Large Hadron Collider On Collision Course With AlphaDogs

BURBANK, Calif. - Nov. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- First time director-producer Leland Montgomery had been stuck in an endless cycle of shooting and re-shooting his first web series for over nine months and was on the verge of giving up because the storyline wasn’t working.  Just when he was about to throw in the towel, fellow collaborator on the series, Zoe Chao suggested they abandon all they had done, refocus the series and make little vignettes for each of the characters instead. Thus was born the new dramatic web series, God Particles. The story follows a damaged group of L.A. millennials suddenly facing what may be the end of the world in a disaster caused by the Large Hadron Collider. Forced to examine who they really are and the choices they’ve made, they find themselves lost and adrift in the face of the apocalypse.

Upon shopping for a post facility to finish the series, Montgomery discovered that finding a team of professional artists who will treat your project with respect and dedication is not as easy as he had hoped. Web series are still viewed by many industry professionals as “secondary” content behind network, cable, and theatrical films, leaving many web series creators wondering which way to turn to find affordable quality post-production for their projects. Feeling like he had reached a dead-end, Montgomery then met with Burbank based AlphaDogs in hopes that they might take his project seriously. “What I really appreciated about AlphaDogs is that they genuinely seemed interested in the project,” said Montgomery. “I had a few meetings with other companies where they made me feel like they were doing me a favor by being there since God Particles was a micro budget web series and (I was) a first time director. AlphaDogs was very open to discussing different options and gave great creative input, as well as expert technical advice.”

In charge of developing the look for the series was AlphaDogs founder and lead colorist, Terence Curren.  Being a character-driven story, Curren worked on creating a feel and vibe reflective of the vapid, self absorbed L.A. millennial. Shot with a neutral picture style, Curren had a blank canvas of sorts to work with when collaborating with director Montgomery, allowing for lots of creative choices with color. “I approached this series in the same way I would any project for broadcast,” said Curren.  “On the creative side, I took just as much time and care as I always do. Color plays a vital role in storytelling, and it’s no different when it comes to a web series.”

Using utmost precision, AlphaDogs head of design Sean Williams worked on shots requiring removal of visible gear or production crew. “Honest dialogue with the client is key to VFX for a constrained project; it’s important to meet their needs while helping them manage their ‘wish list’ to find the really key shots that will enrich the story,” said Williams. Montgomery comments, “Sean was very smart and creative in the way he tackled these issues. I was nervous that it would be really expensive and difficult, but Sean was able to fix everything without going over budget.”

AlphaDogs audio engineer Curtis Fritsch was in charge of handling all audio aspects on God Particles. Web-based content is often viewed on mobile devices or laptops that have inexpensive speakers with less dynamic sound. When completing a mix for a web series the key is in making the mix louder so it’s audible at maximum volume on these devices, while at the same time being of high enough quality for optimum performance with high-end speakers. Fritsch explains, “Just because most web series are distributed on YouTube or Vimeo doesn’t mean the audio can be overlooked or neglected. We are headed toward a future with more web-based content and at AlphaDogs we recognize the importance of having the bar set just as high in the audio department when working on a web series as we do with our network television and theatrical projects.”

Montgomery’s inspiration to create the God Particles came from such films as Melancholia, Magnolia, and Less Than Zero. Montgomery explains, “I’m intrigued by the idea that although people can be awful, they can also have redemptive qualities and most importantly hoping their lives will be better.” Delivering on time and within budget, God Particles will premiere November 21^st on Vimeo.

“I would definitely use AlphaDogs again,” said Montgomery. “What I find so awesome about the team is that they really invest in the projects they work on. It’s not just a job—it feels personal. I firmly believe in working with people you like. AlphaDogs team is friendly—they work quickly and are super-attentive. I would definitely recommend their services to anyone.:

To watch the God Particles trailer visit https://vimeo.com/110331668



For additional information visit http://www.godparticles.tv

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hadroncolliders?ref=bookmarks

About AlphaDogs: Founded in 2002, AlphaDogs is an independently owned full service post-production facility located in the center of Burbank’s media district. AlphaDogs gifted team brings a combination of both creative talent and technical expertise paying extra attention to detail in delivering projects with a personal touch. State of the art editing bays, color correction, audio mixing, visual effects, production offices and equipment rentals are available. To learn more http://www.alphadogs.tv