We started by shooting the last poker scene in the movie - the one before the climactic battle. It took about three to four hours to shoot, but we got some really awesome shots. What's better, is that it actually feels like it should. It's the calm before the storm, even though the calm isn't all that calm. There's kind of an eerie edge to the scene, and not only because Michael (Nate Boggs) flies completely off the handle on all kinds of narcotics.

After we filmed the poker scene we took an hour break, and Nate Archer and I met with Heather Shwalm for dinner. Then we came back, gathered everybody together and filmed the short kidnapping scene. We shot it without a mic, and I felt completely at home doing another silent film.

Finally we went to Heathers apartment to shoot the climax. It was intense. We had Sami Haj (or Haji as we now call him), Archer, me, Boggs, Heather, Brett and Jordan there. The scene is a bit more intense than even I thought it would be.

SPOILER ALERT (if you even care)
A couple people die in this scene and my character gets shot twice. We used a decent amount of fake blood and it looks a bit more real than I anticipated. Also, dealing with the subject matter (a girl has been kidnapped and a group of guys have convened to rape her), this scene could easily be R-rated. Of course, everything works out, Calvin and Keith come to the rescue (kind of), and it ends in a laugh. But wow. I didn't know when writing it that it would be this... scary.... It looks like something Stanley Kubrick would film, and I don't mean that as a credit to myself. I'm not used to doing scenes like this and I'm not sure I will do another one for a long time.
There is a part of the scene where Mickey attempts to touch Kelly and Michael shoots him (you'll understand when you see it). Mickey slams against the wall and is bleeding everywhere. Michael then walks over to him, bends down and shoots him in the head, all the while Kelly is screaming underneath her gag. This is the kind of intense stuff that didn't seem so bad in the script, but I almost felt bad filming it.

End Spoiler

That said, the scenes so far look and feel great. I have them roughly edited, and they look awesome. I still have a billion things to do and re-edit, but I am optimistic. I'm getting better and better at working the split screen, and it's starting to look like a good split screen that fits instead of an eye-jarring split screen that makes the viewer question why they are watching the movie.

So what is up with independent movies? Why do you hate them so much? Why do I hate them? Is it because the quality of the picture and sound sucks? Is it because the acting is so bad? Because the plot and characters make you wonder why you were born?
I hate independent films because they generally are quiet and artistic. At least most of the ones I've seen. The loud ones tend to just be obnoxious. Generally, I hate independent films because of an overall lack of talent and enthusiasm. And terrible plots. I've seen some plots that would make Ed Wood cringe. I'm coming to grips with the existence of independent film flaws in my movie as well.
I can control:
Plot
Characters and character developement
Pacing, editing, etc...

I can't control:
Acting
Sound and video quality
Other people and their schedules

I can control acting to a point, and I can control sound a video to a point. But it won't look or sound like an actual movie. I have some lighting problems in some shots. The acting is very, very good for an indy film, I have been blessed. But I had to work for that, as all three of the major Portland actors have dropped after filming a day (though Cailee had a very real and legitimate excuse, and she didn't quit). Many, many people have dropped from the project, both in front and behind the camera. It will be a miracle and success story once this film is completed, if only because of surviving all the quitters. I can personally guarantee that everybody who quit will regret it when the movie comes out. This movie, more than any other indy film I have ever seen, is as close to a real movie as one can get in my circumstance. With what I have, we're doing alright, and that's all anybody can ask for.