From Out of the Blue - Film Brief for Actors

From the website: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Hollywood/1512

Baseball Heaven is to be shot the summer of '97. It chronicles the relationships of two Junior High teacher/coaches, Michael and Carol; and one of their charges. Michael is the school's Latin teacher and assistant softball coach for the girls' team. Carol is the head coach. Carol was with Michael, who eventually married her best friend. Now Michael is divorced and Carol wants to know, "What's up, Michael?"

What's up is Mary: Young, innocent, precocious beyond her years. She has an eye for Michael and her presence to him is like a cool, fragant spring breeze. The team wins a trip to New Mexico and somewhere in the mountains a storm is brewing.

Hotel scenes, historic ruins, late night confessions: Love casts age in a neutralizing light. A romance, a mystery, Baseball Heaven is not about baseball.

Production Info: The shoot for Baseball Heaven is scheduled for from June 4th to the 20th. We are planning for a 10-hour day schedule, Sundays off. There will be roughly 3 8-hour rehearsals and a few 3-hour rehearsals for the principals prior to the shoot, less for non-principals. There is no pay involved, but the actors will receive credit, copy and meals. The primary locations will most likely be in Berkeley. The film is to be shot in 16mm black and white. The goal is to complete post-production in time for the crop of film festivals that are scheduled the beginning of '98.

Post Mortem: Somewhere during production the title Baseball Heaven evolved into From Out Of The Blue. It's not entirely random: Carol says these lines. (Do you know where?) The production went pretty much on schedule but somewhat over budget, more an indication of wishful thinking on my part when I came up with it in the first place. We filmed primarily in Berkeley and San Francisco. A skeleton cast and crew went for 4 days to shoot in Northern New Mexico.

We're nearing the post-production phase, although there are a few scenes that need to be picked up. The rushes seen so far are incredibly good, and the use of Ilford black & white film stock was a wise one. Some scenes came out even better than I had hoped. I am quite pleased with the acting.

I can give an update on the post-production schedule as soon as everything is in.

si etiam profero 
tantam micam
illius puellae 
quidem felix ero