"One Ton Shadow Productions" A film Production Company Los Angeles, CA |
This store is right around the corner from me and they have everything. Expendables by the boat full. |
FADE IN: And do it fast, damn it... |
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in L.A. |
This store is right around the corner from me and they have everything. Expendables by the boat full. |
The One That Got Away: There is something that I have been wanting to talk about some time, something I wanted to warn you future filmmakers about. For some time now I have been banging around the idea of doing a feature film. The 'right' story was the only thing I was really waiting for, well that and getting a little experience as a Director. Lord knows, I have been around film sets enough to know what needs to be done and what you need to avoid while guiding your ship through the waters of film production. Still, you never really know until you take the helm yourself. Doing a first time feature was out of the question, so before I would enter that battle field, I came up with a few scripts for shorts to direct. I wanted my ideas to not just be a test of my directing and story telling abilities but something I could be proud, as well as learning the ropes. So I took my time, smashed around the 50 or so ideas I had in my head till a few of them stuck. At some point in the smashing around of ideas, this one idea kept popping back in my head over and over again. That was good thing but it was a feature length idea and one I was not ready for. The idea kept coming back for more and the story is so damn good, that in my head I thought, 'I had better start doing some early work to get ready for the day I get around to making it.' Getting ready started to feel like I was dicking around, not taking it serious. So I decided, this idea would be the feature, the one, my first. What I would do is forgo the shorts I wanted to make for now and work on doing a trailer for this feature. I knew the shots I needed, the cast, knew exactly how I would stage it, the kind of music I would need, I had everything in my head. I also knew, with this piece of filmed ammo under my belt, that someone would take notice, that someone would want to make this film for sure. I was right but not fast enough on the draw. Just as I was trying to put everything in place for making my trailer, I read in the Hollywood Reporter that someone else was making my movie. I couldn't believe it. The person the movie is about is not that well known and yet, there it was right in front of my eyes in black and white. I thought the idea was safe, I had brainstormed this idea many years ago, always knew I would have it in my bag of movies I wanted to make and finally decided to take the leap and do it, only to hear it is already being done. The movie has not been made yet, production was suppose to start last year and didn't. I have my fingers crossed that it dies one of those deaths that so many projects in Hollywood do, because I still want to do it. I really do believe it has an Oscar in it somewhere, maybe not for the director but for someone on the production because the story is that good. Maybe my hope will turn into my first feature and maybe it will still be that story. Let's see what happens with it. The point I was trying to make, the warning if you will. When you have that feeling about a story, when you have been through every piece of crap idea in your head, when you have passed on many, many, many ideas that were so - so, when you find that IT and you have that feeling pulling you, push forward and make it. I really wish I had been listening to that little voice in my head earlier. It was there but I didn't trust it. When it finally got loud enough, it was too late. Well there is still a chance I could get that story but it doesn't feel as good as when I was the only one who had it. That was a far better feeling. There will be others I am sure and even better ideas. However, nothing is as sweet as the one that got away and nothing will be sweeter than getting her back. (Big Smile) Head Honcho |
"One Ton Shadow Productions" A film Production Company Los Angeles, CA |
