Work continues on delivering nearly 800 VFX shots for our summer release. We have 6 weeks remaining in our schedule and about 650 shots yet to deliver. This is the point in almost every project that requires us to rely on blind faith. Blind faith that a) delivery of the shots will not affect any other departments and b) that they look good enough to put into the film. It’s a race to the finish line!
I’ve been on this picture since December, yet most of the players have been involved at least 14 months. It’s interesting to see the levels of trust and comfort tested as difficult issues are presented almost daily. Our director is generally mild mannered and handles the amount of work with respectable knowledge and a keen memory. His patience is being tested and we are all holding our breath that the planets align and everything magically comes together in the final hour. He had to raise his concern to a higher level last week, which was completely warranted, yet knowing his generally stable demeanor, I felt for him, knowing what a drain it is to yell at people you generally like and are dependent upon.
The scope of work has been distributed amongst several vendors. Our main vendor is finalizing look development and animation on many scenes. Once approved, the shots will begin rendering and soon we’ll be living in the screening room, with the director approving each shot, one by one. They have about 450 shots to go. The smaller vendors are in varying states of delivering VFX shots. Less concern about these, which is why it’s not a bad idea to spread the work around.
In addition to finishing the VFX shots for the movie, we get side tracked with requests from marketing to accelerate shots for trailers and previews. At a certain point, the shots just can’t be rushed any further. I refer to the analogy that “you can’t speed up the delivery of a baby”, although I’m sure many a mother would like to! So, in these final weeks of the project, in addition to operating on blind faith, we are tracking multiple versions of the shots, making sure that nothing has fallen through the cracks.
The film previewed last night, and we’re hoping it’s the last one before we deliver, yet I suspect we’ll have one more round of challenges! Ahhh, the glamour of filmmaking!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Should I Stay or Should I Go
Working in the film industry provides many opportunities to travel, and throughout my career, I’ve experienced wonderful cities that I might not have otherwise. On one level, I love it; first class accommodations, tech scouts with key crew, experiencing productions with a slightly foreign twist, as well as tasting the local fare. Yet as the years go by, the emphasis has shifted from desiring work in foreign locations, to balancing the lifestyle I’ve established at home, because going on location essentially requires us to put our existing life “on hold”. When I was younger, I didn’t think twice about it.
Initially motivated by a personal health issue, my life in LALA-Land has evolved into weekly trips to the organic farmer’s market, vegetable juicing three times a week, and exercising five days a week. Maintaining this lifestyle is impossible while working on location, yet I know this routine has effectively minimized my trips to the doctors over the years.
In addition to maintaining my personal schedule, I have a husband who really needs me in his life. We’ve made the long distance thing work in the past, yet over the years I’m less and less comfortable leaving for long periods of time. We make the daily calls, yet after about four weeks, the daily chit-chat is harder to sustain and we really need to see each other. Sometimes we can accommodate a visit at the 4-week point, sometimes we can’t.
So after years of traveling for work, I have to ask myself at what price can I afford to be away for so long? And do I have a choice? It’s rare to find feature films shooting exclusively in the States, let alone in LA. My last project was perfect, four weeks shooting in Morocco, and the rest in LA! More recently, I told my contact at a studio that I was open to producing the VFX for post-production only, and within weeks, I was offered a post position on a large show located very close to home!
The lesson I’m learning here is that it helps to define my priorities and not be afraid to express them. There is a project looming on my horizon that may require travel to Ireland. The studio exec knows of my travel weariness, yet really wants me on board. In the spirit of trying to make things work, we’re talking about what would be ideal and we’ll see if we can make it work. I’m very appreciative of my long-term work relationships as it’s easier to broach this subject honestly.
So when presented a project that will take me away, I have much to consider. In these economic times, the answer may be determined by what’s in my checking account, yet with my priorities defined, I will attempt to make it a workable situation. Ideally, my working trips abroad will be of a shorter duration, and once completed, my husband and I will travel to exciting places together, in between projects!
Initially motivated by a personal health issue, my life in LALA-Land has evolved into weekly trips to the organic farmer’s market, vegetable juicing three times a week, and exercising five days a week. Maintaining this lifestyle is impossible while working on location, yet I know this routine has effectively minimized my trips to the doctors over the years.
In addition to maintaining my personal schedule, I have a husband who really needs me in his life. We’ve made the long distance thing work in the past, yet over the years I’m less and less comfortable leaving for long periods of time. We make the daily calls, yet after about four weeks, the daily chit-chat is harder to sustain and we really need to see each other. Sometimes we can accommodate a visit at the 4-week point, sometimes we can’t.
So after years of traveling for work, I have to ask myself at what price can I afford to be away for so long? And do I have a choice? It’s rare to find feature films shooting exclusively in the States, let alone in LA. My last project was perfect, four weeks shooting in Morocco, and the rest in LA! More recently, I told my contact at a studio that I was open to producing the VFX for post-production only, and within weeks, I was offered a post position on a large show located very close to home!
The lesson I’m learning here is that it helps to define my priorities and not be afraid to express them. There is a project looming on my horizon that may require travel to Ireland. The studio exec knows of my travel weariness, yet really wants me on board. In the spirit of trying to make things work, we’re talking about what would be ideal and we’ll see if we can make it work. I’m very appreciative of my long-term work relationships as it’s easier to broach this subject honestly.
So when presented a project that will take me away, I have much to consider. In these economic times, the answer may be determined by what’s in my checking account, yet with my priorities defined, I will attempt to make it a workable situation. Ideally, my working trips abroad will be of a shorter duration, and once completed, my husband and I will travel to exciting places together, in between projects!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
stealing time..
The last few weeks have been incredibly busy for me both personally and professionally. I am managing to steal a few minutes to catch my breath and update you on what is going on. In my last entry, I mentioned that I re-connected with an old friend who started up another visual effects company with foreign investors as partners. The company will be based in San Francisco and as well as India (which seems to be the trend in VFX these days) with the SF offices acting as the hub of the company. He’s been great about bringing me onboard and allowing me to maintain an office in Burbank! As of today, we are waiting for our funding to be completely in place so we can finalize the rest of our build out. It has been slow moving and frustrating at times but I can’t complain, I’m getting paid and I wrote a business plan for our investors, my first ever and it came out really well!! We are hoping the banks will finally approve the loan and we’ll be up and running shortly! The downtime has made me feel a little lethargic and out of touch with the business but then I hear from friends that things are slow out there, which I guess helps ease my guilty feelings! =)
On a more personal front, I am crazily getting ready for my upcoming wedding!! Yes, I know it’s all happening so fast since we just got engaged at the end of last year but we figured, why wait? We’re living together and practically married, all we need is to make it official. So we’re off to Maui in April to have a quiet and beautiful ceremony on the beach! Ahhhhhh.. can’t wait! Then we are throwing a party/reception two weeks later to celebrate with family and friends. It’s creeping up on me quickly. We found a great place for the party, ordered the invitations and just hired a DJ. Phew my list is getting shorter.. slowly!
On a more personal front, I am crazily getting ready for my upcoming wedding!! Yes, I know it’s all happening so fast since we just got engaged at the end of last year but we figured, why wait? We’re living together and practically married, all we need is to make it official. So we’re off to Maui in April to have a quiet and beautiful ceremony on the beach! Ahhhhhh.. can’t wait! Then we are throwing a party/reception two weeks later to celebrate with family and friends. It’s creeping up on me quickly. We found a great place for the party, ordered the invitations and just hired a DJ. Phew my list is getting shorter.. slowly!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Any Day Now
Well, it's been a busy few weeks. As I mentioned last time, my second child is due very soon. I actually thought I might already have him by the time I wrote this post. For various medical reasons, I will probably have the baby in the next few days, so we're now just waiting for his arrival. It's all very exciting. The past two weeks have been busy getting everything in order, packing our bags for the hospital, going to doctor's appointments, etc.
It's also been the final few weeks for me to take care of work before I take a few weeks off. Just barely in time, my partner and I received the first draft of the script on one of our projects. The writer has done a fantastic job. We've spent the last week reading and doing notes, then we had a series of 3 marathon notes sessions, both alone and with the writer. These lasted about 8 hours each day, but they were such productive meetings. We've finally sent the writer off to work on the second draft of the script. He'll have a few weeks of work before giving it back to us for another round of notes. You never know what to expect when the first draft comes in. Sometimes there's so much work to be done, it's impossible to know where to start. Other times, the writer gives you so much to work with, it's a pleasure to jump in and make those changes necessary to make it a movie. Although time consuming, it's been a fantastic process on this one.
We're continuing with the usual on our other projects--checking in with writers who are working, meeting with studio executives, looking for writers on a new project, among many other things that I won't get into here.
At home, my two year old daughter is so excited to become a big sister. We've been busy trying to get her registered for preschool next fall and putting together Valentine's cards for her class. Our dog, a boxer named Winston, is wondering what's going on, but he's a good sport about the whole thing.
I'm keeping this short, as there are quite a few things to do as we get ready to potentially have our baby tomorrow. I'm actually jumping on a conference call for work right now before finishing up everything else.
More soon...
It's also been the final few weeks for me to take care of work before I take a few weeks off. Just barely in time, my partner and I received the first draft of the script on one of our projects. The writer has done a fantastic job. We've spent the last week reading and doing notes, then we had a series of 3 marathon notes sessions, both alone and with the writer. These lasted about 8 hours each day, but they were such productive meetings. We've finally sent the writer off to work on the second draft of the script. He'll have a few weeks of work before giving it back to us for another round of notes. You never know what to expect when the first draft comes in. Sometimes there's so much work to be done, it's impossible to know where to start. Other times, the writer gives you so much to work with, it's a pleasure to jump in and make those changes necessary to make it a movie. Although time consuming, it's been a fantastic process on this one.
We're continuing with the usual on our other projects--checking in with writers who are working, meeting with studio executives, looking for writers on a new project, among many other things that I won't get into here.
At home, my two year old daughter is so excited to become a big sister. We've been busy trying to get her registered for preschool next fall and putting together Valentine's cards for her class. Our dog, a boxer named Winston, is wondering what's going on, but he's a good sport about the whole thing.
I'm keeping this short, as there are quite a few things to do as we get ready to potentially have our baby tomorrow. I'm actually jumping on a conference call for work right now before finishing up everything else.
More soon...
Ray Harryhausen, Grand Guru
Since my last posting, I’ve been to London and Paris, and am now home again. As with most of my trips to London, I’ve flown back with a nasty cold. It’s hard to escape since most everywhere you go in London, people seem to be coughing and hacking. I face each trip to London now with a mix of dread and worry for the inevitable cold I’m about to catch. (Yes, I’ve tried vitamins, Zicam, Airborne and Emergen-C).
Every few trips to London, my partner and I try to pay a visit to his childhood hero and inspiration, Ray Harryhausen. For thousands of visual effects artists, Ray Harryhausen’s work was the creative inspiration that got them into filmmaking. Ray influenced a generation of directors (among them Tim Burton, John Landis, Peter Jackson) and VFX Supervisors (Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Ken Ralston, just to name a few) with the fantastical worlds he created. At age 88, he still travels, writes books, goes on speaking tours to meet the legions of his fans around the world, and performs the role of emeritus effects guru.
I hate to admit that until I worked in visual effects, I had never heard of him. My film school education did not cover his brilliant work as most of his movies were not usually part of film school canon. Also, I was not a little girl who watched sci-fi or monster films. Without the benefit of having brothers or boy cousins, my exposure to Ray’s films were nil. So it wasn’t until a few years ago that I came to appreciate and admire the talents of this animation genius.
What is especially astounding is that Ray worked alone. All those frames of beautiful stop-motion were animated by his two hands. These days, it takes a team of 300 people to do what Ray did alone. So much for computers taking jobs away from humans! Ray built the armatures, sculpted, animated, lit and shot the models, while supervising the live action to work with his effects. Equal parts artist and technician, he also managed his own budget, thus adding VFX producer responsibilities to all of his other duties. So to call him a “guru” seems to be an understatement.
Ray seems amused by what the VFX field has become since the advent of computer technology. He’s also seen the landscape of filmmaking change drastically over the past five decades. A couple of hours with Ray, and I am graced with stories about what it was like to work with Bernie (that’s Bernard Herrmann to you and me), his experience shooting on location in The Alhambra in Granada, Spain (perhaps the last film production allowed within the citadel) and funny quips that illuminate what has (but also hasn’t) changed about the business. He is a living film history. As with all great professors, Ray is generous in sharing his passion and knowledge. I gain in two hours with Ray, what can be a whole semester’s worth of film history class. University Harryhausen is my favorite place in London.
As I’ve stated in an earlier blog, I never felt that my true calling was to work in visual effects. However, I am ever grateful for the detour. I’ve had a chance to work with some fantastically talented people who are passionate about their work. More importantly, I met the man who inspired them, the Grand Guru himself.
P.S. You can view highlights of Ray Harryhausen's work on YouTube.com.
Every few trips to London, my partner and I try to pay a visit to his childhood hero and inspiration, Ray Harryhausen. For thousands of visual effects artists, Ray Harryhausen’s work was the creative inspiration that got them into filmmaking. Ray influenced a generation of directors (among them Tim Burton, John Landis, Peter Jackson) and VFX Supervisors (Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, Ken Ralston, just to name a few) with the fantastical worlds he created. At age 88, he still travels, writes books, goes on speaking tours to meet the legions of his fans around the world, and performs the role of emeritus effects guru.
I hate to admit that until I worked in visual effects, I had never heard of him. My film school education did not cover his brilliant work as most of his movies were not usually part of film school canon. Also, I was not a little girl who watched sci-fi or monster films. Without the benefit of having brothers or boy cousins, my exposure to Ray’s films were nil. So it wasn’t until a few years ago that I came to appreciate and admire the talents of this animation genius.
What is especially astounding is that Ray worked alone. All those frames of beautiful stop-motion were animated by his two hands. These days, it takes a team of 300 people to do what Ray did alone. So much for computers taking jobs away from humans! Ray built the armatures, sculpted, animated, lit and shot the models, while supervising the live action to work with his effects. Equal parts artist and technician, he also managed his own budget, thus adding VFX producer responsibilities to all of his other duties. So to call him a “guru” seems to be an understatement.
Ray seems amused by what the VFX field has become since the advent of computer technology. He’s also seen the landscape of filmmaking change drastically over the past five decades. A couple of hours with Ray, and I am graced with stories about what it was like to work with Bernie (that’s Bernard Herrmann to you and me), his experience shooting on location in The Alhambra in Granada, Spain (perhaps the last film production allowed within the citadel) and funny quips that illuminate what has (but also hasn’t) changed about the business. He is a living film history. As with all great professors, Ray is generous in sharing his passion and knowledge. I gain in two hours with Ray, what can be a whole semester’s worth of film history class. University Harryhausen is my favorite place in London.
As I’ve stated in an earlier blog, I never felt that my true calling was to work in visual effects. However, I am ever grateful for the detour. I’ve had a chance to work with some fantastically talented people who are passionate about their work. More importantly, I met the man who inspired them, the Grand Guru himself.
P.S. You can view highlights of Ray Harryhausen's work on YouTube.com.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Getting Ready For Baby
There's three weeks to go until our baby is born, so I've been cramming in the meetings. I know I'll want to take a little time off once he arrives, although I'm sure the phone calls and emails will continue straight through. I enjoy it, so it'll be an interesting challenge. Once again, just finding the balance.
My producing partner and I now have three writers working on scripts for us. The first draft of the first one is supposed to come in this week. We're thrilled to be able to sit down and start working on the rewrite with him. It's a very commercial idea that we're excited to take out to studios. It's definitely weird timing in this tough market (with the potential SAG strike and the economic situation). It'll take some time to get the script in order, so we'll strategize about the best way to sell it once it's ready. The other two scripts are in earlier stages.
We recently teamed up with a director on another project. We found a writer who's interested in the idea. It's been a bit crazy trying to schedule a meeting, since the director spends weeks at a time out of the country. We're hoping to make this happen next week before he leaves again.
After meeting with quite a few agents this fall, we're now starting a round of meetings with studio executives. We're only going to be able to do a few before I have to take some time off, but it's been great to get out there and discuss our projects. Plus we have quite a few ideas that we still need to find writers for, so we've been reading tons of samples and reconnecting with writers we've worked with in the past.
At home, my two and half year old daughter just potty trained herself (woke up one day saying she wanted to wear her big girl panties). It's perfect timing just weeks before the new baby comes. I'm glad to have one out of diapers. Unfortunately, she's also getting in her last few teeth (2nd year molars), so it's been a very tough and fussy week. Between ballet class and preschool (2 mornings a week), we've been busy. My husband owns his own business, so he's been working hard through this tough economic time. We know the baby will bring big changes in the next few weeks, and we can't wait.
Between washing new baby clothes with fragrance-free detergent and decorating the nursery, I'm making business calls, setting lunches and reading scripts. There's never a dull moment. Right now, we only have a nanny one day a week, but my mother-in-law has been a good last minute babysitter when I need her. The two days my daughter is in preschool, I have time as well. I'm still lucky she takes a long afternoon nap, so it's work time every afternoon.
The day to day is lots of fun. I know it'll take some time to rework my schedule this spring, but we'll figure it out.
My producing partner and I now have three writers working on scripts for us. The first draft of the first one is supposed to come in this week. We're thrilled to be able to sit down and start working on the rewrite with him. It's a very commercial idea that we're excited to take out to studios. It's definitely weird timing in this tough market (with the potential SAG strike and the economic situation). It'll take some time to get the script in order, so we'll strategize about the best way to sell it once it's ready. The other two scripts are in earlier stages.
We recently teamed up with a director on another project. We found a writer who's interested in the idea. It's been a bit crazy trying to schedule a meeting, since the director spends weeks at a time out of the country. We're hoping to make this happen next week before he leaves again.
After meeting with quite a few agents this fall, we're now starting a round of meetings with studio executives. We're only going to be able to do a few before I have to take some time off, but it's been great to get out there and discuss our projects. Plus we have quite a few ideas that we still need to find writers for, so we've been reading tons of samples and reconnecting with writers we've worked with in the past.
At home, my two and half year old daughter just potty trained herself (woke up one day saying she wanted to wear her big girl panties). It's perfect timing just weeks before the new baby comes. I'm glad to have one out of diapers. Unfortunately, she's also getting in her last few teeth (2nd year molars), so it's been a very tough and fussy week. Between ballet class and preschool (2 mornings a week), we've been busy. My husband owns his own business, so he's been working hard through this tough economic time. We know the baby will bring big changes in the next few weeks, and we can't wait.
Between washing new baby clothes with fragrance-free detergent and decorating the nursery, I'm making business calls, setting lunches and reading scripts. There's never a dull moment. Right now, we only have a nanny one day a week, but my mother-in-law has been a good last minute babysitter when I need her. The two days my daughter is in preschool, I have time as well. I'm still lucky she takes a long afternoon nap, so it's work time every afternoon.
The day to day is lots of fun. I know it'll take some time to rework my schedule this spring, but we'll figure it out.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
What's in a Title?
An old friend from college asked me what the difference is between my former job (VFX Producer) and my current title (VFX Consultant). Well, the former title implies a steadier paycheck. As a consultant, I’m hired on an “as needed” basis. Sometimes this can mean stretches of unemployment while the studios are in full production mode and no scripts are on deck.
Despite the lack of steady income, the advantages for someone like me are many. I’m afforded regular work hours; gone are the 105-hours work weeks (which never paid overtime). Even though I loved going on locations for months at a time in my earlier career, it wreaked havoc on having a social life. It was very difficult to maintain friendships, and relationships proved even more challenging. Although you formed instant families with fellow crew and cast members, only a handful lasted through the years.
In my current life, I meet with directors in the very beginning stages of the filmmaking process. They’ve just landed a new job, are excited by the possibilities, and haven’t had their first fight with the studio rank over budgets, schedules, casting, etc. Sometimes the challenge lies in trying to give structure to creative visions that are still forming in the minds of the directors. But I love their enthusiasm at this stage. Some are open to suggestions and give everyone a “committee voice” in their creative process. George Miller works like a college professor--opening up dialogue to discuss everything with everyone. You are encouraged to voice your opinions and your suggestions aren’t limited to just your field of expertise. Other directors provide a clear vision of their film from day one. Jean-Pierre Jeunet sent very detailed storyboards to help me visualize the film he proposed to make. With painstaking detail, a shot-by-shot storyboard was photographed with maquettes, showing me a previsualized version of the movie on paper. The storyboards themselves were such works of art that I have kept them as a memento.
Pre-production can feel a bit more harried. The studios usually expect a more detailed budget although it’s still too early to have a solid idea of what the work will entail. Based on very loose knowledge, I break down the script and provide methodologies that I’ve discussed with the director and other department keys (Director of Photography, Production Designer, Visual Effects Supervisor, Costume Designer, Special Effects, Stunts, etc). I send out this VFX “blueprint” to prospective visual effects companies to bid the work. My overall budget incorporates an average of these bids, my best guess of the total scope of work, and a small contingency to cover potential pitfalls which always crop up during the production process. This is where previous producing experience proves invaluable.
It’s taken me a few years to recognize the other reason why I prefer this role over producing. During this early phase, there is a sense of open possibilities that inspires optimism. It’s the honeymoon phase. Once production starts, the compromises begin. The division between the business and creative sides become more evident. The challenge lies in helping the filmmakers achieve their desired visions -which at times grow grander during production and post production process- while remaining fiscally responsible to the studio. Sometimes it’s a daunting responsibility. Just ask anyone who has worked with Jim Cameron or Baz Luhrmann!
I know for some, this political balancing act is part of the stimulation. They thrive on being the diplomat whose capable contributions shepherd the films through the difficult political waters. I am not one of those people! I love being in the middle of a creative storm, not a political one. I’m much more comfortable figuring out a character’s motivation (“What are Superhero X’s true fears?”) over those of my colleagues and friends. So, perhaps it all comes down to this: Like Rodney King, I just want everyone to get along.
So there you have it. Why a woman gave up a good steady paycheck for the unstable world of consulting.
Despite the lack of steady income, the advantages for someone like me are many. I’m afforded regular work hours; gone are the 105-hours work weeks (which never paid overtime). Even though I loved going on locations for months at a time in my earlier career, it wreaked havoc on having a social life. It was very difficult to maintain friendships, and relationships proved even more challenging. Although you formed instant families with fellow crew and cast members, only a handful lasted through the years.
In my current life, I meet with directors in the very beginning stages of the filmmaking process. They’ve just landed a new job, are excited by the possibilities, and haven’t had their first fight with the studio rank over budgets, schedules, casting, etc. Sometimes the challenge lies in trying to give structure to creative visions that are still forming in the minds of the directors. But I love their enthusiasm at this stage. Some are open to suggestions and give everyone a “committee voice” in their creative process. George Miller works like a college professor--opening up dialogue to discuss everything with everyone. You are encouraged to voice your opinions and your suggestions aren’t limited to just your field of expertise. Other directors provide a clear vision of their film from day one. Jean-Pierre Jeunet sent very detailed storyboards to help me visualize the film he proposed to make. With painstaking detail, a shot-by-shot storyboard was photographed with maquettes, showing me a previsualized version of the movie on paper. The storyboards themselves were such works of art that I have kept them as a memento.
Pre-production can feel a bit more harried. The studios usually expect a more detailed budget although it’s still too early to have a solid idea of what the work will entail. Based on very loose knowledge, I break down the script and provide methodologies that I’ve discussed with the director and other department keys (Director of Photography, Production Designer, Visual Effects Supervisor, Costume Designer, Special Effects, Stunts, etc). I send out this VFX “blueprint” to prospective visual effects companies to bid the work. My overall budget incorporates an average of these bids, my best guess of the total scope of work, and a small contingency to cover potential pitfalls which always crop up during the production process. This is where previous producing experience proves invaluable.
It’s taken me a few years to recognize the other reason why I prefer this role over producing. During this early phase, there is a sense of open possibilities that inspires optimism. It’s the honeymoon phase. Once production starts, the compromises begin. The division between the business and creative sides become more evident. The challenge lies in helping the filmmakers achieve their desired visions -which at times grow grander during production and post production process- while remaining fiscally responsible to the studio. Sometimes it’s a daunting responsibility. Just ask anyone who has worked with Jim Cameron or Baz Luhrmann!
I know for some, this political balancing act is part of the stimulation. They thrive on being the diplomat whose capable contributions shepherd the films through the difficult political waters. I am not one of those people! I love being in the middle of a creative storm, not a political one. I’m much more comfortable figuring out a character’s motivation (“What are Superhero X’s true fears?”) over those of my colleagues and friends. So, perhaps it all comes down to this: Like Rodney King, I just want everyone to get along.
So there you have it. Why a woman gave up a good steady paycheck for the unstable world of consulting.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The New Paradigm
After a one-year hiatus, the universe has invited me into a new project, which on the surface, appears to be custom ordered. It’s local, it’s post only, and is pre-staffed with my favorite coordinator. The first week was devoted to deciphering the grid of everything from 700 VFX shots distributed amongst four vendors, to the political dynamics in the cutting room. This was followed by a week of shooting motion capture for shots I was just learning about. Truly a crash course, yet the producer on the picture requested that I lay low and just cover his back, and just about the time it started making sense, we took a two week hiatus for the holidays. Prior to the hiatus, my beloved cat let me know that he was not thrilled with the new schedule, and hence developed a “stress related urinary tract infection”.
As I hit the ground running in January, the truth of full time work revealed itself quite clearly. Although I’m not usually troubled with headaches, by the fourth day, my head was pounding, reaching down into my neck. I’m certain this was due to the system shock of full time days and forgetting to administer the caffeine early enough that particular day. Additionally, I place a fair amount of pressure on myself to sustain an exercise regime of five days a week, as well as juicing vegetables three times a week.
The following week, I paced accordingly, seeking balance with my husband to offer the needed support. He means well, and wants to do the right thing, yet he’s wrapped up in his own entrepreneurial start-up, and to get the help I need, I have to produce him as well. By the end of the second week, we seemed to have found a working groove.
As the home front gets balanced, the intricacies of the working dynamic are further revealed. Some folks are secure in their roles and some measure their successes by where they’re seated at a table. Needless to say, I sat in the wrong chair and have paid a price, yet I look at moments like these as insights into a player’s communication style and work with or around it to get my job done.
Every project I work on has a completely different personality. The demands of this project are very different in that I entered the project in post, and the producer of the film has been producing the VFX since the start of principal. He is still the main point person for many topics I’m accustomed to managing, hence I’m used to more responsibility and stress. We’ll see how this plays out, but for now, having adjusted to the daily working regime, I will enjoy the new paradigm as well filling up my savings account again.
As I hit the ground running in January, the truth of full time work revealed itself quite clearly. Although I’m not usually troubled with headaches, by the fourth day, my head was pounding, reaching down into my neck. I’m certain this was due to the system shock of full time days and forgetting to administer the caffeine early enough that particular day. Additionally, I place a fair amount of pressure on myself to sustain an exercise regime of five days a week, as well as juicing vegetables three times a week.
The following week, I paced accordingly, seeking balance with my husband to offer the needed support. He means well, and wants to do the right thing, yet he’s wrapped up in his own entrepreneurial start-up, and to get the help I need, I have to produce him as well. By the end of the second week, we seemed to have found a working groove.
As the home front gets balanced, the intricacies of the working dynamic are further revealed. Some folks are secure in their roles and some measure their successes by where they’re seated at a table. Needless to say, I sat in the wrong chair and have paid a price, yet I look at moments like these as insights into a player’s communication style and work with or around it to get my job done.
Every project I work on has a completely different personality. The demands of this project are very different in that I entered the project in post, and the producer of the film has been producing the VFX since the start of principal. He is still the main point person for many topics I’m accustomed to managing, hence I’m used to more responsibility and stress. We’ll see how this plays out, but for now, having adjusted to the daily working regime, I will enjoy the new paradigm as well filling up my savings account again.
Friday, January 16, 2009
The Bake-Off
Last night was the annual Visual Effects Bake-off. It seems to roll around faster every year! This is where the voting members of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' VFX branch meet to nominate the three Academy Award finalists for Best Visual Effects category. This year, 43 members of the steering committee narrowed the choice to seven, which were screened last night (highlight reels of the VFX work). The final three will be announced next week.
Dinner and drinks at Kate Mantilini before the Bake-off is a long-held tradition. Over the years, it’s transformed from a sit-down dinner to a buffet line. Years ago, one sat with colleagues, then could table hop to visit peers at other companies for those congratulatory (and sometimes self-congratulatory) greetings. Now it’s impossible to do more than ride the human wave toward the buffet line. Sardines in a can have more room! Then follows the challenge of trying to balance a plate full of food, a drink, and utensils, while trying to glad-hand, straining to hear and shouting to be heard above the din. I’m usually grateful when the lights go down for the first presentation.
Each reel is presented by their respective VFX teams and followed by a brief Q&A period. Over the years, we’ve seen a number of newcomers and fresh blood get the nominations. We’ve also come to know the presentation styles of repeat nominees and expect a certain "standard of performance". Last night, a director in attendance could’ve done a much bigger service to his film had be been able to present. In past years as a VFX supervisor, he used to give such hilarious and inspired presentations. Unfortunately, rules bar directors from introducing their own films, and this is strictly enforced thanks to a certain long-winded director who boldly unscrewed the red light bulb (and screwed us out of twenty minutes).
Each film is only allotted four nominees, so that makes a total of twelve people who get the coveted nod. They have a month of anticipation and anxiety, wondering if they’ll get a chance to be seen on TV by billions as they accept the Oscar. Whom to thank? No notebook lists here. Unlike Julia Roberts, these four guys can’t stop the orchestra from starting and cutting to commercial.
One former winner tells me that after his win, he and his team took their Oscars and gave an impromptu puppet show out their limo sunroof. I love this story because it captures the frivolity of the whole event. In a town where people live “Oscar season” every January through February, it’s good to know that it’s not taken so seriously by all. In fact I know that when most VFX professionals are toiling away at their craft, winning the Oscar is rarely their motivation. Art, technology, storytelling are key focus in producing great VFX. At times, that third ingredient has been missing. Thankfully this year, there seems to be one that has a potent combination of the three. We’ll see...anyone offering odds?
To all the VFX professionals on the production side of the divide, your tireless dedication and contributions do not go unnoticed. You are the backbone that made possible all the work seen last night. Kudos and hats off to you!
Dinner and drinks at Kate Mantilini before the Bake-off is a long-held tradition. Over the years, it’s transformed from a sit-down dinner to a buffet line. Years ago, one sat with colleagues, then could table hop to visit peers at other companies for those congratulatory (and sometimes self-congratulatory) greetings. Now it’s impossible to do more than ride the human wave toward the buffet line. Sardines in a can have more room! Then follows the challenge of trying to balance a plate full of food, a drink, and utensils, while trying to glad-hand, straining to hear and shouting to be heard above the din. I’m usually grateful when the lights go down for the first presentation.
Each reel is presented by their respective VFX teams and followed by a brief Q&A period. Over the years, we’ve seen a number of newcomers and fresh blood get the nominations. We’ve also come to know the presentation styles of repeat nominees and expect a certain "standard of performance". Last night, a director in attendance could’ve done a much bigger service to his film had be been able to present. In past years as a VFX supervisor, he used to give such hilarious and inspired presentations. Unfortunately, rules bar directors from introducing their own films, and this is strictly enforced thanks to a certain long-winded director who boldly unscrewed the red light bulb (and screwed us out of twenty minutes).
Each film is only allotted four nominees, so that makes a total of twelve people who get the coveted nod. They have a month of anticipation and anxiety, wondering if they’ll get a chance to be seen on TV by billions as they accept the Oscar. Whom to thank? No notebook lists here. Unlike Julia Roberts, these four guys can’t stop the orchestra from starting and cutting to commercial.
One former winner tells me that after his win, he and his team took their Oscars and gave an impromptu puppet show out their limo sunroof. I love this story because it captures the frivolity of the whole event. In a town where people live “Oscar season” every January through February, it’s good to know that it’s not taken so seriously by all. In fact I know that when most VFX professionals are toiling away at their craft, winning the Oscar is rarely their motivation. Art, technology, storytelling are key focus in producing great VFX. At times, that third ingredient has been missing. Thankfully this year, there seems to be one that has a potent combination of the three. We’ll see...anyone offering odds?
To all the VFX professionals on the production side of the divide, your tireless dedication and contributions do not go unnoticed. You are the backbone that made possible all the work seen last night. Kudos and hats off to you!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The 3 Ds for 2009
The new year promises to bring new adventures and opportunities, and I’m ready! After spending the past few years taking small steps to make a career transition, I feel a sense of readiness that escaped me in the past. It’s strange that during this time of economic uncertainty, I am finally able to muster the courage to take the final leap...or perhaps it helped push me to it?
I’m one of the fortunate few who made their break into the film business quite easily after film school. With that came some downsides; rather than choosing the path, it often felt like my career path chose me. Although my artistic interests were in small independent films (Cassavetes is my hero), I earned my paychecks on large visual effects movies...the popcorn films I never watched! Happy to have the opportunities to work with top talents in my field, I nonetheless felt that my true calling in the business lay elsewhere.
During the past several years, I’ve slowly eased myself away from visual effects production, focusing instead on short-term jobs like budgets and script breakdowns. Assessing the scope of visual effects work is nearly impossible in the beginning stages--one never knows what the work will actually entail until principle photography is completed. A best educated guess of methodology, based on the director’s stated vision (and sometimes storyboards) is the “solid” foundation upon which millions of dollars get budgeted. As a consultant, it is my job to assess the potential pitfalls and build in enough contingencies so that the filmmakers’ visions can be realized. The studios for whom I worked don’t always see it that way. The age old battle between money and art!
This battle also played out on a personal scale. When the yearning for creative expression started to take precedence over financial security, I felt excitement and fear. How great to feel inspired again! The joy that accompanies my creative endeavors can never be matched by a paycheck. Yet, the fear as you watch your savings account dwindle can throw you into panic mode. Mastering that fear is the first step; it’s taken me a few years.
Some people find a working balance and a lucky few find success in pursuing their art. I’m fortunate that my partner is a shining example of someone who pursued his artistic passion and was awarded with great success. The key seems to be the three Ds: desire, drive, and dedication.
So I begin 2009 with a great desire to find and develop projects that are close to my heart. I have a feeling that my passion for photography, my newly re-discovered joy of editing (hooray for Final Cut), and my drive to help make this world a healthier and more sustainable place will all come together. Ideas abound but now comes the challenge of turning them into reality. I am fortunate that the skills I acquired through my sixteen years in production will help me navigate this next adventure. New challenges and battles lie ahead...and I’m ready!
I’m one of the fortunate few who made their break into the film business quite easily after film school. With that came some downsides; rather than choosing the path, it often felt like my career path chose me. Although my artistic interests were in small independent films (Cassavetes is my hero), I earned my paychecks on large visual effects movies...the popcorn films I never watched! Happy to have the opportunities to work with top talents in my field, I nonetheless felt that my true calling in the business lay elsewhere.
During the past several years, I’ve slowly eased myself away from visual effects production, focusing instead on short-term jobs like budgets and script breakdowns. Assessing the scope of visual effects work is nearly impossible in the beginning stages--one never knows what the work will actually entail until principle photography is completed. A best educated guess of methodology, based on the director’s stated vision (and sometimes storyboards) is the “solid” foundation upon which millions of dollars get budgeted. As a consultant, it is my job to assess the potential pitfalls and build in enough contingencies so that the filmmakers’ visions can be realized. The studios for whom I worked don’t always see it that way. The age old battle between money and art!
This battle also played out on a personal scale. When the yearning for creative expression started to take precedence over financial security, I felt excitement and fear. How great to feel inspired again! The joy that accompanies my creative endeavors can never be matched by a paycheck. Yet, the fear as you watch your savings account dwindle can throw you into panic mode. Mastering that fear is the first step; it’s taken me a few years.
Some people find a working balance and a lucky few find success in pursuing their art. I’m fortunate that my partner is a shining example of someone who pursued his artistic passion and was awarded with great success. The key seems to be the three Ds: desire, drive, and dedication.
So I begin 2009 with a great desire to find and develop projects that are close to my heart. I have a feeling that my passion for photography, my newly re-discovered joy of editing (hooray for Final Cut), and my drive to help make this world a healthier and more sustainable place will all come together. Ideas abound but now comes the challenge of turning them into reality. I am fortunate that the skills I acquired through my sixteen years in production will help me navigate this next adventure. New challenges and battles lie ahead...and I’m ready!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Finding Balance
In 1999, I moved out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in producing. After putting in a year as an agent’s assistant at Creative Artists Agency. I was hired as an assistant to the President of Scott Free, Ridley Scott and Tony Scott’s production company. Little did I know, I would stay with the company for the next six years, getting promoted to Creative Executive, Director of Development and finally Vice President. What an experience! It was incredible working for two talented directors, and the contacts I made were invaluable. What did I do while there…well, the typical development executive spends a large amount of time reading scripts and books, talking to agents and managers about filling writing assignments, submitting material to studios, among many, many other things. I worked on a number of projects, some with Ridley and Tony attached as directors. The first book I brought into the company was In Her Shoes, which became the Curtis Hansen directed film. I was excited to receive a Co-Producer credit on this movie. Several years later, in the fall of 2005, I had the amazing opportunity to spend several months in France on the set of A Good Year, which Ridley directed (I also received a Co-Producer credit for this film).
About five months before going to the set of A Good Year, I married my husband Frank. At the time, we had been together for five years, so we were very eager to start a family (we’d love to have 3 to 4 kids!). I got pregnant with my daughter the month I returned from France. I worked throughout the pregnancy, but when my daughter came in July of 2006, I faced the difficult decision of what to do with my career. I took about five months off, and during that time, I realized that I didn’t want to spend the long hours at the office and my nights and weekends reading thousands of scripts. It was perfect timing because I had brought in another project called The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Wolf Brother. This was set up at Fox 2000, and at the time, we had Catherine Hardwicke attached to direct. I was able to leave Scott Free, while staying on board as a producer of that project. We were trying to get the film off the ground in early 2007, so things were quite busy at the time, but unfortunately, the looming strike made that difficult (we’re now still working to get the film made). Over the next few months, things slowed down and I missed being more involved in the business. I made the decision to produce on my own, but this can be an uphill battle.
In July of 2008, I partnered with another producer, and we started our own company. In the past six months we’ve begun developing a number of projects. We have writers working on various scripts, which we’ll be taking to the studios starting this spring. I won’t go into detail, but it has been the perfect transition for me. Although it takes time to establish yourself as a producer, we have a number of projects in the works. My partner is also a mother, so we both understand (or try to!) how to balance life as a mother, wife and producer. This change has given me the opportunity to make my career exactly what I want it to be, while still spending time with my daughter.
I am actually now pregnant with my second child, a boy this time. He’s due on February 18th, so it will definitely be an adjustment when it comes to my schedule. We’re so excited to be adding to our family, and at the same time, I’m thrilled with how I’ve finally managed to transition my career into something that really works for my life.
I could go on and on about the successes and challenges of balancing both, but we’ll save that for another day.
About five months before going to the set of A Good Year, I married my husband Frank. At the time, we had been together for five years, so we were very eager to start a family (we’d love to have 3 to 4 kids!). I got pregnant with my daughter the month I returned from France. I worked throughout the pregnancy, but when my daughter came in July of 2006, I faced the difficult decision of what to do with my career. I took about five months off, and during that time, I realized that I didn’t want to spend the long hours at the office and my nights and weekends reading thousands of scripts. It was perfect timing because I had brought in another project called The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness: Wolf Brother. This was set up at Fox 2000, and at the time, we had Catherine Hardwicke attached to direct. I was able to leave Scott Free, while staying on board as a producer of that project. We were trying to get the film off the ground in early 2007, so things were quite busy at the time, but unfortunately, the looming strike made that difficult (we’re now still working to get the film made). Over the next few months, things slowed down and I missed being more involved in the business. I made the decision to produce on my own, but this can be an uphill battle.
In July of 2008, I partnered with another producer, and we started our own company. In the past six months we’ve begun developing a number of projects. We have writers working on various scripts, which we’ll be taking to the studios starting this spring. I won’t go into detail, but it has been the perfect transition for me. Although it takes time to establish yourself as a producer, we have a number of projects in the works. My partner is also a mother, so we both understand (or try to!) how to balance life as a mother, wife and producer. This change has given me the opportunity to make my career exactly what I want it to be, while still spending time with my daughter.
I am actually now pregnant with my second child, a boy this time. He’s due on February 18th, so it will definitely be an adjustment when it comes to my schedule. We’re so excited to be adding to our family, and at the same time, I’m thrilled with how I’ve finally managed to transition my career into something that really works for my life.
I could go on and on about the successes and challenges of balancing both, but we’ll save that for another day.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Change is good!
They say “change is good” and 2008 was definitely all about changes. The first few months of 2008, I found myself in a state of uncertainty with my job at New Line. Time Warner our parent company, had major changes in store for us, the biggest was Founder Bob Shaye’s departure and that many departments would be folded into Warner Bros. There were so many emotions flying through our offices from the time they made the announcement to the moment we were told that 90% of the staff would be laid off. Fun times!
Needless to say, our department was one of the many that was dissolved. There is no real way to explain it but I was completely bummed. I absolutely loved working at New Line. It was the first job I had that I just thoroughly enjoyed. The group of people I worked with are great and my boss was awesome. Although I represented the studio side of filmmaking, I was able to establish strong relationships with the producers, directors, vfx supervisors/producers and vendors. Of course there were stressful times. I basically oversaw all the films in every stage of production and made sure we stayed within budget and on schedule, which is no easy feat!
It was also the perfect job to have if you have a family. I have a six year old daughter, Ella and I was able to be home at a decent time and not have to travel too much. My options for a new job were limited to ones that were in Los Angeles. Going freelance as a VFX Producer was not my first choice since it would most likely take me out of the country for months at a time. I did receive a few offers but they were out of town gigs and I just could not imagine leaving Ella for that long. I know plenty of women do it and I am amazed at how they manage! As my last day at New Line was fast approaching and I had yet to find another gig and I was stressed! I have always worked since I graduated college and had only taken five months off when I had Ella. I felt enormous pressure (self-imposed) to find the right job!!
I’m not sure if everyone goes through this when they find themselves without a job, but the first Monday after my last day of work, I woke up and didn’t know what to do with myself. I went on a cleaning and organizing rampage at home! I even attempted, unsuccessfully to organize the garage but gave up after one blistering, hot hour!! By the following week, I decided to just chill out and enjoy the time off, I mean how often would this ever happen to have time off(hopefully not too often!) So I did! Ella had just started summer break and was taking swim class, which I was happy to take her, which I would never have gotten to do and had lunches and shopped (even though I shouldn’t have!) with my girlfriends. It was great to just relax but at the same time, I kept looking without having the pressure to find something right away.
Eventually, I reconnected with an old friend who owned a visual effects company in the Bay Area. He was starting another company and was looking for an Executive Producer/Business Development. The position sounded interesting since it was in the beginning stages and I would be able to influence the way we formed the company AND it helped that they were cool with me staying in L.A .
Oh! I also recently got engaged so that is something new and exciting as well!! (More on that too!!)..until then Happy New Year!
-Mimi
Needless to say, our department was one of the many that was dissolved. There is no real way to explain it but I was completely bummed. I absolutely loved working at New Line. It was the first job I had that I just thoroughly enjoyed. The group of people I worked with are great and my boss was awesome. Although I represented the studio side of filmmaking, I was able to establish strong relationships with the producers, directors, vfx supervisors/producers and vendors. Of course there were stressful times. I basically oversaw all the films in every stage of production and made sure we stayed within budget and on schedule, which is no easy feat!
It was also the perfect job to have if you have a family. I have a six year old daughter, Ella and I was able to be home at a decent time and not have to travel too much. My options for a new job were limited to ones that were in Los Angeles. Going freelance as a VFX Producer was not my first choice since it would most likely take me out of the country for months at a time. I did receive a few offers but they were out of town gigs and I just could not imagine leaving Ella for that long. I know plenty of women do it and I am amazed at how they manage! As my last day at New Line was fast approaching and I had yet to find another gig and I was stressed! I have always worked since I graduated college and had only taken five months off when I had Ella. I felt enormous pressure (self-imposed) to find the right job!!
I’m not sure if everyone goes through this when they find themselves without a job, but the first Monday after my last day of work, I woke up and didn’t know what to do with myself. I went on a cleaning and organizing rampage at home! I even attempted, unsuccessfully to organize the garage but gave up after one blistering, hot hour!! By the following week, I decided to just chill out and enjoy the time off, I mean how often would this ever happen to have time off(hopefully not too often!) So I did! Ella had just started summer break and was taking swim class, which I was happy to take her, which I would never have gotten to do and had lunches and shopped (even though I shouldn’t have!) with my girlfriends. It was great to just relax but at the same time, I kept looking without having the pressure to find something right away.
Eventually, I reconnected with an old friend who owned a visual effects company in the Bay Area. He was starting another company and was looking for an Executive Producer/Business Development. The position sounded interesting since it was in the beginning stages and I would be able to influence the way we formed the company AND it helped that they were cool with me staying in L.A .
Oh! I also recently got engaged so that is something new and exciting as well!! (More on that too!!)..until then Happy New Year!
-Mimi
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