Using the RotoRig.... what is a RotoRig???

I am glad you asked.  I am here today to talk about my experience so far with the Rotorig. For those unfamiliar here is the video

Well I built it with the help of my Father-in-law who is an awesome engineer! The whole thing cost about $65 dollars to make, which is not bad when you look at jib prices. The two white brackets you see in the photo are actually larger than the prescribed ones as they are near impossible to get. (Again my Father-in-law. Brilliant!)

It really needs a hefty tripod to support the 5+ pounds if you want to swing it around any, but I have been practicing and within a week I have started to gain control of it. I still need to work with it more.

Remember this is a camera Jib (Crane) and shoulder Rig, you can use it two way. That is great!

I plan on using it in out upcoming short film “In Memoriam” An epic battle in the snow! I also plan on using it for our web series “TheRealm” That is really the idea behind the short is to get used to filming fight sequences and to test out the rig.

You won’t see its use till probably Episode 7 forward as of this writing we have shot the first 6.

Also if you plan on building it either get help while using it or be prepared to awkwardly unscrew wing nuts as you try to attack the camera to either of the two sides…but perhaps you will master better than I.

Below is a video I made at early attempts to master this awesome device. With a little more practice I shall be ready for our January 31 shoot of “In Memoriam” Wish me luck and I hope this helps someone!

 

Get ready for THE REALM!

The Realm. The story of James Lockwood (Sacco Sarkis) and a mysterious girl (Kimberley Miller) he finds naked on his doorstep who has no memory of herself and magic powers. They race to discover who she is and why people from her realm are crossing over to our world to capture or kill her. We follow the story both here on Earth and in The Realm, but eventually the two worlds will collide!

Here we are six months till The Realm premieres and already we have our first teaser trailer out and the main theme has been released to the masses. We are very excited to get things rolling and will be promoting the web series very heavy between March-June with special features and such before during and after season one airs.

Things to look forward to: 

Inside The Realm: This 1-3min show will feature interviews and clips with the cast and the crew to give an insight into the behind the scenes of the show. The three episodes will be released before the first episode of The Realm then during our season 1 break Inside the realm will air the 1^st and 15^th of every month until season 2 comes out. (See we want to keep you entertained!)

Secrets of The Realm: This special (Length not determined yet) will feature Tony and Allyson Diana and some cast members as we look back at season one and reveal where SOME of the hidden clues and Easter Eggs are in each episode. This will help to prime you guys to keep a keen eye on season 2 to get ahead of your friends on the mystery.

The Movie! : If all goes well and season 1&2 prove popular we want to finish the story off with a blockbuster styled film. We will be using crowd funding during season 2 to hopefully raise enough money to make the most amazing film to end our story of two world’s right!

But wait there is more.

Tony is working hard behind the scenes to get the cast and crew of The Realm beyond the web. He is currently talking to Comic Con people and news outlets to get our story out there and into the world at large. We will keep you up to date on all things Realm both here and on our Facebook page.

Help spread the word for the exciting project and join the Realmpire!

Promoting The Realm.

Ok so we are about 7 months till we premier The Realm and one thing I have learnt from other web series is that it is important to pre promote you show in order to get a following. I can understand that you really want to create buzz for the thing you have been working on for so so long.

A couple of things I am feeling and hope that helps anyone else trying to do this.

For starters never feel like your project is not worthwhile. After a few hours of spreading the word on social media and such you tend to see a lot of mainstream projects pop up (Avengers, GOT, Doctor Who) It can be intimidating and you start thinking “well my little project is nowhere near those guys.” That’s not the point. Keep in mind that you have worked very hard to forge this idea into reality and others may still appreciate even if it is not Start Trek J

Second list, list and more lists. Keep a record of where you have been and who you sent what to. You don’t want to make the mistake of resending a press release or vid to someone twice. You can seem pushy that way and they will not even bother with you.

Finally at the end of the day just remember you have done all that you can for now…there is always tomorrow and the next day. It does not all have to be done at once. You may feel like Actors, Crew and such are depending on you to help them get their names out but ultimately you are all working together and that is why you do the work you do on the project.

I hope this helps you…It helps me to vent out a little. Until next time

Tony Diana

Welcome to the Realm (pire)

Well here we are, what started as a seed of an idea in my head almost 10 years ago has finally materialized as small, but poignant teaser for our new fantasy web-series “The Realm”. One day I will write a blog about the evolution of this idea I hold near and dear to me ,but for now I want to enjoy this moment for our actors, crew and company as we take our first step into The Realm! Enjoy as more is to come.

1st Teaser for "The Realm"

The Trial and error of Green screening.

Green screening or Chroma key can be an awesome tool in your arsenal as a filmmaker. It can save you hundreds in set building or securing an exotic location however, it is also a matter of practice to  perfect it’s use and then even more experimentation.
Now I am talking to all the neophytes like me who could not afford film school and have to guerilla their way through movie making.  I have been working with Chroma Keying for about three years now and I am starting to get some decent results, but not for the reasons you may think.

The key thing I have found about it is that distance from actor to screen is essential and I do not have the greatest or largest of spaces available to me. If I keep my actor 6-9ft away from the screen the results are good any closer and the green color will cast on their skin and clothes ruining the results.

Lighting is also crucial. You must keep the green screen lit evenly and then light you actors again, I do not have soft boxes just clamp lights and homemade diffusers.
For our new project “The Realm” We are talking about an extensive amount of chroma key to bring the fantasy world side of The Realm to life and what better place to solve both of my problems than shooting outdoors!
The sun is the ultimate soft box a rich source of diffused light plus nothing gets bigger than the great outdoors.
Now we will have to do some things inside a studio but with what I have learned from my recent experience I am confident we will succeed.


Here are some sources for more on Chroma key.

Definition of Chroma Key

History of Faking it.Hollywood Greenscreen