We're less than three weeks before production begins and we've got an unending list of things we need to do.
This was our experience making Quality of Life as well: every time we sit down to do work, the to-do list gets longer, not shorter.
But we have a crack team of hard-working, smart, dedicated filmmakers working on the project and chipping away at the list. And more are joining up every day -- and nearly all are volunteers, giving their time because they believe in the film and want to create something amazing.
Here's a quick rundown of what a few members of our team are working on -- to give you a taste of how much frantic human activity happens in the weeks leading up to an indie film like In-World War:
Casting director Mariel: all main roles cast, offering additional roles to actors we saw in auditions. She is casting about 70 speaking roles, in addition to many dozens more of featured background actors.
Assistant director Sarah U.: Revising the shooting schedule and creating the 2nd unit shooting schedule (for our guerilla shoots in NYC and Europe).
Line producer Sarah F.: recently stepped up to help with Line Producing and is heading up the location scouting operation (a major activity that nearly everyone is helping with). She's also developing a comprehensive pre-production checklist for the remaining tasks, listing who is responsible for each. She's planning our behind-the-scene footage as well. Lastly, she's also our liaison for the Oakland Film Office (we LOVE them).
Line producer Bryan: getting quotes for insurance, looking into volunteer make-up artists, helping secure locations, researching lunch trucks and more.
Associate producer Diane: coordinating our big production meeting on Saturday, helping secure locations, working to help get us an educational sponsor and more.
Executive producer Ben: weekly status meetings with our frantic Director, DJ Bad Vegan, plus some fundraising assistance.
Director of Photography Donavan: watching films recommended by the Director as visual references and going through the script in detail. Helping secure the camera and assorted gear.
Gaffer Darrell: figuring out the gear requirements (given the scene-by-scene needs and the limited resources available) and staffing for his department.
Associate producer Joey: working on hiring more PAs and helping secure help in creating some of the sci-fi props.
Associate producer Jeremy: also working on hiring more PAs.
Assistant Casting Director and PA Anthony: leading the next round of auditions, helping secure locations and sending out fundraising letters (you may have gotten one -- if not, donate now. It's tax-deductible!).
PA Leslie: helping head up the wardrobe department, helping coordinate the next wave of auditions, helping secure locations, and working to get educational sponsorship of the film
PAs Olivia, Laura, Jean, Danny, Akilah, and others: helping lead the wardrobe department, secure locations, coordinate auditions and more.
Director DJ Bad Vegan: Too much to list, but includes casting, location approval, script revision, overall producing, ceaseless anxiety, fundraising, hiring and much much more. And blogging.
As you can see, Filmmaking is a team sport. We have over 30 people on our crew list as of right now -- and that doesn't even count the 70+ actors. It's pretty amazing looking back to when all we had was an incomplete script.
There comes a point where the momentum picks up and the project takes on a life of its own. We're there.
Make way.
20 days until the camera rolls.