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Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 2:34 pm on Mar. 4, 2008.
A Post from the Director
Early last week, all our plans were going wrong; it was a very, very stressful time for the old director. By Tuesday night there was too much snow at our selected location, and all our horses had de-materialized. Frankly, watching our carefully laid plans going up in smoke was difficult.
Then on Wednesday afternoon, my Uncle Andy began making cold calls from the phone directory to stable owners in the area. On the third call, he found the perfect stable, and the owner said that we could use her horses. It was truly a divine appointment. We needed to bring 20 people in and have four actors on horses for a day and a half as we shot a bunch of scenes. We needed snow, large open fields, open woods, and dense woods. We needed to be in medieval costumes, carry weapons, set up a dolly track, rip down tree braches in the way of shots, use her bathroom, and “disasterize” her kitchen for lunch. This is a lot to ask of a perfect stranger, but Sheryl allowed us to come in and basically take over, giving us the horses and free run of the farm, on which she had access to some perfect wooded trails.
Because there was about eight inches of snow on the ground we had to use our 4×4’s (ours and a friend’s which the Lord provided) to get back into the property. This was also okay with Sheryl. Saturday was quite a cold day, but we shot from about 9 a.m. till dusk. The horses, which had long winter coats, were perfect for our need. A friend of Sheryl’s, Betty (also a perfect stranger to us), came over to help out with the horses – she was simply fantastic and helped us get a lot out of the horses. On top of all that we worked with a new second camera man who we flew in from
Oklahoma City. He did a great job. The Lord really blessed and provided. Thank you so much for your prayers.
One of the trails on the farm
King Ambrosius riding Teddy (a thoroughbred)
Artos
Wenneveria taking the lead in the hunt
Steve can’t get up again!
Sunset on a blessed day
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 2:15 pm on .
Saturday was another early winter morning for the Pendragon crew. By 7:30 the van was on the way to the horse farm on which we had been filming the day before. By nine o’clock, the cameras were rolling. Although there are always risks and limitations when working with horses, the four horses we used worked extremely well. We received so much help from Sheryl and Betty, who worked with the horses, and even they were amazed at the horses’ cooperation.
God provided a beautiful day. The sun shone and there was not too much wind, but even the warmest below-freezing temperatures can be bone-chilling. Early on in the shoot, we began passing out hand warmers. Almost everyone had warmers in their boots and gloves. One o’clock was lunch break, and we all headed into the house. Lisa made chilly and the steaming bowls helped to thaw out our frozen bodies. After lunch we continued filming the horses, and we were able to complete every shot we needed. The whole day went more smoothly than we could have hoped it would. Filming wrapped up at a reasonable hour, and by God’s grace, the shoot was a big success.
Marilyn warming her face
Cadeyrn astride Gideon
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 11:06 pm on Mar. 3, 2008.
Early Friday morning, the crew headed out to the Northern Burns’s pond. God decorated the set with crystal snowflakes—the effect was perfect. The freshly falling snow helped to cover the tracks we made in previous takes. We filmed a section of the scene in which Artos, Wenneveria, Cadeyrn, and Ambrosius go boar hunting. After five hours of filming, we grabbed our lunches and piled into the vans to set up in our next location, a horse farm. Sheryl graciously allowed us to her horses and to film on her beautiful farm. The day was full, but pleasant, and we thank God for His many answered prayers.
A brief meeting on set
Caleb and Gabriel, two of Cadeyrn’s henchmen
Peter and Nathan were in charge of sweeping the snow off the actors between takes.
John-Clay Burnett, who came up to run a camera for this shoot did a great job.
Aaron astride Gloria
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 9:32 pm on Feb. 27, 2008.
The time has come once again to get out the sewing machines, leather scraps, practice swords, and shot lists. In other words, we’re about to start filming again (this weekend)! We have all been quite busy getting ready for this next shoot. Nick has been in Michigan at the Northern Burns’ house since the 17th working to prepare for this Michigan shoot. Marilyn, Aaron and Nick have been working on designing and creating costumes for several days. The boys have also been choreographing some fighting shots.
We are going to be working with a new cameraman on the crew this weekend. John Clay, who lives in Oklahoma City, will be running the second camera. Lord willing, our group will be together once again on Thursday night.
Nick working on a costume for Wenneveria
Nathan constructing vambraces
Movies make messes!
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 1:30 pm on Feb. 18, 2008.
We’re so sorry that we could not have posted this sooner, but unfortunately the computer containing all of the art entries crashed and we were not able to judge them on schedule. Now that the computer is back up and running, we are excited to announce the winners of the Pendragon Art Contest. Because we received so many great entries, we have divided the entries into four categories with a first, second, and third place winner in each. The categories are as follows: ages five through eight; ages nine through eleven; ages twelve through fifteen; and ages sixteen through eighteen. We will be contacting the first and second place winners with details on their prizes.
AGES FIVE THROUGH EIGHT:
First Place: Anna Hayse, age 7
Second Place: Esther Hayse, age 5
Third Place: Laura Peloquin, age 6
Benjamin Burnett, age 7
AGES NINE THROUGH ELEVEN:
First Place: Carinna Burnett, age 11
Second Place: Scott Hayse, age 9
Third Place: Isaac Atherton, age 10
Lydia Hayse, age 11
Scott Hayse, age 9
Rebecca Bryson, age 9
Hannah Bryson, age 11
Joseph Peloquin, age 11
Maggie Burnett, age 11
AGES TWELVE THROUGH FIFTEEN:
First Place: Samuel Atherton, age 12
Second Place: Olivia Atherton, age 14
Third Place: Emily Hayse, age 14
Hannah Stephenson, age 15
Naomi Groleau, age 15
Samuel Atherton, age 12
Andrew Grubb, age 12
AGES SIXTEEN THROUGH EIGHTEEN
First Place: Elisabeth Hayse, age 16
Second Place: Joanna Marie, age 17
Third Place: Victoria Atherton, age 17
Marie Lemelin, age 17
Tabitha Groleau, age 18
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 4:05 am on Feb. 11, 2008.
Due to computer failure we are unable to announce the winners of our art contest today. We are very sorry about the delay and will post them as soon as possible. We have received a lot of great drawings and we are excited about the whole event.
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 10:20 am on Feb. 4, 2008.
From the Director…
A request for prayer. Hi everyone, as we embark upon a new year of filming and the last leg of this incredible journey, it’s easy to begin thinking about how many dollars and cents will be required to pull it off. But we have been reminded that dollars and cents never pulled it off before and it won’t do it now. The Lord’s unmerited favor upon this project has been all that has propelled it forward and held it together – I really believe that the team effort we’ve seen could not be duplicated for 200K, and our budget has been way way way less than that. We earnestly ask you to be praying that the Lord will continue to shine his grace upon the project and Glorify Himself through it, as He sees fit to do. It has been auspiciously begun. Will you pray with us that He allows us to finish strong as well?
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 7:16 pm on Jan. 8, 2008.
This past year was one of the most amazing years of our lives. We saw the Lord open doors one after another. Answering many specific prayers, He grew the scope of this film project beyond all that we could ask or think. It was a summer of sleepless nights, tremendous team work, and extremely successful shooting. Between forming so many new friendships while working with all of you, and seeing the Lord bring perfect strangers together to begin a potentially culture changing work – this summer was a humbling learning experience for all of us. (and a lot of fun too!)
This past autumn we pushed to achieve one goal – finishing the rough edit. Much hinged on that. We were praying that above all else the story and message would miraculously come shining through the chaos of a million frantic details. Along the way, we have continually seen the Lord’s provision and blessing; we compiled a trailer which exceeded even our expectations, and to which Mr. Phillips gave a gracious premier introduction at the opening ceremony of the SAICFF this past October; we have secured several thousand dollars in funding for our sound track from a university; and we have been extremely encouraged as a compelling story has begun to emerge from our efforts.
We believe that the diamond in the rough promise of the first edit suggests that this film will be appealing to many people – and we feel that with just a little more work we can leap from having made a good film to having succeeded in creating a great film, with the potential of reaching a large audience.
A “little more work” presents a few minor problems – mainly in the areas of scheduling, time, and money. Those of us at BFS have made the difficult decision to put off other plans for another 8 months to finish shooting this summer with the final release date now set for September 1, 2008. If you have stood with us in the past, we would ask you to prayerfully consider joining us again - and if you have recently found us, we would love to make your acquaintance on the project in this New Year.
A compelling story portrayed through film reaches into the heart and mind like no other form of entertainment in our culture today. Where the Lord may take this project and all of us, none can tell, but several of us are considering film as a vocation. At the heart of every good film is a great story, and as Christians we have great stories worth telling.
From all of us at BFS, we wish you a blessed new year,
Chad Burns, Director
P.S. Here are a few pictures…it takes one’s breath away to look at just a slice of what the Lord has already accomplished through our efforts.
Nick gives direction to extras during one of our longest and most challenging shoots (Aug 2007)
Remember this? One of the early shoots. “Quiet on the set! Cameras roll! A speed, B speed, Slate. A set, B set. Ready?… go extras… 3,2,1 Action!!”
Women and children of Briton building a hill fort under Artos’s direction
The hill fort wall goes up
Angry Saxons pull it down. (Nathan in the foreground made our spears and axes – way to go Nathan)
This is one Saxon who can sew as well. (Mr. Burnham takes time off from bashing Brits to fix a sewing machine - again)
The Mist Rises…as Nebuchadnezzar of old, the dew fell on us over and over again as we found ourselves filming through the entire night into the early hours of dawn. (Out on the set, Raegenhere, takes a moment to rest on his sword.)
An army still fights on its stomach. Food was one of our largest line items during the summer shooting, along with insurance, cloth, and transportation.
Lacking true ‘pre-viz’ we did a lot of it on set hours before the actors and extras arrived.
Mr. Safety keeps a watchful eye on things, like…
…Nick chucking a fire pot into a house – moms, please notice the gloves – this was very safe.
Kyle lines up a shot on the dolly. When it comes to shooting a complex motion shot nobody nails it like Kyle.
Ethan’s mind does auto framing – meaning he simply gets the best shot of everything going on all the time…Period. (Handy kind of guy to have around.)
Mr. Atherton leaves his family to join the army. Working against the setting sun this shot was tricky.
Setting up for a long dolly shot.
“Q” (on the ground) gives Aaron instructions on how to deflect a blow Nick will be delivering in a moment. Q, the closest thing alive to a traveling lance, is a high school teacher by day.
We prayed for horses and the Lord brought many folks who owned horses. Thanks a bunch to all of you who brought your mounts. We will be doing more shooting with horses in 2008 – yippee!
Instead of renting a location to film our forging scenes Aaron and Nick just built one in the back yard. Hey, why not?
Marilyn’s response to the suggestion that we film anther 6 weeks this summer –when she realized we were serious, she passed out.
It really was a great summer – we had a ton of fun together and are looking forward to another great year. Please keep praying for the Lord’s guidance and provision.
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 1:20 pm on Jan. 5, 2008.
Smash! “That’s number 32,” called Peter as he dropped a crooked nail into a bowl full of others like it. You guessed it…that’s how we Burns spent New Year’s Eve weekend—building a sound studio. The construction site was originally a 12 x 8 structure in the Northern Burns basement that the previous owner had built to display his model trains. The Northern Burns had been using it for storage. Aaron and Uncle Andy researched how to make a sound-proof room, and purchased the special materials needed. Uncle Ray headed up the construction crew, and after three days of “measuring once and cutting twice,” (as Aaron would say) the room is close to being finished.
The model train table before it was torn out
Nick removing part of the top of the table
The inner structure of the table
Aaron constructing a wall of the sound studio
Putting the roof in place
Posted by Shannon and Sara Burns at 9:17 pm on Dec. 31, 2007.
Shannon and Sara invite you to enter Burns Family Studio’s Pendragon Art Contest! Check back February 11, 2008 to see the entries.
• First place winner will receive an autographed photograph of a main character of his choice (Artos, Cadeyrn, or Wenneveria)
• Entries should depict the Pendragon Project in some way
• Any contestant up to 18 years of age may enter
• Each contestant may submit a maximum of two entries
• Any two-dimensional form of art is permitted (no photography entries)
• Art should be submitted by email to burnsfmly@aol.com OR by mail to the following address:
Pendragon Art Contest co/
The Burns Family
4818 Heather Lane
Bethalto, IL 62010
• All entries must include the contestant’s full name, age, mailing address, and valid email address
•Entries MUST be received by February 10, 2008
•No art work will be returned, and we reserve the right to use all art work in any form
* Art considered inappropriate will be disqualified
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