Archives: Virtual Crew

Virtual crew…it happened!!!

On Saturday we had our very first day of shooting.

I wish you could’ve been here.

Crew call was 7:30AM at Whitewater Equestrian in Sapphire, NC.

This was my first time shooting with horses!

Kayren (pictured below) is the man in charge at Whitewater Equestrian. An incredible person. As a Marine he spent 12 months in the hospital after being hit during Vietnam.

Kayren plays BUCK in the film.

Rick & Kathy Roepke (below) are dear friends who drove 6 hours so I could have Rick’s talent in the movie.

Rick plays NOBLE. His character refuses to give “Ghost Face” information regarding the whereabouts of Rose Lawson.

After the horse scene we had to wait until twilight to shoot the remaining scene of the day. The plan was to do this immediately, but the clouds left and the sun was too intense.

Shooting in harsh sun is extremely difficult.

So you move to plan B.

I learned something on Saturday.

That I can’t do it all.

Indie film is tough…you don’t always have crew. Fortunately Sandi, Kathy and Journey jumped in to help.

Sandi acted as 1st AD. Literally saved my bacon on some shots.

Kathy acted as sound utility and boom before she fell into the creek.

Journey assisted Kathy in finding a towel and dry clothing.

My actors were PHENOMINAL. My family-friends-crew were phenominal. And hanging out in between shooting was a lot of fun.

So far, RECKONING is off to a great start.

Thank you for the role each of you have in this. Your opinions, sharing and support are HUGE. We filmmakers need this. We don’t always have the right ideas. Or the energy. Or the faith.

So again, thank you.

And here’s a treat…Below is an actual still from the movie. You guys are seeing it first!

Kyler Boudreau

P.S. I will announce the new name for Ghost Face soon. It’ll happen this week, so stay tuned.

Virtual Crew…you guys rock!

Seriously. Around 124 names came in. Can you believe that?

Blown away over here.

Need your help one more time — Please choose your favorite:

1) Stone Face

2) Faceless

3) No Face

4) The Ghost

5) Lucent

I must decide because the first scenes involving “Ghost Face” begin shooting this Saturday!

Here’s the set:

Also, was on location today and thinking about you guys.

Made two short videos:

First, a brief talk on checking sound on location:

​https://vimeo.com/688666041​

Second, one of my FAVORITE filmmaking tools:

​https://vimeo.com/688666252​

I can’t believe actors will be rolling into town soon.

They’re coming from Kentucky, Illinois and Texas.

Whoa! I’d better be ready. Gotta go!

Kyler Boudreau

P.S. I’m dialing in lighting today at Rose Lawson’s cabin. Will show you later what it looks like.

Virtual Crew…I desperately need your help.

We begin shooting this month. THIS MONTH.

And guess what just happened?

My wife was at the store and sent me this photo:

Right, that’s the character in the SCREAM movies.

Wait, hold up…His name is GHOST FACE???

NO!!!!!

That’s the name of my antagonist! My bad guy.

I quickly hit up Google. Yep, there’s no way we can use the name Ghost Face in the movie. Crud.

(Not fair that they took “Scream” and “Ghost Face” IMO)

So this is why I need your help.

Been repeatedly bashing my head against the wall trying to figure out a new name. A name that will be recorded on set in less than two weeks.

Can any of you help me?

Pictured above are the masks and gun of my villain.

I need a GOOD NAME for a BAD GUY.

If someone can come up with a name that I use, YOUR name will be in the credits of the movie and on IMDb!

I will give you a legit Associate Producer credit on the film. Deal?

Cool.

I knew I could count on you.

BTW…would you like a moment of story theory?

Did you know that “bad guys” are only doing what they think is the right thing to do at a given moment?

That threw me for a loop years ago when I first began studying screen writing. But it’s true, regardless of your villain.

Dr. Alexander Lloyd in THE LOVE CODE says this:

“Behind every action is an internal goal. And behind every internal goal is a belief. No matter what our beliefs are, we always do what we believe 100% of the time.”

Bad guys simply have messed up belief systems.

The more we filmmakers understand this, the better villains we can craft for our stories.

Example: The Joker in The Dark Knight.

Anyway, I need to let you guys get to work, because we need a new name.

Somebody, I’m hoping, is gonna get an Associate Producer credit on RECKONING and on IMDb!

Let’s hear them…

Kyler Boudreau

What happens when you try and go for it?

Life starts chunking hard balls.

And one hit me right between the eyes this week.

I lost a shooting location.

A main actress for RECKONING flies in from Chicago on March 26th to shoot her scenes, and I found out her location is not available due to an apple orchard festival.

NO!!!!!

It’s March. The apples aren’t even here yet!

I failed to check schedules.

But we have to keep pushing forward. “Just keep swimming” as Dory would sing.

I had a meeting scheduled with the Highlands Historical Society. If they could just agree to letting me shoot at their location, March 26 could still work out.

That meeting was at 9AM today.

Harry and Lance run the historical society — Home to the oldest home in the city, built in the 19th century. The Elizabeth Wright Prince House.

And guess what? They said YES.

Not only do I have more flexibility with this location, but it’s WAY BETTER.

Check it out:

This home was built in 1877, just six years before the story for RECKONING takes place.

So blown away by this location. God definitely smiled our way, and I thank him for that.

Grateful to Harry and Lance for allowing this to happen.

I’ll upload more pics to Facebook, but check out one more…

So that’s the latest.

We are now less than a month out from shooting the film. Things are about to get CRAZY.

And with that, we’ll definitely be showing you behind the scenes footage of the shoot, so stay tuned.

Thanks for being virtual crew!

Kyler Boudreau

For those of you familiar with the book of Genesis, at one point God said “Let there be light” and there was light.

Today it was like God said, “Let there be horses.”

Meet one of the friendly, tame horses that will be in our film:

And horses were just the start.

Who said Mondays were bad???

I can’t tell you how many incredible things happened today.

From being driven to a cabin by someone who worked for the last 5 presidents to securing two incredible shootings sites with spectacular. mind-blowing views.

Back to the horses:

1) They are letting us use them for free.

2) The owner of the Whitewater Equestrian Center is a unique, white bearded man who also owns a cabin that was — wait for it — originally owned by none other than Daniel Boone himself!

3) This white bearded man is now going to play a key role in the opening of our film!

For those of you who prayed for horses, God delivered more than just horses today. Thanks for praying!

And thanks to God for smiling our way.

Side note: My replica double barrel shotgun arrived!

This gun will be used by Private Mathis and represents some Ghost Face stopping power.

Whoops…was I supposed to say spoiler alert before that?

Dont worry, you won’t see it coming.

Thanks virtual crew — We’re getting closer!

Kyler Boudreau

Good afternoon virtual crew!

It’s FRIDAY.

Last week I was stoked to tell you we found Roses’s cabin.

Guess what?

WE FOUND A BETTER ONE!!!!

(Don’t worry, the other cabin will still be used.)

Here is the new cabin for Rose Lawson:

And even better, they are allowing us to shoot INSIDE!!!!

I’m so excited I could hug everybody.

Here’s part of the interior:

It was an old sharecroppers cabin back in the day. The owners restored it while protecting the original charm. And since it’s empty, I can take my time to decorate and plan our shots!

This location is a complete God send.

I was driving back from my Mamaw’s house a couple weeks ago and on a whim pulled into the drive. A man happened to be there who works on the property. He graciously set everything up with the owners.

I’m telling you, the entire thing felt blessed.

I’m grateful for this.

Production got bumped to March, but that is just around the corner.

Thanks again for taking this ride with me!

Kyler Boudreau

P.S. Now I need to find a couple horses, so prayers are needed to find the right location and a willing owner!

Happy Friday virtual crew!

Today was a big day.

We found the cabin we’ll use for Rose’s home in the film!

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Rose is the protagonist of RECKONING. She’s our hero. The girl who has to stand up to a notorious outlaw.

And I needed a cabin that would sell for her home in the 19th century.

Without further delay, here it is:

I’ve already told you about location scouting. So how did I find this cabin off a lone, gravel mountain road?

Real estate listings.

Yep. Stumbled on an old listing for a cabin and decided to just go for it.

Sandi and Journey, being the adventurous gals that they are, opted to go along for moral support.

You know, it could be the last time they see me. This is the mountains. I didn’t know who owned the cabin, whether they’d be in town, or meet us on the porch with a shotgun.

Fortunately, the owners were there. And they were incredibly kind and gracious. And even better…they said YES! I literally gave the guy a hug. All I have to do is help him learn fly fishing. Done.

And do you want to hear something really cool? It’s so exciting I want to jump up and down: This cabin was built by Private David Rogers. A man who fought in the war of 1812!

BOOYAH!!! Wait, did soldiers say that back then?

Man this is exciting. We’re shooting at a place that existed in 1883, the year RECKONING takes place.

So that’s all I wanted to share. Sure hope you have an incredible weekend. More exciting updates as we get closer to the shoot!

Until then,

Kyler Boudreau

It’s 2022 and we’re getting closer to shooting the movie!

But first, I hope you had a relaxing Christmas.

It’s our first Christmas in North Carolina.

And it took me three times to get the right-sized sized Christmas tree.

THREE TIMES.

This wasn’t a “run to the local nursery” type of thing. Oh no, it was a “drive to the country and cut down a tree” type of thing.

Let’s hope I execute on the film better than Christmas trees.

Speaking of which, we’re testing gear and ordering costumes! As most of you know this is part of pre-production.

Yesterday, I told Journey’s school teacher (her mother) that the lead actress was needed on set for camera testing.

So Journey and I loaded up film gear and snacks from Mommy, and headed out. Stopping only for hot chocolate with whipped cream (gotta keep talent happy).

At the Cashiers Historical Society, Journey explored a kitchen full of antiques while I tested camera and lenses.

Industry Note: If this were a studio film, I could never ask for the main actor to come to set for camera tests. Brad Pitt would be like, “Seriously?” But when the actress is your daughter, and it’s indie film, you can do things studio directors only dream about doing!

One big item for me was testing exposure. Check out the image above — Journey holds a gray card. This card is “middle gray” (which sounds like a place in Lord of the Rings).

Middle gray is part of the Ansel Adams zone system. It’s one thing filmmakers use to set proper exposure. The colored screen on the back of the camera is called “false colors” and it assigns a color to certain exposure levels.

I’m shooting this film on the Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera using Sirui Anamorphic lenses. When we’re actually shooting the movie, the sets will be lit much better than a single light with no diffusion like I used for testing. But even with that, the resulting image is still pretty cool:

See how wide the image is? That’s a 2.4:1 aspect ratio. You get this by shooting with anamorphic lenses. Wide aspect ratios give the film a more epic feel than a normal 16×9 frame.

So that’s a wrap for this update!

In the last email I asked for ideas on how to define all of you — Busy people who care enough to get into behind the scenes info about my film (thank you!).

A few responded with great ideas, but one idea ruled them all:

Virtual Crew from Jerusha Emerson.

I love it! Thank you Jerusha.

So that’s it, you’re now virtual crew. And calling you crew means you’re literally a part of the film.

Hey, maybe there should be a virtual crew section in the credits?

And as crew, you’re the first to hear this update:

We’re planning production for February!

Originally it was planned for September of last year, but that’s just filmmaking. You push ahead, one step at a time. It’s the filmmakers who never give up that get stories told.

Thanks for cheering me on. I really appreciate it.

And thanks for sharing the film! If you know anyone who would like to see more, send them here:

​https://theatereleven.com/films/reckoning/​

Next up I’ll show you completed costuming for Reckoning!

Until then…

Kyler Boudreau

Hey loyal film nerds!

Anyone who takes time to watch behind the scenes stuff is considered a film nerd in my book.

“And I dig that about you!” (movie quote – email me if you know)

We’re full steam into pre-production. As discussed in the last email, this includes things like story boards and shot lists.

Pre-production also includes location and tech scouts.

Location Scouts

Finding the right place to shoot a movie is paramount.

On studio films, there are people dedicated to the task. For low-budget indie films like RECKONING, it’s all on me.

How do I find locations? Google, ask around and drive until the right place is discovered.

Once you find a place, the next trick is tracking down the owner.

For RECKONING I need cabins. While searching I stumbled across the Cashiers Historical Society, and the incredible Colonel John’s Cabin. It’s a legit cabin from the 1800’s.

For real???

I reached out to the organization. Told them about RECKONING, and asked if they’d allow me to shoot outside the cabin.

Guess what?

Not only did they say yes, but said I could shoot inside too.

I drove out to meet the manager of the property only to jaw drop at a fully stocked interior with 1800’s decor that would make the art department on a major studio film drool with delight.

Check out the cabin interior pictured below. This will be the home of our movie’s hero: Rose Lawson.

Colonel John’s Cabin will be used for another scene in the film.

And you’re the first ones to know this stuff!

I might share photos on social media, but some details are reserved only for you.

Tech Scouts

After locations are discovered, a tech scout involves bringing out department heads to check things in detail. Why?

Because there are a lot of variables that can affect a shooting location. Are there noisy neighbors? Traffic noise? Copperheads?

Yes, I kid you not. Copperheads.

On ROSE AND THE OUTLAW the owner of one location (the old house) told me to wrap shooting before warm weather hit, because the area is loaded with copperheads. His neighbor confirmed, showing me the size of one he’d killed the previous year.

Lovely.

So that’s the latest with RECKONING.

I’ll send more behind the scenes info soon, containing details reserved only for you – the film nerds.

Man… maybe nerd isn’t the right term.

Allies? Sounds like combat. Supporters? Kind of overused.

Send me some ideas. What should you be called?

Thank you for doing this with me!

Kyler

Dear loyal film supporters,

Happy late Labor Day! I hope it was relaxing. Unless of course you worked, and then it really was a labor day.

Bad joke.

Here’s the deal: I want each of you to not only enjoy these updates, but also obtain a better understanding of filmmaking.

So with that, here’s a behind the scenes question:

After the script is finished, who do you think sees the movie first?

The Director.

Before a single day of shooting happens, the director pictures the entire movie. And by this, I don’t mean some dreamlike experience while they sit by a fire sipping coffee.

It’s a meticulous scene by scene, shot by shot visualization.

I dare you to watch the first three minutes of your favorite movie and count every time they cut to a different shot. Directors see all of this ahead of time, and create two very important things:

1) A Shot List

2) Story Boards

I’ve begun the shot list for Reckoning.

Here’s what it looks like:

Pro Tip: A single page of script is roughly one minute of screen time. Reckoning is 23 pages long, so the movie will hit around 25 minutes.

The shot list above covers ONE PAGE of the script.

22 pages to go.

Story boards are also happening now.

They’re drawings of each shot and used to quickly show department heads like the DP (head of camera & lighting) and Art Department (set design and props) what the director is visualizing.

For me, the best time to story board is while creating the shot list. You can see a few of the opening shots for Reckoning below:

(Yes! We’re gonna have horses.)

As you can see, this all takes time.

It’s one of the many things that happen during Pre-Production. But shot lists and story boards help directors be efficient on set. And that allows us to be more creative.

If there are other things you’d like to hear about, let me know.

Otherwise, the next topic will most likely be costuming!

Now it’s back to work…

Kyler Boudreau