“Inland Empire” was breathtaking for so many reasons. “El Topo” was incredible, I need to go back and see “Holy Mountain” as well. “The Steel Helmet” was a total surprise at how great it was for such a low budget, and finding out that the majority was shot in a L.A. city park was mind-blowing.

The last film I saw in a theatre was “I Am Legend”, which was kind of a letdown. I plan on seeing “We Own the Night” at Billy Joe’s over the weekend.

I still have “The Fountain” to watch, as well as some Roger Corman I picked up at Half Price Books (more lessons on Low Budget Filmmaking!)

Still contemplating a future project. Really want to write a screenplay adaptation of LeMoine’s “Babylon by Bus”, even though I have yet to read the book in full. I’m suprised no one’s jumped on this–the book got mixed reviews, and I haven’t seen anything on an adaptation by searching Google and Wikipedia. (Actually, I just read an article that says Mel Gibson is producing a six-hour miniseries based on the book for USA Network. This was, however, over a year ago.) I think this approach to covering the war and occupation has a lot of potential for a successful movie: moreso that the glut of “important films” that have come out in the last year. Audiences may have a better reaction to a movie focusing on ‘regular guys’ that ‘the troops’ or ‘politicians’.

Also still kicking around the “Shirley Lock” play idea, as well as reshooting “Brutality” as a 15 minute short to shop at Film Festivals; I love this movie, concept and cast–it just needs a little tweaking, and maybe more time and better equipment.

Another project in the works in a old-fashioned “Republic Pictures”-style serial for YouTube. This would basically be “Flash Gordon” with different characters, but a lot of the same concept. Rocketships and rayguns, costumes, the whole thing. It would be a total of 12 5-7 minute episodes, which is easier to budget for and shoot. People really seem to like this concept when I pitch it to them, so we’ll see how that comes out; I think it would be pretty successful if done right–especially since the new “Flash Gordon” series on SciFi is kind of a dud (IMO).

I guess that’s all for now. Check out the Panchira Pictures group on Facebook, and ask me for a sticker if you see me.

Larry

“BFF” fell apart shortly after the script was done.  I have no good excuse.  Maybe in the spring, Kira can get her posse together and we can do it.  I personally love the story and the concept and hope it gets done.

I’ve been watching a lot of Republic serials (Flash Gordon, Undersea Kingdom, Ace Drummond, et al) lately, and I still want to do something like this for YouTube.  A lovely lady on Livejournal, who designs clothes, props and jewelry, proposed the same thing recently.  I’ve offered to work up a treatment for her.  We’ll see how that goes.

Over Halloween, I was fortunate to meet Tommy Wilhelm, who is a genius with make-up and liquid latex.  I’m sure he’ll be a secret weapon of ours in the future.

As you can see, there’s lots of good stuff bubbling under the surface.  Stick around.

L

“Nah.”  Chuckles Larry, drawing on his cigar. “I was a little worried about that myself, but after a couple of meetings with Kira and watching the documentary, ‘Going to Pieces’ about the history of the slasher movie, I was totally pumped to do it.”

Larry has referred to this to others as his “Solo Album”; “Dave will probably be around the set and do some camera work, but I’ve pretty much taken on the shooting, directing, and scoring, with collaboration from Kira, of course.”  He considers this for a moment, “I guess it’s less ’solo album’ than ’side project’.”

“BFF” will also feature the newest “Panchira player”, Lyra Halsten.

Despite the low budget and short shooting time (he’d like to have it all shot in one day), Larry also wants to submit this to “A Night of Horror”, a horror film competition and festival in Sydney to take place next year.

In other news, Larry will be directing one of a series of 4 one-act plays premiering at the 4th Street Theatre in Des Moines.   Performances will be October 16, 17, 23, and 24.  Tickets are available through iowatix.com and are $12, but keep in mind you see 4 plays and the actors and director get a cut of the gate.

That’s all for now!

 A couple weeks ago, Kira pitched me a slasher/horror film she wanted to make with her friends in time for Halloween.  She would provide the cast, the fake blood and the location if I would write, shoot, edit and direct.  She would get a movie to show at Halloween parties and on YouTube, I would get to make another film with almost no hassles about casting, and hopefully her and her friends would generate enough hits on YouTube Panchira Pictures would get some much-needed recognition.

Kira is a girl I met during the open casting for the 48 Hour Film Project.  She wanted a job picking music for movies.  Rather than explaining that we don’t use licensed music, I talked to her more about movies she liked.  She has a definite love for horror films.

She has made short films on her own: most notably, Death Nose , but since she missed out on the 48HFP due to legal troubles, she wanted to make this a Panchira Production as an opportunity to work with Dave and I.

The basic idea seems to be an 80’s-type slasher flick:  Kira has all the sexy young girls, and a couple guys, we have a killer, we have a woodsy setting.  I’ve taken those ideas and ran with them and have what I think is a really kick-ass horror script. 

 Proposed day for shooting (that’s right, 1 day) is October 6th. 

Check back here for updates.

 L

Something else in the works is a series of short comedy sketches that will either be put on YouTube/Google or be shown as part of a future Comedy Co-op performance. This is still in the talking stage. I guess the thought of no more Human Giant until next year makes us restless…

I had some definite goals for this year’s film: I watched the 2005 Best of City Screener recently and noticed that all of the movies looked the same in one respect or another.  I wanted our movie to look different, and apparently we paid the price.

We take great pride in our editing: I believe there are more edits in Tale of the Toe than in all the other 48 Hour Films of that year combined.  Most 48 hour flicks are very static–even the obligatory chase scene is shot with very little camera movement.  I made sure there were no tripods on the set to prevent that look.  Dave and I even made sure there was a long tracking shot to keep the action moving.

All the other movies are almost unnaturally well lit, we used all natural lighting and got a nice gritty feel in the basement scene.  We also tried some innovative camera techniques to make things look more brutal, if you will.

Although I wrote the script and the film was shot in chronological order, I made a commitment to the reverse-timeline structure.  This may have also been a mistake as far as the Judging went.  I still stand behind my decision, but realize that some people may not get it.

It would seem to me, from watching the finalists on YouTube, that the organizers of the 48 Hour Film Project seem to have an idea of the type of film they want; it is also clear that we are not going to make that movie.

In addition, if you look at other Film Festivals, The 48 Hour Film Project is a very expensive proposition.   Most Film Fest entry fees are much lower, and we can take as long as we like to shoot and get it right.

There are various issues I have with selective enforcement of the rules on the part of the judges, and the fact that an out-of-state professional video production company comes here instead of Chicago to play big fish in a small pond, but not right now.  I have plays to direct, screenplays to write, and films to submit.

The required elements were as follows:

• Character: John or Juanita Shold, Tourist
• Prop: Business card
• Line: “If at first you don’t succeed…you know the rest.”

It is likely that this will be the last time we ever associate ourselves with the 48 Hour Film Project.

BRUTALITY hits 48 Hour Film Project

“Brutality”, the second film from David Jayne and Larry Enos’s Panchira Pictures, will have its
World Premiere at the 48 Hour Film Festival, Fleur Cinema and Cafe 4545 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, Iowa
August 2, 2007.

The film, their first foray into the horror genre, has been a hit with test audiences and the trailer is a web sensation.  This is the final test for the film: the audiences and jury of the 48 Hour Film Festival.

There is some additional buzz since it was whispered last week that David won’t do another 48 Hour Film.

“Ah, he says that stuff every year.” Larry said, puffing on his ever-present cigar, “YOU sit in that room for 14 hours with no sleep and see how much you like it.”

Larry chuckled and added, “By the time I came out to cut the trailer, he was excited again.”

Larry also took the time to talk about the anticipated DVD release.
“Just like Soderbergh’s ‘Bubble’.” He laughed, “We’re not going to wait.”

Billed as “The Unrelenting Edition”, it will be a 2 disc set, including the following:

Disc 1
“Brutality” The Film
*Letterboxed
*Captioned in English and French
*Commentaries by Director David Jayne, Screenwriter Lawrence A. Enos, Jr, “Pretentious Euro-Commentary”,and a special commentary by the cast and crew drunk.
*Special “Fan Service” Reel
*”Larry’s Less Confusing Cut” of the film

Disc 2
*”The Syrup Diaries” Making Of Documentary
*Photo Gallery
*”The Juice Affair”
*The first short,”Tale of the Toe”
*David and Larry’s long lost student films: “Faith” and “One Cup Too Many”

Fleur Cinema & Cafe
4545 Fleur Dr
Des Moines, IA 50321
(515) 287-4545

August 2, 2007
7:00pm and 9:15pm
Tickets: $8.00 (for ~20 short films)

Please come to the show and vote for Brutality, by Panchira Pictures.