cerulean the movie

Moving right along...

2012-01-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

With Andrew's and Michael's work cut in to the film and Dennison's compositing, I've been mixing in the music from Lucas Carter's band Pretender Contender. Man it's sweet! I will post a segment on the tube of you very soon. I was grooving to X's Theme and loving it!

composite

2012-01-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

Andrew sent some awesome footage of thevGraydread after the crash and worked with me on getting it just right for compositing it with the footage of Allegra.

check outvhe link

update...

After consulting with Andrew, I am going to rework the scene and keep the ship in sharper focus...my atte,pt o create a sense of atmospheric perspective didn't work...more tomorrow.

Andrew is BACK!

2011-12-30T15:27:00.000-08:00

Check out this sweet scene for the opening shot of our movie.

LINK TO SWEETNESS

Welcome back Andrew!

Lucas Carter's teaser for the soundtrack documentary

2011-12-13T08:43:00.000-08:00

Lucas Carter, of Pretender Contender, has released a teaser trailer for a documentary on the soundtrack.

Check it out.

LINK

All of the graphic novel info...

2011-11-21T12:15:00.000-08:00

...is now at the Crimson Rosetta blog.

LINK

Ted and Tony are rocking on our hologram SPFX and Michael, across the pond, is working on clouds and a storm for us!

Site is back up.

2011-11-06T11:34:00.000-08:00

Forgot to mention that the site is working again!

Issue two in COLOR!

2011-11-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

With the first issue of Crimson Rosetta at the printer, I've been hammering away on the second issue. It doesn't cost too much more to print it in color...so I grabbed my watercolors and some watercolor crayons and dove in.

While waiting...

2011-10-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

...to finish the movie, I finished the first black and white graphic novel to help launch our next film Crimson Rosetta.

Here is page one with the dialog...

And page sixteen...

And here is th first page of the second graphic novel. It doesn't cost too much to do it in color so...

I'm using watercolor and watercolor crayons.

While waiting for SPFX from the team...

2011-10-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

...I'm working on a Graphic Novel to launch our next film project "Crimson Rosetta".

Page two: The Protectors launch from the Control Ship with their leader Serf.

Page seven: A Protector gets hit by the "Battleship"

Page fourteen: Serf emerges from the smoldering wreckage...this one still needs some cleanup...

Page fifteen: Serf approaches the enemy "Battleship"

There will be just twenty pages and I am doing it on Canson Comic Book Art Board with Prismacolor Manga brushes and pens and white and black acrylic.

While you are waiting...

2011-10-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

I posted a movie on youtube that has nothing to do with "Cerulean". This is a short film compiled together from footage I had from the failed "Beneath Shadows" project. There is a tad bit of violence in it so be warned.

JEALOUSY IS BLACK AND RED

The site is down!

2011-10-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

We hope to have the CERULEAN web site up and running again soon.

While finishing the post work on CERULEAN...

2011-09-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

...Andres, Maggie, Chris and I have been working on another Installation. This will be at the Maker Faire at Headwaters Park this Saturday and Sunday.

Took a short break...

2011-09-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

...from Cerulean as we wait for effects to come in from Andrew and Michael. Andres Montenegro and I have been collaborating on a series of installations. We've been in two galleries so far, and we are now going to be setting up a new one but this time we are combining the live actors with the cg world. I've included a few shots here that still need to be cleaned up.

Thought he was done, but it just keeps getting better...

2011-08-22T04:58:00.001-07:00

Andrew sent me the latest version of the Graydread!

Andrew is just jamming away on the Graydread!

2011-08-12T20:36:00.000-07:00

SWEET!

Ted is rockin' the dead eyes...

2011-08-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Check the link to see what Ted is doing with the low res footage of X's (Debbie's) eyes.

LINK

New blood!

2011-07-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

We welcome to the team, Micheal Clark from Scotland. He is helping us with some storm clouds that we need composited into a few scenes. He did some great work on Darkness Aftermath but more importantly was a villian in "The Planet" as well as a major player behind the camera, and a doomed German tourist in the dark comedy "One Day Removals".

Update mini podcast thingy...

2011-07-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Entry no. 1

Updates...

2011-07-16T19:34:00.000-07:00

Starting Monday, I will be posting links to short 1min docushorts to keep the faithful updated. Check the blog Monday after 8:00 pm.

editing, editing, editing, mixing sound and music...

2011-07-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

...and working on the upcoming art installation with Andres!

Contest time...pick the image you think looks best for the DVD case...

2011-06-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

no 1

no 2

no 3

no 4

no 5

no 6

no 7

no 8

no 9

no 10

This is a Lucas Carter photo I have had hours and hours of photoshop time with...choose wisely...don't worry "X" / Debbie fans, she is highlighted on the back side and inner pages...

Cerulean rough cut for the music and fx team...

2011-06-26T20:45:00.000-07:00

Part One of Cerulean

Part Two of Cerulean

Part Three of Cerulean

Part Four of Cerulean

Part Five of Cerulean

There is no audio on these youtube cuts (as we are currently doing ADR and music mixing) and some sequences are missing (the crashing of the Graydread for one). This should, however, give you a feel for the movie.

compositing Greg's creature stalking X

2011-06-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

Two new songs for the movie soundtrack...

2011-06-14T16:38:00.001-07:00

Final Struggle and Resolve
Click here...

Graydread Crashing
Click here...

Ahhh...postproduction...when everything grinds to a halt...

2011-05-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

...and goes insane! I know that there have not been too many updates on the blog as of late, but that will soon change. We are heavily into postproduction (mainly editing and color mixing) but if this edit that I finished last week looks good (and I'll be viewing it on the DVD Tuesday evening) then I am going to start adding and mixing the sound. That means that the cast will have to start working on ADR (basically dubbing in their lines that were drowned out by wind and other noises).

Andrew, Andres, David, Greg, Josh and myself are working on the CG elements. Chinyi's work is done and I am compositing that. Andres gave me the first look at the Bullion (the buffalo/lion creature that Maggie designed and it looks amazing. I am going to do a rough placement tomorrow of it in the scene with Maddy (Maggie Dye) as she shoots at it to ward it off. What Andres showed me today melted my socks! The creature looks great. I also saw a rough composite of the creature that Greg is working on. It is the creature that attacks X before X fights Cerulean near the end of the movie. It looks quite amazing as well.

The music teams are coming along quite well and I like what I've heard so far. Good stuff! Keep up the great work people. This is going to be a terrific movie.

One of three soundtracks is half way done...

2011-05-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Figured out the issue with the music...here is the new link.

Gag/blooper reel...part 1

2011-05-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

Did a little gag reel action...click the link to view.

And here is a second one

click the link

Color tests

2011-04-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

One of my students, Simone, was working on her project for my class and was messing around with the coloring of some of the raw footage. I really liked what she did so I am now "Simonenizing" Cerulean.

check the link

Got some test footage done...

2011-04-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Click the link here...

David Perry has been working one of our creatures...

2011-04-14T09:15:00.001-07:00

He has been working with Mudbox...I am happy!

Second Teaser Trailer is posted.

2011-04-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE.

Also, Andres Montengro is working with some of his students with the creatures. He is working on what we have dubbed the Buffalion. Maggie Dye designed a creature that looks like a lion and a buffalo and it is really shaping up. The next trailer will have both the creatures and Andrew Glazebrook's ships!

More work done by Andrew on the ship.

2011-04-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

Sketches

2011-03-31T16:19:00.000-07:00

These are a few quick sketches for the artists rendering the city for the gladiator flashback sequence.

The idea is to combine Japanese and Korean temple designs with heavy Gothic architecture...and then add a lot of smoke stacks and chimneys.

Andrew finished the drop ship...

2011-03-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

Andrew's work on the drop ship...a work in progress

2011-03-24T13:58:00.001-07:00

The Graydread!

2011-03-23T15:53:00.001-07:00

Andrew's work continues...

2011-03-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

...

2011-03-19T08:30:00.001-07:00

Andrew is making progress on the Graydread. I'm working on some storyboards for him...

Also thought I'd include these images he sent a few days ago showing his progress...

Andrew is rockin' the Greydread.

2011-03-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew sent Josh these fantastic images of the work he is doing!

Trailer...ours or theirs?

2011-03-12T18:51:00.001-08:00

Just looked at Youtube and saw that our trailer was viewed 156 times...lets see what we can do to get that number higher. Yet what bothers me is the fact that there is another trailer out there for a movie called Cerulean...I did extensive research before naming our movie and I have no intention of changing the title now. Thoughts?

Welcome aboard Andrew Glazebrook!

2011-03-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

I've known Andrew (on line through blogs and emails) for several years now. Josh Adams and Chinye have been building the Greydread, but were running into a few issues with texturing. I asked Andrew if Josh could contact him for advice. As I hear it from Josh, Andrew asked if Josh wanted him to take over on the Greydread and Josh said 'yes'. Josh is a very talented artist, but I quote him here "Andrew is lightyears ahead of me!"

Thanks Andrew and welcome to team CERULEAN.

Now if we can just get Michael and Mark on board!

CERULEAN teaser trailer

2011-03-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

Click HERE to see the trailer. Then tell your friends!

MAKE UP!

2011-03-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

Did a few pick-ups with Maggie Dye. She might want that scratch looked at.

Principle photography is done now. All that is left is a few second unit shots that I am going to farm out to Sergio and Walli.

And here are some better pics.

Took a break from Cerulean for...

2011-02-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

...an installation art experience. Photos and video coming soon. Check the link to read an article in the Fort Wayne Reader.

(Maggie Dye as The Sleep Walker)

And here is a link to the interview...

Chenyi brought me the most recent file for the prison cells...

2011-02-15T16:19:00.001-08:00

Textured.

LIT!

New footage to replace other footage...

2011-02-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

I took down the footage of Ryan confronting X because I saw somethings that needed to be changed. Decided to place a scene with substance and dialog here instead. The audio still isn't mixed, but you'll get the idea.

Click the link

Another video post

2011-02-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Ryan (Luke Hathaway) goes missing, Maddy (Maggie Dye) goes looking for him. She comes face to face with the cyborg X (Debbie Ngo).

Click this link

Temporary music track and audio still needs mixing.

Posted a rough cut of the fight scene on YouTube...

2011-02-08T14:44:00.000-08:00

...because some of the musicians who are working on the soundtracks are curious about pacing and attitude of the scene. More to come soon, but check it out here at this link.

She's back!

2011-02-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago Allegra (our lead) tuck a nasty spill down a flight of stairs (not related to filming) and had to be hospitalized. I am happy to report that she is fully recovered and ready to shoot starting this monday!

(photo by LUCAS CARTER)

The prison cages on board the Graydread by Chenyi

2011-02-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

This is just the rough, untextured version.

Maggie takes a tumble

2011-02-04T08:52:00.000-08:00

We added a scene where Maddy is searching for Ryan. Maggie did a great job of tumbling down the hillside.

It was about 10 degrees out.

Camera man Sergio followed Maggie down the slope with the camera for a great action shot.

Did I mention that it was cold?

FIGHT!

2011-01-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

Allegra and Josh did an amazing job despite the temps being way below freezing!

SOUNDTRACK contest

2011-01-18T07:11:00.000-08:00

I'd like to open up this movie project to the musicians out there. We are going to have a secondary music track on the DVD when it is released. I'd like some of you musically inclined artists to step up and give it a go.

You can pick one track or many tracks or (if you are crazy enough) the entire score and compose your own music based on the themes listed below. Each theme should be between one minute and five minutes in length. Dates and info on how to get the music to us will be posted soon.

Click on the image below to get a larger view of the song list.

Spent four hours editing!

2011-01-14T13:01:00.000-08:00

This is a really easy effect to achieve, but I'm rather excited about how it plays out on the screen.

More photos from the Bluffton shoot.

2011-01-13T12:04:00.001-08:00

A screen grab from the opening sequence where Maddy "takes out" the bridge crew

ATTENTION!!!

2011-01-13T10:47:00.000-08:00

Poster contest time! I'm looking for creative poster designs. The two Posted below were teasers posters that were created using Lucas Carter's images. I want something more along the lines of a Drew Struzan or something completely out there weird! Winner gets a copy of the movie, the sound track and original script.

You may use any of the images on the blog for references.

Costume design for the Gladiator - like fight scene flashback

2011-01-12T13:10:00.000-08:00

Final design (left) and early concepts (right)

Day one of the shoot in Bluffton

2011-01-03T13:14:00.000-08:00

We'll be shooting Saturday the 8th in Bluffton again.

The Bluffton shoot on Wed.

2010-12-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots from the location scouting I did. We'll be shooting there on Wed.

...and then life stepped in.

2010-12-27T11:23:00.001-08:00

Everyone was busy last week with the holidays so we pushed the shoot up to this Wed. It has given me some time to work on the editing and effects. I also had a chance to make a few minor adjustments to the dialog and fight scene between X and Maddy.

Sorry there have't been any updates.

2010-12-17T06:55:00.001-08:00

Last week when we were going to shoot, I got sick. Stayed in bed all day. Still felt tired the next day. Today we're going to be shooting in Bluffton, a small town 45 minutes South of here. It's been snowing for a few days so the location should look really cool!

Really?

2010-12-07T06:10:00.001-08:00

I wanted this blog to be only about the movie, but this article is just too weird to let go. George Lucas is really getting weird. Click here to read.

Great shoot!

2010-12-05T09:41:00.001-08:00

It was a tad cold out and we had snow.

Wallie and me setting up a shot. (and I'm sure I'm spelling his name wrong)

Checking the script while trying to keep warm.

Pop quiz: What's in Allegra's coffee?

Fake blood - Karo Syrup, Food Coloring and Cabernet. YUMMY!

Setting up the scene with Debbie and Luke as she is about to do some damage.

To the left there is a plate of glass that the blood gets splattered on. The camera is set behind the glass.

Photos taken by James.

Jim Smash!

2010-12-03T20:02:00.001-08:00

I've been a long time follower of Jim Smash's blog and share his love of ALIEN! He posted a great...er...post for our film at this link.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2010-12-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we are shooting a critical action sequence, (Ryan's FATE). I'm psyched because it's my favorite scene in the movie, next to the last scene. The weather shows snow coming. I'm excited because I had a scene in Beneath Shadows that was to be shot in the snow and we all know how that ended. I'm going to make sure to have fresh coffee for the crew tomorrow as we are shooting from 10 am to 4 pm!

Also, check out the new links.

COMING SOON - CERULEAN movie poster contest. Winner gets a cool prop from the movie!

Poster concepts...

2010-12-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

...props to Lucas Carter for the images.

Taking a break this weekend.

2010-11-24T12:24:00.001-08:00

Have a great THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-22T21:36:00.001-08:00

I am so psyched about this movie. We really have a great crew and an amazing cast. Thanks all!

Check out Lucas Carter's stuff. SWEETNESS!

2010-11-21T15:45:00.000-08:00

Click on the barely visible link under this line.

Lucas Carter's link

Yesterday's shoot was great...again.

2010-11-21T10:32:00.001-08:00

X is on the path.

Ryan and Maddy react to Dillard's death.

X discovers Dillard's remains.

New Banner...

2010-11-20T20:48:00.001-08:00

...by LUCAS CARTER.

2010-11-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

Chenyi Lin and Josh Adams have been working on the Graydread. Ta-da!

Day three on Cerulean...

2010-11-14T20:52:00.001-08:00

Cerulean helps Dillard...

Gandolf amoung the Hobbits...

Dillard makes his stand against Bisc...

Working on the scene...

Edited the footage of the first five pages of the script...

2010-11-10T15:53:00.000-08:00

...and I'm rather pleased with how it's looking so far. We are shooting this movie sequentially so that the changing weather will jive with the story line. This is making editing a lot easier than Darkness Aftermath or Beneath Shadows (R.I.P.) Hoping for some snow by last few days of shooting.

Photos by Maggie Dye from last Saturday's shoot.

2010-11-09T08:42:00.001-08:00

Shooting Cerulean's dream...

Luke emerging from the woods...

Bigfoot?

Yeah, it was cold out.

What's all this then?

2010-11-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

So what is CERULEAN about, you ask? Keeping it simple, the plot revolves around five individuals (mercenaries) who escape from their prison ship and have to get to a rescue ship on a hostile world. Two days into the journey, they have already turned on each other.

The original story was a project I shot back in 1988. We had a super 8mm camera and no budget...not much different from today. The main difference is that in the original LOCK 304 the characters were all scientists and the threat was a ship's engine about to go nuke. The team had to work together to get to safety. The film, however did not work as all of the shots were either long or medium. No close ups. I was naive and working with someone as new as me on the project. In fact, the only close ups were shot when I was behind the camera. So...always loved the idea of racing against time (added pressure to an already tense situation) but now I have characters who are deceitful, backstabbing and murderous. FUN!

Screen grabs from our first day of shooting...

2010-10-28T08:29:00.001-07:00

Cerulean surveys the land after the crash

Ryan (played by Luke) and Cerulean (Allegra) discuss the situation...

Ryan and Cerulean discuss Dillard's (James) arrival with the transcoder

Dillard scans the area...
(James and I worked on the sky...he did the plane, which has more detail than you can see here, while I worked on the moving clouds)

Maddy (Maggie) arrives after dispatching the bridge crew...

Bisc (Josh) arrives dressed in a guard's coat smoking a cigar...

First day of shooting...

2010-10-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

...ROCKED!

Whe had 21 shots to do and we hit 14! The footage looks great and everyone came together as a team. I'll post scenes tomorrow. We had to let Jess Bayless go because she was too concerned about senior project. Maggie Dye was brought on and she ROCKED the part of Maddy.

Maggie...

I was a bit concerned about the look of the transcoder because originally it was very geometric, but I made it more organic. In reality it looks silly...on camera, it worked!

Costume test with Allegra White as Cerulean

2010-10-16T17:25:00.001-07:00

Forgive the slight blur...used a camera I was not familiar with.

Sketches

2010-10-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

Here on some concept sketches for costumes.

The VAPER

The TRANSCODER

Josh continues work on the Graydread

2010-10-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

First look of the Graydread

2010-10-04T13:06:00.001-07:00

The cast

2010-09-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

Cerulean - Allegra White
Ryan - Luke Hathaway
Maddy - Maggie Dye
Dillard - James Baker
Bisc - Josh Adams
X - Debbie Ngo

Writer, Director, Producer - Allen Etter
SPFX coordinator - Josh Adams
Modeler and animator - Chenyi Lin
3D Model Advisor - Andres Montinegro
Camera - Wally and Sergio (that's right, they only need first names!)