Since Film 3 was such an important part of my life this semester, I thought I’d put up all the links in one easy to find location. So here are all the best blogs from Film Production 3:
Tag Archives: Cowboy Café
Cowboy Café Day 6 (365 Day Photo Project: Day 100)
Day 6 we were back at the harbor in East Boston (like Day 1). Because of the rainyness of Day 1, we had a few pick-up shots to do, so we rescheduled for Thursday. It was a bare-bones crew and only two actors, so it was a pretty easy day.
Zack, Trevor and I pack up the truck after the shoot. Photo Cred: Dimitri. Zack and I are wearing our signature jackets.
Trevor in his signature hat… that may or may not be super-glued to his head…
Dimitri, and some awesome lens flare.
This may be another Dimitri shot… I can’t remember who took this.
Steve and his grey card cake portrait. Yes, that’s a grey card cake. How awesome is that?
Dimitri, looking epic.
That’s a wrap, Cowboy Café! Hopefully I’ll have some videos from the shoot up soon 
Cowboy Café Day 5 (365 Day Photo Project: Day 99)
Day 5 on Cowboy Café was our last day at The Diner, and boy do I have some great pictures for you. One of the last shots of the night was when Van Cleef (“The Bad”) gets shot. Our special effects guy, Brian, did a FANTASTIC job. All hands were on deck for that shot as everyone was super excited to see the special effect and also because it was a one shot (no pun intended) gag. We had to get it right the first time because it would’ve taken tons of time to reset, especially since almost every surface in the entire diner was covered in blood by the end of it.
Notice the blue tarp on the ceiling trying to prevent blood from getting everywhere. The blinds on the windows were ours, so it didn’t matter if blood got on them. Interestingly enough, most of the fake blood that Brian uses is soap based, so it’s easily cleanable from clothes and surfaces.
And here’s Van Cleef right after he got shot. There was a squib in his shirt that looked like a gunshot, and then Brian used a CO2 pump to shoot fake blood all over the wall as an exit wound. It looks shockingly realistic on film Definitely my favorite shot in the movie (also, no pun intended).
So much fake blood!
The aftermath of Van Cleef’s death. Everyone frantically trying to clean blood of the ceiling, floors, booths, etc.
Even the script was covered in blood.
After we shot Van Cleef’s death, we shot Cowboy getting shot in the arm. Brian made this fake skin patch to put under Cowboy’s shirt to look like a bullet hole that you could ooze blood out of. Unfortunately we didn’t end up using it because Steve didn’t have Cowboy rip his shirt open. Still, very cool. Brian even airbrushed little blue veins into the skin.
Cowboy Dan was covered in blood when the take ended.
Even his boots were soaked in blood…
And pretty much everywhere on the floor…
And the counters…
I forced everyone to take a big group shot. Represented we have (approximately from left to right): Colin Hammel (Van Cleef), Sandra Roberts (Extra), Zack McGeehan (DP), Alisha Barrett (Jeana), Dimitri Kouri (AD / Sound), Trevor Taylor (1st AC), Dave Roberts (Extra), Mike Moote (Sound), Steve Ohl (Director / Writer), Brian Mahoney (special effects), Max (Billy), Dan Merriman (Cowboy), Kevin Anton (Grip / Sound), Tina Zito (Production Designer), Olivia Kimmel (2nd AD), and Chris Herbert (Grip / Electric). Go Cowboy Café!
We took a few grey card portraits of important cast and crew members (since it’s an 18% Production, after all):
Chris grey cards as Brian cleans up flesh and blood in the background
Cowboy Dan does some grey carding
Notice his blood soaked hand… “Killing comes with being a cowboy”
The view from the monitor on the Alexa
Finally, I took some pictures of Kevin’s sound log. He drew a lot of little comics for me, which will make my job as an editor all the more fun.
I’m not really sure what brought this on…
Apparently Tina drew the cupcake, Kevin added the cannon, and Tina added the face. Oh, the things film students do during downtime on set.
That’s a wrap on Day 5! More pictures from Day 6 to come!
Cowboy Café Day 4 (365 Day Photo Project: Day 98)
Day 4 we were back at The Diner in Watertown for another day in the Cowboy Café. We spent most of the day shooting scenes with our “Ugly” character, Waco (played by Gershon). Here are some photos from the day:
Billy, Jeana and Van Cleef waiting for the next shot. “Billy” was reading Star Wars novels the whole time and kept making Star Wars references on set.
Spencer (a producer), Steve (the director) and Olivia (2nd AD) look at some of Spencer’s photos.
Peter pretends to be a longhorn.
Peter teaches Chris about the Alexa
Muffin continuity was a huge point of concern on set. On Day 1 at the Diner, there was an upside-down muffin on one of the muffin plates, so great care was taken every day to make sure there was always an upside-down muffin. Kevin (grip/sound mixer) decided the film should be retitled “The Good, The Bad, The Blueberry and the Banana Nut”
Ah, the beautiful Alexa. Peter and I were joking the other day that we’ve shot so much on the Alexa this semester that it’s gone from being the dream/fantasy “I can’t believe we’re touching this camera” camera to our “norm.” From now on, we shall demand nothing less than the Alexa!
Steve (the director, right) talks with Gershon (playing Waco, “the ugly”) between takes.
That’s all for now! More later.
Cowboy Café Day 3
We spent the 3rd day of Cowboy Café at the South Street Diner (the exterior of the “Cowboy Café”). The day started out pretty miserably. We all met at South Street at 5 PM and it was pouring rain. Rain + $90,000 camera = bad news bears. Luckily Steve’s brother showed up with a canopy so we could continue shooting.
Our first shot was so awesome! We had a police detail on set so we stopped 4 lanes of traffic right off the highway for our shot. I’m pretty sure the drivers weren’t happy about it, but it was awesome to see a little kid and his mom sprinting across 4 lanes of traffic.
Zack and Steve rented the Weaver Steadman, a fluid head that can rotate the camera 360 degrees. We started the shot like this:
and then the camera rotated to reveal this when the kid moved out of frame.
Super cool! Go Zack and Steve!
(You know you’re shooting on the Alexa when screenshots look better than any picture you could take with a still camera… Oh, the Alexa. Mon amour.)
Cowboy Café Day 2 (365 Day Photo Project: Day 97)
It’s high time I catch up on all the blogging I need to do. Cowboy Café finished on time Thursday, April 7th. Friday, April 8th, I spent the day with Trevor and Peter planning for Veronika Ballerina, which had its first day of shooting on Saturday, April 9th. April 10th, I slept the entire day, because aside from getting 1-3 hours of sleep every night for an entire week, I picked up a horrendous cold on Thursday, which unfortunately I still have.
Anyway, here are some pictures from the second day of shooting “Cowboy Café.” The second day of shooting was our first at The Diner, an aptly named restaurant at 11 North Beacon St. in Watertown, MA. The Diner graciously allowed us to transform their very minimalist diner into a Cowboy Café for three days and nights after they closed at 2 PM.
Here is The Diner as is. I took this picture at night after we had cleaned up all evidence of Cowboy Café.
And here is Tina Zito’s Cowboy Café. Tina Zito is our wonderful production designer who turned this modest diner into a kick-ass Cowboy Café. It took us about two hours every day to set-dress the place, but it was totally worth it.
Believe it or not, that’s the same angle as the first picture above.
Notice the little taxidermied rattlesnake
Peter stands beneath the John Wayne portrait.
Shooting begins! Above is Dan, our Cowboy hero. Recognize that kick-ass camera to the right? It’s the Alexa, that amazing camera that I’ve been raving about for the last several months.
Cowboy talks with Billy (played by Max) in the opening Cowboy Café scene. Max spent all of his time on set shooting people with his cap gun. I’m pretty sure every person on set was shot at least 300 times.
Peter and Chris talk between takes. Notice the Cowboy Café menu between the two of them. Go Tina!
More pictures to come soon!
Cowboy Café Day 1 (365 Day Photo Project: Day 96)
Well, I’m slowly catching up on blogs. Saturday April 2nd was our first day shooting “Cowboy Café,” an 18% Productions film by Steve Ohl. On “Cowboy Café,” I’m splitting the duties of 2nd Assistant Camera / Digital Imaging Technician with my friend Peter, and I’m also in charge of editing the film by May 20th (so soon!). We spent the entire day shooting the opening sequence in East Boston on the harbor. It was cold, but the view was awesome and our cast and crew worked great together.
Trevor (left) and Zack (middle) prepare the scene for set decor.
The first shot of the day! Those garbage dumpsters– creation of Tina Zito. Now that’s production design!
Peter B holds the precious Alexa between shots.
Some awesome weeds near the scene… random, I know.
Boston
Trevor (Assistant Camera) and Zack (Director of Photography) prepare a shot.
Two of our “homeless” actors– Matthias and Floyd. Tina and Steve did an AWESOME job with the costumes for the actors, and all of them had to be substantially scruffed up for the film.
Director Steve Ohl rehearses (and almost gets stabbed) with an actor
Gershon plays Waco, “the ugly”
Dan (left) suits up to play Cowboy, “the good”
Waco takes down a few homeless men
Floyd, right after he got shot in the chest. We had an awesome special effects guy on set. He put a steel plate on Floyd’s chest and then taped a fake-blood filled sack in the center of it. Then he gut a tiny hole in Floyd’s shirt, and during the middle of the take, he shot Floyd in the chest (the reason for the steel plate) with a fake blood-filled BB, which exploded the bag on Floyd’s chest upon impact.
Floyd dies on the sidewalk while Trevor and Zack set up the shot.
RIP Floyd
That’s all for now. More pictures soon.
Cowboy Café!
Hey Friends and Family!
I have a proposition for you! This Spring I’m working on a thesis film called “Cowboy Cafe” with my friends Steve Ohl, Zack McGeehan, Dimitri Kouri, Trevor Taylor and Olivia Kimmel. “Cowboy Cafe” is a modern western, inspired by Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad and the Ugly and Duck, You Sucker!. Immediately when I read the script, I was very interested in working on the project. It is so unique and so ambitious for a young filmmaker! Of course, it also pleases me because it’s a throwback to my Western upbringing (which so few Easterners seem to appreciate).
I’m sure you’ve heard of most of the crew in my “Welcome to the World” posts. Steve wrote the script and will direct the film, Zack will be the DP and I am the editor. Here’s the thing– for me to edit the film it has to be filmed in the first place! And the bad thing about films (you’ve heard me complain time and time again) is that they are SUPER expensive to make. In previous classes, fundraising fell evenly on the group as a whole. But in Film 3 it’s up to the director to pay for the whole film– even though they are way more elaborate and way more expensive to make than films from previous classes. Steve’s a great guy and he did me a huge favor by acting in my “Welcome to the World” series so I want to help him out by spreading the word to as many people as possible about his fundraising goal.
Steve is collecting funds through the website “Kickstarter.” Here’s how it works: People pledge a certain about of money (anything >$1!) to the film and only if the fundraising goal is met by the deadline (April 4th) are your credit cards charged. That’s right– Steve doesn’t get a dime unless he has $3,000 pledged to his film. That’s why I would love it if all of you could do me a huge favor and donate to his, our, film. I pledged $20 to the film and it would be FANTASTIC if all of you could do the same. Even one dollar is a step towards our goal!
Here’s the link to the website: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1539592106/cowboy-cafe
I know some of you would rather donate by check instead of credit card (which you can’t do on this website). If that’s the case, send me a check made out to Helena Bowen (I’m honest, I promise), I’ll put the donation online under my Kickstarter account and hold the check until I find out whether Steve has reached his goal. If he reaches his goal, my credit card will be charged with the proper amount and I’ll deposit your check. If he doesn’t reach his goal (he better!), I’ll shred the check and notify you that it was not deposited. Email me if you would prefer this to paying with a credit card online.
Also, I will be sure that everyone who donates gets to see the final film. Even if you don’t give enough for Steve to send you a DVD copy, I will 
Ah, the power of being an editor.
I hope all of you will find it in your hearts (and checkbooks) to support our project. I’m super excited about it and I really hope we can raise all the money!
Thank you,
Helena
