Offshore Explorer

I have a new production in the pipeline. We are working on a TV series called Offshore Explorer. Since the production has been pushed due to our current circumstances. So in the meantime we are making a podcast. You can listen to an episode here or go to https://podfollow.com/1503536850 to listen to more episodes. You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Youtube

I know that I haven't blogged in a long long time. But if you want to keep up with me, be sure to follow me on Twitter. In the meantime, you can watch my films on Youtube.

You can also see the trailer for a film I produced, The Pink Zone, here:

We will have many updates in the near future, including screenings and such. Keep an eye here for more info.

Don't Say You Aren't Creative aka Writer's Block

I started typing this out as a response to a post on an online forum. Then I thought it would be better as a longer blog post.

A lot of people say they aren't creative, or they get writer's block, or have trouble coming up with stories for screenplays. Coming up with ideas is one thing. Writing them down is another. Anyone can come up with ideas for movies, interesting characters or settings. Ideas are free. Everyone has them. It's when you start putting pen to page, or opening up Final Draft that you actually become creative. Creative means that you are a creator, you create things. You write scripts, plays, or poems. You have something to show for your effort.

The first thing to do as a writer is to figure out your strengths and weaknesses. The best way to do this is by writing. The more you write, the better you get. Sometimes it helps to put down a project that you are stuck on and write something else in the meantime. Even if your plots are generic and cliche, if you inhabit those plots with intriguing and interesting characters, that will make up for your weaknesses. And as you focus on your weaknesses, you will get better at those areas. Very few writers start out great at everything. A lot of   highly paid writers are good at specific things. Some are good at witty dialogue. Others are great at action sequences. Some writers are great with coming up with convoluted plots. If you are good at one aspect of writing, you are still better than the majority of people out there.

I refuse to believe in writer's block. If you acknowledge it, you give it power. Usually if you are stuck on a story it means you haven't spent enough time developing it before you started writing it. As painful as it is, you have to outline like crazy. Develop your story fully. Spend some time planning everything out before you start down that road. You wouldn't start a cross country road trip without knowing your destination first. Outlining, beat sheets and treatments are a pain. I hate doing them. I know very few writers that do. But they are a necessary evil. The more time you spend planning your story ahead of time, the more heartache you will spare yourself later.

That doesn't mean that the story can't evolve as you write it. I usually get it plotted enough to where I know where I am going, but allow myself some room for change and grow along the way. As I write, I find more interesting ways to tell the story, or a certain character may grow in prominence. This happens all the time to writers. A great example is JRR Tolkein growing fascinated with the character of Strider while writing Lord Of The Rings. Originally the character started as a hobbit with wooden feet. Eventually, Strider became Aragorn, the heir to the throne of Gondor.  Source: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Aragorn. Allow yourself that room for pleasant discovery.

Writing also isn't strictly putting words to paper. There are other things that can be part of your writing process. Do research. Watch other movies similar in tone. Read scripts that are similar. Find the scripts of your favorite films and read them. Find out what you like about them. Don't worry about being imitative. Watching other movies and reading other scripts will give you more ideas and show you different ways of approaching the same problems. Hopefully, this will inspire you to try something different or unique that you haven't seen done before. There's also nothing worse than thinking you have something totally original then finding out it has already been done before in another well known movie. More knowledge is always a good thing. You will see things that work and things that don't. I learn as much from watching a great film as from watching a bad film. Seeing the mistakes that others have made helps me to avoid them.

Lastly, write every day. The only way to get better is by daily practice. It also makes it more difficult to slack off. Sure, I may take a day or two off occasionally. But every day, I do something writing related. It may be research. It may be editing. It may be nothing more than rewriting a treatment. But the more you do it, the better you get.

Good luck and get writing!

The Talented Mr. Ripley

For our Directing Actors class at UCLA, we had to direct a scene from a finished movie. We rehearsed and filmed the scene in class. It was a bit frustrating because we had about 40 minutes to shoot a 3 minute scene. In a real world situation, I'd have a couple of hours to shoot the scene. The acoustics in the classroom were a bit of a problem. I tried to fix it as much as possible using Audible. Still not perfect. But it works.

Voice Over Film

My most recent film for the UCLA directing workshop was all about the voice. We had to create a 90 second film, telling the story only through voiceover. Dialogue was not allowed.

I originally had a different idea in mind, but I realized it would be too difficult to pull off in 90 seconds. So I scrapped that idea and came up with a completely new idea that I think works a lot better. My actress Meaggan did an excellent job. A lot wound up on the cutting room floor so I am thinking of making a longer 5 minute version of this film.

Enjoy.

Youtube Channel

I know that I haven't been blogging much lately. Just have been busy. Currently, I am taking directing classes at UCLA through extension. You can see my projects on my Youtube channel:

www.youtube.com/todfilm

I am just finishing up the first half next week. Then the second half begins in January and ends in March. Let me know what you think of my projects so far.

Thanks.

Asia Trip 2012

Just got back from a two week business trip through Asia and I'm exhausted. I leave in a couple of days for Cannes. So rather than write a detailed post, I'm just going to post some pictures from my trip.
The famous Louis Vuitton island in Singapore.

Me in the rooftop pool at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.


The Tin Hau temple in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

The imperial palace in Tokyo.


Home for gamers and nerds throughout Japan, the famous Akiba.

The Tokyo Tower.
Lastly, I'll leave you with some plum tree blossoms in Tokyo.