short films

Featurette: The Making of Redlight

This one screened at a number of festivals in 2006. It’s meant to be experienced on DVD as a “special feature,” but you’ll get the idea. Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew detail.

Contest-winning aspiring filmmakers were given a modest budget to make their first film in exchange for being documented by a video crew who would turn the heightened on-set drama/hilarity into a reality-TV show. With production on their film Redlight failing due to mismanagement of funds and lack of talent, these so-called filmmakers go to great lengths to disguise their shortcomings from the documentarians, whose featurette is the only salvageable material for the studio.

“Featurette” script (PDF)


Thanks to Ed Costin and Charles Stonewall for these candid backstage shots.
Click the thumbnails to embiggen.
Victoria arrives on set. The holiday décor must be avoided.Charlie records off-camera voiceover in his 'director' role of the movie-within-the-movie.Dean adjusts a rimlight to help separate the actors from the background.Kim checks the sound. A shotgun mic on a fishpole plugs into a mixer around her neck, then to a camera across the room.
Gordon's documentary crew executes a dolly shot of Charlie's director character, 'Alan Smithee.'Victoria and Pat kill time off camera during one of Charlie's scenes.Gordon wrecks the camera settings for optimal amateurism before the opening shot of 'Redlight.'Dean and Gordon set up lights and grip equipment.
Victoria gets into character (entitled aspiring actress 'Cassie') before a take.Gordon provides clarity about the differing levels of overacting needed depending on whose camera is pointed at them.Gordon levels out the tripod while setting up a short dolly shot.'Ask me ONE more question; I dare you!'
Victoria and Pat feign enthusiasm between takes.Shooting one of the background plates for Charlie's dual-role fight scene.Gordon goes handheld just before entering the scene himself.Jon captures the sound with a fishpole boom.
Jon looks on as Gordon frames the shot.Charlie and Gordon discuss eyelines before shooting the foreground of the dual-role fight scene.Dean captures ambient sound during a greenscreen setup.'Director' Charlie chases his 'editor' alter-ego into the hallway, then records a quick voiceover there. Time saved!