With only a few working days left in the year, I think it's high time for another update on Play It Safe (especially since I may not get another chance to post again before January). So much has happened over the last few months, and I've really wanted to blog about it here regularly. Unfortunately, a documentary shoot I was on a couple of months ago caused a pretty serious flareup of my tendinitis and I haven't been able to type properly since then (consequently I'm actually writing this post using DragonDictate voice recognition, which I hope to review in the New Year). I'm about to head off for a couple of weeks of R and R before we start production early next year. Fingers crossed this will give my arms some more time to heal and I'll be back to blogging every week or so next year.
Over the last few months I have been solidly working away on casting some of the lead roles with casting director Alexis Porter, planning the shooting style with Jaque, drafting and redrafting the script with Jack, working on the music with Nathan and Oscar, and a bunch of other stuff. We are currently at the tail end of the development phase and we have already started a bunch of preproduction stuff. If all goes to plan we will be buckling down for some serious preproduction during January, and we will actually start shooting Play It Safe in February or March.
In my experience, any longterm creative project is bound to have its ups and downs. This has certainly been the case with Play It Safe. It's been over 9 months since Jack and I started working on the concept for Play It Safe (and we spent another 3 months before that working on another project which helped lay Play It Safe's foundations). In many ways this period has been the most challenging one of my career so far.
With that being said, however, I have been incredibly lucky, and I am incredibly grateful. After every setback, or difficult moment, it doesn't take long for things to start looking up again. This is always thanks to the incredible group of people I have working with me. I have been astounded by the passion, dedication, generosity, and talent of the people who have supported and worked with me. Filmmaking truly is a collaborative art form. Without you guys this project would not be possible, and I am incredibly grateful for all the hard work, energy, and emotion that you have invested in Play It Safe. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in the project this year. I can't wait to start shooting this thing with you next year.
I hope you all have a good Christmas and holiday season. I'm looking forward to keeping you all posted with our progress next year. For now, here's a few shots from a workshop we did last night to wet your whistle.
