Day 781
(Technically: 930)

It all comes down to this: after nine-hundred and twenty-nine days, "NYZ" finally hits the big screen at NYU's First Run Film Festival.

I was very pleased with the reception.  It got plenty of laughs (even on the first shot!) and it looked and sounded great on the big screen with 5.1 surround sound.

Some of the cast and crew were in attendance, and I'm glad to say that they got to finally see their hard work up on the big screen with a receptive audience.

What's next?  Now begins the festival submissions.  First up is Telluride, which has a deadline just around the corner.  And then, after that, the first real wave of submissions will start in August with Sundance, Slamdance, Edinburgh, and many more.  I will keep you posted about these, too in the future.

I am very grateful to everyone who came out in support of "NYZ"and I hope for those of you who could not make it, we hope to bring it to a film festival near you!

Day 780
(Technically: 927)

Congratulations to Alexandra Naides for short film "Knee High" screening at First Run Film Festival last night.  I was the co-editor and sound designer, as well as clapper/loader and DIT on set.

I've noticed this year, though, that there are no audience ballots for audience awards. Perhaps they just didn't want to bother counting them.   I'm really disappointed with the festival this year in comparison to last year's.  This year there aren't even programs! Imagine that! I asked about this and they just replied, "Oh, the Xerox machine broke." You do realize there's a Kinko's right down the street, right? Very frustrating because I want to be able to know what films are coming up in the screening.  Even the projector wasn't working this morning and cut off the first few minutes of Andrew Cannizarro's "A Girl and Her Guardian," which meant skipping most of the animation that I worked on.  Andrew had to run back and make them start over from the beginning.

Anyway, that's beside the point. This afternoon is the world premiere of "NYZ."  I've spent the past few weeks testing it at the theatre, so any bugs or glitches I've been able to iron out in advance.

Day 779
(Technically: 926)

First Run kicked off last night with two blocks of films, including fellow classmate from Yemane's Advanced Production Workshop, Ginny Mohler and her short film "THE ADVENTURES OF GORDON & GRACE."   It's almost hard to believe that's it been two years since we shot our projects. Now they're finally ready to screen!

Tonight at 8:30pm, be sure to watch for "Lifted" by Zachary Goldberg, and, especially, "Knee High" by Alexandra Naides!

Tomorrow, we have another Yemane alum, Andrew Cannizzaro, and his film "A Girl and Her Guardian" at 12:30pm, which features animation by both myself and Eric Pato.  And don't forget: "NYZ" tomorrow at 4:30pm!

In other zombies news...

Day 761 [cont'd]

(Technically: 908)

No sooner I've exported the LCRLsRsLFE 5.1 sound mix than I find myself running into Andrew Cannizzaro, who was also in Yemane's Advanced Production class with myself, Tristan and Chris. He had just finished outputting to HDCam tape his 20 minute opus, "A Girl and Her Guardian," which myself and Eric did animation for.

I am excited to see it in its full form, having only seen bits and pieces over the past month as I worked with After Effects to animate a few shots in the storybook opening sequence. You should check out his website at www.agirlandherguardian.com. Here is the trailer below:

Day 761

(Technically: 908)

Yesterday I was at Tisch working on the final sound 5.1 mix for "NYZ" when I ran into Chris Hoffman, Tristan Nash (fellow students), and our professor Yemane. It was great to see them again and catch up, and they even came up to listen to the mix and give me some feedback (though not literal feedback, because that would be detrimental to the mix). I am pleased to say that their reactions were very, very positive.

Currently, I am bouncing out the 5.1 files and gearing up for the deadline this Thursday to turn in all the materials for the First Run Film Festival, where "NYZ" will have its world premiere on Saturday March 24th at 4:30pm.

Also, Tristan's film from our class, "No Wing High," will be screening at First Run as well. as well as a few other of my fellow classmates.

Day 758

(Technically: 905)

Today, we recorded the music for "NYZ," mostly the score by Ryan Kupchik, and a song by GioSafari.

Extremely busy these next few days as I prepare the final mix of the film and the DCP.

Just gearing everything up for First Run.

Day 751

(Technically: 898)

Good news! I know it's been a LONG time since I've updated this blog, but I am pleased to announce that "NYZ" is going to have its world premiere next month Saturday March 24th at NYU's First Run Film Festival!

I've been spending the past year mostly working on getting a job and securing my finances. However, I have been slowly chipping away at "NYZ," working on it whenever I can usually on the odd night or weekends, working with composer Ryan Kupchick last autumn on the score, finalizing color correction, making some special effects to sweeten the visuals, and, more recently, the sound design.

I regret not being able to get with a sound editor, but with the budget non-existant, I had to take it on myself, and I am no stranger to sound design, having worked on "The Sunset" by Misha Sundokovskiy from last year's First Run, and "Knee High" by Alexandra Naides, which premiered at the All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival last year and will be screening in New York both at First Run and at the Film Anthology Archives for NewFilmmakers NY in two weeks.

Anyway, I'll post more details about the upcoming screening when NYU updates the festival website. Stay tuned!

Day 469

(Technically: 616)

ZOMBIE NEWS UPDATE:

Center for Disease Control are out to spread awareness of a possible zombie apocalypse! Finally!

Perhaps it has something to do with the supposed "End of the World" on Saturday? Will the undead rise up in one of the greatest zombie uprisings since Lazarus? Only time will tell.

(Oh, and 616 is the real number of the beast.)

Day 465

(Technically: 612)

Today I think we've finished editing NYZ! I'll have to go through it once more just to be sure, but I think we are now picture-locked!

"What's the next step?" you may ask. "Surely that means you're finished, right?" No, not yet. But the hardest part is over.

Now all that remains is sound editing, designing, and mixing, music, visual effects, titles, and color correction. Then, we will be completely done and ready to send it out to festivals. At which point, we'll let you know where it's playing and hopefully there will be a place near you where you can come and see it in its full-fledged glory!

Day 436

(Technically: 583)

Shot some pick-ups today. Now, we are finally done shooting!

We met at Times Square, where it was really cold and gray, but thing warmed up as we went through the day, getting to about 65 degrees and sunny by the time we got down to Washington Square Park.

Alex our main zombie was great to work with, as usual, bring his very physical acting style to the role as he stalked tourists in the park.

We also met up with Danielle to do a few quick shots out in Brooklyn. The scenery around our first location has been cleaned up considerably, with a lot of the graffiti now gone, alas.

But it was a great shoot, with just me and Richard working the production end and after a quick session with Kristy yesterday, I was able to handle all the make-up by myself.

(Unfortunately, this is the only photo we have of Danielle today).

Once again, I want to thank everyone who helped out with the principal photography and the pick-ups. Now my goal is to finish a final edit by the end of the month.

Day 411

(Technically: 558)

Meeting with Richard Trammell, our Director of Photography, about planning a few pick-up shots in the coming weeks. Alex Demers, our main zombie, will be back in New York soon and I want to get some more shots of him throughout the city.

I am very close to completing the cut. My initial hopes was to find an editor, but I had so much fun just doing it myself. As much as I hate putting my name everywhere in the credits, I have to take the proper credit for the work I did: Written, Produced, Directed, Edited, Sound Designed, Fundraised, Marketed, and Distributed by George Westberg.

...Okay, that just sounds stupid.

Last year around this time we were gearing up for our Night of the Drinking Dead fundraiser at MJ Armstrong's here in New York City. Once these few pick-ups have been completed -- hopefully by the end of April -- we will have a final edit and begin the 3-month sound design process, during which time I am hoping to do some more fundraising for our post-production budget. We have a few ideas, and it looks like this summer will be the best time to do it.

Day 385

(Technically: 532)

The snow is thawing in New York City, and we're gearing up to do a few pick-up shots to smoothen out transitions between scenes and montages. Once these are done, we will be officially picture-locked! Then begins the intense sound design stage. Admittedly a little behind schedule, but I think it will be well-worth the wait!

The "New York I EAT You" trailer for NYZ has gotten 300 views on Vimeo! If you haven't seen it, check it out below:

In other Zombie News:

The undead reporter in Libya.

Day 353

(Technically: 500)

(500) Days of Zombies.

Still editing a bit here and there, waiting for the weather to warm up a bit in order to film a few extra shots throughout the city. Also writing a letter to Sony Records to ask permission to use "Everybody's Talkin'" in NYZ. It's a long shot, but I figured it'd be best to ask just to see. There's always Plan B -- getting somebody to write an original song, which wouldn't be so bad.

This Friday all of us from Yemane's Advanced Production Workshop 2009-10 are having a reunion to catch up and check out each others' movies. After all this time working on the scripts in class, it'll be so nice to finally see everyone's films in their semi-finalized form. Plus Eric has promised to send some animation from USC. Looking forward to it!

Day 300

(Technically: 446)

Working on the new edit for NYZ with some temp music. 300 days and still working on it.

Met with Yemane briefly and we're going to sit down and go through it once more in December.

Hope you had a Happy Turkey Day and Shopping Day After.

Day 285

(Technically: 431)

88 Days ago I was in Seattle, where I screened Kiss Me, I'm English and a rough cut of NYZ to a bunch of video students at Ballard High School, where we discussed them and talked about how I can change my latest cut to make it better. It's come a long way since then.

But also while I was there, so was Gary Davis, who runs the local Artscacpe feature on KPLU and he was doing a piece about Ballard filmmakers, capturing our post-screening discussion and critique of my film and even interviews with current BHS students in an article called "Following Aristotle: Ballard High's Filmmakers."

Listen to the audio highlights and read the full article on the KPLU Artscape website!

Day 277

(Technically: 423)

Work has been put on hold momentarily while I've been freelancing and looking for jobs. Also looking for a composer for a Harry Nilsson-type song.

Like this.

In other news:

Last night at the New Visions and Voices Film Festival, Zachary Poots received an award for Production Design on Kiss Me, I'm English!

Congratulations, Zach!

Check out a short preview of Kiss Me, I'm English on Vimeo!
(WARNING: This clip contains ONLY strong language.)

Day 260

(Technically: 406)

The website has been updated now, which was something I've been meaning to do for a long time now, complete with new pictures from the set and videos. Check back soon for more exclusive videos from behind the scenes!

In other Zombie News:

ZOMBIES ATTACK TEAM COCO HEADQUARTERS! Run Conan!

Day 255

(Technically: 401)

Filling out 2010 Fiscal Annual Report for Fractured Atlas.

Accounting.

Day 253

(Technically: 399)

Met with Yemane the other day and we sat down to go through the rough cut of NYZ. It was very productive, and we got some good ideas of how to make this even better. It may involve a few more pick-ups around the city, but all in all, it's very well within reach.

On a side note about the film, when the script was written last year, it was intended to be a 15-20 minute short film. But now, the latest cut has it down to under 11 minutes! That's quite an improvement, considering the shorter the film, the better chances it has of qualifying for more festivals, thus reaching a wider audience!

Also, finally finished the SAG paperwork and will be turning it in to their offices on Madison Avenue tomorrow.

Day 249

(Technically: 395)

Spent these past few days knee-deep in AfterEffects tutorials, learning about how to do this.

Also:

Working on the latest edit -- the fine cut.