18 Pages In

So between working on other projects and jobs, one sitting of the writing of Dr Swill (working title) has provided 18 pages of a first draft of the script. Which I think is pretty cool.

I'm finding that the hardest thing is trying to plan the film to an edit, as in pre-visualising the cuts/shots and how they are going to be edited. Take for instance a short scene that can be pretty inserted pretty much anywhere in the middle section of the film. Its basically a tiny character moment, just really getting to the heart of who they are and what their relationship is. Its a nice scene and my viewpoint is that its best to overwrite the script and fill it with too many moments and then cut them than to make it too short. If you cut scenes then ideally you're left with only the best.

When I was a student I bought the Guerrilla Filmmaker's Guide (third edition) which I found is a great little guide mainly because it does a fairly accurate job of explaining everyone's roles. Everyone sets out to be a director or camera man and its only after a while they find their niche role, for me its mainly been as a sound recordist and editor. Soundy because I like the technical role and the enjoyment of working in location and Editing because I find that I can be more creative and have a better sense of satisfaction once everything comes together perfectly (if indeed it ever does).

I also found the guide inspirational in that it shows that it actually can be done. There's a short interview with Chris and Emma Nolan while finishing the final sound mix of Memento and mainly focuses on the Following. They've obviously gone from strength to strength with some really great films and financial successes. My favourite of which is The Prestige, although like a lot of people I'm eagerly awaiting The Dark Knight Rises. Just really made me think that obviously almost everyone has to start somewhere.

There are a few films I've always liked not only because they are particularly well made, but also for this 'inspirational' aspect to them. Particularly Evil Dead and Clerks, which are of course very different films, but the stories behind them are almost as enjoyable as the films themselves. Ever since I saw Evil Dead for the first time when I was maybe 12 I knew that I wanted to make a horror film, which I did and is forever preserved on tape for all to enjoy (no one will ever see it, ever...). As I got older my tastes have changed but I still feel a strange connection (as a lot of people do) to this one film. Clerks too, the idea that Kevin Smith just said fuck it to film school and made it anyway. I can imagine the people in his class thinking he's making a huge mistake, and then he does really well. I really respect that.

That's all I really wanted to write really, feeling inspired. Mainly by the much harder working people I've mentioned and hetero life partner SHAOLIN POPEY. Peace

djchrissym

OH SHIT SON WE MAKING A FILM UP IN THIS BITCH

So myself and bff SHAOLIN POPEY have combined our evil forces to really do some damage.

Basically this means we have teamed up to make a film together. It came about from watching the evil dead trilogy yesterday that then inspired ourselves to finally put pen to paper all of those unfinished film ideas that we've always talked about making. We then blocked out the entirety of the film and what we want to say with each scenes/how we'd film them and are now sorting out writing it. Shouldn't take too long. Working title is Romero & Juliet. Peace
djchrissym,

Yea so I'm basically gonna Rob Tapert up in this bitch by taking up a producer role, which I for one am looking forward to. Oh yea and I'm going to be writing most of it, i don't want to give away all the details of the story but will keep you all up to date on how its all coming along.... I won't say much but its basically about a zoo, with dinosaurs and the deadliest game of all....  CRABOTS robotic crabs with laser jetpacks.
SHAOLIN POPEY