A Message from N3rd Producer Lee Fanning

Here's a message sent out this past weekend to Wonder Mill e-mail subscribers, from Lee Fanning (producer of The Nocturnal Third and writer/director of A Genesis Found). It features some info on what Wonder Mill will be up to in 2012. Subscribe to the newsletter by e-mailing wondermillfilms@yahoo.com.

Hello Everyone!

Just wanted to drop a line and give everyone a big Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays shout out from Wonder Mill Films!

While we're taking a little seasonal break like everyone, catching our favorite Christmas films on the tube (you know, like "Die Hard"), we're still hard at work promoting "The Nocturnal Third" and "A Genesis Found", and looking forward to the new year and its new opportunities!

We've currently got two pretty major projects cooking-- first, at the start of next year we'll begin our "Wonder Mill Roadshow City Tour", which will be similar to last years "A Genesis Found Campus Tour", except this time we're targeting select Southern cities, looking for non-campus venues, and presenting both "The Nocturnal Third" and "A Genesis Found" as a mini-Wonder Mill Film Festival on the same night. We're also exploring some exciting peripheral opportunities with the tour, branching out our reach to other regional filmmakers based in the areas we're visiting, calling for short film entries to be screened as "appetizers" along with our features when we're in town.

Other than that, the next big project is the development of our third feature film! Though we're still very early in the process, we're gunning for a summer-fall shoot (similar to "The Nocturnal Third's" a couple of years ago). Ben and I are developing the story, while I'm scripting and Ben's directing. Should be a lot of fun!

Can't tell you much about the story yet, but let's just say it should have something to do with neutrinos....

That's all you get! Again, Happy Holidays, and thanks for staying in touch!

- Lee Fanning

Director, A Genesis Found

DOODLES - 12/19/11

I figured I'd drop a quick line while I plug the latest blog post. Check that out here. It's called "The Fellowship of the Ring, 10 Years Later – A DIY Filmmaker Looks Back". Some other quick thoughts:

-I'm making good headway in planning out our 2012. I'll be honest when I say that Christmas shopping has taken top priority.

-A bunch of us checked out Mission:Impossible - Ghost Protocol in digital IMAX last week. I think it's safe to say that Brad Bird belongs in the same camp as a Steven Spielberg or a John McTiernan; that being a filmmaker that makes a strong case for "action as art".

-I was also fortunate enough to catch the prologue for The Dark Knight Rises. I'm not sure I can add anything more interesting to the ongoing cultural dialogue about this movie, but it looks like it's going to be a ton of fun.

-We have a pretty cool opportunity that's been presented to us for The Nocturnal Third, and I should have more details in the next week or so.

-Other than that, I've not really been able to consume much media on top of work, movie prep, and social gatherings. Of course, Danielle and I would be remiss to keep any Rankin Bass Christmas specials out of our DVD player. Is there a more elusively magical cinematic art than stop motion?

Merry Christmas, guys.

-Ben

DOODLES - 11/14/11

Here I am with a quick recap of what's been going on recently in the world of The Nocturnal Third, as well as in my cultural world, in general.

-We've gotten several good, in-depth reviews that I'm really happy with. Having my own film reviewed by writers has completely changed my perspective on film criticism. It's so much less important for a person to like our film than it is for them engage in discussion with it. So much of modern film criticism is entirely preference-based, boiled down to a thumbs up or a thumbs down. I'll take a thumbs down with a smile on my face if the viewer came to the film on its terms, ready to engage with it.

-My wife and I are going back through all the Harry Potter films, from the very beginning, and I'm shocked to see how much Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone is when you're aware of the entire narrative trajectory. I haven't read the Rowling books, and don't plan to, but I'm very much a fan of the films. I'm most excited to re-watch Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix, as I watched that 2007 film in the theater, with diminished interest and enthusiasm for the series.

-I think I'm bowing out of Breaking Bad. N3rd composer Jesse Ewing very acutely brought up that the show is a bit of a soul-sucker, and in my opinion, a character-based medium like television needs to be very responsible with how much self-destruction it portrays. This relates greatly to a piece I'm thinking of writing for Film Nerds about the theology of total depravity, and how it relates to film. In an effort to prove to myself that I'm not a complete wimp, I've returned to the classic Raging Bull, and I think my point stands. Watching a character ravage himself and those around him is an allowance in cinema, which is rooted in artistic distance, time limit, and specific perspective.

-Taking a cue from Lee Fanning, who is currently outlining Wonder Mill Feature Number 3, I've re-visited the 1950's Serling Twilight Zone. Those things are just plain fantastic. They play in the same ballpark as the original Star Trek, as well as Universal horror movies or classical Hollywood studio films in general. Similar to those projects, The Twilight Zone zooms into the very germ of a genre idea, finds the drama in that germ, and then plays out that drama on a specific, small scale, with humble resources and great performances. I can't recommend The Twilight Zone highly enough.

-I think that's about it for now. We're currently planning out which cities we want to take The Nocturnal Third too, as well as thinking about a permanent online home for both it and A Genesis Found. We'll have more updates in the coming weeks!

Thanks for reading!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third
Producer, A Genesis Found

Hamacon 2011

Lee Fanning, writer/director of A Genesis Found, and Benjamin Stark, writer/director of The Nocturnal Third, will be hosting a filmmaking panel at this weekend's Hamacon Mini Anime Convention! We'll be answering questions, giving tips, tricks, and just having fun in general. We'd love to have a huge turnout!

Here's some more info:

http://hama-con.com/

Obviously, Hamacon is not just for anime fans, but for enthusiasts of cosplay, fan fiction, comic books, and all kind of great stuff. Be there!

Wonder Mill Films: Feature 3 Announcement

Here's an excerpt from the latest Wonder Mill newsletter, in which I announce our third feature film.

"Lee and I have begun very early work on our next project, which will be Wonder Mill's third feature film. This new effort will be a complete departure for both of us, as the current working arrangement calls for Lee to function as sole scriptwriter and for me to function as director. We're attempting this new approach to increase our respective specializations (although neither of us are leaving behind screenwriting or directing in general), and to try collaborating on an entirely creative level.

Now, this project will not take any concrete form for quite some time, so I can't give any idea of scheduling or timeline, but we are in the outlining stage now. This film should turn out to be quite a fun, eerie, and suspenseful sci-fi thriller if everything comes together, but we are approaching it as a true experiment at this point, with no hard commitments.

We've also discussed producing the movie in a more communal, 'open source' fashion than A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third. We'll have details on that as the project develops, but we hope to have as many of you local filmmakers and performers involved as possible!

Of course, the development of Feature 3 will be taking a back seat to the further distribution of our newest film, The Nocturnal Third. We're putting the finishing touches on a plan that will allow N3rd, along with A Genesis Found, to reach even more audiences in our region."

Exciting!
-Ben

N3rd Review Round-Up - 10/25/11

Battleship Pretension
http://battleshippretension.com/?p=4481

Nashville Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-nashville/the-nocturnal-third-review

Craig Hamilton (Cross-Posted from Examiner)
http://citizencraig.blogspot.com/index.html#2840862475833874558

The Independent Critic
http://www.theindependentcritic.com/nocturnal_third

Fabisch Factor
http://kurtsmoviereviews.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/the-nocturnal-third-review/

Life Between Frames
http://lifebetweenframes.blogspot.com/2011/09/every-machine-breaks-down.html

Flowers Flix
http://flowersflix.com/?p=3686

DOODLES - 10/08/11

I'm in a hotel room in Louisville, KY right now, killing some time before a wedding. My wife and everyone but me is in the ceremony, so I get to hang back and stay out of the way.

I've got the harrowing Texas/Oklahoma game on in the background, wherein the Sooners (Sooners, right?) are crushing by 38 points. I'm also writing a pitch for the screening strategy of THE NOCTURNAL THIRD.

I'll probably stop in a sec to keep reading Dave Ramsey's new book EntreLeadership. It might seem strange reading for a humble part-time filmmaker that isn't in love with business, and the writing is not entirely proficient, but the values are amazing. Some new lessons, many valuable reminders.

Some movies done got seen:

MONEYBALL - Caught this with an old high school buddy a week or so ago. Quite good, which should mean a lot from the guy that knows nothing about baseball and didn't make it through Michael Lewis' book in college. Pitt is very watchable, and Jonah Hill really impresses. The film is simply effective for the most part, but there is an absolutely transcendent scene late in the film where Pitt's character quietly sees a connection between himself and a player afraid of second base. I'll say no more.

THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS - My wife wanted me to watch this movie, a goofy favorite from her childhood. I'm not one for remakes in general, but an evocative title like this deserves a much better movie. This works as a goody comedy at times, and does feature some impressive chase sequences, but overall, director Wes Craven goes completely nuts with moralizing and kitsch. A straight-forward, lean, gothic thriller borrowing the basic concept might be amazing.


-Ben

Doodles - 09/26/11

We're going to start increasing our output here on the Nocturnal Third blog. Whether they be stories, updates, comics, or just random thoughts, it will help us to stay visible online as much of our work on the film moves to building connections and growing our audience on the net.

So, let me introduce "Doodles" - a series in which I share short thoughts on movies, updates on N3rd, and minor Wonder Mill news. To be honest, I stole this idea from another local filmmaker's blog - Jay Burleson's Life Between Frames. Check it out for his and Cody Hamman's eclectic movie reviews. Also, check out filmmaker Chance Shirley's Tacos & Beer... surely another inspiration. Now, I do write extensive pieces on movies for the state-wide film site Film Nerds, so be sure to check that out for more organized thoughts.

LET ME IN - I finally caught up with director Matt Reeves' remake of Tomas Alfredson's Swedish vampire movie, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, about a boy that falls in love with a pre-teen vampire girl. Alfredson went "wide" with his visual approach, using distance and impeccably specific sound design to tell a morally questionable story about a boy discovering what he would trade for love. I'm a fan of that movie, almost more for Alfredson's voice than for the subject matter. Here, Bad Robot devotee Reeves moves in close. Using long lenses and well-placed close-ups, he builds a more intimate film. Unfortunately, the script for LET ME IN does not add an awful lot to distinguish it from the Swedish film, although an amazing car crash sequence and an expanded revelation about the nature of the girl's keeper are nicely executed. Watch it for some late-night fun, but only if you've seen LET THE RIGHT ONE IN.
B-

DRIVE - The Sundance darling that was rumored to expertly deconstruct 70's carsploitation film managed to get a wide enough release to hit us here in Huntsville. I checked it out with my brother-in-law last week, and while we had a great time listening to nasty synth music and reacting to Nicholas Winding Refn's unique brand of shock violence, I came out of the film feeling disappointed. A muddy third act, as well as Refn's transparent disinterest in delivering favorite genre elements, keep me from raving about it like the rest of the film nerd world. I can't help but admit that it is fun to watch, however, with amazing performances from Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, and superb cinematography from one of my favorites, Newton Thomas Sigel (SUPERMAN RETURNS, LEATHERHEADS)
B

BLACK SWAN - Aronofsky picks another script which completely beats the stuffing out of an already tortured character. I loved THE FOUNTAIN, and really liked THE WRESTLER. His newest speaks more to my wife (a former ballerina that really liked BLACK SWAN), whereas I was more of a fan of that 2008 film, for its respectful handling of the bizarre past-time of professional wrestling. BLACK SWAN is not as shocking or twisted as I was expecting, despite some Polanski disturbances and Lynch laughs. A hilarious moment featuring a lurid old man on a subway car is not to be missed. In fact, it needs a Cinemagraph GIF.
B+

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

We Need Your Help!

If you've seen The Nocturnal Third, please take a moment and share with us what you thought about the movie. We'll take any comments, negative or positive, as long as they are honest and concise. Post them here, over at our Facebook page, on our Twitter feed, or e-mail them to wondermillfilms@yahoo.com

Thanks!
-Ben

"You can't dream if you don't sleep!"

We had a pretty fantastic turnout last night for the local premiere of The Nocturnal Third. About 140 people made it out, and I'm thankful for each of them. It seemed like a positive - if a bit loud - experience for everyone. I was so glad to see so many old faces and I wish there was a chance to have reconnected with more people.

So... now the easy part is over with. Keep your eyes on this page for more updates and news!

-Ben

Ben vs Ben

Friend and al.com writer Ben Flanagan conducted this interview with me about life as a DIY filmmaker, the upcoming premiere of The Nocturnal Third, and the harrowing realization that I don't know what I'm doing.

http://blog.al.com/entertainment_source/2011/09/ua_grad_huntsville_native_set.html

-Ben (Stark.)



...you know, the guy that made that movie.

N3rd Profile: Composer Jesse Ewing

Jesse Ewing began work with Wonder Mill Films in 2008 when he served as public relations coordinator on the feature film, A Genesis Found. In 2009 he signed on to compose the score to their next feature film, The Nocturnal Third. Ewing has a background in scriptwriting for television commercials and an ear for crafting musical pieces across several different genres. In preparation for the project, he consulted with music directors and local music producers concerning the technical aspects of the score. Then, methodically arranging and recording piece by piece, he composed a score that ranges from soft, atmospheric undertones to bold and dramatic full arrangements. Ewing looks to continue working in the music and film industries following his first feature film.

"Do What You Can With What You Have"

Only four days left until the movie hits Huntsville and the internet! Lots to do between today and Friday, amidst the regular grind of a day job. Somehow, I managed to squeeze in a new blog post over at Film Nerds, which was fun.

Remember, this Friday night, The Nocturnal Third will be available to watch at our new website all weekend for absolutely free.

-Ben

New & Improved N3rd Site

It's a very strange thing to announce a website that replaces the website you're posting the announcement on, especially when the replaced website will be visible on the front page of the new website you're announcing.

http://www.thenocturnalthird.com is a slick and simple way to learn more about our newest movie. Enjoy, and please share with friends that might be interested!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

Every Machine Breaks Down.

OFFICIAL Press Release for The Nocturnal Third Global Premiere

Here's a whiz-bang press release written by one of our producers extraordinaire, Lee Fanning. The guy has some experience with media dealings, seeing as he sacrificed his life on the altar of the 2010-2011 A Genesis Found Campus Tour last year.

The press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WONDER MILL FILMS ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF INDEPENDENT FEATURE-FILM THE NOCTURNAL THIRD!

Huntsville, AL – Wonder Mill Films announces the release of its second independently produced feature film, The Nocturnal Third.

Dubbed a home-brewed mystery/thriller/“neo-noir”, The Nocturnal Third is the story of Eli Gottfried, a pensive art-hobbyist whose family connections have led him to an ill-fitting job at Stafford Stoneworks, a local stone fabrication facility. Facing increasing debt and late bills, Eli reluctantly takes the third shift on a crucial night—from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. The pressure of deteriorating machines, a crushing schedule, and a recurring nightmare begin to be too much for Eli to handle.

When a suspicious co-worker is severely injured, Eli finds his only solace in the ways of a stranded stranger….

Produced from the ground-up entirely in Huntsville, Alabama, with largely Huntsville-based cast and crew, Wonder Mill Films’ second feature film is a tense neo-noir, set against the backdrop of a developing Southern economy.

Utilizing an innovative day-and-date release strategy, The Nocturnal Third will be made available via several simultaneous distribution platforms on September 9, 2011 to facilitate the film’s global premiere.

The Free Local Premiere and Q&A of The Nocturnal Third will be hosted in Huntsville, Alabama at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Davidson Center Theater (1 Tranquility Base/ Huntsville, AL) on September 9, with doors opening at 6:30 PM and the film starting at 7. A Q&A with the cast and crew will immediately follow, and concessions will be available for purchase. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. In the lobby, donations will also be taken up for the Governor’s Tornado Relief Fund to aid victims of the April 27th tornadoes.

The Free Three Day Online Stream of The Nocturnal Third will accompany the local premiere. From 10:00 PM Friday, September 9 to 10:00 PM Monday, September 12, a stream of The Nocturnal Third will be available free of charge at the film’s official site, thenocturnalthird.com. Aimed at stretching the reach of the film’s premiere to a global audience, the stream will serve, for many, as a gateway into the film, and into the works of Wonder Mill Films. Viewers of the stream are also encouraged to connect and share feedback about the film with Wonder Mill Films and other viewers via Facebook (facebook.com/wondermillfilms).

The DVD Release of The Nocturnal Third will also launch on September 9. Available for $10 MSRP both online and at the Free Local Premiere of The Nocturnal Third, the single-disc DVD features extensive bonus material, including:

Anamorphic Widescreen Presentation (1.78:1 Aspect Ratio) – Enhanced for Widescreen TVs
English Dolby Digital 2.0 Audio
Filmmaker Commentary
“Do What You Can With What You Have: The Making of The Nocturnal Third” Featurette
“Welcome to Stafford Stoneworks: New Hire Training Module” Featurette
Trailers for both The Nocturnal Third and A Genesis Found

Manufactured on demand using cutting edge short run disc printing processes, the DVD is available through thenocturnalthird.com, as well as other third party sites, including amazon.com. The film will be available via Amazon Video on Demand in November.

More about Wonder Mill Films

Based out of Huntsville, AL, Wonder Mill Films was founded in 2006 by Benjamin Stark and Lee Fanning, their first legitimate production company after co-founding the student “banner” Off the Set Films while at the University of Alabama.

After producing numerous short films, the company’s first feature, A Genesis
Found, was produced in the summer of 2008, and began a festival run in 2009.
The film was completed and released on DVD in 2010, and toured to numerous Colleges and Universities throughout the Southeast from July 2010 to March 2011. Some of the major universities visited include the University of Tennessee, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, the University of Arkansas, and the University of South Carolina.

Produced in the summer of 2009, The Nocturnal Third is their second feature-length production.

The Nocturnal Third Synopsis

EVERY MACHINE NEEDS FUEL.

Eli Gottfried is lucky to have a job, but that doesn't mean he loves what he does. Caught in the hustle and bustle at Stafford Stoneworks, a fabrication shop in rural Alabama, Eli is unsure of his future, short on sleep, and creatively dried up. He and his wife, Ellie, struggle to make ends meet, facing medical bills, a swollen mortgage, and student loans. The Stoneworks, in turn, is cutting corners and working overtime to take the next step in establishing its economic foothold in the surrounding community, securing a contract that could change everything
.


EVERY MACHINE NEEDS REPAIR. 

Tasked with the dreaded third shift, from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, Eli must overcome his own disastrous sleep cycle and a recurring nightmare to man under maintained and increasingly deteriorating machinery. Things take an ominous turn when Harold, a mistrusted co-worker, unexpectedly arrives to work alongside Eli. The question is, how closely is Harold tied to Lee Kirby, ex-employee and bitter competitor of Stafford Stoneworks?



EVERY MACHINE BREAKS DOWN.

The night comes to a dead halt when Harold is severely injured in a careless accident. As the deadline approaches and the machines deteriorate, Eli is unlikely to hold up under the pressure, let alone tend to Harold's failing health and suspicious behavior. He finds a sort of relief when an outsider appears - Jeffrey, a stranded traveling salesman. Jeffrey's carefree perspective offers a solace from the demanding work, and maybe with his support, Eli can take control of the situation.

Moody and textural, The Nocturnal Third is a slow-burn workplace thriller that begins with a seemingly domestic situation and meticulously transforms into a tense neo-noir. This gripping story of corporate espionage takes a young man through a single harrowing night as he faces the limits of the human body, his own future, and his role in a system that is beginning to break down.

The Nocturnal Third... GLOBAL Premiere!

In honor of Steve Jobs stepping down as C.E.O. of Apple, we have our own little "one more thing" when it comes to the September 9th premiere of our second feature film, Wonder Mill Films:



On September 9th, not only will The Nocturnal Third be screening publicly for the first time EVER at the slickest theater in Huntsville, Alabama, but the movie will also be available on the main page of our website, http://www.thenocturnalthird.com, to watch in HD for absolutely free.

The stream will be left up for three days after the premiere, for anyone to enjoy at their computer, and possibly even on their mobile device. In addition, the film will be available to purchase on DVD for $10.00, thanks to Amazon.com's CreateSpace on-demand publishing service.

The DVD will be loaded with extra features, including filmmaker commentary, a cryptic Stafford Stoneworks "safety video", and a 30-minute "making-of" documentary: Do What You Can With What You Have: Making The Nocturnal Third.

This scheme, in fact, is why the film has been sitting on my hard drive, perfectly complete, for about two months now. We wanted to make sure the film was as openly available as possible before we released one frame.

Now, the motivation behind this plan is selfish for numerous reasons. Clearly, we're hoping this will buy us a measure of publicity that we can leverage as the film continues to be available on DVD and gets screened at venues and film festivals throughout the fall, winter, and spring.

I will be honest, however. My personal reason for making the film so widely available is to give my extended family a chance to check out our new film. Most of my family actually lives in Germany, which is where my parents immigrated from when I was three. Hopefully some of my awesome cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents will be able to grab a laptop or giant-screened PC to enjoy an evening at der virtuellen Kino.

Alright, guys. Thanks so much for reading, and please comment here, on Facebook, on Twitter, or e-mail us at wondermillfilms@yahoo.com if you have any questions whatsoever!

See you on the 9th!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

The Nocturnal Third - Premiere Announcement!

Check out the flier for our local premiere! Print them out and post them if you feel so inclined. We've got this guy in color...


...and in black and white!

Website Progress Report

We've decided to use Vimeo to host all of the trailers for both A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third on the new N3rd website we're building. You can check them out at the nice custom URL Vimeo was nice enough to grant us:

http://vimeo.com/wondermillfilms

The site is just a page or so of copy away from being ready to publish. Expect to see it replace the two year old place-holder soon!

The March Goes On

MAN! Still a few little things to fix on the N3rd DVD. Luckily, the problems are all limited to menu flubs that I somehow missed in my three proofing sessions. I will try to power through them before I go out of town for dayjob work for four days, but rushing things never helps.

We're close to locking down a premiere venue, which means we're closing to locking down a premiere date. Producer Lee put out a feeler for cast and crew scheduling last week, so we'll hopefully be able to facilitate the most amount of our hard-working collaborators as possible. I can't imagine being on the their end of things, with relative silence on their 2009 sacrifice, save for a update e-mail here and there. It's deceivingly difficult to keep folks in the loops when you're in the editing trenches.

-Ben

Every Machine Needs Fuel.

Danielle took these pictures before this year's Cotton Row 10K. Our marketing budget could use some help, I'll admit.

-Ben

The Final Scene of Alfred Hitchcock's NOTORIOUS

The ending sequence of N3rd was designed with the idea of the sovereignty of the "final shot" in mind. I discuss a great example of that concept brilliantly executed by one of the greats in the newest "Great Scenes" entry over at the FilmNerds.com blog. Take a look!

-Ben

Southern Speed

Here's a fun bit... My parents popped a quick picture of my dad's race car, complete with Wonder Mill logo!

Now in N3rd colors.

-Ben

Spock is not impressed by the N3rd DVD proof.

This proof pudding tastes delicious.

Danielle and I reviewed the DVD proof for the film last night, and most everything checks out. I'm taking the liberty of making just a few final changes, and there is a pretty major design problem that is the fault of the printer, but I think it can be fixed. All that in mind, we're hoping to ship the final DVD on Monday, which means whenever the publisher receives it, it'll be able to go on the market... which means we can schedule a premiere!

-Ben

The proof is in the pudding... envelope.

The proof is in! Time to watch it!

The Final Countdown

• We had a great big meeting this past weekend about the N3rd premiere and beyond. Special thanks to co-producer Danielle for powering through, despite a kidney infection. Ouch.
• Writer/Director Ben Stark just posted another "Speculatin' a Hypothesis" blog entry over at FilmNerds.com. You can check it out here!

That's about it for now. Stay tuned for big news in the coming weeks!

Catching Up...

I've done a horrible job keeping the blog updated daily! A quick run-down...

• The Nocturnal Third is finished, and is being assessed for on-demand manufacturing with Amazon's CreateSpace service.
• We're talking to several movie bloggers about getting involved in sneak previews.
• The producers and I should be talking soon about the final premiere strategy!
• I personally have some more time on my hands now, and am indulging a bit in my status as a lowly movie nerd. Therefore, I've been obnoxiously blogging here and there. My latest post has a title with more bark than actual bite: "Are Tree of Life and Transformers 3 the same movie?"
• I also took a few hours to make a silly trailer mash-up that several people seem to have enjoyed: Mission Impossible Soldier Spy

That's about it, for now! Expect bigger news in the coming weeks!

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

Livin' La Soufriere

I’m not sure why a short Werner Herzog documentary from 1977 has been so ingrained in my brain this week, but I think it has something to do with flexibility. La Soufriere chronicles a community living in wait of an impending volcanic explosion. Herzog and his crew interview the stragglers, those who have refused to evacuate because of foolish bravery or morbid surrender.

The magic of the film is its tone, which is sharply reversed towards the end of the film. I won’t spoil the ending, but the film’s plot developments show off Herzog’s stubborn refusal to give up on a picture. The man wrangles a story and a theme out of everything he comes across.

This kind of flexibility is something that’s been a bit of a theme this year for Wonder Mill. We’ve felt convicted to maintain an amorphous form, to wear the dexterous feet of the high-climbing deer of Psalm 18.

Last month, we officially decided to, at this time, turn down an offer from a DVD distribution company that was interested in giving A Genesis Found wider exposure. After some deliberation, we decided that, despite the company being very friendly and gracious, we couldn’t afford, as an organization, to have one of our films locked into a contract for 5 years. We wanted the elbow room that the ever-changing landscape of modern digital film distribution provides.

Just this past weekend, we had to switch gears on the N3rd side of things, as we learned we would not be able to self-publish the film in a two-disc DVD set. After an hour of late-night discouragement on my part, we were able to quickly make a handful of decisions and cuts and by Monday morning, had a full-steam-ahead plan for a one disc edition of the DVD. By having a clear idea of what is best for 1.) the film, 2.) the audience experience, and 3.) our organization, we changed course without having a semblance of a contingency.

Now, it sounds trite to compare artistic improvisation of the Herzog variety with administrative shuffling, but I’m encouraged by Wonder Mill’s decisions lately. If you can be flexible in house-keeping, that attitude will trickle into every other activity in the organization, be it writing, producing, or directing.

Carrying on flexibly - unsure if the volcano is about to burst - seems to be the best way to operate in a heavily digital environment. Hopefully we can continue this immediate, dexterous operation in all of our future work.

The Nocturnal Third is scheduled to be sent to proof this Tuesday, July 5th. Once we have our stock ordered, it will be a mere few weeks before we have a premiere scheduled. The movie might see the light of day within the next month. But, of course- part of being flexible is not making promises. After all, when money is missing, time is the only key to quality.

It seems La Soufriere is currently available to steal on YouTube. Take advantage and treat yourself.

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third

30 Years of Making It Up As He Goes

I keep telling my wife to keep a mental tally of all the things I keep swearing I'll never do again on another production. Mixing all the sound on The Nocturnal Third was hard, time-consuming, and took discipline, but honestly- I think I could do it again if I didn't have to do it after hours. It's one of those things that can be very discouraging if your mental energy has been sapped by a day job and the minutiae of every-day life. It's tough grunt work (as far as air conditioned computer-driven tasks go), but it is still immediately rewarding and a direct storytelling process.

Editing a "making of" featurette for your own film, however, is both mentally taxing ("Who's actually going to watch this anyway?") as well as tedious and time-consuming, especially when you're a nit-picker. Thankfully, producer Lee wrote the script for the "making of" doc, titled Do What You Can With What You Have. The hard part of the process is looking back at a project that I'm still working on, albeit in its closing stages. It doesn't feel worthy of nostalgia just yet, but with this whole day-and-date experiment, I'll just have to push that out of my psyche. The most esteem-damaging part of the process is seeing myself in the throes of production - out of shape, tired, unkempt, and stressed. It reminds me a lot of looking in the mirror this morning... Showering isn't, like, a mandatory thing, right? It's more like flossing, right? Right? Say what? Oh, no.

As I write this, my final cut of Do What You Can... is compressing for producer review.

Looking beyond this tiny world of my keyboard, my mac, and me, I see that today, my favorite movie of all time turns 30. On this day in 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released for the world to consume. I watch Raiders several times a year, and it never loses its luster.

Raiders is a big reason I'm doing what I'm doing this very second, in so much as I get an idea for a new movie every time I watch it. It just gives me the itch. I'll be honest and say that Jurassic Park and Back to the Future were bigger catalysts for my childhood desire to make movies, but Raiders is somehow more perfect, more watchable.

Note that when I say perfect, it is a completely subjective term. There exist many more expertly put-together films than Raiders, with smoother shots, better effects, and cleaner sound. That said, Raiders is more perfect than these movies for reasons I cannot perfectly articulate. Maybe it has something to do with the organic texture of the movie; it feels real and worn down. Perhaps it's the script, which refracts its source material so well that it spawns something new entirely. Whatever the elusive reason, it must be a strong one, as it doesn't overcome the movie's rough edges, but rather redeems them and makes them part of the greater whole.

Some would respect the movie as fine "trash", but I would disagree, and put Raiders of the Lost Ark above any socially conscious melodrama. Raiders defines cinema, an art form that thrives on behavior. To go on a limb while stealing an entry from the Werner Herzog glossary, there is more "ecstatic truth" in Raiders of the Lost Ark than in any weepy, any art-house indie, and any high gloss Oscar bait.

Happy birthday, Raiders of the Lost Ark - a movie greater than its franchise, greater than its inspirations, greater than its makers. That said: thank you Lucas, Spielberg, Marshall, Allen, Ford, Kaufman, Kasdan, and Williams for making something truly special.

Welcome to Stafford Stoneworks

Of Sound Mind

Spending a lot of time on the N3rd end of things this weekend to revise sound stuff. Tedious, but ultimately, rewarding!

While the computer renders, here are some of my favorite uses of sound design in movies:

Let the Right One In - This Swedish vampire thriller puts a lot of its stock in off-screen terror, keeping many of its set-ups wide and ambiguous, with intricate, well-paced, and terrifying sound.

Star Wars - This is a no-brainer, as the world is introduced to sound maestro Ben Burtt, and we find an all-new universe of sounds no one had ever heard before. Say what you will about this whole series, but the wide array of new and rich sounds living in Lucas' Star Wars universe is mind-blowing.

Raging Bull - Martin Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker are renowned for their unorthodox and dynamic pursuit of matching sound and image. The boxing scenes in Raging Bull are full of hard impact, gut-wrenching noises that are not common to a box ring, but are essential for cinema.

Jurassic Park - Another classic. While they may or not be biologically accurate, the sounds of the dinosaurs in Spielberg's 1993 adventure just feel right, don't they?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers '78 - There is a very specific sounds that the "body snatched" use to single out the unsnatched, and it's really hard to convey without spoiling the joy of experiencing them for the first time.

Into The Future

Oops, I already slipped.

Progress Report: Danielle and Lee (the producers) have an almost-finished copy of the film to review. We're still tweaking score for two scenes, and I'm going to do one more overall sound polish, but it's very close to being an actual movie. I'd even be so bold as to say it IS an actual movie. No celebrating yet, though.

After the premiere, I'm planning on amping up my movie-watching. Here are a few marathons I've been considering, based on categories I've been wanting to explore further for years:

BERGMANIA
Wild Strawberries
Persona
Through A Glass Darkly
Smiles of a Summer Night

CARPOCALYPSE
The Driver
Vanishing Point
Two Lane Blacktop
Thunder Road

SHOESTRING SCI FI
Pi
Scanners
Alphaville
Phase IV

SCREWBALLIN'
My Man Godfrey
Bringing Up Baby
Hail the Conquering Hero
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

-Ben

More Monster

Here's another, of the little guy in full action. One of our main influences was John Carpenter's The Thing. Final animation and overall design was by lead actor Kevin Maggard.

The Monster

So here's a tiny look at a frame of N3rd's dream sequence animation. This has not been comped into its scene.

House of Mirrors

Considering how much has gone into the production of N3rd, there haven't been too many tasks that I might call torturous. Mixing sound has been a very, very hard process, but I can appreciate that fiery trial. I'm now working on editing the "making of" documentary for the DVD extra features, and it is pretty tedious.

Rifling through hours of footage of good folks talking about the film seems like it might be rewarding, but it's not; I feel dirty and vain. I'm trying my hardest to treat it like any paid editing gig, as I didn't write the script- which is a huge advantage.

If I get a free minute, I might post some excerpts of unused interview footage. Despite my guilt, there are some good, constructive, and exciting insights.

-Ben (writer/director)

Animation Domination 2011

Tomorrow, N3rd lead and animator Kevin Maggard will be staying with my wife and I for a few days to wrap up the remainder of the hand-drawn animation needed for the dream sequences in the film.

While the sequence in question is no Rabbit of Seville, it has been quite a bear on the production, as the craft of animation (and directing an animator) is a completely new art form for us. So far, the most fun has been researching (hundreds of hours of watching moving, full-color "druwrings") and the few, fleeting moments of watching compiled frames.

If you want a tiny taste of what the end result will look like, revisit the film's second full trailer, released back in December. Here it is on Vimeo and on Youtube.

I'm trying to resolve to update the blog more often. Stay tuned for more, and feel free to swat me with a buzz saw if I start to slack.

-Ben (writer/director)

Summer Movie Date Nights

Despite N3rd charging towards its finish, its director is making sure he gets some quality time this Summer. Check out the latest Speculatin' a Hypothesis!

http://filmnerds.com/blog/2011/05/05/summer-movie-date-nights-year-two/

10 Reasons to Watch Fewer Movies

What the crap is the writer and director of The Nocturnal Third talking about?!

New blog entry over at http://www.filmnerds.com!



10 Reasons to Watch Fewer Movies

Latest Update Letter from N3rd Writer/Director

 This was sent out a few days ago to The Nocturnal Third cast and crew, as well as to recipients of the Wonder Mill Films newsletter:

"Hi, guys-

I just wanted to give a brief update of where The Nocturnal Third is in its lengthy post-production phase. Things are coming along very well, considering the various "real life" challenges we've been dealing with this past year. Things to be smoothing out for us personally as the film's finish has begun to gain momentum. While we won't be relying on much film festival exposure for the N3rd distribution strategy, we do hope to make this week's deadline for Birmingham's Sidewalk Film Festival. Many of you are familiar with this Fest, so we'll see how that goes. Obviously, we wouldn't submit an ugly movie to a film festival, so that should tell you about how far along we are. Kevin has delivered some fantastic animation and Jesse is awaiting word from me on the final score mix. Danielle, Lee, and myself are continuing to work hard on compiling DVD extras, and Jessica is always working on more awesome promotional materials.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, the film's April 15th release date has definitely budged. This is less because of a lack of a finished film, and more because of the "day-and-date" strategy we've established. We could conceivably premiere the film in its Festival Screener status, but I think it will be all the more satisfying to wait for a big, final reveal. Of course, please give us feedback if you disagree.

In other news, we're quietly making ground on some very cool possibilities on the future home of our first feature, A Genesis Found. Lee has been putting himself through the wringer (in the most enjoyable possible way, I assure you) during the Campus Tour of the last 9 months or so, and we've introduced many new eyeballs to the world of John Patton, Jr. and his kin. We're currently looking at some exciting ways to expand the film's audience, and hopefully we can provide some details in the coming months.

As the summer movie season approaches, you're sure to be asked the question, "seen anything good lately?" If you enjoyed A Genesis Found, bring it up! If you're looking forward to The Nocturnal Third, bring it up! It's important for regional films to be lumped into the same group as those great big spectacles we all enjoy.

Speaking of which, take a look at the trailer for Missing Pieces, directed by Birmingham native Kenton Bartlett. Its production has run parallel to that of The Nocturnal Third, and it looks like a high-quality ensemble drama.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udQ0i9AYJ_0

That's about it! Stay tuned for news on the Nocturnal Third premiere as a date becomes easier to determine.

-Ben Stark
Writer/Director, The Nocturnal Third"

The Man in the High Castle

"We Germans aren't all smiles and sunshine."

 N3rd writer/director Benjamin Stark gets a chance to vent on a certain New Hollywood legend's vision for the future of film-making in the latest Speculatin' a Hypothesis!