With the ever-increasing access to movies and documentaries via streaming, you’ve no doubt been inundated with options. It’s ridiculous to say today that movies of any kind are inaccessible. I’ve even noticed that in the last year, access to old movies, say 30+ years and older, is now often free on various sites. (Search tip- just type in the name of the older movie along with “watch free online”).

It may have also come to your attention that movie production quality has improved. Comparing one of today’s productions versus an old movie isn’t really fair 🙂 As you might expect, this is due to advances in technology and techniques. Of course, one of the biggest changes has been the transition from film to digital. This has allowed for a greater level of control in the post-production process, as well as a lower cost for production overall.

In addition to the switch to digital, there have also been major improvements in special effects. CGI has become much more realistic and seamless, allowing filmmakers to create entire worlds and characters
that were previously impossible. This has opened up a whole new level of creativity for directors and has led to some truly groundbreaking films.

Another area where movie production quality has improved is in the use of sound. The rise of surround sound and the ability to more precisely control the sound design has enhanced the overall viewing experience. In addition, the use of music in film has become more sophisticated, with original scores and songs being carefully crafted to support the emotions and themes of the film.

The use of camera equipment has also improved significantly. The development of high-quality, lightweight cameras has allowed for more fluid and dynamic shots, as well as the ability to shoot in a wider
range of environments and lighting conditions. This has given directors more flexibility and has led to some truly breathtaking visuals.

Overall, the quality of movie production has come a long way in recent years, thanks to advances in technology and techniques. From the switch to digital and the improvement of special effects, to the evolution of sound design and the development of camera equipment, there are many factors that have contributed to the increased quality of films. As technology continues to improve, it will be interesting to see how the movie industry evolves and what new innovations will shape the way we experience films and content.

The principal photography of the feature finished last month. Most of the funding was completed last December, but it still needs to go through post-production. Scheduling issues forced us to film over two separate time periods…3 weeks in January and 2 weeks in May. So we really experienced some extreme weather, both cold and hot. Each one of those conditions puts different sets of pressures to surmount.

It’s been a great learning experience for all (production, cast and crew) while at the same time, we got to put together a movie that I think will do pretty well…but in terms of critical and audience reception.

As a recap, the movie is set in the 1980’s and follows a high school boy wanting to break out of the rut of his unpopularity. Being a tech nerd, he accidentally finds access to artificial intelligence. He uses this to propel himself to the riches of local stardom. But like today, he comes to realize that technology comes with responsibility, and he gets more than he counts on.

The movie is an homage to the time of early mainstream technology…a time that most people consider was simpler. Fast forward about 30+ years to today and the uncertainty that seems to come along with technology.

As you can expect with all film productions, there were obstacles along the way. But I’d say that overall, the production was great with the cast being its biggest strength. The production team did a great job finding the right talent for each role.

Above are some pics of the production over both shoots. Post production will likely last through September and hopefully the film will be distributed by the end of this year. I’ll update by that time to let
you know when and where you can see it.

We’re in the process of making a feature film. It’s called “Going Viral” and is set to be produced (principal photography) this November. The film takes place in the 80’s and is about a 14-year-old boy, Beckett O’Connell, who taps into technology of the future and captures the popularity he’s craved. But tapping into Artificial Intelligence of the future in the 1980’s provides some challenges of its own that Beckett isn’t prepared for.

The project is now in the late development stage. For GFP (we have most of the crew in place), specifically that consists of funding and identifying talent.

We’re about 75% of the funding that’s needed to move to pre-production. By the end of this month, we hope to have met our funding goal. There’s also the talent that we’re looking to add. Since it’s set in the 80’s, it’s been fun talking to popular actors from popular 80’s movies in looking to get them attached to the project. I’ll let you imagine some of them 🙂

Here is the development page that includes storyboards and a couple videos around the film-
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/going-viral-an-80-s-teen-sci-fi-feature-film/x/27609187#/

Here’s the Instagram page too for the project –

https://www.instagram.com/goingviralmovie/

Of course, if you’re looking to help fund the project, please do! If you know of others who might be, please share that page above with them.
We’d love for you to be included – it’s going to be a lot of fun!

Pinewood Studios had their annual CineGear event down in Fayetteville, GA yesterday. The equipment technology continues to jump by leaps and bounds. From better camera equipment to the latest state-of-the-art lighting, sound, and drone equipment, we were blown away!

The panel of cinematographers who spoke about the technology changes of photography and equipment was amazing. All the professionals on the panel are working on active Georgia productions including “Cobra Kai”, “Lovecraft Country”, “MacGyver”, and “Coming to America 2”.

Some pics…

This year’s Magnolia Film Festival was a rousing success. Affectionately known as “The Mag”, it supports the film industry within Mississippi, another state experiencing film growth. The festival is definitely a regional film showcase event, and was the state’s first film festival. Since then, Oxford, Tupelo and Crossroads film festivals have also come a long way.

The President of the festival, Michael Williams, is a friend and collaborator to us. We saw lots of films over the three days, which took place in Starkville, MS. Some good, some great. The venue and volunteers were (and generally are) very friendly. It was well organized and I’m sure we’ll be back next year.

We were on the documentary panel last night at the Association of Media Professionals (AMP) meeting. And we were supporting our latest documentary project “State-of-Denial”.

The documentary is about the extreme marine die-off that has been occurring in Florida. Lots of learning and sharings.

AMP has been a great place for us to network and meet other professional filmmakers. We’ve been able to advance our films due to some relationships we’ve established there.