Tuesday, March 30, 2010

FOURPLAY: SAN FRANCISCO trailer!

O.K., we made our Kickstarter goal, so we can finish SAN FRANCISCO. Yaaaaaa! Celebrating by posting the trailer to the blog, please enjoy. - Kyle

Sunday, March 21, 2010

FOURPLAY: Caroline designs ... (PT 2 of 2)

A workshopping of the third FOURPLAY short, TAMPA, our gang-bang bathroom farce, has left me a little busted. Caroline was left a little raw too, but what a trooper and pro, coming in for the last workshop day with the left overs of the SXSW croup and still keeping it together enough to tell me, "Kyle, we really need to have some sort of flowchart of all the strap on penises we are going to be using in TAMPA, and we have to separate the ones actors are going to be sucking versus the ones I'd like to doctor up with make-up, cause they can't be sucking on make-up, that's just gross." I'm paraphrasing, but that tells ya a lot about how Caroline keeps her head together even under the most ridiculous of circumstances. She's also having to come up w/ bucket loads of fake sperm for the over-the-top climax, turning her kitchen into a chemistry set and sending me shots of various concoctions via iPhone snap shots. TAMPA is going to be messy! - Kyle

3) How do you approach your work when you are asked to do A LOT on a VERY LOW budget? What tips could you pass along to budding dp's or production designers?

Don't be afraid to ask for anything. The best thing I've found about working cheaply (especially in Austin) has been that people genuinely want to help you out, and are often happy to be included in the movie-making process, even if it's something as simple as giving you a free can of paint or loaning you a plastic lawn ornament.

4) Any interesting/memorable moments you'd like to tell us about from the SAN FRANCISCO or AUSTIN shoots?

My favorite moment so far happened while we were shooting SAN FRANCISCO.

We were shooting in a rented house in a remote part of Wimberly, far away from a shopping center or mall. I realized I'd forgotten a neck tie that was essential to the character's wardrobe and we were hours away from Austin. I asked the producer to just get in his car and DRIVE. We passed a few houses on this country road, and suddenly I just told him to stop. I jumped out, knocked on the door, and an old couple answered. I asked if I could borrow a tie. The husband said "of course" without asking why, and came back a minute later with a few dozen to choose from. I explained we were shooting a movie up the road and needed it for the next scene. They laughed and said they were "used to show business people" because they own the Bazaar, a make-up and costume house in Austin, where I had bought all the special effects make-up the day before.

Monday, March 15, 2010

4PLAY: Not our Chloe...

O.K., a link below to a what looks like the type of dumb-ass Hollywood fear-mongering claptrap involving sexuality that I've railed about before on this blog ... and why the world needs FOURPLAY. Yet again, another killer sex-worker psycho-maniac on the loose. Oh lord, how Atom Egoyan has fallen from the days of SPEAKING PARTS and CALENDAR. Then again, the trailer could all be a ruse ... but I don't think so. Apologies to our Chloe, whose not out to blackmail or threaten anyone. - Kyle

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3782411289/


Monday, March 8, 2010

4PLAY: SAN FRANCISCO trailer on Kickstarter!

Want to see the trailer for SAN FRANCISCO, the first FOURPLAY short? Then check out our Kickstarter page.

http://kck.st/aepF8d

Kickstarter is the equivalent of a PBS fund drive for individual art projects. We're looking to raise the final $2.5K (for sound mix, color correction and music rights) in as little as $10 increments by March 29th. Have some fun rewards available for your donation including signed copies of Shirtlifter, nude etchings by Louis Russomano, signed photos of Chloe, and lip-stick "Thank You" card kisses from Aliya!

Brother, can you spare a dime for transformational art!?

- Kyle

Saturday, March 6, 2010

FOURPLAY: Caroline designs ... (PT 1 of 2)


Caroline Karlen is a consummate professional production designer, even when having to prep a sweaty actor decked out in a thong, wig, spiked heels and a continually malfunctioning garter belt. Inventive with limited resources, the picture of grace under fire, she recently debuted her first feature at Sundance, Bryan Poyser's LOVERS OF HATE. First of a two part interview below. - Kyle


1) You've worked on a lot of films, commercials, music-videos, et al. What makes working on these FOURPLAY shorts unique for you?


The most unique part of working on 4-PLAY has been the communal aspect of pre-production. Kyle has a very inclusive style, and involved the principle crew as much as possible in choosing locations, color scheme, lighting, even down to things like whether or not clothing would work in a specific scene. It's a great way to work when you are on a low budget because you get a global picture of the project and can better communicate your choices and concerns when everyone's working with the same information.

2) Do you have any personal connection to the material in the scripts? How did any of the material in AUSTIN or SAN FRANCISCO speak to you?

Honestly, I didn't have a personal connection to AUSTIN or SAN FRANCISCO in the literal sense: neither of the stories reflected choices I've made or conflicts I've had in my personal life. However, from a design standpoint, I was excited to dress those characters and create the environments they lived in. Kyle and Carlos' ability to flesh out their visions of the characters during story meetings made the finished product really satisfying, and I feel like I've known a lot of people who resemble these characters throughout my life.