Tarazod Films Comes to a Close

Filmmaking has been our passion for nearly two decades. From short films to our feature-length documentary, Mad City Chickens, from the non-profits and university work to the commercial gigs, it's been a fun adventure. 

However, in 2019, we were coming to place where we wanted to go in a new direction. The creative storytelling process of shooting and editing was still ever-fulfilling but not for the kind of projects we were used to working on.

Our goal was to finish up the three films we had on our plate, plus the several commercial jobs that were in the pipeline. Then we'd explore new avenues.

But the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In early 2020, we were making a huge push on our two narrative projects. One after another, we had to cancel our scheduled shoots with cast and crew. All of our fiction projects came to a halt as did most of the commercial productions. 

We did complete a few commercials in 2021, but it is now time to move on. We've made a decision to dissolve Tarazod Films LLC.

What does this mean for our three films? At some point, we will be uploading the unfinished versions of No Sleep for Ronni and Strindberg's Assistant just for the sake of all the wonderful people who worked so hard on these projects. As for Benjamin's Ride, it's the one film that still has a chance of being completed. Time will tell.

"No Sleep for Ronni" Movie Poster B

Get a 300 dpi hi-rez image here.

Also see poster "A" in an earlier post.

How to Fold a Collapsible Oval Green Screen

During a break in shooting for our No Sleep for Ronni project (back in September 2018), actor/filmmaker Bryan Royston demonstrates the proper way to fold up a collapsible oval green screen. He makes it look easy. 

 

Veronica Narang is Ronni

Veronica Narang has the lead role in our yet-to-be completed sci-fi film, No Sleep for Ronni. Actually, she plays multiple roles in numerous scenes that were shot over a period of several years.

The Magic is in the Details

As the edit of No Sleep for Ronni progresses, we're adding small b-roll details here and there. The result, we hope, will be a robust visual imagery that will move the story along in even more interesting ways.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL HOLLY

In one scene, we learn there are 12 test subjects who have been brought in to be experimented on. Our lead character, Ronni, resists the procedure, but the other 11 have succumbed to it. While these other subjects are not really a part of the story, we still want to briefly flash their photos on screen.

This means, of course, that we need to actually go out and shoot photos of 11 additional people in hospital gowns. And they need to look like they've come under the control of the research doctors' methods. Fun stuff!

More "Ronni" Pick-up Shots

It's been well over a month now since we finished up several commercial projects that had been on our plate. As a result, we've taken advantage of this window of opportunity to ramp up the edit of No Sleep for Ronni. In addition, we've been checking off the remaining pick-up shots that are still needed.

Earlier this evening, we filmed in the basement of camera operator Jeff Modjeska, knocking off two different pick-up segments. The first was a scene featuring Jeff Blankenship as a research surgeon conducting an experiment on his test subject, DW Wanberg. Actor Chris Weis played a security guard while Jeff Modjeska doubled as another research doctor.

Additional scenes were filmed on green screen and involved Chris doing security guard things. Fun stuff!

While the edit of the movie has come a long way, it's a complicated project, the most intricate one we've ever worked on. Loads of keying, compositing, masking, and more. So unfortunately, we still have quite a ways to go before it's finished.

Fun Continuity Surprises

In the "kitchen" scene from No Sleep for Ronni, our two antagonists, Ms. Slovak (Portia Adney) and Dr. Bly (Tim Towne), converse via a video chat. During the editing process, we discovered a minor continuity error; it will hardy be noticed. So for the fun of it, we thought we'd point it out for those who read this post.

Throughout the scene, a cutting board can be seen in the background on the countertop. However, nothing else is supposed to be on top of the cutting board.

Yet in one shot, we can see a book that a crew member forgot to remove from the hot set. Oops.

Contract Signature Pick-up Shot

It may be slow, it may be behind schedule, but progress on No Sleep for Ronni continues. Here's a quick pick-up shot of our fictional character Ronni Dempster signing her life away.

Malevolent Corporate Logo for "Ronni"

In our film, No Sleep for Ronni, we have two antagonists, Dr. Bly (played by Tim Towne) and Ms. Slovak (Portia Adney). Both work for a dark and sinister company, the fictional Přízrak Technologies Corporation.

The headquarters is based in Prague. Přízrak is a Czech (and Russian) word for ghost, phantom, or apparition.

Early in the movie, a corporate promo is aired which explains the science behind what is about to happen to Ronni. In creating a fictional company, we needed to make it seem real, right down to the logo. Here's what we came up with...

Shrunken Head prop for "Ronni"

Tashai made this "shrunken head" prop to be used in one of the nightmare sequences in our film, No Sleep for Ronni.

"No Sleep for Ronni" Movie Poster A

Get a 300 dpi hi-rez image here.

"Ronni" Online Press Kit

We've launched a No Sleep for Ronni online press kit page. More info will be added as we ramp up the promotion side of things, but for now, at least it's a start in the right direction.

View the press kit at: https://presskit-no-sleep-for-ronni.blogspot.com/

"Ronni" is now listed on IMDb

The post-production edit continues to be our focus for No Sleep for Ronni, even as we enter into the next phase of the project which is promotion. Bryan Royston (who plays the computer tech Douglas in the movie) is a long-time producer for Living Storm Productions. He agreed to help us out by uploading all of the "Ronni" credit info to IMDb. Not an easy task when dealing with a cast and crew of well over 50 people, many of which needed to be matched with their existing details on the site. A big shoutout to Bryan for all his hard work.

Check out the listing on IMDb.

Fun with Foley

We've been recording sound effects to be used in No Sleep for Ronni. Tashai is working with something called an Indonesian thunder tube. Interesting results.

"No Sleep for Ronni" 2019 Post Production

We still have a ways to go, but the edit is progressing on No Sleep for Ronni. Feels good to be plugging away and seeing things come together.

A clip of the narrator during the "classified" corporate promotional intro...

The first time we see Ms. Slovak in Prague...

Ronni's having second thoughts during her initial interview with Dr. Cillion...

Dr. Bly questions Ronni in the interrogation room (filmed in Madison 2014) while Nurse Nia looks on (filmed in Phoenix 2018)...

That's a Wrap on Ms. Slovak!

Portia Adney was brought on to our No Sleep for Ronni project back in July. Her character, Ms. Slovak, is a hard-edged adversary to both the protagonist Ronni Dempster (played by Veronica Narang) and also the antagonist Dr. Bly (Tim Towne).

Today, we successfully completed the last of Portia's scenes. The principal photography is now finished! All that remains are several pickup shots and a few voice over sessions with other actors. These will be recorded once the edit has progressed far enough in post production so that we'll know exactly what is needed.

Today's crew (L to R):

Script Supervisor - Susan Rathke
Production Assistant - David Rodrick
Production Assistant - Cameron Flynn
Actor - Portia Adney
2nd Assistant Camera/Craft Services - Nicholas Wootton
Director - Robert Lughai
Assistant Director - Victoria Siebold
Camera Operator - Jeff Buss
Craft Services - Jill Wootton (not pictured)


Special thanks to Bill White and Barbara Bolan for their assistance in securing our location. And to the Glass Nickel Pizza Co. in Madison for supporting our project with great food.

Wrap on Victoria's Narration Scene

Yesterday, we recorded the remaining dialog for the "investor promotional film" that takes place in No Sleep for Ronni. The narrator is played by Victoria Siebold. She did an excellent job!

Thanks to Nicholas and Jill Wootton for use of their "studio".

Big Push to Knockoff Remaining "Ronni" Scenes

September 11 - Corporate Promo Video. Near the beginning of the No Sleep for Ronni story, a classified promotional film is screened for a select group of high level investors. The narrator for this promo is played by Victoria Siebold. We shot her on-screen lines at the Central Library in Madison.

September 13 - Computer Tech Scenes. Bryan Royston plays Douglas, a computer operator who runs the experimental sessions at a private research facility. Our shoot location was the Sun Prairie Media Center. Victoria returned to help out on crew, as did our PA Cameron Flynn.

September 14 - Research Facility. Shot more scenes with Bryan, this time back at the Madison Central Library and the downtown Madison College building.

September 15 - Dr. Bly's Office. Tim Towne plays Dr. Bly, the head of the private research facility. It was nearly a 16 hour day but we got all of his scenes shot. They included one with Bryan Royston and a couple others with Susan Rathke who plays a medical staffer. Susan also worked behind the scenes along with Cameron. Our location was at the downtown offices of WI-AIMH. Special thanks to Melissa Minkoff for securing permission.

Several pickup shots are still needed, plus one last major scene with Ms. Slovak (Portia Adney). These probably won't be completed until our location comes available in either October or November. But we are in the final stretch of production and it feels really, really good!

Production Picking Up - "Close Friend" Scene

Tonight we shot another scene for our project, No Sleep for Ronni. As the story builds towards its climax, Nurse Nia, played by Nadine Jackson, has a final phone conversation with her close friend, played by Melissa Minkoff.

Just over a month ago, we shot Nadine's side of the conversation in Phoenix. Tonight we completed the scene with Melissa here in Madison.

Special thanks to script supervisor Janet Kjelland for providing the location and snapping a few BTS pics.

Two More "Ms. Slovak" Scenes

Yesterday, we finished two more scenes with Portia Adney who plays Ms. Slovak, one of the adversaries in No Sleep for Ronni. The first was a green screen car sequence where she's driving through the streets of Paris. In the second, she's receiving a massage from her personal masseuse. In both, she's carrying on a video/phone conversation with co-adversary, Dr. Bly. (His side of the chat will be shot in a week or so with actor Tim Towne).

Our location in Baraboo, Wisconsin was generously provided by Jeff Blankenship, who was also our camera operator. The masseuse was played by Kelly Rehmer O'Malley, a real-life massage therapist. Also on set was boom operator Nathan Levy and grip Jeff Zachow.