Production Nirvana
We did it! Yes, we really did do it!! Yes … WE … FINALLY … DID … IT!!!
More than twenty-five years ago I wrote the first draft of ONE HAND CLAPPING. Just last month we finally wrapped production on ONE HAND CLAPPING after a rigorous but inspiring 23-day shoot. Whew … it has been a long and winding process. One I was never ever sure would take us down this journey towards home. Film development, film production, and film distribution are each in themselves amazing adventures that are unique to each film’s history and story. We are now partway through that second phase, obviously after a very long first phase. I guarantee this current phase, and the very last one, will come much quicker than those twenty-five years ever did.
That first phase of development began as the 1990 decade phased in. And when it was written it was set in that contemporary period, which we did not change. So having finally been shot in 2018, after numerous drafts over the years, it became a period piece. Not originally what I had conceived it to be, but I realized that bringing it into the present day created a whole set of problems that I decided not to take on. Of course, making it a period piece did unfortunately add to the budget, but I don’t think it impacted it too much. It did however add work to the art department, which also impacted costumes, hair and makeup, and what picture cars we needed. But they were up to the challenge, and I think they enjoyed taking all that on.
As previously mentioned the script had been optioned several times over a fifteen year period, but never went into production. However, once the rights reverted back to me I decided to develop the project further to see if we could get into production. We had a false start in 2014 when we thought it would actually get funded. That wound up not happening so we went back to the drawing board. Even though I live in California and was raised in Texas, the idea had always been to come back to shoot it in Texas. Which of course we finally did. Hooray!
Now a number of times during this process over the years we did have several actors with name value either attached to or seriously interested in the project. Even though that obviously makes a film easier to market and distribute to the world, I had never really envisioned our little film that way. I truly wanted to go pure indie here. I wanted an ensemble cast that really ‘fit’ together and had that right kind of ‘chemistry’ making the story feel ‘real.’ I really believe we achieved that, and am very happy with the cast we put together.
One of the funny tidbits that got passed around to the cast and crew was the meaning of the title ‘One Hand Clapping.’ What does it really mean? Many put their heads to the task, and there didn’t seem to be any one real answer. Which is part of the point. Of course, if you research it (google naturally) you can find all kinds of references to it. As you will see it has to with the zen koan, ‘what is the sound of one hand clapping?,’ of which there is not supposed to be a logical answer. Only as a mental meditative exercise. But we did have some creative answers. One in particular I did like. Someone came up with the wise idea that the sound of one hand clapping was when the 2nd AC (assistant camera) clapped shut the clapboard (to sync sound) just as were beginning to shoot each take. It only takes one hand to accomplish that, in case you don’t know. I do not remember who came up with that, but I thought it was pretty clever. And seemed to be the popular answer with most of us. So I guess we had a lot of one hand clappings happening on set.
Anyway, I know it had been awhile since I posted on this blog (I post more often on my main blog), but I intend to post here regularly as we go through the edit, film festival circuit, and onto distribution. Stay tuned …
