Production Log #001: Kickstarting the process.
A production log on launching a micro-budget prestige film, confronting avoidance, and finally committing to the process in real time.
December 9th — From the frost, 8:23 PM
BURYING DORIS is a prestige ensemble drama about grief, legacy, and the emotional reckoning of an estranged New England farm family. This series, “Production Log”, serves as a year-long production journal tracking the film’s evolution in real time.
Today I touched:
Today’s focus was on uncovering and confirming the goal. After last night’s phone call with my collaborator, Chris Heck, I contemplated what my real goals for 2026 are, and making Burying Doris is one of them.
One thing that worked:
Putting my words onto “paper” helped unravel the mess of thoughts in my head. As a result, I was glad to have published the raw personal essay below.
One thing that didn’t:
We still need more investment, and I keep avoiding that work.
The feeling under all of it:
Bruised but clear and committed.
Tomorrow, I will:
Reestablish a proper outline to guide the final touch-ups on the script.
Inventory all resources my team has access to.
Establish my formal list of non-negotiables for the project.
Together, with Faith.
M.P. Rekola
P.S. As an independent creator, I earn my living through affiliate links, views, sales of my filmmaking dictionary on Amazon, producing industrials via Goodworks (You can hire us!), consulting on individual projects, and a “micro” drive-in movie theatre I’m building.
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