Planning the shots

I knew from the start that I didn't want to go in blind when it came time to shoot. While keeping a loose style has worked out well for me with my photography, and has worked in the past for video, it just wasn't going to cut it this time. This one required planning.

I debated between storyboards, or a shot list. I was warned that storyboards were necessary, by people who know from experience. Unfortunately, I rarely do what I'm supposed to. So, I decided to go with a shot list. A very detailed shot list.

There were two reasons for this. One, I know myself well enough to admit that I would never make it through the storyboarding process. And even if I did, it would stall the start of shooting for an unacceptable amount of time. Two, I'm running the camera, and I already know my vision for this. I knew it as I was writing it. Living in the same place where I'll be filming was also a factor in this. No need to draw what's already pictured clearly in my head. I guess you could say I was storyboarding while I was writing, in the same way I'm now editing while creating the shot list. Because of the all-in-one filmmaker role I have to take on for Aspiring, I'm kept one step ahead at all times.

Of course, as I create this list, I have my inspiration movies constantly running in the DVD player. Comedies that will make me ambitious while filming. (Probably too ambitious based on the limitations I'll have). Yesterday, Raising Arizona. Today, I'm thinking Better Off Dead.

- Chris

My phases of writing

When I write a script, I usually classify it in three phases.

Phase 1, is the first draft. For me, this is a glorified plot outline with dialog. Loose, sloppy, and for my eyes only. But, as basic as it is, this phase also takes the longest. This is the phase that usually defeats me. It's where most of my projects fall apart, sometimes as soon as two pages in. Therefor, only a few people know what I'm working on during this time. All of Jack's ideas in Aspiring come from actual phase 1 scripts I had attempted to write.

Phase 1 is designing the house.

Phase 2, is every full draft after the first. This is where I make sure everything makes sense, really discover the characters, and so one. I'll also go more public with a script at this point, as I feel more confident that it'll get finished. This phase makes the script an incomplete whole in my eyes. It's there, but needs some tightening. When this phase is finished, that's when I'll give the script to people to read. And, in case of emergency, I could shoot this script. But I would prefer not to.

Phase 2 is building the house and making it livable.

And then there's phase 3. No more complete rewrites, just constant additions and subtractions to the last draft. Hour here, hour there of work. Adding one line of dialog, then making sure that line doesn't contradict anything previously said. Or, adding something earlier to compliment the new line. This phase is where I'll more carefully apply foreshadowing. I can also throw in little quirks, to fully flesh out a character. Basically, a tidying up of the whole thing. This phase happens during pre-production, and doesn't end till the last day of shooting. Aspiring is in phase 3. Specifically, anything relating to Mara, as she wasn't cast when I finished phase 2.

Phase 3 is picking out the furniture and wallpaper. It's when the house becomes a home.


- Chris

Why the early promotion?

I decided to start promoting Aspiring early, because I wanted to let everyone in on the fun, chaos, thrill, and pain involved in putting together a web series. Experience the goings-on of a production so small, "guerrilla-style" filmmaking would be an upgrade. Witness the mayhem that will ensue, due to me being a first timer in almost all regards on this thing. If anyone reading this is thinking about doing something similar, feel free to learn from my mistakes and accomplishments as I make them.

This is going to be a hell of a journey, and I'd love to have you all along for the ride.

- Chris

Meet The Cast

First up, we have Jay Preston as Jack...



Next, we have Mick Gallagher as Ray...



And finally, we have Nicole Dionne as Mara...

Meet the characters

Meet Jack.

Some days he's a photographer, and some he's a filmmaker. Lately, Jack's been the photoshop guy for The Toony Company. Jack's a guy who's never happy with his place in life. If he's broke, he wishes he had money. If he's getting paid, he wishes for the freedom of the starving artist. And he's always willing to let you know this, whether or not you want to hear it. Born and raised just north of New York City, Jack moved to LA eight years ago, decided he didn't like it after two, and yet he's still here. As we open the series, Jack is ready for a change, and a big one is coming.

Meet Ray.

Jack's roommate. Ray has been a film buff from birth, which is convenient, since he grew up right outside of LA. He started out wanting to be a filmmaker, but ended up an actor, moving into the Los Angeles area right out of high school. He is fiercely loyal to Hollywood, never feeling the urge to be anywhere else. He used to have the drive to go out and audition as much as possible, but got comfortable doing work as a film extra. A little too comfortable. He'll still claim that just being on a movie set is good enough for him, but his increased bitterness is starting to show cracks in that facade.

Meet Mara.

Mara's the type of girl that can hang with the boys just as easily as the girls, and isn't afraid of letting people know what's on her mind. Her off switch isn't broken, but it definitely has some loose wiring, so she has a tendency for TMI. She and Jack met years ago at a part-time job, and they just clicked. This was due to their shared trait of never being able to decide on what they want to do with their lives. They've remained friends, but have always had a habit of losing touch for long stretches of time. Mara practices a nomadic lifestyle, except, instead of changing where she lives, she changes her path in the arts. Painter, singer, dancer, etc. You name it, she's done it. She's currently going through her actress phase, and needing headshots has once again brought her back into Jack's life.

We have a poster... again!

Well, that didn't take long. When I said in my earlier post that I was likely to change it, even I didn't think it would happen that quick.

The original design just felt sloppy, and rushed. Definitely a first draft poster, and I made the rookie mistake of showing the first draft. So, I took some more time playing with fonts and layout. And made a slight adjustment to the tagline. Going to leave the original up, so you can catch a glimpse of the process.

Anywho, here it is. A design I'm much happier with.

- Chris

We have a poster!

Got Jay over to the house today to shoot the teaser poster for Aspiring. Went quick and smooth, thanks to me having a clear image in my head, for months, of how I wanted this thing to look. Matter of fact, I think the poster was the second thing to pop into my head after I first thought of the idea for the show.

However, the grief started after the shoot, when I had to design the damn thing. I knew what I wanted the image to look like, but beyond that, I was making it up as I went along.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with it. Of course, knowing me, I'll soon become unhappy with it, for whatever reason, and decide to either change it. Or make a new one entirely.

Till then, here it is.

- Chris

To title or not to title...

When I began writing Aspiring, I had to figure out if I wanted to give each episode a title, or stick to episode numbers. I decided that simply attaching a number to each episode was no fun. It actually felt kind of lame. So titles won.

I decided to go with a one word description, of an important aspect of each episode. I'd like to give a specific reason for why I went with this style, but, all I can honestly say is, it just felt right.

That being said, I give you the episode titles for Aspiring, season 1:

1 - Cubicle (A necessary location change will probably alter this one)
2 - Goals
3 - Toilet
4 - Project
5 - Porn
6 - Headshots
7 - Decisions

- Chris

A little break never hurt anyone...

One thing I've learned over the years, is that a short break from a project is needed at times. When writing, for instance, I always like to take a week off between drafts. Or, as is currently the case, after the scripts have been delivered, and before pre-production starts. I like the distance, as it helps me come back with a fresh perspective. This is when the best changes happen.

So I took a week off from Aspiring. It was hard to do, but I knew it was necessary. I caught up on headshots, photographed the chaos at Michael Jackson's Walk Of Fame Star, finished Prototype, (fun game, by the way), and watched some movies. Now, I'm ready to get back on track.

Next up, I need to shoot the teaser poster, build the teaser web page, find the lead actress, and start to fill this blog with posts... Oh, yeah, and schedule the actual shooting of this thing. Guess I shouldn't forget that one, huh?

- Chris

Never underestimate writing time...

Wow. When I started this little adventure, I assumed that I would finish writing all of the scripts within a few weeks. Cut to a few months later, and I'm just finishing. I suppose I missed the mark on that one.

I'm definitely happy with the results. Obviously, I'll be rewriting and reworking this thing until the day we shoot, but I feel that the scripts are as locked down as they'll ever be. If it works out as written, there's seven episodes. Five story episodes, and two stand-alones.

- Chris