Towards the end of June and all through July and August I spent with an immense amount of doctors and July I spent time in the Emergency Room at least once every week for the entirety of the month. With the decline in my health which really felt like a continuous roller coaster, I struggled creatively. I watched all the hard work, time and money invested into this project thus so far begin to sail away. So, I through a lasso around that baby and yanked 'er back in!
I was being told by the Army that I would be here for another year then it went to me being transferred in a matter of a few short weeks then I was brought in and told that I was going to being kicked out of the Army on grounds for mental health issues (5-13).
This of course was in and of itself totally insane! I have health problems, sure but to the point they I was told that I am too sick to stay in the Army but not sick enough to get medically discharged. So, I left that meeting with thoughts of me getting kicked out of the Army which was devastating since I have served honorably for over 3.5 years. Eventually and to my surprise my case does not fall under 5-13. Furthermore, I took a psychological examination and it shows that I am not making this up rather I do indeed meet criteria for a medical discharge.
So anyway, despite the ups and downs I have continued to hold faith in myself and my film. I dropped the idea that I would film the entire feature as this was too much of a beast to conquer. What I did is come up with the following: Make a 2-5 minute promotional teaser to showcase my film making capabilities to attract potential investors.
This has been working very successfully so far as I completed a modern day Iraq segment and I am preparing top film a Polynesian segment where Captain Cook and his sailors come ashore onto their island during the 18th Century. I am very fortunate to have the honor and privilege of working with a local Hawaiian, Mr. Kaina Yasuhara.
Mr. Yasuhara has taken the role of casting director and location scout and just that alone, he has lifted up a massive amount of pressure. He has working to get me in to Waimea Valley so that I can film the native Polynesians moving through the jungle dressed and armed in traditional 18th Century fashion.
In addition to that, I am also working to get into the Kaulao Ranch which is an infamous filming locations used in numerous Hollywood films from Jurassic Park to Tears of the Sun. If I am granted access to the ranch, I plan on filming three war eras there; the Revolutionary War, Civil War and Vietnam War. I am also in hopes that I can use pyro on ground as I have a resource that is charging me cost for each detonation. I may also have access to a horse(s)!
So, in the mean time I have been keeping myself busy with teaching myself how to sew. You may laugh but as in Indie filmmaker, I have to become a Jack of all trades. The logistics alone is insane and requires weeks of prep. For last weekends shoot, I planned both breakfast and lunch for the cast and crew, all the hit times from arrival, gearing up, training, and the HOT times. I was running two simultaneous parties at once. I had a squad being trained for Urban Assault and then I had two actresses training on a emergency fire in their engine on a CH-53. The end result was hands down, AWESOME!
Well, time to eat dinner then back to sewing these costumes.
In addition to that, I am also working to get into the Kaulao Ranch which is an infamous filming locations used in numerous Hollywood films from Jurassic Park to Tears of the Sun. If I am granted access to the ranch, I plan on filming three war eras there; the Revolutionary War, Civil War and Vietnam War. I am also in hopes that I can use pyro on ground as I have a resource that is charging me cost for each detonation. I may also have access to a horse(s)!
So, in the mean time I have been keeping myself busy with teaching myself how to sew. You may laugh but as in Indie filmmaker, I have to become a Jack of all trades. The logistics alone is insane and requires weeks of prep. For last weekends shoot, I planned both breakfast and lunch for the cast and crew, all the hit times from arrival, gearing up, training, and the HOT times. I was running two simultaneous parties at once. I had a squad being trained for Urban Assault and then I had two actresses training on a emergency fire in their engine on a CH-53. The end result was hands down, AWESOME!
Well, time to eat dinner then back to sewing these costumes.
