Blog News from Flying Hat Productions

I've come from the land down under...

2011-06-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Well, once again it has been a very long dry spell in the blogging arena. Working on productions, filming, editing, and just dealing with everyday life, has created this wonderful abyss between me and my blog. It is vast and deep, and I am sure that it will take a very large ladder system like they use on Mt. Everest to bridge the Crags that can take a climber into the depths of its bowels never to be seen again. One missed step and down, down, down you go never to be seen again. Luckily, I had on my safety harness and had a very long rope to climb back up to this here blog space.

It has been a crazy year. No, my documentary is not done. No, I have yet to make a million dollars at this thing called filmmaking. But, what has happened is that I have created a whole bunch of art, if I might say, and some of that ended up on the likes of National Geographic's Known Universe series - only just the international version or the one that is on their DVD set. Apparently, even Nat Geo, has to keep to the one hour time frame, and keep their sponsors happy with commercials. Hence, the portion that my footage was in hit the cutting room floor to make room for the commercials. I will get the section with my 3 seconds of footage maybe transferred to my website. The video above is how I got involved with National Geographic.

Well, to keep this short, I am going to sign off. The Public Works Department was checking the fire hydrants in our neighborhood right when I was going to shower for work. So, I am at work wearing a hat, and needing a shower. I must go and get ready for the 48 hour Film Project awards night. Yes, I competed again this year with a really great team, Team Pittcrew. Myself and Jaron Hermansen did the lighting and also filled in when our DP (Director of Photography) had to leave for Europe at 5 am. We will see if we won any awards and I will post an update.

For now, you can leave your hat on!

The Talk - Fix-a-Flat

2010-07-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

On our trip to Los Angeles, for our documentary, "The Talk," we encountered
a large object just after Fontana. My Dudes are awesome! We were delayed
about fifteen minutes. Our trip was as successful as our tire change! We
interviewed approximately 20-30 people. Some were sit down interviews all
really terrific and the rest were man on the street interviews in Vegas and on
the UCLA campus. We had a great time and I am so very appreciative to all
those that made this trip possible, you know who you are and I am humbled
to call you friends and family! Greg and Schrubb, I couldn't have done this
without the both of you and your hard work! I LOVE YOU GUYS! Oh yeah,
favorite quote of the trip - "there is sex all over the ground."

More later . . . until then, you can leave your hat on!

FHP and Foursite Film Festival

2010-06-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

Flying Hat Productions and it's associates were involved in a number of films that were official selections last weekend at the Foursite Film Festival. Four of the films that our staff were involved in were nominated for awards in the Best of Utah category and Best Student Film category. Those films were "What Really Matters", "A Short Goodbye", "Unpleasantville" and "Jack and Jen". "Unpleasantville" and "What Really Matters" were produced by our company, the other two films we had the pleasure and honor to be part of the crew. Flying Hat Productions would like to Congratulate Chris Morgan of Two Sherpas Production Company for his Best of Utah win for "Jack and Jen", and Colton Tran for his win in the Best Student Film Category for "Unpleasantville". It was a pleasure to work with you on these projects and were are proud of your success!

Wow, how time flies. . .

2010-06-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that over a year and a half ago was my last blog. Since then so much has happened, and I must say that I have a tinge of regret for not documenting those happenings as they happened.

I have participated in the Utah Spot on Film Commercial Contest. Our commercial, Kidney Theft, won the contest! The commercial aired for all of 2009 in places like, Park City TV during Sundance, and in cities where the film industry is poplular. In February of 2010, it was Awarded the Utah Silver Addy Award.

Flying Hat has helped produce 5 short films, one feature-length independent film, worked as a best boy/key grip on a web series - RAISING KAYN, best boy/key grip/dolly grip and assistant editor on the independent feature THE LAST EAGLE SCOUT, and Unit Production Manager and Caterer/Craft Services on the short film JACK & JEN. And most recently, has started pre-production and production on a feature length documentary THE TALK.

Whew, I think that I got it all in there. If not feel free to comment and refresh my memory for me.

I am going to be blogging more about our production company and especially about our documentary, THE TALK. So, if you want to know where and what people learn about sex, tune in for some interesting stories...like the one about the professional dominatrix from Chicago.

That's all for now and until next time, you can leave your hat on!

Yes, it has been forever. . .

2008-10-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

since I have blogged on my site.

Much has happened since last I blogged. I have been working for
a family friend in L.A. and have also worked on a number of film
sets, in various roles. (No acting for this gal.)

While in California, I connected with some dear friends. We have
had a great time seeing one another. I went to see my besties
Bob and Jackie Valenzuela. They love to surf and Bob plays guitar
with his buddies at the beach. See the video below for a sampling
of the fun!

Surfing with the Bolsa Chica Boyz from Holly Tuckett on Vimeo.

I am having fun here in La La Land, but I must admit, there is no place like home. See you in 2.5 days and counting!

In the meantime, You can leave your hat on!
Holly

The daze end

2008-03-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hey there,

Whoever may have been reading this for the past week or so, I
apologize for not submitting more entries. We were to have wireless
Internet access, where wears staying, but it sucked and made it too
difficult.

I am planning to give full update with pics tomorrow nite.
Sent from my iPhone

Today's the day!

2008-03-02T07:39:00.001-08:00

It is 7:30 am Pacific time, just 8 & a half hours away from our
premiere. We have seen some terrific films, a few not so terrific.
We have also attended some great forums & met with agents &
distributors briefly afterwards.
This afternoon will tell all, however. Our film will finally be seen
in a theatre by people who don't know us from Adam. Scary & yet, very
exciting!
People from our cast & crew, & their family and friends have been
arriving over the past day & they are pumped!
I will blog later when we have a response to the film. In the
meantime, anyone who is reading this make a wish for us to "break a
leg."
Until then, you can leave your hat on!
Holly

Cinequesting!

2008-02-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it is the day after the opening premiere of "Eden Court" and the opening Gala. We attended both and I hope to have a picture posted here later today of the California Theatre. It is probably the coolest retro theatre I have ever been to in my life. It reminds me of the Capitol Theatre/Villa Theatre in Salt Lake, but about 10 times cooler! They had a guy playing showtunes on an old style organ with his back facing the crowd on the stage and when the announcer came out on the stage it slowly lowered into the floor. Way cool.

The opening movie was pretty good. Made me laugh and cry a little, a real feel good story about the people in this world that get sidelined from their dreams and think their life is in the shitter and then realize that if they appreciate what they have they realize that they have a great life.

The party was packed to the point of discomfort and we had to sneak a couple of our group in because we didn't have tickets or enough passes to go around. Met a few actors, and film makers, but other than that pretty uneventful. I did manage to walk up to a camera crew for the local NBC affiliate and get a phone number to call to get Andrew, our director/writer, an interview. Wish me luck on getting this to happen in the next couple of days.

We were reviewed in the San Jose Metro yesterday. You can read it here, at the link below. We are fairly happy with the review, and just glad to finally have our first published review.
http://www.metroactive.com/metro/02.27.08/cinequest-filmlist-ai-0809.html

Well, I have to get, more later.

Until then "leave your hat on."

Holly

What a long strange trip it's been.

2008-01-31T20:52:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess that before I leave the country for a week of sunshine, I best put some thoughts down.

Since the Sundance Festival's end, our film "Una Vida Mejor" has gone through it's own morphing and is now almost a film. As usual, technology is not kind to filmmakers. If you are a filmmaker, then don't read on, you know the pain I am about to describe. If you are not, then consider this, you have spent not only months, but possibly years to birth a baby, and then, it won't leave the womb! It is actually a grown adult and refuses to show itself. You have painstakingly created each and every look, and moment of its life to the point that all it has to do is show up and now the damn thing is staring at you from that space and won't come out. This is the best way to describe a perfect film stuck in the computer and having difficulty coming out to its own party!!

We have been through 3 days of sure fire hell and well, we think we have the solution to birthing the baby, but only time will tell. Meanwhile, I am leaving on vacation and am hoping that all is well and when I return, the finished product is on its way to Cinequest and will look as beautiful as when it was created. I will let you know if it is a boy or girl when I return from my vacation. We are fine with either, just as long as it is "healthy."

Until then, you can leave your hat on!

Holly

News From the Front

2008-01-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

Well it has been a long while since blogging here last. Probably due to the fact that we have been finishing post-production on Una Vida Mejor (A Better Life) I am responsible for the website design and other business related activities. I also just finished working for Sundance Institute at the call center and the box office at the Sundance Film Festival. It was a blast!

I worked about 36 hours a week for the two weeks of the festival, saw a total of 16 movies and networked in addition to those activities. I was able to get writer/director of Una Vida Mejor, Andrew James, an interview with realtvfilms.com See our interview at their website or below on this blog.

I now know why I am behind the camera. It was fun and I hope to get more opportunities to improve my skills, by securing the film many more interviews.

As of last night, the final cut of Una Vida Mejor is complete. As I am writing this I am sure that the final exhibition print is being worked through. The film has been accepted to Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, Ca. We are premiering there on March 2, 2008. Part of our cast and crew will be there to usher in the premiere, along with a few family members and friends. I realize that some of you can't come, but if you can we would love to see you there.

I will try to update this blog more often and keep everyone up to date on the events at the festival in March. Until next time, remember to leave your hat on! ~ Holly

“The only thing worse than being talked about, is not being talked about” – Oscar Wilde

2007-09-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, negative as it may be, the short film that I was involved in for the 48 Hour Film Festival in Salt Lake City, was mentioned in City Weekly's Artys 2007 Staff pics. "The Stone of Talice" was, well, a good learning experience and now the professor has given the "deliciously awful" short film an "F". Not surprising and sort of amusing. Out of 30 or so films, however, only 2 films were mentioned, us first and then the Winner "Klaus". "Klaus" really was a great short created in a very short amount of time, and you can view it here:

The winner of SLC 48 Hour Film contest.

Read the City Weekly Artsy 2007 Staff Picks, here is the Link:

City Weekly Artys 2007 Staff Pics

However, with failure comes new opportunity! Due to my participation in the 48 Hour gig, I have networked myself in with a group of great guys who actually are making great films, one of them is from our team, another is from the team that won Best use of Genre. The adventure continues and has been interesting to say the least.

Bill Gillane called me one day to bring equipment that he knew I had from the 48 Hour Gig and introduced me to a bunch of guys that were making a feature length film. There is where I met Andrew James, a young and ambitious filmmaker. The group that was making that film has disbanded and there are 4 of us now working on our own film, as well as helping Andrew finish one that he has been working on for the last year. Check out Andrew's Blog - http://beachfirepictures.blogspot.com/

For the past month or so, Bill and I have been helping Andrew complete critical scenes for the film and working with him and others to help him get the film entered in the Sundance Film Festival, and many other festivals over the next year. Anyway, it has been a great learning experience and helped me become a better filmmaker myself.

I am in the process of completing my first and very own short. Just a couple more shots and finish with sound and music and it will be ready for screening! Only problem is I have knee surgery so this might be delayed a little.

What I find interesting is that I like the producer role, which has more to do with arranging things and getting things scheduled etc, than it does with actually filming. Andrew has asked that I seek out finishing funds to be able to transfer the the film from video to film, and also clean up the audio. This is what I believe producers do in the film business, find money. So, I am embracing the fact that I may be a better producer, than I am a camera gal. Especially if I can find the funding. Editing I am not willing to give up on yet, and I am still practicing with the camera. So, I guess it is best not to rule any options out just yet.

So, that is the news from my world and I plan to post "The Stone Of Talice" here after I figure out how to get it on youtube. So check back and you too can view the "deliciously awful. . .campy fantasy"