HERO FOR A DAY was primarily shot on miniDV video tape, utilizing a Sony TRV-900 camcorder, with b-camera footage shot on an analog Sony 8mm HandyCam. The TRV-900 was owned by Branden. Branden has been involved with Eric's film work from his early high school videos to his award winning 2011 film "Caroline of Virginia." Branden is also featured in a supporting role in the project, and is a producer.
FIRST TWO VERSIONS:
I cut the first version, according to the script. Everything about the project was designed to conform to a plan. Previously, I had always been forced to reinvent or come up with another way of doing things because the ideas I had weren't realistic for the resources available. HERO FOR A DAY was designed for the resources I had, and so, while it was still a struggle to coordinate, for the most part it's all there. The problem with HERO FOR A DAY was that it didn't feel the way I had hoped it would, and so in 2009, after transitioning over to Final Cut Pro, I decided to re-cut the entire movie from scratch. This "redux" is essentially how I learned my way around FCP. In capturing all of the original miniDV footage, I actually found shots and alternate takes that I instantly regretted not using in the first version. Since conforming to the original script was no longer my mission, I started experimenting with the story by moving things around. There are the same scenes shot in different locations, at different angles and set-ups, so I used the alternates when it worked.
ON THE MUSIC:
The score of the original cut was composed and performed by Jeff Cusack, in his home studio on Cliff Island, Maine. I commuted out there twice for the sessions. The first time was without footage, so that we could start laying down motifs, and the second was after I had the assembly, so that we could finalize what we had created the first time around. I was taken aback on my second trip, because it was clear that Jeff hadn't worked on it in between our two sessions, and seemed really shocked by the type of score we had worked out initially. It was a good time, though I wish we had both spent more time on it.
In 2009, I decided to further the redux experiment and take Roxy Haji up on an offer to create a score for me. I told her about this project and she started immediately. Her turn around and work ethic really blew me away. Her talent is indisputable. I enjoyed the sample choices, and unconventional instrumentation she peppers into the score - it adds an ancient quality to it that works for the movie's war themes.