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.
Right now I have no clue what this next short fiction film will be about, but I know a few simple things:
- It must be a story I can get behind.
- The logistics of filming it have to be feasible.
- Shooting the film has to be affordable.
- It must be something we can shoot in two or three days.
- 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…