While we work on 2010's La Grande Summer Film Project make sure to stay in touch with all of the film related discussion, events, and goings-ons in La Grande. A great way to do this is to keep and eye on http://www.lagrandelife.com. This site is set up to be a collaborative thought engine for La Grande, OR. A place where we can get current events and information, resources but also a place to communicate, discuss, dream, and help shape our community.

Labels: 48 hour film, film project, filmmakers, la grande, lagrandelife.com

The kick-off "Schmooze" & Brunch is scheduled for Wednesday August 19th: starting at 9:00 am. We have secured the Colleen F. Johnson Community Room. Yeah! Still working on the sponsored craft services table but getting there. Visit the library if you get a chance. A good downtown la Grande entity.

http://www.ci.la-grande.or.us/dept_library.cfm

Labels: la grande, library, locations

So after some group meetings we have decided upon a new plan - the 48 hour film competition. Yes, a perfect fit.

OVERVIEW:
The project will kick off on Wednesday, August 19th, with a typical filmmakers breakfast/brunch at 9:00 am. Teams will be selected, organized, and specific criteria for their film will be given. After the participants have had a chance to “schmooze” the start gun is shot at 12:00pm - and the filmmakers have 48 hours to deliver their final project.

The premiere of the short films after the MAIN ACT MUSIC (about 10:30 pm) at the “Crossing the Blues: La Grande Summer Festival. The opening event will be the filmmakers, participants, and sponsors for an official opening night celebration. The event will take place at Mt. Emily Ale House.

The saturday to follow will have the films available on rotation for festival goers to stop in, have a beer, and preview the project - leaving their vote for the favorite film. An Audience choice award will be given at the end of the night.

COMPETING TEAMS -
This year the group of competition participants will have to sign up by July 31st, 2009 by 11:59 PM A team captain will sign up as a team participant. Once signed in as a team, each team will be comprised of 3 core members including the captain. Within this core, job titles should include: (but are not limited to) Director, Shooter, Editor, etc. Sign up is free.

TALENT POOL -
A larger pool of “talent volunteers” which will be available to the teams, will available for sign up by August 14th from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM. This second group will make up: actors, grips, etc. Sign up is free.

Look for a new website coming soon : Lagrandefilm.com (complete sign up will be available there) - in the meantime contact chris@coldcoffeemedia.com

Labels: 48 hour film, film project, filmmaking, la grande

So it has been a little bit of a challenge as I try to nail down the bands. Word on the street was that some were not playing much anymore, one group was dissolved for the summer, not to mention my own frantic days of juggling to much... but I digress.

Labels: action film, city of animals, la grande, sons of guns, test audiences

We are cooking in terms of project pre-production for LGSFP. There will be a mandatory meeting for all PROJECT MANAGERS and SELECTED BANDS to discuss logistics and guidelines for the project. This meeting will be held Friday, June 6th at 9:00pm at Mt. Emily Ale House, in La Grande.. I trust most folks can make that.

Topics of Discussion:

1. Project Manager Responsibilities
2. Band Responsibilities
3. Calendar of Events / Deadlines
4. Participants and Organization


Come prepared to help fine-tune and shape the success of this years event.

See you there - any other interested parties may join in.

PS - one of our featured bands has a show Next Saturday. Check out the poster above or visit:
www.myspace.com/megabeard for more information.

Labels: film project, filmmaking, la grande, LGSFP

It took a little while to nail out some details but let me lay it on the line. This year's La Grande Summer Film Project will give you the chance to help produce a music video for one of 3 to 4 local bands. Production begins on Friday, August 7th with a kick off gathering at Mt. Emily Ale! Production will run 2 weeks and on Saturday August 22nd, the final projects will be screened at the Ale House throughout the day.

Additionally a core group has already began a complimentary project.


All participants will get together and you will be put into a film group. The specific criteria for each video will be given at that time! (We like to keep that part a surprise).

The participating bands will be announced soon so check back.

Make sure to sign up on the top right of this page to receive information via email for specific times and additional information for participants. Happy Filmmaking!

Labels: eastern oregon, film project, filmmaking, la grande

Labels: cold coffee media, drama, film project, la grande, short film

So I will be adding to and editing this blog over the course of the next few hours. I just wanted to say thank you to Steve for setting us up for our MOB scene location! And Kevin, for being a awesome bad guy. I will try to recap my day in between editing down the first scene with Jason and writing the dialogue for tomorrow morning's 6:00am shoot! Yikes..

8:00am - I woke up later than I wanted - but was glad to have the extra rest going into the day. I had to do some actual work to pay some bills but my brain was swirling - I was meeting with all my thugs at ten and they are expecting to have a script.

10:00am - Still no script - but a good solid story structure and some key bits of dialogue were starting to come about. I met our "handler" Renae (I hope I spelled your name right, it is late) and she solidified availability for tomorrows shoot at Hought's 24 Flavors. Yeah! I sent the thugs to the alley-ways to shoot some location photos and to start thinking about fight scenes. They returned with some photos for a great location:







Needless to say - hours go by of me pacing back and forth - working on a bit of dialogue for the scene we are suppose to shoot at 5:00. Still working on convincing our lead action star that he will do awesome and this is a worth while project to do - to play and have fun - I think I sold him on it... SUCKER!!!

5:00 pm : Mike Cooper picks me up and we head to our first location. A rough script is present - but the go-getem-ness of Kevin Cahill is what really gets the juices flowing - and all of a sudden we are making a movie.







8:00 pm - WRAP SCENE 1: We finished up the scene (WOOHOO) and returned back to main base - where Jason showed up to start putting some of the pieces together - got a good jump start on the edit. Made a quick trip to Hought's to scope the scene tomorrow and picked up a a juicy bacon cheese Hought's burger - perfect fuel. Jason came back determined to get a small chunk of footage laid out into a rough edit... we now officially have about 40 seconds of quasi-completed film!!!


Currently: 12:41 am: So after writing this blog and pacing around working on shot ideas for tomorrow morning's 6:00am go time - I find myself too - weary eyed. Set the alarm for 4:00 am and put the coffee in the machine now... gunna dream about a chase scene and see what we can shoot in the morning.

It was great to know that the other teams were all hard at work as well - I looked down the street and saw Jason heading out after their shoot - talked with MIke on the phone, and saw the lights on at Jess' house... I would say this project is already successful and I am grateful to all those involved... at the risk of getting to sappy I will adjourn to dreamtime for information - feel free to pass me your thoughts while I slumber - gunna need them.

Good Night - Christopher

Labels: acting, actors, film, la grande, production, shoots

Hooray - we are under way. The filmmaking teams have been assembled and they are starting to create their stories, characters, themes, and what-nots. We had a great meeting on Saturday August 16th at Bear Mountain Pizza (thank you Don's Jewelry for picking up the tab!).

After looking at our participants and getting a sense of what people wanted to do and were able to do in the upcoming week we felt it was a good idea to give out some of the criteria, just to give the filmmakers a jump on putting their project in motion. Here is the break down of team captains (directors) and some of the criteria...

Team 1: Director: Mike Surber
Team Members: Charlie Koehler, Chuck Peters, Isabelle Richards,, and Miranda Putman.
Team Genre: Musical/Dance Film
Team One-Liner: "I had a cockroach in my pocket just a second ago..."
Team Location: F. Maxine and Thomas W. Cook Memorial Library

Team 2: Director: Michael O'Connor
Team Members: Alan Arnson, Chris Hooper, and Jess.
Team Genre: Drama
Team One-Liner: "Yes, you can borrow my car, and no, you can't keep it."
Team Location: Earth n' Book

Team 3: Director: Jason Crampton
Team Members: kevan Duncan, Dan Barrett, Trish Hansen.
Team Genre: Horror
Team One-Liner: "Why can't we all just recycle?"
Team Location: Highway 30

Team 4: Director: Christopher Jennings
Team Members: Jason Grech and Anne Barth
Team Genre: Action
Team One-Liner: "Hold on, where is your hand?"
Team Location: Hought's 24 Flavors

Monday morning the teams will be given their cameras and a mystery prop to incorporate into their short film. Be on the lookout as the teams will take to the streets of La Grande! Each team is also required to write a production blog here, so check back daily for behind-the-scenes looks at the progress.

Happy Filmmaking,
Cold Coffee Media

*photo of filmmaker meeting courtesy of Alan Arson's Cell Phone.

Labels: acting, cold coffee, film, la grande, video