Seven6 Productions, LLC

Although my main focus is screenwriting - seeing my script on the screen is a goal of mine. The Internet is a wealth of knowledge for learning about screenwriting and filmmaking. Lighting is one of those areas I needed to understand. Today, I got to see a live seminar on scene lighting put on by a DP (Director of Photography) out of California. He was an excellent speaker. It was great to see lighting done in person and be able to ask questions of someone who actually has real, practical experience. Several other screenwriters attended the seminar as well. If you can attend any kind of film/screenwriting seminars (preferrably free or of minimal cost) - go to them. Learn all you can - it will help down the road.

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. 

1. Finish my feature screenplay - this is a major goal.

2. Make my shorts into films

3. Make an indie film and enter it in a festival

4. Do a 48 hour film challenge

5. Do a 24 hour film challenge

…. thinking of more, but the year is 1/3 over!

Getting the book from Half.com - at least I got a bargain. The “dummies” book are usually pretty good and I need a crash course in filmmaking. It seems everyone is so busy - they have no time to answer questions or give a talk or course on filmmaking. So, I need to teach myself and learn as much as possible.

I find that most filmmakers write there own stuff or visa/versa. Probably writers became filmmakers because there was no one who would make their stuff. So I, therefore, must follow ….. and learn and make my own movies.

I guess when I’m ready I can post for crew and actors. That should be interesting. Right now it seems undaunting, but maybe after reading the dummies book - I’ll feel less like a dummy! ya think? ? ?

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.

We bid on a silent auction at the Phoenix Film Festival. We bid on the collector’s edition of the movie “Jackie Brown”. It’s a two disc set with all the extras, plus it is autographed by Robert Forster, the actor - who was a speaker at the festival.

And we won … ! It’s a great cd and very cool Tarentino movie. If you haven’t seen it - rent it! The twists and turns in the movie is what screenwriting is all about.