3 Black Birds on IndieFlix

3 Black Birds on VHX

Like a Tree in Which There are Three Black Birds – Postmortem

Making a film is an endurance test especially one that’s four years in the making. Little by little, step by step, a seed of an idea grows into form, enabling a vision from nothing to something. I never made a film before. I want to make another one and then we’ll see. At different times I’ve been enamoured with applying toxic auto paint to panels, then music and now film. The latter is a hybrid of the others so it resonates with me. I never intended to make a film when I began performing but it became clear to me that there was something I wanted to say and character(s) I wanted to portray. Meeting and working with Uwe cemented that it was doable.

The making of Three Black Birds is intrinsically linked with him. We inhabited a parallel cinema universe where our ideas met and took form. This made that process what it was: intense and rewarding but it was also exhausting. From writing to producing to performing each sequence made for necessary down time before jumping into the next one. I liked our method of working with the actors: mainly asking for their involvement months (sometimes years) before their sequences were ready. We developed and strengthened the story’s intricacies because of them. We re-conceived the story, almost entirely, after meeting and befriending Steven Cree Molison, who’s life’s layers were too good to avoid adding to the mix. His contribution was significant.

The production was separated into two sections: part A – Vancouver, BC and part B – Denman Island, BC. The diverse locations acidly determining their colours. One was cramped and controlling while the other was spacious and enveloping resulting in scenes that were undeniable. What was common throughout, for the very minimal production, was a large dose of good luck. Filming took one year, almost to the day, while post production was another. We scored (pun intended), big time, with the rights to a couple of tracks, from the Finnish electronic musician, Vladislav Delay, who happens to live in Hailuoto, a small Island off its coast. Uwe’s score contributions, especially what I would call our transition scene (i.e. pottery) cemented a vastly important component to the entire project. I had underestimated its significance until the layer was added and its true power duly actualized.

Then it was time to release: Blitz the festivals with zero response but that’s ok just blitz some more and a few respond. Travel a small amount to unexpected places and win an award, that everyone confuses with the other festival in New York City, and be offered a distribution deal, with a promise of access to world markets, by a company that totals one person, who never ever answers his phone and is unwilling to make even the smallest adjustments to the said deal. No problem, you keep the deal and we’ll do it ourselves like organize the odd screening with a post discussion (my favourite) and call any DVD rental shops, who still exist, and who might be willing to stock our film. I stopped counting but I gather its in a dozen catalogues from San Francisco to Victoria to Halifax. Truly done in the DIY spirit which I find appealing and satisfying even though I think LA is cool.

Now were going to go live! I hope there is feedback. The film might be to your liking or may not be but let us know. It’s the film that Uwe (he’s told me so) and I wanted to make and I’m very glad we did. Thanks to Greg Winkler for his digital prowess in finding viewers and to all the others who helped us out.

William J Phillips

Stay tuned for news on the release!

1016 Northwest Road, Denman Island

We hope to see you there!

For the full list of awards, please visit the NY Film and Video International Film Festival site.

Stay tuned for more news on the film coming your way!

Screening details:

Saturday September 15, 2012 @ 4:10pm

Raleigh Studios, Los Angeles, California – Map to Raleigh Studios

Tickets are available here – TicketWeb

We’d love to have you attend the screening and check out the film!

Screening details:

Saturday September 15, 2012 @ 4:10pm

Raleigh Studios, Los Angeles, California – Map to Raleigh Studios

Tickets are available here – TicketWeb

We’d love to have you attend the screening and check out the film!