Thou Shalt Not Dream

Casting, Locations, Costumes

The casting was good. I'm still not sure who I'm going to pick for Red, our main character, so we are going to do some call backs next week.

I hadn't realized how hard it is to do a casting for a part that has no lines. But they still need to have facials expressions and body movements for the part to work... How do you give instructions for that? How do you direct an actor for this kind of parts?

I felt a little more like a choreographer that a director. Ha ha. It gave me the chance to realize which actors get what I'm trying to say, and which ones don't. It's very likely is not the actors but me, who can't articulate properly. Ha ha.

Yesterday Ryan and I discussed a little more about the costumes and some other ideas. He showed me some great props, and now, our living room just turned into a prop studio. Ryan is building some of the props there.

About the locations... well, that is really moving a little slower than I expected. Check out some pictures we have of two possible locations in Dumbo. If anybody knows about any warehouse that we can use to build some sets, please let us know to shaltnotdream@yahoo.com.

What camera test?

It was a difficult weekend for the production. I was working 18 hour days on Friday and Saturday. That was not bad, considering that I had the film and I was ready to shoot the camera test on Sunday. Joe had booked this great sound stage so we could have a controlled environment.

By the time I went to bed on Saturday, I haven't heard from my classmate who was lending me the camera package she checked out. She is shooting only tomorrow, so she had the camera sitting around during the weekend.

Well, I didn't hear from her on Sunday either, until around 13:30 that I get an email that she sent to the class, asking for help on her shoot on Tuesday. Immediately I wrote back asking her about the camera. I called her again, to get her voice mail for the 50Th time in the last 24 hrs.

So we didn't get to shoot the camera test this time.

Today, I finally got a list together of the people I want to see on Wednesday for the casting to play Red and Vincent, my most important characters. And tomorrow Joe and I are going location scouting to DUMBO and some other streets around the neighborhood.

Tonight I have an art meeting with Ryan. He has something to show me and I can't wait to see it. I'll write more about that tomorrow.

Film for the test

I'm just getting ready to leave my place and head to Media Distributors to get some stock for the camera test. I'm very exited to see what we can do with this camera.

We are getting 100 ft of Reala 500 and Eterna 500, to see how that turns out.

Pre Production update

First of all, yesterday we had our first production meeting with the key positions of the film. We talked about the design of the film, about the locations that we are going to be scouting this coming week and about the crew that we need to find. And of course planning. Some shots have to be very well planned, so I'm working in storyboards that have to be very tight in the highly design scenes, so we can accomplish what we are looking for.

We dissected the second part of the script, and it helps me express what I'm trying to accomplish here. There was a good communication between the departments and I think Joe and Ryan are going to be a great team to get this vintage look that we want to give to the film. A retro-future sci-fi movie with a vintage look. Ha ha.

Yesterday night I was having a conversation with Ryan, debating on what is the best way to plan this. He was wondering how spontaneous can you be on set if we have everything so tightly planned. I didn't really had an answer. But he came up with the idea to plan and design frame by frame the shots that required a lot of accuracy to work on the screen. And we can have some freedom o play around with shots that are not so tight in production. I think it's a great idea. So I'm working on the storyboards for those scenes that require a lot of production to it.

Ryan too came up with a new set for the prison, which adds so much to the overall theme of the film. You will be able to see it in the final cut, that will be ready by December this year.

We are very happy for the response of all the actor that had been sending their head shots in.  It makes me exited that people get exited about the project. Casting will be held next week.

We are still looking for financing, so if any of you can collaborate with anything you can click here to visit our fund raising web page at fundable.org

The team seams to be working good together. Things look in good shape, and the pre production is moving along.

Thanks everyone for their help and support.

Getting ready to shoot some tests

Joe and I have been talking and we decided we are going to shoot some test on fuji, because Fuji brings the greens more up in the screen than Kodak does... Nothing personal, just aesthetic decisions.

We are going to test the new stock Eterna 500 and the Reala 500. Let's see what we get out of it. I'm going tomorrow to get the stock at Media Distributors in Manhattan. They are at 245 W 27th St. Between 11th and 12th Ave.

Casting Call

"Thou Shalt Not Dream" is calling for casting.

A 16mm short science-fiction film scheduled to shoot in May.

There is no pay but meals, copy and credit will be provided. Expected 3 day shoot in Brooklyn.

Please send headshots and resume to shallnotdream@yahoo.com

Casting:
1-bald male ages 40-45

3 Security guards/ soldiers ages 25-35

1-male age 30-35

20-Extras to play citizens ages 25-35

Thank you.

Producer Joined the Team

Today, Dustin Highbridge, from Radius5 Films, joined as Producer for "Thou Shalt Not Dream". Dusting have directed and produced several pieces, with very high production value. Welcome to the team!

On the other hand, the DP, Joe, and I had a very productive meeting today. We are coming up with crazy ideas, and getting ready to shoot some tests this coming week.

The wheels are moving

Every time I start a new project it seams like a huge task.

I have to say that this time, I feel the wheels are taking this movie to a good place.

People are being very enthusiastic about crewing for this movie. Today was a day of making phone calls to potential key positions. Hopefully most of them will come thru.

Tomorrow we are doing some more story boarding and planning.

And of course, like today, and probably everyday, I want to thank everyone whom, in one way or the other, are making this movie a reality, little by little, with work or money. Any help is always valuable.

To Donate

If you want to donate something to the project and become a contributer you can make a pledge here filling up the form below. The payment would be processed thru fundable.org once the action group meets the deadline and the $ 2.500,oo goal

$10.00 $20.00 $30.00 $40.00

click to pay instantly:

If you'd like do donate more, you can make a pledge up to $1.250,oo. Visit https://www.fundable.org/groupactions/ThouShaltNotDream

Thank you very much!

A little on the Director

My complete name is Javier Ignacio Perez-Karam. Most of my friends from my hometown (Caracas, Venezuela) call me Nano. I answer to both.

I don't really like sleeping, and I suppose it has a little to do with me developing this idea. I wanted to explore the possibility of actually being awake forever without the need to go to sleep. Writing at first made me realize it wouldn't be a nice world. When the world is not nice a revolution starts.

This short is the introduction to this revolution against the awaken world, the revolution of the dreamers.

The movie is being made in collaboration with the New School University where I currently attend classes for the Film Production Certificate Program. It's my fourth short film since I got to New York 3 years ago.

The first one was Makeup, shot on MiniDV and Super 8. You can see it right here.

The second one, I Want Out, was my first experiment with 16 mm b&w film. That one is not available on-line.

The third one I co-directed and shot, was produced in 12 hours by Leonard Zelig and I, and is currently in post production. We'll let you know when it's on festivals.

I'm very exited about this project. I hope we can all pull it together. The crew is coming along. It is hard to get people to work for free or next to nothing. I have to be thankful to all of you who are putting your heart into it.

Our readers will have the chance to read about most of them, like the cinematographer Joe Belschner, the producer Nic Chatfield, among others that are about to jump onto the train.

Thanks for reading.

Javier Perez-Karam