|
MikelCulchie
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Mikel
Gender: Male
Interests: Movies, writing, music, photography, philosophy, the Simpsons, reading fiction (like Lord of the Rings or other classics, as well as newer works), reading non-fiction (on culture, philosophy, science, art, and filmmaking).
Expertise: I'd like to claim filmmaking, but there's a lot to learn yet. I'd like to claim writing, but I've got to get better at it. I'd like to claim any of the subjects I read about, but there's always more to read that I haven't touched yet. I'd like to claim photography, but who am I kidding? And I'd like to claim philosophy, but I only have a BA in philosophy. So . . . I guess that leaves me with The Simpsons. Yes, I'm an expert in The Simpsons (all be it, by default).
Occupation: Writer/Filmmaker and freelance
Industry: see above
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
11/4/2004
|
|
| Hello everyone,
So, I'm starting a new blog. I will still post on this one periodically, for the new blog will actually be for a specific purpose. I'll be writing about films, current and old, and using as forum of discussion on culture, philosophy, theology, and humanity. You can check out the new blog at www.mikelwisler.blogspot.com. It's called Cin-posium (the Cin coming from Cinema). Please feel free to leave comments and feedback, since it's the interaction I crave.
| | |
| Here's some news articles posted this week to the Runaway Pen Productions website. It's been one heck of a week, guys. Crazy stuff. To keep posted on what's happening, be sure to check out the Runaway Pen site, www.freewebs.com/runawaypen.
Friday, November 9th, 2007
"Cold October" Production WrapThis past weekend, Runaway Pen wrapped production on a new short film, “Cold October.” Directed by Mikel J. Wisler ("Cellar Door"),
“Cold October” was shot on two consecutive weekends (October 26th
through the 28th and November 2nd through the 4th) in South Bend,
Indiana. Due to bad weather, the production fell behind during the
first weekend, but under Brenan Campbell's guidance as the 1st
Assistant Director, production finished its first weekend on schedule
after a rather long day on Saturday, October 27th. The second weekend
continued as planned, with only minor additions of pick-up shots
cinematographer Andrew Gilbert and director Wisler felt needed to be
re-shot or added after watching the dailies from the first weekend in a
HD theater facility in Elkhart which allowed them to see the footage
projected in its native HD 1080i format it was shot in.“The
footage looks the best it ever has,” says Wisler. “After watching the
dailies from the first weekend in HD on that big screen, I really felt
like we are on to something good. I feel like we’re leaning something,
and we’re getting better.” After having seen the footage from the first
weekend projected in HD, Wisler and Gilbert opted not to make the trip
to Elkhart this past Wednesday to watch the second weekend footage in
the same manner. “I’ve got it all loaded into Final Cut, and I can play
it back in HD on my 24-inch screen. It looks great. We’ve been really
paranoid this time around about exposure and focus, and it’s paid off.
With how good the footage looked last week, I feel safe in continuing
without having to see everything project. But it really helped after
that first weekend, and I’m glad we did it. And then we got even better
at shooting on the second weekend. I think last Saturday we shot the
most beautifully lit scenes I’ve ever directed. I was floored.” Brittany Fried (actress) on the set of "Cold October."With
the footage conversion from 60i to 24p frame rate completed, Wisler has
been cutting the film all week. He’s had other work and demands on his
time, but has made significant progress on the first cut of the film
already. “Thursday was the first day I got to just sit there and cut
all day. It was great. There’s a real rhythm to it. This film is coming
together fast right now, especially since this is the first project
I’ve been able to cut on a computer powerful enough to allow me to just
work in HD from the beginning, and not have to be selective about what
takes end up being recaptured in HD and converted to 24p. All of this
will slow down, of course, once I have to start work on the special
effects shots and then get into digital grading and color work. I’m
still hopeful that we can have a picture lock before long, that way I
at least have something to hand over to Greg [Shearon] so he can start
scoring this film.”Unlike
short films Runaway Pen has put out in the past, there are no immediate
plans for the release of any teaser or preview to “Cold October” in the
near future. “I started cutting a teaser based on the footage from the
first weekend,” Wisler explains. “But this film is going through the
works. It’s beautiful footage. But we’re not done with it yet. We’re
using the new Apple digital grading program, Color, on every single
shot. I’ve done some testing, and it’s going to be great. Plus, there’s
the FX shots and little tricks I want to play with the footage, getting
a slightly shallower depth of field to give the footage that nicer
prime lens look. So, I’m just not ready to show anyone anything yet.”With
that in mind, Runaway Pen is attempting a new sort of interactive
workflow for prost-production for “Cold October.” The team has a secret
group on Facebook (a networking website), where only those involved
with the film or invited to view rough scenes and comment on the
editing can see the process and be a part of it. It is by invitation
only, and is otherwise invisible. Two rough demo reels from both
weekends have been uploaded to this group. At some point in the next
week, Wisler should begin uploading scenes from the first cut of the
film and start gathering feedback. However, don’t expect even a simple
teaser for “Cold October” until 2008. The film is expected to be
completed some time in the spring.
 Andrew Gilbert (co-writer, prod., DP), Ashley Gilbert (1st AC), and Mikel J. Wisler (co-writer, prod., dir.)
Friday, December 7, 2007
“Cellar Door” Sold to Canadian Short Film ChannelAfter
winning a grant and a spot in a film festival, a couple of young
filmmakers couldn’t ask for too much more in one week. However, late
Friday afternoon, Mikel J. Wisler received news from Ouat Media, the
company distributing “Cellar Door” that Movieola (www.movieola.ca),
a Canadian short film cable station, has bought the rights to show the
film on their channel. This is the first sale of “Cellar Door.”“I
am floored,” say Wisler. “It’s just crazy to have all this happen in
one week. I had e-mailed Ouat Media to let them know we’d won the
Cinephile grant and would be in their film festival. Then I got back
from a writing session with Andy [Gilbert] and checked my e-mail. And
there it was, a congratulations on the grant and news that Movieola
bought ‘Cellar Door.’”Ouat
Media has pitched the film to other places and is currently waiting to
hear back. There’s no word yet on what amount of money this first sale
represents. “As far as our short films go,” explains Wisler, “this was
an expensive one. It will still take a while before we actually turn a
profit. But that’s not even the real point right now. We just want to
take things one-step at a time, earn our stripes, and the ability to
make films with real budgets some day. That’s our dream, and meanwhile,
we’re enjoying the ride.”
| | |
| Check it you, I just updated a story for the Runaway Pen website, and I figured I would put it here as well.
Busy Week Producing and Directing for Wisler
This
past week, Runaway Pen member Mikel J. Wisler was involved with two
substantial projects. On Tuesday, the 25th, Wisler directed two Quick
Auto commercials, both of which he wrote. Producing the spots, and
behind the camera, was Kyle Bainter, owner of Overdun Productions. Both
Bainter and Wisler were hired to shoot something for Darlington School
in Rome, Georgia, this past week as well. They wrapped shooting for the
Quick Auto spots on Tuesday evening, then headed to Chicago. The
following morning, they flew out of Midway to Atlanta, where they then
drove to Rome. Bainter was once again behind the camera. Wisler served
as the producer for the two days of shooting in Rome. The two were
hired by Explore Media to shoot the interviews needed for Darlington's
new "Second Century" capital campaign.
Mikel J. Wisler on the set of the Quick Auto commercials.
"It's
been a busy week," says Wisler. "But it's been a great experience. I'm
particularly excited about those Quick Auto commercials. I've never
done anything like it." The Quick Auto spots are the first television
commercials Wisler has directed. "It's more in the style of what I do
anyway, thought it did present challenges of it's own. You don't have
characters with an in depth back story and definitive character arch,
so it tough some time between takes to come up with good, playable
direction to give the actors. It really gave me a lot to think about.
It's good practice for thinking on your feet as a director."
Wisler and actress on the set of the Quick Auto commercials.
Wisler
brought to the Quick Auto shoot his own dolly, feeling that the fluid
movement of the right shots would raise the production value and look
of this local commercial. Once the editing, effects, and sound work are
completed, the spots will air around the Northern Indiana area on
several television stations. Overdun Production has produced all of the
recent Quick Auto commercials, and does all of the animated graphics
for them as well.
Wisler and Kyle Bainter on the set of the Quick Auto commercials.
Overdun
Productions also provided the camera (Panasonic's AG-HVX200) and most
of the lighting. One HMI (light) and a microphone were rented. The
spots were all shot in HD 720p, in 24p frame rate. Kyle Bainter is
doing the editing and effects work as well as the logo animation at the
end of each spot.
| | |
| The things one thinks are important don't always turn out to be that important. Other times, they do, they really do. So, how does one figure out what's important?
Oh, and my pastor preached a sermon today that made a clear statement that we have a responsibility to take good care of the world we live in (i.e. give a shit about the environment, to put it in laymen's terms). It made me smile. Not a topic I'm used to hearing from the pulpit. And, yes, he did remind us that ultimately, it's people we should care about, but that doesn't excuse us from our moral obligation to properly care for the world God gave us.
So, to all Christians out there worried about being labeled an "environmentalist" because of what a few extreme people have done in the name of environmentalism, would you stop being a Christian because some people have bombed abortion clinics in the name of Christ? This Christian Environmentalist isn't.
| | |
| Well, it's all official. The contract is signed. I shipped off the all the "Cellar Door" stuff to Ouat Media today. Now we wait and see where the movie ends up. Of course, we aren't going to just sit around and wait. We're going to make another one.
So, on to "Cold October."
By the way, the above album I'm listening to ... I just randomly bought the whole album because of a review on NPR. I'm in love with this album.
| | |
|
