Flashback: The Morning After with Digital Filmmaker Magazine

Found this letter written to Roger Richards of Digital Filmmaker Magazine the morning we wrapped (January 18, 2006) Samaritan. His was the first published article about our production – the first movie, according to Panasonic, completed with the HVX and P2 card technology.

Okay, here I am — fresh (or not so fresh) from the trenches of Glorious
Sleep Depravity and the Bleeding Edge of motion picture technology! Star
Circle Pictures has just wrapped our well-crafted Samaritan. Before the
revelry, allow me to thank you for yesterday’s uplifting conversation. I
was operating on my thirty-third hour when I finally dozed off in a chair.
My phone was charging on my lap and I finally remembered to bring the AC
charger out to keep the laptop from beating me to sleep. I felt like a techno-cowboy — my cell phone charging in my right holster and my laptop in my left.

Anyway, a series of frustrating calls with local media representatives who
didn’t ‘know what the big deal was about a camera,’ and hey, ‘didn’t we do a
story on your last movie?!’ had finally done what thirty-three hours straight on and
off set couldn’t – sent me into a catatonic state of unconsciousness. If I
was dreaming – I was too tired to remember anything except the buzzing,
vibrating sensations that follow knowing, “I’m not going to be able to hold my
eyes open or my head up much longer, and no I’m not in the car, so it’s all
right to give in.” Ahhh sleep.

When my eyes drew open I saw that I had missed your call…. Well, you know the rest. You lifted my spirits, and it was great news to deliver to my Star Circle Pictures partners (my brother Richard Marten and Kimball Carr), cast and crew – every one of whom had been busting their backs to make Samaritan. (And, when I say busting their backs – I mean it. We had “The Rock Doc” — Dr. Daniel Cohen on set giving chiropractic treatments to the cast and crew.) Anyway, we shot more than 80 set ups in two days, and wrapped this morning in Virginia Beach’s 2nd Precinct at 6:45am.

The Panasonic AG HVX 200 was lovingly packed and immediately shipped back home to Chicago’s Zacuto Rentals.

Now that I have enjoyed some extended sleep – let me once again say, thanks to you and Digital Filmmaker Magazine! Oh, and please send our appreciation to Norm at the Virginian-Pilot for hooking us up. He was very gracious.

I look forward to speaking with you soon. Remain Happy, and Healthy.

Ethan