Grant Awarded by Women In Film and Television

Hello dear ones,

Please forgive my absence. I've had a myriad of diversions occur, one of which is the passing of my father. We have been adjusting to the new normal, so thank you for your patience.

Last night was a wonderful celebration, an event put on by Nashville's Women In Film and Television at Skyway Studios. It was a huge success and you could tell hard work paid off.

I was awarded their annual Finishing Grant!

The grant is awarded to a woman who has produced or directed a film in Tennessee. Lucky for me, I wrote, directed, AND produced my film in Tennessee and it's also SAG AFTRA.  The name of  the short film is STOLEN and stars Buffi Holland, Todd Vance, and Carla Christina Contreras. The film follows the psychological breakdown of both parents as they await news of their abducted daughter. This film is truly my baby, as I am taking my sweet time in making sure it's as perfect as possible. When it's complete, I will submit it to Sundance and Cannes and any other festival I can.

But only when it's ready.

So, let me publicly thank Women In Film and Television for the grant. Thank you so much for believing in me and in my project. It's not an honor that I take lightly. I am truly grateful, and the monies bestowed will be used on the coloring and the sound design. Anything left over will go to the festival fees. Thank you for helping make me make movies that matter.

I must take a moment to continue my thanks, because I never would have gotten this grant if it wasn't for my team.

I must thank my actors. Without you, STOLEN would not be a viable project to consider pushing for festivals. You are effortlessly magical, each one of you, and I'm eternally grateful you agreed to be on the project.

Buffi: Your performance brings those who watch it to tears every time. Proud isn't an adequate word I can use to describe my feelings about your work. I hope this catapults you into bigger and better things. You deserve it!

Todd: A big toast of thanks to you, my friend. Not only for our set, but your incredible performance. You captured the essence of your character and then some. I'm so grateful you agreed to be a part of my little film. It's better because you did! I hope this opens more doors for you.

Carla Christina:  If it wasn't for you, we never would have gotten SAG AFTRA status! Thank you for being such a consummate professional, and friend. You make it so easy to direct. Your insight into characters and organic performance is what makes me love what I do. Effortless acting, effortless directing.

To my DP: Thank you so much, Bengy del Villar, for your insight and honesty in all you do. I can implicitly trust you, and that, my friend is golden.

To my AD: Emily Steele Van Brocklin you are a joy to work with. With all the hats you wear, it's no surprise that we gel together so well. Thank you for helping create something we will be proud of.

To my crew: Nothing could have been done without you, and I don't forget such things. As this film progresses, it's my prayer that it will be something you will be able to brag about, that you worked on the set of STOLEN, and that more work will flow your way.

Dialogue. Sweet Niblets of Mercy. DIALOGUE.

Dear Beloved Hopeful Screenwriters,

Please. In the name of all things good and holy, learn to write good dialogue. Because what I've been seeing is horrible. Terrible. Soul crushingly terrible.

But let me tell you how I really feel.

A well meaning soul sent me a script to peruse. I'm harder to pin down these days, but as a favor for a friend (and you know who you are, and when your poodle goes missing just mail me the ransom for his safe return) I read it.

The dialogue was well, sorely lacking.

First of all, your hero isn't going to KNOW everything, or we CAN'T go on a journey with him/her. And he can't just BLAB out pertinent information because we, as the audience, have to FEEL like we figured it out.  And your VILLIAN? He HAS to believe he's the star of his own plot, his own movie. If he's not equal to your hero, or even better, more powerful than your hero, is this really a good match up? We ROOT for the underdog. ALL THE TIME!  We rooted for Forrest Gump and LIFE was against that guy!

But I digress.

Dialogue.

Writers. PLEASE. Get it through your head that you don't write the same way you talk. Writing is more formal. In writing, you won't have as many contractions ('She did not say that to you, Cynthia!')
among other wonderful grammatical bombs I could drop.  So there's that.

PLEASE. Do a back story on all of your characters. You'll thank me. You'll be surprised what you learn. "Amy" your main character has a hometown. Where? Okay, Brooklyn. Guess what? Amy now has an accent, an accent that comes with a pentameter all it's own. And how do we know how thick that accent is? By her dialogue. While you are learning such things about Amy, guess what else you learn? Her family life. What makes her tick. And suddenly, you realize Amy WOULD NEVER put up with a guy grabbing her, and instead of tolerating it, she delivers a SLAP that knocks a guy over. Which creates conflict for a scene, which is perfect because ALL of your scenes need conflict. ON EVERY PAGE, or STOP WRITING NOW.

Which brings me to this: PLEASE. Keep a dialogue journal. You overhear things all the time. If you don't, you need to set your phone down more often. The things people say are real, and your script needs real. Utilize these overheard conversations and incorporate them.

Do Not Use cliches in your writing:

Steve: Look at that. It's a bomb.
Joy: Oh no, what do we do?    <==cliche woman in distress. No one buys this anymore.
Steve: We have to disarm it.  <==seriously? HELLO! Who DOESN'T KNOW THIS? Your audience are NOT idiots, at least they don't like people pointing that out if they are!
Joy: Do you know how to do that?
Steve: Why yes, Joy. I went to a bomb disarming school last year and I have the knowledge to do this task.  Please step aside.
Joy: EEEEEEk! I'm scared. You're so strong and smart, Steve. I'm so glad I was partnered with you for this patrol.

Laugh. Go ahead. But I read this dribble sometimes. This is not the script I referred to earlier, but it's actually been handed to me. With a hopeful screenwriter smiling proudly with his finished second draft script in his hand.  (insert rolled eyes here).

First of all, that scene is horribly sexist. (If you have an issue with that statement, stop following my blog).  Secondly, the dialogue was droll and vapid.  And no contractions made him sound like a freaking robot. Who says, "Why yes, so and so?" The only time I use that is when I'm about to get into a verbal argument with someone, not croon about how they are strong and smart.

Also, there's no conflict. The writer thought there was.  "There's a ticking bomb right there!" he exclaimed.  That's not conflict.

Let's try this:

Steve: Oh (insert expletive)! A (insert expletive) bomb!
Joy: Oh my God! We need to call the bomb squad!
Steve: There's no time! We have to disarm it ourselves!
Joy: One week at Bomb Disposal and you're an expert? I'm calling the squad!
Steve: No, Joy! I can do it! I recognize the trigger.
Joy:  There's a school on this street, Steve! We need to evacuate the area!
Steve: I can DO this, Joy!
Joy: You do what you need to do. And I'll do the same.
Joy pulls out cell, makes the call to the precinct while Steve examines the bomb.

Do the characters look a little more human now? You have Steve who's all about the job. And Joy, who is not helpless, but wants to save lives. Maternal instinct, or just plain ethical, you decide.  But the conflict comes from their butting heads over how to deal with an issue.  THAT'S the conflict. Even when Steve proceeds to figure out how to disarm the bomb, Joy goes ahead and begins evacuation procedures.  Both are strong characters now. Both have different ways of dealing with situations, and that shows. Also, you know somewhere, there's a very bad villain lurking... a villain that cares nary a bit about little children. This bomb wasn't planted in an empty warehouse. No. The stakes have been upped.

There's a bunch more I can share with you, but I think I've ranted long enough. To cheer you up, here's a photo of a very close member of my family. ~SC

Photography: David E. Mitchell

Make up: Caley Caldwell

Wardrobe: TK Kelly

Model: Keagan Haney

Prepare Your Actors

I'm directing a short film, and so far it's going really well.

We've been in preproduction for months. Lots of moving parts, you know. Locations. Equipment. Lights. PAs. Craft services. Getting this movie SAG endorsed.

Being the director I have a unique insight into the characters... I know exactly what I'm looking for from my characters. I should. I wrote the film.

To prepare my actors, I gave them each a packet.  My film has three main characters, so each packet was tailored specifically for each of them. For my lead actress, I compiled data with unfavorable outcomes to help get her in a darker "zone" if you will.

My lead actor received a packet with statistics and data. His character is a thinker and a doer, and would know stats about the issue that is plaguing him.

For my supporting actress, I gave her a manual from a local police department on how to solve the crime the movie focuses on. On top of that, I sent her a two page back story on her character.

A few months before the shoot, we had a read through.  ALWAYS have a read through of your script. You'll hear what works and what doesn't. Dialogue is tricky, and believe me, in a film, if it's not organic, people will mock you for it. With the read through, I made some minor adjustments, and we were good to go.

On the shoot, while the crew set up the shots, I was able to sit with the main actors and go over their packets.The actors did a marvelous job of grasping their characters and bringing them to life. They asked questions; great questions; hard questions. I was able to gently direct them where the characters needed to be. Everything went wonderfully:  after a few takes, the roles "set in" and rather than watching actors, we were witnessing a couple going through intense pressure and merely capturing it. When you turn around and see the men on the crew in tears, you know you have something magical going on.

I'm not sharing this to brag. I'm sharing this to encourage you. Get a great Assistant Director.  Let him/her run your set so you can spend time with your actors.  The more time you cultivate with your actors, the more trust is established, and the better the performance you can draw out of them. Note, I say "draw out" not 'beat out'.

A lot of things will make or break your film. The writing. The sound. The acting. So do your best to create a safe haven for your actors.  It can only improve your film.  ~SC

Photo Credit: Erin Moore

Prepare Yourself

Making a film look easy, doesn't it? Effortless, even?  You think to yourself, "Oh, I have a story. I just need a camera and some actors."

And then you try to make it.

Your actors aren't real actors, probably your friends, right? And they flake out on your and don't make it on days your shooting... suddenly you realize you have to get the same scene from different angles... how will you ever actually show an explosion? When you finally get to look at your scenes, holy crud monkeys. The sound sucks.

And so it goes.

Am I saying NOT to try? Absolutely not! I think if you have a story inside you, you need to set it free.

If you want to make a film that will really capture attention, mark my words: surround yourself with people smarter than yourself.

You're only as good as your team. And if your team consists of a best friend who runs down the batteries videoing girls on the beach instead of your intense monologue in the Sahara, well, he shouldn't be part of the team.

Start small.

By small, I mean a short film. It's a lot easier to navigate, fail, rebuild and refilm a short film than it is a feature.

Learn to write a script. My GOD PLEASE LEARN HOW TO WRITE A SCRIPT. I can't tell you how many times I've had people give me their works of art and it's not formatted correctly, or slug lines are naked, or it's in the wrong font.  Read Blake Snyder's book SAVE THE CAT and William Akers book: YOU'RE SCREENPLAY SUCKS! for help.  Both of them are gold. Oh if people would read them more.

Find a local film group in your area. Today, the internet makes everything so much easier.  You can find Meetups or local colleges with film schools.

Listen.

LISTEN to your team. I've worked with outstanding people with a wealth of knowledge, but the director wouldn't listen to them. So, what could have been a kick ass movie became a ho hum sleeper.

Movie making is a tedious task. It takes a lot of preparation. And by a lot, I mean months of planning before you even have your first shots. But it's in these months where you iron out all the bumps.  It's in the prep that you get to know your team, too, and how they flow.  Who's the weakest link.  Who is the worker bee.  Who's the one with the connections.  Where the problems are.

If you can troubleshoot BEFORE you shoot, it makes all the difference in the world. Your shoot goes a lot smoother, and before long, you look like you know what you're doing. :)

So please. For your sake, and the sake of your crew and actors: prepare.

Everyone will thank you. And pretty soon, you'll be making the walk down that red carpet.

MUSICA CAMPESINA UPDATE

Remember a while back, I helped produce the film, MUSICA CAMPESINA?

Well, it's on HBO right now... until December 29th.  If you'd like to see it, now's your chance.  It's really cool to have worked so hard on something and see it on the air. Very cool.

A few things you can spot...

In the pool hall scene... the male in the background playing a game is my oldest son, Michael Haney. :)

The yellow car Karen drives when she drops off Alejandro at the Drake Motel was my car.

Those are just a few tidbits. :)

Enjoy, tell your friends, and tell others! :D

~SC

So I Met Nicole Kidman Today...

I work in an industry where I get to be around some pretty awesome folks.  It's never dull, that's for sure.

I had the wonderful privilege of meeting the beautiful and uber talented Queen of the Screen Nicole Kidman today. She was at Barnes and Noble, reading Paddington The Bear (and did an astounding job).  She's playing Millicent in the soon to be released film.

Besides the fact that I respect this woman greatly, and the fact that I'm an enormous fan of her body of work, there's a reason that I'm writing this blog today.

When someone becomes a celebrity, they give up a part of themselves.  They are always under a microscope. Everything they do is scrutinized. Some of them can handle it. Some of them can't. We all can think of a handful of celebrities who we've all witnessed crash and burn, tragically. For some, the celebrity status goes to their heads and suddenly they become monsters.  Who hasn't heard the story (and the audio) of a certain male celeb screaming at the DP on a set?  Or another now almost completely blacklisted actor putting out a cigarette on a DP's face? I bet when I say hard to work with celebrities you already have a couple in mind.  That's a sad thing. These people have forgotten where they've come from, and who makes them successful.

But not Nicole.

From the moment she entered the area, she was quickly taken with all of the children. She cooed and ahhed over them, even letting them crawl into her lap as she read.  When she was done, she hugged them, and took pictures with every single child for the parent. She took a picture with me.  She answered questions.  She was positively genuine and delightful.

There was never an air of snobbiness. There was never any looks to her handlers as if to say, "Can I get out of here?" and yes, I've seen that look from celebrities before.

She is a genuine person who has NOT forgotten where she's come from. She's polite. She differs to the other person. Even with her handlers telling her she needs to leave, she squeezed in as many photos as she could because she knew the parents wanted them. She has a giving soul. She was thrilled to be a part of the event, to read to children, and it showed.  And that's so refreshing. People clamor to work with her, and that's totally the reason why.

So, actors that read this blog: when you make it, don't change who you are. And don't compromise who you are to get there. You'll find that more doors open to you, more fans follow you, more people love you.  Be gracious. Be kind.

Remember where you came from.

A LETTER TO WELL MEANING PEOPLE

Dear Well Meaning Person Who Wants Help With Your Project:

I appreciate you thinking highly of me enough to come to me for help.  I sincerely do. I've worked very hard to get to the place where people can come to me with questions.  It proves to myself that what I've done in the past hasn't been in vain... the long hours, stormy nights, shots in the mugginess and freezing cold, they actually did propel me into becoming the professional I am today.

And while I am friendly, and while I am nice, whether you understand this or not: I cannot work for free.

I work. HARD for a project.  I give up time with my family. I give up time to work on my own creative projects. I literally bust my butt to ensure I give 110% on your work of art. I sweat. I bleed. I cry. Over each project I'm over.

I've been asked to critique scripts for free, to provide crew, to write, to produce, to direct...

And for that, I need to be compensated. Not only me, but ALL filmmakers.

Our dedication and love of what we do, has made it easy to exploit us. We need to eat. We need to provide for our families.

Don't you?

So, the next time you approach anyone to work on your awesome project, consider offering them compensation.

We're worth it.  ~SC


A Good Article On Why Writers Should Be Compensated Too

Be Smart About Your Work

This may be an epiphany to some; to others you may already know this:  making a movie is tough business. 

The reason why so many people think they CAN make movies is because we (professionals) make it look easy. Because we know what we're doing. 

And how do we do that? SIMPLE. 

You surround yourself with people smarter than you, and you trust them when weigh in. 

If you have a demolition expert that graciously donates their time to come to your set, and he says to you, "Hey, when they take out that building, they would put the charges on the beams, not just leave them on the floor,"  what's the correct response?

A.  Oh, it'll be fine.  No one will catch that. 

B.  We don't have time to change that.  (When it takes like, fifteen seconds). 

C.  Oh, that was a PA's job.  (curses furiously and continues with scene)

D.  Really? Thank you for that! (calls over AD, shares info, and lets AD handle the change). 

I'll give you a hint. It's:

It's ALWAYS D!  Listen to those around you who KNOW what they are doing! Believe it or not, they want to make a great movie too. They don't want to be attached to a piece of dog poop. And if you're making a film and you're ignoring everyone around you, that's what you're going to make.  

I'm not talking about your expertise, because I don't care where you went to school, or who you know, or what you've worked on in the past.  

Listening will be the difference between you making a good movie and a great movie.  

I'm NOT saying to give away your creative control. Or your status as producer to have the last word. Or as director to determine what the shot is.  Obviously, you don't lose control of your set by making it a collaborative frat party.  But if your DP says, "The lighting won't work for this shot," and your answer is, "We'll fix it in post."  Then the entire set will know that you are not a dedicated director, but lazy.   That you have unattainable expectations.  And that you do not value those around you. 

And that word travels fast. 

If you're producing, you're over a bunch of departments. If one is lagging behind and your answer is to publicly call them out and chastise or blame them, you probably need a different job. You keep everything running smoothly. And by having those smarter than yourself in the key positions: DP, Set Design, Editing, etc., you allow them to make calls, and you stand by them... unless absolutely necessary.  If there's a reason for the delay, ask the department head. It could be something easy for you to fix. And that IS your job as the producer. 

No matter the position you are in on a set, you are making magic. You're transforming worlds and bringing an audience with you.  

Why micromanage that? 

So be smart.  Surround yourself with people smarter than yourself. And tell them that. They love it. And listen when they talk. 

And always be grateful. That will weather storms and any trials that come up on a set. 

If your crew feels valued, there is nothing they won't do.  But they can't and won't feel valued if they are ignored. 

~SC

How well do you think Band Of Brothers would have fared if Spielberg had not listened to his advisors and crew? Food for though. 

BACKGROUND! The TV drama I'm producing!

I've been working and working and working on living the dream. Why? Because honestly, I've been dealt a pretty crappy hand in life, and I want to show my kids that if you focus, work hard, and don't give up, you can create your own future.

Hopefully, BACKGROUND! will be part of it.  BACKGROUND! is a television drama series created by Joe Carroll to bring the life of "extras" on a set from the background to the foreground. I had the wonderful privilege of producing this amazing work.

Currently, we are awaiting to see which network is housing it. We are set to release 2015.  Our goal is to have an unknown cast, because, isn't that the point of the show?  We want to use our local talent, too, and get them the recognition they have been fighting for and deserve.  We're SO proud of everyone that is a part of this show.

We'd LOVE to have you be a part of our social media outreach, too!  Feel free to follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @BACKGROUND_TV  and Facebook: facebook.com/backgroundtv

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR TRAILER!

ALSO!  If you have any pix of yourself on a set, please upload them to twitter or facebook!  #BACKGROUND_TV  and #InTheBackground  

If you have stories, feel free to share! This experience is interactive! We want you to know, that you're NOT cattle in our eyes! YOU DESERVE TO BE NOTICED!!!!

~SC

The Alabaster Phoenix

Last shots of The Alabaster Phoenix take place tomorrow night and I couldn't be happier.  This short film has been a first on a few levels.

First of all, our director, Tala Hobballah makes her directorial with this film. Tala is my co-producer on my projects and mentioned she wanted to start directing.  This was the perfect film for her to ease into the director's chair:  a silent film with only a few words spoken at the end.

Our crew are members of a filmmaker's meetup.  They all have strengths they bring to the table.  We have a DP we've never worked with, and he's had some great ideas.  Our AD sometimes needs to be reeled in from breaking out into song, but all in all, he's a keeper.  Our producers, Dudley and Michael have done very well in securing sites for filming as well as helped out on actual shoots, whether it's holding the boom, moving the dolly, or racking focus for the camera. Team effort, you know.  Our resident newbie, Jon, has been almost in every possible crew position and has done a wonderful job. He is even in a scene (along with yours truly!).  We've had some folks come in and volunteer as PAs, David and Tracey... they have been fabulous to have on site.

From here, it goes to editing.  From editing, it goes to scoring.

I am SUPER excited that our musical composition is going to be scored by David Gaines.  This is such a blessing to me because:

1. he writes gorgeous music
2. he's my high school choir accompanist that everyone loved

I'm so glad to be able to utilize his gifts for a project that I created.  That give me a warm fuzzy when I think about it. 

On top of that, Buffi Holland, one of my best friends in the universe, has the role of our hero, Ellen Mayhall and she brings her to life just like I knew she would: authentic, genuine, effortless. 

I'm excited to finish it up. :)

Stay tuned! :D

From Writing To Directing To Producing

It's been over a year since my last post.  Shame on me. I've been literally swamped.

Without going into every project I've worked on, let me just say tomorrow, a children's television show that has been the desire of my heart to create is FINALLY being filmed!  I am executive producing and head writer of the show. I'm so excited. Tala Hobballah, Michael Haney, co-producers.

On top of that, I have cast some of the best kids in the region to be hosts. One of them, is sweet Noelia, a little one with Down's Syndrome.  I love being able to use the show as proof that kids with special needs can be viable to a production.  She is so excited and we are too!  What a cutie pie. I mean, look at her!

Isn't she precious???

I'll share more about the show once we have it filmed. :)  Let's just say it's pretty awesome!!!! 

I've also written another short film called The Alabaster Phoenix and stars my BFF and biz partner, Buffi Holland has the lead.  So very excited about that too!!!  Logline: A fragile widowed woman grapples with despair and loneliness by discovering her purpose in life.  Lots of locations, and I'm thrilled to possibly be using one of my favorite composers in the universe on this film. Films May 2014. Michael Haney, Dudley Jacobs, producing. 

I'm also producing a short film called PHASE 6. Phase 6 is about governmental population control via the use of flu shots.  It's a sci-fi thriller complete with CGI special effects, so I'm eager to see how this turns out and to work with Jeff Dolan, the director. :)  Starring Keagan Haney, Caleb Shore, Kim Kinsley, and Richard Chilton.  Films June 2014. 

Recently I completed filming a television pilot with the amazing Joe Carroll, writer and director. I earned a producer credit on this one. Can't share the name of the project... YET.  It's a superb concept and I hear it is gaining interest by various sources. As well it should. It's impeccably made and Joe has a keen eye for detail. Shot on the RED camera, the images are crisp, concise, and stunning to watch. 

AMAZING cast.  Photo by Michael Walters

I'm also producing a television show for The Children's Kindness Network called Moozie The Cow.   We have got a great music director, Sara Beck, and Executive Producer, Elandriel Lewis totally has a heart for kiddos.  Research consultants and casting the kiddos  are Colleen Russo, Emily Drossner and Christina Longo. I call them The Vandy Posse since they are all Vanderbilt minds. Ryan Rehnborg is animator. Starring Nina Borum and Caleb Shore.  Moozie the Cow is currently in production. 

So that's my irons in the fire at the moment. I have a few productions lined up to produce... Christopher Siaens "RAIN" is one of those projects. Tala Hobballah has a series she wants me to help her with, and of COURSE I will. Tala is amazing and I cannot say enough things about her and her awesomeness! 

Hopefully I will have a chance to be on here more! I hate such gaps in my entries. I will attempt to do better for you, my ever faithful fans!

Make Your Character Earn it

Hello Fans!

One of the things that is the most boring in a film is when something just happens. The hero mysteriously finds the clue he's looking for.  He stumbles across a gun that is in the plain open. He hasn't had to WORK for anything.

Part of a great script is watching the hero's journey, and your hero's journey NEEDS to be fierce and treacherous.  We NEED to feel the highs and lows with him/her. We HAVE to BELIEVE that everything that promotes him/her comes at a price. He/she needs to earn every bit of info, every weapon, every THING that he needs to fulfill his quest. We are traveling with him/her.  We need to go with the hero to every gun runner, every crime spot, etc.

If you want to go on a great journey  I suggest watching CHINATOWN with Jack Nicholson. Robert Towne did a masterful job of writing, and Roman Polanski, who directed, only added brilliance by removing all voice overs by the character, Jake Gittes, stating he (Polanski) wanted the audience to discover the clues as Jake found them. It worked. I mean, an Academy Award won't lie, right?

Don't Call The Shots... Seriously.

Hello all!

Happy 2013!  Wow have I been busy! Whew!

First of all, let me give you an update. MADAME KOROVA was sucessfully filmed and is in the post production phase.  We all cannot WAIT to see this hit the festival circuit. It turned out to be so much fun to direct.

The talent agency that I own with my completely best friend in the whole wild world, Buffi Holland, has taken off at lightning speed and is flourishing.  You can check out S.T.A.R.S. Talent at HERE if you would like more information. Recently we have booked talent on CATCHING FIRE of yes, THE HUNGER GAMES fame and LAST VEGAS starring Robert Deniro, Kevin Kline, Michael Douglas, and Morgan Freeman.  I'm a proud mama, too... my daughter just got cast in a feature film herself! She starts filming in the fall in Indiana.

Because I've been so busy, I haven't had much chance to write (as you can see from the state of this humble blog!) HOWEVER, I thought I would swing by and offer you a useful screenwriting tip.

When you are writing a screenplay, never, NEVER, NEVER EVER EVER EVER write in or call the shots. I don't mean calling the shots as in deciding what's going on with your character, I mean, writing:

INT. MEDIUM SHOT - VICKI POURS FOOD INTO DOG BOWL

Don't do that.

"Why, ScreenwriterChic? Why should I not do that? How else are folks going to know what I want in this scene?"

Well, to put it bluntly, it ain't your baby anymore. And it's not your job to tell the director what to do.

Once your script has been handed over to a director, it's the director who adds vision to the story and makes it complete.  You have given the framework.  Don't be sad! Your idea may be cool and all, but it's really awesome to see a director come on board with a fresh set of eyes and incorporate their vision with yours. And think about this too... if you put in camera angles and look like a complete noob and an inexperienced dreamer, you will annoy your reader, which is the person you want on your side, believe me! The reader passes on your work of art to the studios.

Now, if you absolutely HAVE to get a certain shot across, there is a way to do it and look professional and NOT step all over the director's toesies.  OR annoy your power wielding reader.

That is in scene description.


EXT. MT. FUJI - DAY

A small speck in the snow, Jessica rummages through her pack.

No food. Disgusted, she throws the pack and SCREAMS.


Okay, did you see what happened here?  A small speck in the snow?  Did you see an aerial shot with that?  And when Jessica couldn't find any food and tosses the bag, you were closer up in your mind's eye, weren't you?

Your scene description frames the picture in the mind of your reader. It's the same as calling your camera angles, but it's a much more appropriate way to do it so you don't have an offended director. Or reader.

And that's what you want, isn't it?

Update on Madame Korova!

Madame Korova  preparation is on way!

We have just opened our kick starter campaign to help offset the budget of this film. Would you please consider helping fund our project?  It's a great film!

Click here: Madame Korova

Thanks in advance for all your support!

Best,

Marti

Welcome Back to ME!

Hello all!

It has been EIGHT MONTHS since I have posted.  Craziness has ensued!  I've deleted my previous post due to the fact that for the past eight months I have been doing damage control to my previous film partner's unethical nature. Not all things bad came out of our working together, though!  Through this person, I met my now best friend and business partner, Buffi Holland.

Together, we have created S.T.A.R.S. Talent.  We represent talent all over the United States and even Hawaii! God has blessed us.  Check out our website here:  www.starstalent.org We are very proud, and even better:  BUSY!!!

I have formed a production company called STEAMPUNK LILY FILMS and my first production is being filmed next month in July!  This is so special to me, because the film was written by daughter, Keagan Haney!  She is fifteen years old and she is excited as well, needless to say. I am also excited to be working with one of my friends from Vanderbilt, Christopher Nold. He will be our Director of Photography.  The whole project will be golden!  I'll post a link once it's completed.   I LOVE FILMING!

Here's a picture of my beautiful daughter!

Keagan Haney

Can you tell I'm a proud mom???

Oh!

And on another note, Derek Haas, a great guy I'm so glad I can say is my friend, has written a series called Chicago Hope which was picked up by a major television network!  Kudos to you, Derek!!

The Screenwriter Think Tank Session of Brilliance

Some of the best advice I was ever given was by Will Akers.

He told me, "You're a good writer. Now start making short films. Learn every aspect. That way, you'll always have work."

I am passing that on to you today, dearest reader.   He was absolutely right!


Now, on to screenwriting stuff.

Last week I held my first ever SCREENWRITER THINK TANK OF BRILLIANCE.

It was truly one of the most outstanding times I have had as a writer. Here's the back story:

I am working on a supernatural thriller script.  I had a vague outline of who and what would go on with the story, but I was stuck. I didn't know how to raise the stakes for our hero. I didn't know what occupation my villian should have.  I have a decent concept for a script, but this was driving me nuts. 

So I called the meeting.

I invited a group of friends.  All were from different backgrounds.  Since my story is about a hero paramedic, I had a paramedic there. I read them the outline from my script, and then for two hours picked their brains.  What a great time!

Folks had AMAZING insight. When all was said and done, I had a full fledged outline, and will get this written probably in a couple of weeks before I start the rewriting process.

The point is, DON'T keep your story to yourself. Pitch it to folks.  See if they'd be interested. I pitched the CONCEPT of this script for about two years to folks.  I would say, "Hey, would you see this movie if this happened?" 

With a group of folks who are from different backgrounds, you will be amazed at some of the ideas that will pop up.  Brilliance!  Even my 14 year old daughter contributed, and I am using her idea.

Now, don't get folks who won't speak the truth. If something doesn't make sense, you want to know BEFORE  you start fleshing it out.  Sometimes people will be 'nice' and not 'honest'.  Honesty is what you want. 'Nice' just wastes your time.

So, if you're ever stuck on writing, hold a meeting and pick brains!  We had a great time and got TONS accomplished!

Communication is KEY!

At the time I am writing this, it is 1:45am. Literally.

Why am I writing in the wee hours of the morning? I thought you would never ask, my faithful fan! I'll tell you.

The reason that I'm not resting is because I am supposed to work for a high profile client tomorrow.  They hired me for two days and told me they would send me a call sheet.  I have since emailed them three times requesting this call sheet. I was told that one would be sent to me tonight, hence I am still up waiting.

And this give me a perfect teaching moment for you.

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CREW!!!!

By the production coordinator not having his ducks in a row, I can already predict how tomorrow will be. And THAT'S if I ever find out what time I'm to arrive!

For those of you who don't know what a call sheet is, it's a document that tells you the address of where you are supposed to be, the TIME you're supposed to be there, numbers to call if you can't make it, and other pertinent information like, where to park.  I'm headed to a municipal auditorium.  Do I park in the audiorium's parking or do I need to park across the street?  There will be thousands of people at this.  What is the dress code? Some companies don't care and merely state: dress comfortably, jeans okay, no open toed shoes.  Some require all black. Which is it for these guys? Who knows!!!

When you run a production, you are the leader.  Everyone looks to you. You may not realize that at the time, but it's true.   You need to have things handled, like, call sheets.  If you are too busy to do it, you know what? There are assistants that are great at it.  Don't mistreat your crew by keeping them in the dark.  And for goodness sake, DON'T lie to your crew!  I got an email stating that I would have my call sheet "tonight".  Well, it's tomorrow, and I'm losing sleep waiting on a call sheet that may or may not come.  And if they call me and my call time is 3am I will seriously be ticked off!

If you are feeling overwhelmed, the best thing you can do, is ask for help. Don't drag people through the mud because you feel it's your baby.  Maybe it is! But do you want a happy crew, or a confused, grumbling crew because now folks don't think you know what you're doing? 

Communication.   It's the key to happiness and a smooth running production.

Back in Business!

Hello Faithful Fans!

I have gotten back from Los Angeles and had a wonderful time.  For those of you who are facebook friends, you have the skinny on the trip.  For the rest of you, feel free to look me up!

On another note, I am officially the producer of WELCOME TO WAFFLE HOUSE, the next summer blockbuster.  I'm really excited to venture off into producing now... such an unknown world to me.  However, I have great contacts in "the biz" and they are hooking me up with outstanding mentors... one of whom I hope to add as an associate producer on the movie.

I'm truly excited about this new chapter and the writers are great guys.

On top of that, I have also been tapped to produce some short films for a local filmmaker in Nashville, Robby Coles.  His newest project, THE GREY AREA, is a short film regarding bullying and he is working on getting it submitted to every school in America.   You can go to my facebook page and see where Robby has a kickstart page for funding.

If you would like to help me raise funds for WELCOME TO WAFFLE HOUSE,  please feel free to donate at:

WELCOME TO WAFFLE HOUSE

Please know that I appreciate any and all donations to help get this movie into theaters.  If you donate, I promise you will have a special thanks noted in the credits.

Great Writing

When you read great writing, you know it. It sticks with you.

In film, the image that sticks with you is a result of words on a written page. You don't think that way... you usually give the director most of the credit for being so brilliant, but it's the writer that has captured your heart. The director was the vessel that caught his vision and brought it forth on a screen so you could see the writer's imagination.  Believe it or not, some directors just can't write.  I will not name names. :)

A dear friend of mine brought a commercial to my attention. I wanted to link it here so you can see what I mean about great writing.

Try and guess what is being sold in this commercial.  I tried. I bet you will never get it until the reveal.

It's an amazing commercial and was executed masterfully.  This is one of my favorite all time works. 

Warning... it looks pretty creepy.. just hang on until the end and you will understand why this commercial is such genius.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=22984504&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1&autoplay=1&loop=0


Let me know what you think of it.

~SC

PS For the next 2 weeks, I will in Los Angeles following mine and my daughter's dreams,  plus doing lots of touristy stuff.  I'll try to keep you  updated.

What A Ride!

Hello Faithful Fans,

It has been an interesting few months.

First of all, after the nagging of my heart wouldn't shut up and made me more and more continuously grumpy, my husband and I agreed it was time for me to quit my full time job of being an office manager drone and pursue my dreams of film making.

Best decision of my life.

In addition to having more time to write, I have also been hired on numerous projects as part of the crew. I find it much easier to understand how a business is run or how a production is put together if you understand each person's position.  I've learned a lot in the past few months. Sheer gold.

I've also gotten to work with some amazing folks who have opened a lot of doors for me. From infomercials, to webisodes, to commercials, I have been extremely blessed to be able to work steadily.  I love this life.

I am beginning to tweak a script that I had written two years ago. I have messed with it so much I finally just had to put it in a drawer and tell it to, "Stay!"  I understand more now, have more connections than before, so this time I will get it right.

I've also learned a few things about myself in the past few months, things I really did want you to know. First of all, I would fall in line with what my mentors thought about movies.

For instance:  Black Swan. I really liked it. I loved Natalie Portman's performance.  Mentor:  She was whiny and I didn't care about her. Terrible film.

Children of Men. Mentor: One of the best films ever made.  Me:  Hated it with a blinding passion.

So, like what you like and like it for the reasons you like it.  Maybe I like Black Swan because I was a gymnast for 15 years and know the pressures that come with performances like that.  Maybe I hated Children of Men because I didn't like the premise. Or Julianne Moore's acting.  (I always love Michael Caine, though).

Who knows?  The reason that there are so many movies made is because folks DON'T conform. We like to have variety. 

So, like what you like. And be proud of why you like it.  I've agreed to disagree with my mentor and we respect each other.

I'll try to do better in keeping things posted more regularly now that I have sprung the big bucks and made my house a wireless family.

Let me know what's going on in your world!

~SC