New Movie Underway

I'm back after a long hiatus.

I've been in analysis paralysis for a long time. I've decided just to do it and quit delaying for every little thing.

Been busy with so much stand up comedy and my fitness company.

I'm going to keep this short, but I will tell you I'm going to document all I'm doing.

I have the script done, and it's been done for a while.

Locations are almost complete.

Storyboards are 35% done. According to Werner Herzog I'm 35% a coward for making them.

And casting is in process.

Gear is almost completely ready as well.

Editing software is ready too.

Will I crowdfund, I'm not sure.

Will I try to get the Austin Film Grant.  Maybe?

That's it for now.

Getting my Story Reviewed

So I've uploaded my current draft to Triggerstreet labs, a contest, and some friends so we'll see what happens.

I'm reading some more Robert E. Howard, and Vampire Hunter D for more ideas and inspiration.

I haven't made any plans for casting or locations besides what I already have.

I'm too into getting the story as close to perfect before I do anything else.

Life and the New Script

It's only been over 3 years but I decided to make another post anyway.

So I got my movie distributed from a POS distributor called Echelon.

I got no money, they got rights to my movie, and then they cease any communication or promises about anything.

I legally can't get my movie back without paying a lot of money until the contract is up.

Good news is despite many people telling me they like my movie, I didn't.

I see all the potential but see as a just a learning experience.

Like my first time on stage doing stand up. I got a lot of laughs, it doesn't mean I was good.

So I've been living the real life. Working as a personal trainer, doing stand up. doing human things, making sure my next movie is a success.

I've currently entered my new script into a contest and am using Triggerstreet.com as well.

Between my training business, stand up, screen writing, and life it's a constant battle.

But I want movie making to be my ultimate success.

I have people interested in producing and have set the goal budget at 50K.

The script has had major overhauls and I like it better each time.

I'll keep you updated.

What I'm doing

So what else am I doing now that I'm doing now that I'm done with the movie.

Well besides constantly reviewing film festivals to know which one to enter, and working running my personal training business I....am working on my next movie!

I've written two scripts and four treatments since my last movie. Constantly moving ahead is the best thing to do. I'm ending one movies life as I move onto the next.

After making a movie and watching how everything plays out on the screen. You learn a lot about screenwriting. What works, where your strengths are, and exactly what not to do next time...hopefully, you do. I've seen some people's work and it's as if they haven't learned anything at all.

Some people like to stick with the one movie they made forever and keep trying to self-distribute and all that. For me, I've made the movie now it's time to do the festivals, get a distributor, learn from it for next time, and move on.

In the mean time

So I've got my movie submitted to several different festivals. What else can I do now?

Well, I'm currently reading Chris Gore's Film Festival Survival Guide. Which is almost a cliche as popular as it is. And I'm reading Independent Film Distribution by Phil Hall. They're both good books with great stories, but so far it's nothing that's revolutionary to learn.

Listen I' m not trying to knock the books, but after reading Dov Simens Reel to Deal. Everything else pales in comparasion. Despite this, there are some useful things to learn from this book.

Anyway, I'm highlighting all the information that I believe is the most useful so that I can remember what can be useful. As well as researching film festival forums such as withoutabox(which I also use to submit) to see which festivals serve the best for me to submit to. It'll be funny to report what actually happens when I get there.

Another things about the books, is that they almost try to scare you away from the business as cynical as they the authors and people who interviewed are. But I suppose that's the type of life you should be prepared for. Christopher Nolan describes himself as the ultimate pessimist.

Though I believe that you need the optimist side as well. Almost to a level that you're naive. Why else would you take such a risk. As Kevin Smith said at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, he wouldn't have taken up film-making had he known how difficult it was. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90pcHCF2h44

While I understand the risks and try to stay practical. I try to listen to people who succeed constantly. Interviews, stories, biographies, etc.

Too many tangents, from what I'm reading to a philosophy on filmmaking. So I'll end this before I get too off-point.

Next update, I'll tell you about the other thing I'm doing.

Submitting to Festivals

I'm back. Here's what's happening.

Just when you think things couldn't get any more complicated, you finish your movie. Then you have to edit it, that's a whole other story. Then after you finish that you now have to not only submit to a festival, you have to be accepted by them.

There are thousands of film festivals out there. Only about 20 in the world are really worth it. And most people say it's easier to win the lottery than to get accepted at any of them, especially when you've made a no budget movie, with no name actors.

So after I've spent money submitting to the expensive festivals, waiting months for a letter of rejection, I decide I at least want to be in some festival. Put a nice award on the ol' resume and the film as well. Live like a rock star for a few days. Have the inside the actors studio experience while being interviewed. And according to other sources it's possible to land distribution deals at the smaller festivals. The smaller the venue the more the movie sticks out.

So I've decided to submit to smaller festivals, but which out of the thousands should I choose. They say to submit where a similar movie made it big, but they're the same big festivals that already rejected me...Now what?

There's a lot of money that goes into this, that I want to use on my next project so I'm being choosy. I've picked out a handful and we'll see where we go.

Finally Done

I finally got a trailer done and finished the final edit of the movie. It took much longer than I ever expected but that's what happens when you don't know how to edit, and don't trust yourself to not screw it up. So I hired my cinematographer to be my editor, since all other editors sucked and he's experienced and knows the whole movie.

Problem is he's in Los Angeles and I'm in Austin Texas. So every time I need him to do something there's a communication error. It takes a long time to rectify. Plus I don't get to learn how to edit because I'm not around him to watch it.

Some say just edit it yourself and consider it practice, but I'm not going to "practice" on a movie I take seriously. On top of that I can't just learn things like color correction and all the other little technical things on top of pacing.


For the record I'll try to start updating regularly. I just haven't had anything worth reporting. I've been getting the movie edited, writing on the new script, blah blah blah. And since I'm not exactly James L. Brooks I've had to work menial day jobs to stay afloat. I could write about that but then it becomes a different blog entirely. If you want to hear about that stuff, I'll do it. But I don't expect many people demanding it, as interesting as it might be. Ha.


By the way, I just finished the first draft of my new script. I'm sure everyone get's excited when they've finished a new script but this my fifth script and I know the difference. This is the best one yet. I'll tell you more soon.



Keep you updated.