Photos of a Funeral

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Name: Len Cardinale
Role: Stills Photographer

Q: How did you find out about this movie?
A: Actually my daughter had heard about the production and I simply followed along with my camera in hopes of capturing a few shots of her during the audition. One thing lead to another and I was asked if I would do some of the still photography.

Q: You took the stills on the day that the funeral was shot. Did you find any special challenges in taking photos on the film shoot?
A: Not really. The staff and all the extras were very accommodating and that made the shoot really easy. I find that the more professional the people are, the easier it is to work.

Q: Describe your favorite photo that you took on the set of Under Jakob's Ladder.
A: There were so many great shots and I'm sure, so many great stories, but my favorite photo from the shoot was of our leading man Jeff Stewart. I believe that it brought out the drama in the character Jakob. [see photo at left]

Q: Who introduced you to photography?
A: My uncle introduced me to the wonders of the dark room and for the first year and a half or so I hadn't picked up a camera. Everything was in the darkroom. I loved it then and I kinda miss it today with the advent of digital. So every once in a great while, I still shoot a roll of B&W film and develop it.

Q: Do you prefer shooting in color or B&W?
A: I love color images, but my roots still take me back to B&W. There's so much feeling and drama in B&W.

Q: What are your favorite subjects to shoot?
A: Portraiture and fashion are my passion. As a form of relaxation, I love to do landscape and an occasional fine art shoot.

Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: I guess I'm sort of boring in this area. When I get behind the camera, I get real serious about my work. If I had to talk about my scariest story, it would have to be the first time I did a fashion shoot. Even though I was well trained, I felt that the models would see my inexperience and that didn't happen. The models were great and just took my simple direction and started to move. From there, it was a walk in the park. A scary, but great experience.

Q: Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph (and haven't had the chance yet)?
A: Right now the sky's the limit. I'd like to go out west and photograph some of the landscape, it's so beautiful. As far as people are concerned, anyone who walks in front of my camera.

Q: Who or what gives you inspiration?
A: In the world of landscape work, it has to be Ansel Adams. Probably the most well known and greatest master of B&W photography. In lighting and fashion, it would be Dean Collins and Janusz Kawa respectively.

Q: If someone wants you to take photos at an event, how do they contact you?
A; I can be reached at cardinalestudio@aol.com or at 914-310-4264.

Shooting Photos on Set

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Name: Thomas Vaillancourt
Role: Stills Photographer

Q: As a photographer, what does photography mean to you?
A: Photography is one of my most creative outlets. I think most people have a deep need to create, and that creative need is often frustrated with the everyday requirements of modern life. I try to set aside time to do those creative things.

Q: Are there any special challenges you found with taking photos on a film shoot?
A: If there was a ‘pecking order’ on the set, I was at the bottom. I had to be behind all the cast and crew, and they kept shifting around. So I kept moving my camera and tripod to find a ‘hole’ to shoot from.

Q: How did you find out about this movie?
A: My wife, Judy, was an extra and I came along out of curiosity.

Q: From the photos you took on set, which are your favorites?
A: One of my favorites would be the one with Chloe [role of Marta] and Victoria [role of Rachel]. It shows a deep eye-to-eye connection they shared. It is a sacred and personal moment. And if you were to draw a line from Chloe to Victoria, it would form a diagonal. Diagonal structures in a photo tend to be more interesting that horizontal ones.


My second favorite would be the one with Victoria in the background and Johanna [1st AD] in the foreground. It captures the contrast between the historical past as represented by Victoria and the contemporary present, represented by Johanna. It doesn’t hurt the photo that they are both beautiful women. There is also the diagonal compositional element present in this photo also.


Q: What got you started in photography?
A: I got my first real camera in Tokyo when I was on R&R (rest and recuperation) in the Army during the Vietnam War. My first real photo shoot was of the Bob Hope Christmas show at Long Binh in December 1968. I was picked to be on the stage crew so I had an opportunity to get some close-up shots of Bob Hope and Ann Margaret.

Q: Do you prefer taking photos in color, or in black and white?
A: I know many photographers prefer black and white, but I am not one of them. I look at it this way: If I had to choose between seeing the world only in black & white or in full color, my choice would not be difficult. I would choose color in a heartbeat.

Q: What are your favorite subjects to photograph?
A: I really enjoy shooting people, but I don’t get a lot of opportunity to do that. That is one reason it was a treat for me to shoot on the movie set. I also enjoy waterscapes, wildlife, and bridges.

Q: Tell your funniest, scariest, most bizarre, most touching story from a photo shoot!
A: I had the good fortune to go on a cruise for photographers that originated in Montreal and cruised around to Boston, stopping at many interesting ports on the way. Members of this group attended classes on photography when we were on the ship and went on photo shoots when we put into port. We were really able to connect with our instructors and with others attending the workshops. My richest memories always involve the bonds I have had the privilege to form with other people. On that cruise I also fell in love with the City of Quebec and was awed by the beauty of Acadia National Park in Maine.

Q: Is there anybody or anything you would love to photograph (and haven't had the chance yet)?
A: There are many really talented actors and actresses I would love to shoot. Bjork, the singer/actress comes to mind. Actors/actresses communicate as much with their eyes and facial expressions as they do with their spoken words. To capture those silent soul messages in a photograph would be just fabulous.

Q: What is your advice to someone who wants to be a photographer?
A: Concentrate on learning good composition. And then learn everything you can about post-production editing with Photoshop.

Q: If someone wants you to take photos at an event, how do they contact you?
A: You can call me on the phone at 845-294-7361 or email me at: croton@warwick.net. They can see some of my work at www.postersfromtheheart.com by clicking on the ‘photo gallery’ link.

Creating a Storyboard

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Name: Lizzie Hupcey
Role: Storyboard Artist

Q: How would you describe a storyboard?
A: A storyboard is a sequence of drawings that show the main actions in a scene, along with the camera's position and movements.

Q: Under Jakob's Ladder is set around the time of World War II. Is there anything special that you do when storyboarding for a historical movie?
A: The clothes, the props, and in particular the car, had to be the right period. I was given reference pictures to work with. Some were historical photos, movie stills, or photographs of the actual items being used. Some of the props lived at my house for a while, so that helped.

Q: Storyboards are often created long before locations are secured and all the actors are cast in a project. What did you use as models for your storyboards?
A: I had access to some casting and location-scouting photos. I took some of my own as well. Mostly, I posed my friends like mannequins and used a few stock reference images.

Q: Compare your completed storyboard to what was actually filmed. Did it turn out like you visualized?
A: There were some rewrites after I did my work. Some shots were straight off the page. It would be the actor's hand in the film, but I'd know it was really my dad's. I tackled a sequence with Yasha during actual production. It was exciting to see that brought to life because it was fresh in my mind and stayed pretty much as I was given it.

Q: Do you have any funny stories or anecdotes about working on this film?
A: The day we forgot how to assemble the jib. I think Kevin [Wiley] built it, and he wasn't there at the time. The photographs I had of it were from too far away, so we had to look at someone else's. The team would huddle around a laptop in the barn, then go back out and try to make sense of the pieces. I took detail shots from several angles once they finished, just in case.

Q: What did you enjoy the most about working on this film?
A: I met a lot of cool people, and I experienced a real, organized production. Collaborating and working with someone else's ideas was great. It's something I'd like to do more of.

Q: What artists inspire you as an artist?
A: I love the Impressionists, because they were people watchers. Jeff Smith is probably my favorite cartoonist. As far as animators, there's Milt Kahl, Ollie Johnston, Mark Henn. Tim Burton is a big influence, even though our styles are complete opposites.

Q: If you could get a dream job as a storyboard artist on any film (past, present, or future), which film would you choose?
A: Terry Gilliam's Don Quixote.

Q: What qualities (apart from formal training) do you think are important to working as an artist?
A: Observing the world is a big part of it. It helps if art is a compulsion. I have itchy, sketching fingers; they crave an outlet at all times.

Q: What do you enjoy most about creating your artwork?
A: Showing people what goes on in my head is incredibly satisfying.

Q: And finally, do you have a website?
A: My website -- http://www.rabidlemur.com/

Note: We posted a short sequence (the arrest of Jakob) that was storyboarded by Lizzie Hupcey. If you haven't seen it yet, have a look.

Getting Film Updates...

Okay, JAKOB Fans!

We're currently switching over to a new delivery system for our film updates... And if you're already on our email list to receive all the latest news about Under Jakob's Ladder, we don't want you to get lost in the shuffle!

So... If you haven't done made the switch already, it's pretty easy. All you have to do is complete a two-step process for staying on our list. (Or joining our list if you're not on it already.)

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P.S. And since this blog post is called "Film Updates", here's an update regarding the film... We're working on revamping the Under Jakob's Ladder website. Stay tuned!

Ideas for a Tagline

Here is one of our poster ideas for our film, Under Jakob's Ladder. And if you look closely, you'll see there is no tagline...

At least not yet.


After our previous blog post, a few of you sent in some tagline ideas. We've added them to our list of possibilities. But we thought it might help if you actually saw the photo we're thinking of using on the poster.

What tagline would make YOU want to see this movie?

Got any ideas?

Memorable Taglines

We're working on some poster ideas for our feature film Under Jakob's Ladder.

And with poster ideas come taglines. But finding a good tagline... not an easy task.

A good tagline sums up the plot, or maybe the movie's tone or theme. Usually, you got to do that in only a few words. It's meant to draw interest, to create a hey-I-got-to-see-that-movie response from movie-goers. It's got to be pithy. And memorable.

Some taglines from the early days of film would not be acceptable in today's movie world. For example, there's "Garbo talks!" from the 1930 film Anna Christie. (In 1930, that would have been a big selling point. But it doesn't really tell you much about was the story is about!) Then there's Citizen Kane's tagline from 1941: "EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT IT! It's Terrific!"

Nowadays, there are people who actually make their living writing movie taglines.

Here are some examples of the modern tagline. (Bonus: Can you guess what they have in common?)

"Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free."
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

"Put a fence in front of these men...and they'll climb it..."
The Great Escape (1963)

"No one has ever escaped from Alcatraz... And no one ever will!"
Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

"His greatest fight was for justice."
The Hurricane (1999)

If you didn't catch it, all the taglines are from prison movies. Which, of course, is the genre of 'Under Jakob's Ladder'. Now, all we have to do is come up with a good tagline for our own movie...

Ideas, anyone?

(Too bad 'Citizen Kane' already took "It's Terrific!")

Q&A with Actor Armen Garo

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Actor: Armen Garo
Role: Serzhant

Q: What attracted you to working on 'Under Jakob's Ladder'?
The main attraction was the script's historical authenticity. This was a story worthy of being told because it is a story whose lessons we never seem to learn. That there is no place for man's inhumanity to man. But we never seem to learn, so such stories are never without merit.

Q: How did you prepare for your role?
I started with a short haircut and spent a month wearing clothes that depicted some type of order, some uniformity. I let the rest happen naturally.

Q: How did you identify with your character?
A: I've worked with and for people who were psychologically similar to Serzhant. A repugnant and heartless clown.

Q: What was your favorite line of dialogue from the movie?
A: I had to order prisoners to stop and the script called for it to be done in Russian. It took time for me to learn it, but I enjoyed it.

Q: What was the most challenging scene for you?
A: They were all challenging. But from the perspective of seeing what the other actors were enduring in terms of inhabiting the hardships of a concentration camp, those actors were especially diligent in creating for themselves such misery.

Q: What did you enjoy the most about working on this film?
A: The most enjoyable part of working on this film was the level of passionate commitment from all of the cast and crew. I was quite proud to be a part of this work. The experience that everyone brings to this piece is quite impressive.

Q: Tell about working with the cast/crew.
A: When I first spoke to Robert, I was moved by the story he wanted to tell about his great-grandfather, the story upon which this film is based. The story of human depravity is one that merits repeating until it ceases and the manner in which Robert conveyed to me convinced me this was a worthy film to be a part of. Both Robert and Mann, to their credit, were always sure to be on the same page during production and were both easily accessible when it came to a matter of authentic detail or any other matter of continuity. I'd recommend them and their team to anyone. I'd consider myself lucky if I had a chance to work with them again. This cast was exceptional. It's rare to have been able to work with such a large group of artists who were so committed to their work product. Jeff Stewart was such a gracious presence. I think people are going to like this.

Q: Do you have any funny stories or anecdotes?
A: We filmed at an old farm house. The only thing I recall was that we had to stop filming every time one of the roosters took an interest in one of the hens back in the coop. No manners! What a racket!

Q: How did you get your start in film?
A: The first film I did was called 'The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski' in which I played the role of her brother Stosh Cosnowski. It was quite exciting to work with the film's writer, Jean Shepherd (who also wrote 'A Christmas Story'). My initial understanding of filmmaking came from him.

Q: Who inspires you as an actor?
A: Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro are probably the reasons I became an actor. I like to say that rather than play a role, I inhabit the life of the person the role is based upon. That can be traced to these two actors as initial influences. My inspirations come from those with whom I have contact or have had a chance to observe. Most of them aren't actors.

Life in Video Village

Video Village. It's the place on a film set designated for video monitors. It's the place where the director, producer, script supervisor, art director, and other crew members watch what is being filmed. It has to be in a location close enough to the camera because of all the cords needed to achieve video feed.

Watching the monitor is a helpful tool... for various reasons. Like checking to see if the boom is in the shot. As you can see, our boom operator (the striped shirt in the photo below) had to boom this shot from below.

This is the view from our location in Video Village.
Our prison set for Under Jakob's Ladder basically consisted of two rooms. When we were filming in one room, we set up Video Village in the other room. (Switching rooms was a bit of a headache, but that's another story!)

Sometimes, as it happened in this scene, Video Village ended up being right in the same room as the actors being filmed.

Here's what the camera saw. (Left to right: Quentin McCuiston [Yasha], Matthew R. Staley [Karl], and Jeff Stewart [Jakob].)
It was an odd feeling to watch the actors on the monitor when, in fact, we could have just turned our heads to see them!

Q&A with Actor Greg F. Kowalczyk

Film: Under Jakob's Ladder
Actor: Greg F. Kowalczyk
Role: Rudi

Q: What or who got you started in acting?
A: It was my (and only my) idea. And, when the time came, it simply happened.

Q: How did you find out about this movie?
A: I found out about it on one of the Internet portals where one can find the adverts about castings.

Q: What attracted you to working on this film?
A: I read the movie scenario and, apart from the fact that I really liked it, it was also important to me that it concerned the part of the world I come from (Eastern Europe). I was also drawn to the movie by the climate and atmosphere of the script. Most of the movie action is taking place in the prison cell and this is always a big challenge, both for the director as well as the actor, as one limited space provokes artists to search for various means of expression, so the story does not bore the spectator.

Q: Did you do anything special to prepare for your role as Rudi?
A: Yes. I had to stop shaving, cutting my hair. And I had lost 8 pounds. How was I preparing for my part? Fast. I had learned about playing Rudi’s part a week before the shooting started and an actual work on the character I was to play started when the director asked me to shoot screen test for this part. After that I was offered the role of Rudi. Working on the part was not easy, as throughout all the shooting period I had to play one the co-prisoners who did not have anything to do with what was happening in the prison cell. I had to be careful and aware about my every gesture and word. I also had to do a lot of thinking myself, inside my head.

Q: What did you enjoy the most about working on this film?
A: I was really happy that I could participate in that project, as I truly believe it will be a success. Thanks to this movie, I could also try new challenges. And of course, meet new people.

Q: Do you have any funny stories or anecdotes about working on this film?
A: Well, perhaps it won’t be a funny story, but rather a real and true one. On the last day of the shooting, before the filming started, Robert called everyone to the set (to the prison cell). He thanked us all and asked us to really concentrate, because we were about to shoot quite a few extremely difficult, emotional scenes, that chronologically would be put at the end of the movie. Then he said a prayer in German and we started working. After some time, when I was still waiting for my scene to be filmed, I felt some unusual energy coming from the actors performing their parts at that moment. They were going through really extremely difficult and emotional scenes. And suddenly, while I was watching the actors, the tears came to my eyes and started running down my face without me knowing about it. I was so moved that I had to leave the set (the prison cell).

Q: Who or what inspires you as an actor?
A: My greatest inspiration and influence is life itself. But I do remember that when I was a little boy and I saw the movie 'Singing in the Rain', I felt a desire to become an artist. So, one may say that also Gene Kelly.

Film Continuity on a Hot Set

A film set can sometimes be like a crime scene. You know, the ones with the yellow tape around it so that everyone knows not to disturb anything.

"This is a hot set." That's film-speak for don't touch anything!

When we call the set "hot", that means we're still filming the scene and we need everything to remain the same. For continuity purposes. (On our last feature film, 'Dear J', we had to deal with a magical moving apple.)

On Under Jakob's Ladder? One of our biggest challenges (continuity-wise) came with the chess sets in the movie. And we had quite a few chess sets.

The temptation seemed to come when we were between shots... A cast or crew member would want to make the next chess move! Then our continuity/props brigade had to go and put the pieces back in their correct positions. (But that's why they take continuity pictures, isn't it?)

Maybe we need to start using some of that police tape on set! At least when it comes to chess sets.

(Or would that just slow things down?)

P.S. By the way, the photo above was one of those taken for continuity purposes... to remember the position of all those dark chess pieces. And for those of you who are wondering, yes, that's Jeff Stewart's (Jakob's) hand in the photo.