Watch the Emmy Award winning "The Last 24"

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Well get ready for the on slot of "The Last 24" coming at you...

It's funny, a lot of people think that when the show is edited and finished, that you are done with the show - but for me that is just a big chunk is over with - but the next challenge is publicizing. So we are in big Publicizing mode - LOL - OK, I am in big publicizing mode.

I guess if you asked around the station, folks would tell you I am a sales man in a lot of ways - I like to think of myself as a sort of P.T. Barnum - give me a product and I will find you an audience. So now the challenge is to get the word out about this 30 minute behind the scenes documentary about a small dance company. So join me on this trip.

First up is figuring out what exactly we are selling - in this case, how do I re-imagine the project with a "sexy" lead... so for "The Last 24" we had known from the start we wanted to marry Documentary with Realty Show - so we decided that was a fresh approach (and timely), add to that we shot it in HD, so it is beautiful to watch...

Next was getting the word out - and that would take calling in favors. I first meet with our new communication director at the station and split up who we would contact - but once I get going, those divisions mean very little ;-)

Next up - write a press release - (you can find that on an earlier post from today...). I wanted a quote from Dominic - so off I went to show him the show. Dominic has been in Italy all summer - so he has seen none of the show since we finished recording with him in early May. So we really did make the show with no interference or input from him or DWDT. A lot of folks figure since Dominic and I are friends, he might end up seeing earlier cuts and talk to me about what we showed... but nope - not a thing!



Well, Dominic loved the show and felt it actually captured the time as he remembered it happening - you know it must never be easy to see your life (warts and all) captured and thrown up on the screen for all to see, but Dominic handles it like a trooper... He then wrote a couple paragraphs and we found something for the press release...

Next DVD screeners were made and we started sending out emails and copies of the show with the release - and we started getting nibbles...

So keep an eye out for stories in The Village News, SouthWest News, Examiner, Houston Community News, and The Houston Chronicle. Plus radio interviews on The Front Row (on KUHF, Wednesday at 3pm) and The Cleverley Show (on CNN 650, this Saturday at noon)...

More as it happens!

I do hope you will watch!

"The Last 24" will air as follows:
Wednesday, August 29th, 2007
9:30pm (Encore at 10:30pm)
Only on HoustonPBS
Channel 8 - Standard Definition
Channel 8.1 (Ch 308 on cable) - High Definition

Howdy folks - after almost 4 months, we are finally ready to air "The Last 24" - so just to keep you up on what we are doing - here is the official press release we sent out:


THE AWARD WINNING TEAM BEHIND InnerVIEWS with Ernie Manouse MERGES DOCUMENTARY AND REALITY SHOW IN THEIR NEW HD ARTS PRESENTATION THE LAST 24

Aug 9, 2007--(Houston, TX) - HoustonPBS pulls back the curtain to reveal the magic, mystery, hard work and dedication it takes to bring performing arts to the stage in the fascinating new documentary The Last 24. Premiering on Wednesday, August 29, at 9:30pm (with an encore at 10:30pm), The Last 24 gives viewers a behind the scenes look at the final 24 hours before Dominic Walsh Dance Theater takes the stage for the premier performance of "Made in Italy." Viewers will have the rare opportunity to witness the willingness of these talented individuals to bear injury, rigorous training and impossible hours preparing for that one moment when the curtain rises.

In HoustonPBS' continued commitment to highlighting the arts in Houston, Ernie Manouse uses four camera crews to take viewers on a visual journey behind the stage, into the dressing rooms and back to the rehearsal halls, in a no-holds-barred look at the last hours before DWDT takes the stage. Taped in HD over a 24 hour period last May, the program offers an inside look at the struggles, both personal and professional, that are part of every artistic effort, but are seldom witnessed so intimately.

"The Last 24 focuses on elements you cannot and would not be able see as a mere audience member," comments Walsh, after seeing the documentary for the first time. "Most people don't have the access to know what goes into an event like this, or why people do it, especially when the gratification may seem small compared to the effort that goes into it … 'The Last 24' is incredibly informative and honest."

Nine dancers, five rehearsals, three different dances all leading up to one moment, 24 hours in the making...

The Last 24 will be presented in Standard Definition on Channel 8 and in High Definition on Channel 8.1 (308 cable), August 29 at 9:30pm (with an encore presentation at 10:30pm) only on HoustonPBS Channel 8.

HoustonPBS (KUHT-TV/Channel 8 & KUHT-DT/Channel 9, www.houstonpbs.org) is America's first public television station. It provides local productions, the PBS national program service, and acquisition programming designed to inform, educate and entertain viewers throughout 30 counties of the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast. KUHT is licensed to the University of Houston and is supported through the Association for Community Broadcasting.

Labels: Press Release

Well hello again!

Sorry I have been quiet for so long - but believe me, it was not due to having nothing to say - it was more of a case of so much to do that I had no time to update!

We have been working hard on "The Last 24" - I left you last time by writing we were going to finally have a screening for Jack (Station Manager) - well that happened - and he loved the show - lot of praise to go around to everyone involved...

So you ask, what then has been going on? Well, the version of the show we unveiled was a pretty clean cut of the show at a little over 40 minutes - we had originally been asked for a 30 minute show (in TV terms that would be between 26:46 - 28:46 in length) - our hope was after seeing how great the show was, we would get the ok to continue to flesh it all out and get a full 60 minute show... Well, that was where the problem was - Jack was really sold on the program being 30 minutes - and he would rather have a solid 30 minute show that had people wanting more, then an hour where people might get tired of it...

That meant editing down our show - and at this point it was a question of what do you cut - how fast do you move the story - I am a firm believer in letting a story breath - giving the audience a chance to see and appreciate what is happening and digest it and then move forward - not at a slow pace, but at one that lets you enjoy and appreciate what you see and then move tot he next point. Well having to loose what was going to be close to 14 minutes out of a piece we felt should have been expanded gave us a challenge.

Matt went about cutting - and we had a few snags - yes the piece was getting shorter, but it wasn't breathing - we were "rushing" and I didn't want that in a piece that was so beautiful... Matt and I pow wowed, re-watched and re-organized and went back to work... some dancer quotes were removed, a few scenes tightened up and more was trimmed. It is very hard to reduce something you strongly believe in, but I had to keep reminding myself - the audience ("you") would never miss what you don't know - so we just had to make sure what we kept worked the best... A few more starts and stops, a few more viewings, more input, a few fraied nerves, an argument or two - and in a week, we were ready to show Jack our most recent cut... Again - He heaped the praise and very much enjoyed what he was shown. It was a go from his point of view, I on the other hand had a few more changes I wanted to see - and we went about cleaning and polishing the show... with in a couple of days we were at what we call "Picture Lock."

"Picture Lock" is when the show is edited to the point that you are happy with the way the story unfolds, the way it all comes together, and all the edits are as should be... at this point nothing in the lay out of the show will change - running time is pretty much st and the soundtrack (all the audio of the show) is in the right place - nothing will change... And as much as that sounds like the end of the project - it just isn't.

Next up comes the audio sweetening and audio design - now that everything is where it should be - a copy of all the audio tracks (our audio mix) is sent to our audio specialist Doug to clean up, enhance, remix, rebuild and in some cases re-design. It is a tricky job and one that I have used very little in the past - so at this point I am learning too. Doug is excellent (and has the title Emmy Award Winner to prove it).

Now more troubles await us - the transfer of audio removed all the details that Matt and I had come to agree upon during the video edit - what I mean by that is that to build the show and know how it flows, Matt mixed the audio - layering the ambient sound, the music, the talking, the interview segments - so that the whole show played back as we wanted it - but all the work of fading sound in and out was lost in the transfer - something to do with the two different computer systems we use... so it wasn't totally unexpected, and in some ways give Doug more creative control. All he received were the sound bits we were using, but none of the sound design Matt had made. Now Doug must pretty much design from scratch - but he does have a computer video of the show to follow for his lead... and he has many other sound elements he captured during the 24 hour shoot to add in... So this could be a good thing...

But once again we are fighting the calendar - we started this show 8 weeks ago - with the idea we would air it by the end of May - but once that deadline went away we were working with no goal in sight - not to fault anyone - what Matt accomplished in the time he was given is amazing!!! There was no time wasted - every moment has been used to cut and polish this show to give you the best product we can...

Jack has now told us he would like the finished product in his hands by end of business on July 31st.

Don't think that means it is ready to air at that point - I'll tell you about the journey the show has to make from that point on during a later post...

AIR DATE: this is the most asked question I get at this point - yes we will air it - LOL - currently it looks like we will be airing during the last two weeks of September (this is due to the fact that HoustonPBS will be in pledge drive during the first two weeks of the month)...

Keep checking in here for more updates and tidbits that should help you to better understand what we do and what all it takes to bring you a show of this level to you at home!

Till next time...

We are deep at work on Editing "The Last 24" and we will give our first screening tomorrow to our Station Manager Jack Neal - this will be the first time someone outside of our little team will have seen what we have been working on.

Matt (editor and director) and I are both very pleased with the way things are going - we have a clean story about the trials and tribulations of bringing a fresh ballet program to the stage, and all that happens during the "Last 24" hours before they open...

You will be amazed when you see how hard these athletes/dancers work during the time we cover and then to know once our show ends, they take the stage for a 2 hour program of dance - it is an amazing feat - and we are so pleased to be able to bring it to you...

And talking about bringing it to you - we had an original air date for mid June - but with all of the complications and technicalities associated with bringing you the program in HD and closed caption, we have had to cancel the original air date and find a new date - but we want to make sure the show is perfect before we turn it over to Closed Captioning and then PR to get the word out... So we are going to hold scheduling until we are done - so expect the show later in the summer then originally scheduled - but rest assured this is just to polish and present in the best possible way.

Trust me - this will be worth the wait!

I'll let ya know how the screening Monday afternoon goes - but I have no worries!

Taping is done - all 24 hours, plus the follow up interviews... This has been an ordeal, but then again - it was much more for the dancers. We got a lot of great footage - and many wonderful stories - enough for probably 90 minutes of good TV - but we are set for only one 30 minute show. We spoke with our station manager to day about possibly stretching the special to one hour, but he would prefer we stay with the 30 minute version. That means we are going to have to cut down on the dancers we feature, the twists in the stories we tell, and the amount of actual performance we can show - but on the up side, it will give us a tight 30 minute, and we would rather leaving you wishing for more then waiting for the show to end ;-) Plus, with music rights and all - we can only use approx 3 minutes of each musical piece, so this will probably serve a 30 minute version better. But back to what some of you love here on the blog... PICTURES!

Over the 24 hour time we were taping - we were amazed at how much these dancers dance/work out - we witnessed 2 full ballet classes & 3 full rehearsals of the full program - all before they took the stage for the shows premiere... And we were there to catch it all!







And it was exhausting... Maybe for us more than for the dancers... My Assistant and a producer on this project, Jake Hamilton proved that best...



Yep Jake, Making TV is not for the young or timid - it takes great stamina ;-) But we kid the boy - he only got a short cat nap - and then was back at work well recharged and ready for action, and he was a great help to his crew and the producing staff - we couldn't have done it without you, and it seems you couldn't have done it without a quick nappy-pooh...



We split up for most of the time into 3 crews - I anchored Crew A, which followed Dominic primarily. Laura Lucas had the difficult task of capturing all the secondary characters with her crew (Crew B), and Jake handled Crew C who were charged with capturing the full picture, environment and additional fill photography. And we were all to do this work, with a crew of 11 at our greatest number, while staying out of sight and not influencing the out come... it was tricky, but I am pretty proud of our folks for achieving all of this and doing it so well!

Friday we came back to the station and started working the script to reflect what we actually taped, and then on Monday, we spent the day at DWDT doing follow up interviews with all the people involved. Monday was a very long day and we did not return to the station until after 8pm.

Today, Tuesday, we sat down and started going over the footage, Matt (Director, Lead Camera on Crew A, and editor) started editing work on the show's opening sequence, and Laura and I looked at the script some more.

Now the clock is ticking and we should have the open and the script done by Friday so we can begin principle editing on Monday.

Wish us luck over the next few days...

I'll keep you posted, but there wont be as many pics (and few will be as nice ;-))

It's late, I'm tired and we are 6 1/2 hours into "The Last 24" shoot.

We started at 7:30pm with their on stage dress rehearsal - and they went through the show in order but with breaks for photographs and lighting cues.

Two of the three pieces are choreographed by Dominic, and I just have to say - watching these dancers bring his vision to life is simply amazing. Dominic is so gifted - his understanding of motion and grace, musicality and athleticism always impresses and amazes me. To watch him work is a gift - and I am so excited we are going to be able to share it with all of you when this show airs in June.

There were a whole lot of us in the hall tonight - Dancers, Technicians, Designers, and of course our TV Crew







Here are a few more shots of the rehearsal...














OK - I'm off to bed - I need to be up in 4 1/2 hours so we can be in place when Dominic's day starts again... Yes, I'm tired, but seeing the hard work these dancers go though to build a performance makes me realise that I have no idea what true exhaustion is all about!

Today was the last day before we begin principle shooting for "The Last 24." Like getting ready to wadge a war - all the troops must be ready, all the game plans must be agreed upon, and all communications must be in order. Yep - it is a crazy world we live in - mobilizing so we can shot a TV show - but here we are.

We started the afternoon with a meeting of the full production crew - there will be 8 crew folks involved in the capturing of Dominic Walsh and his Dance Theatre over the 24 hour period starting Wednesday night at 7:30pm.

We will separate into 4 teams of two crew members each - one camera operator and one audio engineer. The teams will be matched up with a producer and staggered through out the 24 hours. The Dominic crew will work with me and we will stay on around the clock - sleeping when Dominic sleeps - therefore we will be sure to capture everything that happens in his life over the time period.

The second two crews will trade off and be with Producer Laura Lucas - their focus will be on DWDT Managing Director Leigh McBurnett and the secondary cast of designers, technicians, staff and of course the Dancers.

The fourth crew will be assigned my assistant Jake Hamilton and their focus will be the surrounding environment and "beauty shots." So this afternoon we walked through the schedule to make sure everyone was on the same page.

Also a shout out to Chick-Fil-A, they have generously agreed to feed the crew over the recording period. It was very generous of them to do this, since we are moving forward with this production without underwriting dollars - so we are making this program on a shoe string (of course if any person or company is out there who believes that Public Television should be doing programs of this nature and would like to donate to "The Last 24" - please contact me at ernie@houstonpbs.org).

This evening a portion of the crew joined Laura and myself at The Hobby Center to watch the initial tech rehearsal for "Made in Italy." It gave us a good idea of what we will be shooting tomorrow evening - and helped us figure out what space we will have available to us.

The first piece in the show was the first piece I had ever seen that Dominic had choreographed. "Dolcemente" was staged when Dominic was a principal dancer at Houston Ballet - and after seeing it, I realised that Dominic was truly gifted. I had been on him for years to re-mount this piece and I am thrilled that not only is he doing it, it is being done during a show we are capturing for our documentary. And as I was the first time I saw it, I was again moved this evening when I saw this piece performed.

There are two additional pieces, and those too were worked this evening. It looks to be a thrilling show.

Tomorrow we finish the preliminary shooting script and then tomorrow night - we begin "The Last 24"!!!

Here are a few shots I took this evening during rehearsal...

We spent the whole day at the DWDT Studios. This was our pre-interview day. We meet with the full staff - Dancers, Technicians, Administration, Designers, and did on camera interviews with each. The length varied and we had to limit ourselves due to time and tape stock (we shot 5 tapes, each 32 minutes in length).

When we propose this special, we came up with a budget discussing the amount of materials we would use - including work hours and number of tapes we would shoot. Today's allotment was 5 tapes. So we went about our work and captured the thoughts, feelings and reactions to the experience of mounting "Made in Italy" at this point in the process.

In between, i snuck over to the rehearsal studio to grab a couple of shots of the company at work.. so here ya go...






Tomorrow night is the first full run through at the Hobby Center - and we will be there to scope it out and give us some idea of what we need to focus on come Wednesday night at 7:30pm... The start of "The Last 24"