Additional $
Submissions Due: Jan. 30
Roles:
Broken Hearted Man (35-45/M)
Lead. After girlfriend breaks up with him, goes on a trip out of state. Sits on a bench outside and sings acapella the brief title song. Sings a full song at karaoke.
Must be willing to travel out of state (expenses paid) Feb. 13/14. Must be able to sing decently. Comp: $100
Redditor (18-30/M)
Asks for advice on the website, Reddit, on a situation about his roommate & cat. Later seen watching porn in the dark.
Office Worker (21+/M)
No lines. Walks through the office 3 times. Every time he turns a particular corner, there is something unusual.
Wasted Woman/Carmen Miranda 1(21+/W)
Says one line to herself overheard at work "If I didn't get wasted every night…". Later briefly seen dressed as Carmen Miranda.
Zookeeper (40-50/M)
Shy man who works at the zoo as a groundskeeper. Draws doodles of the animals. On online date with younger woman.
Must have mustache & be able to draw doodles of animals quickly.
Younger Woman On Date/Carmen Miranda 2 (26-34/F)
On date with zookeeper but not at all interested. New in town. Loves animals. Later briefly seen dressed as Carmen Miranda. No accent preferred.
Must be able to improv some lines about why she loves animals.
Broken Hearted Woman (35-45)
Seen walking at night alone. Later seen sitting at home listening to a home recording of herself
Must be able to sing a short song. Comp: $50
Lesbian 1/Carmen Miranda 3 (21+)
No lines. Seen briefly making out with another woman in everyday office clothes. Later briefly seen dressed as Carmen Miranda.
Must be comfortable with kissing another woman. Comp: $50
Lesbian 2/Sex Chat Girl (21+)
Seen briefly making out with another woman. Later is revealed she does an internet webcam sex show.
Must be comfortable with kissing another woman. No nudity in sex chat scene but very suggestive clothing. Must be comfortable discussing sexuality frankly. Comp: $150
Male Tourist (26+)
Him & his girlfriend are seen arguing in their car driving round town. They also go to the Mall. No accent preferred.
Must be able to drive.
Female Tourist (26+)
Her & her boyfriend are seen arguing in their car driving round town. They also go to the Mall. No accent preferred.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Coming Soon To Your Town...
It's a done deal. The town is expecting me. I made an offer to the Mayor that if he starred in the film, I'd change the title. He wanted to know if a cameo would do the trick. Maybe...it'd depend where. I can always hire a Don Ness impersonator and keep the title as is.
Most logistics are taken care of. I have my flight booked, an apartment (courtesy of Airbnb), a rental car, a cinematographer, and clothing that will make me look like an idiot. Have a location list and a casting list, though not officially posted just yet. Auditions and location scouting will be that first week I'm there and the shooting will be the next week. I believe all shooting can be all completed in 4 days.
I should be back on Feb. 14 because there is nothing more romantic than being on a 8 hour flight with one stop in Phoenix. This certainly will be an adventure. I'm excited to go somewhere, to meet new people, to have new experiences, and obviously make my next film. It'll be like Call Of The Wild without the dog and more open cases of clinical depression.
Back on the homefront, I lost a production gig because "I do comedy" and they're making a drama. Keep in mind, I would be the cinematographer. Can you frame for funny? Even if you can, it's a light chuckle. I hope "Duluth Is Horrible" will show I'm capable of producing more dramatic work. That said, I got my Carmen Miranda costumes in the mail today.
Most logistics are taken care of. I have my flight booked, an apartment (courtesy of Airbnb), a rental car, a cinematographer, and clothing that will make me look like an idiot. Have a location list and a casting list, though not officially posted just yet. Auditions and location scouting will be that first week I'm there and the shooting will be the next week. I believe all shooting can be all completed in 4 days.
I should be back on Feb. 14 because there is nothing more romantic than being on a 8 hour flight with one stop in Phoenix. This certainly will be an adventure. I'm excited to go somewhere, to meet new people, to have new experiences, and obviously make my next film. It'll be like Call Of The Wild without the dog and more open cases of clinical depression.
Back on the homefront, I lost a production gig because "I do comedy" and they're making a drama. Keep in mind, I would be the cinematographer. Can you frame for funny? Even if you can, it's a light chuckle. I hope "Duluth Is Horrible" will show I'm capable of producing more dramatic work. That said, I got my Carmen Miranda costumes in the mail today.
Friday, January 4, 2013
I'm Going To Duluth
With the help of 87 generous backers, I’ve
successfully funded my next film, “Duluth Is Horrible.” I’m a little
shocked honestly and surprised, but there is little time to just sit in a
daze. It’s time to put the wheels in motion. I’ve already started
looking at the best travel times. I’m thinking I’ll leave Jan. 26 and
return around Feb. 14, as to be present for my Muppetless Movie showing
at the SF Indiefest.
I THINK I can get everything I need in that period. I don’t suspect actual shooting to be all that lengthy. There’s only 17 scenes and some are very brief. What will take a while is finding the right actors and they will be key to the film’s success. There’s about 20 roles of varying requirements and I will put up a casting call perhaps before arriving. I’ll also need to find locations and with a title like mine, this could be a challenge.
I have already purchased my winter clothes after studying the Arctic Climate Guide. I am convinced I will be laughed at. But at least I will be warm. I will writing in my blog hopefully every day about my adventures.
Before this all my previous films were self-funded and it was a bonus that people seemed to like them. Now those same people have given me money to make another so I feel the need to make something really great. My goal is to make something beautiful. I certainly hope I can and am extremely grateful to those who backed the project to give me the chance. Thank you.
Now, let's make a movie!
I THINK I can get everything I need in that period. I don’t suspect actual shooting to be all that lengthy. There’s only 17 scenes and some are very brief. What will take a while is finding the right actors and they will be key to the film’s success. There’s about 20 roles of varying requirements and I will put up a casting call perhaps before arriving. I’ll also need to find locations and with a title like mine, this could be a challenge.
I have already purchased my winter clothes after studying the Arctic Climate Guide. I am convinced I will be laughed at. But at least I will be warm. I will writing in my blog hopefully every day about my adventures.
Before this all my previous films were self-funded and it was a bonus that people seemed to like them. Now those same people have given me money to make another so I feel the need to make something really great. My goal is to make something beautiful. I certainly hope I can and am extremely grateful to those who backed the project to give me the chance. Thank you.
Now, let's make a movie!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
The Time Of Twilight Is Approaching!
Well Ladies & Gentlemen, this is it. This Saturday at Noon, my
Kickstarter campaign will be over. I've gotten a huge push since the
last update and we're only about 2 grand away. I think there's a good
chance of this thing happening. Thanks to everyone who has donated so
far and has spammed their friends with this thing. My appreciation
doesn't translate well in words on the internet but I seriously
appreciate any & all support. I owe everyone a beer (and whatever rewards you signed up for).
Assuming the campaign is a success come Sat, then it's time to get serious. Put up a casting call, find locations, book equipment & crew. My plan is to do some of this before my journey but obviously most will need to happen in Duluth. I'm looking forward to meeting people, spending time there, and apologizing to everyone for unfairly calling it horrible.
ALSO, SPECIAL MINNESOTA OFFER!: Pledge $2500 and we'll change the name to either "Duluth Is Ok Actually," "Fresno Is Amazing," or my personal favorite "Duluth, Don't Lose That Number." Think about it!
I'm going to bug everyone I know one more time and hopefully you can do that too, especially with your politician, NFL & dentist friends. Thanks again and I hope to have exciting news soon!
- Vincent
Assuming the campaign is a success come Sat, then it's time to get serious. Put up a casting call, find locations, book equipment & crew. My plan is to do some of this before my journey but obviously most will need to happen in Duluth. I'm looking forward to meeting people, spending time there, and apologizing to everyone for unfairly calling it horrible.
ALSO, SPECIAL MINNESOTA OFFER!: Pledge $2500 and we'll change the name to either "Duluth Is Ok Actually," "Fresno Is Amazing," or my personal favorite "Duluth, Don't Lose That Number." Think about it!
I'm going to bug everyone I know one more time and hopefully you can do that too, especially with your politician, NFL & dentist friends. Thanks again and I hope to have exciting news soon!
- Vincent
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
New Video, Making The News!!
As I sit here listening to some HOT yuletide disco music, I decided I
should send an update about the status of the project. First of all,
there's a new pitch video on the page. Part pitch, part best-of reel,
and another opportunity to explain the project and apologize to Duluth
for the title. Given recent events, I also removed any talk of "blowing
your brains out." A few people emailed me and were offended by that so
now there's a video you can share that probably won't upset anyone!
Hooray!!
I made the Duluth news again. Here's a report from Fox News 21 asking residents of what they think of the title. It's actually a semi-favorable piece. http://www.fox21online.com/content/duluth-residents-respond-duluth-horrible-movie-title
Actually, I've been befriended and emailed by many citizens who seem very nice and excited about the project. A lot of the latest backing activity has come from there. I'm no longer worried about finding talent or help. There will be plenty. Someone even recommended a good place for the karaoke scene. I'm told there are alot of mullets to be found there. Perfect!! I'm excited to meet & work with Duluthians on this movie.
I was feeling a little down this weekend about the status of the project. It's true we're far from my goal. But I'm committed to get it going and get the word out. I'll be sending more emails, more tweets, more Facebook posts, more everything. It's always better to try & fail, then give up. And with your help, we can get it out even more. So please share the project around. Part of the reason for adding clips of greatest hits to the pitch reel was to remind people "Hey, I make pretty good stuff. That gets views & exposure. And I'm not stopping."
THANK YOU for backing the project and your support. 17 Days to raise 9k. Let's do this!!!
- Vincent
I made the Duluth news again. Here's a report from Fox News 21 asking residents of what they think of the title. It's actually a semi-favorable piece. http://www.fox21online.com/content/duluth-residents-respond-duluth-horrible-movie-title
Actually, I've been befriended and emailed by many citizens who seem very nice and excited about the project. A lot of the latest backing activity has come from there. I'm no longer worried about finding talent or help. There will be plenty. Someone even recommended a good place for the karaoke scene. I'm told there are alot of mullets to be found there. Perfect!! I'm excited to meet & work with Duluthians on this movie.
I was feeling a little down this weekend about the status of the project. It's true we're far from my goal. But I'm committed to get it going and get the word out. I'll be sending more emails, more tweets, more Facebook posts, more everything. It's always better to try & fail, then give up. And with your help, we can get it out even more. So please share the project around. Part of the reason for adding clips of greatest hits to the pitch reel was to remind people "Hey, I make pretty good stuff. That gets views & exposure. And I'm not stopping."
THANK YOU for backing the project and your support. 17 Days to raise 9k. Let's do this!!!
- Vincent
Friday, December 14, 2012
Making The Newspapers
Nice little piece about the project from the Duluth News Tribune:
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/252799/
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/252799/
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
A Few Unthrilled
Perfect Duluth Day decided to run my Kickstarter campaign on their site which I very much appreciate. According to the comments, some of the locals are not very receptive:
http://www.perfectduluthday.com/2012/12/11/duluth-is-horrible-kickstarter/
I seem to have ahem, struck a nerve. It's all completely true that I've not been to Duluth, nor know all that much about it. But that's why I want to go. I honestly didn't expect Duluthians to be that willing to help and I'm sorry to upset anyone. It's just a comedy.
I'm just a small independent filmmaker doing his thing. I might not make my Kickstarter goal but I'm gonna try. And if I fail, I'll make the film anyway. And the reason Duluth is horrible in the film, is because the lead character's girlfriend dumps him there. Anywhere is horrible if you have a broken heart.
UPDATE: A few other locals have reached out to me and have been very nice, offering to be actors, show me around, and (my favorite) buy me beer!
http://www.perfectduluthday.com/2012/12/11/duluth-is-horrible-kickstarter/
I seem to have ahem, struck a nerve. It's all completely true that I've not been to Duluth, nor know all that much about it. But that's why I want to go. I honestly didn't expect Duluthians to be that willing to help and I'm sorry to upset anyone. It's just a comedy.
I'm just a small independent filmmaker doing his thing. I might not make my Kickstarter goal but I'm gonna try. And if I fail, I'll make the film anyway. And the reason Duluth is horrible in the film, is because the lead character's girlfriend dumps him there. Anywhere is horrible if you have a broken heart.
So Duluth I'm sorry and I hope you'll forgive me in time. I leave you with a comment left on the Kickstarter page:
UPDATE: A few other locals have reached out to me and have been very nice, offering to be actors, show me around, and (my favorite) buy me beer!
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Your Money & Me
If I could turn back time (sing along), I would change the Kickstarter goal to something slightly less. A full $10,000 will be needed but it seems so far away. Also I think people don't understand that it's all or nothing. I only get your donation if I reach the 10k goal. I explained today to someone why that much would be needed and thought I'd relay that info here as well:
- Travel & Living Costs: Money for me to get there & live there for up to a month. I'll need food, clothing, and transportation to get around.
- Actors: The actors need food, costumes, and some even get paid.
- Equipment & Crew: I'd like to shoot this on a nice HD camera. One I was going to rent when I get there or possibly even buy with the support of my savings. There will be a sound man too who obviously will need compensation. Money is also an incentive to have crew & actors brave the elements to help make this.
- Insurance: Filming in certain locations usually requires liability insurance. Plus in the potential harsh climate, equipment insurance would be good to have too.
- Post: When the movie's all shot, it'll need to get edited, have a post sound mix, & have original music added. $$$
- Marketing: It's not enough to make a film anymore, you have to market it too. So some money goes to festival submissions costs, DVDs, and other promotional material. Also considering hiring a publicist to get word out more.
- Kickstarter Itself: Did you know they take a cut? As does Amazon Payments? Plus all the money to make the rewards. I may have the DVDs sitting around but I gotta mail them.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Prelude To The Introduction To The Beginning
Yesterday I got off the bus and thought "Gee, it's cold. I don't like cold." And then I thought, "Wait, I'll be in Minnesota in February for potentially all 28 days" and thought I shouldn't complain about our mild 40 degrees. So I'm a California boy, born & raised in Stockton, CA where it gets 100+ degrees in summer. I like heat. I've been informed I will need a complete wardrobe makeover and simply walking around without a jacket in SF will not be enough preparation.
I'm Vincent Gargiulo, a filmmaker who makes strange videos. Deeply inspired by Monty Python, classic cartoons, foreign films, bad vhs tapes, and something called music, I've been making stuff consistently since 2007. Each year the films get bigger and I get slightly more acclaim. Slightly. I have a day job which helps pay for these things. For my next project I decided to do an experiment - see if other people will give me money.
I currently have a Kickstarter campaign going on. Launched it a few days ago. Check it out if you'd like to see what I look like in a labcoat. The film is called "Duluth Is Horrible" and is a series of vignettes showing a few lonely people searching for a connection in a bleak winterscape. In it's 20 minutes, you'll see the aftermath of a breakup from both sides, an older zookeeper on a online date, a Redditor complaining about his cat, a karaoke scene, a disillusioned Sex Chat girl, 5 people dressed as Carmen Miranda, a call from Enterprise Car Rental, and a little Disney magic thrown in for good measure.
I'll be using this blog to discuss my success (or possible non-success) of my campaign. Hopefully, it will succeed and I'll be able to continue talking about the film as it goes full force in production.
So far, I find Kickstarter extremely stressful. If you don't get pledges, you worry "Oh god, what can I do? This will never work. I have to do more! But what!? I'm lost. I'm confused! Please donate something" and start crying profusely. On the opposite side, I am amazed by the support of the people who do donate (some friends, some not) and think "You like me. You really like me!" I shouldn't take it so personal, but we know that's not easy. Especially for "artists." We're still early in the process. They say successful campaigns raise 30% within the first week which means 3K by next Wednesday. Possible. Perhaps.
Anybody out there in the internet have Kickstarter tips? I'd love to hear them. We got the video. We got the social media. We got the Spam. Now what?
I'm Vincent Gargiulo, a filmmaker who makes strange videos. Deeply inspired by Monty Python, classic cartoons, foreign films, bad vhs tapes, and something called music, I've been making stuff consistently since 2007. Each year the films get bigger and I get slightly more acclaim. Slightly. I have a day job which helps pay for these things. For my next project I decided to do an experiment - see if other people will give me money.
I currently have a Kickstarter campaign going on. Launched it a few days ago. Check it out if you'd like to see what I look like in a labcoat. The film is called "Duluth Is Horrible" and is a series of vignettes showing a few lonely people searching for a connection in a bleak winterscape. In it's 20 minutes, you'll see the aftermath of a breakup from both sides, an older zookeeper on a online date, a Redditor complaining about his cat, a karaoke scene, a disillusioned Sex Chat girl, 5 people dressed as Carmen Miranda, a call from Enterprise Car Rental, and a little Disney magic thrown in for good measure.
I'll be using this blog to discuss my success (or possible non-success) of my campaign. Hopefully, it will succeed and I'll be able to continue talking about the film as it goes full force in production.
So far, I find Kickstarter extremely stressful. If you don't get pledges, you worry "Oh god, what can I do? This will never work. I have to do more! But what!? I'm lost. I'm confused! Please donate something" and start crying profusely. On the opposite side, I am amazed by the support of the people who do donate (some friends, some not) and think "You like me. You really like me!" I shouldn't take it so personal, but we know that's not easy. Especially for "artists." We're still early in the process. They say successful campaigns raise 30% within the first week which means 3K by next Wednesday. Possible. Perhaps.
Anybody out there in the internet have Kickstarter tips? I'd love to hear them. We got the video. We got the social media. We got the Spam. Now what?
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