HOUSE OF SECRETS - Now Done Filming!

Just so that you know, we have finished principal photography on the CenterSeat Entertainment Film HOUSE OF SECRETS (formally SHIVER) just two weeks prior. I've been on a personal break trying not to think too much about the filming so that I can have a clear head when I start logging the footage just before I'm able to go into the editing room and start post production on the film.

I'm going to miss the cast & crew of HOUSE OF SECRETS as we all came together to create something that I hope we all will be proud to have been a part of. The editing process will be the hardest as there are many creative decisions that I will have to make in terms of what finally ends up on the screen and what doesn't. Either way I hope to have something that I will be proud to have my name on.

HOUSE OF SECRETS was a hard film for me to do (as writer & director) in that I had to make many compromises to see the story actuall make it to the screen. I believe the film's greatest asset are the actors as they far exceeded my expectations and went beyond anything that I could have imagined ("Go Cast!"). Although I had a small crew, they were the best that "deferred payment" could buy and I had a great Assistant director and producer that kept me focussed throughout the whole film shoot.

I don't enjoy the editing process as much as the filming process but I can't wait to we have something done for people to sit down and watch.

Filming SHIVER!

Filming on my CenterSeat Production of SHIVER (which I'm making my feature film debute) is going very well as I'm loving everything that I'm getting from my cast (so far Sherrie Peterson, Alicia Schulz, Dixie Light, and Cesar Aguirre) and crew (so far Asa Rose, Vernon Mui, and Laura Scigliano). It has been a joy to be working with such creative talents who have made this film experience better then I could have possibly imagined.

The only problem that the production has faced is the extreme cold hitting Georgia earlier then it has in a long time. This and the wind have played havok on several of my exterior shoots which leaves me dreading the "dailies" because I might have to re-shoot one or more of these scenes (thankfully, we still have lots of time in the productions schedule). I've alotted 15 days of principal photography which as of today we are still on track so I'm very happy with that. This weekend is light in that we only have six scenes to film and only two actors needed (I decided to go light this weekend in order to allow everyone to enjoy this Thanksgiving weekend). I'm just glad my actors were in such good spirits to be so accomodating to the production.

Going into the third week of production (and you're hearing it here first), I've decided to change the name of the film from SHIVER to something more appropriate. After all the re-writes and changes the film no longer feels like a "shiver" type of movie but instead feels like a female drama with suspenseful undertones so over the last few days I've been coming up with many names to choose from in order to change the title of the film. I've not decided on a title yet but I may let the cast & crew have a stab at naming this film since without them, this film would have never been possible.

Originally, SHIVER was just meant to be a screenplay that I wanted to sale but circumstances were placed before me and I couldn't say "no" so I decided to make this film my directing debute. I only hope that I can do everyone justice and come out with an entertaining and thought provoking film. Having filmed seven other features (as various other positions) I know how much it can take out of a person to do their first film so I'm trying to be as prepared as possible and be ahead of the game. As long as I can continue to give the illusion that I know what I'm doing then everything will come out as planned.

I just hope I can continue up the illusion.