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.

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

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.

Update on the Assistant Directing

My first bout with Assistant Directing was a success!  I was very organized, and had a list to go by, so all went well. I learned a ton and met some totally awesome people who are going to use me for future movies.  You can't get much better than that!

We film all this weekend, and may I say, I am a bit bummed about that.  I will miss the Oscars! :( 

AND on top of that, THE HABITUAL LIAR, my labor of love, is set to be screened and possibly awarded at a film festival that same day.

Needless to say, I'm very sad. At least MY Assistant Director will be there to snag the award should we win a prize!

I'll let you know how it goes!

~ScreenwriterChic

2011: A Call To Arms!

Ahhhh… My first post of the new year.

What will 2011 bring?

More writing, more ideas.

I read over the weekend that this summer will be known as the SUMMER OF SEQUELS. Movies that will fill slots on movie marquees for 2011:

Pirates of the Caribbean 4

Harry Potter (I’ve lost count on these)

The Hangover 2

Mission Impossible 4

Final Destination 5

Cars 2

Scream 4

Transformers 3

Spy Kids 4

Kung Fu Panda 2

Fast Five (the latest segment in the Fast and the Furious franchise)


Some of these may be good, and some may be a colossal failure, but one thing jumps out at me just from looking at this list.

Hollywood needs originality. A new story. A new idea. Next summer we’ll have another Superman, Spiderman and Batman movie.

There are plenty of great writers out there, you included!

Let’s all sit down, write a kickin’ story and show Hollywood how to make money off of a story that’s fresh, new, and innovative instead of beating dead horses until they’re well, more dead. Did you know they are making another installment in the SHREK series? Yep! Now it’s just about Puss ‘N’ Boots.

THE MATRIX took Hollywood by storm. New, thought provoking and it broke boundaries. I adore this movie. Even though the trilogy is over and done with, I still watch and am amazed at it. What inventive minds to create such a story!!

I’m sick and tired of paying $10 to see a sequel that 1.) Either never should have been made or 2.) Should have been a made for TV movie. Granted, these sequels have better budgets than made for TV movies!

Where are the writers? Where are the great ideas? YOU have them! I have them!

So, let’s sit down and write it out… let’s make time to get those rewrites done and share our scripts! We have great ideas!

Anything is better than a life dominated by sequels, isn’t it?

In conclusion, my first blog of the year is a call to arms. For all great writers to create that script of their dreams. For in the months ahead to bombard Hollywood with new ideas and not take no for an answer.
So, write, write, write! It's in your hands!

Make Some Short Films!!!

If you are a screenwriter, then you should be filming some short films.

Will Akers told me to start filming short films after I had completed his exciting and always entertaining screenwriting class. He told me it would make me a better writer to understand what a camera can or can't do, and what a director will have to put up with some of the crazy shots I saw in my head.

I heeded his magnificent wisdom and here I sit. A blogger, screenwriter and director of another short film that we will be filming in one week. I have a full crew, a full cast, and a full plate.  I'm learning more in one semester than I have in my life. Besides writing, of course. :)

Something that will help as well... HELPING out a crew member on someone else's film. That will teach you a lot too.

A while back I blogged on MUSICA CAMPESINA, a movie I worked on with Chilean director Alberto Fuguet. I started off as a P.A. and then got promoted to Line Producer. How?  I just did what everyone else didn't. I got noticed and have gotten street credit that I'm a hard worker.  Not to mention that the film has been submitted to Sundance and should it get in will be AWESOME to have producer credit on my resume!

See the trailer here:
MUSICA CAMPESINA TRAILER

You don't have to stay in one arena if you're a writer. Get out there! Meet folks! Just in my short time on campus, I've met and worked with people who are now in LA.  So, they are CONTACTS that I have now. Contacts that I can send a script to. Contacts that, should I ever move to the coast, could help me get jobs. Contacts who can help me make independent films of scripts that I wrote.

How could I have met them if I stayed inside writing ALL the time and never made a movie?

Are you afraid of what people will think? Don't be. YOU are the artist. The writer. The director.  It's YOUR dream.

Are you going to let someone else determine if you reach it or not???

Not me.

Adaptation... A Moment In Time

When working on an adaptation, you will have to prepare yourselves that the story will change.


It’s inevitable.

Remember the story of Pinnochio? Jiminy Cricket and all that real boy stuff? Well, in the true story, Pinnochio KILLS the cricket! And on purpose, too! It wasn’t during a cheerful musical moment. Now ask yourself why Walt Disney didn’t put that in his now classic animated movie?

I’m currently writing and rewriting an adaptation from a short story with some students. It’s the longest short story I’ve heard of, and has several stories within the story. How can we get all of that into ten pages for a ten minute short?

We can’t.

We must ADAPT.

We read the story and saw that the main strain, the main truth through the story was that our hero was a habitual liar. Bam! Now our story is about a habitual liar. From here, we pick our favorite scenes and push the story forward. We lose the fact that the hero has an uncle with Down’s Syndrome. Did it move the story forward? No. Cut it. Did it matter that her false boyfriend went to Dartmouth? No. Cut it.

An adaptation is different than a creation of a script. It’s like you have a puzzle box full random of pieces. Some of them fit and some don’t and it’s up to you to figure it all out to make a picture people can see.

And when adapting a SHORT film (as we are):

It’s all about a moment.

Once you find the truth of the story, focus on the one moment that moves you. That’s all you have time to show. One moment.

And that is a FAR cry from an entire story, isn’t it?

Drama is Action

Thanks to you, my wonderful readers, for your patience as I grieved (and still do so) the passing of my sister, Tracey. If I know Tracey at all, she’d be severely upset with me for not posting another blog entry sooner, and about screenwriting. SO! Here you go!


I read in a fantabulous book called “Essentials of Screenwriting” by Richard Walter that “drama is action.”

“Well, duh!” you say. But let me ask you. How many times have you seen a bunch of characters sitting around talking about nothing that advances your movie plot? It’s the lull in the movie where folks go to the bathroom and get more popcorn. Or worse.

If you have a script with that kind of scene in it, cut it out NOW. If you’re going to have a scene with people gabbing, it better darn well advance your plot. You can’t be precious about your script. By that I mean, if you write a kickin’ dialogue that you love; it really doesn’t help your plot but you still keep it in there. Why? Because you like it.

It’s not what you like that will sell your screenplay.

Your plot must always be moving, always be pushing ahead. By doing so, your reader will gladly follow and that is exactly what you want.

Again from the book mentioned above, the author states (and quite accurately):

“Screenwriters are required, therefore, to determine for each scene the action that most effectively advances the story and expands the characters and also to craft the ideal setting for that action.”

As a screenwriter, we can’t hope the reader will ‘understand’ what we’re hoping to convey. We must show them. Readers don’t have time to try and decipher. That’s what the grand round circular file is for, and I really don’t think that was the action, the drama, you wanted for your script, now was it?

FIRST DATE: UPDATE

Hello Readers!

I'm not to the breaking point of exhaustion yet, but I fear I'm headed in that direction. FIRST DATE is clipping along at a nice speed, even though I had to reshoot over an hours worth of film yesterday.

"Why would you reshoot, Screenwriter Chic?" I hear you ask.

Well, because we set up so fast no one caught that the bedspread in a shot was turned over. And yes, it was quite noticeable? How could I have missed that? Lack of sleep? Because the actor had the giggles and I was just trying to pull a performance out of him that didn't include bursting into laughter? Perhaps...

Could I have left it? Yeah, but if I slack on the little stuff, I'll want to slack on the big stuff.

We had a great time, however, and the Lunns were ever so gracious to allow us to film in their home. They were wonderful. Their two dogs, Diesel and Romeo were superb. Diesel was shy but Romeo is in a few shots. He's a big sweetie.

My children have taken it upon themselves to take along OUR camcorder to make themselves a documentary about the filming of FIRST DATE. Hilarious. I can say right now that I do NOT appreciate the paparazzi. Especially when I'm on the toilet!

And since this blog is about getting my work into Hollywood, I will give you an update. My action script, RUNNING WILDE is in Tinsel Town, hopefully getting read. It's been there for a week now. I am forcing myself to 1. not go crazy with anticipation and 2. call, email, tweet, or write him. I'll keep you updated! 

Keep me in your thoughts, prayers, mantras, chants, whatever!

Sean reviews a shot of his mad acting skills.

Later!

Be Prepared For Anything!

This Friday I begin shooting another short film. A real one, not shot and edited within 24 hours for a competition.

What have I gotten myself into????

Every weekend in June I will be consumed in this new project. So if you don't hear from me for a while, I have not abandoned you, precious fans... I'm merely exhausted and probably collapsed in a puddle of my own drool as my body tries to recover from stress and lack of sleep.

Ah, stress. That brings me to my the point of this blog... be prepared for anything!

This project has been rolling around in my pea brain for a good many months and thanks to the graciousness of the powers that be, all equipment is on loan without a penny paid. Yeah! I have a shooting schedule prepared and a list of things for my Production Assistant. Who bailed.

It wasn't her fault, there were a lot of factors involved and family goings ons that caused her to cease her service to me. It was her family also, who was graciously allowing me to film in their wonderful home. It was her mom who was going to a role in the film. In fact, I had rewritten the script so her little sister could be in it too! So my PA bails and guess what?

No house, no actress, no little sister actress,  no Production Assistant. 

Sigh.

In a screenplay, this would be known as the "All Is Lost Moment".

(pause)

And then, the hero finds the strength to go and gives an award winning speech:

Shall I be discouraged at this HUGE GINORMOUS mountain in my way? Heck NO! Mountains are made to be climbed!

I shall press on... the shooting will go as scheduled. I have a Production Coordinator, Michael. He is chomping at the bit to show his worth. My advice to him? Snag a Production Assistant and get ready! I have never micro managed, so I'm leaving it to him to find the actress and site.

I'm revising the script as I go. Welcome to filming. If you think you're done when you type Fade Out, or when your agent says he'll shop it, or when the producer says he loves it, or when the studio buys it, you're wrong. There's always a rewrite dangling just a breath away!

Be prepared and don't melt. You're being watched at all times.

If I freak out over a short film, what will I do if I'm directing something huge in Hollywood? (Which I WILL do one day, mark my words).


Every day is an adventure. Be prepared! Roll with it. Put out fires. Solve problems. LIVE!!!

Later sweet fans! One more pic for ya...

Memorable Characters Take Memorable Writing

To create memorable characters, I’d like to make a suggestion.

Keep a journal of overheard dialogue. Gasp! ScreenwriterChic, are you telling me to eavesdrop? Yep! I’m not saying stalk anyone, but you can grasp different rhythms, different accents when you eavesdrop. No one wants to hear characters that all sound like you. Each character must have a distinct voice. Each character must be different.

One of my favorite lines from a movie is, “Yeah. You blend.” It’s from MY COUSIN VINNY, written by Dale Launer (whom I have had the privilege of speaking with… but about RUTHLESS PEOPLE). I love this line so much that I posted it as a status on Facebook the other day.

You’d be surprised the reception it had! For three pages, people posted their favorite lines from the movie. Which tells me it was great writing.

When you make your character, each one MUST have their own voice. Lisa didn’t sound a THING like Vinny (of course she was female!) They both had thick New York accents, but her rhythm, her speech pattern was different. Her ideas were different. Her focus was different, which crafted her character. By the time Marisa Tomei got a hold of the part, it was just finishing touches that were needed.

Each character had a distinct voice. You could tell each character was DRAMATICALLY different.

“Are you mockin’ me in that outfit?”

“Mrs. Reilly. And only Mrs. Reilly!”

“A doe eyed little de-uh!”

“I don’t know! I’m a fast cook, I guess!”

“Same make and model tire!”

“Aidin’ and abettin’!”

“Maybe the laws of physics cease to exist on your stove! Were these magic grits?”

“Ladies and gentlemen of the j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-j-jury.”

“Seb’n bushes!”

“The two what?”
“What?”
“Did you say, Utes?”

Oh, excuse me, Your Honor. The two youths.”

Can you see these characters? The diversity adds so much depth to the story, a reality to it, if you will, and every scene becomes memorable. So much so that Marisa Tomei walked away with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Make your characters memorable. They will make or break your script, and ultimately, your movie.

Just Slug Away!

Let’s talk slug lines.

For beginners that read this blog, a slug line is that one scene description in one line:

INT. OFFICE – DAY

That’s a slug line. But it’s not terribly descriptive, is it? You want to get as much information across to your reader has humanly possible in that one line. Make the slug line work for you!

INT. SCREENWRITERCHIC’S EMPTY OFFICE – DAY

Now, you know four things:
1. The scene takes place in an office
2. The scene takes place in MY office
3. My office is empty.
4. It’s daytime.

That gives out a lot of information. Which is a great thing! I read one guy’s script that said:

EXT. OPEN RANGE – DAY

Well, what does that mean? Is it a shooting range? A cattle range? A range in Kansas is WAY different than a range in Colorado. Help the reader out!

EXT. COLORADO CATTLE RANGE – DAY

Gives a better description of where you are, doesn’t it?

Slug lines are your friend. They’ll work for you if you let them. Which brings me to NAKED slug lines. Ever heard of those?

Naked slug lines are slug lines that have no description under them at all.

EXT. COLORADO CATTLE RANGE – DAY

                            JOHN
              Hand me that there shovel, Curly.


What? There’s a shovel? What is going on? You don’t want to confuse the reader! So… always have your slug line follow with some sort of description. It can even be two words.

INT. MUSTY BANK – DAY

Busy. Crowded.

Annabelle prepares the deposit.

So, now you know that you’re in an old musty bank (because new banks aren’t musty) and it’s a busy day in there. The slug line has set the stage for you to then tell us what Annabelle is doing. You get a better feel of her surroundings and is the framework of that scene.

You’ve used the slug line to work for you AND you’ve probably saved two or three lines of writing thanks to your precise writing skills…two or three lines that can now be used on your witty dialogue!

Great job, Slugger!

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in the theater yesterday.
WOW.

What an amazing storyline and plot! Extremely complex, and dazzling to comprehend. Sure they left out a character from the book (and not I’m not telling you which one) but that’s par for the course.

What I really wanted to draw your attention to is the character of Lisbeth Salandar, played masterfully by Nooma Rapace.

You’re shocked when you first see her, but over a series of extremely harsh events, understand why she is the way she is. She’s an incredible character. She’s tough, she doesn’t take crap from anyone, but she’s also extremely intelligent… and extremely likable. Kudos to the screenwriter for capturing that from the book!

Currently the movie is being rewritten for Hollywood, and there are rumors swarming that Brad Pitt will play one of the main characters, if not the lead. I’m interested to see who they will bring in for Lisbeth. I don’t think Angelina could pull this one off as well as Nooma did. Maybe they can just keep her in the role and she can speak English…? Who knows. By the time it actually makes it to production it will have circled Hollywood a few thousand times.

UDATE: CAREY MULLIGAN SET TO PLAY ROLE OF LISABETH SALANDAR

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article7107260.ece

I can’t see how Hollywood could make this movie any better.

So, if you get the chance to see this movie, go see it. Be warned: This movie is NOT one for the kids.

Tell me what you think about it.

DRAW Wins Honorable Mention!

I’m on my way!

Tonight (well yesterday night by the time I get this published) was the awards ceremony for the Vanderbilt Film Festival.

You may remember on March 19th I had entered not only my first short film contest, but it was also a 24 hour contest. This is what I submitted:


DRAW from ScreenwriterChic on Vimeo.


We didn’t win the overall competition, but we did win Honorable Mention! I consider this an honor. I can’t tell you the feeling I get watching a movie I made, my creation, up on the silver screen, and hear belly roll laughter from the audience. I can say with pride, that no other short film we watched had as many laughs at mine. And no, I’m NOT being biased with that one.

So, since I will obviously need the practice later on in life, here’s my acceptance speech:

"Wow! Thank you so much! Gosh! This is heaver than I expected….

“Thank you, God, for honoring me and humbling me at the same time. Never let me forget who I am or where I came from no matter where any award comes from. I’m nothing without the great grace You’ve bestowed on me. I appreciate the favor, the love and the mercy You show me every single day. I’m nothing without You.

“I have to thank my cast and crew, Kristy Miller, who was my production coordinator and made all the phone calls I didn’t want to. Ann Eubank McKinney for lending me her son for the boom mike (you’ll go far in life, Will!). The cast, Bree Miller… you did great in your first onscreen performance! Michael Haney… yes, your accent did keep changing but we all loved it… Sean Young… you stayed up all night and performed every time I needed you too and were simply fantastic! Keagan Haney… you added depth to the role of Charlotte. Hard to do when you’re twelve but did it magically! And of course, my sweet Elijah. Elijah, you never cease to amaze me. You learned not only your lines, but everyone else’s! I’m in awe of your professionalism and eagerness. You never got tired, never complained and were always ready when I needed you to be. I’ve never been more proud!

“To Craig, my husband who puts up with my writing madness, mania, frustration, mood swings, hopes, dreams, and fears. You’re one in a million.

“Thank you to Will Akers who prompted me to enter the competition. Will, I appreciate you letting me learn from you. I hope to work with you again in the future. You have great insight.

“I also want to thank Dr. Louise Hanson and Jen Swails-Wenger, my bosses. It was their allowing me to audit Will’s classes that I ever 1.) knew about the competition and 2.) had learned enough where I was comfortable enough to give it a whirl. Thanks for allowing me to follow a dream.

“To everyone who’s cheered me on and prayed for me: THANK YOU. It’s the best feeling in the world to know that you have someone rooting for you. I can actually feel your warm wishes, thoughts, and prayers if that makes any sense. Please continue! I want to create, I want to work, I want to infiltrate Hollywood with movies of purpose and value. And I’ve started with DRAW. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Until next time, sweet readers….

Keep dreaming… keep writing!

Director/Writer Marti with the cast of DRAW enjoy the Golden Slate Award

Ask questions!

James Benning

Every opportunity for a new experience, I take it. (You should do that, too, by the way. How else can you experience the adventure?)

I was invited to attend a viewing of James Benning's latest work, RR. (That's Railroad for numbskulls like me!) I gratefully accepted, and dressed up my kiddos in their nicest garb and for the sake of culture, trucked them to the event. (I'm happy to say they were extremely well behaved, perhaps for fear for their lives, but nonetheless, made me proud).

Originally, we were to eat dinner with James, but alas! His flight was delayed. We ate by a nice fountain outside and at 7:00pm on the dot, took our seats. I let the children choose our spots...the second row.  And the movie began.

Trains.

Trains.

Trains.

Did I mention, trains? No music. No actors. Just: Fade In, train tracks, a train appears and goes by, leaves. Fade Out. Fade in, train tracks, a train appears and goes by, leaves. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. For 48 shots.

We were not prepared for this.

However! Thanks to my excellent parenting skills, the children remained silent and still.

Twenty minutes in, my youngest leaned over to me and whispered, "Are there any people in it?"

"I don't think so," I replied.

"Okay."

Once they got past the shock of a film with no plot, shooting sequence, or sex scenes that I make them cover their eyes for, they resigned themselves that for one hour and one minute, their life was: TRAINS.

Actually, it was quite a good film. The sounds, the scenery. Variation. Just an hour and one minute of trains.

The film ended. Applause from all. Then, the Q&A session. A few generic questions pop up. And then, James Benning, director of RR, points in my direction and says, "Yes?"

I look to my left and my beautiful twelve year old daughter has her hand raised.  And that's how it all started. Between her and my thirteen year old son, they dominated the questions. And they weren't "froo froo" questions. They were insightful:

"What prompted you to make a film about trains?"

"Did have a schedule or did you wait for the trains?"

"How long was your longest wait?"

"Is there anything you would change about it?"

"What DON'T you love about trains?"

"There were alot of southern routes, as seen by the landscape. Were any of the shots up north?"

"Will you ever do an animated film about trains?"

And my youngest: "Can you make a movie about super heroes?"

Afterwards, people praised the children for having such great questions and hailed me as an awesome mother for bringing them to the event. I, of course, beamed with pride. It's a family business, this film stuff.

I snapped a quick pic of the kiddos with James and the evening was complete.

My children's first avant garde film, first time to question a director, first time to a screening.

In the car, my thirteen year old commented, "You know, the movie was kinda boring with all those trains. But, now that I've met the director, it seems kinda interesting."

Spoken like a true critic.

How Very Interesting...

A nice man named Chris came to class yesterday. He's worked extensively in Hollywood as a writer.  We really got to pick his brain.

Of all the nuggets of wisdom he shared, this was my favorite, and you, lucky fan, shall have it passed to you!

He said in regards to writing: "The more you're paid in Hollywood, the less of a voice you have."

"If you are hired by a studio, it's because they want you to script their idea. If you want to have a voice, stick with independent film companies."

Very sobering.

It all relates to happiness. Think about it! Can you write stuff you really don't give a rip about for half a million dollars? Would you be happy doing that?  Or are you the type that absolutely MUST write what's in your heart every single time?

Me? I look at writing jobs as mountains to climb, races to win, and victories to pursue. It's where your heart is.

No matter what you write, a director WILL see it differently. And he/she WILL see it differently from the producer. Does that matter to you? Will it grate on you to see a different version of what you had rolling around in your head? If that keeps you awake at night, perhaps you DO need to pursue smaller and independent companies. But's it's completely up to you.

Where is your heart?

DRAW! My first short film is done!

I’ve recovered from the 24 hour film race.


My team, “Team Triumph” did extremely well. We won’t know who won until April, though. AND I have the finished movie on DVD but I can’t figure out how to upload it to any web sites as of yet. I promise I will have it here as soon as I can.

What happened, you ask? Good question, adoring fan.

Friday afternoon, I arrived at the competition headquarters at Vanderbilt. There were 9 teams total. (One team later dropped out…and they were senior year film students! The sissies!)

We drew numbers. Our numbers correlated with our genre, which was mix-matched. By that I mean, categories were: Superhero horror, British Western, Sci Fi Musical, and Romance Mystery. I got Sci Fi Musical and was NOT happy. I accepted the challenge, however, and didn’t quit like those senior wimps.

We were given our equipment and checked it out. We were handed an envelope with one line of dialogue. We had to incorporate it into the script. We also were given a prop we had to place in a scene. The prop? Bunny ears. The line of dialogue? That’s what she said. We were also told that throughout the night we would be given texts with twists along the way. And of course the final rule: Turn in our finished movie on DVD by 6pm on Saturday. Everyone was excited. Except me with my stinkin’ Sci Fi Musical.

6pm: The race began! My crew (Kristy and Ann) and I loaded up and trekked to my house. For three hours we brainstormed on how to create a Sci Fi Musical. I was at a loss. I don’t watch Sci Fi. I don’t like alien crap. Ghosts, maybe. Loved the Matrix, but you know, my special effects budget was lacking for this flick. Exasperated, Kristy and I drove to the top of an overlook to get some shots of the moon since OBVIOUSLY Sci Fi stuff would need to have that in it. Ann took a puppy (I’m giving them away, want one?) and went home to rest.

At the overlook, all was well until the police pulled up and shone a bright light in my face. Maybe he thought the camera was a weapon? Kristy and I tried to explain we were filming a movie, but we were frisked against the car anyway. Kristy enjoyed it. I was rather miffed. I had the camera in my hand! Then we were told that no one was allowed up there after dark. AGAIN I explained that I needed a shot of the moon. He told me I needed to go in five minutes. Whatever. I was gone in four.

Fifteen minutes later, the text came: “The first person to respond to this text will be able to swap genres.” I was on that like white on rice! Kristy made the call and our genre became: British Western. Okay. THIS I can do.

By 11pm the script was made, copies were given to the actors, who just happened to be my four children and Kristy’s daughter.

At midnight production stopped. We spent an hour and a half in WalMart so the girls could get their DVD of New Moon. (We won Awesome Mom awards for that one!) I snagged a few props there while I was at it.

2-4am: Viewing of New Moon while I tweaked script. Michael, my eldest, went to bed so. He did this because he knew if he wasn’t well rested 1.) I wouldn’t let him drive me ANYWHERE and 2.) He needed to be able to be in a good mood in order to maintain peace between siblings.

5am: Breakfast at Waffle House. My youngest was slow to rise, but he had known about this for awhile. He was generally excited and happy. The girls put on their outfits and we were all good to go.

6am: Carnton Plantation, Franklin, Tennessee. Cold. Got good shots of sunrise. Overcast day. Perfect lighting.

6:45am: Started filming the kids. I admit, I was a bit worried about filming my youngest. He’s 10 and has special needs. He can be whiny and difficult. However, he was so stoked about being in a movie, he was amazing. He worked so hard for me! Time after time after time! He had memorized his lines, too! All of the kids were wonderful! My boys did their own stunts.

7:15am: The boom mike quits working. We changed out batteries, nope, that wasn’t it. Fiddled with wires. Finally worked, but wasted thirty minutes.

8:00am: First camera battery dies. Swap out with another. No inverter to charge first battery. Muffled grumbling begins.

9:00am: Filming pauses so hot air balloons can float across our sky. Grumblings get a bit louder.

10:15am: Last line of dialogue taped. Camera dies. Grumblings are very vocal at this point. No way to charge batteries. We will have to make due.

10:30am: Ann departs. Kristy and her daughter come to my home to grab their things, leave. It’s up to me to edit it and make it pretty. I leave the kids with my parents and Michael and I book it to Vanderbilt.

10:50am: Get tutorial on editing station. I try my best to figure out Final Cut. It’s not my niche. Michael, however, seems to be a natural and takes over. My son, who was an actor, now becomes my editor. We edit for five hours straight.

4:30pm: Discover that the last line of dialogue was erased when the camera died. Screams fill the station. People run to see if I have had an embolism.

4:35pm: The next twist: You must film an alternate ending. Very happy about this, Michael, still wearing the same clothes, takes a seat against a wall. I film him improving an interview for our “new ending”. The old ending (the ORIGINAL ending) doesn’t work without the last line of dialogue, so it becomes an outtake ending.

5:00pm: Michael leaves to retrieve the children for the film screening. I’m left in charge of the movie and still can’t figure out stuff on Final Cut. I’m just not a techie. I enlist aid from Dean, a guy stationed at the competition to help people like me out. He helps me with credits, titles, and music. He also ensures that the editing is smooth. He was a great help. I was and am grateful. My grumbling subsides.

5:30pm: Our film, “DRAW” is burned to DVD.

5:35pm: DRAW is handed in to the powers that be. Early. I like that.

5: 50pm: Michael and the children return and are out of breath from sprinting from the parking garage. We take our seats in the theater.

5:55pm: My youngest takes a potty break.

6:00pm: Screenings begin. My mentor, Will Akers, is a judge. Didn’t even know he was coming!

All in all, the evening was fantastic. I won’t find out until April sometime if we placed. I will say that everyone laughed and LOVED our film. The kids loved seeing themselves up on a silver screen. Rave reviews from everyone who saw it. It was extremely entertaining. And so much fun to make.

Hands down. One of the best days of my life. Making my short film and being able to bond with my kiddos at the same time. Priceless! If any of you ever get a chance to make a film, oh my gosh, do it! Remember to laugh. We laughed a lot on our film. Wouldn’t change a darn thing.

Like I said, once I figure out how to upload it, I will.

On another note, TODAY I get to speak with Linda Woolverton, the screenwriter for Alice in Wonderland. I’m pumped. Most in my class didn’t like Alice, but I did. I really enjoyed it. I like things with twists…things that are done differently than expected. Weird. Maybe because I’m weird. Who knows.

I’ll post it here in a few.

Thank you for following my blog. Keep writing!

I'm so thankful there are youth that understand technology!

Michael is a superb editor!

My Short Film Adventure Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow I get the stuff to make my short film. I am extremely excited.


Still don’t know the genre I will be given.

Still don’t have the prop they are to give me. (They being the stellar school I am currently linked with and ever so grateful for these outstanding opportunities).

Still don’t have a script.

But I’m eager. I have a Production Coordinator that has agreed to spend the entire night filming the short with me. I have a crew. I have a small ensemble of actors ready to go.

I’m ready. I can do this. In the immortal words of my awesome cousin Carol: “I’m not asceared.” I am ready! Let’s make a movie! Whooooo hooooooo!

On to even BETTER NEWS!

I received an email today:

“I’m working with a visiting filmmaker, Alberto Fuguet, on a digital short he’s making during his time here at Vanderbilt. He’s a famous novelist and an experienced director (whose films have shown at the Rotterdam fest) - and he’s working on a cool new filmmaking concept he calls “garage cinema.” Basically, it’s a guerilla approach to filmmaking that involves the use of a still camera to surreptitiously shoot films. Shooting video with a still camera definitely seems to be the wave of the future and a cool way to make great films on a shoestring budget. Which is what we’re hoping to do. We’re beginning to prep the project now and will begin shooting on 3/29 (wrapping on 4/4).

“Will Akers recommended you as a stellar PA. And we’d love your help. Would you be interested in joining our gang of merry pranksters? If so, could you please share your schedule/availability with me? I’m putting together a crew list and would like to include that information so we can begin figuring out logistics. Thanks!”

Um….YEAH! I would LOVE to work as a PA!!! I’m slotted to assist the last week in March and up until Easter. I am STOKED!

Things are looking swell and uber sweet for me!

I’ll keep you posted!

Next week I will have the opportunity to interview Linda Woolverton, screenwriter of the newly released Alice in Wonderland. Hopefully I will have some helpful tidbits and help!

Keep writing, keep dreaming!

New Project Afoot!

My 28+ days of pain are over!!!

I have now had one complete off day and I slept for HOURS. I’ve caught up on a month of sleep deprivation and let me tell you, it feels good. Sleep is wonderful for rejuvenation. Which brings me to my next sleep-depriving activity.

A 24 hour short film contest.

I’ve never participated in one of these before. It was brought up in my class, and I though **foolishly** to myself, “How hard can it be? It’s a short film and I know people.”

I wrote a short script in a half hour (and let me tell you, it’s Oscar bound), lined up a cast, even got the location set when…*cue dramatic music*…the RULES were sent to me. Actually, they make sense since it IS a 24 hour contest.

On March 19, I will with my team to get my equipment (everyone gets the same stuff). From there, I will get an envelope. In the envelope is one line of dialogue and a genre. I am also given a prop. I’m told there will be one more twist thrown in, but we’ll find out that day what it is. From the moment my envelope is opened, I will have 24 hours to write, secure locations and actors, direct, produce and edit the movie. I must turn in a complete short film on DVD by 6pm March 20. Screenings directly follow.

Needless to say, I’m excited. I’ve never done a short film before, and at this point, honestly wondering if I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. Not that I don’t think I could deliver a short film. I know I can. It’s the 24 hour deadline I’m concerned about.

My crew consists of my fellow employees who also have never done anything like this before. I get to train them. This should be interesting.

I have to remember to have fun. Anything to do with something like this and I set the bar really REALLY high for myself. My fear is that I’ll turn into a film Nazi or something like that, making my entire crew hate me….I’m usually pretty cool to hang around and do my best to make things fun, so I really hope that’s just a silly thought.

Could this experience be used for a future feature length script? Hm……

I’ll make sure to post the end result here. Wish me luck!

As I close this, Kathryn Bigelow has created history by becoming the first female to win in the Best Director category for the Academy Awards.  Congrats, Kathryn!

This night is such a magical time...people around the nation will stand before mirrors with shampoo bottles or hairbrushes and practice their acceptance speeches. I know this, because I've done it. It's a night for dreamers...where people wish upon a star for something bigger than themselves to take root and come to fruition.  I know, because I'm a fellow wisher.

So, to everyone who has a dream: Keep dreaming! For everyone who has something to day: Keep speaking! Keep creating! Keep making films, or music, or scripts, or whatever it is you do that sparks that fire deep within.

We would be lost if people stopped dreaming. So don't give up! Press on!

If you think you're small, you're small. If you think you're defeated, you're defeated. If you think you OWN those Oscars, guess what?  You will.

See you on the red carpet!

Shutter Island

I have been waiting for this movie for ages, it seems. First it was to come out in November (I believe) but got pushed to February thanks to Avatar.

Opening night! Me and my besties had a Girl's Night Out. Dinner and a movie. Haven't done that it FOREVER it seems. So much fun. Now on to the movie.

One word: Hitchcock.

Completely done in the style of Alfred Hitchcock (at least I think so). Very little blood, guts, and gore. Not very scary. Suspensful? Eh, some. But it IS a psychological thriller.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is (and don't worry this isn't a spoiler) is when Teddy (Leonardo Di Caprio) hears the voice of Max von Sydow. Max is seated in a highback leather chair, which it turned diagonally to a roaring fire. The writer makes you wait to see his face....the camera pans around the back of the chair, only to continue to pan because the chair protrudes on the sides like wings. Right before you see his face and as the camera continues to pan, a vase on the table obstructs your view.

Excellent writing! The writer,  Laeta Kalogridis, has the audience wait, wait, and wait to see his face. We, as an audience are suffering! We want to see who this guy is...this mysterious man.

We were in a packed theater. As the scene progressed, I listened to the audience's reaction. They were strained a bit with the wings of the chair, but when the vase was in the way, audible voices: "Oh man, come on!" "WTF? Move the f-ing vase!" "God, come on, I wanna see the guy!"

Wonderful reactions! Great writing! So suspenseful. Go see it.

I think this is one of the most well written screenplays I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. I think it's one of the best adaptations I have ever seen. (The book by the same name is by Dennis Lehane, who also authored Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River).

The direction by Martin Scorsese was superb. The set up of potentially creepy scenes was very well done. His use of characters, the actors, everything really, was fabulous. Truly felt I was watching Hitchcock. (Except with better music).

But the writing. The writing is GREAT.