More Information

So I feel like I have been talking your ears off about production and post production of Voicebox but I have not really given you any information on what this film is even about. Well the short of the film is this is a coming of age/love story between a high school couple. This isn't a typical boy + girl couple it is a story of two young women who find love and also they are in a world where no one can talk. I don't want to give away the whole movie but it is a strong drama that involves the interactions and lives these two girls have.

Originally the film was designed to be a story of a boy and a girl stuck in this world without voices but after my casted male actor dropped out I looked to my backup which was my girlfriend Ashley. After letting everyone know the changes and whether they were comfortable or not we moved on with the film. However, after the first day of filming my other female lead dropped out and so we were fortunate enough to cast another actress (Ashley Golden) and keep the film alive. After the obstacles and changes I think what has come out actually is stronger than my original envisionment. Sometimes even the worst problems sprout the best changes and the case of this film that is 100% true.

I hope this helps you to understand the film and to be even more excited to check it out when it is all done.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Video Portion Done

So the video portion of Voicebox is all done and it is almost exactly 14 minutes long before credits. I finally finished the first rough cut up and it looks pretty sweet and the prom scene which I thought may have been a total disaster didn't look half bad once it was all cut up. I think it has an emotional impact and it has a very compelling story that is simple yet complicated with each of the main characters lives being filled with large issues. To me it feels like a feature but plays as a short film which I think is what every short film strives for. It certainly doesn't look like a student film at all, it looks like a professional production! So I am excited I hope everyone else is excited, I can't wait to show it off to the world. I want to have a big screening for it!

Other news today, after going back to work yesterday for the first time in a while I think I came to a nice consensus with myself. I have decided to go with the route of only working three days a week at work (Mon., Tues., Weds.) and then having the rest of the week off to focus on film work and also booking other gigs. In the end I won't be working as much, but can still get something in the form of a steady paycheck and then at the same time commit enough energy to my film work. I am also selling all my video game stuff which I sold my Dreamcast + games today for $50 so I am happy.

Oh finally I wanted to say that I officially can not stand the way my immediate family (father and mother) view this film stuff. I was going into work yesterday and you would have thought that I was going off to my new job as a lawyer or something. My mom was so happy telling me to have fun and crap but when I tell her I am doing a film or even show her footage from this awesome project she shows no emotion and doesn't even seem to care. I mean I work a dead end job cleaning pots right now she shouldn't be cheering for me to even go to this craphole but yet she is.

Sorry I got off on a rant today but trust me I am in a great mood today!

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Rough Cut 1

Well I got through an initial rough cut of Voicebox and showed it to my professor yesterday and he really liked it. He felt like the pacing was on spot and it looked very professional which is what I have been striving for with this film. I did not get a whole rough cut just the first 9 minutes of the film but so far it is coming together nicely.

Today I cleaned up some of the rough spots in the initial edit and also changed a few things around to make it make more sense. In addition I almost got to be a DP today on a set but apparently the client backed out last minute so I wasn't able to go (it would have been paid too). Anyway, I talked a guy about the possibility of doing some commercial work which would be paid and I hope that can work out. Also, I am going to try to go up to the flea market tomorrow to start selling all my junk, I am hoping to clean up house to have room for my growing film supplies. I am also working with my cousin to try to get some inexpensive shirts made so I can start handing them out/selling them to people.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

I Have Been Giving it a Lot of Thought

Well I have been thinking about it a lot and I think  I am going to put my two weeks in at work on May 4th. I have been working there since about 2007 I think and in that time have gained a lot of experience and skills that will serve me well in life. However, I just can't see myself moving forward with this job after I graduate, I mean I clean dishes/pots/pans for hours on end, that is pathetic. I am someone who is trying to become a director, I need something better to do with my time. Eventually I would like to become a professor of film but for now I just want to find something else to do with my time. I am going to push a lot harder to work on this freelance stuff but other than that I may just have to find a new day job (one that is not anywhere near a kitchen). After taking all this time off from work I see the true love for film I have, I mean even a shitty day filming still beats a great day at work because at work nothing is truly a great day. My work just is filled with kids and that is the way they treat everyone, I am not a kid anymore so it is my turn to grow up and be an adult. I don't know where to go from here but it is time for me to take that plunge.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Editing Has Begun

Well now that everything is all done on Voicebox the process of editing the film together is underway. Last night I officially started the editing and things are coming together rather nicely. The film I would say is about halfway done and it is a little over 7 minutes long so far, which is great. I hope the final product will be around 15 minutes but that is a lot to shoot for. If it ends up over 10 minutes I will be happy though. The shots all look amazing and that is before color grading so I am very happy, it is usually the other way around at this point which is a nice change of pace. The biggest obstacle with this film is going to be sound, I can already say it is going to a be a beast just because I need to foley the majority of it, then mix the sound in evenly. I am not saying I am lazy but I tend to start taking liberties with sound when it becomes too difficult, just saying. However things are right on track.

In other news I submitted Kane Mayfield - Hello! and Love is Undead to the Towson Media Arts Festival this year and hopefully I will be able to place with one of these videos. I wish I could submit Voicebox but the limit is 10 minutes for submission and also it will not be done in time to submit by noon tomorrow it is safe to say. It is ok though I have plans for this short that reach beyond the University so that is where my aim is. Wish me luck though in the festival this year, it always gets me so nervous.

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess

Voicebox Final Day Photos

These are the behind the scenes photos from Voicebox filming day 3 (final day of filming). It was a great shoot that had some ups and downs but I think for what it is worth it could not have gone any better. Thanks again to Scott Loraditch for taking these great photos. Enjoy!

Thanks for the support,
Daniel Hess