It's nearing midnight on Saturday and I'm alone in the living room reflecting on this past week. I completed my first revision of my romantic comedy on Thursday, began my first revision on the psychological drama I had written a few months back.
On Tuesday, I attended a screening of a really cool independent film, entitled Stranger Than Fiction (been out for a while) - I met a couple of new filmmaking buddies in Asheville for the screening and afterwards we talked very briefly about cameras and such.
While writing at my favorite local spot I had a chance meet with another filmmaking friend and we chatted about various aspects of movie making including both of our scripts and pending productions. If things line up right, I'd love to have the opportunity to either direct, edit, or at least help out in some degree when he gets his production off the ground. Perhaps be the coffee boy.
Yesterday, I met with my filmmaking friend who graduated from NYU film school not long ago and we chatted about cameras and our upcoming productions. It looks like we might be filming my romantic comedy first, perhaps in the fall of this year. The script will go through 2 more revisions and then I will need to move into pre-production - findings locations, talent, and oh, did I mention, funding? I'm not shying away from a SAG production this time around. If it is to be, it will be. I still stand by my assessment that non-union actors can be as talented as union actors so SAG isn't necessary. But, I'll shoot union if someone, an actor, knocks my socks off and I can't live without him or her. Being SAG doesn't make you great, just as being non-union doesn't make you amateur or bad. If this offends someone, too bad - it's reality.
It appears that for my next production, I might retire my DVX. Kind of sad. But, my friend will own a more expensive and capable camera than mine by the end of the year and has offered to let me shoot my romantic comedy with it and also use a great dolly system and audio capture equipment that he will purchase soon. If it is meant to be it shall be.
For certain, this next production will have a much higher production value than my previous two films. I plan on smoother shots with the dolly system, aerial shots with some sort of jib and will use no hand-held shots. The script calls for a different feel than my previous productions. The style in which I executed those films was ideal in both instances but this is simply a different style of movie, not necessarily better, just different, as every production is.
Everything is up in the air at this point, however, and subject to change. I generally don't make concrete plans until at least partial financing has materialized. People come and people go in life. Consequently, I keep an open mind and embrace change as necessary. The single constant in my quest to becoming a filmmaker who can pay his bills doing what he loves, is my drive to succeed and continually produce better quality films regardless of what equipment I have at my disposal or who is present on my sets.
And, of course, the previous reflection is strictly from a business standpoint, not personal, because I'm certainly blessed with the most supporting and understanding wife in the world, who is always the greatest human factor in anything that I accomplish.
That said, I foresee a busy week ahead. I have a lot of personal projects going on at the moment and it seems I indulge one for a while then switch to something else that needs my attention. It's been never-ending since we closed that place. I'm writing more, I'm seeing people that I care about more and all this is a very positive thing.
Okay - out.
