“We planned to shoot Robots (10 script pages, 27 scenes) in three days, and looking back at that plan now, I realize how ambitious this was,” explains Guitreau. “The script is loaded heavily with story action, including chase scenes and a few stunts, which takes longer to shoot than dialogue. However, we were able to shoot the principal photography in those planned three days, with a few extra half days for pickups and reshoots.” “It was actually a little easier shooting black and white film as opposed to color since we didn’t have to worry about keeping our light’s color temperatures consistent,” says Doria. “Most of our problems stemmed from not being able to have a proper form of playback or a way to watch dailies. To help us with monitoring, we rigged an old surveillance camera with a little screen onto the Bolex viewfinder; however, it was constantly falling off and wasn’t super reliable, but it was better than everyone having to look in the tiny camera viewfinder before a take.” “In a way, it was like shooting blind. We would take our measurements, rehearse the shot, hit record, and pray that we got it right. Most of the time our prayers were answered,” continues Doria. “I cut Robots on Avid,” says Pfeil. “The day after I got the footage back from FotoKem, I had a rough cut later that afternoon. I was pretty excited, to say the least. Since we had been so conservative with our film stock, I usually didn’t have more than 3 or 4 takes of any one angle so that helped expedite the cut. Even with reshoots, I had picture lock in about a month-and-a-half. And that only gave the composer, Kevin Prockup, ten days to create wall-to-wall scoring before the New Orleans Film Festival deadline! Visual effects
Nathan Tucker, 2nd AC, (center) and Matt Martinez, lead actor, (R) prepare to slate for another take.
34 LOUISIANA FILM & VIDEO MAGAZINE
ISSUE FOUR 2015
work was done in After Effects, and the final grade was done with Da Vinci Resolve.” “I would say not having dialogue to help usher the story along was our biggest challenge; however, without it, it really forced us to simply make it a stronger film,” continues Pfeil. “In the end, some dialogue would probably convey certain ideas more clearly, but there’s something wonderful about how silent storytelling challenges and engages the audience.” “We always intended for the film to be silent,” Lead actor Matt Martinez, in full costume, shows off explains Pfeil, some rolls of film. “but not the kind of silent film with that vaudevillian style of over-acting. We wanted to play it straight and natural. The characters would talk and behave as if it were a talkie, but you just don’t get to hear them speak. It would be the complete film package that told you the story, not just dialogue.” “One of the biggest benefits (of the film being silent) was that it was a lot more forgiving for the actors. They didn’t have to worry about flubbing a line here or there, they just had to concern themselves with conveying a look and a mood,” adds Pfeil. “That allows the audience to project onto them whatever they want to see in the characters.” Premiering at the New Orleans Film Festival was always a goal for this creative team but in particular for local Stephen Pfeil. “We made the submission deadline with only thirty minutes to spare! After having to push production dates back three times and some reshoots, we were really crunched for time at the end,” explains Pfeil. “Waiting for notification wasn’t too bad, though. Like most things, I didn’t let it worry me.” “I’m ecstatic that we were selected,” concludes Pfeil. “We always wanted to premiere in New Orleans since this is the hotbed of film right now, and it’s also where we are from.” LFV