Hi friends,
This past week the big questions in life took me, producer Micah Knapp, cinematographer Matthew Skala and Production Designer Mariya Apostolova to Alaska. We just go back late Friday evening and you are the first ones to get exclusive updates and photos from the trip.
In addition, Micah and I are preparing a special video series that documented the entire journey up there. If you know of a teenager or someone in their early twenties who loves the movies, storytelling and editing let us know. Filmabee Studios is looking for interns for the next three months. Selected interns will get a chance to stay on with the Studio in a paid position after that. We wish to reach younger audiences including Gen Z, hence our desire to give an opportunity to a youth to work and grow with us. They don’t need to live in Seattle.
This is my second trip to Seward, Alaska. In contrast to last year when it rained every day, this time we had sunshine and just enough clouds to filter the light for some spectacular cinematography for my new film “The Monsters We Make.”
Last year there I was researching and writing the screenplay. This time around we started to film. We don’t have the budget raised yet, so the small crew took big pay cuts to make the trip happen—producer Micah drove and filmed BTS in addition to producing; Matthew operated alongside me, AC’d, gaffed and gripped; Mariya didn’t have her tools, a props master or any set dressers, she also ended-up cooking for us quite a bit since we had no crafty; while executive producer Jared Van Driessche made sure we had fresh salmon to eat, a place to stay and paid for a 12 hour boat ride that took us to Aialik Glacier.
Jared’s brother André, our other executive producer, traveled with us from Seattle. André introduced us to two of his foster brothers—one of them came all the way from Atlanta, searching for peace and healing. They opened up for our BTS series. Their stories were so impactful that we may add an additional scene or two into the screenplay. “The Monsters We Make” is based on the lives of Jared and André so naturally their foster brothers color the events in the film. Everyone helped on set for our interior shots which we wrapped about 6AM Thursday.
Earlier that day pilot Logan with Marathon Helicopters took us to film Bear Glacier and beyond, even flying over the low clouds.
I get vertigo from heights so imagine being in the helicopter with both back doors off, camera sticking out in the wind, a third of my body over the edge.
When I hold the camera, for better or for worse, fear leaves me. I can do anything, or so I imagine. The camera pushes me to expand and somehow I know it will never let me down.
Still, a few times I had to sit back and repeat, “I’m safe. I’m safe.” And remind myself we were in the hands of an experienced pilot. Logan looked totally relaxed in the front which helped.
We had tried to set up a helicopter ride with another company before getting to Alaska, but they were slow to respond. Jared said, “Just come up. We do things here the old school way, just go talk to them.” And that’s what we did and fortunately for us the people at Marathon Helicopters were incredible to work with.
Wait! Bogdan, why did you fly up to film in Alaska when the budget has not been raised?
First of all, I don’t believe in sitting around, waiting for a movie to magically make itself because someone magically happens to hear about us or read the script and magically writes us a big check.
Jared travels to Seward with his family this time of the year for a week. Last year I witnessed some incredible opportunities for shots and wanted to take advantage of the fact he would be there.
Secondly, since all the interiors will be filmed in Bulgaria as well as most exteriors, it was important that my closest collaborators traveled to Alaska. Mariya, our production designer, and Matthew, our DP, first worked with me in 2008. That is 18 years of developing a creative rapport over several films including my last documentary SPOKE.
Coming to Alaska meant they would soak up the setting, have an opportunity to study the quality of light, meet the brothers, their sister, learn about their family, Alaskan culture, and make mental and emotional notes of every detail. I’m betting that this approach will give the Bulgarian recreations the right feeling. Mariya took her research to the next level…
We will be doing a second trip in winter so we can experience and film during four hours of daylight and heavy snowfall. Jared and André have shared how their hometown felt like a prison in winter. We want to capture this feeling on camera. We met a local kid at a lemonade stand. Matthew asked her what winters were like and she said:
“It’s very cold and all you want to do is stay inside. Or it’s like a winter wonderland you want to go out into.”
Thirdly, we wanted to film several exterior scenes during summer. The upside is that we can also use those scenes as a “proof of concept” to show investors the vision for the film. I’m happy to report we got some amazing footage including the last two shots in the film. To get those we took a boat ride with captain Andrew Harpster who is the owner of Expeditions Northwest. You will hear from Andrew in our BTS series soon. We left the dock at 7AM on Tuesday and spent 12 hours out in the water. We learned to never bring bananas on a boat. But it was too late, I did and as a result producer Micah Knapp had to hurry off the boat after about two hours. More about what happened in a different post…
Lastly, we were able to film in Alaska because all along we have had the support of my friend and colleague Benjamin Ross Johnson. “The Monsters We Make” is being made under Filmabee Studios, but Ben’s Itchy Rodent Films has partnered up with us. It will take many more people like Ben to support and believe in the vision for this film.
The great part is that the journey has begun! I cannot wait to share so much more with you in the weeks to come!
Next week, you will hear from contributing writer Clayton Vermulm, who has joined Filmabee Studios. Until then, don’t wait to start climbing those peaks!
Stay creative,
Bogdan
P. S.
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