We just finalized the official poster for THE DROWNING PLACE.
Designed by the incredibly talented Kim Thompson: @kim_a_tron
This little project is picking up steam in a very exciting way, and I can’t wait to show you all more as we make progress.
The water knows what you’ve done.
#HorrorMovie #PosterDesign #indiefilm
Day of color correction on *THE DROWNING PLACE*.
We are getting very close to the finish line now. Today is about shaping the final look of the film, deepening the shadows, sharpening the dread, finding the exact tone of the water, the woods, the skin, the blood, the fear.
It’s one of those stages where the movie suddenly starts to feel complete. Every frame gets a little more precise. Every moment gets a little more dangerous.
Can’t wait to share this one.
*THE DROWNING PLACE*
Coming soon.
#TheDrowningPlace #ColorCorrection #PostProduction #IndieHorror
Today in the studio, @darioforzatomusic and I started hearing what lives under the water.
The score for *THE DROWNING PLACE* is all submerged dread and screams breaking through the surface.
The lake has a voice now. And it is not forgiving. #IndieHorror #FilmScore #behindthescenes
Filmmaking is often absurdly frustrating. Cold water, mud, weather, shots that take forever, tiny problems that somehow become the entire day. And then, somehow, it is also completely wonderful.
It is the most fun, most challenging, most frustrating, and most fulfilling job in the world. You get a group of people together in the middle of nowhere, ask them to believe in something that does not exist yet, and then everyone starts building it, frame by frame, until suddenly it does.
These photos are from our proof-of-concept shoot, which was every bit as messy, strange, exhausting, and beautiful as it looks. Monsters, water work, long setups, problem solving, improvising, laughing through the chaos, and chasing the feeling that the scene is finally coming alive.
We just locked picture this week, which means this piece has officially moved into the finishing phase. That is an exciting milestone. Next up: original music, color correction, sound, and all the invisible work that turns footage into cinema.
More soon.
This is what a real set feels like.
Not polished. Not corporate. Not people hiding behind titles or spreadsheets.
A real set is messy, vulnerable, alive. It is people showing up for each other, pushing through the cold, the fear, the exhaustion, and making something together.
That is the part of filmmaking I believe in.
#filmmaking #behindthescenes
Another successful shoot at Temple Isaiah today, interviewing families and capturing the kind of moments I love most, real people talking about what actually matters in their real lives.
Documentary-style work will always mean a lot to me. There is something uniquely powerful about sitting with someone, asking the right questions, and creating space for honesty, memory, emotion, and connection.
Since COVID, Temple Isaiah has brought us in again and again for all kinds of projects: corporate videos, comedy spoofs, fundraising campaigns, stills, and video. Every time, I feel grateful. Grateful for the trust, for the collaboration, and for the connection I feel to this temple, to this community we joined when our kids were still babies, and to West Los Angeles, where I grew up myself.
Sometimes the smaller jobs, a half day here, a quick shoot there, turn out to matter the most. Not because they are flashy, but because they are woven into the lives of people you care about.
#DocumentaryFilmmaking #VideoProduction #WestLosAngeles #TempleIsaiah #InterviewFilmmaking
Everyone keeps saying Hollywood is dead. But from where I’m standing, artists are still here, crews are still showing up, and stories are still getting made. Last week I shot a proof of concept for a horror feature in LA, and it reminded me that this city still belongs to the people bold enough to dream, build, and keep going. #HollywoodIsNotDead #IndependentFilm #Filmmaking #ProductionJournal #HorrorFilm
POV: you’re making a horror short and suddenly your camera is in a fish tank, me (the director) is in the lake, and everyone is covered in mud.
This was our proof-of-concept shoot from last week. Tiny crew, big ambition, very cold water.
The goal was simple: make the nightmare feel real.
#BehindTheScenes #IndieFilm #HorrorShort #Filmmaking #PracticalEffects
Wrap on the proof of concept. What a day.
I feel great, but more than anything I feel proud. We had an incredible team out there today, and every department brought it 110%. Production, special effects makeup, stunts, cast, lighting, camera, grip, everyone showed up with total commitment, talent, and heart.
I had so much fun making this with all of you. It was one of those days that reminds you exactly why you love doing this.
So grateful to everyone who gave their energy and artistry to this shoot. We made something special today, and I can’t wait to bring it to life in the edit.
Thank you.
#ProductionJournal #ProofOfConcept #FeatureFilm #HorrorFilm #IndieFilm
