Via Crucis of the Crucifixa – Part One

The weekend of July 2 was incredibly intense. In those two days the cast and crew worked on the flogging, the sentencing, the forcing to carry the crossbeams and the long, very long walk to the Hill of the Skulls.

Jac’s intention was to finish the entire Crucifixion Sequence during that weekend, but the sequences at work were too involved, incredibly performed by all, specially Simonne who surprised Jac with one unscripted moment.

The take begins with the two torturers carrying a weakened, tortured, Yahel away from the stage of cruelty and down a small hill to where she has to pick up her heavy log.

Before the scene began, Simonne had a conversation with to the two actors playing her tortures, far from the director, where she suggested they drop her at one point during their walk down the path. They agreed and the two guys began carrying Yahel when half way down they just dropped her like a sack of potatoes. The young suffering woman rolled down the dirt and rocky path, loosing her crown in the process, in what is turning out to be an incredible moment in the film.

Jac was behind the main camera, shooting the scene, when the unexpected, unscripted, moment happened. He froze in amazement seeing Yahel dropped by her tortures and rolling down, her crown falling off her head.

Jac followed Yahel with the camera as the tortured woman rolled down the hill and as he followed her, he could not avoid getting the other camera nearby into his frame. He quickly repositioned his lens to let the scene go to its conclusion.

Yahel was forced up to her feet, her crown was placed on her head again while she struggle a little but could not stand on her feet, so she went down on her knees. The tortures placed the log on her pained shoulders, forced her to get up on her feet and pushed her on her way.

When the scene was completed, Jac asked the cast to do it again, all of it. The cast repeated the same action a few more times with Yahel falling and rolling, falling and rolling… That night Jac went over the shots, silently screaming Fuck, this is awesome!.

That very first take, in all its glory, is posted at Patreon, it’s fun to watch.

https://www.patreon.com/rfpix?fan_landing=true

The other two condemned women, Judith and Magdalena had gone down the same path. First it was Magdalena, shortly after hearing her sentence to the cross. She was dragged down by a soldier who had no qualms in mistreating her. At the bottom of the hill, Magdalena saw the huge logs and was commanded to pick one up, she struggle at first but she managed to put it over her shoulders, got up and began her walk.

The next to be dragged down the hill by another soldier was Judith, in both cases the crowds were screaming at them, insulting them, demanding for their crucifixion. Once Judith had the heavy log over her shoulders, she screamed in pain as she got up on her feet to begin her long and winding walk to the crucifixion stage.

After The Crucified Three had done numerous takes of them struggling and picking up the logs and pushed on their way, Jac and the crew’s attention turn to the long Via Crucis Sequence, which was ALMOST completed that weekend. I will discuss the details of that sequence next time. There was no more time left that day to begin the Crucifixion Sequence and after a long discussion between the director and the protagonists, it was decided to return to the set the next weekend, the 9th of July, to work on the final scene, The Crucifixion. In Jac’s mind there was the need to work a little on the Via Crucis as well.

Jac called the day and the exhausted main cast and the exuberant extras and crew were happy that it was over, for that day. Before going walking back all the way to the resort to change their clothing, have their well earned meal, and rest a bit, the cast and crew had their picture taken.

The post production of Seditiosa is going as it should, with good days, not so good days, horrible days, for all kinds of reasons. It is a stressful job. Putting all those shots together, choosing the take that works best and then looking for the one that should come right after, to create that Third Something, that gives meaning to the action, is truly a pain in the ass. It is the art of the editor. That’s where the film is at this point.

Most of the film is already past the first cut, in some cases the sound tracks have been built, music included. The work in the next couple of days is concentrated on the Crucifixion Sequence, but I will go into detail later, after I discuss the Via Crucis Sequence.

In the meantime we’re considering the pre sale of the film at a high price. Why? Because it is special. All our initial contributors will be the first to get to see the film, it will be like a pre opening of the film. The contributions range from 50 to 2,500 dollars and in some cases even more.

A meeting of the minds today, celebrating Dani’s 36 birthday, briefly discussed that today and that’s when the examples came as to why we should have a presale of the film at a high price.

That discussion will expand when the heads talk it out tonight and we should have a decision right after.

In other words, the pre sale will actually be a campaign for additional contributions to the film.

We can ALWAYS use your support!

Join Patreon and get the EXCLUSIVE updates on our UP AND COMING projects, with great pictures and videos, here:
https://www.patreon.com/rfpix?fan_landing=true

There’s a nice new little clip at Patreon, shot during the Rolling Down Scene.

We’re building up our page at IMDB!

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28545857/

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