Making Real Movies

I heard someone say tonight that they were working towards making real movies. This statement was said in comparison to films made here locally. So according to this person there are real movies and then there are the ones that people like I make. That annoyed me. Especially since the apparent determining value for this person of what makes a movie a "real movie" is the amount of money that goes into making it.
I argue that any story put to film is a real movie. It doesn't matter if the thing cost you a few bucks or no bucks... it's a real movie. Don't let anyone tell you any different.  Don't let someone downgrade the hard work you and others put into telling your story.

Competition

In the world of film making there is competition. There really isn't a way to get away from it. Some competition is good for you. It causes you to want to do better each time you get behind the camera. You can't rest on your "good enough" as there is always going to be someone out there who is pushing to make a better film than the last one he made and you don't want to get left behind.
What we don't need is the kind of competition that results in back stabbing, name calling, manipulation, and flat out lying. This does nothing but breed a culture of weakness. We should not tear down others to make us feel stronger. We should challenge ourselves to actually BE stronger.
The best way is to focus on your own work. Don't bother yourself with what everyone else is doing. If you are then your attention is leaving your own work and causing it to suffer. Do your best and learn from any mistakes that may arise.
In a small film making community that I am in the best thing for it is for there to be as many good film makers as possible. One person can't support the community. The more great films coming out the area the more people of the community will take notice of what we're doing and treat us like a viable source of entertainment apart from the films Hollywood is pumping out.
It's not a life or death battle for king of the mountain. It's telling stories that might connect with others. Let's focus on that. 

Lack of Support

Most folks don't understand when I tell them that I am a filmmaker. I get quizzical looks and then the usual question.

"What does that mean?"

It means that I make films. While a lot of my work consists of weddings, commercials, promo videos, and web vids I also spend my time making narrative films. When I'm not shooting them I'm thinking about them, writing them, planning to shoot them, and talking about them. I have stories that I'm trying to tell and the medium I'm using is film.
People don't understand that I can do this without being in Hollywood. That I am able to do this in my town with very little money is really hard for them to understand. I think this is why people don't take the time to help support the local filmmaker. It's because they don't understand.
Indie and local film making is very different from big budget films. A studio will make a flick for millions of dollars and then spend nearly as much as the film cost to make putting it out in front of the public eye in the form of commercials and posters. We don't have that kind of money. We rely on word of mouth for the most part. Friends telling friends. When our own friends won't spread the word it kills a lot of momentum for our films to get out there. I don't think they do it on purpose it's just that they aren't used to having to spread the word about movies. They are used to letting the studio do all the work and for us poor local filmmakers that just isn't gonna work.
It takes everyone telling everyone to get these films out to the people. If a local filmmaker asks you to help out then I beg you to do your part. Even if the film isn't your cup of tea let it be known that this form of film making is out there and let people decide if it's for them or not. I also encourage discussion about the films. If there is something that doesn't work for you speak up and lets discuss it. Don't bash the film but come at it with a reasonable argument and lets chat. That's part of the fun about making the films. I want to hear what you honestly think. Who knows... you may change my mind on things and the next film will be that much better.
In the end it comes down to keeping the film out there. If it's sent to you then share it. Don't let the film stop on your doorstep and think that you don't need to help because someone else will probably do it. Support the local artists. Tell people.

Halloween Horror Triple Feature: The Aftermath

The premier came and went and in the end it was all worth it. We showed three of our short films to a crowd of folks at UNR and received some really good feedback that didn't feel like lip service. If you can't be honest with me about what you thought about the films then you aren't being helpful in the long run. Filmmakers need to hear what people think so they can adjust how they approach things the next time around. I'm not saying I'm going to do everything people tell me but I will consider what folks say.
We didn't have any technical issues which was a big load off my shoulders. The last time I saw movies in this room everything went wonky and the evening dragged a little because of it. Every film played perfectly and it all looked pretty cool on the big screen in front of an audience. There is no reason to make the films if they aren't going to be seen by the public.
Each one of the films were applauded and I heard people talking about them in a positive light after the screening. This is always a cool thing to over hear as they aren't talking to me about how they thought the film was which sometimes hampers the ability to get a good idea about what people really thought.
After the screenings we had a Q&A moderated by a fellow filmmaker from the area, David McDowell, and we had a great time on stage and were asked some really good questions by the crowd. It was fun talking about local film making with folks and they all seemed to be interested in learning more about the areas film scene.
One guy I met was from the campus film club and as I watched his reaction to one of the big reveals of one of the films I knew he got what I was trying to do with the whole film. It's things like that reaction that makes the whole thing worth doing.
There were a lot of folks generally impressed by the quality of the films as well. They looked and sounded professional and I don't think a lot of folks were expecting that when coming to a screening of movies made locally. People tend to have a mindset that these films are going to look cheap.

All in all it was a great night and one I will remember for a long time to come. I can't wait to get more of my projects out to the masses.

The Q&A

The Camera

Not too long ago I sold my baby. When I say baby I don't mean that I sold my child. I mean my first camera. The camera that started it all.
A few years back I discovered that film making had become something that could be grasped by people that were outside the world of the big lights of Hollywood. Cost on some really great cameras had come down so that I could invest in one and begin making films. This camera served me well for a long time and eventually I had to move on. I sold the camera and bought new ones. These will serve me well until I need to upgrade again.
For me the need for the new cameras didn't come from thinking my films would be better for it. I needed something that would be more efficient as I worked on more and more projects at the same time. I knew that the new cameras weren't going to make my films better. They were just going to make it faster in the post production process as well as saving me space due to the new cameras smaller size.
One thing I've learned over the last few years is that it really doesn't matter what camera you are using as long as you know what you are doing. I've seen some pretty great flicks shot on some very simple machines. There are even some very established filmmakers making films with nothing but their iPhones. It's not the camera but the vision of the filmmaker that makes a good film. Remember this the next time you think you need the bigger and better camera. If you're making crap films on the camera you have then that's not going to change if you are shooting on a really expensive machine.


 

Our Premier

The time has come to present a few of our films to the public. It's the scariest time for a filmmaker. We've put a lot of effort, time, money, and worry into these stories and now it's time to see if it was all worth it.
For me it's always worth it. The fun of making the movie and meeting new people always makes the work worth the trouble. I enjoy the experience of creating and even of the end product isn't everything I hoped it would be at least I've learned something in the process.
The thing that most filmmakers worry about during this whole process is whether or not people are going to like the stories we have told. It's a legitimate fear. Most of us don't set out to make a crappy film. We want to entertain people. We want them to like what we've done. But the hard truth is that not everyone will. There are going to be people out there that won't like what you've done. They will tear it apart and walk off feeling like their time has been wasted. There isn't anything you can do about that. Just shrug it off and carry on.
There are people out there that will connect with the story you have told. It's those people that matter. Focus on them and the rest can all go find something that speaks to them.
I'm looking forward to showing my work to everyone who wants to come see it. It's pointless if I keep it to myself and a betrayal of the trust that many put into my vision if it never sees the light of day.
The night is going to be a good one with all three of our short films showing one after the other. A Q&A will follow which allows folks in the audience to hear about the making of the films as well as meet the folks who made them. It's their night to shine. They deserve it.

The flyer for the showing of our films.

 

Forgetting Things

We're shooting our latest short film tonight. This means that today is being taken up with making lists of things I need to take to the location tonight and going over it many many times trying to figure out what I have forgotten.
I am a list person. If I don't have a list then I feel like I am prone to forgetting everything I need to do. But it's a good issue to have when shooting a film of any kind. Forgetting even one piece of equipment could kill part of your shoot.
One of the worst things to forget is the boot off of your tripod. This is the little device that screws into the bottom of your camera and then allows the camera to be attached to the tripod so that you can have nice steady shots. Forgetting this little piece renders your tripod pretty useless. I have forgotten to bring this on a few occasions and now it's the first thing I check before leaving the house.
This is also where the shot list or storyboards come in handy. I usually go through the shot list and storyboards slowly trying to list out everything that will be needed for each shot. Each shot is a different beast all it's own due to lighting, camera movements, and props needed. Make sure you are prepared for each one.
Also, never assume someone is bringing something. Don't assume that the guy running the second camera will bring his tripod is he's using your camera. Don't assume that you don't need to pick up extra batteries because the sound guy usually has some. This is a good way to screw up the shoot and cause delays while you run out to get something you should have brought.
The sucky part is that no matter how much you prepare something will get left off the list and the show will have to continue. Just try your best to make sure there is as little of that as possible.
For example... In a recent shoot I had a character who is mixing chemicals. I bought some black rubber gloves for the costume and completely forgot about them until later that night after the shoot. I'm still kicking myself as it would have added a nice bit of production value to the shot. It was my fault and I even forgot to put the gloves on the list of things I needed to take. Oh well. At least I brought everything else we needed.
It's ok to bring more than you need as well just to be safe. I usually bring more of my equipment to shoots than I ever use but at least I know that if the need arises I will be able to quickly get the gear needed without delaying the shoot or killing a cool shot.

One Thing

All it takes is one thing to make the editing process come to a screeching halt. You may be on a roll and getting work done left and right but if that one thing gets in your way there is no amount of skill that can be used to finish your project. It's either wait or replace.
It could be a specific shot, a piece of audio, or even an effects element that brings you down. Maybe you need to re-shoot something that didn't turn out the way you wanted but the actor needed for the shot is out of town. Maybe there is a specific sound effect needed and you just can't get it right. Sometimes these things are out of your control but sometimes there is a decision that needs to be made.
Can you live without it or can something else be used? Really think hard about the thing you are waiting on and decide if it's needed to tell the story or not. If not then it's best to just move on. If it's something that is out of your hands and is on the shoulders of someone else then you really need to decide if that person needs to be replaced.
The important part to remember is that your job as the editor is to finish the work all the other people put their time and energy into. Don't let something or someone kill that progress. Make the choice and finish the project sooner rather than later.

The Sound of Silence

You need great sound on your film.  Not good sound.  Great.  It doesn't matter if your flick is one of the best looking things to hit the screen in a while.  Production value won't matter.  If your sound is crappy it's going to distract your audience and they will not care for your movie.  Bad sound is annoying.  It grates on people.  All people.
As a rule you should never use your on camera mic for your primary audio.  Cameras never have great mics and they usually take in every sound in the world making for very cluttered audio.  Plus all cameras make internal noise.  Even digital ones make sound when recording.  When filming my DSLR cameras make a clicking sound as the internal mechanisms do their thing.  Those clicks come through onto the audio because all that internal noise is coming from a place right next to the very sensitive mic in the camera.  I've heard this noise on other short films and that's a dead give away that they used the on board mic.
Another issue with the on board mic is that the closest thing to the mic is going to be the loudest thing on the audio track.  That's not going to be your actors lines.  It's going to be your camera man breathing and grunting as he gets the shot. 
On my films I do a quick pass on the audio and then hand it off to someone who knows what they are doing.  I shoot my audio separate from my footage.  It's either going into a sound mans recorder or into a digital recorder.  If I do record sound into my camera its with a different mic than the one built into the camera.  I'll take that audio from the separate recording device and sync it up with the crappy on board sound and make sure that the audio is all at the same level.  That's the extent of what I'm gonna do.  I'll send the project to someone who does sound engineering and what I get back is a clean audio track that highlights my actors voices.
I've seen many an indie flick that hasn't taken the time to work their sound properly.  Ambient noise changes dramatically from one shot to the next giving the audience an annoying dose of random humming off and on during a conversation.  One actor is way louder than the other even though they are standing right next to each other.  It's all a mess and usually that's the thing I come away with at the end of the viewing.
The important part to take away from this post is that all parts of your film are important and need to be treated with as much care and attention as the the rest.

You Are Nobody Special

Arrogance.  I've met a lot of filmmakers in the local indie community over the last few years that reek of it.  Once they get a camera and shoot something they think they are entitled to special treatment.  Here's a news flash... they are not.  Especially if that is the attitude they have chosen to put out to the world.
It's amazing sometimes when I get someone telling me how important they are and how much they have done and they look down upon you for not being as great as they are but when I look into what they have done it turns out that it's usually pretty poor.  It's pretty poor with no intention of trying to get better on the next project due to the fact that they think they know it all and are creating gold from film.
There is an easy way to pick these folks out when wheeling and dealing in such a small film community like the one I work in.  Nobody wants to work with them.  Folks have jumped into that pool already and come out with no intention of jumping back in.  And that's why those filmmakers never go anywhere.  They burn every bridge they come to and think the reason they are having such difficulty in getting things made after that is due to the lack of professionalism and dedication to the craft.  In reality it's because those people have moved on to help out others who put the film first and their ego last.
I met and worked with one guy who held himself so high it was borderline silly.  He commented that the talent in Reno was rock bottom and that no one in this town would ever get anywhere.  Yet here he is.  In Reno.  Not really getting anything done because he's a jerk and people don't want to spend their weekend busting their butts while some yahoo who thinks he's too awesome for words barks orders at them.   I know I'll never work with him again.  And if he's so great why is he here and not killing it in Hollywood?  Cause he can't.  People like that can't make it in the big bad world of Hollywood and so they come to a smaller pond and act like the big fish.  I'm not saying that I'm better than them and that I could do better than they could.  I know I'm not.  But I also know I'm not the best in this small community.  I'm just telling my stories.  Hopefully I'm getting better with each time out.
I have a lot of names getting added to the list of folks I don't want to work with all the time.  I don't harbor any ill fortune to these folks but I'm not going to shed any sweat helping them out on a project anytime soon.  The great thing about this job is that for every person that alienates themselves due to inflated attitude there are seven more folks who are willing to put aside their ego and work along side you.  In the end we are part of a level of film making that is supposed to be fun first and foremost.  If you take away that aspect by working with jerks then you are basically giving up your free time to work for nothing and for someone who regards you as nothing more than a tool to get them what they want instead of treating you like a valuable part of the team.
Beware of becoming one of these people.  It's very difficult to get back into the good graces of folks you may have burned in the past.  This world moves fast and if you aren't careful you may get left behind.

Storyboards

I have come across a couple filmmakers in my time making films and videos who have told me not to bother with story-boarding.  They tell me that they never use them. They whole movie is playing out in their head so why bother wasting time putting it on paper?  I think those folks are wrong.  Really wrong.  And it's also the easiest way to tell if a director is in the project for himself or if he's working to help everyone making the film succeed.
For those not in the know... storyboards are the visual outline for the shots that are going to make up your film.  Little doodles that show someone the shot you are thinking of for a particular scene.  It breaks the whole movie down, shot for shot, and gives anyone that looks at it a really good idea of what the director wants.
Many indie filmmakers bypass the storyboards due to pride, I think.  They can't draw so they don't bother.  It's all in their head.  Why should they?  Because everyone else can't read your mind, that's why.  It doesn't matter if the storyboards are crude stick figure drawings.  Mine look stupid compared to the quality storyboards done on big budget films.  The point is to be able to show your crew and actors exactly what shots you want to get.  You could spend ten minutes trying to explain it to someone or you can show them in ten seconds what you are looking for in a set up.  It saves time and also adds a bit of security when in situations when you can't shoot the film yourself or if you don't have a monitor to see whats happening in camera.
It takes some time to draw up the storyboards but that's ok.  The time you spend sketching out the shots is well worth it to save time on the set when you have to get your day finished.  I've seen a lot of shoots drag on way later than needed while the director stands around with one person after another trying to explain what shot he wants to get.  This is going to cause frustration and annoyance really fast among a crew that is most likely working for free.
The big thing to remember is that you aren't the only one on the set if you are the director.  You have people looking for you to guide them in the most time efficient and clear way possible and if you keep information difficult to access they aren't going to care for following you.  When directing you are not the boss.  You are the leader.  First one in and the last one out.  If you start acting like the king then your people will revolt.

An example of my excellent storyboards.  Crappy drawings work!

Reshoots

I'm in the process of editing together my newest short film SUNRISE.  As I pick through all the footage and piece it together one little snippet at a time I am noticing more and more holes.  I've got all the major parts but there are the little things that get forgotten when working on the whole.

As the edit comes together I'll start thinking about how to plug the holes.  Little pick up shots I can get here and there without having to call together the cast and crew again.  The good thing about this particular shoot is that we did get all the major moments.  Sadly this is not the case for some shoots.  Even worse is that a lot of filmmakers see this as a hurdle too big to jump.  A lot of projects get left behind unfinished.

Don't let pride kill your storytelling.  If you have to go back to your actors and crew and ask for their help again then that's what you need to do.  You might have some issues to work through but it will be worth it to make sure the film gets finished.  Don't betray the trust of those who helped you out by hoping they never ask about the film that you don't intend to finish.

A couple years ago I shot a short that had issues and needed reshoots.  The ending that I had planned had to be scrapped and a new one shot.  I hunkered down and made the calls.  The crew were all on board to meet up to film for another day.  The cast was ready to finish up the film.  But there was one issue.  One of the main actresses had dyed her hair since the last time we filmed.  She went from blonde to brunette.  This was a little bit of a problem as she featured in the new ending.

We didn't let that stop us though.  We did a little addition that explained why the hair was different and we shot the new ending.  Luckily we were shooting a comedy so it was easier to get away with.  But the point is that we finished the movie.  We didn't let reshoots hinder our storytelling.

Don't let this happen to you.

Midtown Art Walk Gallery

I started getting into photography about a year ago.  I had a camera that could shoot really nice pictures but I really didn't know the first thing about telling a story with a single shot.  I was used to telling stories on film but that required thousands of images.  I took an introductory course at the local community college and got some photo editing software and went to work.  Most of the shots don't come out all that great but I think I have a good ratio of useable shots vs crappy ones.

This past week I actually showed my photos to a large audience during the local Midtown Art Walk.  I had a rather large space all to myself and I set up a nice little gallery to showcase some of the best pictures I had taken over the last few months.  Many people came through and I heard nothing but good things about the work.  I even sold a couple pieces.  I guess that makes me a professional...

Along with the photo work I decided to showcase some of the other things that I do.  I had a whole wall showing samples of my film work, postcards telling folks about the podcasts that I do, and business cards spread all over.  Some folks didn't understand why I had random city footage playing in a loop on the wall when my reel wasn't playing even after I told them the city was sort of a theme for the room.  One guy had some issue with my company name.  His snarky uninformed opinion was annoying but I could quickly tell that he probably held a negative attitude towards most things and I held back the thought of pushing him down the stairs.

It was a good night overall.  I never thought I would be showcasing my work in such a fashion.  I was really nervous at first but if there is a lesson to be learned it's not to be afraid to put the work out in front of the world and let the stories speak to those who want to hear them.

A Note to the Editors

I have a lot of footage to sift through.  It's a little daunting.  It's something I have to just jump into knowing that I'm going to get lost in it and might not come up for air for hours.  But it's something that needs to be done.  What seems like work at the moment will turn into creative fun once I get going on it.  It's the jumping off that's the hard part.

My work flow is simple and necessary.  The first thing you have to do as an editor is make sure everything is organized.  This is the most important part of your job as an editor before the cutting of footage begins.  you have to be able to find everything you need.  If you lazily drop your footage onto the computer and figure you'll organize it later then you are only setting yourself up for an even larger headache in the very near future.  Take the time to do it right.

After making sure everything is where it needs to be on the computer I do the same thing on the editing software.  It's the same process.  Make sure all the footage has been labeled properly and put it in the right bins (these are like folders) so that you don't have to hunt for shots.  Hunting will kill productivity.  You don't want to have to stop mid creative thought to search for something.  Getting back on task is just as hard as trying to get going in the first place.

After all that is finished I save it.  I save everything anytime I have a second to stop and think.  It's my security blanket.

It's now time for me to get into the edit.  For me it's best to just start at the beginning and work my way through the whole film in order.  Some folks like to just edit specific scenes hopping around doing some work here and there and then fitting it all together later.  For me it works best if I go in order and let the movie play out before me.  There is no wrong way.  Just figure out what works best for you and do it.

My best advice would be to just get it done.  Don't let it sit on your computer and collect dust while you jump into the next thing.  Remember... it's not just your project.  Everyone that helped you make this project a reality is now waiting on you.  They want to see their hard work put to life.  They want to know they didn't just waste hours of their life.  If you don't deliver then they will not want to help you again.  Do not betray their trust because you are lazy.

And with that I jump into my own mountain of footage.  See you on the other side.

This is how it starts...

Sunrise: Chasing the Sun

The newest project required that a scene happen as the sun rose in the morning sky.  We had a lot that needed to be shot before the sun could be seen and that meant that we would be getting to work around 4am.  This wasn't the smartest thing I have done when it comes to shooting.

On the first morning we had a crew call at 4am at the location.  The location was out of town in the barren desert away from all prying eyes.  The crew all got there on time and we got all the equipment ready to shoot once the cast arrived.  We joked and yapped as we cautiously watched the sky grow brighter and brighter.  It became increasingly apparent that we were running out of time.  Panicked texts were sent out and received.  Pacing began.  This was not the best way to begin shooting a film.

The cast pulled up and were almost pulled out of the cars and into position without much discussion and filming began immediately.   We managed to rush through two full takes of the needed scenes before the sun poped up over the horizon and we were forced to move on.  After the last shot I discussed the morning with the producers and DP and it was decided that we were going to need to return to the location the next morning earlier and re-shoot.  Everyone was on board with the plan and agreed that the rushed filming wasn't the best we could manage.

For some this could have been a nightmare.  Actors could have said they weren't going to do it all again.  Crew could have said they were busy and couldn't make it.  Not this group.  All of them agreed to return and do it even better without even grumbling about it.  They were all committed to making this film the best it could be.  They weren't going to settle for a half done attempt.

As a director and writer this was awesome to see.  I didn't know some of these folks very well.  We were thrown together to make a film from different walks of life and all of them had made the choice to commit fully to my story and help me tell it correctly.  It was at this point I knew that I had picked the right people to make this movie and I didn't want to let them down.

And that's how we came to be at the location once again the next morning at 4am.

We arrived and knew exactly what shots we needed and how we wanted them to play out.  We fixed what didn't work the morning before and we managed to film some great performances from our actors.  We even had a chance to bring a crane this time around to get some great moving shots we didn't have the ability to get the first time around.  The lesson learned is to not complain or settle.  Put in the extra work and use the opportunity to do better.

The situation was a total blessing in disguise.

Script Supervisor Mackie slates early in the morning.

The Promise

A little while ago my friends and I decided to try a little experiment in our film making.  We attempted to shoot two separate short films in one day.  We managed to survive and in the end we had two shorts to send out to film festivals.

The first one went out and didn't make the cut for the fest it was made for.  It was the comedy short from that day and we all thought it came out pretty good.  It was created for a specific fest and it really doesn't fit anywhere else.  So it's journey is over for now.  I'm ok with that.

The other film was called The Promise.  It was dark and dramatic and dealt with the eventual zombie apocalypse.  I wanted to do something with zombies in it but I didn't want the creatures to be the focus of the story.  I wanted to take a look into the lives of folks who had to live in this horrible reality where the dead walked and how they dealt with survival.  It was a short so I had to contain the story to a single question.  What does this group do when one of their own is bitten and infected?

I liked how the story played out and I thought that the filming was done really well for the time constraints we had placed on ourselves.  We shot this film over the course of a few hours on a Saturday morning.  Waking up early on that day we all met up and had a small breakfast together and then jumped right into it.

I was one of the actors as well as the director which is something I don't care for.  I'm a behind the scenes kind of guy.  I'm my worst critic so it's very hard for me to edit my on performances.  But I made it through it and I think the rest of the cast did a good job as well.

In the end we finished the flick and it also got sent out to a few festivals to be judged and deemed worthy of competing with other films made by filmmakers much like myself.  After a few months of submitting and waiting it seems that the journey for The Promise is reaching it's end.  No festivals wanted it and I'm ok with it.  It's not the best thing in the world but I had a lot of fun making it.  Eventually it will get it's time in the sun.  I'm planning a premier night for a few of my shorts so it will get to be seen.

It's a lesson every filmmaker has to learn.  Not everything you do is going to be great or liked.  The trick is to learn from each experience and use those lessons for the next shoot.  I learned a lot on that shoot and that means it was worth the time and effort that was put into it.

You can check out the trailer for The Promise at the bottom of this page.

A New Beginning

The whole blogging thing is something I've dabbled in before.  Usually I lose interest or get way too busy to keep it going for long.  Let's see if this one sticks...

More and more these days I get asked what it is that I do.  I tell them I'm a filmmaker and they don't really understand what I'm saying.  A confused look fills their faces and they ask what I mean by that.  They don't get that one can make films outside of Hollywood.  The world of indie film making is foreign to them.  So I have to break it down.

I make movies.  Short films mostly.  This means I usually write a script, cast actors, rehearse, and then shoot a movie.  Then I edit it and send it off to film festivals around the country to get it out to folks who may want to see it.  Sometimes it's enough to just post the films online to find an audience.  That's the basics.  I also shoot weddings, commercials, and corporate events to help pay the bills and finance the films I love to make.

It's not a moneymaking business.  I'm not going to get rich doing what I do.  But for me it's a dream come true.  It's something I have been wanting to do since I was a kid sitting in front of my television watching VHS tapes filled with adventure, horror, and drama.

So that's what I do.  This is where I'll go into more detail about how I get all that done.  I'll even post some pictures so you know what I'm talking about if you haven't had the chance to visit a movie set of any kind.

Thanks for coming along for the ride.