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By Eric Pitchford (Floyd)
Now
that I’ve seen the film for the first time…I finally have
something to say…thanks. Thanks to Ben for writing an
entertaining and “tight” script and giving me(us) a chance
to give acting a shot. The story and the dialogue are
flawless. I can honestly say that there was no time during
the reading, production or viewing of the movie that I
thought the script was weak. This is a “smart” story with
engaging characters and a plot that will not let you go.
Thank you for trusting me (us) to act out the script. I
hope I helped Floyd come to life. I certainly enjoyed
myself, and I’m better for having done it. Thanks for the
opportunity.
Also,
thank you Ben for asking for input and listening to my
(our) thoughts. Thanks for not being proud. Thanks for
being patient when we didn’t know our lines, or deliver
them well. Thanks for feeding us at the shoots. Thanks for
remembering that we are not professionals. Thanks for
making us better than we might have been without your help
and understanding. Thanks for accepting the results – good
and bad.
Thanks
for the fun! One of the best things about making this
movie was the people. Now, that is one of the most
over-used statements in history…but it can’t be said any
other way. What fun we had together. I particularly
remember the weekend shoot at Cutters Camp (Denny
Wessell’s) - a ton of hard work, but one of the best
weekends that I can remember. I never imagined that I’d
love shooting a gun so much! I remember listening to Rob
Shultz talk the whole weekend…and when Rob talks…people
laugh. Imagine a comedian with a stand-up routine that
lasts 2 full days – that’s Rob.
I
remember the first “group shoot” at Sunny Jim’s…the
butterflies in my stomach were unlike any I’ve had since
my wrestling days. I’ll never forget the day Ben and I
rehearsed and recorded the werewolf / Mando fight…95
degrees, masks, throws, bear hugs and jump kicks….pure
delight…and I injured Ben’s ribs. What could be better
than that? Oh well, I could go on…but I won’t.
Thanks
for forging ahead and sticking it out. Ben, we all now
realize how difficult it is to make a movie…especially on
a shoestring…and you are to be commended for finding a
way. Your ability to lead, motivate, and sometimes just
plain beg is to be commended.
Thanks
for a chance to do something worthwhile.
Eric
by
Dave Eger (editor)
I've always
been interested in film ever since I was a little kid. My
father was George Romero's Lawyer and he took me to the
set of Dawn of the Dead. I watched them film the scene
where the bikers break into the mall and from that point
on I was hooked. I think with true Indy film you have more
fun. Yeah, you work harder but the people you meet truly
love making films. You have to. There’s like, no money in
it. It's a lot of hard work and a lot of time especially
if you have a day job also and can't say no like me. But
it is so worth it. You get to meet great people usually.
There are some people that are in it for the wrong reasons
or get egos. Those people suck—especially the people who
don't realize that you are doing them a favor when you are
working gratis. When you work at a reduced rate or for
free I think people should appreciate your work more.
That's not how it is but that's how it should be.
I think the role of the
editor in films is crucial—especially Indy film. More
times then not in Indy film your situation sucks weather
it’s lighting, sound, camera, whatever. The editor needs
to work around these to bring the film in. You have a lot
of freedom to experiment with different things when you
are cutting an Indy but you also have to deal with a lot
more things. The editor has to be part producer and part
shrink...if you can’t take 40 hours a week to cut the
picture it takes a lot longer and the director tends to
overanalyze things. They need to realize there is a
process to this. If the first cut comes in at 5 hours let
it—it's just a first cut. Also they need to never loose
focus of why they are making the film. Hopefully it is
because they love it. And… it is their film and with an
Indy they get the chance to make it their way. Don't get
me wrong it is a collaborative art but there is a director
and producer for a reason. You should listen to other
people (especially the editor). But does what they say
enhance your vision or detract from it? I hope that makes
sense. I truly feel cutting a picture take 6 to 8 weeks
for an editors cut then 2 weeks until lock—maybe longer
sometimes—but the normal picture is 6-8. Now lets say 280
hours for about 7 weeks…now lets say you can only work
10-12 hours a week on it and that's 28 weeks, so six
months or so to get an editors cut then you do 8 hours a
week for the lock…that's like another 10 weeks and if you
are your own assistant digitizing and logging etc. add
another 14 weeks and that's like a year. So it leaves a
lot of room to question every choice you've made. If you
are not a confident editor or are not working with a
confident director this can sink the picture.
Now…about OLSIAVT…
Once upon a time on a cold winter’s day I had just gotten
off crutches from breaking my ankle (I'm actually an
international spy who was aiding in thwarting... I
digress) anyway so I've been walking all day looking for a
hard back copy of The Two Towers, used, and at the grocery
store I run into John Gallagher. I had a class with him
the previous summer (actually while production for OLSIAVT
was going on). John mentioned that this little film he
worked on was looking for an editor. Now…I didn't want to
take this project or any other project—I was taking a
class at filmmakers editing a feature and a doc and going
into production on another feature (Missing Jane). I had
no time. My ankle felt like it was going to burst out of
my leg in a very Kafka kinda way anyway so I said send me
the script. My wife, who was right there, rolls her eyes
in that way she does when she knows that I'm really
getting in over my head but it doesn't matter because even
if she says something, I will not listen. So I say send me
the script thinking, okay, I'm not going to say no right
away and at least I can say “You know…this isn't the right
project for me.” I though it out good that I didn't have
any intention of cutting this film. I didn't want to. I
had no time. I missed my wife. I had a thousand things to
do (on Missing Jane). It wasn't going to happen. I get
home, hobble into the house and check my email. There is a
script waiting for me. It said something like "here is the
script for the film I worked on this summer" or something
like that and how to contact Ben. I downloaded the script,
then titled broken hearts broken heads, and I was going to
read it that weekend and tell Ben it wasn't for me on
Monday. The first page spits out and I glance at it. That
was it—it was all over. Like a little kid waiting for Xmas
I figited until the weekend (only a day or two). I got
home Friday evening, grabbed the script, made some tea (I
was off coffee at the time) and began to read. Five pages
into the film I knew I was screwed...I had to take this
project...I mean I HAD to. My wife…well…she wasn't going
to leave me but, man, I'm going to hear about it until I
die. And my ankle…well…it can't talk and since editing is
mostly sitting on your ass anyway it had not much to say.
I took this project because after 5 pages I knew Ben had a
blast writing this film and everyone had a blast working
on this film and it was going to be so much fun cutting it
and I hope the audience has fun watching it. I forced
myself to read the rest of the script before I called Ben
and said “I'll do it.” It was one of the hardest things I
had to do…I wanted to call him right away.
by Rob
Shultz (a.k.a., Ned)
I will be adding many thoughts but this first one is about
the irony of the cast. CIGARETTE-as played by Doug
Lamont...Does not smoke! Never has and never will! Maybe
his character could have been "bubble gum" ,"beef jerky",
"listerine breath strip", or perhaps "altoid". Not only
does he not smoke, he hates being around smoke and
smokers. He asked me once if I (being an avid smoker since
the mid '60's) had ever tried the patch. My response was
that the patch is hard to light and that it leaves a
plasticky taste in my mouth! Maybe my character should
have been named "cigarette". I first heard of the
film during a marathon drinking session starring Ben,
myself, and diggity Dan Braddock. At that point the film
was nothing more than a very interesting conversation.
There were some similarities between Benss initial version
and the version that made it all the way to filming. For
instance...In the original concept Ben and I were supposed
be trying to escape from our liquor store owning,
nymphomaniacle, billionaire super model/stripper
girlfriends. Somewhere in the script we got to
hang out with Cheech Marin, the old guy from "Benny Hill",
and Napoleon. Wow what a concept! Anyway, Ben said the
ending was to be that we woke up in a jail cell in
Tiajuana and it was all a baaaad dream! Way to go Ben! I
am glad to see you see your dream come to be. I am even
more happy to have been a part in such a fun and
interesting venture. I am still waiting for my tap-dance
number!
by
Rick Kneidel (a.k.a. the Droglinx)
Over the Thanksgiving holidays (2003) I had the pleasure
of spending some time with Ben and his charming family.
During the visit, Ben's youngest son Trace said to me,
"Hey Uncle Rick (I'm not his biological uncle but
certainly one in spirit), we watched some of the movie
that my dad's making and we watched the scene where you
play the creepy monster!" I asked, "Well what did
you think of it?" to which he replied "My Dad said
THIS IS CRAP!!!!"
My first thoughts were
"Well what does he expect?!! I never said I could
act! And besides, the scene was shot on a hot summer
day and I had to wear six layers of clothing, a rubber
mask and a wig! I was sweating like a pig and just
wanted it to be over! Maybe your dad needs to keep
his opinions to himself! See if I ever accept a part
in one of your cheesy, juvenile, campy, self-indulgent
productions again, Mr. High and Mighty Know-it-all
director/actor Ben Martin!!!"
Then I found out that
"THIS IS CRAP" is Ben's line right before he encounters
the Droglinx.
"Oh, nevermind..."
I can't wait to see you
at the premier....Rick
By John Gallagher
(a.k.a. Fogerty, Bat Creature, Mr. Martin’s Butt Double)
What can I say about the man, the myth, the
internet hoax that is Fred Martin? I have known him
longer than most of you have been alive and almost as long
as the third Lord of the Rings movie. When he first
approached me to work on this film, I immediately reached
for my pepper spray and reminded him that the restraining
order was still in effect. Several hours and many Tequila
shooters later, he finally convinced me to come in from
the ledge and thus the adventure began.
We started filming almost
two years ago. Just he and I alone in the woods of
northern Pennsylvania armed only with a video camera…and a
pizza delivery man…and two midget strippers. Oh wait, I’m
sorry, that’s “One Last Schtup in a Violent Town”, but I
digress. Over the next two years, we battled many storms
and weathered many monsters, both real and figuratively
(and by “real”, I mean “figuratively”), but in the end we
realized one very important thing…that I had left the lens
cap on. Oh well, live and learn.
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