Olalla: now "in the can"!

So happy with the shoot!
(photo: Miguel Inti Canedo)

I just got back from a 10 hour freezing cold bus ride from Potosí, and I couldn't be happier. My fourth film as director, Olalla, is now in the can! Thanks to my cast and tireless, talented crew we pulled off a huge amount of shooting in only a few days.

I got to work with Cristian Del Rio, a fantastic Flamenco musician and actor, who added his amazing voice and knowledge of period music to the film (Fatigaaaa!!!).

Rhobess Pierre played the unforgettable priest, with the unexpected and very welcome addition of some physical comedy to the role! In character, he even made me feel guilty in one scene, and I wasn't even raised with religion.

Alejandro Loayza (seen with me in the photo on the left) played the younger Felipe, severely freaking me out in the best way possible with his  excellent acting. He also played a key extra in the big scene, showing his diversity.

Eric Calancha not only terrified me with his Enrique, the instigator of Olalla's violent end, but was extremely helpful, as always, as PA.

Through Jesus Relos Ramos we found the two girls, Rosario and Valeria, who look just like Mila Joya and I, who were amazing actresses as our younger representations, as well as the terrifying crowd of villagers who drag Olalla out of the chapel, whip her, and burn her at the stake. Among them, the girls' father, Jaime, who was a super helpful key extra.

Mila, who acted in the first part of the film, was there as a fantastic assistant and key extra in the big scene, instigating the crowd to throw insults at poor Olalla.

Miguel Inti Canedo, as always, knew just what I wanted. In each film, he exceeds himself as Director of Photography in my films. The cinematography in this film blows my mind.

Gina Alcon exceeded herself as PA, actress (striking fear into my heart with her performance as one of the vicious townsfolk), and all around super helpful person on the set.

Sol Calle did a fantastic job with the make-up and hair, and entertained us with stories during downtime.

Rodrigo León continues to grab good sound for the film, and his massive knowledge of historic details, and art, add special touches.

Beatriz Lizarazu Jauregui, and her daughter, Beatriz Rivera Lizarazu, came all the way from La Paz to be key extras in the big scene. I can't wait to work with them again!

And what shall I say about the Hacienda Cayara, but that Arturo and David did such a great job that we could just relax and shoot the film. They even put up the cross with an incredibly awesome-looking platform.

Last, but certainly not least, my producer, Jac Avila exceeded himself with this huge production. Somehow, all I had to do was stand back while he produced the impossible and awesome. So many great things fell into place on this production that I think he must be sacrificing chickens in the back patio, just to make sure I get what I want.

I forgot to mention that I was dragged by one of our actors, a donkey, down the road when he decided his scenes were over. I'm pretty bruised up from the experience, but it gave me some perspective vis a vi the whipping/burning at the stake scene. Being out in the cold without clothes is nothing compared to being dragged down a rocky road by a burro.

Also, there was a great dog who acted in the film in the last scenes. I almost took him home with me he was so good, repeating the scenes, doing exactly the same thing in each take. Amazing. Until he started nibbling on the other cast & crew members.

The whole gang, in the 1880s scenes.

While I'm so happy with the film that I could burst, I also feel the let-down that comes with finishing a film. It's like a postpartum depression. All that remains is to nurture the film into maturity with post-production. My part is largely over. Sigh, it's like I have no purpose in life when I'm not directing a movie.

The only cure is to start right in on the next film, Debutante.

Discussing locations with Jac around the Hacienda Cayara.

Barbazul (Bluebeard 2012) Movie Review by S.E.

Checkout this review of my film Barbazul (Bluebeard)!



S E Lindberg: Barbazul (Bluebeard 2012) Movie Review by S.E.: Barbazul (Bluebeard);NR 7/10 Stars. Review by S.E. (on IMDB.com) Recommended for (1) mature audiences who (2)  enjoy literary, pac...

Olalla... and more!

The contemporary Olalla

The date is approaching in which we shoot the final scenes for Olalla, those set in the 1880s. This weekend we leave for Potosí, and we return to La Paz on the 25th. We'll be traveling more than 10 hours to the rather far-away location.

And what a location it is, a huge colonial hacienda, with its own chapel, big yards, courtyards. Everything I wanted, and more, for this film. One downside is the lack of internet. As a cyborg, I will find that rather disconcerting. We have verified that our phones work there, however. So, it won't be quite as cut-off as when we shot Barbazul (Bluebeard) in Chivisivi.

A lot will happen in those days, many key scenes will be shot, leading up to the big, climactic scene in which my character is dragged out by an angry mob, chained to a cross, whipped, and burned alive. She is a vampire after all. In those times, the general population was not so forgiving of bloodlust...

Planning the FX for the big scene has been challenging, and crucial to making it work. I think the results will be fantastic.

We've been pre-producing this part of the film for quite some time, it's period 1880s, so more work involved in terms of costumes, props, and set design. I'm absolutely ready to get this film in the can.

Which leads me to my next film... which it looks like I'll be directing this year as well. Maybe even in July... called Debutante,  film based on the George Bernard Shaw play, Pygmalion. Of course my version, co-written by Jac Avila and myself, will be a bit more... racy (read: absolutely perverted), as well as being a dark comedy.

And there's Justine, which Jac Avila - my partner in crime, if making movies is a crime - will be directing, a labor of love based on the Marquis de Sade's very famous tale of woe, and innocence lost.

We're still securing locations for that film, but we have some great leads, and some excellent actors and crew already on board. I say Labor of Love, because it's a huge project, one that started as a bit more modest and has grown exponentially. Making a period piece is never easy, and this one is more ambitious than most. Carriages, and powdered wigs, anyone? While challenging, it's a worthwhile project, a story that has been told before in cinema, but never like this.

Last, but not least, I also directed a short, existential film this year, based on a story by Jack Hunter, called Ekeko. Here's the short description: "Is a folkloric doll responsible for the murder of a young woman by her husband?".

I shot it entirely on a GoPro, which was challenging, as well as the "found footage" style, which I had previously never used. But the shots turned out great, and the crazy physical effect I made is pretty awesome. I'm happy with it.

Right now, it's being considered for film festivals, and will be included in a film called Paranoia Tapes, and has a lot of other great filmmakers involved, including the creator of the PollyGrind film festival.

My good friend Ralphus pointed out to me that I might have more free time if I wasn't always working on 4 or 5 films at the same time. But what would be the fun in that? Also, I have no other life outside of making films, so I have no idea what I would do with all that free time, other than watch awesome K-pop music videos recommended to me by C. Dean Andersson.

That's all for now, I'll see you on the other side of Olalla!

Obscure Video And DVD Blog: AMY HESKETH INTERVIEW.........

An interview with yours truly about my film Barbazul (Bluebeard)!



Obscure Video And DVD Blog: AMY HESKETH INTERVIEW.........: This is another interview I conducted with Amy Hesketh a while back about the movie BARBAZUL. It has taken a while to finally get this publi...