Hello there and Happy Holidays!

Well it has been quite sometime since I've last written in and I would like to say that I have just received an update on the progress of HATCHET and it seems as if things are looking up. I cannot wait for the finished product and I am sure that you can't wait either!!

Today is New Year's Eve and the weather is dark, rainy and gloomy (much like the opening of the HATCHET website). I feel a little like I should be walking through a swamp freezing my ass off pretending to be sweating my ass off. Where are Selby and Heather with their never ending spray downs when you need them? I swear I am scarred for life! Every time I walk in the rain or shiver I look over my shoulder for Adam to yell "Action" and for the electric heaters to be standing by with all of us hovering over them!

Ahhhh those days are in the past but please keep an eye out for the finished product. I can't wait to see each other again "Hatchet Style".

Take care everyone and Happy New Year!!

-Joleigh Fioreavanti :)

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy New Year and a great holiday season. I'm just about wrapped out on production of SPIRAL and now I'll be heading off on a long overdue vacation. (My first real vacation in almost 8 years!) But I'll be back with you soon.

Victor Crowley in 2006.

Hello from Portland, Oregon! The shoot for SPIRAL is going extremely well and we are in the second week of making a truly amazing film. I'd tell you all about it, but you can read for yourself at www.spiralthemovie.com soon enough.

As far as the world of Victor Crowley goes... as I expected, there's not much new to tell you all about. Now that it's the holidays, Hollywood is pretty dead and not much is happening. This down-time allowed me to take a second pass at coloring Hatchet and so while I'm up here shooting Spiral- the digital intermediate crew back home is making the changes that I wanted to the 'look' of the movie and then sending me up samples to watch. (Might as well make use of this extra time, right?) It's really looking sick!

I know it's got to be hard to keep waiting for news of a public screening or a release date...but I have a good feeling that the Executive Producers aren't even going to start sneaking screenings for distributors until late in January. I thank you all for your continued patience, encouragement, enthusiasm, and support. Usually people don't know about a movie until this point in it's creation... yet you've all been following the story since before we even had the funding to shoot it. It's kind of like you made it with us and that's just awesome. Can you believe it takes this long? Me neither.

-Adam

Sorry it's been so long, everyone. Hatchet's undergoing the typical quality control process for perfect picture and sound, and yes, that stuff takes awhile. It's pretty tedious stuff that's all focused around getting the print to look just right, etc. I'm just as anxious as you are, believe me- but we're not about to start letting hungry distributors get their eyes on something that isn't technically perfect. We haven't even held a cast/crew screening for everyone yet.

As I'm sure you would imagine, this time of year (the holidays) is not the prime time to start shopping around an independent movie. It's a real slow time of year around town from now until the New Year. So our executive producers and sales reps are going to do the smart thing and sit tight for a bit. I know, it's the last thing you wanted to hear, right? But hey, just imagine how frustrating it is for me! I've got this great movie sitting in my back pocket that I'm just DYING to share...and I have to keep my mouth shut. From what I understand, the plan is to hold off until the new year and then jump in the fire.

When you think about it, most people don't know about a movie until a release date is planned or trailers and commercials start. But with this, there have literally been fans following it from before we even had the money to make it. Talk about patience! It's still gonna be a few months before I'm even in a position to say who's distributing it. And even longer before it comes out. But just know this- everything is going better than we ever hoped for. The powers that be are keeping the film under wraps for good reason- and now it's all about timing. This is the stuff where I kind of get fuzzy on it and tune out- the business side. But we have the best people making the calls to do what's best for the film, and that's all I need to know.

In the meantime, I've been traveling back and forth to Portland, Oregon where my next feature begins lensing in just 28 short days. It's a dramatic thriller called SPIRAL and it stars Joel David Moore (Hatchet, Dodgeball), Amber Tamblyn (The Ring, Joan of Arcadia), and Zachary Levi (Less Than Perfect). Joel Moore actually co-wrote it with a great writer named Jeremy Danial. He was going to direct the film all on his own- but since he's playing the lead character, he asked me to come on and direct it with him. This is gonna be FUN. It's a huge 180 degree turn for me after doing something like Hatchet. Spiral is more of an art-house character driven piece- with lots of jazz, art, and....some blood. I'd tell you more about it, but this site is dedicated to hatchets, not spirals. Once we get the Spiral site up and running I'll provide a link. In the meantime, keep an eye out for info on the project and check back here often. I'm hoping they let me spill some news on Hatchet before the holidays...

-Adam

Hatchet was an experience that I’ll never forget. Finally watching our sweat and tears on the big screen was a unique opportunity for me. Before the other night, I hadn’t seen a film that I had worked on projected in all of it’s celluloid glory, and it was truly an amazing experience. Sadly, in film school, we never finished on film. Therefore I had never seen any of my projects properly projected, but I feel so closely connected to this film that it was as if I got to see one of my own. So I wanted to publicly thank the powers that be (Adam) again for including me.

I cannot wait to watch the film over and over again. Especially because the first viewing was like going through a photo album of the making of process. Your mind gets caught up in the, “oh shit, we were chasing the sun on that shot!” or the “damn, it was fucking freezing that night and why the hell did it have to rain on us!?!.” (Yes, some of the rain was from towers, but lots of it came the old fashioned way).

HATCHET lived up to its promise and definitely rocked it, and I’m REALLY looking forward to the next screening where I can fully let go and be immersed in the world of Bayou Beavers. In any event, it was very fun and about as disgusting as I ever could have hoped! Poor Tamara (my girlfriend, not the lead actress), spent most of the movie with her eyes closed (a good thing as far as gore) and when they were open she was tearing the shit out of my right arm from fear, so I’d say the movie was quite effective!

I’d also like to nominate Deon Richmond for Best Supporting Actor. Very funny! Speaking of which, the acting, was spot on. I had to make a special note of D cause he kept us in stitches during production and his comedic genius shone even stronger on the screen.

The opening sequence is pretty amazing, and the music during the opening credits (wait til you hear what song it is!) was blasting in the auditorium...which by the way was the LOUDEST system that I’ve ever heard a film projected on. My ears are still ringing from the screening, or maybe from the Foo Fighters concert the following evening...

Anyways, I look forward to every theater across the country blasting the excellent score and gore of HATCHET.

Until then,

Dustin P.

So as expected, I couldn't wait.

I showed the check print of the film to a packed theater to see how it's working. And I am thrilled to say that it is working great. The audience had a blast and it was a tremendous success. As expected, we're still dealing with some technical image problems so there's a ways to go until we start doing any sort of public showings or distribution screenings, but those typical issues aside... we're there and we did it.

Whew.

Happy Halloween.

-Adam

Check it out...

-Adam

It's been awhile. So what have I been up to with HATCHET? Well, I'm delighted to say...finishing it. That's right. The reels of finished film are at the lab as I write this and a print is being made for our big, final print master day that happens next week. I don't think the average movie goer realizes just how much of a movie is made in post production. The best way to put it is that watching films is an aural and visual experience. And it is in post where you really create what your film will look and sound like. I went for a few different looks throughout the film, as to me, this movie is one big roller coaster ride. So sometimes the movie is bright and beautiful, sometimes it's mysterious and rustic, and other times...it's dark, washed out, and scary looking. But never fear...the blood is always prominent.

So what happens next? The part that even I still don't fully comprehend. I kind of always imagined that when you make a movie, you just drive over to the potential distributors/studios offices, sit down, and show them. Then they buy it and put it out a few weeks later. Wrong. That's just not how it works. After 3 months of meetings, interviews, etc...we've finally decided upon our team of sales reps for the film. Now, our executive producers and our sales reps take over and the creative team has to step away. There's all kinds of etiquette when it comes to selling a movie like this. And it takes awhile. In fact, it can take a long while. It could be months before the timing is right to even SCREEN it. Then after we settle on a distributor...there's typically another long wait before they release it. I'd get into all of the details...but it would bore the hell out of you.

The exciting part is that when we made the mock trailer to raise the funding, we put HALLOWEEN 2005 at the end of it. And here we are at Halloween 2005...and the movie really happened. It's done.

The frustrating thing is that though next week I'll be HOLDING IT IN MY HANDS...I'm not allowed to show anyone yet. Unless, of course I just have you all over to my place and we promise not to tell anyone.

I'll run that one by my girlfriend.

-Adam

Hi everyone. Like you, I've been reading these journals with rapt interest for the last 6 months. And, like you, I've been living vicariously through the stunning production photos and the revealing and often personal words of those lucky enough to be there. The passion and dedication expressed in words and pictures here are only but a glimpse into the multiverse that has sprung forth from the mind of Adam Green. Until you see the final film, and - hopefully one day - the behind the scenes footage, will you really be able to grasp the scope of this thing and the sheer will, determination and camaraderie that turned a dream into reality. I consider myself blessed to have been a part of this fantastic endeavor.

One thing that most people not in the entertainment industry don't realize is just how improbable it is that anything ever gets made at all. Sometimes it strikes me as a miracle that when you turn on the TV there's anything on, or that when you go to the movies, there's anything playing. It's really that bad. For every one thing you try to get done there always seems to be ten things working against it. Even more improbable than something actually getting made, are the chances of the original team of people who developed a project remaining attached to it until the end. Lucky for me, I was a part of this impossible group. I first met Adam in February of 2004 on a panel of short filmmakers at a high school in Los Angeles. We bonded over telling the kids to just go out and make movies and don't worry about where you go to school. Neither of us was invited back. After, he told me about this movie he had written and was trying to get made. A few weeks later, I read it and loved it. A few months later, he had managed to cobble together a "mock trailer" for the movie. He asked me to do the sound and music for it. I did so with the (not-so) secret hope that if I did a good job that maybe I'd get to do the movie! That's a little bit like doing schoolwork for the prettiest girl in the school with the secret hope that she'll go out with you. It usually doesn't work out. But, thanks to the personal integrity and sheer chutzpah of Adam Green, the impossible happened. I don't know how he did it, but he fought and clawed and scraped to get me on the picture - despite the fact that I'd never scored a theatrical feature film before. It was a huge personal risk for him - but he believed in me like he did the rest of his cast and crew. Having anyone outside your immediate friends and family believe in you like he did me under any circumstances is remarkable. In our business it's just unheard of.

Writing the score for HATCHET and working with Adam was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. In every instance, what he wanted and what I wanted was the same thing. He has a fantastic sense of drama and pathos and how music plays into the emotions of the audience and the story. In our initial conversations about the score, I asked him what he wanted the movie to sound like. "Jurassic Park!" he exclaimed. I laughed, but he was right. That's exactly what this movie needed. It may sound ludicrous for one of the most gory slasher films ever made to have a score like that, but trust me - the blood is a lot more red when the music makes you really care about the characters that are being eviscerated - and doing the eviscerating! I don't want to reveal too much about the specifics of the score, at risk of giving anything away, but I'll say this - it's definitely as big and loud as the rest of the movie!

In closing, I just want to thank Adam for believing in me and giving me a chance. Here's to many more

-Andy

Today we finished the sound mix for Hatchet. Though the weeks leading up to it were quite hectic (recording ADR, creating the sound effects, scoring the film, sound design, sound editing)...the actual mixing process was a blast. It was such a rush to finally hear the movie with all of the elements in a real theater. This film is LOUD. So loud in fact that we had to take breaks fairly often to decompress and level ourselves out again. There was even a moment so intense that I had to go and excuse myself for a little while...and I'm the one who thought up all of this stuff! Check out the picture of the speaker levels below and you'll get an idea of what to expect. I also threw in some pictures of our sound mixers (Donald Lyles and Stan Kastner) hard at work.

My ears are still ringing.

What?

-Adam

It is absolutely devastating to watch what the people of New Orleans and the surrounding areas are going through in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It's surreal to think that just a couple of months ago we were shooting in locations that are now 12 feet under water and that the people who were so kind and generous to us are now living in dire straits. When the tragedy first happened we posted a few links for charities that accept internet donations in our UPDATES section on this website. I'm just a guy who makes movies, not any kind of political or soap box leader, so without saying anything more I just want to point out again that those links are there for those that may be interested in helping out. On behalf of everyone involved with HATCHET, our hearts and thoughts go out to all of the victims of this horrible disaster.

On a lighter note, I wanted to address some of the common questions I've received lately. First, will HATCHET be in theaters for Halloween this year? The answer to that is "no". Seeing as how the film is still a few weeks away from total completion, there's no way there would be enough time for a distributor to appropriately advertise the film in time for a release this coming Halloween. So where did the rumor come from that the movie would be in theaters this October? Well, when we made the 'mock trailer' and launched this website- it was all to raise the funding and interest needed to make the film. We put HALLOWEEN 2005 on it because it was the date that we hoped to have completed the movie by. I am happy to say that we will accomplish that goal with a few weeks to spare! However, the "trailer" was never intended to be THE trailer- just something to show potential investors, etc. I'm blown away and flattered that the horror fanatics found it and are carrying it on their websites- but again, the trailer some of you have seen was for the sole purpose of visually explaining the backstory of Victor Crowley and securing the funding for the production. (That's why you may have noticed it isn't carried on this website.) There's not a single shot in it from the movie as it was made 7 or 8 months before we even started photography. Hopefully, we will have a real trailer for you all very, very, VERY soon.

Also, I've been told that there are a few people on the internet claiming to have seen HATCHET. First of all- thank you for your excitement and for saying that it was so good! But the truth is, no one outside of the cast/crew of the film has seen anything yet- so beware what you read. In fact, as I write this journal- people are hard at work coloring and creating the sound for the film...so the reality of it is that there still isn't even anything solid to show anyone even if we wanted to!

Lastly, one of the most popular questions I am asked is "what was the hardest part of making an independent horror film like this"? And I never really know what to say or where to start. But I realized the other day, and I think other independent film makers would surely agree with me on this, that making an indie film is a lot like playing football in the NFL...without having any of the appropriate pads or equipment. You've got everything working against you, yet you are put up against and compared to competition and a league that has so much more at their disposal. I have to say that, as bruised, beaten, and exhausted as I am in this final stretch- I'd step off the bench and do it again in a heartbeat. I'm lucky that I had the right people on my team and what seems to be a stadium full of new friends who cheered me along the whole way. Almost everyone who is a fan of sports has tried playing them before, even just for fun. If you're a fan of movies, I suggest you get on the field and see what it's like, too. If I can do it, so can you.

I'll take some photos during our stage mix next week and write in again. Thanks for being here with me.

-Adam

The finishing touches continue. Man, it feels like it's taking forever, doesn't it? Aside from the score and sound design, we've been hard at work coloring the film. With Hatchet, we're doing a full DI (digital intermediate). For those who aren't technically inclined with film making, a DI basically means that every frame of the original film is scanned into a machine and digitized so that it now exists on an enormous computer system. At that point, the look of the film can be controlled very specifically to what we want. For instance, if you want the sky to be darker, the swamp to be greener, and the blood to be even more red...you can do it. The DI process is extremely popular in big budget studio films these days and is gaining in popularity with low budget independents. It truly is amazing to be able to look at the image projected on the big screen and do whatever you want to it. But it certainly isn't an easy or fast process. Think about it. Each frame of the film has to be scanned. There are 24 frames per second of film. And the movie is an hour and a half long. Yeah. Fun. Except minus the fun.

We've also been doing some minor ADR (automated dialogue replacement) with our actors. When you go through the sound from the production, sometimes there is a line or two that got stepped on. Perhaps an airplane flew over the swamp at 3am and the low end of the engines wound up on your track of someone screaming in pain. Most films use ADR and/or looping for about HALF of their films dialogue. With Hatchet, we hardly had to replace anything. As the director I'd love to take credit for that, but I had nothing to do with it. Dan Monahan and Rob Cunningham (our production sound mixer and boom operator) just kicked all kinds of ass on set making sure that the sound was solid...and because of that, my life is so much easier. So right now we're in the process of having each actor come in to the sound booth and re-do a line or two. It's been so great to see everyone again. After staring at the film day after day, I almost forgot who these people really are. We're having a great time.

But the most fun of all has been building Victor Crowley's voice. We started with Kane's voice...but then added all kinds of other creepy elements to it. Pig sounds, bear growls, even different aquatic shrieks. But it really took shape when I had an eight year old child come in and double some of Kane's words and howls...and then layered it in to the mix along with everything else. No, I don't know what made me think of that and yes, I worry about myself sometimes, too. How do I sleep at night? Badly. Someday you should hear my girlfriend's version of the time I dreamt that my dead eight year old self was crawling into my bed to get me. Full contact sleeping, let me tell you.

But before I sign off, I know what you're thinking. "Come on, Green! What about a release date? What about an update on when we can actually see it?" If you only knew how painfully out of my hands that whole process is, you'd know I want the answers to those questions even more than you do. They keep telling me soon. So I'll just keep saying soon.

Soon.

-Adam

You're probably wondering why it's taken me a month to write in again, right? Well there's two very good answers:

First, what more can I possibly say about the post production process after what Kane wrote in below?? So very cool of him and so completely unexpected. I've been a Kane Hodder fan for the past 17 years and it's extremely uncharacteristic to see him speak so candidly and excitedly about...well...anything. (Let alone my film.) As I said in my very first journal entry on this website, this is truly a movie made by a fan for the fans and the fact that I got to work with so many of my favorite horror icons on this is nothing short of a dream come true. So it's been difficult trying to figure out what to say next.

Second, if you haven't noticed, we've sort of been laying low over these past few weeks. Consider it the calm before the storm. The EXTREMELY limited few who have been invited to see the movie in it's current form have absolutely loved it. Jumping, screaming, turning their heads away, laughing their asses off, and (my favorite, of course) smiling. The best description of Hatchet by a viewer so far was that it's a "genre buster". But I guess to understand what that phrase really means, you'd have to see it.

Victor Crowley is coming. Big news is on the way.

-Adam

Hey everybody. Kane Hodder here. Sorry I didn't make any journal entries while we were shooting, but it was a pretty exhausting show for me. Fun as hell though. I tried to create a different type of character than you have ever seen before. Between Adam Green and me, I think you will agree we succeeded in doing just that. Ok, now the good part. I went to the editing suite on Friday and I watched the entire movie with Adam, the composer and the editor. Unbelievable! It is fucking great!!! I don't even know what to say. THIS IS THE BEST HORROR MOVIE I HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED WITH! That is the absolute truth. I hope you guys know that I wouldn't just say that for publicity either. I have never done that. The kills in Hatchet are fantastic. You know that I love to be creative with the kills. I think it's really important. What really amazed me was that the kills were already great as written. I usually use my sick imagination to add to each kill. This time Adam beat me to it. The kills are so violent and creative. That's what we fans love. My favorite kill that I ever did in a film up until now was the sleeping bag in Friday 7. What made it so great was the audience reaction to it in the theater. Cheering! I have never seen that reaction to one of my kills since. What makes me so excited is that several of the kills in Hatchet will bring that same response back. Cheering. I love that shit. I guarantee you will love the kills. I have never said that before. The acting performances are incredible too. There is not one weak performance in the film. I know that sounds impossible for a horror movie, but it's true. Trust me, ok? You will enjoy every character in the film. And even care about them. The entire cast is great. In particular, the performances of Tamara Feldman and Joel Moore. Incredible. Tamara, you will be huge. You have talent way beyond your experience. That's all I can say. Joel, in 28 years in this business, I have never seen an actor commmit so completely to a role. You were amazing to watch. There are things you did that almost no other actor would have done. Yours and Tamara's devotion to your roles will impress any audience that sees this film. Not just the horror fans. Everyone. How can you go wrong with actors like Robert Englund and Tony Todd? Veterans that give great performances even in smaller roles. We were very lucky to get them for this movie. My horror brothers. Thanks, guys! Even though the acting, the violence and the story are great, that isn't even the best part of the movie. The dialogue between the characters is my favorite thing about the movie. It is so well written. In most horror movies, we are used to having to sit through boring, meaningless scenes of shitty dialogue between the kills. Not this time. Like I said, the dialogue is my favorite part of the movie. It's hard to imagine I'm saying this but some of the dialogue scenes remind me so much of a Tarantino scene. I'm not kidding! I know I probably sound like an asshole gushing all this stuff about Hatchet when it's not my normal demeanor. It's just that I have never been so happy with a movie that I'm in before. No bullshit. You will love this movie as much as I did. And yes, it will get a theatrical release. I guarantee that. Distribution companies would have to be morons to not see the value in this movie. If you fans have ever believed anything I have said before, please believe that Hatchet will amaze you. In all aspects. All I can say is that it's fucking great. You'll see. I stake my reputation on it. You have NEVER heard me say that before. I really can't wait for you guys to see it.

Victor Crowley lives.......................

-Kane

The Director's Cut of Hatchet is looking solid! However, there are still many steps to take before you all get to see it. First- everyone involved on the Producing side of the film has to see it and have their say, then it has to be colored, timed out, scored, sound designed, and mixed. After that, it will have to be presented to the MPAA (who as we all know are not typically fond of movies like HATCHET) and then we will solidify our distributor. Lastly, our distributor will have their say on the picture.

Editing a feature is such a draining process. Though physically it's a cake walk compared to shooting...it's a very emotional ride. The first time you see your footage put together- you cringe. Because you wrote it, because you were there when it was shot, because you know how the gags were done, because you know exactly what is going to happen, because you know where the lights were, because you know where you were standing off screen when the scene was shot...you just can't "buy" it as a real movie. It all seems like crap. You do your best and you walk away to let the editor try to make sense of your notes and frustrations. But as time goes by and the shooting process starts to get a little more hazy...you start to really believe what you're watching on the screen. You can start to imagine what it's going to look and sound like in the end. You can start to put yourself in the audience and go for the ride. And you start to go home happy. Really happy.

Today, after finishing off my second pass at the film, I celebrated with my girlfriend over some margaritas and started reflecting over the process and how far the movie has come along. When I got home there was a package waiting for me from Christel- the set photographer. In it was a slide show of the entire shoot- all put to music. I put it in and watched the past few months unfold in a matter of minutes. WOW. It's amazing where we've been and what we've accomplished. Most people don't realize that when you make a film like this- you have EVERYTHING working against you. No time, not enough people, bad weather, poor shooting conditions, never enough money...it's as if each night you spend as much time making compromises as you do shooting the script. And all of those compromises put aside, all of the things I wanted to do but couldn't, all of those shots that we planned on but ran out of time for...we certainly kicked all kinds of ass.

The movie is looking good. Damn good. I wish I could show you all right now...but I can't. Not yet.

Talk soon.

-Adam

I just watched the exclusive behind the scenes clip that we are going to be showing this Friday over at www.horrorchannel.com. I really think you're all going to enjoy it. John Gross (our behind the scenes documentarian and one of our production's MVPs) put together just enough of a TASTE without giving too much away. So get excited and don't forget to check it out!

Also, here are some more pictures from the shoot that I came across, including one from "Bad Moustache Day" which I thought some of you might get a kick out of.

-Adam

Just completed Day 1 of editing my 'Director's Cut' of HATCHET. Wow. Thankfully, our editor (Chris Roth) has been working his ass off at getting the movie in proper order while we were still shooting- so it wasn't as nerve wracking of a day as I expected. In fact, we found ourselves laughing, cheering, and applauding many times...which is kind of odd for a first day of editing. Normally you just kind of hold your head in your hands and say "how am I gonna fix this?" To the horror fans who have written to me asking what it's going to be like...the answer is FUN. Unfortunately, we create art in a society that is governed by a small few who have been given the authority to decide what is acceptable for us to see and what is not...so I can't make any promises that you'll get to see all of the outrageous things we pulled off on this movie. But I can promise that no matter which version you get to see first, you're going to have a good time.

Oh, and props to Joel Moore for wearing his official "VICTOR CROWLEY LIVES" Hatchet Crew Shirt as he walked down the red carpet at the MTV Movie Awards that aired last night. You were robbed, my friend. Average Joe's Dodgeball team was a way cooler on-screen team than those Mean Girls!

We did it. Hatchet is now out of the minds, passion, creativity, and effort of all who were involved, and into the abyss of post production. This project was such an amazing experience. I mean, just the fact that I am writing a journal for a website that is up for fans and people of interest to follow is beyond most filmmaking expectations. I know that you the readers have enjoyed the journey along with us, and that makes what we went through even more special.

To everyone and everything involved, the Snatchets, the bad ass crew, the dead bodies, the poison oak, the rain towers, the cold, the condo neighbors, the 6 am Ralph's workers, to wetdowns, smoking buckets, nazi fire marshalls, half working heaters, water snakes, colored potato chips, NightStalker, "abshbagabdnuliminu!!!!", to whoever invented vodka- and shiraz for the girls, to Club Ted, to alien starseed's, to spitting on pinky's, to "That scene was great Joel".... And the face that followed, to Robot Voices, to every old rap song we could think of, to Murray, Darbo, and Riehle putting up with every old rap song we could think of, to Murray's "oh, you're going out there", to Richard's "Yeah.. Uhh, NO!", Patrica's "Walk P#$$Y Forward", "Bring on the rain", and the response- "AAAWWWW SHIITTTT", Mercedes "-who went on a Shopping Spree!!", Joleigh Ferrari's "-stuck here with you guys (robot voice) IN A SWAMP!!" Adam's "Check that Shit!", Craig's "Smoke'em if you got'em", Perry's shedding of ridiculous clothing, Deon's phobia's, Tamara's random points, Rileah throwing up... Twice.

To half clam chowder, half o.j. (that'll make anyone throw up), to Feldman holding it together through all the disgusting stuff, and being there with me from the start, you rock girl, to Deon for showing me "new" stuff in N.O......, and for following the playoffs with me, to Kane for being Kane, and stepping up for the dramatic scenes, that will show, to whoever screamed on the train, to the whisper song, and of course DA DOING DOING DOING!!, TO A GREAT FILM! I love you all.

God Bless,

Joel

I don't know what to do with myself! I am clean, dry, warm, and sad! I just want to move back into that condo with Mercedes and Joleigh and be neighbors with Adam, Sarah, Rileah, and Will. I never thought I would miss the swamp so much. I am jumpy, my nerves are shot and I have nightmares every night! I miss Kane standing behind me and scaring the shit out me! I miss being in a water tank with the coolest camera crew ever and stealing hugs from BJ to get warm. Trying to breath under water for the first time with scuba gear with Victor Crowley right above you is an exciting adventure. Meanwhile there were trains rumbling by 5 feet away every other minute. Rick (stunts) made all the difference making me feel at ease while holding me under water and trying to point me in the right direction for camera and feeding me air the entire time. That was a great way to end a great shoot.

This movie was the most intense thing I've ever done. The emotions I had to go through finding people close to me dead were so real. At one point Adam had me stay in the barn filled with dead animals in the pitch dark with only a small mag-light and everyone was silent. The only thing I could hear between my screams was Mercedes crying somewhere out in the forest. Talk about bonding with your cast members. I was so convinced one time that the body I found in the barn was who I was making myself believe that it was that I actually lost it. I couldn't stop crying and Adam came over and held me for an eternity until I could get my emotions back under control and stop crying. I also had the privilege of being in the room on a closed set while Kane did his emotional scene. I can't express how special and amazing it is to just sit, make eye contact with someone (who has been chasing you trying to kill you), and cry.

I don't know about everyone else, but I'm finding it hard to re-adjust back to normal daytime life. I want to thank everyone for being so great and having such a good time on this project. Every single person: from van drivers turning off the lights to scare us going through the forest, BJ for saving us on a deserted train we seemed to have gotten ourselves trapped on, Will for having his tighty whities, Joel Moore's unending enthusiasm and ideas, Joleigh's dances and jokes, Mercedes' giggling, Deon's hatred of cold, bugs, trees, water, etc. (his laughter the entire time)! Adam,thank you for crying with us, Rileah thanks for making us look hot with scratches all over, Heather and Selby, you need your spray down! Kevin thanks for putting warm water in the sprayer! Morgan, you're the cutest boy ever to be in charge of my gun, Sarah, I can't say what for but thank you! Craig, you don't have to tell us about the rubber gun anymore! Kane, thank you so much for being so in character and for bonding with me like that. Just everyone...I miss you! I was so lucky to get to be a part of this project. O.K. I'm done gushing. . . for now!

-Tamara

We're absolutely completely done with shooting now. Yesterday we did about a 16 hour day and ended the movie in a 100 degree swamp that had to have been 100 percent humidity. I can safely say that I may have never been that sweaty or uncomfortable in my life. I don't know how they handle it down here in August, but I'm not sticking around to find out. In fact- in less than 24 hours we'll all be on planes heading back home. Finally.

Our crew literally shot themselves into the ground on this film. In fact, I think that if the shoot had gone on just 1 more day, someone may have dropped dead. Everyone's got their scars and wounds from this shoot. Personally, I have poison oak, athlete's foot, 6 blisters, and a sprained ankle...all on ONE foot. The past two days I have been standing on my feet all day in sneakers that were filled about an inch and a half thick with my own juices. I'm hurting pretty bad.

Tomorrow they will spill us all on to our respective planes and then we'll all be safe at home. (Will Barratt hasn't seen his family since March!) I think when I get there I'm just going to pull the shades, shut off anything electronic in my house, and pretend that I'm dead for at least three days. Yeah, that sounds nice.

But before we leave New Orleans, I just wanted to say what extraordinarily nice people we met down here. Everyone was so excited to have us and we were treated like family. In fact, when we got home from the shoot last night, we were intercepted on our way to our rooms by our new friend Wayne. Wayne was in charge of all of extras casting and then some. As it turns out, even though we were just planning on going to sleep, Wayne had hooked us all up with the VIP room at the 360 Bar at the top of the World Trade Center here. Cast, crew, extras- everyone was invited. All kinds of people stopped by to meet us and say hello as if it was a receiving line at a wedding. It was a BLAST.

Unfortunately, with my feet about to rot off, I had to duck out before it was over and I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone properly. But to my new friends here in Louisiana- thank you for everything. The day we shut down Bourbon Street to shoot was quite possibly the most fun I had on this whole production so far because of all of your energy and enthusiasm. You blew us away and you showed us a great time.

I'm off to slip into a coma for awhile. More pictures are on their way...

-Adam

Hello from New Orleans! We're just 48 hours away from a picture wrap on ALL photography for the entire film. So far down here we've encountered every possible kind of uncomfortable weather you can imagine. Sudden rain, extreme heat, humidity, blazing sun...it never ends. But the kicker was having to sit inside a small school bus (that we have transformed into the SCARE BUS for the movie) with the windows up, no air conditioning, and 110 degree sweltering heat inside...ALL afternoon today. We each lost 5 pounds, I swear. And I think a few of us may have emerged a bit brain damaged. But that could be from the Hurricanes on Bourbon Street the night before.

Off to bed for a 5am wake up tomorrow and another brutal day in the heat. But first I wanted to say hello to all of the very kind folks down here who have welcomed HATCHET with open arms. From the Voodoo shops to the film commision office to the strangers on the street who cheered on the Scare Bus as it drove through the French Quarter to our friend Vaughn from Shalimar's Party Balconies on Bourbon Street.... thanks for everything.

-Adam

Well lets see, where do I start?

Last week I wrapped and attended our cast "Wrap Party" all in the same week. It was such a ball. I have to say that I am extremely sad that this experience has come to a halt. I cannot express my gratitude enough to everyone that was a part of the crew- especially BJ (haha). Seriously, Adam Green is the coolest up and coming director by far. He is so talented and makes great choices when casting (Haha). I have to give a shout out to my girls, Heather, Selby, Kevin, Anna, and Rileah from make/up and wardrobe. If it were not for them I would not look so gruesome and tacky.

Well right now as we speak- Adam, Joel Moore and Deon Richmond are in New Orleans finishing up the last of the film. Might I add that Mercedes, Tamara, and myself (A.K.A. "The Snatchets") are all green with envy that we're not there with them. Maybe it'll be really humid and they'll all get a case of "Swamp Ass" J/k I love you guys!!!

Seriously though, I can't even describe the kind of bonding that was done on such a disturbingly beautiful film!! I have made friends that I know I will have for a very long time. Or at least I hope so. I dont know, they might think that I'm a weirdo and never call me again??

I loved everyone I worked with which is extremely unique in this business. I can't wait to see my new friends again. Thank you Adam and Sarah for being awesome and fun I love you guys!!! I gotta go my phones ringing, ohhhhhhhhh its Mercedes.... See they don't think im a weirdo!!

Or maybe just Mercedes doesn't.

Peace & Love

- Joleigh

"Hey man, I think I like being scared and I wish you all were there.
Man I really, really think - really think that I think, I like being scared." - Dangerous Toys

Principal photography has finished. Looking back, the past four weeks seem like a big blur of night, cold, mud, bugs, rain, blood, and a new level of 'lack of sleep'. But what a good time it all was. Last night was the wrap party where we all celebrated our accomplishments, said goodbye, and parted ways.

For now at least.

My message in my short speech to the crew was this: "Everyone on this crew keeps saying that they've never enjoyed themselves this much on any other show. I ask you all to take a good look at yourselves... and never ever change anything. Bring this experience with you wherever you go. Making movies doesn't have to be painful and you shouldn't ever have to put up with someone not treating you well. Let's all go on and show this industry how to make a film."

I will be traveling over the next week finishing up some scenes and then I will be in post production for several weeks. But I'll keep checking in to let everyone know how it's going and keep the world updated on a release date, etc. Plus, I have a feeling that even though the production is over, we'll still hear more from some of the people who were involved but just too busy to write in. And those that still just don't want to say it's over!

Who knows? Maybe I'll even share some footage with you all sometime very, very soon. But for now...

THAT'S A WRAP!

-Adam

Tonight will be the last night of principal photography for HATCHET. We still have about 3 more days of shooting that will take place over the next two weeks in various parts of the country...but the bulk of it will end about 20 hours from now. We're tired, beaten up, emotionally wasted, and dirty...but we're still smiling and we're damn proud of what we've accomplished. When the movie comes out on DVD you'll get to meet most of the personalities that helped make this possible as our Behind The Scenes Director (John Gross) has been rolling non stop for MONTHS and has truly captured every moment on the shoot. It's going to be JAM PACKED with extras.

But first it has to make its way into a theater near you. And though most independent projects always hope to make it that far, they don't always get there. HATCHET, however, will. And that's all I can say about that for now. Rest assured, the moment that distribution is etched in stone, I will let you all know.

This shoot has been amazing. Not only have we created a GREAT film, but we did it against some impossible odds. First of all, we took a small budget and made it look like a studio sized deal. Our sets, our cinematagrophy, our acting, our effects...they go above and beyond what you would expect on on independent genre film like this. Second of all, these films are produced on a VERY strict and aggressive schedule. If you don't "make your day" (complete everything scheduled each day) it can send the whole show tumbling into disaster. We were shooting a schedule that was fit for a 12 hour shoot- on nights that only allowed us about 8 hours of complete darkness to shoot in. We lost our 'safety day' (the day you leave open in case you fall behind) to a lightning storm and then we even got boned out of a night of shooting by a network television show that moved into our set and shut us down. But we STILL pulled it off. Yes, it was a scramble each night trying to get it done and yes, it was sickening watching the sun start to come up and knowing you literally had 10 minutes left to try and finish a scene...but we all rose to the challenge.

One of the best moments in the entire shoot happened early Monday morning. We found ourselves with roughly 13 minutes before the sun would be up too high to shoot, and we still had a scene that we wanted to try and re-shoot from the night before. It required a mini company move (moving the lights and gear to a different place) and there was just no way it was going to happen. I said to the crew "oh well, I just would have liked to shoot that one again to have the option- but we missed our chance." I accepted defeat and told Craig (the 1st Assistant Director) to wrap us for the week.

"HOT POINTS!!!" That's what the grips yell on a movie set when they are moving light stands and equipment and need you to get out of their way. I turned to watch grips and electrics and PA's all running at top speed. Most were carrying a stand in each hand and cables wrapped around their necks. The Director had said it was over- but the CREW was going to make it happen anyway. I watched in amazement as the set came to life. Before I could get to my monitor, the actors were in place and the lights were shining down on them. We had 5 minutes to spare to try and get the scene re-shot.

All I remember is that we had one more take before the sun would officially wrap us and then all of a sudden, everything just fell into place. The scene was amazing and everyone saw it go by. I jumped up yelling some sort of happy obscenity at the top of my lungs, ripped my headset from head triumphantly (breaking it in two), and ran onto the set to embrace the actors who had been struggling so hard to get the moment just right. The entire crew was cheering and celebrating. The sun came up. We had done it.

Or should I say THEY had done it? For those reading along with these journals who have never worked in this business/art form...NEVER do you find a group of over worked, under staffed, and under paid production crew members that will be willing to RUN anywhere. (Unless it is lunch.) Yet, even after I had declared the re-shoot a bust and had basically given them all the opportunity to call it a night...they made it happen and beat impossible odds to get me the chance that I wanted. This, my friends, is real movie making. Sure, there are sets where people are there strictly for the pay check and of course, there are sets where people degrade and scream at each other to try and feel important or better about their own lack of talent...but not on my sets. From the stars of the show to the PA/Runner working in the production office...everybody made this happen. And THAT is why it turned out so f'n good.

When I made my first feature I only had some stolen video equipment, four hundred bucks, and a ton of ambition. But I had VERY good friends who helped me stretch that futher than anyone could have imagined. The rights to the film were purchased by a major studio and a pilot script (that is still in development limbo) was created for a TV show based on it. This time around there was real equipment, more money, and an even greater amount of ambition. And with the friends I had helping me make it happen...can you imagine how this is going to turn out??

It sucks that the success of a movie is always based on money or awards. For instance, because COFFEE & DONUTS is still not available to see, I always have to back it up by saying its status at the moment or that it was indeed "purchased". For some reason, that type of stuff makes it legit. But even before that happened- it was a good movie that everyone who worked on it can still say they are proud of 6 years later. HATCHET's future is still unknown...will it be a financial success and a household name? No one can answer that yet. But I hope, at least for the crew that broke their backs working on it, that it doesn't matter either way. I sincerely hope that everyone who worked on it can walk away from it tonight, feeling damn proud of the awesome movie that they just helped create and feeling good about the friends that we have all made. Wasn't that why we all aborted the security of a desk job for the insanity of the film industry, anyway?

To my cast and crew- cheers. See you at the wrap party.

-Adam

We were all kept in the dark as to how Kane would look in full make-up until we shot our respective scenes with him.

I still remember the night I finally saw Kane as Victor Crowley. The shiver up my spine. A grimace of pain. A tear welling up in my eye -- mind you, not due to Kane's presence but because of Mercedes' fingernails digging into my left arm from the death grip she had on it.

That girl clung to my arm and bawled away the entire time before the first take of Crowley looming behind us. The vice grip she had on my arm was as if she was planning to rip it off to use as a club and defend herself from Crowley.

We hadn't even see the guy yet and this is how much Kane had us freaked out.

And as the behind the scenes cameraman panned over to me, I immediately wiped the pained look from my face Mercedes' grip was causing, closed my eyes and kept thinking to myself, "Don't let him catch you crying, Don't let him catch you crying"!

Anyway a few nights ago, I was sprawled in bed and all of a sudden -- Will Barratt, our Director of Photography, was hovering above me and asking, "Now, when you were sleeping in the master shot, was your arm under your head or next to it?" After a few sleepy re-adjustments of my arm for my closeup, I was only able to finally wake out if it by thinking, "Wait a second - what the hell is a camera doing in my bedroom?!" Alas, it was all a dream.

I think once you start having "continuity dreams", it's probably a good time to end a project - and with me being picture wrapped last night, it was perfect.

This experience was awesome. The entire cast & crew's talents all came together on this one and I think you'll see that up on the screen. Adam and his gang's enthusiasm kept us all going during these tough night shoots and I can't wait to see it all put together!

Now I'm off to getting back to the sleeping schedule of a day-walker and finding the next job because I'm unemployed again!

-Parry aka "Shawn"

Well, there's only three nights left in principal photography. Unfortunately, we had to extend our shoot by just one day because a major television network came in to our space, offered up more money for the location, and boned us out of a night of work to shoot their show. Fortunately, that show was cancelled yesterday. Karma is a bitch.

It's hard to give praise to just a few when ALL are doing such an amazing job, however, before I went in to work tonight I wanted to share a few words about Richard Riehle (MR. PERMATTEO) and Parry Shen (SHAWN). If you look up "professional" in the dictionary, somewhere in the definition there should be pictures of both of these men.

Richard wouldn't complain if you tried to pay him to do it. He showed up an hour early to work and hung around almost an hour afterwords each day. He was always smiling, always happy to be doing whatever it was I was making him do, and he is a damn fine actor. There was one night particularly, when Richard had to climb out of a sinking boat in the pouring rain and stand on a log that was maybe 10 inches wide and 5 feet above the water. We had a stunt double standing by to take the massive fall against the log, yet Richard got so into it that he went for it on his own and took a spill down against the log and off into the swamp. The medic and water safety official ran to his side. The rest of the crew stood there aghast. After a few moments, Richard comes out from the swamp. LAUGHING. "How was that?" The cast and crew cheered for him. His stunt double took me aside..."I still get paid for this, right?" The way the schedule worked, Richard was one of the first actors to be picture wrapped. But if there was a way I could have re-written the story to keep him around til the end, I certainly would have. Not a night goes by where someone doesn't say "Man, I miss Richard Riehle."

Tonight is my last night working with Parry Shen, and I am bummed. Every time we picture wrap an actor it's like graduation. You're celebrating the accomplishment but at the same time, having to say goodbye. Parry Shen had a very difficult job because he was playing my favorite character in the movie. And as any actor can tell you, sometimes you have impossible expectations to live up to in a case where the Director is also the Writer. But Parry exceeded my expectations and brought the character of SHAWN to a whole new level. His choices were always wisely made and he always did his homework the night before. Everyone in the cast complimented him on his achievements in this movie by dubbing him a 'Richard Riehle Junior'. Always smiling, always prepared, always professional...and always SO amazingly good, this is a guy who not only worked the entire night in the freezing rain, but went home to a newborn daughter in his limited time off. I am devastated to see him wrap out tonight.

Props to Shannon Makhanian, our casting director, for sticking with me through over 5 months of casting until I got exactly what I wanted. This entire cast blows me away. I wish a I could write more about everyone. Like how tough Patrika Darbo was when Victor Crowley came calling for her, or how Joleigh Fioreavanti is already wrapped yet the crew is still shouting out her little catch phrases as if her ghost is still with us, or how Deon Richmond can nail almost anything in one take and is one of the funniest dudes alive, or how Robert Englund is one of the few actors you meet at his age who STILL have a passion for acting and film making more than their words can express. Or what about how the over-all mood on set got so somber the first night without Joel Murray there to talk to between takes and blend his own twisted sense of humor into his character each night? Or how Tony Todd can take complete command of not only a scene but an entire movie set with his compassion for each individual word he speaks, how Mercedes McNab consistantly delivers perfect performances and steals your heart whether she has a monologue or a simple one word line, and how John Buechler startled the other cast members out of their trailers as he shouted 'Jack Cracker's' lines at the top of his lungs. I could also go on and on about what a talented actor and great guy Josh Leonard is ("Green, for you I'd die anytime, man"), and how Tamara Feldmen and Joel Moore have become my 'comrades in carnage'- taking the scares of Hatchet even more seriously than I can at certain points and consistantly challenging themselves and taking their art to new levels with each new scene in the story. And then of course there is the real shining star of Hatchet...Kane Hodder. He is so good at what he does that he can actually deliver emotions from behind one of the sickest make-up jobs I've ever seen and he keeps the cast and crew TERRIFIED each night by taking 'Victor Crowley' so seriously from the moment he walks on set. I am so lucky that I not only get to say I worked with all of these people, but that I can REALLY say they are my friends.

They've all shared my vision in taking something that could have been just another genre film and making it something so much more. It's not just about the amazing deaths, the gore, or the scares...it's about the heart that we have all collectively kept beating behind it, and that has made all the difference.

-Adam

As our adventure in murder and mayhem draws to a close, I look back on the dedicated crew and cast, who made this blood dripping splatter fest the deeply enjoyable experience that it was. Everyone was great.

Adam Green’s vision has born fruit, in that he wanted to make homage, to the classic horror films of the 1980’s. Well he’s done that in spades. Yes it’s damn smart, funny and scary, but he’s brought to the screen a roller coaster, eighties style horror film on steroids.

It has more in your face on screen special make-up effects of any in that period. –And I mean wet, nasty and completely disturbing.

When Sarah Elbert (producer) first brought the project my way, I was interested right away, because these people wanted to go ALL OUT in the make-up effects for this film.

This is something I was NEVER allowed to do. Even in my own picture FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 7: THE NEW BLOOD, the censors castrated my picture, removing all the gore, and visceral intensity. It was like telling a joke with no punch-line. I almost gave up directing after that mess. Not so on this picture. I was allowed to go over the limit.

As cathartic as it all was, the starting point for me had to be the VICTOR CROWLY make-up. If I wasn’t inspired by his appearance, I wouldn’t be inspired to take the next step forward. Adam Green allowed me to design one of the most satisfying characters that I’ve ever created. As I looked at my sketches and final sculpture, I realized that I’d created a new icon. And the make-up itself, as innovative and horrifying as the Jason Make-up I’d created for my friend Kane Hodder as Jason some 18 years ago. Having an amazing and intense actor as Kane play him made it work on a level beyond amazing.

It was great seeing Kane run around in the make-up and scare the shit out of all the actors.

Thank you Adam for letting me do it again.

And I also want to thank my Amazing make-up effects crew, so huge that I cannot possibly name them all here, but I must include Jon Fedel, Michelle Chung, Briana Dorner, and -- the incredible A TEAM who kept it all going, The Amazing Brad Harden, who can do ANYTHING. He can fabricate something on the spot, and make it work. His brilliance and artistic creative work has made the show more the greater, for his involvement. Jennifer Rose, whose professionalism, good, hard work, dedication, and aesthetic choices, made all the difference in the world. And huge Kudos to Robert Pendergraft, who was the heart and soul of the make-up effects team. Under his watch every effect was created and executed with a spectacle that would rival anything that the great horror make-up effects greats could conceive.

All the best,

John Carl Buechler

Here it goes.... from your dedicated costume team. First I have to mention what a pleasure it has been to work with a goup of talented, creative, hard working and inspiring team. Everyone from production, transpo, and even catering has made this an adventure and a memory I will always cherish. Ok... I will stop being corny! Adam is a dream to work for. I wish there were more Adam Green's in our business. This job would not have been possible without my amazing team.... Selby Van Horne and Kevin Ackerman. What a dedicated and hard working team I have. Plus they are fun to be around. They are the perfect glam squad.... well, it has not been so glamorous. Anyone who thinks that should not be making horror films. We just don't shop .... like most people think we do. We go home every night covered in dirt in blood. However, this is why I love my job. Once the clothes are approved we are in charge of gettting multiples.... what a scavenger hunt it is. Sometimes we even have to make doubles by hand... we are in charge of any dirt and blood that appears on the clothes. Each time we shoot a scene we have to match the dirt and blood. It takes a detailed oriented person to capture that effect. it's not easy but someone has to do it. I love working with blood and dirt..... you can get as creative as you want and you feel like a kid again. This job would not have been possible without the great cast that we have. They have been real troopers and have amazing attitudes. Everynight we have to get them wet, dirty, and bloody. The actors are there with smiles on their faces and have let us do our job to make an amazing movie. Thank you! (Or at least they are acting like they enjoy it! ) I know pay backs are hell but I am willing to take that chance. Thank you for letting me be a part of an amazing experience and a project that I am so proud of. The characters in this movie all have a specific look and it made my job more fun. The actors have worn the same outfit for four weeks...so I know in the end we will all be sick and tired of the costumes and we will all burn the clothes at the end of this. Love you all and thank you for a great adventure.... looking forward to a sequal!

-Heather

As a still photographer, my job is pretty much to stay out of everybody's way and still manage to capture what the camera is seeing and more. Well, last night my filmmaking experience crossed from fiction to reality. Last night on set, Victor Crowley GOT ME.

You would assume working on the film, and seeing all the stuff that goes into creating the characters, make up, hair, costume, I would be able to detach fiction from reality but in the presence of Victor Crowley it is a very fine line. I was standing by camera with everyone ready to shoot. From the corner of my eyes I saw Adam and Victor come to set for a big killing scene. The tension was high, the set completely still and quiet. I turned my head away from them as they were both passing by my side when.... I felt this strong hand grab the back of my neck (and not softly!). I quickly turned to see whose hand that was only to feel chills shoot down my spine when I realized the hand grabbing me belonged to the 8 feet tall monster I've witnessed kill many by this point. I was totally frozen in time. Victor let go of my neck as he casually continued walking behind Adam to set. It was so subtle, not even the camera assistants standing inches away from me saw this, but I felt it in the very bones of my body. That experience gave me a new found respect for our actors who are having to feel much worse from his hands. I will never forget this experience and have to thank Sarah Elbert and Adam Green for giving me the honor of not only capturing but experiencing Victor's world. I cannot wait to see this film and hear all of you scream!

-Christel

We're in the final stretch and man is it stressful. But I wanted to give a quick shout out to Christel Golden, our set still photographer. She is responsible for the tiny photographic tidbits I've shared with you all in these journals...and a whole TON of unbelievable production photos that are still just for our eyes only. Christel- none of this would be the same without your work. You've captured it ALL!

(www.christelgoldenimages.com)

Here's a few pics from the other night...

-Adam

Drinking a Heineken, Mercedes and I are reflecting on the last couple days of shooting. We have been working our asses off, shooting between first and second units, and yesterday the production added a third unit. This means that we now have three different cameras running, three different lighting sets, electric dep., etc. at the same time. Adam runs between the sets checking in on 2 and 3, loving it and coming back to 1 where the main scenes are going on. 2 and 3 pick up what is left of the scenes when we finish. It is a fascinating experience.

Mercedes saw Crowley for the first time yesterday. But three hours before he was even on set she was bawling in preparation for his arrival. It is amazing the fear, and energy that Victor brings when he is on set. The girls meeting him for the first time could literally barely get through the first take of the scenes. I have never experienced anything like that. I was watching on the monitor, and the anticipation of them meeting him was ridiculous. The whole mood of the shoot changes when he shows up. Mercedes and Joleigh set up for the scene, and Adam had Kane step on. He walked up behind them, let out a shriek that shook the monitors, and both of the girls started crying hysterically. I'll let Mercedes chime in at this point:

Awww shit

That's it from her.

Wait til you see him.....

-Joel & Mercedes

Tonight 3 of our cast members met Victor Crowley for the first time. It was AMAZING. Whenever the big man is on set, everything changes with our set and crew protocol. No one speaks, no one laughs, no one addresses the actors...and I make them wait for what seems like an eternity before I call "action". I don't know how to exactly describe what the air is like during those moments... other than 'honest'. Everything is on the table, the actors are forced to start dealing with emotions that build and build in the suspense of waiting to begin, and the entire crew is silenced into their own heads... observing the world of Hatchet without words.

It's not so much a scare tactic or something I need to do to help get the actors into the moments, but just something I do out of respect for the scene at hand and for the story I'm telling. In my opinion it's also a matter of respect for the characters within the story. For the events within a film to unfold honestly, EVERYTHING and EVERYONE must be feeling it in order for it to work. When I scream "beautiful!" after a perfect take or stand on my chair and shout "check that shit!" after something difficult goes off correctly... EVERYONE on the set claps and cheers for the moment that we just captured. It's like doing a live performance on stage where you are both the performer AND the audience. The cast, the crew, and the MOMENT are one. When they scream, we scream. And MAN...when they cry, we cry.

To the cast members who I put through the ringer tonight- thank you. To those that have already wrapped out and are no longer with us- we miss you.

-Adam

I just have to tell all who are wondering what it's like to work with three beautiful women in the woods all night for weeks on end. TIRING! Mercedes, Tamara, and Joleigh are like having your own little circus follow you around wherever you go. They never stop, it's like Groundhogs Day on acid, or some other very legal alternative (for my mother). I didn't think that I could be out-funnied, out-grossed-out, out-talked, out-ran, my manhood is being challenged. They all have special skills, some giggle, some yell, some dance, and Deon and I...just watch.

Oh, and the shoot is incredible.

-Joel

Hello from the Art Department. We are entering the last, and bloodiest week of principal photography. What a long and strange trip it has been.

I started scouting our locations with Adam back in early March and have been scrambling to achieve Adam's vision ever since. From building duplicate versions of the Crowley House to creating the shed that Victor inhabits while relaxing after a good slaughter. We are almost done and I wanted to sound off on my experience working on Hatchet.

First, Adam Green. Working with first time Directors is always a little nerve wracking before production begins, you never really know how it will all shape up until Day 1. Yet, Adam has never acted like a first time Director. From Day 1 he has been a veteran with the ability to deal with last minute problems that are just a day to day event in the world of film making. The cast and crew love him! He treats everyone with equal respect and always has a sarcastic quip to ease everyones sleep deprived brains. I have worked with some of the best Directors and have no doubt Adam Green is a name the movie viewing public will be very familiar with in the coming years. Thank you Adam for allowing me the opportunity to create a world you have inhabited for countless years.

Second, Will Barratt, DP. A consumate professional, Will has adapted to the most complicated photography in film making: shooting in the woods at night. I wish I could be on set more often to watch Will and his team light the sets we have worked so long and hard to construct, but my job is to stay ahead of the company and keep them moving. Will, it has been a pleasure viewing dailies and seeing our collaboration come to life on the small screen, I can't wait to see Hatchet when it is forty feet tall. Thank you for bringing our sets to life.

Third, Tim Beckett, Art Director and my right hand. Tim has taken my designs and helped to breathe life into them. Whether armed with a brush, or a hammer he has been integral in bringing Adam's story to life. A million thanks are due young Victor Jr.

Lastly, the entire production team that has made Hatchet a real feature film. From Sarah Elbert who brought me on board and introduced me to Adam; thank you Sarah. Scott and Cory who have made this feel like a forty million dollar film. Sarah Donohue who has the most thankless job, but deserves all our appreciation for putting up with all the money questions. Thank you for having the answers.

John & Robert of MMI. You guys are sick and I love you for that.

Craig Borden, an amazing 1st AD with a great sense of humor. Smoke 'em if you got 'em!

Very lastly, my Art Department. From the Moss crew to Peggy Paola, my Decorator. I owe each and every one of you more than you can imagine. Thank you for killing yourselves to make Hatchet look and feel like a movie with a huge studio budget.

From the Love Rodeo,

-Bryan A. McBrien

Well, the gore fest continues. Last night we were slaughtering a guy with an agricultural instrument and just as I called action, Rick, the stunt man started wailing away on him like a some kind of nightmarish abattoir machine. The blood flew like a busted fire plug drenching camera, crew and location alike. Oh and did I mention, we also hosed a boat that was parked in a nearby lake?! I thought I was going to loose my lunch, and it just kept getting better and better! With each blow the victim gashed open farther and farther into a horrendous gaping wound of agonizing death and spewing sanguine hemorrhage! "Cut!" I called, smiling. I was reminded of Felini. Just think, some people have to work at real jobs, but I get to bisect people for Adam Green. Life is good.

Hi! I'm Jenn- part of the Makeup FX crew!! Every night I partake in helping Victor Crowley execute some of the most brutal kills I've ever seen...and every night (morning) I stumble into my home, caked with blood, latex, dirt and leaves. My hands seem to be permanently stained red from the fountains of blood that rain down on us almost nightly. I feel like I've become a monster myself. I rarely see daylight... and when I do venture out into the real world, I get strange and frightened looks due to my blood splattered clothes.

And yet... I couldn't be happier. In fact, I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world. Every night is an adventure. I remember the first time I saw the Crowley house. The crew was filming down the hill, and I was wandering around getting a feel for the area. I turned a corner, and there it stood.... cold and alone... creaking wood set against twisting trees. I peeked my head inside, with nothing buy my flashlight to see by, and could hear unseen creatures (animals? Or something else...?) scurrying about. A chill went down my spine as a smile crept across my face. I was "alone" in the woods in the Crowley house.... it just doesn't get much cooler than that folks! A few nights later, as the calendar struck Friday the 13th... there I was in the house again, handing Victor Crowley the hatchet he would use to slaughter a poor soul mere moments later. I think I smiled the entire drive home that night!

And on top of the fun I'm having, I'm surrounded by an amazing cast and crew. I'm working side by side with some of the most entertaining, passionate, warm, wonderful people I've ever met and am thrilled to be a part of this production. As an artist and as a huge horror fan, there really isn't anywhere else I'd rather be every night. I actually get antsy on my nights off wishing I was on set. I really can't believe it's almost over. It's so hard to comprehend that in a week's time, I won't be spending my nights in the woods watching the sun rise over the grisly scenes I've gotten to help create. It's almost depressing. But...there is still a week to go...and let me tell ya, we've saved some of the best for last. I'm thrilled with anticipation and a childlike glee over the carnage that is to come.

I want to send out many thanks to John Buechler, Robert Pendergraft, Brad Harden for letting me be their partner in crime... and to every one else I see every night, for making me feel so welcome and for being... well... so damn cool. I love you guys.

–Jenn

We finished week 3 with a BLOODY bang and witnessed what just may be one of Hatchet's best death sequences unfold. Once again, I left the set with blood on my hat, face, and neck. Only this time, I wasn't just a good distance away- but under shelter...in a barn. Yes, and I still got hit. We hit our 100th roll of film the night before last and I was asked to make a quick champagne toast to the film. I'm not quite sure what I said exactly, but man is it hard to stand in front of this crew and know that the "party" is almost over. I truly wish it would never end.

Before we embark on our final week of principal photography, I just wanted to give a quick mention to some of the genius folks behind Hatchet's heart and soul. There are two groups who basically make the "scares" possible. And they both work their asses off.

First is our on set make-up effects team, headed by John Buechler and executed by Robert Pendergraft, Brad Harden, and Jennifer Rose. Talk about getting your hands dirty! Not only does this crew pull off the impossible...but they are almost always given half the time they need to pull it off. Their contribution to this production will be evident on the screen, but their contribution to me personally and emotionally could not ever be described enough. You KNOW you're making a good film when the folks who have "been there and done that" look to you and say that they are proud to be a part of this.

Secondly is our fearless 2nd Unit. These are the guys who basically save the day but never take the credit they deserve. They are given half the equipment and half the time to pick up all of the "insert" shots that make a scene in a movie an actual SCENE. Often times they will have to take hours trying to match a close up of a hand picking up a notecard, a hatchet slamming into a shoulder, or intestines slapping off of a tree. They pull off the shots that complete the story. It's hard to just mention a few of them, but director Mark Weatherbe, director of photography Steve Smith, and art director Bruce Barlow are perhaps the oddest, weirdest, and most kick ass bunch you've ever seen. I've decided that a new goal of mine is to find a project that will make Bruce Barlow 'draw the line'. The man is a miracle worker who will do anything it takes to make a shot work. Whether he's burried in a hole up to his neck, standing in water in 40 degree weather all night, or playing photo doubles for EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in the movie...the guy just won't be beat. And no matter how tough his night was...he's cracking jokes and laughing about it at craft service the next day. That is...when we remember to give 2nd Unit craft service.

Tonight a bunch of us visited a local bar after work. Drinks at 6:30am is not the most normal thing I've ever done. But if it helps us spend just a few more hours of the day together- it works for me.

Here are some more random pictures....

-Adam

First of all, the dailies are BEAUTIFUL!

After 14 days of shooting I’ve finally got a break to talk about the Hatchet crew. I could run down and thank the catering & craft service, production design, hair & makeup, transportation, art, grip, electric and camera departments individually, EVERY MINUTE and still not relay my gratitude for their attitude and creativity.

Honestly, I’ve never worked with a more professional and fun group. We work just as hard prepping a scene as we do cracking jokes and laughing. Cranking up “Mr. Roboto, and Top Gun” from the cell phones always makes for a good day… to a point, I guess.

Its always been ArieScope's philosophy to put together people who enjoy doing what they do, and enjoy life. And everyone on our team is sticking to it.

The shoot’s not over yet, and we’re kicking some ass.

My position on this film has been to assist the director. This is not to be confused with an assistant director but an assistant to the director or rather my very much appreciated title for my internship under the director. Thus my secondary duty has been to observe both visually and aurally in order to increase my understanding of the role of the director. Being relatively new to the "real world" of film-making and still somewhat consumed by my film school misconceptions, I have stepped onto the set of "Hatchet" and encountered a whirlwind of learning experiences from every direction.

Most importantly I have learned this; there are two distinct sides to being a film director. The first side is comprised of calling action, cut, directing actors, talking to the DP, drinking coffee, and all of that stuff. The second side is the side that is seldom seen. This is the dark side of directing, the stuff they don't warn you about in film school. The side that has to do with staying up all hours of the day writing shot lists then re-writing them, negotiating the schedule, fighting the numerous day to day battles, making compromises and self sacrifices all the while holding on to the true meaning of the film and still getting up in the afternoon to take care of the first side of directing and not letting anyone know the kind of hell you dealt with previous to. I can't wait to get my shot at this.

Justin

At midnight it turned Friday the 13th. Athough we had some technical issues, like an 80 foot condor that couldn't make it up to our set and a gun that wouldn't fire...we were still blessed with some good luck and some amazing shots. Tonight, believe it or not, was the first night of the entire shoot that I came home bloody. But the best part is that I was about 30 feet away from the kill, behind a monitor, and I STILL got hit. (Yeah, it was that nasty.)

There are always great friendships made on productions. After all, working so hard as a team through such difficult conditions can really bring you together. And HATCHET is about as trying as it gets. Night for night, in a swamp, no way to communicate with the outside world, freezing cold, rain, fire, special effects, gore gags, live animals, children, stunts, and a super aggressive low budget schedule. But our crew has to be one of the best that there ever was. If there was only a way to show the whole world what an honor it is to walk on to these sets each night and get to work among these people. And not just the actors and key positions that everyone always gets to hear about. I'm talking about everyone from our overworked and kick ass Production Assistants...to our unbelievable art department...to our under staffed yet still amazing Grip and Electrics...to our wonderful craft service and catering...and EVERY single person in between. I realized tonight that we've past the halfway mark on principal photography and it got me thinking. What am I going to do when this is over? What's life going to be like when I don't get to be with all of these people every day? How is it going to feel when Craig, my 1st AD, yells "That's a picture wrap!" to us all?

The shoots not even over and I miss my new friends already.

-Adam

Last night was COLD. I think we hit 37 degrees. Thank goodness no one had to be wet, AND thank the Comedic Gods above for sending us Joel Moore. He is totally the captain of the Hatchet Cheerleading team. As soon as everyone starts fading in the wee hours of the swampish mornings, Joel Moore breaks out jokes, songs and smiles. "I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty, I've got who's-its and what's-its galore. You want thing-a-mabobs? I've got twenty. But who cares? No big deal. I WANT MORE!!!!" He sings a mean Little Mermaid! And with Tamara, Mercedes and Joleigh he's got the hottest back-up singers in Hollywood. The real show is behind-the-scenes. Should make for a hilarious DVD.

Richard Riehle is another gem. It's freezing outside and he stands soaking wet with a gigantic smile on his face. Never a peep about how uncomfortable he must be. He took a swift dive in the the swamp and we actually thought about sending his stunt double home as his 'fall' was as good as it could be! What a trooper! His scenes are so funny they make you cry laughing.

Another three members of our cast have families and go home to play "Mr. Mom" after these long nights. We are very lucky to work with such fine people.

Well, heading out for another night in the swamp. Who ever thought we'd be wearing long underwear, winter coats, gloves, scarfs and earmuffs in May?!?!?

-Sarah ELBERT

Here we are, the third week of filming......whew! We girls over in the hair/make-up trailer, have been working extra hard making sure all of Victor C's victims are beautiful and ready for the camera:) Working on this film has been extremely exciting, with plenty of dirt, blood, cuts and bruises to paint on everyone! The cast is absolutely incredible! They don't even seem to hate us yet. Even though, take after take in the freezing cold, we spritz them down with Evian mist, throw mud on them, and drench their hair with "hair wet", ( a combo of conditioner + water)! We can't wait to see what happens next:)

Kimberly E: Key Make-up
Susanna R: Key Hair
Rileah V: Asst. MU/Hair

Holy shit! Are you kidding? Well, we got through week 1. This is terrifying! The first shot on set involved Victor Crowley and I almost had a heart attack. First we sprayed down a dirt road with water and I got to roll around in it. Then came the spray down. Deon is possibly the funniest person ever when being sprayed with cold water at 2 in the morning. We still have no idea what Victor looks like when we go behind a moseleum to wait for action. All of a sudden a gutteral yell is heard from out of no where and we all huddled together in a panic. The more he screamed the more I screamed and the more I screamed the more he screamed. I couldn't even get close enough to my mark because I was terrified. We were supposed to stand there for a beat while he attacked but I couldn't manage to stand still and ran off. . . in the wrong direction! I didn't know I was such a pansy. He, of course, didn't stop chasing us after cut was called and Deon got nabbed. By the end of the first night my nerves were shot because I feel like I've been running through a haunted house for 12 hours soaking wet!

The rest of the days were every bit as terrifying. I got thrown into the swamp right after the stunt man chased away a huge water snake, and Victor smacked me in the back of my head so hard you could hear it in the boom and see the water fly off my head! This is the most fun I've ever had! The rest of the cast is so funny and always cracking jokes and singing. I can't believe I get to be a part of this, it's awesome.

-Tamara

I used to always say that the 2 best things that have ever been invented (besides the usual stuff like electricity/telephone/computer) were: air conditioning and NYC Pizza. Now I would like to add a third to the list: Wetsuits.

Since the entire cast gets caught in a rainstorm in the script, we all get sprayed down with water before every take at night -- and the wetsuit underneath my costume has been a lifesaver.

Although, others like Mercedes and Joleigh have not been as fortunate as their costumes don't really allow much for concealing a wetsuit -- so they've been real troopers the entire time!

Hopefully the DVD behind the scenes will showcase all the water "touchups" we had to go through but from what we've been told -- it all looks great. And in the end, that's all that really matters, right? How does that saying go again?

"Chicks dig Hatchet Scars, Hypothermia and Runny Noses are temporary -- but glory is forever."

-Parry aka "Shawn"