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Brian Nguyen

@verity.brian

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I make stuff. Mostly for my pleasure, sometimes yours. #ʜᴀɴᴅᴍᴀᴅᴇᴏɴʟʏ

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November 7, 2022.

I've taken the first step on a new adventure. I've just come out of a village council meeting securing approval to shoot my first film there.

I can't tell you how long I've waited to do something like this and just how excited I am to do it. It feels like all my life experience so far was leading to this point.

I will be documenting my steps as I go in a series of posts called, "Lies and Shortcuts: Or How to Make a Movie From Nothing."

My foundry casting project has been secretly funding this sole project. I need to finish raising the funds for my budget in the next 3-4 months, then prep everything for a shoot in mid-late August. That's casting, crewing, props and costumes as well as assembling more equipment (sourcing more where snd from who I can). I will be posting a lot to the Iowa Film Group for this in the coming months.

If this is my first and last film, I'm gonna give it all I got. by @verity.brian

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4 years ago

Here they are, the finished hilts for the V2 (left) and V3 (right), just in time for #returnofthejedi40th

Through much trial and error, research, experimentation, and a pinch of good fortune; these are a first since Star Wars' production. These are the stunt hilts as made like they originally were: off of the original pattern, out of the original material, and in the original construction methods. The first and only two in 50 years.

A quick recap: These particular hilts were originally made for Alec Guinness as Ben Kenobi's special-fx and fencing hilts, respectively, for "Star Wars" in 1976. They were later repurposed and reused for the sequels as practice swords for the fight choreography. When "Return of the Jedi" rolls around, and Luke needed his own unique sword, production hastily refurbished and used one of the stunt hilts, what we now call the V2 for his "belt-hanger." The other stunt hilt, the V3, was kept for the duel scenes besides the Sail Barge sequence (a different stunt hilt all together). It appears as it does now, as in this photo, after it was refurbished for museum tours in the early 90's. The real screen used V2 is in private collection while the V3 remains at the @lucasfilm archives.

@ilmvfx @starwars @markhamill @therpf @thegreatbrandonis @prop_store #lukeskywalker #obiwankenobi #alecguinness #starwars #empirestrikesback #returnofthejedi #rotj40th #starwarsoriginaltrilogy #maytheforcebewithyou #prop #propreplica #thereplicapropforum #therpf #costuming #film #filmhistory #cinema #cinemahistory
#cosplay #metalwork #forging #foundrycasting #aluminumcasting #metalcasting #sandcasting by @verity.brian

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4 years ago

Earliest photo I have of myself and my friend Ryan. Winter, mid-90s this one, I think. At this point, we'd already been friends a year or two (he had just gotten out of his Jurassic Park days, dressing like Alan Grant. Though I think you can still see the red handkerchief poking through).

In four more years, we would've known each other for 30 years.

L to R frontrow: Ryan, me, my cousin @elena_turner25

Backrow L to R: Frank the Janitor, and I think her name was Victoria but everyone called her Tori.

Was it normal to have a school janitor everyone loved at all schools? by @verity.brian

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4 years ago

Been a minute since I've actually made anything for myself, so I knocked these out (had the sculpts and molds for these a while now) with the left over polyester resin I had. Horrible experience working with polyester, and they stank something fierce for many days, but they turned out pretty nice. A mix of the translucent light-up version and the standard boring brown rocks.

#sankarastones #templeofdoom #indianajones by @verity.brian

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2 months ago

Vimeo announced it was killing VOD completely in September.

Gotta move to a platform that people actually use now.

#VOD #Youtube by @verity.brian

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2 months ago

"Very creative...Haven't seen it done like this before."
"This film kept us guessing."
- Dances with Film

PAPER PLATES is now on VoD! Check out this lauded indie-darling about four ill-fourtuned criminals stuck in a village credit union.

Links in bio taken in Viola, Illinois by @verity.brian

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a year ago

After a year on the festival circuit, PAPER PLATES is now available on Vimeo VOD.

Check LINKS in bio to get you where you need to go.

#indiefilm #independentfilm #midwestfilmmaking #lowbudgetfilmmaking #crimethriller @vimeoott @vimeo by @verity.brian

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a year ago

Had a big ol' video cut up but Insta kept removing the audio and a 90 sec splice wasnt enough. So, you get a lame little post.

"PAPER PLATES" is now available to buy ir rent digitally on Vimeo. There's also a Kickstarer for a physical copy too, if anyone wants one. by @verity.brian

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a year ago

I've always maintained the best things about "Attack of the Clones" were the seismic charges and Count Dooku's lightsaber hilt. Looking to finish my PT baddie collection, I sought to add this hilt to the shelf

What started out as a learning exercise to push my own machining abilities wound up becoming nearly a year-long endeavor of trial and error and constant needling frustrations to try and complete the project with my fingers intact. I was looking to challenge myself and I did indeed.

All parts barring the rubber grips and covertec wheel were made from scratch, by hand. This pushed my abilities to cast and machine aluminium, bronze (unused in the final hilt), and brass and I have a better understanding of materials and processes to carry over into future endeavors.

This was obscene amounts of handiwork but I'm really quite proud of how this turned out. Especially where I am with my skill level.

#starwars #attckoftheclones #countdooku #christopherlee #prequeltrilogy #lightsabers #handmade #metalwork #metalcasting taken in Geonosis by @verity.brian

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a year ago

I had a big piece written up for this post, but Instagram's text limit cut half of it off.

In summation of that post:

August 16th marks one year since principal photography started on my dream project, my first feature length movie. I was miserable. I'm miserable. I have extreme and mixed emotions about it still, but I'd gladly do it again. Fuck independent film festivals, too. They don't want your movies, just your money. They'll only accept if it's exactly like everything you've seen in the last 10 years and if there's an air of prestige to the work (in the most literal deceptive meaning of the word); meaning bloated and condescending. This is not ravings of a mad man, just a broke man. taken in Viola, Illinois by @verity.brian

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2 years ago

"Lies and Shortcuts; Or, How to Make a Movie from Nothing"

ENTRY 13

"To My Cast and Crew"

Thank you for keeping the faith.

#indiefilm #independentfilm #firstfeature #PAPERPLATES #featurefilm #midwestfilmmaking #castandcrewpremiere @thelastpichouse taken in The Last Picture House by @verity.brian

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3 years ago

"Lies and Shortcuts; Or, How to Make a Movie from Nothing"

ENTRY 12

"Unstoppable Rash Decisions "

It's been a while since an update on the status of the movie but there's actually some major things going on.

Since the last entry, I've finished the edit and have a stereo mix for the movie, had a private tech screening for the movie (and it plays like a real movie to my relief), I'm in talks for setting up a premiere screening for the cast and crew at my new favorite hangout spot @thelastpichouse , and now I've just submitted the movie to the first block of national festivals for entry. Four of which are in Iowa (three seen in the photo).

Needless to say, but this is another thing that's sapped me dry monetarily. I also fully anticipate being rejected by almost all of them and will just have to eat the financial loss. That's the game, however. There's no point in making a movie and keeping it for oneself; it must be seen some kind of way. I'll be missing meals and drinking lots of water in my future again, it seems.

I'll be sending it out to more places as time and money allows throughout the rest of the year. After that? Who knows? I'm playing things by ear and making much of it up as I go, but, when the year's done, I'm also anticpating that I'll just keel over and die.

#indiefilm #independentfilm #filmmaking #moviemaking #midwestfilmmaking #whathaveidone by @verity.brian

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3 years ago