Set Phasers to Awesome.

I finished the script last night! It's about 17 pages long and it's most likely awful, but I'm happy about it. I'm happy about getting it done anyways.

I found a lot of challenges along the way.

I started quickly, and wrote five good pages. I reviewed it with Phil and Mike, and they loved it. After that, it became increasingly difficult to continue and to finish.

Eventually, I gave myself a deadline. I was speaking with Mike, who said we had to get the script finished so we could finish our pre-production planning and everything. I told him to give me a couple of days to finish, and that I would have everything in by Tuesday.

I finished the rest of it yesterday, and it whooped me. I wrote and wrote, then deleted and wrote again. I had to replay everything in my head and make sure that everything fit and made sense to previous scenes and dialog. Granted, this story is very silly, with silly characters and a silly plot, but the structure still had to be right. It still had to be a story, and not just a random mesh of jokes.

I finished around 11 pm last night. It was really tough. There were so many things I had to remember, and even though I've written several scripts before, I think this one was the hardest, because I knew I was writing from beginning to end, and I knew that this is a story we'll be producing in the next two to three weeks.

The next challenge is that we are now supposed to be shooting on Saturday the 10th and the 17th, and I just barely finished the first draft. This is going to be fun.

Blood and Cupcakes.

We've reached another checkpoint in our process for the Halloween Project, tentatively named "Blood and Cupcakes." we met in a smaller group as writers so I could pitch them the first five pages.

The reading went really well. The other guys were very enthusiastic about it and they felt it was very "us." It was by far the best reaction I've ever had to one of my films, which is nice, cause I've never been so involved in the story-writing process. It tells me that all this studying is paying off.

I still have a ways to go, but I feel like the main characters are strong enough to drive the story forward. I like the story and the jokes and I'm confident we'll have a completely enjoyable product.

Booyah.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

We've now entered the last half of September, and our October 10th date still stands over me, swinging a club.

The good news, however, is that we finally had our production meeting. In between jokes and tangents, we figured out a good story, which I can't really explain.

I want to welcome out newest member, Phil Hudson, to the crew. He just got done shooting his own 20-minute short film. He brought some great ideas to the table and we ended up implementing a lot of what he said. My favorite part was the iPhone app he has that makes random rim shots and golf claps. It added immensely to the productivity of the meeting. Especially when Jarren pulled out his phone, downloaded the same app, then began using the same sounds. It was phenomenal.

Project-wise: I feel very confident and comfortable with the whole thing. I feel much better than I did a week ago. We picked a location, answered some questions, picked a main character, a villain, a plot, and all that good stuff.

Now, it's easy*. I just have to write the script, get it torn apart by the other guys, then re-write it again. Wash, rinse, repeat. It's all part of the process and I'm confident we'll have a great finished screenplay.

*Please note: sarcasm.

Attention: Choking is Prohibited

Another week goes by and suddenly it's another week closer to October 10th, our tentative shooting date for our Halloween project.

Unfortunately, we are still lacking a lot in the story area, but I think the time constraint will prove to be more rewarding than hindering. I feel I work better under pressure.

Thus far, we've got two main characters, both protagonists, and we know there will be a victim. We've also figured out a lot of funny things that are going to happen, but not many of them are entirely relevant to the story.

I don't know why I'm having so much trouble coming up with good ideas and a complete story. Normally, things just kind of fall into place. Maybe I need to just start writing the script for real and pound out a junkie first draft.

I'm trying to think back to our last two projects and how things went in the writing stage. I think the key to both Radicali and Infinipede was that we met together as a group and brainstormed for a few hours. This was really effective, because I feel like both of the projects we did were very well done and the best we could have done them. That's what has to happen. My ideas alone aren't good enough.

I say this as though I don't know it. I really do. It just becomes more and more difficult to find the time to meet together oft and participate in such talks. I felt cool saying that.

So that's the goal for this coming week. I have to coerce my sidekicks to meet together with me and create another hit. We've set high standards for ourselves with our two biggies, so we had better not choke.

And with nothing left so say, I bid you adieu.

Instant Applications

This is now the home of my current goings-on in the film world. I will be taking notes about the things that I am writing as I try to work out the kinks and tie up the loose ends. Get ready for possible boredom.

Recently we have been working on a new 'Halloween' project, which we only call by that name because we have a premiere deadline of October 30th (Which isn't Halloween, but it's close). When I say 'we,' I mean the same ol' group, Jarren, John, Colton, Mike, and myself. Most of you don't know them, but we are the collective cinematic superhero.

So I've been heading up the writing on this new project. We don't have a whole lot of time to get it all done, and it's pretty challenging, but I enjoy it a whole lot. I really enjoy these kinds of challenges; it seems to be the only time I really improve.

Writing this film coupled with my two film related classes has really created something special. I go to school everyday and sharpen my techniques and writing tricks, then I get to take that straight to the pages I'm writing. There's nothing quite like instant application.

The project so far is in such an infant stage that I hesitate even bringing it up until we have something more concrete. I wrote out a synopsis for the story and have begun character descriptions.

One of the major problems I have had in the past is having the ability to structure my thoughts and fit the things I want to say into the organized layout for which it is intended. I've also had trying times attempting to justly describe a certain character. I am fortunate enough, however, to be where I am today.

My classes and my friends have helped me begin to cross these barriers. Just the other day, Mike helped me finally see why I could never correctly describe a character. He said something to the effect of:

"When you describe a character, you tend to use adjectives. 'This guy is awkward. This guy is quirky.' Don't tell me he's awkward, show me."

I may or may not have polished his words up a bit, but that doesn't matter. Essentially, that is what I understood from what he said, and it made perfect sense. It seems like common sense, but for some reason I just couldn't see it until now.

Therefore, I have instantly applied this revelation to my writing and have used situations and settings to show who my characters are. For example, in working on my lead character for the 'Halloween' project, I described his morning routine, answering basic questions:

Where does he live?
How well is it kept?
What is his home decor like?
What is his strategy for getting ready in the morning?
What does he eat for breakfast?
What kind of car does he drive?
How does he interact with random people that cross his path?

Any question I had about him had a specific answer. If I came up with one thing, and it didn't feel right, I would try another answer until it fit. It was much easier than to say, "His apartment is clean and nice. He likes eggs." There's no clarity in those statements. How is his apartment clean? How does he like his eggs? How does he prepare them?

It's been amazing having this kind of progress because of a simple change in perspective. It's a true key in bringing your characters to life.