Tag: Chilltown TV

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

nighttime_marqueeChapter 57 – Connections
by Leesa Dean

Last Friday evening I attended at movie/Q&A at the Tribeca Film Festival. It was a kinda of cool experience.

Initially, I was a little skeptical. The director, Charlie McDowell, is the son of noted actor Malcolm McDowell (Clockwork Orange!!!) and Mary Steenburgen (Melvin and Howard!!!). Ted Danson (yes, that Ted Danson) is his step-dad. The film was produced by indie/mumblecore biggies The Duplass Brothers and stars Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men). Did I mention he’s dating Rooney Mara?

With a pedigree like that, I instantly wanted to hate Charlie (ya know, Hollywood kid with tons of connections skates right in). But I couldn’t. Just because he has those connections doesn’t mean he’s without talent. And he’d be an idiot not to use what he’s got. read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

just-say-noChapter 54 – Navigating Hollywood 101: Just Say No
by Leesa Dean

Last week, a print issue of The Hollywood Reporter showed up in my mailbox. I didn’t subscribe, yet somehow got on the list. That’s right. For FREE!! The comedy gods are either smiling at or mocking me.

The first article I noticed really hit home.  It was about the nearly universal way Hollywood executives reject pitches (or you, for that matter).  Versus saying “no” or the old school standby, “Wow. This is great!  We really really love it.  Unfortunately, we’re not doing, uh, anything that involves writing this year”, instead, they just POOF! vanish into thin air.  That’s right.  You never hear from them.  Possibly ever again.  You know, kinda like, “He said (sob), he was going out for a pack of cigarettes and I NEVER HEARD FROM HIM AGAIN.”  Only worse, cause it’s your career.  Or, in some cases, “career”.

This applies to phone calls, emails, texts and, most notably, flinging yourself into someone’s office and begging (i.e. pitching.) read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

stomp

Chapter 52: Miley Cyrus Stomped My Face
by Leesa Dean

So first, Kai and I postponed, or rather I did. We were supposed to meet to discuss the networking project but I’ve just been too swamped in post.
And when I say “post” I mean, not only the usual (editing, keying, color correcting, etc) but also animating. Part of the TOP SECRET PROJECT involves not only animation but a little live action footage, integrated in an unusual way and it’s been kicking my BEHIND. Definitely the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.

I’m hoping I’ll be finished with this phase of it by early next week. Kai and I will be meeting then, in any case.

Meanwhile, there’s been a bunch of stuff going on in the web community. For starters, and you probably heard this, Disney purchased Maker for $500 million clams. Which is…while not unexpected, a little disturbing. And not for the usual reasons. (Animators call Disney “Mouse-chwitz” where they’re known to say, “If you don’t come into work Saturday, don’t even THINK about coming into work Sunday.”) read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

postChapter 51 – Post Post Post
by Leesa Dean

Really busy week. My producing partner on the REALLY BIG PROJECT and I had our first post meeting after the Victor shoot and the footage looks great! I’ve been spending the past few days working between three programs to edit, key and start the huge job of compositing.

While I wrote/directed this segment, I’m doing something kind of unusual with it–or, at least, something I’ve never done before (not that that’s ever stopped me)–so it’s not only really really complicated, I’m, kind of, figuring it out as I go along. Something I’m used to by now.

We’re having another mid-process meeting next week (so I can get a second pair of really trained eyeballs on it) and then, hopefully, in a week or so it’ll be in the can. read article

Leesa Dean: Adventures of a Web Series Newbie

stagelightsChapter 44 – The Shoot, Part 2
by Leesa Dean

I’ll cut to the chase: It went well! Really well. I, of course, am talking about the shoot with the celeb for the TOP SECRET PROJECT.

This time around, I was the first the arrive. I made a point of getting there around 15, 20 minutes early in case the celeb arrived before I did, so the guy who owns the studio was still setting up when I got there. It actually gave us a chance to chat, which was kinda cool. The studio is small and the guy who runs it is a shooter/editor on the side. So it was interesting talking shop with him.

My producing partner, his friend who was helping us out as a grip and the A.D. arrived exactly at the same time. And the celeb and his girlfriend showed up about 5 minutes later. read article