PART THREE
(Epiphanies, muzzle-flashes and squibs...)
Just before the fall of 2002 myself and my wife made the distinct decision to move our family back to Michigan and to shoot AMNESIA there. The story was based in the mountains somewhere in America, but we felt that her family were our biggest supporters of our cause. Little did I know that Michigan's economy was getting worse and the chances of finding a great job was slim to impossible.
I pursued every job lead, every idea. I had somehow conceived the notion that I would find a way to not just take care of my family but raise all the funds for the film without any outside help. Every time I came up with a great idea it didn't work out.
Finally one night, while working at one of my dead-end jobs, I had an epiphany or as the line from the movie HOOK goes, "lightening just stuck my brain" (Bob Hoskins who plays Schmee). I suddenly realized that I had been looking for some secret ingredient that would solve all my problems when I should just start working on what it takes to make the film happen. That night after my shift ended at 11pm, I went on the computer and did research on squibs and muzzle flashes and any other special effect I would need in order to do the gun scenes in the film.
I learned something interesting: using squibs and muzzle-flashes without a pyrotech is illegal and extremely dangerous. Rodriguez actually "got lucky", something could have gone terribly wrong (as I saw in many videos on the web) and someone could have gotten hurt or even killed. I learned of techniques so that I didn't have to waste money or risk injuring anyone.
I lined up several actors that I knew. That weren't established actors in the business but they were people I had experience with. One was my brother who I was also going to bring on board as the DP (director of photography or otherwise known as cinematographer). My brother I had considered one of the best actors that I knew and also a great director. He was an extremely great cameraman as well who could "shoot on the fly" if needs be. James was originally suppose to play the leading role as Allan Carter while I played the charecter of "Paul" who is a male supporting role with limited screen time.
The second actor was someone I had worked with before on some small time theater performances that were unpaid. I knew what he could do. His name was Andrew Doph and was living in Seattle, Washington. I had contacted both of them and they both wanted to be involved in the project. Andrew was to play the part of "Derek" the nemisis.
The most important part that needed to be filled was the female lead character. I contacted a friend that I knew that we'll call "K". At first she seemed interested in the part, but then rejected the idea of acting in the movie, so I auditioned an actress from the local college who was planning on movie to LA soon to audition for movies.
An interesting thing about taped auditions is that later on the people who watch the tape see something different than during the audition. I had no one else to read the part of Allan Carter for the audtion since it was just myself and this actress, so I read his lines for him. While watching the tape my wife commented, "that actress really isn't made for this part... but you are defintely Allan Carter". I had no actress, but I had a realization that I needed to switch parts with my brother and have him play "Paul" while I played "Allan"... but how does someone play the leading role while being the director?
"K" the original actress we wanted finally consented to the idea of playing the female lead. She sent us her audition tape and I viewed it with my wife. Both of us concluded that she was exactly what we needed for the part. She started to get in shape for the charecter and memorize her lines.
I had 2 other delemias.... I had the male supporting role of "AJ" that needed to be filled and also the lack of funding for the project. We filed our taxes and received some money back, but it still wasn't even close enough to buy the camera we wanted: the Canon XL-1. My brother was going to bring the lights and the tripod with him. My brother came up with the best equipment list he could on a shoe-string budget.
Suddenly I received a call to do a paint job for a friend of the family. I had picked up painting from my father as a trade, but it never seemed to bring in much money. This job would intale staining and varnishing 17 windows and 3 doors in a matter of a week and a half. I tried to give an estimate based on pictures but later found the pictures to be deceiving. It was a daunting task that later effected my wrists because I pushed myself with very long hours with few breaks.
I figured out who would play "AJ" and also found the camera we could use. Andrew would play both the nemisis "Derek" and also the male supporting role "AJ". It would be tricky, but I figured out who to do it.
I received the money from the paint job, but it was still not enough to buy the camera and all the equipment needed. A few months before the painting job my wife and connected me with her cousin who knew someone who had the camera I needed. We exchanged emails and it seemed like the perfection situation. Rodriguez borrowed someone's camera for 2 weeks, I'll borrow someone's camera for two weeks. Except that guy never got a hold of me...
There was an even big problem as well and it was in the woods in a friend of the family's property... a very large cave construction... Yes, a cave! People who have watched AMNESIA have asked where I found the cave... I built it, mostly all by myself. It was a v
ery large construction of wood, chicken-wire like wire, paper, texture paint, dirt, rocks, paint, etc... And it was a very daunting task....
ery large construction of wood, chicken-wire like wire, paper, texture paint, dirt, rocks, paint, etc... And it was a very daunting task.... The cave wasn't finished... the camera wasn't found... and a month before shooting I received bad news... my brother wouldn't be able to make it for the shooting of the film...
Posted above is an excerpt from the film. Our warning is that the video has violence in it and is recommended for a PG-13 or older audience.
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