The Scourging MakeUp FX Test

Last Thursday night came the big test of our talented MakeUp woman. When she arrived she was carrying two big bags which made Jac wonder.

Soon after, our dear Simonne arrived and got ready for the Scourging MakeUp FX Test. Basically what a good scourging will look like. The idea, in Jac’s mind, was that the wounds left by the scourging have to look like cuts skin deep.

The MakeUp woman set up a table, she had her own special light. Put out a lot of stuff on the table and got ready.

Simonne got undressed, down to her panties, she covered them with a loin cloth to better create an atmosphere, Jac set her up on her cross and proceeded to whip her some, just to give an idea to Keymi, that’s the MakeUp artist’s name, what will be happening.

After Simonne was flogged she put herself in the hands of the artist who proceeded to mark her back with deep cuts from the heavy lashing.

Keymi took what looked like a white cloth and put it on Simonne’s back, on the area where she was going to make the FX. It covered a large part of the naked back. Not all of it. For the purposes of the test it was fine. Jac thought at first that the cloth like material was something like a pattern and that it was going to be removed; but no, it was going to be transformed into Simonne’s skin.

After half an hour work Jac saw the beginning of the results, he was impressed. The previously white material was now indistinguishable from Simonne’s skin and the ‘cuts’ were pretty impressive.

​When the work was done Jac was very happy with the results. Simonne was equally impressed, she asked Jac to take a picture of her back with her cel so she could send the picture to her mother.

Although there will be more work done during the shooting of those scenes, the basic idea was there and it looked awesome, to say the least.

Jac asked Simonne to carry a crossbar on her shoulders to see the effects, she did, she walked a bit and it was amazing.

Jac did not give any directions to Keymi as to what he wanted, exactly. All he asked was for the MakeUp woman to create the effects of the lash that cut the skin of poor Yahel and that’s what our dear lady did and did it exceedingly well.

After the work, Jac talked about what he will need in the actual shooting, the kind of details, not to mention the FX during the crucifixion, the crowning and after going over those points, the meeting was over that was that.

The test took around 45 minutes, that’s the time it will take for each of the Crucified Three. The touches and details it will need after the basic work is done take very short time. So, it’s looking good.

There are some ideas going through Jac’s brain, some of which might be a bit too difficult for Simonne, so there will be the need to first test those sparks of genius at the location and under the actual work conditions, to see if she can handle it.

The traditional scourging is with the person tied to a post. Beginning from that basic concept, Jac is getting creative.

The first issue was where will it happen. In a dungeon? In a yard? In some kind of stable where they keep the horses?

That became somewhat clear after Jac studied the location and it’s different areas. The Dungeon possibility is the less likely, the ‘Stable’ type of area is the more likely but the spaces are kind of small, so he’s thinking outside the ‘stables’

One idea is that there are two posts in the “stable” area, one big and the other half that size. Magdalena would be suspended on the first one, facing it and maybe totally naked.

After Magdalena’s lashing, Judith will be tied to both, the big and the small posts, arms spread to the sides, one high up and the other one lower, a very unusual, stressful and very uncomfortable position. At this point you have two victims scourged, both in full view.

Yahel is brought in, she sees her two friends all bloody and half dead, she’s chained to the small post where she is scourged until she falls on her knees. Her feet are pulled back and raised, she’s suspended facing the ground and the scourging continues, she’s turned around and it goes on.

At the end all three of them will be in view in very odd positions.

That’s one idea Jac is playing with and it will be tested.

Margot, nobody is expecting the film to be at the level of a Hollywood production, either in length or scope.

That said, you folks stated you could make the film “like it should be made” with a budget of $25k. It is $5k short of the goal, but at the same time, instead of multiple sites, with a much reduced logistics costs. You have said the 69 film was made for under $2k, and that one had crowd scenes as well.

wanttoknowmore

You can’t speak for everyone. We don’t know what people expect. Some might expect to see 50 rabbis, all well dressed, Passion of the Christ style. A legion of Roman Soldiers, hundreds of extras… and so on. But maybe not. I just want to make clear to people who follow my rantings, and not just here, but in a bunch of places, what to expect, as far as the production.

69 had crowd scenes, sure, but we didn’t have to transport them, dress them, feed them for many days. No, they just showed up at the club the two or three nights we were shooting those scenes, they were there and then they were gone. They didn’t get paid. They were there for the fun. Almost all of them signed up for Seditiosa.

The recent updates to the film flow also make sense, still provide a true plot, and lessen the production costs at the same time.

The sooner you complete and release the film, the sooner you will get revenue from it. The better the production quality (not to be confused with massive sets, but high level plot, dialog, and film angles), the larger the potential market.

wanttoknowmore

We don’t doubt that the film will have an appeal, although our experience with Martyr was not what we expected. A film like Maleficarum and Justine are the big sellers and if you look at them, 80% of the film is torture and more torture… and more torture. 20% are the transition scenes with some dialogue, some cuteness and so on. Seditiosa has a third of the story without torture at all… then comes the arrest, the scourging, the sentencing, the carrying of the logs, the crucifixion… not exactly 80% of torture and more torture and a variety of tortures. It’s just your typical crucifixion drama as recounted on the gospels.

So, when are you actually going to start filming? Has the casting call been done yet? Costumes fitted? Crosses made? You ask for additional support, but at every turn, we get further changes to promised dates and efforts. You might get more support if a film looks like it actually being made.

wanttoknowmore

In practical terms the production has begun. The cast is all complete, 58 of them, men and women, different ages but mostly young, which is ok. Most of the roles have been assigned, some are going to be settled soon and the rest will simply be extras.

There will be a couple of meetings these days for costume fitting and scheduling for the cast and crew, not all actors have to be in the set the whole time.

The transportation has been arranged, a big bus will take everyone except part of the crew to the location. Part of the crew are going in a different van with the equipment.

The crosses will be set up when the actual shooting starts. Everything needed is in place.

Having said that, the team no longer responds to suggestions, questions, pressures. They are only responding to the needs of the production from now on. Taking care of all those perky details.

That is what dictates the time frame, the day, the hour, the very moment when the cameras start rolling; and this is the time when our team goes into a retreat from public exposure for many reasons, the main one, we don’t want disturbances when the filming starts.

When we did Barbazul and Olalla, all the public announcements came days after the filming began. In most cases the news come out after the film is done and the post production begins, to promote the new film.

We will have a press release announcing that we’re making the film without any details, not even what the story is, just mentioning that is set around the year 30 AD

In the case of Seditiosa we can’t show pictures of the cast right now because they are just about to sign their contracts and releases.

I Can Recall Reading In One Of Margot’s Post A Week Or So Ago That The Pre-Production Phase Should Be Done By Mid-April And Now We Are In Mid-April Or Well Past Mid-April

Ryan Potochnik

The pre-production phase is done, we’re now in the production phase of the project, preparing the actors, going over their lines, the demands of their roles, all those perky details, each with its own demands.

Producing a film does not consist of going to the set one day and scream “action!”

No, there are lots of preparations to set everything so when the director calls to action everything works perfectly. It not always happens that way, no matter how much you prepare, but sometimes it does.

@Margot I’m Financially Strapped And For That Reason, I Cannot Be Watching Your Films But However, I Might Consider Joining Patreon With The Hope That It Might Help Add Some Needed Cash To Your Treasure Box

Ryan Potochnik

You recently sent a postcard, of your own creation, to Jac. He kind of liked it and shared it with Amy with a little joke. “We could sell mugs with this picture to raise funds“. Amy responded “that’s not a bad idea“.

What do you think? I agree with Jac that it is a very nice, creative work and it could serve a purpose.

I’d like to make something very clear. When I talk about raising funds is just the normal thing to do. We have 20,000 dollars to make the movie. Well, a lot less than that now, because we’re already spending it in the production and I know that by the end of next week there will be less than half of that and it will be all gone before we finish the production.

The actual budget of the film, as it is now, is over 50,000 dollars. Most of the costs are deferred, always, with any of our films. Those deferred costs are paid, little by little, throughout the first year of the film’s release, if at all. Olalla covered its costs just recently and it is now making money. It was a very expensive film, with lots of extras, costumes, far away locations…. right, just like Seditiosa.

So, when I ask for support, I’m simply encouraging people to watch our movies so the cash can be flowing constantly. It’s nice to sell our films, our bank account relishes every penny that goes in and we cry every time we have to withdraw it.

Most of our earnings go to make more movies, to pay our actresses so they will be willing to do some heavy suffering for your enjoyment and beginning now they will be entering a new dimension of suffering the agonies of the cross, all naked and in front of a bunch of people. They deserve what they get… And I mean the compensation for their suffering.

So, go ahead and jump on the wagon to take this film to its amazing finale… and you can do that by watching our movies with amazing finales, all them end in nasty crucifixions, you should see them…

You can also join Patreon and get the updates on our projects, with great pictures and videos, here:
https://www.patreon.com/rfpix?fan_landing=true

During the production of Seditiosa we will have exclusive posts, with pictures and videos at our Patreon page. There’s a video of the MakeUp FX Test which is fascinating to watch. It shows, step by step and almost in real time, how the effects were made.

We will also post videos of all the testing we’ll go through, one particular video will be when we build the crosses and we’ll have The Crucified Three becoming acquainted with the positions they will have during their crucifixion.

You can also help by watching our amazing movies over and over again, you just have to get them