Next year it’s going to be time for another short fiction film. I’m not sure what it’s about yet. But I know I want to make one.

This is how Trophy started in 2012. I wanted to see what it’d be like to write a screenplay that became a real film, so I started making it. The entire experience was a ton of fun!

Behind the scenes on the set of "Trophy" at Busy Bee Raleigh.

Behind the scenes on the set of “Trophy” at Busy Bee Raleigh.

Right now I have no clue what this next short fiction film will be about, but I know a few simple things:

  1. It must be a story I can get behind.
  2. The logistics of filming it have to be feasible.
  3. Shooting the film has to be affordable.
  4. It must be something we can shoot in two or three days.
  5. I’d like to write, direct, or produce it.

While I am attracted to comedies, this doesn’t have to be funny. It could be more of a short drama. It could be something sweet, steamy, or romantic. It could be painfully simple but absolutely beautiful.

Why share this with you, when it’s essentially … nothing? Because that’s how ideas become into action.

I’ve been thinking this for a few months now, toying with the idea. It’s time to get it out of my head and out into the world. So it may take on a life of its own.

It’s way too early to dive right into another production right now. I have more than a few “irons in the fire” as they say: Brewconomy, Crowdfund Your Film, a new film in pre-production, and TriFilm Society — just to name a few.

But …

This is actually the best time to start thinking about a new short film to shoot in 2015. That’s because it takes time to find the right idea, storyboard, build a crew, work out logistics. There’s a lot to do before you start shooting. That’s why this phase has its very own label: pre-production.

Here’s another reason: I don’t want to make just documentaries. Don’t get me wrong. I’m totally and madly in love with docs. I really enjoy pouring myself into a story that can make the world a better place. That’s my mission as a filmmaker, remember?

At the same time, however, documentaries aren’t the only type of film I want to make for the rest of my life. I bet that statement might make some people cringe but I genuinely can’t help it. You know me … I like to explore, learn, and grow as an artist and entrepreneur. That’s what I’m likely to do for the rest of my life. (It confuses a lot of people who can’t quite keep up, and I totally get that.)

So, I’m not sure what’s ahead in 2015. No year turns out the way I had envisioned it, anyway.

I do know this much: I’d like to work on a short fiction film that I can shoot next year. I’ve just got to find the right story…