Seven6 Productions, LLC

The Top 20 films of the A3F 24hr film festival were announced. I wasn’t among them. I got some feedback as to why and it makes sense to me. I need to figure out how to make a good, narrative film in a short time. I guess I need to imagine a full length feature and boil it down to several minutes. I will work on that. My film, Almost Dead, will be shown though - on a big movie screen - so that’s pretty darned cool. I was told it is worthy of showing and it had good production value. My very first film effort will be shown on October 18th! I’ll come back and post the audience reaction - good or bad. One thing I would like to know - what is the judging criteria ?? - that would help me immensely.

I am submitting our second film effort, Perfect Substitute, on Tuesday. This one may have the same problem as my first - we’ll see. My third film will be better.

“Perfect Substitute” will be in production soon. It’s a story about two buddies who feel coffee is a great substitute for women. We’ll be casting next Friday. This will be Seven6 Productions’ first film. I’m nervous that it will go right so I am planning things as much in advance as I can.

Then there is the 24hr. film challenge coming up. This will be madness. I have ideas in my head, but everyone won’t know what the genre, prop, and line will be until the day of the challenge. So you really can’t plan anything.

More soon …

Update on the screenwriting challenge. I withdrew mine - personal reasons. The other 4 were read by a film group, voted on and winners (yes a tie) were named. They will be made into films. No further comment.

This summer has been busy. I participated in two 48 hr. film challenges - challenge is the operative word - no more said about that. I did learn a lot - what to do and what not to do in making a short film. There needs to be hours of PRE-planning way before one frame of film is shot. If you don’t have the knack of paying attention to details - get someone and rely on them.

That’s the thing - you write a script - hand it over - and it comes out NOTHING like you imagined or wrote for that matter. That would be great if you were paid a good amount of money for it. You’d say - take it … do with it what you will. But, when you hand it over free of charge and watch your script be turned inside out - it hurts. Soooo…. that’s why so many sceenwriters - write, produce, and direct their own films.

The other thing is watching your script come alive, or dead as the case may be, on the screen. Many, many times it just doesn’t come across as written - the idea, feeling, the look - it loses its brilliance and become dull and missing. And that’s in the editing. That’s in the music. That’s in not paying attention to detail. That’s in not getting film shots important to the script. That’s the director changing things to his/her liking - which makes no sense to the script. That’s people putting in their 2 cents who have no idea how to write. That’s how a film turns lousy.

Moral: If you write a script and don’t get paid for it - and have it produced into a film - either film it yourself or direct it yourself or have a heavy hand in it’s production. BECAUSE - your name is on it FOREVER!

All that said, I’ve written several new shorts - one I am going to produce for a film festival. Our screenwriting group will also produce a film as well. We are delving into the dark abiss of filmmaking. I think our group has lots of talent. I’ll post our film later in October.

I’m learning more about filmmaking and how to do it right. Thank God for the Internet - or I’d never learn anything. If you want some great pod-casts about learning to use your video camera, lighting, and other good stuff go here: Izzy Video

I’ve been gone for a bit - vacations, other things, etc. but now I’m back on the screenwriting track. I wrote a couple more shorts. One being, Euthanasia Machine - a bit morbid but maybe timely at least as to what the future might bring.

And - I’m on two 48hr. film challenge teams. This ought to be fun, an education, and totally tiring! But, I want to see how these things go - how they are managed - what has to be done. Then maybe I’ll try one myself.

I’m also working on my Hawaii short. It’s hard work but fun. My mind goes round and round. Just like writing a script. And I have to put some music to it and that’s not easy to decide how it should feel. I’ll get it done though - and I’m sure will learn a lot. 

We went to see 10 shorts at the IFP June Cinema Lounge. Out of 10, I liked one. Some had very good ideas - and poor production - while others had poor ideas - and great production. Melding the two must be difficult. 

Our screenwriting group read our 3 minute film screenplays. All were pretty good. We scored each one and came up with the best four. Then the indie group will choose one to produce. I really hope it isn’t mine.

Well, that’s what I’ve been up to. I will write more often - probably about my 48hr. film experiences. 

Finding a video camera that has good quality for small indie films and doesn’t cost a fortune. If I went up to $3000 - I could get one heck of a camera. But I only want to spend about $1000. I’m looking at the Canon HD20. It’s gotten great reviews and most of the things I want in a camera. One thing I’m not sure about is buying it on the Internet. Although I’m in a huge city - the big electronic stores don’t carry much at all. And driving 100 miles around town to look for a camera is fruitless. Been there dont that as I hate saying. I found several online stores with good vendor ratings so I may throw them my 1K. I haven’t made the final decision, but I want one very soon!

I finished the 3 minute challenge short script. I like it — it has a nice twist.

In between writing it, I read a short story that intrigued me. I wrote the author and got permission to write a short from the story. And I already did. Sometimes they come easily. I can write a short very fast as long as I have the full idea in my head - ya know - beginning, middle, end. LOL  This writer has some very interesting stories and I’ve found several that might make good shorts.

So far I have these shorts finished (Don’t you just love the titles? :)):

The List, The Doll, EMS, Dryer Conversations, Heads-up,  and Heat Lightning

Next step is to design posters for my website.

If I can read through my 3 minute short once without changing it - I’ll consider it done! LOL I can see how you could never be totally satisfied with a script. Reading 3 to 4 pages over and over is one thing … reading 90 to 120 pages over and over again could be daunting - fixing, changing, fixing, changing - a never ending cycle.

I think I’m closer to the end though. I only changed a couple words this time. I’m hoping one or two more times read - and I’m done. Then I’ll leave it alone … maybe.

Well, I love editing film. It’s something I really enjoy and am pretty good at doing. I made a short little film from my seminar videos that I took yesterday. The video is almost 14 minutes long, so it’s hard to upload onto the web for viewing. I had to burn a CD. I am using Windows Movie Maker and my Canon digital camera. It shoots very good video and sound.

I do want to purchase a small mini dvd camera - probably a Sony Handycam. I’ve used the older and larger Handycam and really enjoyed it.

I’m spiffing up my challenge. I really like it - but who knows if anyone else will. LOL You can never tell with people. I have to clean it up a few more times before I will feel it is finished. It’s only 4 pages but I read and re-read it constantly. I don’t want any glaring flaws in it. I would love to have it produced, but if I don’t, I know it is a good work — short but good.

I need to get my other short - Heads-up - animated. I think that will be a big challenge. People say they are animator, but they really aren’t. I want a polished piece, not something amatuerish. Soooo … I may have to pay to get it done. Such is life!

I’m still reading and learning alot. I am re-thinking my feature to give it more twists and turns - in other words - make it interesting. That is the total key — make it interesting and a page turner. 

I’ve also read some short stories - good avenue for screenplays. I haven’t found anything I want to adapt yet - but I will continue to look for ideas everywhere.

My Goal - Finish my feature by end of summer!!!! That’s a promise to myself. ;) 

Reading screenwriting books may seem like something a rank beginner should do, but for me it is very helpful. I read Robert Walter’s book and found that if gave me some really good ideas on how to improve my story. I needed to make it more interesting, have more conflict, more twists - in other words - make it something someone would want to view as a movie — and not sleep through or walk out of.  Another book I just started is the Screenwriter’s Bible. It is recommended by so many people that I had to get it and read it. So far, it’s pretty good. Apparently, it is used by the novice and the pro. I find these books very helpful. By reading - I get ideas and write and change and improve. I want at least one pretty good script to show around.

Tonight is Table Readings again. I’m not bringing anything for the group to read. I find that most understand and “get” my writing, while others find lots of fault with it and say they just don’t like my writing. I guess I need to take criticism, but it could be given in a gentler way. And getting overly picky about spelling isn’t a criticism of the writing or style or format or anything … it’s a bad spell checker! I’d really enjoy some feedback about the story. I do take it all in stride and from whence it comes though. Tonight, I will sit and listen and enjoy everyone’s pages and take in the criticism for the others - mull it over in my head and see if it is valid. I am wondering if one continually sits with the same group over and over and gets the same voices of criticism, is that good? Do we then become one writer if we follow that criticism? Do we lose our own style of writing if we change to conform to the group criticism? Do we lose our voice and become one voice of the group? Are we dunned down by same group criticism? This is what I want to research.

Don’t get me wrong … I have taken some of the criticism and used it to improve, some I totally disregarded … as it should be.