Episode 06: The $14 Steadycam

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Here's a technical episode!!! In this video, the steadycam is built. The instructions to build it are from this great website: http://www.steadycam.org
If you want to build one yourself, please be VERY CAREFUL, look for professional assistance. I am not a professional, so I had to ask for help to my good friend Joe, who knows about this stuff.

Although the Steadycam is supposed to cost $14 dollars. In our case, it was $16.54. And that doesn't include the spray black paint, and the tennis racquet grip. Still, it's a very cheap steadycam. We already used it, and it's wonderful!!!

Next Week Episode 07: ?????
Oh my God.... I have no episode for next week!!!!!!
There are a few images of things we had to prepare (props). That might be interesting for next weeks episode.

New to this website? Do you want to see all the videos? Please click on the blue word "VIDEO" where it says: LABELS: VIDEO. (Two lines down).

Episode 05: The Guns Arrive!

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On this occasion, the boys receive the guns for the production. These guns are NOT REAL GUNS. They DO NOT FIRE BULLETS.

One of the objectives of making SAT, is making fake guns look like real guns. So, we decided to buy BB guns, which look like real guns, but aren't.

Next Week Episode 06: The $14 Steadycam

The SAT logo is made!

Finally, here is the official presentation of the SAT logo:


We needed a logo that's going to be printed and seen in several parts of the story. So, Robert made this really cool design.

For those of you geeks out there: the three symbols inside the corners of the triangle are from an ancient language from another world. The first person who leaves the answer as a comment with the name of the language, or the origin of it, will receive a copy of SAT on DVD.

Episode 04: Storyboards

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On this episode we talk and show part of the storyboard process.

Next Week Episode 05: The guns arrive!!!!

Stills of The Parking Structure Scene!!!!!

Last Sunday (Oct. 07) we shot the Parking Structure scene, which is the last scene of the story.

Here are a few stills of that day. Enjoy!


Marking the shot with the slate. That's Riko behind me, he is playing "Uzi Man".



Here is Robert with our $16 dollar steadycam, doing a 180 degree michael-bay-shot!!! Hahaha.
For more information on building a cheap steadycam, click here.



Coming back from doing another shot with the steadycam.



Here we're shooting a CU (close up) of Uzi Man (Riko), while he aims at the Student, who is standing behind us.



Robert and I setting up a shot.

That's all for now. We hope these pictures give you guys another insight into the making of SAT.

Stills of The Pencil Man Scene!!!!!

Hello to all.

Last Saturday (Oct. 06) we shot the Pencil Man scene (which is the second scene of the story). I'm so happy because the material is even better than what I imagined. Plus, I can finally start editing!

Here are a few pictures of the first day. Enjoy!


On this picture you can see Robert who is playing the Pencil Man. We used three lights, which can be seen here too. That's Damion (with the dark shirt) and me. The white paper with the six rectangular boxes is the storyboard we had for the shoot.



Here's Pencil Man getting ready for... THE ACTION!!!!



Damion and me setting up the green screen.



Here I am explaining the shot to Damion, who is playing the Student.



This one is interesting. That "top secret sign" is something we don't want to reveal just yet. Hahaha. And obviously, the famous 'film pose' with the slate.

We don't want to give away too much of the story, so that's all we're going to show for the Pencil Man scene. We hope these pictures will give you a little more insight into the making of SAT.

We'll make a new post with the pictures of the second day: The Parking Structure!

We want to thank our photographer of the day: Ximena!
She also was in charge of shoting footage for the Making Of, Make Up; and, my favourite: Pencil Handler. Hahahaaa.

Budget Updated #3

2 MiniDV tapes DVM63AMQ $9.95 each + tax $1.64 = $21.54
Used for the first shoot day.

Food/water for 1st day shoot: $18.45

4 MiniDV tapes DVM63AMQ $9.95 each + tax $3.28 = $43.08
Used for the second shoot day, and we still have three tapes left for our third and final shoot day.

Budget before: $220.08
The new updated budget is: $303.15

For a complete list, click here.

Budget Updated #2

As the first shoot date approaches, we are buying more stuff:

Aluminum Foil paper (50 sq. ft.): $3.29
This with the black tape, to make the bullet holes of the car.

Black tape: $6.98

Foam Mounting Squares: $2.99 To stick the "bullet holes' to the car.

Masking tape: $5.49 You always need masking tape for various purpose.

Black Paint: $6.79 Orange Paint: $4.39
This is to paint the orange tips of the BB guns black for the shoot. By law, all BB guns need to have the orange tip at all times. So when we finish the shoot, We'll paint the tips orange again.

2 Glue sticks bags at $5.29 each: $10.58
We're using the glue gun to stick a pencil to a shirt, when Pencil man gets hit.

Budget before: $186.55
The new updated budget is: $220.08

For a complete list, click here.

Episode 03: Location Scout

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Here's our third episode!!!
Although we have 4 different locations in the story of SAT, we only had to do a location scout of the Restaurant scene, as I already new which are the other three locations. So this video shows when I when with a good friend to see 4 restaurants.

Next Week Episode 04: Storyboards

Budget updated

We bought more stuff:

Metal Washers: $0.98 cents
Although the bag came with 16 washers, we only used two to fix the Uzi we're using in the last scene.

Aluminium briefcase: $20.00
This one is where the Student carries the gun and three bullets.

Velcro: $3.00
We're using velcro to stick the pencils inside Pencil Man's coat.

3 dozen of My First Ticonderoga pencils: $29.46
1 dozen: $5.70
2-day shipping: $10.95
Tax: $1.41 (for a total of $29.46)

The new updated budget is: $186.55

For a complete list, click here.