HowTo: Fake Drugs On Screen

My fellow designer and friend Mary Paul sent me a link to this incredible article about what stand in products props masters use when drugs are taken on screen. I've pulled the basic info out into a neat and tidy list for future reference, but here is the link to the original article:

http://nypost.com/2013/10/23/what-actors-really-snort-shoot-and-smoke-on-set/

Cocaine 
Sitting on a table or in lines:
Corn starch and baby powder

Snorted:
Powdered Lactose or Vitamin B powder

Protect the Actor's nasal cavities from multiple takes:
Coat the inside of the straw with Vaseline, so most of the powder gets caught before it gets inhaled

Heroine

Powdered:

The same recipe for faux-caine will work

Boiled:

Sugar and baking soda,

or Bouillon 

or Gelatin

Retracting Needle or Stunt Needle

Rent or Purchase:

http://www.thespecialistsltd.com/stunt-kit-retractable-hypodermic-needle - I've used their kit before and it worked spectacularly - I highly reccomend this if you have the budget for it

http://www.newrulefx.com/products/retractable-syringe-needle - I haven't tried their needle specifically, but I have purchased other stunt props from them in the past and I am always pleased with the quality of their products and their customer service.

Marijuana

Entirely fake:

Oregano

THC free, but otherwise, the real thing:

Buy the real thing without getting the actors high with product bought on legalbuds.com. 

Dress that Bong:

Add coca-cola to the water to dirty it up, add crushed cigarette flakes to float in top.

Ecstasy

Purchase: 

Apparently you can buy stamped sugar pills from a prop house, but I have yet to find the prop house. I'll update this post once I figure it out. Otherwise people recommend Altoids or some other candy with food coloring stamped on it.

Crack Rocks

Not to ingest:

Krazy glue dropped into a pile of baking soda

Magic Mushrooms

Safe to ingest:

Purchase some freeze dried mushrooms from your local asian market

Happy propping everyone!

  

'Deep in the Darkness' NYC Premiere details

So far I've tracked down one of the theaters showing Deep in the Darkness. 



The NYC premiere will be happening at Cinema Village. The screening time will be at 9pm.

For more information about parking, directions etc you can call up the theater at 212-924-3363 or visit their website at www.cinemavillage.com

Seating's limited, so grab you ticket soon.
Hope to see you there!

Gearing up for this Sunday's shoot

Soooo much to finishing up before this weekend's shoot! Make-up tests to finish, props to shop out, last minute casting holes to fill- I swear we'll get the hang of this eventually...

Deep in the the Darkness is hitting theaters soon!

My next feature is coming soon to a theater near you! Well, if you happen to be lucky enough to live near NYC or LA that is. What do you want? We're still awesomely indie. ;-)

This newest feature I production designed for the Chiller Channel with Synthetic Cinema International. This was an absolute blast to make. We were camped out in Moodus CT- slumming it in some creaking Victorian houses that were starting to show their years of neglect. This is a town who, in real life, has been home to mysterious thunderous sounds booming from inside the ground. But that, really, was just a brilliant coincidence.

Our movie is based on the novel of the same name by Micheal Liamo, which if you're too anxious to wait until the end of the month to find out more about the movie you could skip ahead and read the book: it's currently available to purchase on Amazon

Deep in the Darkness which stars Sean Patrick Thomas, Dean Stockwell, Kristen Bush, and Blanche Baker will be premiering in theaters on April 29 and on the Chiller Channel on May 23. For details on that tune in again soon.

But enough gibber gabber from me. Here's the important part, the link to the trailer on Youtube

Brainstorming how to make gunshots for film

First idea: fill your own paintball pellets with dust for dust shots or a teensy bit of gun powder for spark shots.

http://www.hustlepaintball.com/Major-Paintball-Powder-Mine-Fill-4-5-pounds

The Major Paintball Mine-Fill Smoke Simulation Powder. It is used in most mines to simulate the effect of smoke following mine detonation.

Second idea, set of non-launching fireworks or firecrackers remotely:

http://www.predatorpyro.com/

20' of regular slow burning cannon fuse. Burn rate = about 21 seconds per foot. $5.00

Pack comes with 10 connectors. lay fuses inside the grippers, fold it, and you have a solid connection. So all you have to do is light one use and you can have a whole line of things go off. $2.50 a pack.

We could use the fuse and connector with small fireworks, hide them under dirt, and watch them go off as if it were a rain of gunshots hitting the floor.

http://www.hooksettfireworks.com/category/FUSE.html

We could fuse some firecrackers together for some safer sparking action:

$0.25 for a pack of 12

jumping jacks, strip of 100. 6 long strips of jumping jacks. $6.00

Another thought is to add elements in the set that show damage to things, like smoke:

http://www.hustlepaintball.com/Sport-Smoke-PB-200-Smoke-Grenade

The Sport Smoke PB-200 smoke bomb is designed for the paintballer and hobbyist alike. Both compact and affordable, the PB-200 is the most affordable Smoke Bomb, and is ideal for many applications.

Features:

• Fuse ignition: no Haz-Mat shipping charge
• Thick smoke, good hang time
• Easy to handle and carry
• Biodegradable
• "Cool burning" Non-Pyrotechnic Smoke
• Made in the USA
• Fire Mechanism: Fuse
• Smoke Output: 20,000 cubic feet
• Duration: 75 sec
• Dimensions: 2.75"×1.5"
• Weight (lb): .2

*Haz-Mat shipping note: This grenade is NOT subject to a Haz-Mat fee, as it requires an open flame to light it. All other Sport Smoke grenades are subject to Haz-Mat fees. All products with pull ring igniters subject to a $30.00 Haz-Mat fee per box imposed by the carrier plus a $5 handling fee.

I'm going to have to test these thoughts out before we get to set. And I'll certainly be posting the video here once I do :-)

Making a semi trailer bounce on no budget

Ok, so I'm trying to figure out how to, on an indie film budget, rig a tractor trailer to jostle back and forth to simulate it's on the road movement. So far my best bet is http://www.riggingequipmentrentals.com/ I'm just telling them what I'm hoping to do, and since they actually know what the equipment can handle, perhaps they can help me out. And, they rent out the equipment, so it would be a little more realistic than trying to buy something like this.

The other thought I have is to attach a tow truck to the side of the trailer and tug it back and forth with super-heavy duty aircraft cable. I think this would work best, however, the issue is in preventing the potentail human error of pulling it too far and having the set fall on it's side. I don't want any sets tripping over on my watch.

Another idea is to use a jack with a double acting Electric Hydraulic Pump

Something like:

 

except that it costs $3,783.50

So here are some of the consumer products I've found that we might be able to use to jack it up and drop it down during the takes:

• Husky Brute Electric Trailer Jack - Drop Leg - A-Frame - 18" Lift - 4,500 lbs

• Electric jack with powered drive lets you lift and lower your trailer quickly and easily
• $219.95

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Husky/HT87247.html

Trailer Jack

Drop Leg Jack

Sidewind Jack

13-1/2 Inch Drop Leg

12000 lbs

 $119.95

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Jack/Pro-Series/PS1400950376.html

HI-LIFT 48 IN. CAST/STEEL JACK

Online Item #: 0000000033071

SKU: 002965358

$59.99

• Min. to max. lift height - 4.5 to 37.24 in.
• Rated load capacity - 4,660 lbs.
• May be used to lift, winch, clamp, pull or push
• ested load capacity of 7,000 lbs. for a safety factor of 150%
• Made in the USA
• Weight: Approximately 30 pounds
• Shipping Dimensions: Approximately 51 x 10 x 5 inches.

More on this research as it develops.

Weekend of Indie

There is quite a bit going on our little underground world of film this upcoming month or so. The question is, which one to pick?

On Friday November 18

a) MAC 650 Gallery is having an opening night for Linda M. Klusek
    i) 650 Main Street Middletown CT
    ii)4pm-9pm
   iii) free admission
   iv) I'll be attending for the beginning of the event ;-)

b) World Premiere for Hanging Tree
    i) Quad Cinema in NYC
   ii) 10pm-??
   iii) $15 at the door or $12 if you order online
   iv) after party at Studio XXI
   v) I will be attending this also :-D

On Saturday November 19 you could see:

a) The Fence
    i) at Clinton City Hall (CT)
   ii) show's at 8pm red carpet at 7pm
   iii) tickets are an affordable $10 and can be purchased right at the door.

b) Ninja Zombies
    i) Tribeca Grand Hotel (NYC)
   ii) 7pm for cocktail hour, two film shorts, and then feature
   iii) all of which only costs $10 to enter
   iv) and, bonus, part of all proceeds go to Healing the Children Northeast


On November 30th and December 1st:
a) Media Production Confrence and Expo (I recommend it for all of the ripe for picking networking opportunities)
    i) it costs nothing to see the exhibits
    ii) $35 for just one workshop
    ii) $100 for 4 workshops
    iii) $200 for as many workshops as you want, access to all of the keynote speeches, and to the evening reception.

Indie Film Stalking

All of these film premieres!

Sadly I've been working too much to make it to the film premieres I'd been looking forward to: The Melancholy Fantastic Directed by A.D. Calvo, and Zom Rom Com directed by Daniel Lee White, which totally breaks my heart :-(

However I have been diligently Facebook stalking them to find out when their next screenings will be taking place.

Alexander got to go to the last screening of Melancholy Fantastic and from the sounds of it I would have loved it. Horror, meets suspense, meets emo kid, meets mannequins? Yep, that's totally my cup of tea.

Their next screening is Friday December 16th at Real Art Ways in Hartford CT. And for once (knock on wood) I won't be working! So I'll actually get to go!

Check out their website for more info: http://www.goodnightfilm.com/melancholyfantastic/ or your could become a fellow FB stalker --erm-- fan at http://www.facebook.com/melancholyfantastic

No idea when I'll be able to catch Zom Rom Com next, but I'm keeping an eye out for it.

On the note of films I want to see but know I won't be able to make it to is Ninja Zombies. This one looks like it would be so much fun to go and watch!!! And I'm adding it to my unofficial list of reasons I need to move to NYC. (Item 1:, the people, Item 2: The work, Item 3: All of these freaking awesome film premieres I keep missing out on! I guess it's an offical list now that it's been written... )Anyway, back to Ninja Zombies

Their premiere is going to be Saturday November 19th at 7:00pm in the Tribeca Grand Hotel, NYC. And here's your stalking info:
Website: http://www.ninjazombiesfilm.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ninjazombiesfilm
Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=301219969907488

Diamond Trailer

Love this new cut of the trailer (fan edit ^_^)

Zom Rom Com

Ever since hearing the title when they were first scouting for help at SECT I fell in love with this film. I'm so glad their premiere is coming up soon! I really hope I can make my schedule work out so I can go to the premiere!

http://www.lovethyjob.com/zomromcom/