Richard Medernach

Post-production update

Richard Medernach — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:01:59 +0000

I am well into the post-production process for my film and while it is a slow process, it is enjoyable. I am 75% finished the rough cut and I am really happy with the results thus far. I am way behind schedule because I am not a professional editor and the process keeps getting interrupted for my forays into theatre – the current being directing Anne of Green Gables.

Anyway, when I have the rough cut done, hopefully this winter, I’ll have a good idea what the finished product will look like. I still have a long way to go on sound though. I’ve encountered a few spots where the sound captured during the shoot is insufficient so some dubbing work is definitely in order. Then there is the recording and addition of the musical score.

One of the best parts of editing has been coming across the mistakes a.k.a. out takes or bloopers. You can view a short example on my YouTube channel.

The future is in our hands

Richard Medernach — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:51:41 +0000

It is the plain and simple truth. The link between environmental sustainability and social justice is strong; it’s the underpinning of ecological justice. Ecological justice recognizes that life on earth is interconnected and interdependent and that they way we live in the wealthiest countries has a deep impact on the environment and communities of the Global South.

The way I live – what and how I produce and consume – has an ethical and moral component. I’m not going to sell off all my belongings and move to an organic farming commune, but I can choose some voluntary simplicity. I can also be be supportive of the people in the Global South who want a sustainable environment and a decent quality of life.

Take a look at Development and Peace’s Fall Campaign resources and comment on this post with your thoughts. Do the people of the Global South have the right to food sovereignty? Do we? What is the future of our food supply in the face of environmental degradation?

Peace,
Richard

Storyboard teaser from For the Love of Song

Richard Medernach — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:24:53 +0000

So here are a few glimpses into the storyboard of my movie. Jeanine Thrasher is the storyboard artist.

Filming in progress: The ups and downs of no budget movie making.

Richard Medernach — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:57:55 +0000

So the first week of filming For the Love of Song has wrapped up and the quality of what I have been able to film has been really good. However, I am already five scenes behind. Sigh. Of course, that figure is based on the idealized pre-shoot schedule that only comes to pass in Shangri-la. So because of some rain and some location issues, it looks like filming with wrap up in August rather than this month. I wonder if Spielberg and Scorsese have these problems?

So be it. It’s about the quality of the shot, not the speediness of the process that I am after.

I am constantly amazed, both through my theatre experiences and filmmaking attempts, at the quality of creative talent here in Saskatoon and the willingness of people to follow me on a creative adventure without getting paid. I am grateful for that.

Well, it’s time to reschedule yesterday’s rained out scenes.

Cinematically yours,
Richard Medernach

P.S. Coming Soon – some sneak peek photos from on the set of For the Love of Song.

“For Love of Song”: pre-production news

Richard Medernach — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 02:58:24 +0000

So I have edited and refined my script and I am happy with several small changes I made to the story. Currently I am creating my shot list. If you have never worked on a movie before, nor paid attention to all the cuts and camera movements in films you watch, it is amazing how many shots it takes to get a two or three minute scene to look just right. So I am breaking down my script into the shots that I imagine will look best.

Once I have a complete shot list, the next step will be to create a storyboard … which should be fun because I cannot draw beyond a grade 4 level. When I have some pictures done, I’ll post them for a good laugh. A storyboard is like a comic strip version of my script. It helps my cinematographer understand my vision for the movie.

I am excited to announce that my former Harmony Impaired partner Jim Ramsay is contributing a song to the movie, as is Clark Jaman. I also have license to use a song from All Of The Above. I will also be contributing some of my own songs to the movie and I am awaiting a song from Chris Donlevy that is being written specifically for my film.

What’s Your Share of 10 Million?

Richard Medernach — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:53:14 +0000

The Prairie Messenger – a fine Catholic newspaper – has published an op-ed piece that I wrote.

On March 9th the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a day where we are called to turn back to God. Ash Wednesday is also the day that Development and Peace’s Share Lent campaign kicks off. This year, the goal is to raise $10 million for development projects with partners in the Global South as well as for emergency aid responses. So let me ask you, what is your share of that 10 million to be raised?

Read the whole article here.

Update on my movie, “For the Love of Song”

Richard Medernach — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:07:59 +0000

The first thing to note is that I have changed the title of my film to For the Love of Song or perhaps For Love and Song.

The first draft of the script is finished and like most first drafts it needs editing and some remodeling. Still I am satisfied with the story architecture and most of the characters. I think it has the makings of a very fine short romantic drama. The premise of the movie is, what if a songwriter gets a second chance at love and a career in music?

The movie depicts the life of a singer/songwriter just as he has given up on love and his career until he falls for the woman who sells his guitar. My plan is for the movie to run between 22 and 30 minutes but to still have a full soundtrack. The music will be from local Saskatoon musicians.

If this award exists. I hope I win it.

When production starts, I’ll need about 10 crew along with actors and extras. It isn’t hard to be an extra, let me know if you’d like to be in my movie.

I intend to raise $500 before production starts in late June. The money will mostly be used for film making equipment. So far I have received donations of refundable recycling as well as money. Any donations of $25 or more will earn you an autographed DVD of the movie.

If you’d like to pre-buy a DVD (a.k.a donate to my project), you can send a cheque or give me cash (including change) or if you have beverage container recycling to donate, I’ll take that too! Contact me at richardmedernach@gmail.com for more information.

Audio files for five of my songs

Richard Medernach — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:40:47 +0000

Here are five of my songs in glorious MP3 format.

One was recorded in a studio. One was recorded live at the Bassment in Saskatoon and three were recorded in my bedroom. Two of the songs are performed by Harmony Impaired (aka Me and Jim Ramsay) and the others are just me.

(These links open up a new page with an embedded audio player. From that page you can download the MP3)

My song lyrics and chords

Richard Medernach — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 04:10:59 +0000

Before I forget them all, I thought I would type out and publish my songs. Audio files coming in a future post.

beautiful day
cityland
dance with me anyway
monday song
the angel cries
this must be love
breathe in you

Befriending Death 4: Returning Home

Richard Medernach — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 15:50:12 +0000

So yesterday we buried dad in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Cudworth. Lorne returned home for his final resting place. With Fr. Dennis Phaneuf – who celebrated dad and Jean’s wedding twenty years ago – saying the Right of Committal, a small group of us prayed and buried dad’s remains. It was a peaceful and fitting ceremony and it was healing for me to see dad’s grave there not far from many of his relatives.

St. Michael’s Cemetery is a peaceful, though simple graveyard. When I was young I used to play there and help my grandpa cut the grass there. It is not a sad place for me. Even lowering dad’s remains into the sandy earth didn’t seem sad yesterday.

Following the committal, I toured around the cemetery paying respects to those who paved the way for me – those who made my life possible. My cousin Dawn showed me some of the graves of her relatives on the other side of her family and my aunt Gail showed me the grave of her father.

Then Doug, Rebecca, Roman and Gail and I talked about funerals and graves and spreading ashes and tombstones and final wishes etc. There was nothing morbid about it.

At previous funerals I have attended, the Right of Committal occurred immediately from the funeral mass/service. I had always found that to be the most difficult time. It becomes acutely apparent at that point that it is time to say farewell – that I will never again see that person in the same way as I have in the past.

Yesterday was different – partially because of the extra day to heal and partially because of grace, I guess. I also get a great sense of solidarity from that graveyard. My grandparents are buried there, my aunt Celia and several other relatives (many that I never met): Great Grandpa Joseph and Great Grandma Mary, great uncles and aunts. Those graves, and now dad’s too, make me feel connected to a lineage. It gives me a deep sense of place in the world.

After some time we went to Roman and Gail’s for supper. It was great to be back on the farm again so Joseph and Samuel could drive the combine and tractor and could just experience the land that Lorne grew up on. Land that has provided for my family and countless others. We even made a short tour to St. Leo’s Cemetery near the farm where my aunt Lillian and great great grandfather John Medernach rest. It was the place where my dad would have gone to church as a child, where he was baptised. The church is long gone but the Medernachs remain.

Soon enough it was time to go home. After a quick tour through Cudworth we finally passed the cemetery and I told my boys to say goodbye to Grandpa Lorne. And even though it had been a day of joy and healing for me, as Sam’s little voice asked “why do we have to say goodbye to grampa?”, the tears ran down my face again. He was right. We don’t have to say goodbye, we can say farewell and be comforted that dad is finally back home.