Our first preproduction meeting is set with main crew members for July 16th, 2012. We will be reviewing the script and developing our shot list. It will also help us develop a solid budget and give us an idea how many shoot days will be needed to complete the film. Patti has been developing the list of characters for the casting director and figuring out how many extras we will be needing. Len will also be exploring different costume companies for costumes rentals for extras or cast members that need them. We are lucky that some of the people who are volunteering to be extras own their own costumes, which will be a big savings. There is still much to do before the cameras can roll, but this first preproduction meeting will be a big help in nailing down some important factors.
I'll keep you posted!
Len
This blog is for the followers of the documentary film "Engineering Tragedy: The Ashtabula Train Disaster."
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Meeting with 3-D Director
Hi Everyone:
Patti and I had a great meeting and dinner Wed. evening June 13th, with Matt McComb, a team member and 3-D animator for the project. He is just full of great ideas for Beacon Productions and he showed us some of the 3-D renders he has been working on for the train engine and cars. All I can say is WOW, they look amazing! Matt is placing our train and bridge in a 3-D world, so we can crash it, and show the audience really what happened and how it crashed. We will try to upload some of the things he is working on to the website so you can get an idea of what he is doing.
That's all to report for now, but stay tuned!
Len Brown
Patti and I had a great meeting and dinner Wed. evening June 13th, with Matt McComb, a team member and 3-D animator for the project. He is just full of great ideas for Beacon Productions and he showed us some of the 3-D renders he has been working on for the train engine and cars. All I can say is WOW, they look amazing! Matt is placing our train and bridge in a 3-D world, so we can crash it, and show the audience really what happened and how it crashed. We will try to upload some of the things he is working on to the website so you can get an idea of what he is doing.
That's all to report for now, but stay tuned!
Len Brown
Friday, June 8, 2012
New Video and 1st Draft of Script Done!
Hi Everyone:
Patti and I are working every day on the film. You will notice we have added a few new sections to the website and a few new videos. The newest video we just posted shows the trains from Bachmann arriving. After we are done filming them with the bridge, they will be going to the Jefferson Historical Society to be displayed.
Today Matt McComb was over and we downloaded the 3-D models to begin working on the 3-D graphics that will be used in the film. The 3-D graphics are important because they are the graphics that will allow us to show the bridge collapsing, how it collapsed and the train crashing.
I finished the first draft of the script today! It still needs some editing and additions, but I'm happy with the progress. Over the next few weeks, I will be reading through it and making my edits. (Patti)
It looks like once we add the interviews from our engineer experts and historians we will have a 90-minute program. The script is not set in stone yet because we have a few more facts to check out. We will be contacting the Cleveland Police Museum on Monday, June 11th, to see if they can help us find any historical records on the murder of Charles Collins.
I also made changes to the Wikipedia website, which had some wrong information posted on it.
I also want to encourage anyone who is following this film to sign up to follow us through your email. By doing this you will receive emails of new postings on that are on the blog so you won't miss a thing.
We will soon be launching our fund raising campaign to gear up for the big filming this winter, so we will keep you posted on this.
Take Care
Len Brown, Director and Producer
Patti and I are working every day on the film. You will notice we have added a few new sections to the website and a few new videos. The newest video we just posted shows the trains from Bachmann arriving. After we are done filming them with the bridge, they will be going to the Jefferson Historical Society to be displayed.
Today Matt McComb was over and we downloaded the 3-D models to begin working on the 3-D graphics that will be used in the film. The 3-D graphics are important because they are the graphics that will allow us to show the bridge collapsing, how it collapsed and the train crashing.
I finished the first draft of the script today! It still needs some editing and additions, but I'm happy with the progress. Over the next few weeks, I will be reading through it and making my edits. (Patti)
It looks like once we add the interviews from our engineer experts and historians we will have a 90-minute program. The script is not set in stone yet because we have a few more facts to check out. We will be contacting the Cleveland Police Museum on Monday, June 11th, to see if they can help us find any historical records on the murder of Charles Collins.
I also made changes to the Wikipedia website, which had some wrong information posted on it.
I also want to encourage anyone who is following this film to sign up to follow us through your email. By doing this you will receive emails of new postings on that are on the blog so you won't miss a thing.
We will soon be launching our fund raising campaign to gear up for the big filming this winter, so we will keep you posted on this.
Take Care
Len Brown, Director and Producer
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Welcome
Hi! Welcome to the official blog site for Engineering Tragedy: The Ashtabula Train Disaster. This is where you can ask all your questions and get all the updates during the filming process.
This story is about the worst railroad bridge and train disaster in United States history. It happened in Ashtabula, Ohio on December 29, 1876 during a raging blizzard. In this town off the shores of Lake Erie, an all-iron railroad bridge collapsed sending a luxury train, The Pacific Express No. 5, plummeting 70ft into a frozen river. Of the172 souls that were on board, only 75 survived, most with serious injuries. Of the 97 who perished, 47 were identified, 50 were unidentifiable.
Similar to the Titanic, the crash of this luxury train would prove to be more than just a tragic accident.
This disaster once captivated the nation with stories of tragic loss of life, dramatic rescues, murder, and suicide.
Our team of historians, writers, and film makers are excited to bring this story back to life in a documentary film.
We hope you can join us!
Beacon Productions
Len and Patti Brown
This story is about the worst railroad bridge and train disaster in United States history. It happened in Ashtabula, Ohio on December 29, 1876 during a raging blizzard. In this town off the shores of Lake Erie, an all-iron railroad bridge collapsed sending a luxury train, The Pacific Express No. 5, plummeting 70ft into a frozen river. Of the172 souls that were on board, only 75 survived, most with serious injuries. Of the 97 who perished, 47 were identified, 50 were unidentifiable.
Similar to the Titanic, the crash of this luxury train would prove to be more than just a tragic accident.
This disaster once captivated the nation with stories of tragic loss of life, dramatic rescues, murder, and suicide.
Our team of historians, writers, and film makers are excited to bring this story back to life in a documentary film.
We hope you can join us!
Beacon Productions
Len and Patti Brown
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)