Hi friends. Writing my new post after a long time and wanted to share my experience. Before starting I want to mention it clearly that I am not guiding you how to write a script. It is just what I have experienced while writing. From last couple of years I had an idea of a comedy series of 10 to 12 episodes. Over here I will like to mention one thing for my readers who are not from Pakistan that in Pakistan earlier we didn’t had a concept of soaps. PAKISTAN TELEVISION started making dramas of 50 minutes and of 13 episodes. Later on in late 1990s when the revolution of media came in Pakistan Private TV channels started making soaps. But still Pakistani Public prefer 13 to 20 episodes dramas on soaps. Though I am not denying the fact that soaps also have a big market but still dramas with limited episodes are preferred.
Coming back to the topic, I remember I accidently got this idea while reading Sunday newspapers. As it was an AD which grabbed my attention and after getting that idea I started developing the story. I believe that writing a 13 episode comedy series or drama is much more harder then writing a 90 to 120 minutes film script. So it took me 2 years to plan the story. Another reason for planning the story for so long was that it is a comedy series and I wanted to make it best from the Pakistani perspective. The reason I am using the word Pakistani perspective is because every country has it’s own trends, culture and issues. The issue which I have picked in a light manner might not be of interest for Non-Pakistanis but certainly that’s issue is one of the major issues of Pakistani Public. I have not tried to handle that issue with its actual intensity (negative or positive) but have attached the major character with that issue and the real focus is on that character instead of focusing that issue.
In last 2 month I have complete 2 episodes completely and forwarded it to 3 friends of mine for suggestion. One of them is a professional writer. His opinion was most valuable for me as he was the senior among the three. He appreciated my script and just asked me to refine it by making a little adjustment. The other two friends also appreciated my work and are willing to read the rd episode.
When I had started writing, the first episode took around one whole month because I was totally new in professional writing and I felt that I am not well known to my characters. I rewrote my first episode script 3 times to make it really look good and to satisfy me. The good thing and the most important thing was that’s as I started writing more and more situations started coming in mind, my mind started thinking on more broader basis related to the main theme. Another thing which I experienced was that naturally I started differentiating between the good comedy scenes and poor comedy scenes. From the second episode it became easy for me to understand my characters. I knew very well that what will be the reaction of a certain character in certain situation and in what situation what dialogues will be spoken by particular character.
Making a conclusion I can say by writing these episodes I learned 2 important things. First that as we starts writing, new ideas related to that story starts coming in mind so sometimes even the planned script in mind gets changed. Second thing is that as we write we become more familiar with our characters. And for few people it is better to starts writing rather then developing their characters in detail. Over here make it clear I am not saying that no character development should be made. But for people like me it becomes better to make a rough sketch and write a rough script and then examine that the dialogues and reactions made by different particular characters . The process of developing characters in the best possible way was hard for me so I decided to make a rough sketch of characters and starts writing the first episode keeping in mind that I will have to rewrite it many times. This at-least helped out me.
After I have completed the series I will look forward to get a financer. At the moment just concentrating hard to finish the script of 10 episodes so that I will be fully prepared with the script and will not have the fear of meeting the dead line for completion of script. Lets hope for the best
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
STASH ! Another great upcoming indie movie(2)
10) Tell us more about the film?
Bud's a good ole' boy brought up on Bluegrass and Moonshine. While supplying the surrounding counties with its Marijuana supply, Bud has a hefty growing operation. However, this is not Bud's only secret. He has a much darker one. One that lies trapped under his cabin in the rural hills of Eastern Kentucky. What will happen when two people stand in the way of everything Bud has worked for? How much blood will have to spill?
11) What are the elements which make you feel that your movie is different from the movies being made these days?
I think STASH is different because it blends many genres into one package. You got dark humor, drama, crime, exploitation and horror. I think almost anyone of age can get into this film. It brings it home for the hardcore fans. We got tons of nudity and good old fashioned violence reminiscent of films from the 70's and 80's.
12) Did at any time you thought that the project is overcoming you and it should be postponed?
Yeah like everyday. No seriously it was very stress full, and seemed very bleak at times, but we kept pushing on.
13) What was the budget of the Movie?
Te budget was $5,000. Most of that was for food and transportation or building sets. We also got genre staple Debbbie Rochon in the film.
14) Did the film got over budgeted?
What precautions you had taken to keep the movie with in the budget? Actually it got under budgeted. We were planning on staying under $2,000 but with the film going way over schedule it escalated.
15) How were you feeling during the shoot? Were you nervous, Excited or any other feeling?
I was totally excited the whole time. To me there is nothing better than the feeling of being on the set. When you're seeing your vision come to life on the monitor, and through that viewfinder it is very rewarding. Of course there will be tons of stuff that will go wrong. It's just how you take what you have to work with and make it happen.
16) What was your tone on the sets?
I think most people will tell you that I am very laid back. There is no attitude or any of that bullshit that goes on. I I like to work which the actors before they ever hit the set for the first time. We would rehearse every scene in advance before the shoot. Everything would already be blocked out and we would be ready to go. I can't stress enough how important that is. It's not the time to work on the performance when the camera is rolling. Get in get the shot and move on. My personal slogan on the set is "Let's Shoot This Bitch!"
17) Tell any interesting incident which happened while making this film?
The basement we shot Bud's chamber in was haunted. While the producer Billy W. Blackwell was working on the set by himself, without anyone else in the house and he heard an old lady say Hello.
18)What was the format the film was shot on?
We shot the film on the Panasonic DVX-100A. We shot everything in 24PA mode and I edited it on my PowerBook G4 on FCP 4.5
19) When you saw your final cut for the first time did it meet your expectations? Tell us about the first time feeling when you saw your final cut?
Well since I was also the editor I watched it unfold from the very first frame. I think I had a different view on it. It was a very rewarding experience watching it after all the ADR, score, folley and final credits were put in. Just being able to watch it from beginning to end and saying "This works."
20) What is your distribution planning of the movie? How you got the distribution deal?
I would say under planning in my case. Please have all of your materials ready before you go looking for a deal! I underestimated the workload tremendously. I sent my screener to only two distribution companies. I had guidance from my good friend and fellow filmmaker Tim Ritter. Tim was a pioneer in shooting straight to video horror movies in the 80's. Some of his cult films include TRUTH OR DARE, KILLING SPREE, CREEP and TWISTED ILLUSIONS. Tim was very truthful and honest about this whole process. First off he said don't expect to make any money on an indie film at this level if you spend more than $2,000. He told me of his horror stories of his experiences with bad distributors. His information was invaluable. I learned that if you want to get your movie on a larger label say Lions Gate, you will need an Attorney and Errors and omissions insurance. This alone your looking at over $12,000 just to get one of the big companies to even look at you. This was more than our entire budget. I also learned that many smaller Distributors have the same or better distribution than the big guys. You may also get lost in the shuffle at some of these companies and be shelved for years. OK you spent all of this money and now you're getting shelved! Yes it happens all the time. I sent my screener to POP cinema since Tim already had worked with the company before and said they were very honest and upfront. I got a call about a week later and they said they wanted our film. I was extremely excited to get a deal at all these days is a huge deal, with the oversaturation of films these days. So we got the deal and was told we would be released under their new label BLOODY EARTH FILMS that will be releasing modern day Grind House type films. It was a perfect match. Going back about being under prepared when you do get the deal. Make sure you have some great people to keep up with your paperwork. You will need all the release forms from every actor that is on the screen, or on the set. You should have your actors sign these the first day they walk on your set, or you movie will never get released. I also had to create a Music and Effects only master for foreign releasing. This took forever because I had to go back and recreate some room tones and new folly and it was a big pain. I will go about that different in the future and work on my M&E mix at the same time as my main mix.
21) When the movie is getting released? Any chances of the movie of getting released on Theatres?
STASH will be released nationwide on DVD march 10TH from Camp Morion Pictures Bloody Earth Films. No theatrical release.
Bud's a good ole' boy brought up on Bluegrass and Moonshine. While supplying the surrounding counties with its Marijuana supply, Bud has a hefty growing operation. However, this is not Bud's only secret. He has a much darker one. One that lies trapped under his cabin in the rural hills of Eastern Kentucky. What will happen when two people stand in the way of everything Bud has worked for? How much blood will have to spill?
11) What are the elements which make you feel that your movie is different from the movies being made these days?
I think STASH is different because it blends many genres into one package. You got dark humor, drama, crime, exploitation and horror. I think almost anyone of age can get into this film. It brings it home for the hardcore fans. We got tons of nudity and good old fashioned violence reminiscent of films from the 70's and 80's.
12) Did at any time you thought that the project is overcoming you and it should be postponed?
Yeah like everyday. No seriously it was very stress full, and seemed very bleak at times, but we kept pushing on.
13) What was the budget of the Movie?
Te budget was $5,000. Most of that was for food and transportation or building sets. We also got genre staple Debbbie Rochon in the film.
14) Did the film got over budgeted?
What precautions you had taken to keep the movie with in the budget? Actually it got under budgeted. We were planning on staying under $2,000 but with the film going way over schedule it escalated.
15) How were you feeling during the shoot? Were you nervous, Excited or any other feeling?
I was totally excited the whole time. To me there is nothing better than the feeling of being on the set. When you're seeing your vision come to life on the monitor, and through that viewfinder it is very rewarding. Of course there will be tons of stuff that will go wrong. It's just how you take what you have to work with and make it happen.
16) What was your tone on the sets?
I think most people will tell you that I am very laid back. There is no attitude or any of that bullshit that goes on. I I like to work which the actors before they ever hit the set for the first time. We would rehearse every scene in advance before the shoot. Everything would already be blocked out and we would be ready to go. I can't stress enough how important that is. It's not the time to work on the performance when the camera is rolling. Get in get the shot and move on. My personal slogan on the set is "Let's Shoot This Bitch!"
17) Tell any interesting incident which happened while making this film?
The basement we shot Bud's chamber in was haunted. While the producer Billy W. Blackwell was working on the set by himself, without anyone else in the house and he heard an old lady say Hello.
18)What was the format the film was shot on?
We shot the film on the Panasonic DVX-100A. We shot everything in 24PA mode and I edited it on my PowerBook G4 on FCP 4.5
19) When you saw your final cut for the first time did it meet your expectations? Tell us about the first time feeling when you saw your final cut?
Well since I was also the editor I watched it unfold from the very first frame. I think I had a different view on it. It was a very rewarding experience watching it after all the ADR, score, folley and final credits were put in. Just being able to watch it from beginning to end and saying "This works."
20) What is your distribution planning of the movie? How you got the distribution deal?
I would say under planning in my case. Please have all of your materials ready before you go looking for a deal! I underestimated the workload tremendously. I sent my screener to only two distribution companies. I had guidance from my good friend and fellow filmmaker Tim Ritter. Tim was a pioneer in shooting straight to video horror movies in the 80's. Some of his cult films include TRUTH OR DARE, KILLING SPREE, CREEP and TWISTED ILLUSIONS. Tim was very truthful and honest about this whole process. First off he said don't expect to make any money on an indie film at this level if you spend more than $2,000. He told me of his horror stories of his experiences with bad distributors. His information was invaluable. I learned that if you want to get your movie on a larger label say Lions Gate, you will need an Attorney and Errors and omissions insurance. This alone your looking at over $12,000 just to get one of the big companies to even look at you. This was more than our entire budget. I also learned that many smaller Distributors have the same or better distribution than the big guys. You may also get lost in the shuffle at some of these companies and be shelved for years. OK you spent all of this money and now you're getting shelved! Yes it happens all the time. I sent my screener to POP cinema since Tim already had worked with the company before and said they were very honest and upfront. I got a call about a week later and they said they wanted our film. I was extremely excited to get a deal at all these days is a huge deal, with the oversaturation of films these days. So we got the deal and was told we would be released under their new label BLOODY EARTH FILMS that will be releasing modern day Grind House type films. It was a perfect match. Going back about being under prepared when you do get the deal. Make sure you have some great people to keep up with your paperwork. You will need all the release forms from every actor that is on the screen, or on the set. You should have your actors sign these the first day they walk on your set, or you movie will never get released. I also had to create a Music and Effects only master for foreign releasing. This took forever because I had to go back and recreate some room tones and new folly and it was a big pain. I will go about that different in the future and work on my M&E mix at the same time as my main mix.
21) When the movie is getting released? Any chances of the movie of getting released on Theatres?
STASH will be released nationwide on DVD march 10TH from Camp Morion Pictures Bloody Earth Films. No theatrical release.
22) In which countries the release of the film is decided. And in which countries you are still planning to release it?
Well right now it will only be released in America, but we are currently looking at a European release, and Japan.
23) Now as we know this film is completed, do you have another project in mind If yes what is it? If so what is it?
I have a couple of projects I'm working on right now. I have a documentary called HAUNTED KY: SPIRITS OF THE BLUEGRASS. We followed around many Kentucky Paranormal Investigators, and have visited some really great locations like Wavery Hills in Lousiville Kentucky. Hope to have that film released in the Spring. Recently completed a feature script with friend Gregory W. Brock called TO KILL A JANITOR. It tells the story of a janitor named Edgar Powell who returns from the grave to seek revenge on all that has done him wrong. A very much 80's slasher film. We have many genre names we are working on for this film, and are currently seeking inventors. Recently released on DVD is SEVEN SIGNS. This is a documentary about music and myths of the American south. I shot this film along with Blake Judd of Judd films, it was directed by JD Wilkes of The' Legendary Shack Shakers fame.
STASH ! Another great upcoming indie movie
1) Hi Jacob first of all tell us something about yourself and your professional experience?
I went straight into college after High School and got my Associates degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting in 1998. It was a great experience, I met a lot of cool people that I'm still friends with to this day. Ma and a buddy started a little public access show and we would do crazy skits and had tons of fun with it. I went on to work at a local FOX station where I started as a Master Control Operator. Basically I just switched all the on-air programming, catching satellite feeds, switching the News. I worked in that department for a few years then moved into the production department. There I worked as a producer and editor. I would write, shoot and edit TV commercials for local businesses. I worked at that company for 8 years before accepting the job as the Creative Service Director at the Lexington CBS station. There i oversaw the creative service department where I was in charge of all commercial production that came into the station. Shortly before arriving at the CBS station I created a late night Arts & Entertainment show called The Moonlight Cafe. I was the producer, writer, DP, and editor of the show. We would showcase local and national talent. It ran for two seasons on WKYT (CBS) and featured: Lyod Kaufman, Hank 111, Debbie Rochon, Tim Ritter, Styx and Reo Speed wagon to name a few. In 2003 I formed my production company Tucky Wood Productions, LLC and have been out on my since then. I have shot and edited hundreds of TV commercials, over 40 music videos, and 5 feature films.
2) When did you start taking interest in filmmaking?
Well this sounds cliché almost, but it is true. I started making movies around when I was 8 and we got out first family VHS camcorder. I had always been into movie monsters, plays, puppets and Haunted Houses. I would build a Haunted House every year and charge my friends admission to go through them. I then started making these little backyard movies with friends and family members. They mainly had a horror theme.
3) Before this film what was your experience as a filmmaker?
Back in 2002 I did a Google search of Lexington filmmakers. One of the first people I ran across was Jerry Williams of Goat boy films. I met Jerry and we just hit it off. He pointed me in the direction of a local production going on called DANCE WITH A VAMPIRE. This movie was being made by George Bonilla. George had already made another feature called ZOMBIE PLANT. I was very excited to know that this was going on in my back yard. I immediately jumped on board to help George out with his movie, and even got to do some acting along the way as a vampire! It was great fun and I met many great friends during that time. There are many productions going on around Kentucky now, but I still call George the Godfather of Lexington Cinema. My "real" attempt into my own filmmaking was back in 2003. I shot a little film called Manic. It featured all local actors and was shot in one day in Richmond, KY. It played at a few festivals and got some good response. It was around that time that Jerry Williams had the idea for this no budget film called PURVOS. It was a wild, surreal, tripped out horror film and was shot over a few month span. We shot it with equipment on loan from the TV station I was working at. It featured cult B movie actor Conrad Brooks, from Ed Wood's PLAN 9 FROM OUTERSPACE and GLEN OR GLENDA. That movie went on to secure a distribution deal with Brain damage films. In 2004 I shot another short film called HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. It was about a scorned husband out for revenge. On this film i got to work with Billy W. Blackwell and his wife Denise. We became quick friends and they would later go onto to produce my first feature as a director STASH.
4) How the idea of this story came in your mind?
I first had the name, then I wrote a novel back in 1998. It sat on my shelf for a couple of years then over a two week period I adapted it into a screenplay.
5) Who has written the script? Tell us more about the whole scenario while writing the script?
I wrote the script. I took some ideas that I had started with from the novel and pretty much locked my self in my office for two weeks till It was done. I don't write that often, but when I do it seems to pour out pretty easily. I might write two feature length scripts in a month span, and might not write again for two years.
6) How was the cast and crew selected?
We had two casting calls in Lexington, KY. We had a really great turnout. I had a few actors in mind before the auditions so it went really smooth. Our lead character Bud was discovered by talking to one of our PA's Claude Miles about the role. I told him I needed a big burly backwoods looking guy for the part. He told me that his old roommate would fit perfectly. Claude showed me a picture of Kevin and right then I knew that was Bud.
7) While filming your movie what were the major hurdles you faced?
The major hurdle while making STASH was scheduling. Due to family and personal reasons, we could only shoot every other weekend. You tack on some sickness in the cast and your looking at a very spread out shooting schedule. It took us around 3 and a-half years to wrap up principal photography. Keeping everyone motivated and letting them realize that this film would get finished and would get out there was a challenge. I had witnessed many productions that fizzled out for one reason or another, and I was determined to not let that happen. The time that was put into this film was ridiculous. I would not even have a clue to the thousands of hours that went into this project.
8) On what location you shot the film?
We shot at many locations around Kentucky. That is what is so great about shooting in Kentucky. You can find about any type of look you want. Hollywood spends millions of dollars trying to recreate what we have in our own backyard. Our main locations were Bud's cabin and his basement. These were two separate locations. The cabin was my ex father in laws in Frankin county. It was great. It was very secluded and had the perfect look we were going for. The cabin was already equipped with mounted deer on the wall, antlers every where, deer skulls, it was perfect. There was very little we had to do to the cabin. It even had an outhouse. On the way to the cabin, when you watch the film you will see the dirt road littered with rusting cars and trucks, dishwashers, trash. There was even a crazed old man that lived next to the cabin that tried to stab us with a peering knife. He saw Kevin Taylor who played Bud packing a fake dead body down the road, and he thought it was real! You can hear more about that story in the Making Of Stash documentary on the DVD. I rented a house in Madison county for a year just to use the basement in that house. It was the crappiest damn basement I had ever seen. I knew when I saw that location that we must have it. So I moved in for a year, and we constructed Bud's torture chamber and began shooting. We were very lucky to get a real jail to shoot in as well. A good friend David Gooslin had helped out as a PA, and he was a real cop in Hind man, KY. He knew of an old county jail that was no longer being used in his hometown so we got to use it! It turned out really great and we also got some cameos in by locals The Creppy Kentuckian and Uncle Bill from Deapit.com in the scene.
9) For how many days did you shoot?
I think that was answered above
To be continued...
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