Where it began

As a screenwriter and producer I find myself in situations where I ask myself, “Why am I doing this?”. This is a difficult road to walk, but it is exciting at the same time. I can’t picture myself doing anything else. Recently I was given very sad news that made me question if this is the profession I should seek for myself. The news involved someone very close and someone who saw potential in me and in my eyes I haven’t reached that yet. To get myself on the right path I have to think back to when I was 11 and I wrote my first script; a short about a super hero.

I found a great interview with Kevin Smith about realizing that writing and filmmaking was his path in life. It was Smith’s film “Clerks” that inspired me to be a filmmaker. His beginning is a great story for all writers.

“Legend of Pine Acres”

I received some great news this week; my film “Legend of Pine Acres” was accepted into the Omaha Film Festival. I wrote and produced the film. It was directed by Chad Bishoff and shot by John Pycha and Rob Williams. (www.pineacresmovie.com) The festival will be held at Great Escape Theater in Omaha from March 7th to 11th. (www.omahafilmfestival.org)

I wrote the film to go along with my feature script “Pine Acres”. The feature is based off a ghost story and the short film “Legend of Pine Acres” is that story. It is a very basic slasher film. I’m hoping it will help in getting funds to shoot the feature.

In keeping with the theme of filmmakers that inspire me, here is a short video of horror master Wes Craven.

Inspiration through other Screenwriters

Even though my computer is on the fritz, I’m still able to blog by way of my touchpad. I thought this might be a great time to start a series of screenwriters I admire.

With my feature script “Punished Woman’s Lake” getting a big boost in preproduction, here is an interview with two screenwriters that were the inspiration in telling the story.

Let PreProduction Begin!

January means preproduction in the Midwest. While the weather is cold outside many filmmakers are getting ready to go into production in the Spring. The goal at the first preprod meeting from the producer’s side is let’s get a film out there that is worthy to be on the 2013 film festival circuit. I’ve got two going right now, two short films I wrote titled “Immortal Darkness” and “Back to One”. I’ve got director Chad Bishoff attached and the talent and crew are coming together. Speaking as a producer I’d like to say 2013 is going to be a great year.

In honor of award season I’d like to share another video with everyone. Like many filmmakers I got started making films in college. This one made me relate and laugh. Enjoy!Student Film Awards

14 minutes to spare?

I’m unable to put up a new post so I thought I’d post an interview with the woman whose teachings, and book, helped me write my last three scripts.

After the Last Page is Written

After I finished my final draft of the script  ‘Life Unattended’  I decided I wanted to use it as a tool to get into the screenwriting business.  The first place I went was to the Writer’s Guild websiteto register the script.  For twenty bucks they put it on file for five years.  Then to a site called TriggerStreet; this is a great site to get your work reviewed by other aspiring screenwriters for free.  I also handed it out to a few people that I considered good writers and peers to give me constructive criticism.  (Sorry mom that you never got your copy) 

When all was said and done I had a script that I considered ready for production.  I now put together Plan A – On my own, produce the film independently and Plan B – sell the script.  I went with Plan A and it didn’t pan out.  Unfortunately, it took me almost a year to figure that out.  I don’t regret that year because I learned so much.  I talked to many people and networked like crazy.  What is funny is that my IMDB ranking went from being 900K to 200K. (Those of you who don’t visit IMDB really should go there and make it a favorite.)  Plan B then went into effect.  To find out how that went, well you’ll have to wait until another post.  It doesn’t happen over night you know. 

PROJECT UPDATE:

Preproduction has gone into effect for two short films I wrote and am now producing.  The short film “Back to One” and a currently untitled cop thriller.  If you’d like to audition, check out the links below.  

“Back to One” – Audition

Untitled Cop Thriller – Audition

Art imitates Life

In 2002 I co-wrote “Halfway Point”, my first feature film, with my old college roommate, Chad Bring.  It was a film we also co-produced, co-directed, and co-starred.   Since it was our first we wrote what we knew.  It is a story of a recent college graduate from a small town who leaves everything behind to move to the city.  While embracing city life he finds himself missing his small town life, i.e. his girlfriend.  At the same time he is falling for a co-worker. This leads to a climax where he must make that big choice between small town girl and big city girl.  This part of the film was loosely based off an experience in my life.  For the purpose of this story, let’s call the girl “Julie”.

I left home to go to college about120 miles away from my hometown.  I left “Julie” behind while I went to a new school.  She had another year of high school and I couldn’t afford the local university;  in my opinion I didn’t have a choice.  The strain of dealing with a long distance relationship was hard.  I suddenly saw myself looking at other women, one in particular.   I started to get confused about my feelings because I loved “Julie” and would never cheat, so I did the honorable thing.  One night while back home, I broke up with “Julie”.   There were a lot of tears and hurt feelings.  Not sure if I cried then, but I know I did later.   I eventually did ask the other girl out and she ended up not being interested at all.  I did get one date with her, but I messed it up so bad that I’m considering saving it for another script.  Of course for the movie’s sake, Chad and I wrote a different ending.

PROJECT UPDATE:

Festival time! Well submission time anyway.  “Legend of Pine Acres” is getting ready for a nice 2012 tour.  I’m looking for as many venues as possible to show this little twenty minute film.  My script “Wonderwall” is coming along well; more pages written everyday.  I’m also working on getting an edit of a film I did a few years ago posted online.  Hopefully they’ll be more on that next week.  Have a great Thanksgiving and be sure to use any days off from work to get some writing in!

Make some new friends

A hard truth in this business is that it is not always what you know, but who you know.  If you go toL.A.you’ll see that people who are successful are busy almost every night going to dinners, parties, movie premiers, or other random gatherings.  They are not going for the food or drinks, they are going because who is going to , or possibly, be there.  Now I’m writing this from my office in theMidwest.  I’m roughly two thousand miles away fromL.A.!  The only way I can make friends is via the internet.  Seek out people in the biz and get to know them.    You could go to Facebook or some random message board, but a way I’ve been able to meet people out of my city limits is on Linkedin.  Go there, create an account, and join some groups.  It has helped me and I’m hoping it will help anyone reading this.  If you can meet your spouse online, why can’t you meet a fellow screenwriter? 

PROJECT UPDATE:

Now that “Legend of Pine Acres” is complete and ready for the film festival circuit, it is time to get to the next film.  I’m now going back into preproduction on a film I had to shelve earlier this year.  This spring I’m going to film the short “Back to One”.  A great short I wrote based off a poem I read by a friend of mine, Sandra Haack.  After reading the poem and hearing her talk about it, I just knew I had to write about it.  I shelved it a few months ago after already holding auditions.  I hope some of the great talent I saw is still available.  

Finally, I’m working on my next feature script.  It is the first script that I gave myself a deadline to have the draft one complete; January 1st.  The title is “Wonderwall”.  It is about a screenwriter who after breaking into the business 10 years earlier with an Oscar winning independent film, he is now writing very successful big budget romantic comedies.  Board with that genre, he wants to win awards again and decides to write a bio of a woman on death row for killing a senator.  After meeting with her they become close friends and through her he finds that getting back to the award show isn’t important, but getting back to writing for the love of story is.  The title, “Wonderwall” comes from its definition: An object of fascination. 

Look for more updates on “Back to One” and “Wonderwall”

 

“CLERKS”

Every now and then I’ll post a review of a movie that has had an impact on my live as a screenwriter, actor, and producer.  Here is my review of the film that launched director/screenwriter Kevin Smith’s career.

CLERKS. – 1994

It is the one that started it all.  The one that put him on the map.  The one that defined the term “snowballing”.  It is also the one that made me want to produce independent film.  After one viewing it became my favorite movie.  Of course there are people on the other end of the spectrum who say it is too vulgar.  Yes, it is a vulgar film, but I don’t think Kevin Smith was trying to push the envelope or trying to shock anyone.  He was being real and to me that defines independent.  Now because it is my favorite I do not think it is perfect.  Some of the dialogue is a bit too smart for the characters, but on the other hand that is what gives the movie its charm.  Dante and Randall are working with a high school diploma yet they come off sounding like highly educated scholars.  But then the topics that were discussed like Star Wars, porn, their jobs, and relationships they could be experts at twenty-two.  Character arc is also a bit of a problem.  Dante is the only really arc we have and we don’t see it end as the movie closes.  (We eventually do about ten years later in “Clerks II”) 

For what I like about the film, where do I start?  The characters to me are very relatable; I could relate to them at twenty-two and I can relate to them at thirty-two.  The main point, “shit or get off the pot” is something we can all learn from.  To me it says find what you like and go for it.  The characters of Jay and Silent Bob are perfect in their roles of comedy relief. Randall is the perfect sidekick who shows Dante who he can be in life.  The women in the script, Veronica and Caitlyn, act as two different sides of Dante and it is up to him to make the choice.  In closing, I could watch this film over and over and I still love it.  My best viewing, besides the first, was onApril 16, 2011when I saw it on the big screen for the first time.  I was at amidnightshowing and the crowd laughed as if the jokes were heard for the first time.  I still smile when someone says “37!”