One Year Anniversary!

I can't believe it! Today is actually one year since I took my trip to New York. It doesn't feel like I've been editing for a whole year. That is crazy to me! I have to say this has been the most challenging project in my early career of filmmaking. I think the editing has been a huge process for me. I don't think I have ever tackled anything like this, so far.

From the BAY to NY to DC back to SF to LA 

I am still shuffling everything together and I hope to have a rough-cut by the end of this month.  Its going to be very rough but at least I will be able to see my vision come alive. This process is literally like shuffling cards. Since I've been placing everything on the timeline of Final Cut... All I have been doing is moving this scene this way, this scene that way, this scene over here, not good to have scene here.  Man, its not fun. I'm already getting a headache explaining all this.  But the good part is... I am not editing anything. Since all the pieces are already together, I am just moving sequences around.

I like the fact that I am moving quickly... that is good. The part that gets a little frustrating is finding sequences that will connect and flow with people to people.  Beginning this process feels like you don't really have a story and it just feels like people are only talking without having no connection with the following person who follows.  No story is formed at this point. It can drive you nuts!

I am sure everything will form and come together... I just don't see anything developing right this moment. I am very aware of this process, so i will be a little more patient.

Its part of the process...


Junior Gonzalez
The filmmaker

Happy New Year! 2012!

Can't believe another year has gone by. My new years was good. Nothing crazy happened, I just hung out with m family for a little bit. My aunt made some bomb ass Panes de pollo (Salvadoran Chicken Sandwich). Then after I went to a good friends place where I bought some Tic Tack (salvadoran vodka) and made it a night.  I hate to hear or have a new years resolution. I'm good with that.

What's important is to always be moving forward with life an pushing good momentum into the new year and continue on with what I started. That means in a few days its going to be my one-year anniversary since I took my New York trip. Wow! That means I have been editing for a whole year. For a Doc, I think that's average - more or less.

I actually made some progress with my doc this past new year weekend. I stared working on my opening credit sequence for my Doc. I think it came out good. I still have to add sub-titles and credits, but to get an idea how its going to start and look is a good feeling.  I have this thing that I have to ALWAYS work on my opening sequence for any projects. For whatever reason in my head if I can't capture the audience interest in the first few minutes, then they are not going to be interested in what world I represent. So  its always important for me to capture atmosphere and mood. So this weekend I hammered it down and worked before I left to m  new years party and wake up the day after to finish.

Since I have the opening sequence...I can fluently follow what comes afterwards - the story!


Hope you all had a safe and good New Years Day.
Follow your Heart and Dreams!


Junior
The Filmmaker

Chopping and Chopping

I've been going through the professor stuff in the last weeks or so. When I put together all of his material, it came out to be almost 2hrs.  The professor I had so much information, that I wanted to keep everything. I know that's not going to happen! I have been going through different drafts and cutting out info that I don't need. It's been crazy for met to cut-down because there is so much detail information. Not only is their is so much information, I have to follow a timeline of events that leads to the past to present time.

The timeline is very important because it all ties in with my doc, as far as why we're in the US. As mentioned before, I am throwing an educational part to my doc. Its a must and I hope it works out. In my opinion it ties in why I went to different cities and why the salvi community is in search for their own identity and being part of today's American culture.

This past week, I made some progress and cut down the professors conversation to 45 minutes. That's not bad... compare to like almost 2hrs.  The 45 minute version was clean and it got to the point without effecting the timeline that I want to input in the doc.  I believe I was working the professors interview for the last eight days straight. I just wanted to get it done for two reason:

ONE:  I need to give my artist  sound bites of the professors conversation. My artist will be making some artwork that will go along with the professors conversations. In other words, the artwork will be cutaways to the professors interview.  I think it will make the professors section very interesting.  So whenever an event is being talked about, a piece of artwork will be shown! I'm just trying to get creative with this project.

TWO: I have the urge to finally put the whole Doc together. Yup, that's right. The feature begins!

That's it for now


Junior
the filmmaker

The Last Interview

Oh I am getting close... yes it feels good.  I haven't written anything for awhile. After I finished FenomeDon's section, I took a little break. I am really trying to pace myself and no burn myself out.  I still have time to finish....

I am not sure if I mentioned it or not, but my deadline to finish is in August. My goal is to make the Sundance deadline in August. I guess I am officially announcing that today.

Therefore, as I said I am pacing myself.  So what I have been doing the last month or so is I ended-up shooting a music video for Conflikto Armado.  The song featured my boy Santos and another up-and-coming artist El Graphiko.  We shot the whole video in the city, mostly by the Mission District.  We recruited some lovely ladies for Videos.  I have to say they are very lovely! Everything came out cool. As we speak, it is posted on youtube - just check out Amore video from Conflikto Armado. The Conflikto is cool, he is on the move and has something good going.  The man gots some skills! They plan to do big things with video... Hopefully!

After that I got back on track with my edit. It was a good breather.  Now I am in the process of going through the professor's footage. Last week I also locked down with a sound designer for my flick.  My boy Justin is a wiz for sound.  I call him "Dr. J" sometimes because he just does surgery on his sound work. Its amazing!  We spoke for awhile and met. And next thing you know we just clicked.

Even though I took a little break, I am always thinking about my project.  Now I am in the process of possibly getting some artwork for my doc.  I am still working out details and playing with the idea.  So I am holding off for now as far as explaining my idea.  But once I know, you will know.

Well that's it for now. I wanted to check-in and say wassup!



Junior
The Filmmaker

Coming Closer To The End

Its been a crazy couple of months. I haven't had a chance to write too much, only because life has taken its course. And what I mean by that is, I have been working a lot of hours, paying bills and trying not to be broke. But in between now and the last time I wrote, I have completed my NY section and I am now coming close to finishing my DC section. I squeezed in some time for my Doc so I can be ahead of schedule.

It was rough, but I was motivated enough to continue on with my doc. It is hard working long hours or full-time while trying to make a project.  I can see how people can easily loose focus and delay their own  projects because of work.  I try my best to not get off track. Sometimes I get too tired to do anything because work can get a good hold of you when "you are working for the man." I understand how that feels, but I do not let that be an excuse for not succeeding in life.  Nothing is ever easy... well, for me it is, I only can speak for myself.

I was talking to a co-worker one day and sometimes we'll ask each other if we are working on any projects... I would usually not say too much only because I hate to talk about things that are not complete. That's how I am! But getting back to the story, he mentioned that it was difficult for him to do anything because he works full-time.  I can respect that. I guess it is hard... but it always comes down to how much you want it, in my opinion.   In turn,  it feels good that I have not delayed my project for any reason and I am glad that I am still pushing myself.

As far as my DC part, for whatever reason, the DC section took me a little longer to put together. I guess the main reason is that I have been very cautious about not making my DC section similar to my other sections. I am realizing that when you have a compilation of different characters, you still want to keep everyone different and make it their own thing. So for awhile I was stuck and trying to figure out the best way to show this part of the doc.  I guess that is another reason why I haven't wrote. I had an "Artist Block," - something similar to "writer's block."

Sometimes when I get in those situations, I sit in a quiet room and I THINK, THINK, THINK, THINK, THINK, and THINK .  Sometimes that takes hours, days, or weeks.  But at the end of the day I put one-and-one together. I do a little math, but in a film kind of way. I do some takeaways, I add, divide, and multiply.  In film talk, that means I add a scene, take out a scene, and I combine scenes to have different options to present a storyline.

That's it for now.


Junior Gonzalez
The Filmmaker

Dia Del Salvadoreno 2011

So much has been going on!!!!  I almost forgot to mention that I filmed my "ending" for my doc this past weekend. I've been so stuck and focused with my film that I've been on a "one track mind." But, I am glad to say, I HAVE AN ENDING for my film!  

Fenomedon, Reyes Del Bajo Mundo, and Santos were all in Los Angeles to perform at the Salvadoran Day Festival. It was a Saturday and Sunday event where all three artists performed both days in the heart of South Central where a large number of Salvadorans exist. When you're in these types of areas sometimes you'll feel like you're in Central America or Mexico because these both cultures are heavenly present in these types of area.

This past weekend every food cart and truck was out last weekend. It was hot and a good day to be out. I love it! Its a good weekend to be a Salvi. We've come a long way!

It took some time to plan for all three artist to come out for this festival.  To be honest I wasn't sure if it was going to happen (due to everyone had different schedules and mainly everyone lived in different parts of the states), but it all worked out.  For me, the fact that these guys were able to get together and make it to this event showd the importance of what they want to accomplish and what this movement means for them.  It was a very symbolic moment for me to see all this happen.

I know each artist feel the same way as I do, as far as improving the future of our salvi communities in the states.  I feel like it's in our hands to seek improvement. And because we're all salvi's in the US, we know it will transmit to the motherland, since there is still a connection between the two countries.

There words and presents were definitely heard at the festival. Hopefully, it's a spark for the community to move forward and begin new chapter in our history.  People were actually digging the music, I could see how people were tuning into their words and rhymes.  Since the music has been growing over the years, finally people are hearing the noise.  For salvadoran folks, they are use to hearing traditional music like cumbias. Now its a different generation, now its a different movement.

It was definitely a good weekend for me. I was happy, proud, and surrounded with good energy around me. I was more happy that is was a good turnout and people were out supporting the festival.  People were out with their family, eating pupusas, dancing, and laughing.  

This was a very important event for my film because everyone came together to rock a show.  For me it brought a better conclusion to my film - No matter how far apart everyone is ... the community and movement will always grow. I have to thank one of the coordinators from the festival, "Mr. Sanchez," he  made all this possible for me.

Thank you!
Thank you my gentes!
Thank you all for being part of this!


That's it for now.

Junior Gonzalez
The Filmmaker

New York, New York

I am amazed how smoothly I am going through the NY section. After going through two interviews already, I am establishing a nice rhythm and structure. Because of the structure, my edits are happening easy and naturally.  And when I say naturally, I mainly mean that I am not forcing the conversations when I am editing everything together. I already know what I am looking for when I am putting the interviews together.  The way I am shaping the conversation is very simple ... I am just laying everything down on the timeline of Final Cut Pro.   I pretty much listen to all of the conversation from beginning to end without taking notes. There is no trick to it, but I think by listening to everything first before making notes, helps. Its probably a longer process, but it has helped me concentrate more on the interviews. I feel you are going to hear the interview more than once. If that's the case, make sure remember what is being said.

I let the talking influence my thoughts and how I approach my edits. Its obvious that I cannot use every conversation for my movie, but at least I can decide what conversation seems to be stronger than other conversations. To me... deciding what conversation is stronger then the other all depends on the theme of the film and how in-depth the conversation is, in which usually the in-depth conversation will help the theme of the film. Since I have various conversations on different topics, I pay attention how one leads to another and then I eliminate, add, and test. If it flows, then I just go with it. 

At this point, I figured out a structure that best suits my project.  Since NY is my third interview, it has been getting a lot easier to edit. What worked for me in the other two previous interviews is working out for my NY section.  I am aware things are going to change when I piece every interview together and make it a feature length film, but the style and structure of the film will not change.  And that structure has been already established. 

At the rate I am going, I should be done with my NY section in a few weeks or so.  I sure miss New York.  I really like that city.



That's it for now.

Junior Gonzalez
The Filmmaker