Hi, Film-industry hyphenates!
I've said it a thousand times. A good producer is one that asks you the right questions to move things forward. Same with a script consultant. They don't tell you WHAT to do, they ask the right thought provoking questions and allow you, the screenwriter, to improve your story. Luckily, with Lorie, I have both. Here are some questions that Lorie asked me before my pre-pro weekend with my DP, Greg Risley, working on Visible Noise. My hope is that these questions will inspire you the way they inspired me and guide you in our journey to making the important decisions that will shape and enhance the story you tell on camera.
I've edited the email below so that it will make sense when applying it to YOUR story. :)
1) Do you have a vision or through-line for a compositional, pacing, rhythm progression?
2) Is there a visual progression? What is it? Is it static, smoother shots for the earliest segment, progressing to jumpier, grainier shots by the end...? Or, static-to-moving shots...? ECUs to WSs, or WSs to ECUs...? High angles to low angles, or vice versa? Or, are there any tropes from other movies that you might want to work with?
3) What about blocking within the scenes/compositions? Do you want to/plan to play with focus and/or physical obstacles within scenes?
4) Subtextually, what do you want the difference, or dynamic, to be between the characters in the scenes? Will it start off being his or her POV? Or, will the POV always be the audience's, of the "fourth wall?"
Obviously these aren't all the questions you'll ask, but it's a good place to dive in if you're just starting the process of figuring out which visual direction you want to go... and that will be a matter of style, experience, and interpretation of script.
For me, it's important to be able to experiment with shots, angles, and colors with my DP prior to our shoot.
Here's a bit of what we came up with for Visible Noise:
"It looks like a lot of our movie will be handheld, but we will use tracks and other techniques for select shots, as well as different lenses to achieve our mood. Tone wise, we came up with Requiem for a Dream meets The Notebook.
We will also be moving in slow at times, and getting footage for jump cuts where it feels right. The contrast between the two worlds will shift back and forth between our flashbacks (aka romantic, soft, brown/green) that are shot at a slower rate and Story's "real world" that's razor sharp (when on her). Although her world is increasingly out of focus by the time we get to the last scene. We don't reach levelness and clarity again until she has the moment/dialog with Ryan. We decided that this contrast is our visible noise, along with the sounds that will be over-emphasized along the way. We also are choosing a subtle spiral movement that we'll implement into our shots, and occasional tilt shots (dutch angle) to convey a disorienting effect and Story's spiraling.
All of the noises appear louder and more annoying to Story as she spirals. Our idea was that in addition to her phone vibrating while she's lying on the couch in mourning, we'd also hear a LOUD knock at the door. We cut to a mail guy who's knocking normally with the same rhythm to show the difference in our reality's noise and HER reality."
This was also the first time I was able to video the entire film (24 hour film style, without lights/all the actors) prior to shooting to obtain similar shots we wish to get on set. The video also serves as a storyboard, as it's easy to extract still images (thank you, Greg). This prep work is all a matter of personal preference, but having never used a storyboard before, I'm excited to try it. One thing is for sure - it'll never hurt to be over prepared. But the last thing you want your crew to do is WAIT ON YOU if you're not. And my stick figures were a disgrace to stick figures. That's all we'll say about that.
With doing all of this work in pre-production comes a sense of confidence and that's priceless. I highly recommend it, if you have the option. Happy filmmaking!
xo J
Posts by Jentri Chancey, an indie filmmaker relentlessly dedicated to writing and directing independent films, and sharing her film-related experience(s) with you. www.lostinsunshine.com
Showing posts with label independent producers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label independent producers. Show all posts
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Lost In Sunshine: Then and Now
Below is an article I wrote in 2011 about Lost In Sunshine that was featured on the independent channel, Film Courage. Since it's been a couple of years, I thought I'd take the liberty of adding on to our story and updating you of our status. Reading it reminds me of why I continue this journey, and why you should, (continue yours) too.
A lot of people wonder if Lost In Sunshine was written after my life. The short answer is “no,” but it certainly was a response to it.
The idea.
My life’s been a series of ups and downs, most of which I feel have contributed to the richness of what I am able to bring to the writing table. My losses have taught me there will be light at the end of the tunnel, and to laugh when I feel like crying. I no longer feel the angst I once felt from holding on to my past. I had an epiphany that if I knew how to rewrite my story, then I could somehow do the same for Lyn in Sunshine, in a different way. I felt deeply inspired to tell the story of a woman’s journey – however imperfect, crazy, or deluded she might be. After all, I think there’s a little bit of delusion in all of us.
Two years and 15 drafts later, I contacted script consultant and (my now)
producer, Lorie Marsh, to help me wrestle the story to its essence. With her
help, the full story budded its way to fruition in 6 more drafts. I then felt ready to carry it with me on a trip to LA. I was able to get the script in front of a popular TV actress in Hollywood, who vibed with the story, and was excited at the idea of playing “Lyn.” From that point on, I came back to Austin with a new resolve – I would make this film, no matter what. Lorie, who had been consulting on the project for months, offered to come on board as its producer. We slept on the notion. And the next morning - production-magic began.
Production.
We were planning for “action” by the end of 2009, but it hasn't turned out that way.
We were fortunate to have our first investor early on, who believed in the quality of our business plan, connected to the story, and the message we were trying to tell. And, though we had a fabulous crew committed and interest from actors, too, we needed more money.
We were disappointed and frustrated when things didn’t line up, but it wasn't in the stars, yet. We've never lost hope. We look at our project as a whole, and for every “no” we just say, “no, not that way.” Forward march.
So, what did we focus on? We spent the next year implementing a website, Lostinsunshine.com, to engage our audience.
Experimenting: Social Media and Transmedia.
From the time we decided to make LIS, engaging our audience early was always a priority. By creating a blog by our chronically malcontented heroine, Lyn, from the beginning, we hoped to let our audience have a sneak peak at the girl behind small-town Sunshine, Texas.
Soon afterward, I also began writing bits and pieces of a self-help manuscript-in-progress from our hero, Bob, a desperate optimist.
The idea was to create a world around our movie-to-be that would expand upon the narrative as a whole - a transmedia approach. In addition to a Lost in Sunshine Facebook page and several Twitter streams, we wanted to experiment with online fiction and other forms of digital storytelling (videos, short stories, interactive games). Indie movie distribution and consumption paradigms are shifting, thanks to surges in digital media capacities and mobile platforms; we want to have content available wherever our audience wants to consume it.
A year after we launched Lostinsunshine.com, we debuted a redesigned site on February 1, 2011. We learned that we needed to refine our interface and site layout to make it more obvious to visitors that there is a fictional, story-world section and a real-world, behind-the-scenes section. We recognize that our audience doesn't know the term, "transmedia," nor do they really care. But, a little interactive quiz on the Home page? (Maybe) That's fun, and memorable.
We're further embracing transmedia in our crowdfunding campaign on
IndieGoGo Feb. 1 - March 4th by offering donors opportunities to add content to the online story-world as our Perks
It's all a big gamble, the focus and efforts we've put into setting ourselves apart with our website "channel" approach for Lost in Sunshine. But, it's been something we DO have control over. And, it shows prospective investors or co-production companies what we can do.
Moving Forward: 2013
This is where the article stopped a couple of years ago. With modest Indiegogo success in 2011, and a lack of audience participation, we have since learned to rewire our sound. We've had many ideas about how to expand our story, and inject it into the hearts of those who might want to experience it, but there are many factors that come into making a vision a reality. For us, our restraints have mostly been monetary. Neither of us were born rich, or with a rich uncle, but we're definitely rich in spirit. We mustn't let go, if our vision's ever going to blossom.
In 2012, the talented and funny actress, Nadine Velazquez re-entered our circle and became verbally attached to LIS (again). My heart is really happy about that.
Our most current project, Fucked Up People, is a web series set to be filmed in 2014 on a much more affordable budget. It's inspired by the main characters of LIS, Lyn and Bob. Both are beset by troubles of their own making. Lyn is profane, unfiltered, and unhappily married and employed. Bob is warm, chatty, and a married father and gambling addict. The series will present “fucked up people” that Lyn and Bob must deal with in their respective lives, while uncovering how each of them are messed up, themselves.
We're in the final stages of solidifying the first season's script, and then we'll hit "GO" with our production efforts. In addition, we're working on turning LIS into an e-novel and making it available online. The idea is to give people a choice as to how they'd like to view our story world.
With this web series and e-novel, we hope to build, (re)connect and engage with our audience, and give them (more of) a reason to support our feature film.
Sometimes the efforts seem daunting, but if you've ever thought of giving up don't worry, you're just human. What makes you super human is your ability to hang on, even when it feels hopeless.
Hopefully yours,
Jentri
___________
A lot of people wonder if Lost In Sunshine was written after my life. The short answer is “no,” but it certainly was a response to it.
The idea.
My life’s been a series of ups and downs, most of which I feel have contributed to the richness of what I am able to bring to the writing table. My losses have taught me there will be light at the end of the tunnel, and to laugh when I feel like crying. I no longer feel the angst I once felt from holding on to my past. I had an epiphany that if I knew how to rewrite my story, then I could somehow do the same for Lyn in Sunshine, in a different way. I felt deeply inspired to tell the story of a woman’s journey – however imperfect, crazy, or deluded she might be. After all, I think there’s a little bit of delusion in all of us.
Two years and 15 drafts later, I contacted script consultant and (my now)
producer, Lorie Marsh, to help me wrestle the story to its essence. With her
help, the full story budded its way to fruition in 6 more drafts. I then felt ready to carry it with me on a trip to LA. I was able to get the script in front of a popular TV actress in Hollywood, who vibed with the story, and was excited at the idea of playing “Lyn.” From that point on, I came back to Austin with a new resolve – I would make this film, no matter what. Lorie, who had been consulting on the project for months, offered to come on board as its producer. We slept on the notion. And the next morning - production-magic began.
Production.
We were planning for “action” by the end of 2009, but it hasn't turned out that way.
We were fortunate to have our first investor early on, who believed in the quality of our business plan, connected to the story, and the message we were trying to tell. And, though we had a fabulous crew committed and interest from actors, too, we needed more money.
We were disappointed and frustrated when things didn’t line up, but it wasn't in the stars, yet. We've never lost hope. We look at our project as a whole, and for every “no” we just say, “no, not that way.” Forward march.
So, what did we focus on? We spent the next year implementing a website, Lostinsunshine.com, to engage our audience.
Experimenting: Social Media and Transmedia.
From the time we decided to make LIS, engaging our audience early was always a priority. By creating a blog by our chronically malcontented heroine, Lyn, from the beginning, we hoped to let our audience have a sneak peak at the girl behind small-town Sunshine, Texas.
Soon afterward, I also began writing bits and pieces of a self-help manuscript-in-progress from our hero, Bob, a desperate optimist.
The idea was to create a world around our movie-to-be that would expand upon the narrative as a whole - a transmedia approach. In addition to a Lost in Sunshine Facebook page and several Twitter streams, we wanted to experiment with online fiction and other forms of digital storytelling (videos, short stories, interactive games). Indie movie distribution and consumption paradigms are shifting, thanks to surges in digital media capacities and mobile platforms; we want to have content available wherever our audience wants to consume it.
A year after we launched Lostinsunshine.com, we debuted a redesigned site on February 1, 2011. We learned that we needed to refine our interface and site layout to make it more obvious to visitors that there is a fictional, story-world section and a real-world, behind-the-scenes section. We recognize that our audience doesn't know the term, "transmedia," nor do they really care. But, a little interactive quiz on the Home page? (Maybe) That's fun, and memorable.
We're further embracing transmedia in our crowdfunding campaign on
IndieGoGo Feb. 1 - March 4th by offering donors opportunities to add content to the online story-world as our Perks
It's all a big gamble, the focus and efforts we've put into setting ourselves apart with our website "channel" approach for Lost in Sunshine. But, it's been something we DO have control over. And, it shows prospective investors or co-production companies what we can do.
Moving Forward: 2013
This is where the article stopped a couple of years ago. With modest Indiegogo success in 2011, and a lack of audience participation, we have since learned to rewire our sound. We've had many ideas about how to expand our story, and inject it into the hearts of those who might want to experience it, but there are many factors that come into making a vision a reality. For us, our restraints have mostly been monetary. Neither of us were born rich, or with a rich uncle, but we're definitely rich in spirit. We mustn't let go, if our vision's ever going to blossom.
In 2012, the talented and funny actress, Nadine Velazquez re-entered our circle and became verbally attached to LIS (again). My heart is really happy about that.
Our most current project, Fucked Up People, is a web series set to be filmed in 2014 on a much more affordable budget. It's inspired by the main characters of LIS, Lyn and Bob. Both are beset by troubles of their own making. Lyn is profane, unfiltered, and unhappily married and employed. Bob is warm, chatty, and a married father and gambling addict. The series will present “fucked up people” that Lyn and Bob must deal with in their respective lives, while uncovering how each of them are messed up, themselves.
We're in the final stages of solidifying the first season's script, and then we'll hit "GO" with our production efforts. In addition, we're working on turning LIS into an e-novel and making it available online. The idea is to give people a choice as to how they'd like to view our story world.
With this web series and e-novel, we hope to build, (re)connect and engage with our audience, and give them (more of) a reason to support our feature film.
Sometimes the efforts seem daunting, but if you've ever thought of giving up don't worry, you're just human. What makes you super human is your ability to hang on, even when it feels hopeless.
Hopefully yours,
Jentri
___________
Sunday, July 10, 2011
All The Good Ones - Director's Statement
Howdy, my screenwriting/indie filmmaking/artistic-in-so-many-ways, Junkies!
This year, I was honored to have a NYFA producer student by the name of Sabrina McClendon contact me about optioning and producing my feature script, All The Good Ones. Once the screenplay is produced at NYFA on paper, our plans are to really MAKE THIS FILM!!! I'm so excited, and pleased that someone else found the connection to these characters to be as powerful and engaging as I did. Like Lost In Sunshine, this story is from a female's perspective, only it's based on (some) true events. Hopefully we can put the story on screen for you one day soon, too! But for now, here's the director's statement! Enjoy, my Sweets! J
All The Good Ones was the first full screenplay I ever wrote in college. All I knew is that I had a story to tell, based on a personal relationship, and I wanted to tell it in the most honest, yet bold, kind of way, with respect to those (previously) involved. For the sake of good storytelling, I also knew that elements would have to be adjusted, embellished, and slightly manipulated, but the message was more important to me than the details.
ATGO deals with a (female) teenager's first experience with love, drugs, death, and independence, and how she chooses deal with it. We all carry around inside of us a deep desire to be wanted, understood, loved, and heard. In a way, ATGO is just about a young woman's journey to make sense of the world, and survive in the dysfunctional one she's helped create.
Story's struggle is that she doesn't understand, yet, that love simply isn't enough to make a relationship work. What Billy doesn't understand is that he's not invincible. Together, they believe they'll be OK, despite the abusive nature of their connection.
I think that everyone can relate to falling in love for the first time. Or loving someone so much, even when it's not good, and not being able to stop. This is a die hard love story about teenage firsts, loss, consequences, and a little bit of (everything) crazy in between.
– Jentri Chancey
Join ATGO on FB! :))
This year, I was honored to have a NYFA producer student by the name of Sabrina McClendon contact me about optioning and producing my feature script, All The Good Ones. Once the screenplay is produced at NYFA on paper, our plans are to really MAKE THIS FILM!!! I'm so excited, and pleased that someone else found the connection to these characters to be as powerful and engaging as I did. Like Lost In Sunshine, this story is from a female's perspective, only it's based on (some) true events. Hopefully we can put the story on screen for you one day soon, too! But for now, here's the director's statement! Enjoy, my Sweets! J
All The Good Ones was the first full screenplay I ever wrote in college. All I knew is that I had a story to tell, based on a personal relationship, and I wanted to tell it in the most honest, yet bold, kind of way, with respect to those (previously) involved. For the sake of good storytelling, I also knew that elements would have to be adjusted, embellished, and slightly manipulated, but the message was more important to me than the details.
ATGO deals with a (female) teenager's first experience with love, drugs, death, and independence, and how she chooses deal with it. We all carry around inside of us a deep desire to be wanted, understood, loved, and heard. In a way, ATGO is just about a young woman's journey to make sense of the world, and survive in the dysfunctional one she's helped create.
Story's struggle is that she doesn't understand, yet, that love simply isn't enough to make a relationship work. What Billy doesn't understand is that he's not invincible. Together, they believe they'll be OK, despite the abusive nature of their connection.
I think that everyone can relate to falling in love for the first time. Or loving someone so much, even when it's not good, and not being able to stop. This is a die hard love story about teenage firsts, loss, consequences, and a little bit of (everything) crazy in between.
– Jentri Chancey
Join ATGO on FB! :))
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Born Good: Road to Liberation Update!
Helloooo, my GOOD friends!
Is it just me, or is everyone busier/crazier these days than normal? I was blaming it on Mercury in Retrograde for a while, but now I have no excuse!
My (paying) job and family business has left me far less time than I'd prefer to work on my film babies, but that's life - right, my sweet Banana Whoopies? We gotta pay them bills if we want to play with expensive equipment & everyone's valuable time! ;)
So here's what I've been doing, and the (Born Good) film progress I've made in the last few weeks, in addition to being crazy for no damn good reason!
1st mission: Location Scouting
Last week, I traveled to Burton/Brenham and viewed the funeral home and rest home I hope we can cheat for a hospital. My mom knows the folks around there, so she's trying to help out in that dept. (Love you, mom!) I've also been keeping my eye out for other possible locations to shoot in Kyle, TX as our "small town."
2nd: Script Consulting
Met with a good friend, filmmaker, and UT professor, Kat Candler, (jumping off bridges) last week and had my first script consultation - woo hoo! Bad part is there's lots of work to be done to ensure us a tight ass story. Good news is - I have a clue what to do, and it'll be FUN! :)
3rd: Script Homework
Part of my homework is to watch Steven's favorite comedians (our main character in BG)... it's a hard life, right?
4th: Editing
My good friend, Aether team member, & talented editor of our Aether movies, Beaux, will most likely edit this film. We're still ironing out details, but ck him out! ;) http://www.ionimagestudio.com and http://www.getparanormal.com
5th: Producing
There's a group of awesome NYFA producer (students) who are working on another one of my scripts this year, All The Good Ones. Sabrina McClendon is the ring leader, who's also coming on board to help produce Born Good remotely from NY. And can I just say - she's a kick ass producer already! Talk about forward thinking!
6th: Advising
In addition, Lorie Marsh (my LIS producer) has kindly agreed to be an advisor on this project, so if I need to run anything by her expertise - she's there! :))
7th: Lupus Organization of America
A huge part of this story was written to raise awareness of Lupus. One of my best friends, Karen, was diagnosed with this after a long, grueling battle of being 'mis diagnosed' several years back. Her symptoms have been so severe at times that she's lost all of her hair, and experienced debilitating pains. The trouble with Lupus is it's hard to determine/diagnose, because it's so different for every person who experiences it. So, I've contacted the Lupus Organization, and will be doing whatever I can to make this a benefit package!!!
8th: FOOD donations (and arguably most important!) ;)
I'm so grateful for all the emails I received back from a note I sent out about food donations for our project!! We'll be a fat and happy set! Yay!
We're on our way... Love, J
Is it just me, or is everyone busier/crazier these days than normal? I was blaming it on Mercury in Retrograde for a while, but now I have no excuse!
My (paying) job and family business has left me far less time than I'd prefer to work on my film babies, but that's life - right, my sweet Banana Whoopies? We gotta pay them bills if we want to play with expensive equipment & everyone's valuable time! ;)
So here's what I've been doing, and the (Born Good) film progress I've made in the last few weeks, in addition to being crazy for no damn good reason!
1st mission: Location Scouting
Last week, I traveled to Burton/Brenham and viewed the funeral home and rest home I hope we can cheat for a hospital. My mom knows the folks around there, so she's trying to help out in that dept. (Love you, mom!) I've also been keeping my eye out for other possible locations to shoot in Kyle, TX as our "small town."
2nd: Script Consulting
Met with a good friend, filmmaker, and UT professor, Kat Candler, (jumping off bridges) last week and had my first script consultation - woo hoo! Bad part is there's lots of work to be done to ensure us a tight ass story. Good news is - I have a clue what to do, and it'll be FUN! :)
3rd: Script Homework
Part of my homework is to watch Steven's favorite comedians (our main character in BG)... it's a hard life, right?
4th: Editing
My good friend, Aether team member, & talented editor of our Aether movies, Beaux, will most likely edit this film. We're still ironing out details, but ck him out! ;) http://www.ionimagestudio.com and http://www.getparanormal.com
5th: Producing
There's a group of awesome NYFA producer (students) who are working on another one of my scripts this year, All The Good Ones. Sabrina McClendon is the ring leader, who's also coming on board to help produce Born Good remotely from NY. And can I just say - she's a kick ass producer already! Talk about forward thinking!
6th: Advising
In addition, Lorie Marsh (my LIS producer) has kindly agreed to be an advisor on this project, so if I need to run anything by her expertise - she's there! :))
7th: Lupus Organization of America
A huge part of this story was written to raise awareness of Lupus. One of my best friends, Karen, was diagnosed with this after a long, grueling battle of being 'mis diagnosed' several years back. Her symptoms have been so severe at times that she's lost all of her hair, and experienced debilitating pains. The trouble with Lupus is it's hard to determine/diagnose, because it's so different for every person who experiences it. So, I've contacted the Lupus Organization, and will be doing whatever I can to make this a benefit package!!!
8th: FOOD donations (and arguably most important!) ;)
I'm so grateful for all the emails I received back from a note I sent out about food donations for our project!! We'll be a fat and happy set! Yay!
We're on our way... Love, J
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