The SNEAK PEEK of Resurrection of Serious Rogers is LIVE — BUT, if you didn’t at a comment at http://www.AngeloBell.com/2010/02/sneak-peek/ you’re gonna have to wait longer than anybody else 
Leave a comment, get an advanced peek…
Posts Tagged ‘resurrection of serious rogers’
The “Sneak” is Live
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Sneak Peek
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Want a sneak peek at behind the scenes footage from the neo-noir action thriller, “Resurrection of Serious Rogers?”
Just register for this blog and post a comment below. You’ll receive an email with the location to a password protected URL. Without your correct email address the email won’t reach you.
Check out these YouTube Clips
*note– only valid email addresses will work. You’ll be given access to private footage on YouTube on Monday March 1st. Notification by email and this blog only.
The SNEAK PEEK ends 11:59PM March 1 – PST
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW RIGHT NOW
Neo Noir Resurrected by “Serious Rogers”
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
What is Neo Noir?
Neo-noir (from the Greek neo, new; and the French noir, black) is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently utilizes elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.
Simplifying this, in this writer’s opinion there are several elements associated with a neo noir film that are similar to film noir:
- A crime or crimes are the central element of the film
- The crime is typically a crime of passion (anger, revenge, love)
- The film has a stylized lighting and shooting (cinematography) style
- A main character has a skewed sense of perspective about life, love and/or what’s right or wrong
This is why “Resurrection of Serious Rogers” is such a perfect fit to the neo noir niche genre. While the film follows a thriller format — and to a lessor extent, the action format – it was conceived, written, shot and directed as a neo noir film.
We also coined two new phrases during production. Considering the amount of bloodshed in “Serious Rogers” we have a new sub-genre:
“Vicious Noir” — it’s your basic neo noir film with lots of angre killing and bloodshed
“Metal Noir” — it’s your basic neo noir film underscored by ass-kicking action-oriented heavy metal music (Trent Reznor style)
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Noir lighting and emotional context signify neo noir
Moody atmospheres, brooding people...neo noir
Some better-known neo noir films are Blade Runner, Memento, Sin City, Basic Instinct, L.A. Confidential, and Chinatown
AMC has a list of what it considers the 10 best Neo Noir films ever: http://blogs.amctv.com/photo-galleries/best-neo-noir-movies/introduction.php (opens in a new window – turn your popup blocker off)
These are the post 1980 films Netflix deems as Neo Noir: http://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=neonoir.htm (opens in a new window – turn your popup blocker off)
Filmmaking Horizons
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Sling
It’s been quite a while since I’ve blogged. I’ve been busy with my neo-noir action thriller series “Resurrection of Serious Rogers,” fighting the telephone company (Verizon Sucks), and working out a funding deal for a potential TV distro opportunity for the series. Oh, and I’ve been nursing a fractured wrist.
I’ve managed to maintain some momentum although lack of Internet access has left me feeling temporarily crippled — moreso than the broken wrist. The free time (limited access to social media) had given me time to think. I realized I’ve missed a few opportunities that I should hasve taken advantage of sooner. But all is not lost.
I’ve switched from Verizon and DirecTV to a bundled trifecta service from Charter: internet, phone and television. It should be installed tomorrow. Once it’s done my film “Broken Hearts Club” will be available as a digital download directly from this website and on the film’s official website, http://www.brokenheartsclubfilm.com
I have a few upcoming blog posts on the emotional roller coaster ride that is filmmaking. In this short time of being back in the game (see Don’t Call It A Comeback) I’ve experienced so much. When all is said and done, people either got your back or they don’t. They either see some value in what you bring to the table, or they don’t. If they don’t, move on. If they do, cherish and respect their support.
Making Resurrection of Serious Rogers has reaffirmed my belief that LA is full of great talent. This town is full of amazing actors, composers and potential crew who are eager to work with you. Similarly the town is full of folks who don’t want to work with you as much as they want to work for you — and get a paycheck. My suggestion is to weed them out, take your time and find an eager team. It’s worth it, even if you must find a team on project-by-project basis.
Blood and Brains in the Marina
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
We jacked two locations in the Marina del Rey today while filming an important emotional but action-oriented scene. EMT paramedics stopped by to look closely when we a had Ted on the ground with a bloody gash in his head. Cool.
Hump Day
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Hump Day: Day Mickey-Frickey 6 – Today we are over the halfway mark in shooting the Resurrection of Serious Rogers. Mercedes and Jamie were on set again today to shoot more of what I call, the interrogation scene. Do you remember Verbal Kent, from The Usual Suspects? ‘Nuff said.
I’m not 100% sure but I think we’ve caught up to the original scheduling plan, even though we had a very short day on Sunday. Jim has been jamming on the lighting setups, Kevin and I lend a hand, and the actors do the damn thing. I try to rehearse the actors before every scene for lighting, blocking (camera movement) and to fine tune reactions and emotions. But it would never work if they weren’t 99% off book. They are. And there’s a tremendous amount of fricking dialog in the script for them. Humongous. Kudos to you guys, Jamie and Mercedes!
More pics from the set
Kevin and his iPhone APP Clapper/Slate
Today Was A Good Day For A Resurrection
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
I’m still mostly typing one-handed since I fractured my wrist but to quote Ice Cube: today was a good day on the set of Resurrection of Serious Rogers.
On set today was Jamie Fishback, and Mercedes Manning returned to give it another, throat rested and ready to go. Despite the hovering police helicopter noise and some unruly commuters honking horns outside, we were able to shoot 11 pages of the script–in like five hours!
The icing on the cake was that the actors had rehearsed on their own prior to today. It showed. With a few little director tweaks the antagonistic chemisty I was looking for between the characters (Trixie and Agent Martin) was spot-on! Am I happy? Heck yeah.
Oh, and thanks to you, Mercedes’ Mom for loaning us your daughter and her wonderful talent. We promise to return her in good shape and with her voice still intact.
Here are some random pics from the shoot.
There are more pics on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=194149&id=200291381302&l=9aac9fca32
Overcoming Production Snafus
Sunday, January 24th, 2010
Today, on the set of Resurrection of Serious Rogers, we encountered our first production snafu, which actually turned out to be a benefit in the end.
Mercedes (pronounced “mercy-dees”) Manning was a trooper today. Still recovering from a bad cold, sore throat, ear infection and hoarseness, she showed up for work. After hearing her try to speak I had to make a decision. We were going to nix about 70% of what was scheduled for that day. Instead, we were going to focus on a very sexy and provocative entrance that Mercedes’ character, Trixie, makes. It had to be beautiful. Classy. Innocent, but very sexy. the sequence did not require Mercedes to speak at all
So we went to work. With no other actors on set (we rescheduled Jaime Fishback) we all worked together to block Trixie’s entrance.
There’s a torrential rain outside. Trixie enters, quickly, her jeans and shoes soaking wet. The camera is low and we can only see up to her knees.
Trixie kicks off her shoes, shimmies out of her wet jeans, flips the floor lamp on and plods down the long hallway to the bathroom where she snatches off her wet blouse and grabs a towel…
So we focused on those shots. Jim lit the hell outta it. Reed production designed the hell outta it. Mercedes acted the hell out of it. And hopefully I directed the hell outta it.
The scene was sexy. Strong. Vulnerable. Powerful. But still innocent and old-fashioned.
Resurrection Of Serious Rogers – Day Two
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
We wrapped Day Two of Resurrection of Serious Rogers today. It was a short day and the rain worked to our favor. It came when we needed it to and cleared away when we no longer desired it.
At the last minute, or rather on my way to the set, I had an idea that would save time and travel to Downtown LA. Most of what we did today was totally guerrilla, so an attempt at guerrilla filmmaking downtown would inherently have more variables. Since we had a woman prancing around with Glock lookalike, it was also dangerous.
We shot three scenes, an emotional breakdown, a kill shot, and an assassination. We used the dolly, handheld shots and this cool contraption that looks like a steering wheel. The camera mounts to the center of the wheel and it’s much better than a DV steadicam unit.
Tomorrow is a bigger day. Two locations. Two kills and we get to meet the Bad Ass Girls.
Oh, and I broke my wrist.
Resurrection of Serious Rogers – Day 1
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
Yesterday we wrapped “Resurrection of Serious Rogers” at 4:45PM. Not bad.
We shot in my home on the first day. We captured a meaningful emotional scene first thing, then we let Cooper Harris have some fun. She killed me. That is, I had a cameo role in the playing a blinged out bad dood.
It starting pouring rain while we were out at the park doing guerrilla shooting and I spent fifteen minutes lying in the cold wet grass with my face planted in the mud. Nice.
Art Direction: Reed and Claudia
We moved back to my condo where the spectacular art direction team, Reed and Claudia had transformed my quaint little condo into a “heroin addict’s bachelor pad.” I remember looking at all the open cans of food and bottles and thinking, “Oh God, my wife is going to kill me.” Yes… it was that scary.
Philip and Nancy were on set and in character. I’ve used my home eight time for films. Cinematically, it’s never looked this good. Everyone had fun. Jim did an amazingly fast job of setting up lighting and shot selections. We got so much coverage it was ridiculous.
It was a good first day but we’ve got a long way to go.
