I'm about to eat a quesadilla, and I'm sitting here thinking to myself: SHIT!
There's a whole lot of stuff that needs to be accomplished between now and when this thing is done. Not the least of which is adding the finishing touches to this script.
Mike sent me the latest version of the script....And I'm pretty pleased with the things he did. The problem that he's facing, which I don't think he mentioned in his last post, is that he's almost to the point of noodling. That is, making subtle changes that really don't add or detract from the story. Things which will likely not even make it into the final product, when we find that any of the four ways he wrote it just don't play out on screen, and, God willing, our actors are able to improv a bit to make something that works well.
The character he mentioned that he's been working on has been an issue for a while. I won't sugar coat it, his story has been far more dramatic the main character's. That's a problem. So, the idea has been to keep the contrast. It's like using sliders on an equalizer, as you move one side up and the other side down you have to be delicate in finding the perfect balance. You need a light touch, like a safe cracker.
Otherwise only other thing that's left for the scrip is to fill in a few pieces of a third story, one that's meant to be visual humor interspersed throughout. I've got a few thoughts on this, but this is another difficult one, because we have a limited few places to add these 8-12 second cuts, and much of this will be first in line to die should the whole thing run over.
In news of what I do... although I'm not sure what that is for sure, I've been trying to do my part, I think. I've been networking. I'm seeking out people who are in a position to work on this project, and willing to do so for recognition alone. I know a few people in school who are willing, as well as a few who have some background in doing this exact type of thing. We're about to reach a one year countdown for shooting, so, we need to tie this thing up soon and start getting everyone on board.
And I'm relying on Mike to get the shooting script done, and I'm planning soon to start making a comprehensive list of what we're going to need. Everything from props to equipment to locations. For example: grapefruits play a pretty major role in this movie, almost as a supporting cast member. We're going to need a pretty healthy supply of them, and of course, we need to make sure they're in the right season as well. If we buy grapefruits in the summer, we may need to use special make-up to make them appear that they are actually from late fall early winter. It may also require changing stickers, because we would be buying Florida grapefruits, but when the movie takes place, they would be from South America. You see now how the logistics of this are going to be monumental. It's a massive undertaking.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Mmmmm. Quesadillas!
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Still writing...
Not too much to report as of late. The script is still undergoing the usual changes. For the most part, everything is as it should be. All the pieces are there, but as they say, "the screenplay is a blueprint for the film," and the plan is to start shooting with the best blueprint possible.
I've been working on updating one character's story arc. It's really just a b-story that flows along underneath the main plot, but the character in question is intended to contrast the main character and it's important to me that this piece fits the story in a way that helps to define the main story. That's a lot of jumbled shit, but it makes sense in me ol' thinkerbox, so I suppose that's all that matters.
I've also added a little bit more funny to a couple of other scenes. I'd be just flat out lying if I said that I wasn't scared shitless about how the comedy will be received with this script. My sense of humor isn't exactly mainstream and I'm terrified that once this thing is finally shot and cut, that I'll be the only one laughing when it's all up on screen.
One of the things that's been difficult for me throughout this process is knowing what will work on camera and what won't as far as humor goes. When I started thinking about making movies, I never really considered making a comedy, but when your budget is $0.00, your options are a bit limited. So, instead of doing a boring-ass, weepy indie-drama or adding to the myriad no-budget horror slop out there, I decided to do a comedy with a little bit of heart. The problem is...when you're sitting around in your basement smoking stacks of cigarettes and avoiding sexual advances from a 1-year old husky/retriever mix, it's hard to know what's really funny...and what's funny only because you're a little punchy from the late hours and overdose of carbonated caffeine sugar-water.
Anyway, all things considered, I'm pretty happy with the script right now. There are still a few things that need to be tightened up and reviewed before we start working on the shooting script, but I thought I'd take a moment to jot down a few words about where we're at. Especially considering that this is one of the few times that I feel pretty good about where this project is at.
I'll try to keep this blog thing updated more frequently from now on.
Until next time, cheers. Check back soon.
