For Love of Indie Filmmaking

What I Know for Sure Quest Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 02 May 2013 22:34:00 +0000

It's been a long time coming...watching clips that go back as far as 2009 roll a voice of reality and perspective through my head. Movie making of any kind is a life-long test of patience. This is particularly difficult if you're a Scorpio, like me. The process will test your patience and skills on every level. It even tests your confidence, and keeps any ego in check. What ego? :) What is here today can be gone tomorrow. What is not here here today can arrive tomorrow. It's all relative to the business. More commonly than ever, I hear about films taking 7 plus years to complete. It can be a matter of integrity, money, logistics, or resources, but it's always a matter of time. You're a product of movie making, just as the movie is a product of you - both breathing and living as one. I'm excited an honored to be able to give you this little piece of me this year in What I Know For Sure (Quest for the Cosmos). We explore a question I've contemplated all my entire life. Here's our extended trailer. Enjoy!! xo

Location Scouting for Fucked Up People

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Well, we're several drafts into the first 12 episodes of Fucked Up People (series based on Lost In Sunshine's characters) for our main character, Lyn, and soon to be working on Bob. Now it's multi-tasking time! Yesterday, we did a little location scouting in Boulder. It's the first of many motels I'll be scouting for our main location in the series. That is, if we shoot in Colorado! There's still a chance we'll be shooting in TX or CA, based on cast, crew and logistics. But first - I must nail down script material, as my wonderful producer, Lorie Marsh, likes to remind me. :)

Making Things Happen Without Money

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:49:00 +0000

Hello, my creative friends!

Rest assure, this isn't a post about money not being available in the universe - it's just about what we must do in the interim.

So let's talk about that plush bed of MONEY for our business! It's out there... somewhere...

right?

One of the most frustrating things about bringing our creative projects to fruition, and that's also expressed by filmmaker friends of mine frequently, is money. When you think about it, almost everything we do involves dollar bills/resources. If it's not a direct trade of money and time, it's a deferred trade of some sort. And if we're lucky, occasionally someone will have enough money and desire to donate their contributions to your task. However, most people have to have motivation and incentive, and usually that involves $$$$.

Others will do it to help someone out that they deem inspiring. Regardless, we have to find ways to keep the creative ball bouncing - with or without money. Find ways to keep our creative minds healthy by being pro-active, despite the heavy-hearted reality we all face from time to time when we don't have it. It's not easy making things happen without money, but it's essential to our creativity and hearts that we find a way to.

Recently, I had a heart to heart with my producer/friend, Lorie, and she got me to thinking about patience and the value of the creative process. Also recently, a very good friend of mine came into a large sum of money for her new business - (*this is when we're HAPPY for our friend without being jealous!*) this also got me to thinking about why we do what we do, and how long we're willing to do it for. A huge part of the process is one's ability to weather the storm(s). And to nurture that innate compound that resides within us and not give up - even when we don't see the point anymore. Because the beauty of life and our freedom as filmmakers weigh more to us than the point.

So this is my encouraging coffee-talk blog for myself and for all of you out there who feel a little (or lot) discouraged from time to time and need to know that your'e not alone (or cray cray). And that's the true true (if you've watched Cloud Atlas, perhaps you'll understand this reference, if not anything else about the movie).

xoxo Jentri

"Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." - Winston Churchill

Ten Pointers to Improve Storytelling Without Cracking Open a Bottle

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:01:00 +0000

Here's a post from author, Hope Clark, that Lorie turned me on to via http://www.penandprosper.blogspot.com.

Here are ten pointers to improve our storytelling without cracking open a bottle:

1) Open with a hook.

Such a simple word of advice that few people master. In a room full of storytellers, who gets to tell the story first? The person with the best hook; the hook that makes everyone hush, turn and tune in. Your fiction must grab from the start. Sliding into a story is like taking kids on a vacation and telling them for 300 miles that “we’re almost there.” They quit believing in you.

2) Cut the backstory.

Attention span of readers, and inebriated listeners, is limited. If we don’t make a strong point, they drift away. If they don’t need to know where the characters came from, who they are related to, what the weather is, or where they work then leave it out. Besides, you can slip this information in the story here and there along the way.

3) Use impressive verbs.

After you write your story, or the opening chapter, go back and highlight WAS, WERE, BEEN, BE and HAD. Replace ninety percent of them with action verbs, creative verbs, and verbs that make your senses sit up and take notice.

4) Use all your senses.

We love to use LOOK in our storytelling. Not only are there three dozen other words for LOOK, but there are four other senses as well that can define a character’s moment, the setting, or action. In a bar we’re surrounded by those senses. Use them while hunched over your keyboard, too.

5) Get into your character’s head.

Lack of Internal Monologue is a common sign of a novice. When he is surprised, let us in on what he’s thinking. When he’s sad, give us insight to his pain. Let readers into his head to make the story more three-dimensional. A barroom storyteller will at least say, “and then he thought…”

6) Show don’t tell.

An exciting storyteller will feed listeners colorful language instead of “he did this, then he did that, and then he found this and he found that.” Attention span is short with listeners, even shorter with readers seeking a story to read from amongst the millions available. Showing puts the reader into the story as fast as any hook.

7) Make dialogue believable.

Listeners taking in a story know which character is speaking because the storyteller is speaking differently with each one, changing his voice, throwing in dialect, and choosing styles unique to each player. You don’t even have to hear, “he said” and then “she said” because you hear the difference. When you can read dialogue without tags and still follow the story, the author has performed well.

8) Don’t stereotype emotion.

The character didn’t feel angry. He threw his glass against the wall. She didn’t feel sad. She laid her head on the quilt and soaked it with tears. He didn’t regret his actions. He stared at his feet, shoulders drooped. She wasn’t overwhelmed. She backed into the corner, palms flat on the walls. Think movie action.

9) Use metaphors but avoid cliché.

The best metaphors come from barroom stories and original thought. “Her story was thin as cheap toilet paper.” “His voice bounced off buildings three counties away.” “His words stunned me, like learning your church-going mother liked bourbon neat.”

10) Make the ending smack hard and stick with the reader.

When we listen to a tall tale, the build-up has its limitations. Ever heard someone tell a story, building a never-ending crescendo to the punch line? Ever get there and realize the over-dramatized build-up killed the ending? Make a dramatic, remarkable, never-saw-it-coming final point loaded with WOWs and AHAs, where the reader suddenly realizes all those clues you sprinkled along the way made perfect sense.

You don’t need to over-indulge to write your stories, but putting yourself in the mind of a lit-up storyteller might remind you how stories need more than the mundane to capture a reader.

BIO

C. Hope Clark is editor of the award-winning FundsforWriters.com and author of the likewise award-winning Carolina Slade Mystery Series, set in rural South Carolina.Lowcountry Bribe, February 2012, takes place on beautiful, secluded Edisto Island when a farmer offers a bribe and Slade learns that following the book can lead to losing her job, life and family. Tidewater Murder comes out in April 2013, and takes Slade to Beaufort amidst slaves, voodoo, drugs and a tomato industry that isn’t what it seems. Available at all bookstores. www.chopeclark.com / www.fundsforwriters.com

SOURCE: http://www.penandprosper.blogspot.com/2013/02/friction-with-your-fiction-guest-post.html

10 Secrets to Writing Success

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:11:00 +0000

Here's a little something I got in my inbox today, that I thought you might find helpful, too. xo J

From the author of RIDING THE ALLIGATOR...

10 Secrets to Writing Success

Pen Densham, co-founder of Trilogy Entertainment Group, considers himself a triple-hyphenate: a writer-producer- director. He and his partner John Watson have been Oscar Nominated twice, have produced 15 features and over 300 hours of television. He writes for both TV and feature films and is personally responsible for reviving 'The Outer Limits' and 'The Twilight Zone' series to television, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, etc. This year he is one of the Producers on Phantom - written and directed by Todd Robinson, starring David Duchovny and Ed Harris. His personal favorite is Moll Flanders, which he wrote and directed, starring Robin Wright and Morgan Freeman. Pen also teaches as an adjunct professor at USC Film School. His book on screenplay writing for publisher Michael Wiese is - "Riding the Alligator: Strategies for a Career in Screenplay Writing ...And Not Getting Eaten"

1. Write from your heart! As a writer, trust your instinctual creativity and write from your passion. When you don't value what you create, why should anybody else? When you chase a fad or a fashion that is not from your heart in an effort to sell something, there is a danger that when obstacles come, you will quickly abandon your efforts. When you love what you are working on, it feels less like work and more like a personal discovery. It brings your original and unique voice to the front. Even when you are hired to write, bring your authenticity to the game. Passion is a great way to help immunize yourself from the pain and uncertainty of the artistic process. And sometimes it can be enrapturing.

Things are beautiful if you love them.
Jean Anouilh

2. Don't worry about rules. Collect ideas any way they come. Write the way things feel to you. Have fun! A well laid-out script with no feeling is crap no matter what. I often break the supposed "cardinal" rules. I write my scripts partly as poetry, I write my characters' thoughts in the descriptions, I write in BLOCK LETTERS to make points. I call it "fusion writing." Write from your voice. Imagine there is a roof inside your head that limits your upward thinking. Now reach in and toss it away. Your personal creative universe is up there! A fresh, inventive, and passionate script is more likely to sell. More likely to attract major actors. More likely to satisfy and grow you as an artist.

Rules and models destroy genius and art.
William Hazlitt

3. Don't overwhelm yourself. Scripts are not as complex as they seem. Movies are really short stories. If you took all the white space out of a feature script and looked at it just as prose, there are probably only 40 to 60 pages' worth of words. Features usually break down into three acts: beginning, middle, and end. (Maybe in a shuffled order if you use flashbacks).

Act 1 - The characters get into gear.
Act 2 - They explore but fail to reach their goals.
Act 3 - They recover and develop as people as they struggle to reach their ultimate resolution.

Scripts are often not as complicated or as overwhelming when you look at them like this.

I don't think there's any artist of any value who doesn't doubt what they're doing.
Francis Ford Coppola

4. Ignore your inner nagging thoughts. They are seldom accurate perceptions of what you are actually achieving. It is deeply unfair to criticize your navigation skills when taking a journey into unknown territory. Try not to demoralize yourself. I call my first draft the "Lewis & Clark." Any freaking way that gets you to the coast is the correct way! Do not criticize yourself for the odd wrong turn, the weather slowing you down, having to stop for supplies. There is no bad route when you are on a voyage of discovery. Just keep going! Look at your early script drafts as explorative, until you find solidly what you like. When you get to the Pacific Ocean -- your script's ending -- celebrate! Next, put the freeway through with a polish, knowing what you have discovered and which signposts are needed to bring your readers on the journey with you.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Scott Adams

5. Give your main characters a major flaw in his/her back story. I struggle to find my character's inner demon. Usually one, defining horrific incident in their lives that they have not recovered from or invested their courage in changing. I call these back story incidents "Nuggets." Like the seed in a fruit, my story is really servicing the character overcoming this damage and becoming who they should be. The character is defined by the effect of his or her demon. When the character struggles to change, we see the conflict in his soul and root for him to become the fulfilled person that is crumpled inside. Even villains are heroes in their own mind and can have a potent back story issue, a nugget that drives them. I firmly believe we are creatures who are evolutionarily conditioned to pay deep attention to the behaviors of others as a survival and success strategy. It makes the writer's task much easier when you realize you are exploring a nugget, a single very simple, but compelling, internal human story.

And by the way, everything in life is writeable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt.
Sylvia Plath

6. Don't judge your progress by other finished movies. Evaluating your fledgling work in comparison to the successes of others can be demoralizing. You don't know how they got made. Maybe their journeys were more perilous than you think. Regard your first draft as a pencil sketch. When museums x-ray the paintings of great masters like da Vinci, they find many false starts, sometimes total compositions that have been erased or painted over. Does that mean that Leonardo was an indecisive idiot? Being perfect is impossible! Expect some speed bumps on your creative journey. Writing is naturally a series of discoveries, growing your vision is a normal part of the artistic process.

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.
Pablo Picasso

7. You are never too overwhelmed to write! Here is the best way to fight procrastination. WRITE A SINGLE LINE A DAY. This is the most undemanding and easiest way to overcome resistance and writer's block. Make a point to open your files and write the least threatening amount of work. One line! It keeps your mind primed. Even on a day filled with the clutter and debris of modern life, you will have assigned a portion of your personal processor to the task of your creative passion. It will be working away in the unconscious.

Truthfully, we don't write, we get out of the way and let our inner mind free. And some days when you are only going to write "just one line," you will find a treasure of new thoughts pouring forth.

If you hear a voice within you say 'you can not paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.
Vincent Van Gogh

8. Choose carefully who you share your early work with. I never show a first draft to the outside world. I share it with trusted people who I call Story Midwives: Empathetic kin, who understand the artistic process. Sensitive people who want to help you push through the pain of creative birth without making demands about what the child should be. Midwives help my child grow with supportive comments. Eventually my writing gets strong enough to face the less caring and dogmatic business world it will eventually have to succeed in.

Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.
Jonathan Swift

9. Trust your brain to solve your problems. It is normal not to have all the solutions at once. Take a break when you run into a block. Sleeping on it works! Tell yourself you are just playing. Don't make the stakes gigantic. I find I get some of my best ideas in the shower. Using my muscles seems to free my mind. All art is built on the foundation of the discoveries of others. Sometimes I watch other movies that feel like they might inform me. Ideas often ricochet from the screen into my head and come out as entirely different but powerful contributions.

Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal.
Igor Stravinsky

10. Treat your work with the respect it deserves. You have invested a lot of time and effort. First impressions are important. You need that financier, star, director, etc. to see the best version of your work. To sell a script that is the foundation for a large investment, it must make sense to the widest audience. Before your script goes into the wild: Proof the spelling. Make the layout as eye-friendly as possible. Make sure that your story points are really clear; I call this "A-hole Proofing." Every obstacle you remove to a good read is one less reason for a pass. Use trusted readers to give you feedback to make sure you have achieved your goals with clarity. Then share it with the rest of the world.

True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist.
Albert Einstein

11... Huh? I said no rules!

Find an emotionally powerful title. A great title is like the wrapping on a gift. It makes you want to open it – Did the word SECRETS and SUCCESS in this email's Subject line get you to read this?

I love to share my observations, philosophy and hopes with fellow artists. I consider it a great honor to be a literary Story Midwife to others. But, I also have a rule: "Ignore everything I say that goes against your natural creative instincts." Your process is sacred to me.

If you would like to see videos on selling and creating, and to download a free chapter designed to fire up your creativity, please visit the website for my book, RIDING THE ALLIGATOR.

Good hunting!

A Filmmaker's Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:14:00 +0000

Will most screenwriters succeed?

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 23:07:00 +0000

Why "Lost In Sunshine?"

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:10:00 +0000

Hi guys!! Well, the impossible has happened again! Lorie just submitted our proposal for a new media grant today, while moving into her new home in MN. Applause is definitely in order. *Pugs and I are clapping now, Lorie*

If you've been hanging around with us at all since 2008, you've probably heard us mention our feature-to-be, Lost In Sunshine, a couple times. ;) Although partially funded, we still lack the big $$$$ we need to turn our screenplay into a movie. But that's OK (for now), it's always been more than a movie - a show.

After lots of careful consideration, we decided that in order to engage our audience (character blogs, FB, newsletters and tweets were not sticky enough) and make our feature, we need to first create audio-visual content for people to click onto and share. That's where our new web series, Fucked Up People, comes in.

The web series focuses on the two main characters of LIS, Bob and Lyn, and their troubled worlds - before their lives collide in Sunshine.

The grant we're applying for has to be in two (media) parts, so we've decided to take the approach of both streaming media per our web series, and turning our feature into a novel (for all those who love to read!). Basically, you get to know the characters and their dysfunctional worlds before you meet them in our feature or novel.

Lorie writes, "The episodes will introduce the characters of Lyn and Bob who are two sides of a coin. Lyn views the glass as half empty; Bob, as half full. 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 deal with in their respective lives, while also laying out the longer thread of how each of them are messed up, themselves."

Why “Lost in Sunshine?”

In the multiplatform IP world, I’ve seen great projects that tell stories about conspiracies, superheroes, viruses, mysteries and scavenger hunts, robots, social issues and calls-to-action, twenty-something singles, and GLBT teen romance. As Creative Producer of “Lost in Sunshine” (LIS), I want to present something I haven’t seen, yet: a fictional comedy-drama storyworld showing true-to-life foibles of grownups blind to their own complicity in their problems. In other words, “regular fucked up people.”

Our tagline for LIS is, “Is this where you thought you’d be?” Have your choices brought you happiness or pain? Do you feel a victim of your life, or the driver? How many times have you made the same bad choice(s) over and over again, before you realized you weren’t magically going to experience a changed outcome? Did you make a new choice then?

Description of IP

The genesis of the LIS storyworld is a feature screenplay, written by Jentri Chancey. It presents a story about a woman convinced that her mother’s death was a suicide, and that she’s fated for the same path. It shows characters running away from themselves in self-destructive ways: adultery, addiction, theft, overwork, closeted homosexuality, and denial.

In 2009, Lorie Marsh came on board the project and proposed it be executed as a transmedia property – ‘it’s not just a movie, it’s a show.’ Lorie and Jentri’s highest hope is that their fans might come away from the LIS storyworld inspired to look within and see the power they have to make choices in their lives.

-from grant submission, written by Lorie Marsh:

Fucked Up People, a new web series by Jentri Chancey and Lorie Marsh

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:07:00 +0000

Our new web series, (2014) Fucked Up People, focuses on a less than sophisticated world of stagnated characters in a small-town that are all searching for meaning, entertainment, or fulfillment in their lives, despite their ignorance and insanity.

As the writer, I get the pleasure of imagining the craziest and most miserable real-life scenarios possible and sticking these depleting souls in them. But the better challenge is trying to pull them out of their darkness.

My personal goal has always been to hang onto hope, even when it feels hopeless, because life's not always fair or pretty, and ya gotta get by anyway. I believe that we (and these characters) can always take the unfairness of the sour lemon and squeeze out a semi- sweet tonic that will do a body good. But it takes awareness (and sometimes a little honey). Something these characters have not found, yet.

These characters are not about trying to be perfect, and I'm not about trying to put a cherry on top of a flat lime soda. But to me, there's a romantic quality in writing about people that have a certain hopelessness about them...

Despite the (possibly offensive) title, FUP is really just about people, like you and me, at one time or another.

More details TBA soon!

xo Jentri

2013 New Media Project

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 23:26:00 +0000

Happy New Year!!!! Lorie Marsh and I are kicking off the new year with a new media project in 2013 (more details TBA soon). We're taking the characters (originally) of Lost In Sunshine and introducing them to a web series - whose theme is particularly about being fucked up in many different ways, and learning how to be be OK with it.

Just to be clear, this project is completely separate from LIS, even though the characters are the same. Consider it an extension of our existing story. For the past several weeks I've been sending Lorie new story ideas for different episodes to ponder. We'll take the select stories and separate them into 2-3 seasons, depending on strategic circumstances. We'll plan to shoot our first group of series in 2013, debuting the first season online for viewership in 2014.

Aside from creatively feeding our souls, it's allowing us the freedom to tell our story in an original way (you can't see on TV), without the conditions or $$$$ that have limited the production of our feature. We are wholeheartedly still committed and connected to making LIS with the cast/crew we have on board when the rest of our funds are secured, but for now we'll continue to move forward in our own way - however we feel inspired - telling the stories we love with messages we want to tell, without permission.

Cheers to 2013 and you following your dreams, too!!

Route 52, Colorado

All The Good Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 05:23:00 +0000

Based on true events, All The Good Ones is a dark teenage love story that follows the life of Billy Leonard in the 90's, a free-spirited teenager, whose addiction to drugs and closeted sexuality outweighs his ability to love and be loved. Download and read my script, All The Good Ones here, and vote on your favorite concept at Amazon Studios. Here's my home page... thanks for checking it out! xo J

Happy Holidays!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Never Give Up

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:04:00 +0000

a little inspiration could do us all good.

What fills up your cup this Thanksgiving?

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:50:00 +0000

This Thanksgiving, I find it an appropriate opportunity to write about the things I'm thankful for and why, and encourage you to contemplate the same. There are so many times in this chosen field when we question our own sanity. We question the very thing that drives us to be better at everything else in life. The very thing that teaches us how to prevail, and how to search and dig a little deeper. How, you may ask?

If you've ever lost a loved one or something you care for deeply, you understand that much more how precious and short life is. The unfortunate heartache gives us a new perspective. It allows us to have that gusto that others may lack. It allows us to understand that tomorrow is a gift, not a guarantee. While that may sound like a line out of a cheesy movie, I wholeheartedly believe in its truth.

This business is a lot like constantly losing someone you love. And only if you're in it, will you probably really understand what this means. You're so completely connected to the material you write, the projects you produce, and the people you collaborate with, that when a project dissolves, never starts, or ends, as it commonly does in show biz, it's heartbreaking. Again, teaching us to value the present day's gift.. that magic will not always be here... it WILL NOT always offer the same precious moments. BE GRATEFUL for the experiences you are and have been fortunate enough to dance in the middle of.

I'm so thankful for the experiences this universe has blessed me with, and the people it's blessed me to live in it with. I'm grateful for the memories I got to be a part of, the invigoration that the cool weather brings, the comfort the warm sun beams, the people I've met, the people I know I'll meet, and the love that's wide spread amongst the leaves and the trees. I'm thankful for my desire to keep playing the same homemade record, when others are tired of hearing it, because I believe in its lyrics and know it can be a hit one day. I'm grateful for my innate passion to keep looking up, even when all the arrows point down. Somewhere in my life, I developed the happy gene, and for that I feel very fortunate.

When life seems too complicated, too dehydrated, and hopeless, I encourage you to dig a little deeper and try looking at the situation with your filmmaker's eye. Somehow, you know it'll all be alright. And when I get down, you'll tell me the same, right? ;)

Life is crazy, unpredictable, and cold at times, but that makes it a true masterpiece... and so much sweeter when cozy on a couch with wassail.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Keep doing what fills up your cup, no matter what.

Happy birthday, Nadine!

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:04:00 +0000

Check out Lost In Sunshine's leading lady-to-be, Nadine Velazquez, and her HAWT new website!

Happy Halloween! Watch Volando Muerte Free Online!

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Here's our latest docudrama horror feature, Volando Muerte, ready for you to watch online for ONE DAY (Halloween) FREE, as a thank you all for your ongoing support!

-Produced by Paranormal Productions, in association with 4020 Produ

ctions, Ion Image Studio and Goat45 Design, featuring Aether Paranormal Team with special guests, Greg Risley, Roney Ripple, Henry Warren and Special FX by Matt Valentine with Global Fear Enterprises!

-Some things are not meant to be hunted

Video Moodboard for Lost In Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 05:58:00 +0000

Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our DP-to-be, Iskra, producer, Lorie, and myself, I present to you - the Lost In Sunshine video mood board. And special thanks to our fellow filmmaker friend in ATX, Kat Candler, for always sharing her great pieces of work with us to learn and grow from. Sharing is imperatively caring in the indie world. :)

This video was created to depict my distinct directorial vision. This collection of pictures represents the attitude, tonality and mood of our film, captured through other beautiful movie stills. And Chris Isaak, of course.

Welcome to my hybrid creation.

Director's Pitch for Biennale College - Cinema Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:12:00 +0000

After weeks of preparing (years, to be accurate) Lost In Sunshine material, we're off! Deadline for the Biennale College-Cinema Competition was today, and after converting a modified budget to euros (thanks, Lorie), creating multiple videos, lots of literature, and realizing last minute they're 7 hours ahead of us - it's off! And outta our hands, Universe. Here's the video from my director's pitch we've submitted. While it's not perfect, it's --- DA-DA-DA - DONE!

Now prayers to Italy may be in order. And as I would say in Italy, because I'm originally from Texas, "Gracious!"J

Behind the scenes of documentary with Grossen Bart Brewery

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:05:00 +0000

These boys are at it again! Brewing On Up is a documentary-to-be about three guys with one dream- to open a craft brewery. Here's some behind the scenes footage of their brewery in the making, featuring Shad, Taylor and Chad in the kitchen!

www.GrossenBart.com

Q&A: My directorial vision for Lost In Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 22:59:00 +0000

Currently, we're applying to a grant in Venice that would serve as a workshop if we're part of the top 15, then serve as an initial source of mentored pre-production, should we advance to the top three. As an exercise for my video pitch, our LIS producer, Lorie Marsh, emailed these questions to me. I encourage this type of work, whether you're applying for a grant or not, but especially if you're a first-time-y, like me. ;) There's something about putting words on paper that helps solidify thoughts and brings forth more clarity. I copied the q&a-athon below so you can ask yourself these important questions, too, if you'd like. ;) J

What have you learned so far from your current directing experiences? What do you want to bring to directing LIS?

What I’ve learned about directing so far is that you have to hire people that know more than you, especially if you’re a first-time-y. Then you have to trust in those people you’ve chosen to help you bring your vision to life. It’s the most team-oriented sport I’ve ever played, and I believe wholeheartedly in my team.

Instead of encapsulating the story of LIS (which you'll be doing in your Look Book/Mood Boards), and which I'll be doing in the synopsis, etc. - use this video snippet to chat with "me" about your directing background and aspirations.

In the past, I’ve directed shorts, co-directed several documentaries and one feature, each of which I’ve learned a great deal – about story and execution, equally. You can have a communicative vision, but sometimes that vision doesn’t translate the way you hoped it would. A director has to be comfortable with the art of adapting, improvising, and finding new creative ways to fix things. Sometimes you might have to scrap your favorite scene or bit of dialog for the betterment of the entire movie. So instead of dwelling, if it’s not worth fighting for, I quickly get over it.

How do you want to grow on LIS? What challenges does it present to you? What are you inspired to capture/present to an audience...?

To me, LIS will be my master class. It’ll teach me better than what any class could, how to collaborate with other professionals on a broader scale, and make movie magic happen. It’ll also enable me to over-come fears, set positive examples for women in film, gain more confidence in my creative ability, and to be a more effective artist.

I’m inspired to capture a stagnated world and bring it to life for an audience. I want to demonstrate that you can live in a highly imperfect world, and still learn to reach deeply into the pockets of the universe and pull out something beautiful.

Why do you know that YOU must direct this, and not someone else?

I’m not one of ego, who thinks I’m the only one who could make this movie beautiful. But I do feel a loyal obligation to telling this story honestly, unapologeticly, and intimately. You can’t worry about hurting people’s feelings when you’re telling this story, because LIS touches on a lot of taboos. You have to have lived some of these experiences to be able to recreate them, and I have. While it’s not autobiographical, it’s certainly personal.

Lost In Sunshine is a coming of age story about a girl who feels trapped inside of an unfulfilling marriage, job, and existence. When she meets newcomer, Bob, who’s a recovering gambler and self-help author, she sees a way out. So they leave Sunshine, thinking that they’ll find the answers to living a better life inside of one another. But what they learn is that they have to find themselves first.

LOSTINSUNSHINE.COM

Lost In Sunshine: Map of Sunshine, Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 20:24:00 +0000

Is this where you thought you'd be? That's what this spirit-centered movie-to-be asks. Lyn and Bob leave small town Texas, thinking they'll find the secrets to living a better life in each other. They're wrong.

www.lostinsunshine.com

New Distribution Site for Indie Filmmakers

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:04:00 +0000

*FLM.TV Launching Indie Film Distribution Pay-Per-View Site on October 30th

FLM.TV's new site is the creation of 4 years of development in order to
provide Indie Film Makers a way to market, distribute their films and
generate revenue from sales. FLM.TV allows Film Makers to take control
of their distribution and the site is free.
This on-demand site is ideal for those Film Makers seeking distribution
and because it is an Indie Film community site, it is a complement to
other Internet Video on Demand (IVOD) distribution sites like AppleTV,
GoogleTV, Amazon or Zune. (Please check your distribution contract for
any limitations.) FLM.TV is best described as an Amazon, Netflix or
Hulu for Indie Films.

FLM.TV will be conducting a National Publicity launch and are looking
for 10 Films/Film Makers to showcase during the month of November.
These films will be selected from submitted films and will be
contacted if your film has been selected. In addition, we would like to
invite all Film Makers who are interested in participating on FLM.TV's
IVOD site to submit your information below before October 12, 2012. All
emails that come after 11th will be sent the link, but not be considered
for inclusion of our National Campaign.

*To Recap: *FLM.TV is free for Film Makers to use. Film Makers receive
direct and immediate revenue. Film Makers will receive a link to upload
to site.

*For Submission provide information below:
*
1. Link to trailer.
2. Poster (attach)
3. Title of Film:
4. Synopsis/Logline:
5: Production Company Name:
6: Genre:
7. Time/Minutes/ Length of Film:
8: Rating: (ie, pg-17, R, etc)
9. Availability for Oct.19th or 20th for Step and Repeat Interview.
(Specify Best Date for FLM.TV Interview)
10. FLM.TV, a Sponsor of Austin Film Festival, will be available to
discuss: Oct 19th and 20th at 106 East 8th, Austin Texas 78701 from 9am
- 7pm. (ONLY THESE 2 DAYS)
*
Please send the above information to*: *filmmaker@flm.tv*
<x-msg://1753/filmmaker@flm.tv>* Subject Line: Indie Film for
Distribution*

Moodboard for Lost In Sunshine

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 23:05:00 +0000

I'm creating a moodboard to submit to La Biennale di Venezia with grant materials this month for Lost In Sunshine, thanks to our super obsessive web-surfing producer, Lorie Marsh! Deadline is Oct. 22nd. Yikes! Luckily, we have most of the information prepared from previous submissions, but there's always additional materials, and tweaks to be made. And lots of busy stuff. Did I say busy? Plus, who doesn't wanna go to Venice, say "I". I'm not raising my hand, btw. So we start with pics... :)

Big thanks to my gals, Ia and Iskra for going with me on location scouts and helping take awesome country side pics!

I've started a Pinterest board for the World of Sunshine: http://pinterest.com/jentriquinn/world-of-sunshine/ but here's some of my faves from our location scouting in Texas (below). :)

I'll carefully select the pictures to be displayed within a poster-like format with text, demonstrating mood, colors and over-all tone to accompany the full story. Wish us luck! Or just $150K euros!!! J

Lyn's House in Sunshine

Sunnyville Neighborhood

Interior of Blue Top Motel where Lyn works in Sunshine

What's more fun than brewing beer?

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:55:00 +0000

I'd say it's making a documentary about brewing beer while eating Octoberfest/Marzen pancakes!!! J

Behind the scenes of Brewing On Up

www.grossenbart.com

Behind the scenes with Großen Bart Brewery's Men

noreply@blogger.com (Jentri) — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 02:01:00 +0000

Behind the scenes pic of Brewing on Up with Großen Bart Brewery's main men, Shad, Taylor and Chad (left to right).