Of Features and Web Comics

Ten (10) days after landing in Lyon, France, I have conceived of, outlined, plotted, written, deconstructed, re-outlined, rebuilt, and re-written a feature film script. It's on draft 2 and going out for external review (aka, my friends will tell me what sucks). After that and a third draft, it'll be out to ex-professors and other more practiced eyes.

This wouldn't be notable (I've got a shelf of failed first runs at feature scripts) except for a few things. First, I'm excited about it from beginning to end. Most script ideas rely on a single spark of inspiration which guides you through the tedious (to me) process of writing a 90+ page screenplay. With this one, I want to dive right in to doing more and more drafts as often as possible. It's almost obsession - and I think that's a good thing. I haven't felt the same tug since La Nina del Desierto.

Second, it's designed to be made on a shoestring if necessary. All the parts were written specifically thinking about actors I know that I've already worked with before. Most of the locations are places I already have access to or feel confident stealing (shooting at without a permit). Assuming all the ducks lined up, I could get this baby started in less than a month, if that's what it came down to.

And that leads directly to the third reason why it's notable, which is that because I potentially have nothing to risk, I've written it for no one else except myself. I never allowed the external world to sit on my shoulder and say, "does this have enough drama? Is it funny enough? Is it interesting enough?" If something wasn't funny or interesting to me, it was taken out of the script early on. As such, it's a pretty niche film, but god damn if it won't be fun to make.

In other news, I'm still updating my weekly web comic about living in Lyon, Le Spleen en France. It's silly.

Finally, I'm working on redesigning my website. While I like the current style, I feel that it doesn't properly organize my work in an accessible way. It also fails to showcase other things I do, such as cartoons and web design, which are worth putting up (gotta make money somehow).

I've come up with this, and I'm pretty happy with it.

 

Now to actually make it functional...

And you thought you'd had enough

Well, more absurdity is here. Episode 4 of Danger! Relax, Please! has arrived. Dare I say, this is the best one yet.

Fortunately for you and the rest of the internet, this will be the last episode for some time to come...I'm leaving on February 1st to France for six months. There I will be writing, reading, and also drawing a weekly comic for a web publication of which I am a part - Public Organ.


Au revoir!

You're in Danger of not Relaxing again

It's a big, angry family! Episode 3 of Danger! Relax, Please!, my so-called "web series" (called so by me, reluctantly, at a loss for an appropriate term for web shorts celebrating narrative anarchy) is now online! This one features Cornelius the muppet, Angry J's twin brother. WARNING: not for anyone who hates or likes postal humor.

Episode 4 is forthcoming, much sooner than you might think...

In other news, I'm going to be moving to France for six months, starting in February. While this will put a halt to any actual productions I'm currently working on, it will allow me to set aside distractions (see above) and begin writing in earnest. This page will become more about the process of writing for the duration of the spring, until I'm back Stateside, at which time I will begin work on my first feature film.

Happy 2011!

"Contentment" Titling

Contentment was recently invited by the Dallas International Film Festival, and it got me thinking - I should probably finish it. It currently has no credits, and that's kind of important.

I had an idea to do the credits handwritten, since the shooting and editing style was so loose and fluid. It would match better than some computer font. After searching around among my friends and colleagues, testing their handwriting, I discovered my good friend Candace Lewis' handwriting, which is quite nice.

So Candace helped me write out the credits, and now I'm working on photoshopping it into workable titles.

It'll be done soon! 

[EDIT] It's done! Check it out.

Relax Again

Shooting Episode 3 of Danger! Relax, Please! now. Yes, that's Dan McLellan in a sharp tie and 'stache, and yes, that's a "tripod" behind him.

Unfortunately, Boa Simon and Jenny Hou, the DP and star of our show, are leaving for the holidays, and we only filmed half of Episode 3, so we're not going to have the new episode done before 2011. I guess that's what happens when you don't pay anyone.

Second Unit Psychedelia

A few weeks ago I was asked by a director friend of mine, Jay K Raja, to direct second unit on his short film The Drop. I'd never done second unit before, which on larger productions generally consists of shooting establishing shots of buildings or closeups of signs and such. When he explained what we were going to do, I couldn't wait to start.

Essentially, Jay handed myself and cinematographer Boa Simon a fish tank, some neon blinking lights, a number of inks, and both a 35mm and a RED camera - and said, "it's a trip-out scene."

So for four days, Boa and I played with ink, water, and light. You've probably seen footage of ink hitting water and making interesting shapes. Well, they wanted something a little more ... psychedelic. And after four days with a fish tank and inks, you start to get creative. I'm fairly certain you've never seen this kind of footage.

Below is a small sample of what we shot (password is "drop in"):

I'm really happy with what we got. Some of it just looks too weird - like computer graphics. Trust me when I say it's nothing but light, ink, and water. Pretty great for a second unit shoot!

Wyoming? Wy not? part deux

Just returned from a very snowy Wyoming, and a five-day trip that was fun, relaxing, and hopefully, informative and interesting. A few photos from my talk with the Jackson Hole Community School follow:

 

 

It was a great time!