Postmortem: "Maternity Ward" - Part 3

For part 3 of this series, our Cinematographer and Editor, Craig Morris, waxes poetic about his first time experience with shooting video with a DSLR and his trick for saving the day when the lights went out....

Shedding Light on "Maternity Ward"

Well, this was certainly an interesting experience. As we started planning the shoot for our short film, "M IS FOR MATERNITY WARD," (our entry into the "ABCs of Death, Part 2" contest) I felt that this would be a great opportunity to finally give DSLR filmmaking a try. We normally shoot with a Sony HVR-Z5U pro cam, but I've seen enough DSLR footage to know that it was time to see how the Canon 60D I already had would work for video.

Craig (Cinematographer) getting the light just perfect

We had the privilege of shooting at a local haunted house, HauntedWeb of Horrors. Their set designers are absolutely top-notch, with Disney-level attention to detail. We've shot two commercials for them before, so they graciously allowed us to use their facility for this short. Without this location, this short would not have been possible.

I then started to light the set with the help of my trusty pal and Cinegore crew regular, Roger Cotton. We've been friends since high school, and it's always comforting to have him on set. He can pretty much read my mind now and knows exactly what I'm trying to accomplish with the lights. My plan was in place and we started to set up the lights.

And that's when disaster struck. Within 2 minutes of turning on one of the 600-watt lamps, the bulb burned out. No problem, I have spares. That's when I realized that the spares we ordered were all the wrong bulb. The boxes they came in were labeled as the correct style we needed, but the bulbs themselves were different. Argh! That will teach me to inspect things a bit more carefully. I'm such an idiot.

So, I grabbed another 600w lamp and that bulb burned out immediately too. That left me with one 600w lamp and a bunch of spare bulbs that didn't fit. Ugh!

Suzanne Ramsey ("Mary") and Craig

The set is fairly large, so I was getting concerned. My only other pro lamps are two Arri 150s. Great lights, but not a lot of coverage. I got these in place and stuck the last 600-watt lamp behind a huge diffusion panel. That gave me enough light for the most part, but still needed some fill here and there. Once again, my trusty $6 aluminum scoop lamps from Wal-Mart came to the rescue. I bring these on every shoot as a backup, and I'm very glad I did.

The results were spectacular. I could not believe how great the shadow detail is on the 60D. Very smooth gradations into black, unlike the harsher cut-off I get with the Z5U. I was amazed.

I mostly used my favorite lens: Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro, and a Canon 70-300mm IS USM zoom. And for two shots, I slapped on the Canon 10-22mm wide-angle lens. Couldn't have gotten these two shots without it.

Suzanne and Craig shooting a scene

With shooting wrapped and editing completed, I began on the soundtrack. Now, I have had zero formal music training, and have never even attempted to write music for a film. I sat down in front of Logic Pro X and just started trying any and every thing I could. Found a nice buzzy synth that seemed to work, and then just started playing notes using a vibraphone synth until I found something that sounded soothing for the mid-section of the film. Once that was in place, I plugged in the Fender Strat and just hammered out some basic power chords for the first section. Plucked the bass line on my Ibanez bass and added drums. The score was coming together. It's not a grand piece of music, but it was a good start I think. Learned a lot in a short amount of time.

I am very pleased with how the film turned out. Considering it was conceived, written, shot, edited, and scored in around three weeks, I'm very satisfied. Our actress, Suzanne Ramsey, did a remarkable job. And my beautiful wife, Val, did an awesome job at handling the directing and producing duties. It's such an honor to work alongside such a great cast and crew who are all passionate about making films.

See our film on the ABCs of Death website and give us a Facebook "like" to vote for us. Thank you!

Writing a Screenplay in Fountain

I've been writing in Fountain for years and didn't even know it. 

Every script I've ever written has started with pen/paper and then gone to a plain text file before ever reaching its final formatted stage. My process was simple. Start writing in plain text (with everything left justified on the page - just like in Fountain) and then import that .TXT file into Celtx.  I used Celtx for a while for a couple of reasons.  One, it's free to use the basic script writing software, and two, because I could also install it on any computer including my work PC so that I could write anywhere.  I would shovel my food down during lunch just to hurry up and squeeze in some writing. Celtx isn't the industry standard, but since I write and direct my own movies it didn't matter. 

While importing a .TXT file into Celtx usually ended up formatted correctly, I still spent a good deal of time cleaning up.  One of the most common issues I had was that Celtx would mistakenly grab a block of dialog as a CAPITALIZED character name.  Annoying. You can imagine my elation to learn that Stu Maschwitz had proposed a Screenplay Markdown (SPMD) syntax be written. SPMD eventually became Fountain thanks to the joint efforts of Mr. Maschwitz and acclaimed screenwriter, John August. Thanks to their efforts, Fountain allowed for apps to magically format my .TXT Fountain-written file very beautifully.  

One thing that I caught myself doing from time to time was adding notes to my script. Usually just a line or two and used as a reminder to go back and add or tweak some aspect of the action or dialog. I'd notate it using [ brackets ]. What's cool about Fountain is that part of the syntax also includes the ability to add notes (called Sections and Synopses), but you don't have to go back to remove it from the script before sending it out to Final Draft or .PDF. Programs that support Fountain know to not display that specially formulated note. Nice touch. 

Another great thing about the Fountain syntax is if you use the .FOUNTAIN extension (rather than .TXT), plain text  apps can still open and properly display that file. It's like magic. Fountain is simply a plain text format. And it's super cool to not be locked into any one writing app. Speaking of writing apps, I do a lot of writing and note taking on my iPad. My go-to app for a while has been Nebulous. But I also like iA Writer and Writing Kit. A different app for every mood!

All this said, I really wanted a screenwriting application that would properly import a .TXT file and export a .PDF. I was stoked when John August announced Highland (I'm an avid ScriptNotes listener!), but was really excited when Stu Maschwitz announced Slugline. Stu and his team of programmers have released Slugline - a screenwriting app that formats at you type. I've been using Slugline since it was released and I love it. Absolutely love it. It's a pleasure to write in. 

In fact, our most recent project, "M IS FOR MATERNITY WARD," was written in Fountain and then later formatted using Slugline. "MATERNITY WARD" is our entry for The ABCs of Death 2 competition.

Dreaming of Slugline for iOS

I do have two wishes. One, is to have an iPad version of Slugline, because as I mentioned, I do a lot of writing on my iPad. Seeing my plain text get magically transformed into script format on the fly *while* typing is just lovely. My second wish, and this will be a given if Slugline ever comes to iOS, is to have an iPad app that not only displays a Fountain screenplay correctly, but one that lets me export a .PDF for emailing purposes. Oh, and if it also utilized Dropbox, that would be a dream come true. 

I realize that most writers probably type early drafts with their iPads and then use desktop software from then on out. But since I write and direct my own movies, I tend to have last minute changes that I prefer to do on my iPad/iPhone so that I can quickly email an updated .PDF to my actors and crew. To my knowledge no iOS app does this the way it should. Several come close, but so far none get it 100% right. Those are my two ultimate wishes for iPad screenwriting. 

Following the inception of Screenplay Markdown (SPMD) to its current form Fountain has been a fun one. Thank you, John August, Stu Maschwitz, and all the programmers/beta testers who've made this possible.  You guys rock! Now I'm off to write an extraordinary script using plain text. 

Postmortem: "Maternity Ward - Part 2

For part 2 of this series, our beautiful and talented actress, Suzy Ramsey, reminisces the advantages of filming a horror movie in a haunted house attraction and how it helped her get into the mindset of the insane....

This was the first project I have worked on in over a year, so I was a little scared at first. Making movies with Val and Craig has been so much fun and not at all like “work” like many actors deal with. So when they asked if I wanted in, I was stoked! “M IS FOR MATERNITY WARD" is the 4th project I have worked on with them and I have to say, they set the bar for future projects. I don’t even know if I would want to work with anyone else. They are so laid back and easy going and that makes for a wonderful experience on set. Plus, they pay me with Cherry Coke and pizza. What else could a girl want?!

Suzy Ramsey as "Mary" shooting a scene

This role was an especially difficult one for me, because I didn’t get to talk! How in the world am I, a loudmouth going to get my point across when I cannot talk? With this project coming about so quickly I had little time to prepare. I am not a trained actor but knowing I had to portray my character and the storyline by pure emotion was really freaking me out. 

Suzy getting her hands bloody

It really helped being at the Hauntedweb of Horrors. See, the less people watching me the more comfortable I am. The scene was set and with just the three of us I was able to really get into character. Especially towards the end of the day, when I had to put the straight jacket on, I literally started feeling out of my mind. We had started shooting in the morning and it was getting dark by then. With nightfall, the ambiance of the creepy haunted house combined with my Cherry Coke buzz really put me in the mind frame of wanting to nail that “insane” look for the last shot.

Craig (Cinematographer) framing a shot with Suzy ("Mary") in the straight jacket

All in all this was once again, an awesome experience. I look forward to making many more movies with Val and Craig. They are truly an amazing couple and a blast to work with. Stay tuned!!

Special thanks to Hauntedweb for the use of their amazing sets!

To watch and vote for "M IS FOR MATERNITY WARD," visit The ABCs of Death site! We appreciate your support!

Postmortem: "Maternity Ward"

Suzy Ramsey as "Mary"

For a production that had to come together super fast, it's definitely one for the books.  There were a lot of "firsts" for us with "M IS FOR MATERNITY WARD," which is our entry for The ABCs of Death Part 2, 26th Director contest. "MATERNITY WARD" was influenced by Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein," and in fact, our lead character is named for her. I had not directed anything since "BLOOD THERAPY," and it felt really good to hear "What do you think, Mrs. Director?" again after a three year hiatus.  These are a few of my thoughts and experiences.

1. We started a new tradition with this short film.  We went to see a movie together before making a movie together.  I wish I could say that was my idea, but I actually heard Adam Green (Hatchet, Frozen) mention on one of his podcasts that he does that before his shoots. I'm a huge fan of his and I admit I totally stole it from him. It's a great idea!  So, Craig and I, along with our actress Suzy and her boyfriend, all went to see "You're Next" before production. That was a good movie choice since it is an independent production - like ours. I'm gonna do all I can to uphold this tradition even if it means movie night at our house!

Val (Director) and Craig (Cinematographer) setting up

2. We shot the movie with our Canon DSLR rather than the pro Sony video camera. This was the first time we've shot anything serious with the DSLR. I have to admit, I was a little worried about using the DSLR on such an important shoot (we had a really tight deadline) without thoroughly testing it first. Sure, we've shot stuff in the backyard, but onset is always a different ball game.  We were concerned about focus. Concerned that even though it looked in focus on the tiny camera LCD, it would show up soft once we were looking at the footage on a computer monitor. That's something we don't have yet - an external monitor for the DSLR. Thankfully, Craig nailed the focus. Another thing that turned out really well was the lighting. Not only did Craig do a bang up job on the lighting, but that camera exposed it beautifully. It was a gamble to use it, but the risk paid off. 

3. This was the first time we used the Hauntedweb of Horrors sets to shoot our own movie. Hauntedweb is a local haunted attraction that benefits Youth Villages, a non-profit organization that helps troubled kids and their families. We've shot 2 commercials there for the haunt itself, but this was the first time it was for our own stuff. Patrick and all the people associated with the haunt are just so giving and awesome to work with. "MATERNITY WARD" wouldn't have turned out as well as it did without the added production value of their spectacular sets. The level of artistry is amazing! I know I've said this before, but there is something special about the horror community that no other film community has. I wouldn't trade it for anything! 

Val doing what she does best - playing with blood!

4. Craig 100% scored "MATERNITY WARD" on his own. The new Logic program on Mac is a godsend. He started playing guitar only a few years ago and is completely self-taught. Since he isn't interested in playing in a band, his ultimate goal was to score our movies so we could step up our game and get away from using the loops that come with Final Cut or even free music from the web. After only a few short months with this new program he's scoring our movies! That makes me even more proud of this production. It is 100% ours. 

5. "M IS FOR MATERNITY WARD" was also my first truly gory, disturbing horror film. Blood aside, this movie is disturbing. There are moments and actions that will make the viewer a little uncomfortable and that's awesome. I get a wicked grin from ear to ear every time I watch it. I wrote and directed it and have viewed it several times and there is one part that still gets me every time. Suzy did an amazing job at really getting into the head of her character. And I couldn't be more proud. 

Val framing a shot

About halfway through the shoot, there was an action I was still a little unsure about. Throughout the first segment where Mary puts the baby together, the blanket is very bloody, as it should be. But once Mary finishes, I considered having Suzy wrap the baby in a clean blanket as she's picking it up for the first time. So, we were standing there in between lighting set ups going over this idea. It was gonna be a somewhat tricky shot to have her stop and wrap a new blanket around the baby without ruining the ultimate reveal. Not to mention it would kill our pacing. Thankfully, Suzy stated that this medical room isn't exactly sanitary and plus her character is insane, so why would she think to get a clean blanket? I then said to Suzy, "It's decided then. You know your character better than anyone." Even me, the writer. That was one of those magic moments of filmmaking where the character that I created had truly been passed on and became solely that of the actor's. 

While there were many "firsts" with this project, there was a moment during shooting that has only happened to me two other times. The moment when Suzy first appears on camera as Mary is revealed, was the first moment in the shoot day that she got to really "act". All of the shots before this were of her hands working and putting the baby together. But now, we were finally seeing her face for the first time, just as Mary was seeing her creation for the first time. Oh, and I should probably mention that Suzy had ONE shot at getting this right. There would be no second take. And Suzy nailed it! It gave me chills watching the monitor. I told her after the shot that it was one of those rare golden moments that I live for.

L-R: Craig (Cinematographer), Roger (Photographer), Val (Director), and in front, Suzy (Actress)

All in all, this was one of my favorite productions. The stars aligned for us on this one. Suzy did an amazing job acting, which isn't easy when everything she portrayed was all body language. She was awesome. Craig went above and beyond like he always does making sure the lighting was just right and the edit was perfect. Plus, with the added responsibility of scoring it, he really knocked it out of the park. These two fine people make my job look good and I couldn't have done it without them. And thanks to Roger Cotton for not only keeping Craig sane during production but for the beautiful pictures from set! I couldn't be more proud of "MATERNITY WARD" and even if we don't win the contest, it was worth it tenfold. 

Watch our short here and vote for us (by clicking the LIKE button above the video) in The ABCs of Death 2 contest! We appreciate your support!

All pictures courtesy of Roger Cotton of Roger Cotton Photography

And one more huge THANK YOU to Hauntedweb of Horrors!