hdstudios and Filmcraft Imaging recently provided film processing, transfer and duplication services for film dailies, as well as sound stagerental to Parallel Media. The Los Angeles based company has been operating out of a production office at Studio Center in Farmington Hills, while filming their feature film Demoted in southeast Michigan. hdstudios and Filmcraft Imaging are divisions of Grace & Wild, Inc.
“Demoted” is a comedy about two tire salesmen (Sean Astin, Michael Vartan) who delight in playing cruel pranks on their co-worker (David Cross). The tables are turned when the victim unexpectedly becomes the boss, and places his former tormentors in secretarial jobs.
Parallel Media set up their Michigan production office at Studio Center in July of 2008. Demoted is their first project in Michigan, and the crew filmed in local communities including Dearborn, Plymouth, Novi and Milford during September and October of 2008. Throughout the production, hdstudios and Filmcraft Imaging completed the film processing, transfer and duplication of the dailies.
In addition to the processing and transfer services, the final day of filming commenced on hdstudios’ A-Stage. The crew built an apartment with a living room and kitchen on one end of the stage, and used one of the hdstudios’ restrooms for an additional scene. The main attraction in the center of A-Stage was an executive washroom, and was the setting for the ultimate prank: an exploding toilet. The set was built on risers, complete with a drainage system for the geyser of water that elevates one character several feet into the air. A stunt double was pulled off the toilet with a harness, custom-made seat and pulley system. A member of the Oakland County Drain Commissioner’s office was on hand to supervise the flow of the water during a stunt test and on the actual day of filming.
