Searching for one of my seemingly one million different log ins and passwords, I ran across this bit of notes… not sure if I already posted it somewhere, but the inspiration of that day still holds and has been on my mind of late… “it comes down to content!” (my moments of inspired thought are rare, so bear with me…)

Reading and studying and trying to absord the massive amount of info available on each and every camera and each and every situation, it’s easy to forget about content.

After content, it’s easy to forget about the basics; that the camera only sees a part of what we point it at. It’s value and values are still made up of light and shadow, expressed through composition and angle, rendered with focus or the lack of with digitally interpolated color and luminance.

After acquisition, it’s easy to forget about the value and effort of editing and post. We get lost in the semantics of PC vs. Mac, Intel vs. AMD, and then the myriad debates on editing and finishing systems with more effort than in the understanding of the cut; the when and why’s, the intricities of montage and rythm, of the emotional impact of our choices for juztoposition, continuity edits, jumps cuts, fades and dissolves.

Whether weddings or birthdays, corporate and industrial, music video and training tapes, shorts or feature films… it still comes down to content.

Kely McClung - back to filmmaking…

Downtime from movie making usually involves discussions and planning for moviemaking, which is maybe why I have so little life and few friends outside my artistic endeavors. That still leaves me with a lot of amazing experiences and a lot of friends. None of my family is involved, which is why I think they seem interested in the process those rare times I see them.

I was recently able to take an afternoon off from editing to visit with my cousin Brent Clark and his wife Lisa, in town in part to raise money for a two year trip to Hyderabad, India as The Directors of India Ministries for an organization named Back2Back. I was struck with their commitment and practicality, and the ideals of their ‘mission’: to better the lives of 900 children in the Hyerabad orphanages.

They of course wanted to see what I am working on in my life, which at this time is consumed with the movie KERBEROS.

The scene I had just finished putting together is almost 4 minutes long: two corrupt cops torturing and questioning a drug dealer and realizing they have been missing the bigger picture and payday by looking at the wrong guys.

I am very proud of the scene; good filming, really strong acting, and what I think is very strong writing. Now what makes this scene a bit unique is the scripted f#%$’s and f#%$-you’s and assorted variations. I don’t know that the movie will set any records (I believe the honor goes to Gary Oldman’s NIL BY MOUTH at 428 - unless you look at the documentary F#%$ with over 800), but still there are 54 in this one scene! And then Stan Harrington added to them with his frustration on remembering them, so that “I told you what’s what, so f#%$ the f#%$ off if you don’t believe me” became “I told you what the f#%$ is f#%$, so f#%$ the f#%$ off if you don’t believe me!”.

In relaying this to my cousins before they watched it, they sarcastically said “must be some really creative dialog, huh?”. And it is! Most of it a cross between prison slang, gangland slang, street slang, and ‘cop-speak’. And even my conservative family agreed! Of course my mother will be a different story…

The scene is indicative of many other scenes in this particular movie in that is ostensibly about one thing and then turns on its head toward another but ends up somewhere else again. As the writer, it was fun and exciting to put these scenes on paper with the shades of black and white blurring them gray. As the director and the editor, it’s a challenge to tease and inform while creating a pace and structure that shows off the story and the acting. As the primary actors, Rob, Stan, and myself get the joy of translating the colorful language with action and intent into something comprehensible for the audience.

The emotion and intent are clear within the action of the film, yet much of it had to be explained word by word and line by line to the three actors in this scene, and the actors of almost every other scene, so maybe I should supply a glossary when the movie comes out.

As Harris (Ted Huckabee), says to Darius (Haji Golightly), “Would you mind speaking English motherf#%$er!”

Kely McClung
f#%$ing wordsmith

Or maybe it’s a million more!

Wish I could say all the filming was done, which is not say say I don’t enjoy that specific process, but that I wish there was some completion or finality to some of the million steps. But it can not be a bad thing to look at footage that we have shot and not only take some energy from the pride of the accomplishment to date, but to analyze it and then be in a position to make our film better as we go. Similar feelings to when we did BLOOD TIES, the knowing that what we have pulled off is pretty amazing, but seeing and knowing that, moving forward with the conviction that this is the time to raise the level on all accounts, including the filming itself.

Even with the half dozen scenes I have already cut, I of course have found shots to redo or pickups to add. What is great about the Kerberos cast and crew is that they too sense something special is happening and have been game to do it better. Already, the simple pick ups with Courtney and Mark have helped raise the bar, and the camera work, under my experimental but now more focused eye, and Attila’s rapidly assimilating skills are pushing our overall level upwards.

Okay, a million steps? Maybe an exaggeration but let’s take a quick look at just one scene. I have made my first cut of ” the mechanics shop”, where bank robbing ex-convict Finn (Kely McClung) stops in the middle of the night to the small two car bay garage he owns, talks with Burns (Chris Burns), checks the mail, pounds the heavy bag, finds out one of his snitches is dead, and defends the honor of the girl he’s enamored with even while confessing said ‘enamorance’ as he shares a bottle of ‘Jack’ with his friend.

Already filmed, locations found and paid for, make up and wardrobe chosen and used, fake tattoos drawn on, lighting scheme worked out, props arranged, punching bag found, aged and brought in, sound recorded, footage captured, backed up multiple times, and studied. First cut assembled with frame grabs pulled out to apply treatments and grades to see what the scene might look like when completed. Sound is found wanting, so making plans for the ADR sessions, and the massive amount of Foley (I like full, rich, complex ambiances, even when unobtrusive or subtle - and can clanging at a mechanics shop while pounding a hundred pound heavy bag be subtle?).

So, already sending compressed versions of this first cut to potential composers who begin their own series of steps while I audition various songs for both style and ability to compliment and tell their alternate subliminal versions of the scene.

Now making plans for the the shots which will enhance and/or replace the footage that is not up to standard. The good news is the blocking, the actual script dialog, and the acting are working as they should. The light works great, and the camera, Sony’s PMW EX1 is well up to it, especially now that my experiments and discussions with Attila are taking root.

So we have to now re-light, reset the vehicles, which we have finally tracked down - again, re-dress the scene and ourselves, make arrangements for payment, picture cars, sound acquisition, and then reschedule the actors (I never know my schedule but I am always available for shooting and directing our film!), get the tattoos redone by the great Guzik at the East Atlanta Tattoo Shop, drag every one out there -tough for a night shoot but fortunately it’s a really small crew.

And then film again. Gather specific location sound and Foley. Attempt ADR ‘wild’. Payoff every one, reset and capture the footage. Back it up multiple times. Import it into the editing program (still staying loyal to Adobe even though I am straddling the platform divide with one leg for PC and one leg firmly on a Mac).

Then I get to edit, work the minimum 100 steps to doing the sound right, export the finished picture, reopen in my finishing programs, process the footage (at least 20 more steps), re-import, render, and then pat myself and everyone else on the back long enough to make plans for the next 3 minute scene.

All this for a ‘no budget film’ on a scene we have already done… eeeshhhhh…

Only 990 thousand steps to go!

Kely McClung
Producer/Director/Writer/Actor/blah blah blah… oh yeah, and “coolest filmmaker on the planet”

Hard to believe a month has passed by: nearly thirty days of frustration and creative fulfillment with only two thirds of the movie filmed, but with enough footage and scenes shot to know that we are pulling it off - in a BIG way! And unlike the tagline — the gates of hell go one way — Kerberos - “the movie” - has already transported me back and forth many times.

In this first thirty days, I know that the tension that I create by being hyper focused on not only the creative challenges but the rapidly evolving production’s logistics, (making a 20 million dollar movie for under a hundred grand is harder than I thought!) has jeopardized friendships, threatened personal relationships, and taxed my physical and mental health. But even as that happened, I know I have forged new respects, found new friendships, and have seen the magic over and over again that most filmmakers dream of finding even once.

As a director and producer, it is a nearly unbelievable reward in knowing that I have pushed and pulled people into creating and finding the best work of their lives. It’s equally exciting that they don’t even know it yet! As the editor for both picture and sound, I am already looking forward to constructing the pieces into a vehicle that will make everyone associated with this project as proud of their contributions as I am of them.

Okay… back into hell… but with the confidence that we will emerge once again…

Kely McClung

After stealing away 5 days in Puerto Rico — grabbing sunshine, tacos, ocean breezes, time with my girl, and another win for BLOOD TIES as part of the Rincon Int’l Film Festival for “Best International Feature”, it’s back to the race for KERBEROS.

Still casting, scouting locations, scrambling for props and wardrobe and crew. The warm up is over, and the real race has begun, so maybe for the next 30 days or so, it’s pretty much like running Iron Man’s back to back to back, and not only forcing myself to cross the finish line, but trying to ensure my team of about 100 - cast and crew - crosses with me. Ahhh… the joy of being the Director!

When I watch BLOOD TIES, I am exhilarated by the pride I have in orchestrating all the talents that went in to making my first feature , and the challenge of preparing to outdo myself for KERBEROS.

So in making any movie as ambitious as the one we have set out to do, fuel will come from any internal and external sources we can find. For a few days, or hours at least, the fuel for the next is coming from the last. Not a bad place to be in!!!

Kely McClung

Do I feel the pressure? Oh yeah. Especially when with all we have in place, we are probably missing half. Still looking for key cast members, major locations, specialized extras, stunt men, special fx, catering, vehicles, and time to make sense of it all.

And on top of that, so as to not abandon my first film as I am making my second, I am going with Amazing to Puerto Rico 4 days for the Rincon Int’l Film Festival to represent BLOOD TIES.

I’ll leave the good fight for a few days in the hands of Attila and Future, and hopefully have the chance to watch KERBEROS a few times in my head while laying on a tropical beach with my girl trying to make up for the time I’ve ignored her putting this together. Yet even there, I know I’ll be asking for her deep insights and creative input to help guide, interpret and verbalize my own thoughts. Her last post, The Women of KERBEROS, put on the page ideas that coincided with my own about the role of the female characters better than I ever could.

Having finally been forced by time and circumstance to make and implement some tough decisions in our casting, I am partially dismayed at my long term hesitation, partially content that I made every effort possible to really weigh the effects and consequence of those decisions. And like the story of Dark and Light itself, I am both saddened by the opportunity missed and excited by the possibilities newly created.

Watching the movie in my mind, I know I have made the right decision, and am thrilled by the contribution I know is coming from another fine actor who again is putting his faith in my story, faith in me as a filmmaker, faith in me as his director. Welcome aboard Stan Harrington.

I think of KERBEROS as being the biggest project that I have taken on, but in these moments of reflection, I am not really sure if that’s true.

Is it really bigger than STICKFIGHTER? The first of the 4 picture deal I had with Menahem Golan? I only wrote, helped cast, choreographed and starred in that one. ‘ Was able to bring in a few friends to work on it, both Rob Pralgo and Scott Sullivan, as well as martial arts acquaintances, and I had their support and the responsibility to make sure they were treated fairly as they fought for our cause.

Is it bigger than the films I produced for Pan Am Pictures? Acting as casting director, line producer, first AD, and post production supervisor on movies hovering at the million dollar mark? They had dozens, or even hundreds of people working on them too.

And can it be bigger than BLOOD TIES? The responsibility of convincing two friends, (Robert again, and Troy Barusso) to jump on a plane and travel to the other side of the world, spending their time and money to make my directorial debut?

Somehow, I think it is. This time it’s a bigger picture, with more apparent resources, more people involved, and a bigger potential.

Looking at the first 30 faces on the cast board staring back at me with their generally wide eyed, smiling faces, (there are a few narrow eyed scowls) I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to direct their collective talents into my vision of pain and heroics as they navigate the grey underworld of KERBEROS.

I feel the responsibility that comes with their wide eyed, smiling trust. The responsibility of being the leader marching my men and women into the unknown. The responsibility of making sure we all come out the other side better than when we went in.

Being the Director is supposed to be fun… but I’m still waiting on that part.

Kely McClung

http://www.bloodtiesmovie.com/
http://www.kerberosbites.com/