Week 4 post production...

Pic #1 Back at the airport -- this time LEGALLY.

Pic #2 Airport Security weren't happy with the size of Greg's lens. I can understand why. Told him it was a compliment. They were worried about punters thinking it was a Bazooka I think.


Hello friends,

Just watched the first complete rough cut of Summer Coda! OMG! We have a film and with a bit of fine tuning I believe a great one! So very exciting to see all the scenes come together. Probably the most surreal and rewarding moment so far. Watching all the characters come to life, for the first time I forget I was watching multiple scenes and sequences and just sat back and enjoyed. BLISS.

Julie Hodges from Mushroom Music has been helping me with the Summer Coda soundtrack for 5 years!! Was so happy to finally be able to show her some scenes. Music is a MAJOR component of our film and she's gathering some absolute CRACKER tracks.

Speaking of music, just about to catch up with our composer Alies and watch the film with her too. Her hard work starts now. Our score is just so crucial. Alies like so many others has been listening to me (at nauseam) rabbit on about Summer Coda (and her doing the score) for YEARS. So happy to finally hand it over.

We've had to delay our final shoot in the U.S. till March, but it's been a blessing as I couldn't have hacked leaving the edit suite at this stage. It's the best part!

Big shout out to VIRGIN for getting us on the tarmac at Melbourne Airport to film some awesome planes landing LEGITAMATELY. I remember way back to "17 days till shoot!" when we were sneaking around a back airport paddock to film some planes landing, standing amongst cows! Now we roll in style. Thank-you Mr Branson.

Thinking back to October last year amazes me. I was so excited, but equally scared. 4 months later I'm watching the film. UNBELIEVABLE.

Right-E-O, I'd best get back to it.

Much Love,

Ricky : )

Week 2 post production...

...Ahhhh, the memories. These were the best fruit pickers a director could have ever dreamed for.

Hello friends,

Yep, I've been slack. Where's Week 1 post production? Well on top of being slack I've been too busy getting fat. After 8 weeks in the hell fire heat of Mildura, Christmas and New Years was a sight for sore eyes! Ooops, pardon the pun, Jo. (Jo, our EPK producer almost lost an eye to a flaming cigarette on NYE! Seriously).

Now we're back in the saddle. Organising a few last shooting days here in Melbs: Close up tarmac shots of Heidi's plane landing (Rachael Taylor), which our lovely major sponsor VIRGIN have kindly helped us with. Heidi in a Taxi through Melbourne CBD. Helicopter shots for Mildura and the great Murray River, and of course, the BIGGIE: Michael's (Alex Dimitriades') scenes in the CALIFORNIAN DESERT!

So we're off the States to shoot the last scenes of Summer Coda and I gotta tell you, I'm rather PUMPED about that one!

Meanwhile, our main man Gaz (our editor) has been CUTTY CUTTY CUTTY and it's been awesome hanging in the edit suite with him. Having done so much short form, reality and doco over the last 4 years it's so bloody refreshing to sink my teeth into a long form drama. We just don't make many films in this country, so it kinda feels like a privilege to be doing what we're doing.

Gaz has of course been working from the day after we started shooting. Much to do: First you gotta SYNC all the footage, day by day. That's 2 hours of footage a day, shot by shot. Then you gotta lay it all down on the timeline and start blocking out all the scenes. There's 157 scenes in Summer Coda. AND THEN you can finally start to take a look at your best takes and start piecing your pride-and-joy together. And that's when lazy Ricky hops into the edit suite! And then let the good times roll!

Quite surreal seeing all the footage in front of you. Such a lot of hard work, but so much fun as well. Beautiful seeing all the actors again. I had forgotten just how much we'd done.

Next week, while the cutty cutty continues we head to our friends at Soundfirm to do some ADR. Meaning we gotta replace some slightly noisy dialogue we recorded on the Highway at high speeds with the window down, with some crystal clear dialogue recorded in a studio.

Memo to self: Never EVER write 5 pages of meaningful dialogue to be performed in an old truck, on a bumpy road, with the windows down. This may lead to average sound. Instead, pull the truck over, and have one actor to say to the other: "Let's go do this meaningful dialogue scene over there -- on the bench, in the quiet park near the lake, where the film crew can stand in the shade".

Oh well, next time for sure! Truth is 99.9% of our sound is bloody brilliant (BIG SHOUT OUT to our awesome soundo Deano!) and replacing a few lines was bound to happen regardless, so it's a blessing -- cause I get to hang with our two lead actors again. Ace.

...I wonder if they'd like to try my new Jelly Shot recipe: Lime Jelly with Tequila in a little plastic shot cup of goodness. It's very refreshing and is going down a treat with Gaz in the edit suite. It could make this ADR business that much more pleasurable.

More soon champions,

Ricky xo : )

PS. Join us on facebook, tweet and our Summer Coda website mailing list. U know u want to. Just click those lovely coloured words and I promise to reveal another refreshing Jelly Shot recipe in my next bloggy.

Shoot Day 31

Hello friends,

Here's some fab pics from shoot and the inaugural "Carn Cup" wrap party. The cup consisted of about 15 special events: From pool volley ball, to "the unridable ride" to musical statues to "how low can you go Limbo". A massive success!!!!

 Pic #1. Greg and Steve shooting on a Saturday AGAIN for me. Love em.

Pic #2. These are the ladies of the Carn Cup. Fancy dress pool wrap party to die for. Flamingo had best seat in house. Poolside baby.

Pic #3. The prize table at the Carn Cup. May not seem like much, but look closer and you will discover some collectable gold! Critics say they were the best prizes ever awarded at a wrap party.

Pic #4. A closer look at the Carn Cup bounty.

Pic #5. The dress code was "Retro Pool Party". But anything stupid was allowed in.

Pic #6. Unit leader & MC Tony doing his best Bill Murray "The Life Aquatic" impersonation.

 Pic #7. DJ Wi-Fee and that girl from Wolf Creek dance up a storm!


We partied hard for 2 days and sent Mildura off in style, but now we're back in Melbourne for one last shoot day. Then we're off to Nevada after a short Christmas break. Yah!

Thank-you so much for all your happy kind thoughts and wishes. I'll keep the blog going right through post all the way to premiere!

Love you guys,

Ricky : )

Shoot Day 30

Hello friends,

LAST DAY OF SHOOT IN MILDURA!!!!!

Can't believe it's coming to an end -- but it's really just the beginning for our little baby. So many beautiful contributors, so little time to thank -- although I'll be doin my darn best to thank everyone at our 3 separate wrap parties! The first is TONIGHT -- then we have a retro pool party tomorrow called "The Carn Cup" (Melrose HQ is actually a superb little serviced apartment complex called The Carn Court). AND THEN perhaps a few spritzers and wine coolers in Melbourne too on Monday night.

That's not to say the crew and I like a drink -- Actually, it is to say the crew and I like a drink, because we do!

The weather has tested us, but the crew's commitment and awesome performances have never wavered.

Today we say goodbye to Alex Dimitriades. We have a further shoot with him in Nevada, but that's not for a little while. He's been a standout and a professional. Writing this film when I was 23 I couldn't of imagined a better actor in the role. He's a champion. Thx Mate.

Much love to all and much more soon,

Ricky : )

Shoot Day 28

Hello friends,

Well just 3 days left of shooting before we head to Nevada in late Jan. It's scorching here again! 44 degrees at the sand hills just outside of Wentworth yesterday. My shoes melted again. Dang. Man, Dunlop volleys look cool, but I perhaps should have selected substance over style today.

Somehow my pale Irish skin has managed to stay un-burnt throughout entire shoot. Long sleeve shirts and ridiculous hats have proven crucial. Hurts me in the respect stakes (the wide brimmed hats), but I was never gonna be able to maintain that for 7 weeks anyway (respect that is).

As the shoot in Mildura winds down my thoughts begin to move to post production. CANNOT WAIT to get into that edit suite. My man Gary has been cutting up a storm already, but there's just nothing like air conditioning and toasted sandwiches when you've been sweating your ass off in the sweltering sun for two months. Not to say that Gaz has a cushy job - FAR FROM IT -- I'm just saying the working conditions down at Tide in Port Melbourne are a little more relaxed. Pimms and lemonade anyone?

We basically have 4 months to cut, sound mix and finish the picture to film. Can not wait. And can't wait to show you all --  Could not be prouder of what we've achieved. I've said it before, but working with this fab crew and brilliant cast is a dream come true.

Off to Stefano's restaurant now to film the key romantic scene in the film. Rachael and Alex have been preparing for this one for quite a while now -- and I've been thinking about it for 6 years! Wish us luck.

Btw champions: join our mailing list on Summer Coda official website -- As we head into post, it'll be the best place to get info. Our Summer Coda Facebook page is up and running too.

Lots of love,

Ricky : )

Shoot Day 25

Hello friends,

Heading out filming again today.  6 day week, but we're soooo close to finishing it seems crazy not to push on through the weekend. Well, I think it seems crazy, but the crew think I'M CRAZY, so they'll just be a few of us today. We're so close to the finish line it's quite surreal. Rach and Alex are coming out this arvo for some cool car shots we've been planning, which will be fun I think. Again, crew and my own definition of "fun" is VERY different, especially when it comes to filming on the weekend!

We completed our last day at our key location yesterday. Very sad to see it go. Michael's house. Phenomenal 3rd generation farming property set on oranges and vines. Looks like a fairy tail actually, or a location from a Robert Redford film. Both things I'm over-the-moon about.

Next week we're filming with Jacki Weaver. Another dream come true. My fam arrives tomorrow in time for a major rushes screening tomorrow night. Melrose HQ will be buzzing with last week excitement and overflowing with Mildura Brewery beer. Oh god, that's one sponsor I never get sick of plugging.

Had a good few brews with our fab sound dept last night. Love working with these guys. Dean and Andy are awesome -- particularly when they call upon a farmer's shotgun to frighten away an owl that wouldn't stop hooting during takes! Seriously. Special mention to local boom Tone too, who we couldn't have done without.

Massive shout out to our Production Manager Virginia, who's been working 7 day weeks for the last 8 weeks. She's not alone either. Such tremendous support from such a dedicated team. The proof will be in the pudding.

I'm now hungry. Mmmmmm, pudding.

Ricky : )

Shoot Day 23

Hello friends,

Today's a biggie. Some major romantic sequences and Heidi (Rachael Taylor) plays the violin for Michael (Alex Dimitriades) too. Rach has been in lessons for months now -- bloody hard work. But she can play for real now, and her progress has been outstanding. Our composer has come back from the UK for the scene too, so we're set to go.

With just 8 shooting days left I'm already missing the film. So many sequences and even a whole act in the can now. Feels fantastic, but also sad to see scenes that we've planning for so many years come and go. Couldn't be happier with them though. Wouldn't change a thing. Marvellous performances and a stellar crew working so hard to make it happen.

As exhausting as the process is, it's the best thing I've ever done in my life. Everyday there's some new little miracle to make me smile. Loving it.

Pic 1. Michele and our cuz Jo Davis (Behind-the-scenes producer and stuntie for a day)

Pic 2. Our Unit King, Tony. The ultimate on-set barometer.

 Pic 3. Our motley crew in red gum city. From the look of things, the boyz have just asked me to go jump in the river.

Pic 4. A Mildura rooftop in all it's glory. LOVE IT here.


Much love,

Ricky : )