"NIGHTS" - FILM PRODUCTION DAY 1

Hey everybody,

So I have been working on a short film that I wrote and yesterday was our first day of production. It's been awhile since I've made a film and excited to be behind the lens again. I'm directing as well as scoring this film. It's a way for me to keep working on scoring films because that's what I love to do. My good friend David is playing the Main Character and last night we filmed in his house for the intro of the film. It was the first time I showed him the screenplay and we got straight to work. As we were setting up his bedroom for filming the opening scene I realized I forgot my CD Player for one of the scenes. We searched all over his house but couldn't find one. Who thought such a device that seemed to be used alot in my Middle and High School days, be so hard to find. My head was so set on having a CD Player that I couldn't have it any other way so we actually went out to go buy one at where else other than WAL MART

David with the CD PLAYER

After getting the CD Player we headed back to David's house to start filming. I had some really cool gadgets like this camera glider that my friend Phil Forteza made. Phil is also an amazing filmmaker and martial artist and I scored his short film KAZOKU: Brotherhood that was released Last year.

PRODUCTION STILL

PRODUCTION STILL

We finished filming around midnight and started planning our next date to film. Once I finish filming a couple more scenes I will be able to cut a trailer for all of you to see. I can't wait! Making a film is a lot different than writting a song and that's why I love the challenge but it can be frustrating at times. When I write a song I can finish it usually in the same day or next because all of my ideas come right away and all the resources are in the studio. And the song is usually only 3 - 4 min. long. It's like cooking where you cook the food and you get to enjoy it right away.

In a film there are so many other factors and it's sometimes not a thing you can finish in a day or two. I have to film over a number of days in many different locations, hope the weather is the way it calls for the scene and it has to be at a certain time that we have to start shooting to get the right shot. I have to film, color correct, edit, re-edit, do sound, score and fix things to make sure it's the best film it can be. It seems a lot more complicated than just recording a song where I have all of my resources in my studio but this is what I love to do and I'm already having an amazing time. I can't wait to show you some of the footage because it looks awesome.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far and hope to hear what you all think of the film.

-Dan Mehta