Been back home for almost three weeks now, trying to get back in the swing of things here. Cronin and John came in early last week to start the edit so things are moving on that end, but I just haven’t felt like doing anything work-related these days. I guess I deserve a break, though.

First week back was tough. Stef, the kids and I were all banged up with the time difference. We were sleepy at like 4 in the afternoon, just drifting around like zombies trying to stay up at least until 7 pm or so. One night I suggested we go to a movie and ended up watching BEE MOVIE alone, the three of them sleeping comfortable next to me. It was great fun.

But the jet-lag was expected, the semi-culture shock wasn’t. It was like we were in a completely different world over here in our home in Maryland. The familiar was unfamiliar. Even my Star Wars museum in my basement didn’t bring me as much joy as I thought it would when I thought of it in Hong Kong. Seems like things had changed.

The cold hit us immediately and then it snowed a few days after we got here, so the weather was definitely a factor. It was so nice in Hong Kong. It was also all the driving we were doing all of a sudden after three months of riding in the backs of vans or taking taxis and the MTR everywhere we went. And the fat people. I forgot how fat Frederick was. And how many people drive around in big trucks and dress in camouflage. I’m talking REAL camo, not like the TARGET shorts that I wore during the summer. I never noticed these things before.

I texted Amy after the first week here and she seemed to be going through some similar things in LA. It was like we had gone through this thing in Hong Kong that we didn’t even know we were going through until we got back to our normal existence back here in the states.

So yes, I missed the shit out of Hong Kong. I had dreamt of coming home for so many months while I was there but I actually missed my life there. I think I’ll miss parts of the experience there for a long time.

Still kind of in a funk with the sleep thing but finally got back to work this week. At least a little bit of work.

The editors Michael Cronin and John Rice arrived last week to start the edit and they are chugging along at a great clip after some technical issues right when they go here. Some problem with different versions of FINAL CUT PRO and the sound clip going out of sync. I couldn’t quite make any sense of it but that’s why we have John around, who Cronin calls a genius. That boy can fix anything once he puts his mind to it.

They’ve been working for about a week now and Michael has 20 solid minutes edited already! That boy is flying. They’re staying at these new furnished apartments about 15 minutes away from me here. Michael has a two bedroom and edits out of one of the rooms. He digs it pretty good, even though he missed his wife and little boy, Joe, quite a bit. The weather has been pretty brutal since they got here. It’s been cold and they didn’t even see the sun for the first four days they were here. Welcome to Frederick, boys!

I went to visit Michael for the first time this week today. I was nervous as hell about seeing that much of the movie already, especially the beginning, which could make or break this damn film. But Cronin blew me away. Honestly. I had given him some notes on the opening last week, trying to give him a clear picture of the way I wanted to the film to look, the way I wanted the flow of the film to go. And he just fucking nailed it.

And I knew he would. I designed the look of this film from the very first day with his cutting style in mind. I just didn’t know if I had pulled off the raw footage that he needed to make his alchemy work. And it looks like I did, so I’m a very happy camper today.

They leave on Saturday for the holidays and then return after New Years. They should have close to 30 minutes of the movie done by then. At least this cut. That’s pretty damn great. It gives us plenty of time to tweak the hell out of before looking it. Michael thinks that we’ll come in at 95 minutes or so for this cut. We’d like to end up at around 85 or so.

But his speed is great news. Gregg and Matt were worried that we’d need more time since I decided a few weeks back to start fresh and not with the cut that John had done in Hong Kong. It wasn’t that I didn’t like John’s cut, I actually liked it a lot. I just wanted Cronin to come in as fresh as he could, without even seeing what we had done in Hong Kong. I thought that seeing a cut of the film already would’ve confused him and given him ideas that I wanted him to come to on his own. I honestly thought it would slow things down.

Seems like the plan is working. Michael goes back through John’s cut as he finishes scenes, just to get a fresh feel of the scene in another way to make sure he didn’t miss anything that John caught. It’s a great system.

Anyway, it’s 10:30 and I’m about to collapse. This is really late for me since I’ve been back.

Feeling good, though. Real good. Damn good. ALTERED came out exactly one year ago tomorrow and I don’t even like to think about the shit I was dealing with at that time. I’m so grateful to be where I am right now. What a difference a year makes.

I’ll keep updating the FLICKR and YOUTUBE thing as we go. Should be a cool journey when it’s all over. Trying to keep the blogging thing going, too.

To anyone reading this from the crew in Hong Kong, Golo misses you Chinese bastards like crazy!

If case I don’t blog before then, Happy Holidays to you and yours! And let’s hope for more good things for 2008!

Peace and love from Urbana, MD.

-ed

HAXAN YOUTUBE DIRECTOR’S FLICKR PRODUCER’S FLICKR ACTOR’S FLICKR

About to bed down for the last time in Hong Kong.

Mixed feelings about leaving this place, even though I’ve fantasizing about it for most of my time here. Everyone is gone now. Rob and his family left last week, the Hales left on Monday, Johnny left yesterday and Matt and Tim headed to Shanghai today.

Got to say goodbye to Johnny last night after having dinner with him and the assistant editor, Killer. Him and John seemed to get attached pretty good during their months of work.

Then we said goodbye to Tim and Matt as they got into the van headed to the airport. They seemed excited about going to Shanghai for the weekend. They’ll be back early next week. Tim is staying until after the New Year and Matt is leaving with the Hales on December 9th. Just making sure everything is wrapped on the film.

So tomorrow is it for this three month odyssey in Hong Kong. We came, we made a film and now we’re headed out. I’m already missing the people on the set and the heartaches are dulling as I think of the future and hopefully to my next film. I think the film looks good for what time John has put into it and I can’t wait to Cronin to get his hands on it in Maryland.

All right, I’m rambling on at this point.

Let me just say that I will truly miss this place and the people that I met during this process. Like any film, there are always problems, but they were far outnumbered by the good times and fantastic work that was done. It seemed like most of them really cared about what we were doing and for that I’m truly thankful.

I’ll miss the incense burning at the start of each day, Handsome doubling for Tim, leaving the set every night after another day was done, Four’s nasty chin hair, the spaghetti and pizza from CRU, So’s craziness, mon soy, Lam’s “a little bit,” Bing Bing’s tea and fahsohn (peanuts), Suiman doubling as Amy, Lau not saying hello to me, the bong, I mean, gong, Kit’s 110% with everything he did, Gloria’s look when she had no freaking idea what I was saying to her, Alan’s red shirts, Joey riding up in the elevator with me at the end of the night, Hale’s 70’s look, Man’s gentle touch as he held me tight on the back of the pick-up, the October boys, Daniel and On, my waders, Andy’s driving, Compton’s daily white man sneakers and jeans look, Jason’s running like a madman as a Pale Figure, actually, all the damn Pale Figures, Hale’s pissing and farting videos, Amy on her damn phone, Tiger in that funky white gown with the blood all over it, May doubling for Amy, Cindy bossing everyone around, Kelly and the rest of the make-up girls swarming Amy, Tat willing to go anywhere to get the sound just right, Southy playing with my kids, Tim being all handsome and shit all the time, my family visiting the set, the sacrificial goat, Abal offering me fahsohn and other stuff I can’t really mention, and I should stop now, because I really have to go to sleep.

One thing I will not miss is that damn, bloody car! Okay, maybe a little bit.

Thanks to the whole cast and crew for all the hard work and for all the love they showed this go-low. I’ll remember you all and my time here very fondly.

I’m over and out from Hong Kong! See you at Rio Grande for brunch on Sunday!

Peace.

-ed

HAXAN YOUTUBE DIRECTOR’S FLICKR PRODUCER’S FLICKR ACTOR’S FLICKR

Last day of production started at 3:30 am. After about two hours of sleep I got picked up at 4 am. Gregg and I were all bright and bushy-tailed heading to the landfill. Going to a set with no sleep sucks, man, but it was our last freaking day! I was happy about that. But we were both a bit out of it.

Got to the landfill in about 20 minutes. By far the closest location to our apartments of the shoot and if we had known that, we would’ve slept in a bit longer. Half an hour would’ve made all the difference in the world, man!

It was still dark and it was a bit nippy out and I was in shorts, so that was fun. The first shot was going to be a sunrise shot at this little clearing on the top of the landfill that is really pretty and peaceful, for a landfill. So we waited for the sun to come up. And waited. But I was in a great mood, man. It was like the last day of school, you know? Can’t wait to get it over with so that you can start your summer vacation.

Visited with the Pale Figures. These guys seemed happy to be out here on their last day. I can’t believe none of these dudes quit. I ask around and make sure everyone is coming to the wrap party on Tuesday night. There’s a rumor going around that the party is kind of far for a lot of the crew and no one is going to come. I’m making sure these motherfuckers get there, though. They all say they’re coming so I guess that’s cool. They wouldn’t lie to the director, would they?

Breakfast arrives. Some kind of Chinese stuff that I’m not going to eat. I ask Four to get me some McDonalds. Just a greasy BIG BREAKFAST on my last day. A treat. It gets there a half-hour later and I dig in. Even Hale joins me for some Mickey-freaking-D’s. Good way to start the last day.

I see Amy and Tim. They’re happy it’s the last day. Amy makes me promise that I’ll have her out of here by 10 am. Sure. 10 am sounds good to me.

Tim is cool but in a different mood. He’s been in make-up since midnight and he’s done with all this make-up shit, man. He’s totally cool about it but I can tell he’s happy it’s almost over. He has one shot and then he’s wrapped.

Finally, the sun starts to come up! We get Amy and hurry up the hill, through the little patch of woods and into my glorious clearing. The only clearing like this that I saw in Hong Kong. On a landfill.

11 set-ups today. 11 more set-ups and I’m done!

I run Amy through the scene, which is literally the end of the film, and she starts nailing it this way and that. She’s such a freaking pro, man. I have three cameras rolling as the sky goes from dark to bright and she gives me so many good little moments for the end of SEVENTH MOON that I can’t wait to really get in there and bring them out in the edit.

1 set-up down.

I run the end of the scene with Amy, three cameras again, and I capture what I think is the last little moment we see her in the film. I can see the damn edit in my head.

She’s looking out toward her right, to the newly rising sun, and she has this amazing look on her face after what she went through on this night, and right after just seeing her husband for the last time, and I move into her with this shaky but just the right shaky handheld dolly and she goes out of focus and the grasses behind her come into focus and we are really tight and she closes her eyes and a beat later we cut to the rising sun -

ROLL CREDITS!

2 set-ups down. 9 more to go.

The sun is peaking up through the mountains that rim the landfill to the east. So we bring Tim in, all made-up after four hours or so of make-up. He stands where I want him to stand and I once again roll three cameras and get tons of him looking at his wife, Melissa. I get all kinds of stuff of him in focus and out of focus, the sun behind him, the sun grazing his face, his chest, grasses and other junk in front of him - we shoot a ridiculous amount of footage of Tim Chiou for his final set-up on the film SEVENTH MOON. This is going to cut great with what we shot with Amy a few minutes ago.

And it’s a picture wrap for TIM CHIOU everybody! 3 set-ups down, 8 to go.

Now it’s time for Amy to start running.

Lam switches the camera settings to his day-for-night look and we start rolling, three cams again, Amy running toward us, ten Pale Figures scrambling up behind her, just before they grab her. Like the shot in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK where Indy is running with the natives behind him. It looks freaking great. John the editor will tell me later that it’s one of his favorite shots in the film.

Amy comes through like a champ again. She suggests that she falls at the end of the take, just to simulate what we’re going to do later with Adda, her stunt double. We lay a few mats down and she starts going down on it again and again. I finally get rid of the mats and have her and the PFs run by the cameras. Gregg and Lam say they got a lot of good stuff. I say let’s move on, done with my little, peaceful clearing on top of a landfill. More running awaits Amy below.

4 in the can, 7 to go.

We move to the road that comes into the landfill. I get Four clearing a few areas through some woods next to the road so that Amy and the PFs can run through them later and we can track with them on the back of Kowloon’s pick-up. I get on the crane and ready the stunt, which we decide we can shoot now instead of ending the day with it like we planned. I just hope the freaking PF make-up doesn’t get all banged up when they all jump on top of Adda in the field.

So I find a piece of grass that will match the peaceful landfill clearing and have the crane positioned over it. Then Gregg notices that the PFs all have their shoes on. They’re going to need to be barefoot for this next shot.

Shit. Off they go to take their shoes off and get their feet made-up. This is going to take at least half-an-hour. I go check the progress of the woods clearing.

Back to the crane a while later, the PFs have no shoes now. Lam and I get into the crane and up it takes us, pretty scary for both of us because it wasn’t exactly the safest freaking-looking crane either of us have seen. It’s all shaky and shit.

We get over the patch of grass and the PFs and Adda get into position after some rehearsing. This is going to be such a cool shot, looking straight down on these boys just as they catch up to Melissa and literally swarm all over her, covering her body completely with their filthy bodies. Lam is wide and I am tight. Gregg grabs an angle from the ground.

Oh, wait, the PFs are having trouble walking in this grass. It’s hurting their feet, since they’re now barefoot. “Hey, Ed, these guys can’t run on this!” I hear over the radio.

Damn. I have very sensitive feet, since my mother never let me go barefoot even inside the house, so I know what it feels like to have shit jabbing you in the feet, man.

“Put the shoes back on! Ten minutes!” I see an art guy hauling ass to get their little white shoes.

I hope those damn shoes don’t show up, I tell Lam.

Ten minutes later we’re shooting and fifteen minutes after that, I have five or six great takes of a horde of Pale Figures gang-tackling and swarming over the body of a young stunt woman named Adda, who doubles perfectly for Amy Smart. The shoes don’t show, the overhead works great, the crane shot is done.

5 done. 6 to go.

Now we move to the tracking shots. First one area, the PFs running after Amy after she leaves the temple. The finale of the film!

One run with Amy, then another with the PF’s. 2 more set-ups down.

Now we move to another section and do two more runs just like before, Amy and then PFs. 2 more down, just 2 more shots to go!

The electricity is building in the air. I can hear the excitement building as the crew feels this shit coming to an end. They all hang back near the base camp and it’s starting to sound like a party over there between takes.

On the back of the pick-up truck, Lam, Gregg and I shoot the tracking shots, and we’re giddy with anticipation. Or at least I am. The jokes fly here and there and I don’t even care that no one laughs at most of them, it’s my last day, man!

One last shot for Amy Smart. She runs out of the woods, completely out of breath, and into a grassy clearing that matches my little peaceful landfill clearing. We run it over and over again, it’s like I can’t let go of this moment! I’ve waited for this for months now but I don’t want it to end. The long nights, the depression, the fucking barn field location and bloody car! I don’t want it to end, man. Please don’t let it end!

Actually, I can’t get my damn shot. I keep losing her in the woods. I need a clear shot of her just as she clears the woods. I finally give it up and watch Lam and Gregg’s stuff. Okay, Lam got it a few takes ago.

It’s a picture wrap for the young and talented AMY SMART! We hug. It’s way after 10 am but she’s not mad at me. She’s so happy to be done! Done, I say!

1 more shot down, 1 more to go!

“Bring the Pale Figures in,” I say for the very last time. These boys are tired. They’ve run at least a mile or two today for me in that damn make-up. And it’s sunny and hot outside, man. They’re not freezing anymore, that’s for sure. They’re hot.

Again, tracking shot, same shot that we just did with Amy and these guys can go home. We all can go home.

We run it through over and over again, three cameras, on the back of Kowloon Black’s pick-up truck. We get tons of stuff of them running out of the woods into the clearing. They give me their all on every take. Running low and fast, like animals. I joke that I’m going to do takes until Hippo, a Pale Figure who isn’t exactly in great shape, has a heart attack. Real funny.

They give me 110% until the very last take of the film. And then it’s done.

No more shots to go.

It’s a picture wrap for HIPPO (sans-heart failure of any kind), KEN, JASON, ANDY, AHOY and the rest of the PALE FIGURES! You can go and start taking that annoying make-up off for the very last time! Go, I say. GO!

But before that happens, let’s all take a group picture. Let’s get everyone together up on this hill. Where’s Amy? Get over here! Come on! We’re trying to take a crew picture. Hey, man, you didn’t work on the fucking film! Where’s Lau? Lam! Where’s Lam? Where’s Amy? Ed, you’re blocking me. Dudes, stop putting that grip shit in the truck and get over here and take this damn picture with us! Where’s Amy? Where’s So? Tell Amy we’re doing a crew picture. Dude, you DID NOT work on the film, so step off! I’m not standing next to Hale. Did someone shit their pants?

And after like 10 minutes or so, we had finally assembled what remained of the cast and crew of the motion picture SEVENTH MOON and took a bunch of pictures at the end of the last full day of production.

It was over. We still had a very short day of pick-ups but it was 99.99% done. I had my third feature in the can. Fifth if you counted film school. I had weathered the biggest film-making dread of my professional career and made it through those dark times to this moment, where it was all behind me now. I could go home and be with my family and not have that perpetual looming final exam that is production haunting my every waking moment.

I’m free!

Wrap party tomorrow night! You Chinese motherfuckers better be there, man. We’re giving away a 42″ LCD, did I tell you that?

-ed

HAXAN YOUTUBE DIRECTOR’S FLICKR PRODUCER’S FLICKR ACTOR’S FLICKR

Just got home from stuffing ourselves for Thanksgiving, Hong Kong style. Went to a great Chinese place and had the most non-traditional Thanksgiving meal of my whole life. But man, there’s a lot to be thankful for, so we just got into it and ate all there was to eat.

It was a Thanksgiving away from home for a bunch of us. Tim brought a friend from LA, Kelly, the Hales were there, Matt, John, my dad Toofo and Stef’s mom, Cecilia. And of course my clan. My dad didn’t seem to dig the food at first (he kept reminding me how his Cuban black rice would’ve been on this night, a Thanksgiving staple at the Sanchez home) but he got into the Chinese flavor really quick, ended up getting stuffed like the rest of us.

We then kicked it to the Lobby Lounge at the Intercontinental Hotel, one of our favorite late-night haunts. The food is great, especially the desserts. We hung there for a bit and then headed home on the MTR. Long day for sure.

The long day started with us shooting two new shots I added to the sacrifice room scene in the temple at the end of the film. The idea came to me a few days ago when heading to shoot the final pick-ups with the bloody car. It fixed a script note that Jamie and I had wanted to address for many months now but couldn’t find a solution for, but luckily, I think I came through with this one, literally on the last day of the scheduled shoot. If it doesn’t work we can always leave it out, but at least we’ve shot it.

Cecilia, my dad and Adrian dug the temple set. There was still some water in the deep parts so they couldn’t explore the whole thing. It was a bit sad leaving today after the shoot. The temple will be demolished in the next few days and soon nothing will remain of all that wonderful work except photos. And the film, of course, which doesn’t really do it justice. I grabbed a colored concrete rock and a styrofoam rock to take home with me.

The last two days of shooting were great and the wrap party was even better but I’ll fill that in a bit later. For now, I just wanted to wish all the people around me a terrific Thanksgiving. Got tons to be thankful for this year and hope that things are the same with all of you.

Heading home in 8 days!

Peace from Hong Kong.

-ed

HAXAN YOUTUBE DIRECTOR’S FLICKR PRODUCER’S FLICKR ACTOR’S FLICKR

At least until tomorrow’s pick-ups.

-ed

HAXAN YOUTUBE DIRECTOR’S FLICKR PRODUCER’S FLICKR ACTOR’S FLICKR

0 days left! 0 full days after today.

Two hours of sleep.

About to head out for the last full day of principal photography on SEVENTH MOON. A sunrise scene between Amy and Tim and then 8 day for night shots of Amy running away from the Pale Figures. A half-day or so of shooting, hopefully. 9 shots total.

Been quite a ride and am so grateful that this is it. Just have to pull one more day off and then a pick-up shot on Monday night and principal is over. Then the wrap party is on Tuesday night. Looking forward to that like crazy.

Tim’s got picked up at midnight and has been in make-up ever since. His first and last shot is at 5:30 am. Amy and the Pale Figures after that.

I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. Not only is it the end but it’s an actual day shoot. Haven’t had one of these since day 3 or so. Night shoots suck, man. I’m never going to write a script that takes place this much in the dark. I think.

And off I go! Wish us luck here as the final day begins!

Peace.

-ed

HAXAN YOUTUBE DIRECTOR’S FLICKR PRODUCER’S FLICKR ACTOR’S FLICKR