*Updates*

Beyond Belief: Honeymoon at Burning Man

For Frequently Asked Questions go HERE.

LATEST NEWS!!

December 2008

Sat 12/6/08 3:27am

Sent Noj the new "Beyond Belief: Honeymoon at Burning Man" film logo I spent all night creating from a page of hand-drawn and scanned elements and old version software on an old model laptop. Applied it to the site and will feature it in the films opening credits.

November

Two-more rounds of private screenings have been instrumental in streamlining and cohesiveness! Included in the test audiences were screenwriters, animators and DVD authors. The good news is the feedback has been positive and the notes amazingly helpful. The bad news is that it means a lot more work for me! But anything for the film! I gave up my personal comfort long ago when I switched my diet from tasty food to cheap.

October

Hand-off complete! I was able to get the latest version to Noj so that he may shop it around and get some investor help to finish up the score. He also gave me three more CDs of music in case I can spot any more scenes that can use a song fragment. He expects to be able to meet with his first investor later this week. Here's hoping!

August 26

Noj may have found an investor to help us complete the score and release the film, but another viewing is called for and with the current system and software that will require a re-edit (some things didn't come through intact). So it's back to the drawing board again...sometimes I wonder if this is my Hell...

June 21

DJ Noj tells me that the laptop he's been composing the score on isn't cutting it, but he has secured a nicer system (a friend's--"beg/borrow/steal" is what it always comes down to!) to work on--so the kindness of strangers (and friends) saves us once again!

May 31

DJ Noj came to look at the latest draft and we spent the day deciding on all the music cues and themes. (Some of the points nearly turned into brawls, but in the end we could agree on most things). Now he gets to work his magic with composing and we'll see what's what!

May 22

We're experiencing some cautious optimism as I may have found a way to edit the remaining draft, but it's a little like trying to fix a carburetor with bubble gum. Even so the train has started to slowly chug up the hill again. Next stop: the film score by DJ Noj to stitch together the soundtrack. And unless the music calls for some of the cuts to be re-timed the film length should be pretty well set. So there's that.

May 17

I take it back. May 16 is not my new favorite day. It is a hateful day for I have discovered that Final Cut Express is a downgrade from Final Cut Pro and all the functionality of FCP is missing!

The search resumes! As well as the boiling of the brain!

May 16

This is my new favorite day!!!

I found Final Cut Express HD 3.5 for only $60 and it arrived yesterday! But after waiting for it to install with my heart in my throat(!) it gave me the same "Out of Memory" error causing my heart to dislodge suddenly and shoot down the abyss of my gullet into a festering pool of bile!

But all morning on the phone with tech support solved the problem!!! I can breathe again! And I gave my heart a spit shine to keep its spirits up (he's very sensitive)!

So now I have to get the next draft ready for Jon to watch so we can discuss the music cues in order for him to write the rest of the score!

I sigh the sigh of the soul relieved! But, can't talk now--it's back to work!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

April 29

Okay, here's the scoop.

Our Mac Mini has an Intel Processor. Final Cut Express HD 3.0 isn't intended for Intel and so it is causing the memory error with big files (like our movie!).

So, we need to upgrade the software to Final Cut Express HD 4.0 (3.5 should also work, but is no longer supported by the online techs).

The upgrade is about $200 bucks (we aren't eligible for the discounted rate of $100 since the 3.0 version was a school discount version!! Argh!).

As soon as we can scrounge up the money we are getting that new mofo, you can bet!

If you need me I'll be checking the seat cushions and pay phone coin return slots in hospital waiting rooms and bus stops...

April 27

We are borrowing a friend's monitor!

We are sharing the license on another friend's software (Final Cut Express HD 3.0)

We HAVE the minimum system requirements to run the program, BUT there still exists a OUT OF MEMORY Error.

Will check with Online Support!

So close!

Updates to follow!

Looking for:

Hardware: One (1) Monitor.

Software: One (1) Final Cut Pro 5.1 (or later)

Help us get our eggs to market and join in the scramble!

April 2008

New computer arrives! Still using the old picture-tube monitor though.

Able to move the video files! Yes! Two steps forward!

The old software doesn't work with the new system! Two steps back.

The monitor blows out! Three more steps back!

(Keep checking for the latest tragedies!)

:::

ARCHIVED...

March 2008

Second small investor supplies a hard drive! One more step forward!

February 2008

Small investor found for replacement processor! One step forward!

Wholesaler located (for best deal)! One step forward!

January 2008

Computer fan burns out, take two steps back.

Music storage device fails, take three more steps back.

December 2007

...

Odd work and editing drains me.
A meager diet sustains me.

Stress threatens my mental sanity.
My words become profanity.

And yet the movie improves with each draft,
Blowing my mind and testing my craft.

Draft eight is the number I'm on now,
(Ten should be the sacred cow).

At this point the movie lives, and says what it wants,
Draft eight has melding themes, color and fonts.

Number nine shall be music, a revolution of score,
We already have a soundtrack, but it still asks for more.

Nothing to smother it--just to bring out its heart,
And turn old home movies into something near art.

Number ten, and I’m guessing, could be a belt-cinch,
Once the fat is all trimmed and we’ve shaved the last inch.

Our score-master Noj is plunking away at the notes
(He’s surprised this sunken ship now—finally!—floats).

...

October 2007

Draft 7 is well under way and nearly ready to render, save and burn to a disk. I had to get another burner (external) because the internal one won't work anymore (it's an old machine (Mac)). That's part-time job #3 I had to get to cover the cost. I showed Draft 6 to Jon and he had some minor points, but for the most part thinks it has just the right pacing and balance of content that it needs. I also showed it to a couple other friends and they saw different things that made me very excited because I could see how their concerns could be addressed with just a few adjustments. I may still show Draft 6 to my friends to avoid spending the week it takes to render, save and burn Draft 7 when they may have further questions that need clarification. If we still have to make a Draft 8 then we will, of course. The film's the thing!

The other thing is that the darn DVD only plays on the Burner that spawned it. We may eventually have to record-to-tape and take the footage back over to our friend's house and get a nice copy because no matter how many upgrades I get I can't get it to look as nice on this computer! Grr!

The trouble with that is that the camera skips during recording and so I have to pause the computer playback, backup a few seconds and start again, which results in a loop appearing on the finished tape which then must be re-edited later. I can't always get over to my friend's for long periods so he winds up doing it, but that can lead to a missing frame here and there since he's already super-busy and doing it as a favor when he can. Sigh. Don't believe the detachment-minded gurus--being poor helps nothing!

***

September 2007

Survived Burning Man! This year's theme: The Green Man.

And even though I was super-prepared thanks to the film, I was still "green" (technically).

I carried a photo of Mati around with me on my water bottle (should've been a milk carton) to show to people who might have seen her. (She never misses Burning Man! But this year had almost 50 thousand people, one case of arson (of the Man--they rebuilt him and fast!) and one suicide (in the Comfort and Joy tent--no lie!)).

I saw several people that I recognized from the film! But that was four years ago and most didn't remember her from the photo (it was just a still shot from the film of her giving a gift to the guy she got to hold the camera at that moment).

And then I found that guy! I knew what he looked like because he shows up later in the footage and I also knew what the gift she was giving him was from her goodie bag: a little toy space alien.

Also known as a Little GREEN MAN!

How frigging random! Well, I found him by going to the camp that Mati stayed near and asking them if there was anyone from 2003, so not completely random--but still "wow!"

Especially since he hadn't been back since 2003!

I never found Mati, but I had an awesome time (I especially loved the dust storms--I was well prepared, like I said, and had my goggles, my dust mask, my hat and my water. I was set!).

Time to get the next draft ready and then another round of private test showings.

***

August Update!

I found a ride to Burning Man!

And I received word from the organizers that I have permission to film this year based on my proposal! Yee-haw!

See you on the playa!

***

August 2007

Burning Man happens at the end of the month!

***

July 2007

Burning Man is the Plan!

We're looking forward to sharing the experience this year. Hope to see you!

April 2007

The second trailer is up on the MOON page (click on the crescent moon above).

We're looking forward to getting this movie out this year. All your support is greatly appreciated.

Maybe we'll see you at Burning Man this year, maybe at a theater near you!

***

For Frequently Asked Questions go here.