Time Flies Like an Arrow

So much for new years resolutions, huh? But everybody says that. I said I'd update this blog weekly, but... Yeah... I figured I had to post something, so here's a rambling mishmash of what's been going on lately.

Honestly there isn't much to say. I know I've made a lot of these kinds of posts lately, but really... there's not much to tell. The new top-secret screenplay is, uh... making some progress, I guess. It's gone through a lot of plot changes lately, but we're still not ready to get it on paper.

It takes time to get dialogue this good!

On a somewhat related note, Malcolm is definitely moving forward. After pretty much shelving the idea completely, I recently revisited the script and found it was much better than I thought. It still need a lot of work though... rewrites, some big changes... and I'm even considering changing the whole direction of the story. But I'm planning on shooting whenever Disposing Dwight is done.

Editing on Disposing Dwight is... coming along. I was making some progress originally (the first two scenes were pretty much done) but I recently upgraded to Mac (Christmas) which means I'll have to re-edit the film on my new software.

If you're wondering (probably not), I was originally using Avid Studio on HP with Windows 7. Now I'm trying to decide on Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro X. Either way, I'll have to re-edit those few completed scenes.

Swaaaag

Also, an html-programming-tech-magic-wizard-guru friend of mine is developing an official site for Screenriff Productions (if that's the name we stick with). Now I just need some completed films!

The site isn't online yet, but it's gonna be cool when it is. I'll probably keep this blog for updates/reviews/life (everything I normally do) and use the other site for posting my work and contact info.

Lotta work ahead... but hey, the sooner Disposing Dwight is in the can, the sooner I can start on whatever next project I decide on. I've got some ideas, but nothing close to completion. Lots of really promising beginnings of stories, if I do say so myself. Now I just need to get around to finishing one.

I'm planning on shooting whatever it is by June (Disposing Dwight's one-year anniversary! Dang!!), as well as another short by fall. That'll be three "real" short films under my belt, which means I'll be ready to move on to bigger projects (I hope). I'm not promising anything, but 2014 will (hopefully) bring a feature film. Yeah, man!!

The Importance of Storyboarding

I'd heard in the past about directors who didn't storyboard and figured I'd try it with Disposing Dwight. After all, it was a simple enough script. All I had to do was point the camera on my actors and have them say lines.

Besides, a storyboards is a lot of work. It would take time to draw out every shot of the movie. Time I didn't have, since the last draft of the script was completed a few days before shooting.

The make-it-up-as-you-go method didn't work out so well. Sure, there were some pretty cool shots (mainly accidental) but if I could reshoot it, I'd use a storyboard. Not that my shots are bad or anything, but because a storyboard would have made life so much easier on set.

Which I why I made this to use for reshoots:

It's not much, but when it's 98° outside and your actors are threatening to quit, there's a huge difference between "not much, but something" and "no idea at all".

This is the opening scene, by the way, something I haven't gotten around to film yet. It's just a pre-credits teaser that isn't necessary until I finish editing the rest of the film.

That's all for this time. Back to editing!