As of this morning the first rough draft of the second Amieviathan script, The Green Machine, is done. This means that we are one step closer to the second phase of the project, in fact, closer than originally planned.
Life is fluid and there has been a change in plans. On the way to Thom’s the past weekend, Tim and I had a long discussion about this project and potential future projects. At Tim’s suggestion, I’ve decided to scrap the initial plan of writing three separate Amieviathan scripts.
Here’s the rationale. My original intention in writing the three scripts was to get practice more than anything. I knew from the start that the likelihood of getting any more than one of the scripts filmed was highly unlikely. Additionally, the real goal was to prepare for the writing of a feature length movie. The Ameviathan scripts were intended to be short, 20-30 minutes a piece in length. From a filming standpoint, Tim and I wanted to work on a more advanced technical level, and with outside actors. We figured a 20-30 minute movie was enough ambition without biting off the feature length film too. So the Ameviathan scripts were perfectly suited for our filming goals.
However, the three scripts weren’t suited for my writing goal, especially since I’ve achieved what I wanted to in writing-terms with the two short scripts. So at this stage, there isn’t really much point in practicing on another 20-30 minute script. The real practice would come in producing a feature length script.
So we are going to go ahead and begin the initial stages of pre-production as of this weekend. Tomorrow morning, I’ll run Tim a copy of the rough of the script. Then he’s going to read it along with the Boggy Boogieman and we’ll decide which one to develop. The choice of which one to develop is most likely going to be dictated by filming logistics, how many locals we need, how difficult FX will be and how many people we need. The easier of the two will probably be the one that gets shot.
Once we decided which one to develop, I’ll go back and redraft the script and we’ll begin with pre-production.
As for writing, I’ll continue with a new writing goal. Once the Ameviathan script we decide to shoot is redrafted, I’ll start drafting treatments for new feature length script. At this point I’ve got a number of ideas I want to investigate. But, more on them as they develop.
Sounds like a good revised plan man. Let me know when you want to talk money for this project. After you narrow down the script then you’ll need to write up a business plan, I can help with that if you want but I think you already have an idea on how to complete it.
I will definitely let you know. The most expensive things on this picture are going to be the camera and the sound stuff. Tim just got himself a hold of one of the mics we needed. That gives us about 1/4 of the setup we need to do the sound (the full set up varies on what Tim decides is ultimately best suited for our needs). And if we can (more like – if I have a job) I think we’ll try to fund those items right out of our own pockets.
There will be other expenses though like food, props, publicity kits and so on.
Word to the wise Mike, If Thom is offering to help formulate a business plan, that’s definitely something to take advantage of.
Also, professional quality print materials (like press kits,) along with basic promotional material can be pretty expensive. If you want, I can fill you in sometime on how all the publicity stuff works…
Yeah that would be good. Actually I was thinking of poor man “press kits” and just going the PDF route.
What great offers from your friends! Stick to the creative and definitely take advantage of their business knowledge.
Oh I will. My business know-how, which extends to paying my bills (or not paying them) and barely being able to use a caculator, tells me to put my full trust and faith in my friends, rather than my own finger math.
The irony of this all is they think I’m good at math in the library. Yesterday they had me calibrate the hygrothermograph with a slide rule. The hygrothermograph measure tempature and humidity. Look at that thing. It is a beast. I can only imagine it was made sometime during WWI. With me in charge of calibrating it, they’ll probably be getting readings that indicate we should be living on the Sun.
That’s why I love Mi-Hye. She assumes you know things you don’t, and then she has you doing weird things. Take a few weeks ago (before you came back), for example…
I was just minding my own business, checking my email, when Mi-Hye, who is having a conversation with the other librarians behind me about the new scanner, turns around, grabs my shoulder (to indicate that she was not talking about the misspelled Meghan who actually is the computer person), and declares, “Well, let’s have Megan take a look at it. She’s good with computers!” Ha! I have never gotten along with anything computer-related besides email and word processing. I think the same person who told her you were good at math told her I was good with computers…and that person is a little crazy voice in the back of her head.
But I wouldn’t worry about the hygrothermograph. The way the air conditioner has been working in that building lately, the readings would probably be accurate if they did indicate we were about to melt metal.