hohm

Your resource for short, easy and accomplishable scripts - 8.20.10

Bienvendido A Miami

So a few weeks ago I was in Miami shooting with the creative department of CF Miami, which has been doing some amazing work out in Miami. We shot 9 short videos for the small group series. I also shot a short piece for their Counseling Center.

I almost got hit by a hurricane. Turns out the storm had nothing on a Oklahoma rain. Not even close.

Also, a new friend of mine, Simon Maestre, did a video recently about indi-filmaking in Oklahoma and put in some Behind The Scenes of "Dale"! Simon's also got a short film of his own coming out soon. Thanks Simon!"

New Script-Ah yeah- 3.24.10

I got a new script on the sckrips page! Read it! Use it! It's called "one-way ticket". Could be done in an afternoon. It's got some tricky stuff though. You'll need a kid. No lines. Just a shot of kid that doesn't have to be in the same place. And a bus. Or at least the sound of a bus. And maybe some good After Effects. Hey, if I could do it, you could do it.

Coca-Cola: Water for A Generation- 3.11.10

Africa and Coca-Cola

So I got hooked up with a gig in Africa! This time to Swaziland. I hooked up with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries who have been helping install solar powered wells in Swaziland that are funded by Coca-Cola. These things are amazing. The government has been installing electric wells that are incredibly expensive to maintain. They breakdown, get stolen and no one can afford to fix them. These wells are initially pricey, but cost the communities next to nothing to maintain. They can even gain power at night. Amazing.

I shot some interviews with the Prime Minister and several other high profile Swazis. It was pretty awesome. It was tough because we had very little time with some of these people so you have to setup quick and make it as best as you possibly can.

The picture on the right is my pathetic attempt to take a picture of myself. Funny how I can shoot everyone else but myself. I look like I'm getting attacked and smiling about it. But it was actually during one of the most beautiful sunsets I've probably ever seen. It was right off the highway near Manzini.

FREELANCE!

So, I got canned at EGM. They let myself and a ton of other excellent people go. Good news is, I'm on the job market! So if anyone's looking for a video guy...I'm your man. Even if it's just a freelance gig.

And while your at it, this little button here at the top could certainly help support the starving artist near you. And you'll get to laugh in the meantime. It doesn't get better than that.

I've got tons to write about and I'm sure it'll all come out in a variety of creative means. Scripts. Videos...whatever. So be looking for new content soon.

And in the spirit of a new front and a new life, here's to my reel!

"Dale" for Sale!

My most recent film, "Dale and the Laughing Turtle" is for sale now! You can pay via PayPal or Credit Card! The money goes straight to me and it's mailed straight to you. And it's only $10! It's packed with some fantastic indi-filmmaking techniques on the super super cheap. We've got behind the scenes on Writing, Production and Special FX. The entire film was made on $1,000. It would make the perfects stocking stuffer too!

The Premiere!

A few weeks ago we had the premiere for Dale and the Laughing Turtle. It was fantastic! We packed out the theatre. It was held at Family Theatre Warehouse which was just the perfect size for this. We sold out our DVDs too! So that's great. I'll be ordering more DVD's soon and you'll be able to purchase online via PayPal.

Visit www.daleandthelaughingturtle.com for more information on the next screenings.

And ol' Lucas Ross got me hooked up with a spot on his Two Movie guys segment on the Rise and Shine Morning Show. Check it out!

It's Done! 45 minutes of indie filmmaking magic!

The Premiere for "Dale and The Laughing Turtle" will be coming soon. This all started over a year ago when I got the urge to try my hand at making feature....but....realizing that a film takes a ridiculous amount of money and an army, I decided to cut back a bit and see if I could do just one act of a film. So maybe like 30 minutes. After filming, it ended up being half a 90-minute feature. So, I'll take that.

I also wanted to do something funny. I think people get sick of seeing these super serious, answering all the problems in the world, too personal indie films. People like to laugh. So I decided to a comedy with heart. And make it say something, but laugh along the way. Here's the trailer:

Tickets are available through TicketStorm.com or Family Theatre Warehouse! Friday October 23rd and a Sunday Matinee, same place, same price.

Premiere in New York

Tomorrow I'm going to New York City for the premiere of a film I edited and wrote. It's a film that was shot by a non-profit group called Wishing Well who build water wells in Africa and around the world. They went to Rwanda about a year ago and shot some great footage. Wish I could claim it as my own. The story follows a group of college kids who discover some of the mysteries about why people are not getting water in these remote parts of the world. Rwanda is connected to some of the biggest tributaries in Africa and gets nearly 31 inches of rainfall a year. Why the water shortage?

deadCENTER and "Dale"

It's been awhile since I've updated, but a lot has happened. "The Burrow Log" was accepted to deadCENTER Film Festival! It will show this Friday, June 12th @ 7:00pm at Kerr Auditorium in OKlahoma CIty. If you're looking for something to do, come check it out.

Now the reason I haven't updated in a LONG time is because I've been working on a much larger project, called "Dale and The Laughing Turtle". Details to come, but all I can say at this point is it's big...real big...44 minutes long big!

New Film!

Box 7235 is a short film that Josh McKamie, Dustin Faust and my brother-in-law, Todd Wetmore shot a few weeks ago. The idea had come to me when I was at a party and in my attempt to avoid conversation, I was looking through an Oklahoma picture book. I came across several photos of the Great Salt Plains in Cherokee, Oklahoma. And I thought, "What if I crafted a story around this vast emptyness? How could I use this white abyss to represent something going on within a character?"

I wanted the environment to dominate the image and drive the story. So I took on the challenge of shooting the entire thing without any dialogue. Now acting without dialogue might sound easy, but it's not. At times it can be more difficult because you must present all the emotion in your face.

Ben Schadegg is an actor I met recently and he did a fantastic job and had such a great look for this thing. And talk about a great sport. It was no fun shooting this. So head on over to the VIDEYOZ page!

I've got a few more projects coming down the pipe, so stay tuned!

Box 7235- Will be posted Next Week!

Next week I'll be posting another short film! We shot it about two weeks ago on one of the coldest days in Oklahoma. Just like in the Burrow Log, I wanted to use the environment to create a mindset for the character. It's about a guy who is coming to terms with his father. In dealing with the pain, he must choose between continuing his father's legacy or becoming something totally new.

It features an actor we met recently, Ben Schadegg, who did a great job even in the absolute worst of conditions!  We shot it all in one afternoon and didn't use any audio. All the audio was re-created. The wind was blowing roughly 30 mph. The mics weren't going to get a single thing anyway. But despite all that we forged through and accomplished another accomplishable script.

Below are some of the production stills by the famous Caleb Germany and Petra Przybyllok. They did a fantastic job!

Come back in a week!

Burrow Tips and another film coming soon!

The original idea behind The Burrow Log was to get a more rainy, dreary feel. But we weren't so lucky. We had a much earlier shoot date, before Christmas. And as the day got closer I realized, we weren't gonna get that rainy soft shadow look I wanted. So I decided to push back and try our chances with the weather again. But once again, no luck. So with that, you just roll with it and you use the lighting it's best way. And make it work. At least we weren't cold.

As I wrote before, this required some amazing acting. This could have come across super super super hokey. But these guys nailed it, and there were a couple moments on set where we all kind of stood silent and were wrapped up in the emotions happening. That's a good sign! A couple times I forgot I was supposed to be directing because I was fascinated with what was playing out.

Another part of this that was critical was keeping the ominous dark figures completely out of focus. I just wanted the presence of something, and never explicitly show them. If I showed them, it would be a let down and probably not very convincing. And you've gotta pay another actor.

I wrote briefly about this on my last post. But really what this story is about are moments when you realize why something terrible happened. How even in the face of what seems like total awful circumstances, sometimes you have a moments of clarity that give meaning and purpose. James tells a story in his dying breathe about how his brother was injured on a boating trip. Well it turns out because of his injury it's what kept them all safe. The story he tells echoes what happens in The Burrow Log. His brothers death, is what keeps Ethan safe. Sometimes bad circumstances work out for good.

Aspen Roots was picked by the Bare Bones Film Festival. Moviemaker Magazine listed Bare Bones as one of the Top Ten festivals worth the money. So that's pretty cool. Glad to be a part of that. Stay tuned for films! We've got another one coming soon.

Burrow Log posted on VIDEYOZ!

As promised, my most recent short film is posted on my VIDEYOZ page. I'm sure I'm going to write more about this on my next posts. But this was a super easy accomplishable script. It was only three pages of dialogue delivered well, a few thought out colors and a prime location. That's it!

I can't emphasize enough how important the actors were in this. And we found some of the best guys in town. Tyler Roberds and James Austin Kerr. I couldn't have asked for better. Check out tylerroberds.comto see more of his work.

If you want to read more about the production visit joshmckamie.com and hear his take on the project. Thanks for coming!

Burrow Log - Coming 1.30.09

Next Saturday, I'll be posting a brand new short film, that I helped put together with some great people. The Burrow Log is a short film about being in exactly the right place at the right time. It's about finding cosmic destiny and purpose amongst seeming meaninglessness. Sometimes death harbors us all.

Down below are some pictures from the shoot. We were fortunate enough to find some of the best actors in town. Tyler Roberds (ETHAN) and James Austin Kerr (JAMES).

I don't want to give too much away, but it's a totally accomplishable script, with a micro budget, that turned out to be something pretty good. So, check it out here or at joshmckamie.com next Saturday, January 31st!

Makin' it happen.

Tyler Roberds (LEFT) and James Austin Kerr (RIGHT).

James was actually injured on set. Tyler's doing the witchcraft "bottle-cap-on ceremony" to save his life.

Josh's legs are numb.

Aspen Roots in Festivus Film Festival 2009

The Festivus Film Festival, held in Denver, CO, accepted Aspen Roots in their Narrative Short category! So to all my Colorado peeps, take the time out 12:00 pm on Saturday, January 10th at the Oriental Theatre to come see Brittany and I on the indy big screen!

I've got a new tutorial on writing for one location on the "RITING" page. Check it out.

Chimps, Cocaine and a new script on the "SKCRIPS" page.

In the wake of YouTube and on-demand, bite-size videos it’s a cutthroat film biz out there. You’re here today and gone tomorrow. The fact that YouTube has become the internet giant it has, is a testament to how critical today’s audience has become. Next time you get a chance, compare the humor from 1960 to the 2000’s. The devices that writers use now are so much more vicious in nature. It’s so much more critical and subtle. Today’s audience can sniff out a fake instantly. We hate an obvious plot line and despise a flat character.

Let’s face it. Today’s audience demands a lot more than ever.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What makes me click the little play symbol on the video player?” You want something in return! When you’re audience clicks to watch your video they’re expecting something. Whether it’s a laugh, tear, chuckle or a learning note, you’re looking for something.

Keep that in mind when you write your short films. I’m a big “meaning” guy. Because if you’re going to write anything that lasts…it’s got to carry some sort of meaning. What is this going to matter in 6 months? In one year? In two years? What’s the point!? What does your audience get? You can’t count on a lot of things with human nature except one thing…we’re selfish. Your audience wants to know, “what do I get out of this?”

Now in order to avoid the indefinite ,"What is art?" question...for the purposes of this site I'd have to argue that without some shred of meaning to your script no one is gonna care nor feel like they got something out of it.

I'm always fascinated by those conditioning lab tests where they put a rat in a cage with a little button and if they press the button they get some food or something. And all that ends up happening is the rat just keeps pressing the button to get food. Or they put like a chimp in a cage with a button that gives him a cocaine hit and the chimp just keeps pushing the button. Unfortunately, humans apparently seem to be the same way. They'll push any button if they get something out of it...good or bad.

You’re making a small business deal with your audience. It’s like you’re saying, “If you add one more click to my play count…then you’ll get _____X____.” You can’t rip em off! They won’t come back.

Oh and I've got a new script called "Scenic Route" on my skcrips page.

Writing vs. Organizing the Sock Drawer - 10.10.08

This has been and will always be a challenge. Let's face it...writing sucks. Sometimes even the best writers hate...hate getting the notepad out or opening up the laptop to a blank page. It's not fun! You're normally alone. The room's quiet. Your eyes are sore from staring at a monitor. Nobody's laughing with you or giving ideas. It's a lot easier to just say..."Eh. What's on TV?"

Writing is one of the only craft where even the pros can sometimes get sick of it. So take heart, my writing friends! Just because you writing feels like a chore it doesn't mean you're not a writer. I once had a creative writing class where I had to write an entry in a "writing journal" every single day. Whethere it was a paragraph or 10 pages...just write! I came away from that class with an entire journal of possible story ideas. Some of which I've expanded on or changed still to this day! If you're hitting a writer's block, just write something everyday.

Take a look at the quote on the right from the french poet, Charles Peguy.

In otherwords, for some it's a struggle. For others it's easy. But they're all writers.

Spencer Green - 9.29.08

This time one year ago, one of my greatest writing influences was made legend, after years of facing a rare form of cancer. For those of you that didn't know Spencer, in only two years Spencer wrote nearly 60 finished/recorded songs and countless poems and unfinished musical masterpieces. Spencer was a thinker/writer/musician and in that order.

He inspired me to be a better writer, but most of all he inspired me to be a better person. If you're looking for thought provoking lyrics or depth in music, visit his website or his myspace.

Thanks to everyone who watched Aspen Roots the last few weeks! Stay tuned for some new exciting scripts coming down the line. Next week, I'll be posting a great new tutorial on dialogue.

About "Aspen Roots" - 9.11.08

Down below are some of the pictures of our shoot. We shot in the afternoon right at about sunset. Just two people on a park bench having a conversation. That's it. We just wanted to keep it simple and see what kind of look we could get.

Unfortunately, our actor couldn't show up...so guess who had to do the acting? But it worked out and now we've got a great short to post! Check it out on the Videyoz page!

New trailers - 8.20.08

Well as some of you may know...my site was down for the last week because Yahoo's webhosting is terrible. So if you plan on putting up your own site anytime soon...Boo Yahoo! I decided to go with godaddy.com and they were FANTASTIC! Get this...they don't put you on hold for 50 minutes with crap Beethoven music (No offense, Ludwig...I just wasn't in the mood). So sorry for the delay.

I posted up a new video on the Videyoz page! It's the Stripes of Sigmund's Tie Trailer. Josh McKamie (joshmckamie.com) put together a little intro for it. It looks sweet!

Welcome! - 8.13.08

This site is for all the soon to be “directors” and “writers” who don’t feel like they can call themselves that yet. It’s for people like me who love the art of visual storytelling, but don’t have much to show for it. I’m gonna be honest with you. (Just as a preface, to this whole site) I don’t claim to be some major Hollywood writer with a whole slew of films to put under my belt. I can’t do any “name dropping”. I can’t call actors by their first names. I have to say the first and last name. I’m just a dude who likes to shoot some films with his buddies and who believes in finding meaning in the stories we share.

With that aside, hopefully you’ll find some of my tutorials, advice, or freebees useful in your own projects. So look at this site as a resource or a tool for you to use.

The kind of film folks that will find this site useful are writers and directors. I’m not talking about the writers who write a 200 page script about the downfall of the Roman Empire with 40 pages of armies battling each other and 160 pages of a fully re-created 3D Rome. I’m talking about writers who want to see their scripts actually made. It’s for writers that like to be involved in the shooting process.

My site’s also for directors out there that love shooting but never know what to shoot. Or directors that have shot a ton of stuff, they just want some kind of story. I’ve seen countless “video-guys” who are really good at the filmmaking process, but have absolutely NO story to tell. They’re artist with a canvas and paint and no inspiration.

So my site will show some of the stuff I’ve worked on. It’ll give you a chance to see what’s worked and what definitely hasn’t work in my films and you might score a few free scripts along the way. If you and you’re buddies got some new great HD camera and you’re friend let you use his Mac to edit on, stop by here to grab a short, easy and simple script that you could actually pull off while working a full time job.

I’m hoping to update at least every few weeks or once a month or so. I built the site myself so if there’s any major problems or it looks screwy, please drop me an email so I know how to fix it. Now go dink around on that videyoz page!