Alright, lots of stuff to report on how the short film is coming along.
First off, the title may change. The other producers and I have discussed it a little bit and it may be for the best. Mainly because the script is pretty intense and the title may throw people off as being something campy and comic when the story actually is at the other end of the spectrum. It's not that big of an issue now so it has been put on the back burner.
Second, money. We need money. Right now $3000 of this is coming straight out of my own pocket. I have no problem with this as it's pure capital. What I don't want to do is resort to my credit card, especially since I've managed to eliminate a majority of my debt (I have one credit card with a little bit on it, but nothing that isn't manageable). I've tried to put the call out for people to visit https://www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2008-01-14.0727455053 and donate a little bit to the movie but that seems to be going nowhere. Two good friends have pledged some cash but that's about it. Unfortunately, if I don't reach my monetary goal by the end date on this Web site, then all pledges are returned to the contributors. Good for them since they don't spend any money, bad for me because it's just another outlet that isn't giving up the goods. Several options are on the table now. One, my two other fellow producers still haven't given a ballpark estimate of what they will be able to contribute so that will be a little extra coming from them. Two, my good friend Joel Wear at Exemplar Films, LLC is willing to contribute a bit to the budget, but I will definitely have to LLC my production company beforehand. One of the producers is working on it, but I haven't heard any updates. I'll get those this weekend. Three, I have several untapped monetary resources in various family members. But I'm extremely hesitant about asking them. I probably will, but I want to get things more in order before approaching. So yeah, money. It's a big pain. Hell, there are still several options open to funding but I won't list them here. This paragraph is be enough as it is.
Third, we NEED locations! This has been another thorn in our side as we have hit several dead ends and we'd really like to nail them down ASAP. Another producer is pursuing this and I'm hoping he'll have some leads by the end of the week.
Speaking of the end of the week, the Director and I have several interviews with potential Special Effects Supervisors this weekend. I'm excited about it because there are some people with great talent and skill that have submitted applications. The trick is to nail down someone who knows what the hell they're doing and can do it on the cheap. We'll see how that works out and I'll keep the two of you updated.
Our tentative shoot date is looking like the end of March and/or the beginning of April. Hopefully we can get our shit together and pull this off. I know that we can, but like Mel Brooks says, hope for the best but expect the worst.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The New Age of Fratricide
Wow. It has been a while hasn't it? Well, I hope I still have my legions of adoring fans reading this. Actually this is a great outlet for me to let off steam and rant. Frankly I could give a damn if anyone reads this blog.
So onto relevant news from the Fratricide camp.
It has been about 5 1/2 months since the Prayers for an Apocalypse EP was released. Fratricide has received a couple of glowing reviews from Noose of the United States Black Metal Sect (USBMS), Belle and Blackmetal Jim from Black Belle Webzine, as well as a cool review and interview with moi from the almighty Septi-Gore Zine which is published exclusively in hard copy form.
Several line-up changes have happened. Some smooth; some not so smooth. Rob (aka Hellfire) has a distinct vision in mind for Fratricide and usually when he sets his mind on something, it is definitely going to get done one way or the other. This has worked in his favor but also to his detriment. A former member didn't like the way he was fired from the band. Admittedly it was rather sudden and informal which took me by surprise--Rob at least acknowledges it could have been handled differently but sticks by his decision. Of course the former member is very bitter about it (again, understandably) and has decided to mock Rob and carry on a venomous campaign to discredit the band.
I've tried to stay out of a majority of it. Afterall I wasn't there and didn't know the dynamics of what was going on. All I knew was from the e-mails I received both from Rob and the former band member. I actually thought things were fine.
So I guess I'm just trying to get the perspective of the former band member right now. He's bitter, pissed, and full of vinegar. I get that. I've been fired from bands unceremoniously (as well as Rob) and know the feeling very well. I've talked shit and the band has talked shit, but in the end, shit settled and that was it. That was the "grown up" thing to do. You can't harbor negativity for the rest of your life. It will just eat you up inside causing mental and even physical problems.
But what do I do when I see harsh things continually said about a band I helped establish? Obviously the former band member has some issues he needs to work out. This isn't all about Fratricide and if it is all about Fratricide, then that's even more disturbing. But to fuel the fire with responses just as mean as his is nonproductive to the band itself. Unfortunately this guy will more than likely be forever bitter about the experience and I'm truly sorry for that. I hope he can eventually move on and turn that anger into some brutal heavy metal music.
As Fratricide proceeds into 2008 and pushes past all the vitriol, new and exciting things have appeared on the horizon. An incredibly fast and skilled drummer (Warmachine) has joined the ranks as well as a talented new bassist (Cudgel). They form, along with Akula (guitarist) and Hellfire, the foundation of the New Age of Fratricide. A new lead guitarist will be found eventually but until then the boys are starting to write new material and are focusing their efforts on injecting a fresh new voice into the Black and Heavy Metal scene. I raise my beer to their success and hopefully I'll see them at a live gig in the future. Screw the drama, ignore the haters, and raise the horns high!
So onto relevant news from the Fratricide camp.
It has been about 5 1/2 months since the Prayers for an Apocalypse EP was released. Fratricide has received a couple of glowing reviews from Noose of the United States Black Metal Sect (USBMS), Belle and Blackmetal Jim from Black Belle Webzine, as well as a cool review and interview with moi from the almighty Septi-Gore Zine which is published exclusively in hard copy form.
Several line-up changes have happened. Some smooth; some not so smooth. Rob (aka Hellfire) has a distinct vision in mind for Fratricide and usually when he sets his mind on something, it is definitely going to get done one way or the other. This has worked in his favor but also to his detriment. A former member didn't like the way he was fired from the band. Admittedly it was rather sudden and informal which took me by surprise--Rob at least acknowledges it could have been handled differently but sticks by his decision. Of course the former member is very bitter about it (again, understandably) and has decided to mock Rob and carry on a venomous campaign to discredit the band.
I've tried to stay out of a majority of it. Afterall I wasn't there and didn't know the dynamics of what was going on. All I knew was from the e-mails I received both from Rob and the former band member. I actually thought things were fine.
So I guess I'm just trying to get the perspective of the former band member right now. He's bitter, pissed, and full of vinegar. I get that. I've been fired from bands unceremoniously (as well as Rob) and know the feeling very well. I've talked shit and the band has talked shit, but in the end, shit settled and that was it. That was the "grown up" thing to do. You can't harbor negativity for the rest of your life. It will just eat you up inside causing mental and even physical problems.
But what do I do when I see harsh things continually said about a band I helped establish? Obviously the former band member has some issues he needs to work out. This isn't all about Fratricide and if it is all about Fratricide, then that's even more disturbing. But to fuel the fire with responses just as mean as his is nonproductive to the band itself. Unfortunately this guy will more than likely be forever bitter about the experience and I'm truly sorry for that. I hope he can eventually move on and turn that anger into some brutal heavy metal music.
As Fratricide proceeds into 2008 and pushes past all the vitriol, new and exciting things have appeared on the horizon. An incredibly fast and skilled drummer (Warmachine) has joined the ranks as well as a talented new bassist (Cudgel). They form, along with Akula (guitarist) and Hellfire, the foundation of the New Age of Fratricide. A new lead guitarist will be found eventually but until then the boys are starting to write new material and are focusing their efforts on injecting a fresh new voice into the Black and Heavy Metal scene. I raise my beer to their success and hopefully I'll see them at a live gig in the future. Screw the drama, ignore the haters, and raise the horns high!