Tag Archives: Dimitri K

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!

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

W2TW: Set Photos by Kevin Beaty (Saturday)

Saturday was a VERY long day on set.  Peter, Trevor, Zack and I met up at 6:30 AM to begin lighting Peter’s living room.  We purposefully lit the living room so that we could shoot 360 degrees and not have to relight anything throughout the day.  Very convenient.  Very time-saving.

Peter, Trevor and I set up the first shot of the day.

Peter focuses on the monitor.

Alex M (left) played the role of Tom and Mike H (right) played Pat

Trevor, Peter, Jed (Assistant Director) and I figure out the first shot.

Zack, Kathy (sound recordist) and Trevor wait for the second scene

I point at something (which is apparently all I do as director)

Trevor talks with Erin and Sanyee (Caitlin) — as seen from within the ballpit

Mike, Zack and Kevin (the photographer) sit in the giant ball pit.  Best prop ever.

Erin and Sanyee wait for their scene.

Zack stands next to our 6′ Subway Party Sub.  Delicious, but surprisingly inconvenient.

Trevor composes a shot.

Dimitri and Kathy work on the sound log.

Amanda (2nd Camera Assistant) holds the Alexa for Peter while he switches lenses.

Dimitri (Left), Kathy (front), Steve (middle) and Sandri (left) rehearse one of our more complicated scenes.

Trevor and I discuss a shot.

Zack looks like a badass, as usual.

Alex, Steve and Erin wait in the ballpit

Pietro throws balls at Alex and the camera :)

365 Day Photo Project: Day 60 / Redstones!

Tonight was the big event for all BU film majors– The Redstone Film Festival!  I’m so glad that many of my friends were represented in tonight’s program: Trevor Taylor, Peter Brunet, Zack McGeehan, Dimitri Kouri, Steve Ohl, Andrea Rosas Ferro, Kathy Lee and many others.  A special congrats to Zack and Dimitri on their 1st place winner: Salty Dogs.  What a stunning film!  18% Productions certainly did well this year!

Peter was so nervous about the Redstones that when I tried to take his picture, the only means he had to express his excitement was through a shockingly accurate star-nosed mole impersonation.  I know exactly what you mean, Peter.

Canon EOS 7D w/ 20mm lens, f/2.8, 1600 ISO, 1/50th sec, 20mm

On the other side of me was Trevor, who DPed two films in the Redstones: September and Your Way Home, which won 2nd place!  Congrats Trevor!  (Though we are all still extremely jealous of you for getting to go to Italy)

Too bad Trevor didn’t make a weird animal impression face.  Next time…

Canon EOS 7D w/ 20mm lens, f/2.8, 400 ISO, 1/10th sec, 20mm

And finally, a picture of Zack and Dimitri accepting their award for Salty Dogs.  I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Zack dressed the way he always does and when I told him that afterward he said “I didn’t think we were gonna win anything!”  So humble.  They should have known better– 22,500 hits on Vimeo says something about the quality of their film.

Canon EOS 7D w/ 20mm lens, f/8, 1600 ISO, 1/25th sec, 20mm

Congrats to all the 2011 Redstone Winners and Nominees.  Keep up the good work!