The Road to the End was a challenging foray into a realm where resources were limited both in crew and budget. The most important element we wanted to capture were authentic performances, landscapes and costumes. Filmed in 2003, the story follows Frodo and Gollum on an adventure through various backdrops as they battle the enticing call to use the one ring.
NLE was in a transition period where members whom were interested had moved on with their lives. Regardless of the hurdle, we were determined to move forward. Brian and I served as cast and crew and pushed forward. I developed a script, funded the costume development and equipment acquisition then we simply got out there and made it happen. The tripod is our friend in this feature, however, this created a static effect that we didn’t want to maintain through the production.
Luckily two thirds through filming the Road to the End Kyle Anderson agreed to support our location and crew needs to make the last portion of the film possible. We knew that if we didn’t get another member that the finale just wasn’t going to work. I’m gracious to of had his help (thank you Kyle!).
The Road to the End had seen several edits. Fast forward to 2012 where my skills as an editor and artist had further developed to a point where I knew I could create something “final” and be content. The first draft of the edit was sort of long and drawn out. I felt pacing was important so I cut down on lengthy scenes and kept the movie going at a progressive pace. Immediately, I saw a difference. From there I tackled post production in this order: coloring, visual effects, music, voice over, sound effects and miscellaneous elements like titles and transitions.
I am very pleased with how the film turned out and look forward to sharing new projects with you in the years to come.
