Mozel Tov: Rough cut updates

The only explanation for the photo is that Joe was celebrating his picture wrap by crushing a can of soda, while I stare blankly into the abyss of complicated edit sessions. This past weekend marks another end-date of sorts. Over Friday evening, Saturday afternoon, and the majority of Sunday I set out to complete the rough-cut edits for all of the remaining unedited scenes of the film. By 10pm Sunday I accomplished that feat. There were about 14 or 15 hours worth of wild-eyed blank spots where my fingers and mind worked with a machine-like ethic... rarely getting up to eat, take bathroom breaks, or shake off the thing I'll call "Monitor hypnosis."
When one spends that much time in front of a computer, editing clip after clip, detailing audio takes, working around continuity problems and keeping a flow to the scene something drastically changes. Things don't appear as they seem, the mind doesn't work as it's supposed to and a robot mindset takes control. It was worth it. It might have been the only deadline I've kept for myself throughout the entire process ...And to tell the truth I'm ready to see the final product (or something arguably close to how it will end up). The rest of the week will be spent polishing the edits, paying particular attention to issues of color, brightness and contrast, and pacing. It's far from over but we've crossed the apex. It's all downhill from here... at least until the premiere... then the festivals... anyway, we'll be finished with the film soon even though the journey may be far from over. Oh yeah, then there's the making of documentary I have to finish.
So, those of you that actually give a crap, we're going to have an Official Wrap Party very soon (possibly this weekend... call Christine). I need a moment to let lose and have some reassurance that we're not all fools wasting our time on a project that no one will want to see. I'm sure that someone out there will eventually say that and I'll have to start finding remote areas in which to hide the bodies. So, keep your chin up kiddo... the movie will be finished soon.

-B