Windjammer

#2 in the CAN!

2010-04-15T22:13:00.003-04:00

The crew got back from Maine a few days ago with soggy socks and a full hard drive. Andy reports that the weather was "typically lousy" (he swears it rains every time he goes to Maine), but says the shoot was a great success.

The Riggin was hauled out last week, so the crew dashed north to catch the action. Haul out is a yearly stressball for the schooner crew: get the boat out of the water, check the bottom, recaulk, paint, and get back back in as quickly as possible.

The actual process is fairly intense. At exactly high tide, the boat is maneuvered onto a gigantic railway that descends into the water. Once the keel is centered, the railcar is pulled up and out of the water, bringing the schooner with it. If anything goes wrong, the crew has to wait six hours for the next tide to try again.

As usual, Captain Jon and the schooner crew were more than accommodating, especially considering how much work had to get done.

Second Shoot

2010-04-07T08:46:00.002-04:00

The crew left for Maine this morning on shoot number two. The J&E Riggin hauls out this week for its yearly bottom painting and hull inspection. This will be her last haul out before the rebuild next fall and winter. We're sure the crew will come home with some terrific footage!

Got us a camera!

2010-04-07T08:43:00.001-04:00

Andy apparently found the camera he's been looking for last night. It's an EX-1, found on craigslist, and just in time too - we're planning another shoot in Rockland for the middle of next week. More soon-

Gear, gear, gear

2010-03-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

One of the few things that hasn't surprised us is the amount of equipment it takes to make a movie. Thanks to Andy and Taylor's experience in TV production, they knew exactly what they wanted; the only problem is getting it.

Come October, we will all be relocating to Maine and will be shooting nearly non-stop for about five months. We ran the numbers and realized it doesn't make sense to rent that long; we were going to have to purchase.

Andy decided on the Sony EX XDcam system fairly early on due to its rich image, compact design, and tapeless workflow. We're currently in the market for a well-maintained, low-hours used EX-1 or EX-3. The bad news for us is that it seems these cameras hold their value quite well, but we're trolling craigslist and ebay. Our camera is out there somewhere!

The List

2010-03-18T11:05:00.000-04:00

Our to-do list is a force of nature. As we dive deeper into the business end of independent filmmaking, there seems to be an ever-expanding amount of things requiring our attention and money. Every day we learn something new about what we don't know. Today's lesson: how to start a business.

Through a trusted consultant, we recently learned the importance of business bank accounts and keeping all film funds separated from our personal finances (so far, our primary source of cash). Okay, so we'll open a business bank account.

Well, it seems that you need to have a business to do that. Thanks to our dear consultant and of course google, we now understand that there are many different types of business structures, each with their own advantages. So this morning, our director Andy took a trip down to the Kings County Clerk's office. $130 later, we are all employees of a bonafide production company: Balentine Films.

We wanted a bank account, we got a company!

Fiscal Sponsorship

2010-03-12T07:51:00.002-05:00

We’ve applied for fiscal sponsorship with Fractured Atlas www.fracturedatlas.org. This is an important step for indie filmmakers because many funding sources - grants, some corporate backers, etc - require nonprofit status. With the amount of work needed to get a nonprofit off the ground, it’s far more sensible to partner with an existing nonprofit to access these sources.

We’ll keep you updated on how the process is moving along

Video up!

2010-02-27T19:38:00.000-05:00

Video from the first shoot in Maine is up! While not a true trailer, Andy wanted to cut some of the footage together as an exercise in developing what will be the film’s pacing and tone. We’re calling it a “style reel.” Check it out on Vimeo here: http://vimeo.com/9781674 . We’ll add a page soon to the site so you can also watch it right here!

1st shoot in the can

2010-02-01T23:12:00.000-05:00

The crew returned to NYC late last night, tired but happy. They spent the weekend shooting with the Finger family around the house and at the boat. Andy’s goal was to capture their typical wintertime routines one year before the rebuild, so as to contrast with the level of activity next winter will bring.

We will be assembling some of the footage into a highlight reel in the weeks to come, so stay tuned.

Crew rolls out for first shoot

2010-01-29T12:16:00.000-05:00

Director Andy Seestedt and DP Taylor Gentry are on their way to Rockland, Maine for Windjammer’s maiden shoot. With the clock now ticking on both the production and schooner rebuild, Andy wanted to get in at the starting line “while it’s still winter.” The weather calls for 15º this weekend, so it seems he’ll get his wish.

Diving In

2010-01-25T14:34:00.000-05:00

After many years of talking about it, Windjammer is finally a reality! The J&E Riggin has solidified their rebuild timeline - the winter of 2011 - and our humble production is along for the ride. Check in often for updates on the film and the schooner as both projects kick into high gear.