Behind-the-Scenes Video Footage
Working on the Behind the Scenes Video for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising has made one thing clear: it takes a comedian in every level of the production to make a comedy film work. Led by Director Matt Vancil, the cast and crew of Dorkness have been laughing it up in front of and behind the camera. This team of dedicated and talented filmmakers and actors, and most of all gamers, have been plowing through the first part of the production—despite some budgetary limitations—all along maintaining an easy-going atmosphere of fun and excitement. So go behind the scenes and meet the real Dorks…
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A Behind the Scenes Look at the Behind the Scenes Video
by Zaine R. Beatty
Creating the Behind the Scenes Video for The Gamers: Dorkness Rising has been a fantastic opportunity. Before documenting the cast and crew of this film, my movie-production experience was limited to what I learned from film courses, and no-budget video projects consisting of minimal crew (friends and family). But now I’ve gotten to see the next level: a proper film with all the prerequisites: an existing fan-base, a great script, and most importantly a slew of cast and crew mostly working for the sheer pleasure of filmmaking, and the desire to bring this movie to life. This is a kind of shoot where the director and producer will often assist the grips in hauling equipment to and from shooting locations; with nearly everyone having double or even triple-roles in the production. This is a labor of love, for sure; but that’s not to say that these filmmakers don’t want to make this a huge success. They do, and they will.
The Dead Gentlemen used the month of January to shoot half the film, with shooting days mostly on weekends, the only free time most of the cast and crew had due to other occupations or commitments (or gaming sessions). Days started early and finished late, with cast and crew facing long commutes from all around the Puget Sound region of Washington. Shooting would start around 10am, and continue until all the day’s scenes were done, often after midnight. But despite long hours and looming workweeks, actors performed brilliantly and the staff efficiently, and didn’t need any contingency days.
Director Matt Vancil helps maintain an easy-going atmosphere, allowing the true spirit of The Gamers to come out, and hilarity to ensue. Scenes don’t always work out perfectly the first few times, and there are moments when the pressure must surely be enormous, but Matt handles it all because when it comes down to it, these people behind the scenes simply get the job done. Then they sleep for four hours, and go back the next day to do it all again. They love their work.
But that’s just the shooting aspect of the production. Perhaps the most significant work takes place at the DG Office, from where Gentlemen from around the country network with the staff to organize budgets, plan shoots, take care of publicity work, and do everything else needed to complete the film. It’s easy to forget on shooting days just how much tireless work- how many sleepless nights go into making this film possible. It’s very difficult to capture on camera work like that, although I will surely try.
As a documentarian, I have the privileged position of being able to observe nearly every aspect of this production, from the early rehearsals and work in the meeting room, to the coordination of pirate-ninja fight sequences. My job is a perfect crash course in independent filmmaking, making me, I think, one of the luckiest interns involved with this project, especially since I don’t actually have to do much work on the production, just record others doing it! Videotaping this group has been a fascinating and thrilling experience so far, but the best is yet to come. The Fantasy World shoot, currently in pre-production, will be far more complex, and safe to say, taxing, on all involved; but it promises to be most rewarding. There will be zombies, ghouls, and goblins; armor equipment and weaponry, swordfights and everything else you can imagine in a fantasy genre spoof. I can’t wait to get behind the scenes again and capture more of the action…