Revised Storyboard and Finding My Story

It seems to as I have either grown up or lost confidence in art, but as argued in every single class I've taken since I started at Santa Monica College, the screenwriting segment every teacher expresses him or herself in is about storystructure, especially in my Digital Media classes, and yes when reading 'Inglorious Bastards' last week, I see, that even Quentin Tarantino uses rules, even though if he brakes them. Syd Fields book 'A Screenwriters Workshop' is actuallt pretty legit, he goes into the process and that book, my neighbor who is taught by Syd Field and Eli Roth's 'The Curios Case of Benjamin Button' is currently helping me with the structure of writing my first Feature Film screenplay. 

The Story is simple, it's about a guy called Mert, coming to the US, succeeding in selling a screenplay and reaches maximum fame. Conflict, he's held back by his father and Death's friends and in order to process his career he demands full creation freedom, and yes it sounds cheesy, but I haven't presented the narration yet or the climax of the story which has somewhat a powerful approach in this screenplay. Of course 'Story' is king, and I respect that.

I am just so hard on myself, I just finished the first 13 pages and I erased them. My Professor in Storyboarding Jim Keeshen said to me that you should never under any circumstances fall in love with you're work and that is not the case with me. I think it through so much and criticise it to hard to ever reach a progress. As leaving from my class with Mr. Keeshen I find out that there is so little of my music library that suits the uncomfortability of riding the buses expect from one album, 'Skebokvarnsvagen 209' by Joakim Thastrom, that inspired this day so much that I wrote somewhat an article on him (Music, Truth & Tunes). 

So what did I learn today? Always something new and I'll share it with you. I learned that Animatics is king in Animation, that my story is not an animation but rather a story that need a lot of fixing and some kinds of motif's, just like Eli Roth, because he's wise and writes extremely well. Watching the Oscars this Sunday you should get inspired, but since this story of Mert Meneri is rather 'anti-Oscar' I don't really know. School takes up time and so does this and MT&T, but that is a funding source in order to live better, so would a sold screenplay for 40 000$ be, but in order to get there I need to learn how to sell.

My point and my purpose of my A.A Degree in Digital Media is to gain all knowledge required to be a project manager in film, a.k.a a Producer, and to be a producer you are to know every field. That's where I wanna get and this screenplay is just a dream thing, that helps me practise. But I will write it, and I'll make it unpredictable and good,

Enough with the nonsense/Becoming a Filmmaker

Forget about the nonsense, I won't post un personal posts again, it's out of my character to do so. What the underlined purpose of this blog was to tell you, who read this that it is a blog of my life 20 minutes away from the Hollywood Sign and my process of becoming a filmmaker of course with association to what happens in my life. Some people claim that un personal blogs are not of interest, but of course they are and if you don't agree, I've got that side covered with my second blog Music, Truth and Tunes which I hopefully will squeeze some living money out on. 

So let's get down to business, my path to 'becoming' a film maker.

- 'Well, aren't you a film maker when you say so?'.

- 'Well, no, not exactly. Some People may argue that, but I don't. I simply, 'Wants To Become' one.

- 'Ed Wood, was a filmmaker even if he didn't know anything.

- 'Yes, he was, but on the other hand he was also the worst film maker of all time and yes there's a difference, he actually made movies. I've only made a school project short film.

So that's what I am going to argue. Enough with 'YouTube' nonsense unless it doesn't really mean anything.

The Sense of Everything Coming Together

As I entered school for my first day I did it with somewhat hate and pain, towards the world as it is financially and especially with a look on what's happening to the Swedish economy, it not a downturn it is simply a disaster.

Entering my first class, Color Theory in Digital Entertainment I shortly started to see how everything I've been learning so far comes together. The creation of advertisments, how they appeal to us as learned in my Communication 1 classes. I leave the class in shock over the prices for supplies in the class, thinking about one thing; 'This class should be a 4 Unit Class for all the money I spend on it'. I start my second class and in Film Studies 1 we get to break down movies as how the appeal to us. In a historical sense and how the business model works like as well as the elements of story which contains three classes I have taken; Storytelling, Race and Gender History in the US and Communications 1. All these elements come hand in hand and also help in the process of knowing the basics in a production which was learned in Broadcasting Production. Non of these classes but Color Theory and Storytelling is included in my major, many of them just taught to me from personal interest and manditory 'G-E' requirements but I sense the inspiration of knowledge that has been given to me and I like the second day of school with Mr. Keeshen in Storyboarding, simply because its fun.

This is a strange event or feeling for me, for the first time in my life I really enjoy going to school.

It starts with an F and ends with a K.

I have no clue what will happen now.

The Swedish Krona has dropped down huge during the last 24 hours.

As it is right now the one American Dollar costs us, 8.7 Swedish Crowns.

When I moved here I payed 6.5 for it. Talking about losing the sense of touch.

Tomorrow I am paying my student tuition, it's going to cost me 400$ more than planned.

That's news that does not only sucks, they put me in a very difficult position for the upcoming 4 months.

What's up with Joaquin Phoenix?

The Tensions of 'Finals Day'

It is strange, how the tension on the day of finals seem to reflect my past of 'emotional experiences'. Walking across campus at a day like 'finals day' the cool wind blow through a day when most students walk through it. I reminds me of my first days of elementary school every year. How there lies a tension in the air, a wind or a breeze of calm and tension that floats through the air. It feels in the Cafeteria or in every hallway, it is around us, in the library and everywere.

It's the calm before the storm and if reflects a semester as it has come to its end, as all knowledge gained is to be used for proving that we are enough. That we have obtained the quotas we have to obtain. We normally don't reflect the end of something like a semester, but as this winter semester approaches its end I do reflect back what I have learned and I sense my tension as I hope for the best. It is also not about this moment, but about the reason that we all come here for. For our future and the knowledge we need to succeed forward with our life and the future of ours. I feel nervousity, hope and reliability on that I will succeed as we all should feel.

Anthony & The Johnsons

As a conclusionn I would like to wish all students good luck as a nice gesture and I praise the mythic atmosphere of our chance and hopes to maintain our dreams alive.

Today we listen to Anthony & The Johnsons new album 'The Crying Light' (Review on Music, Truth and Tunes later today)

It Struck Me...

It struck me as a ligthning. 

The realizing of my upcoming days.

In this week of finals, I have so much,

and I mean so much of homework and studies 

to do.

I tell myself good luck and take a deep breath.

And I start. Yeah it's really that much.

Caught on the Lincoln Line

I sit on the bus, longing for it to get to my stop at Broadway/California from Pico Blvd. when I catch a discussion between an old man in old clothes, beard and a typical bum-fashionable way (if I get the permission to stereotype) and an old upper classy kind of way lady. The man had paintings with him, very beautiful indeed but the thing about the conversation was that this man and the old lady were talking about how she was a collector and he was an artist that had sold his work to artists and celebrities such as Madonna, Paris Hilton and Barbara Streisand. 

She replied with triumphs of her life as well such as having a daughter that was an actress starring in a Madonna-Movie and that she now was a make-up artist for very famous people.

I ask my self, bitterly cold (since I am only wearing flip-flops); 'Why on earth are they riding the low-class-of-society buses in the city of cars and freeways when he sells paintings to the Hollywood elite and she has a daughter of high class entertainment with a salary I could only dream of?

The man closes the discussion as we approaches Rose Ave. by saying 'You never know how you gonna meet on the bus, that's what I love about LA'. With my Swedish sentiment I would to reconstruct the sentence by saying 'You never know how's going to bullshit you in LA' even though that the credibility is higher here than in any other city.

A Side Note: I would like to correct the last sentence from my previous blog today by saying 'a cold because colder temperatures increase the risk of receiving germs or viruses that get you sick' instead of saying '...get the flu' 

Good Days, Bad Days

A Negative Effect of Optimism in 'Sunny' California

It is obviously not summer going on right outside now. Heavy winds and pouring rain has left me out, the weather has bailed on my presence to the day, today. Wearing nothing but a long sleeve, jeans and some flipflops and of course my sunglasses. I was fooled by the morning sunshine that struck by and in the middle of this messy and terrible California weather I have one good news, my Comm 1 classes are cancelled until Thursday.

Always appreaciate what you get, days of, recovered sleep and of course last but not least, a very high possibility to get the flu.

Reaching Full Writing Mode and sharing Oscar Reflections

Approaching the always so terrible 'Final Exam' week I am finally reaching back to the first progress of re-inventing myself for better purposes. I have started writing my first full length film script and I have started to find leading main ideas for a short film which I will try to shoot myself.

And as the world present itself for being the main problem I also find inspiration to write emotional, meaningful small stories that unfortunately maybe won't be considered astonishing and highly originally creating but according to me quite necessary to write. Not to consider myself a prophet but rather an inspired human that likes good stories and most of all wants to write those not-yet-created to make sure to at least try to make them done (Seriously one of the longest sentences I have written, dot). 

Not much but a thing-piece.

As approaching to my favorite event of the year, 'The Oscars' I am making my early predictions. They will probably change as we reach 'the Day' but so far my predictions are;

Actor in Supp. Role: Heath Ledger for the Dark Knight, Actress in Supp. Role: Viola Davis or Amy Adams for 'Doubt', Actor in Lead. Role: Mickey Rourke for 'The Wrestler', Actress in Lead. Role: Kate Winslet for 'The Reader'. Directing: Danny Boyle for 'Slumdog Millionaire', Original Screenplay: 'Happy-Go-Lucky', Adapted Screenplay: 'Slumdog Millionaire' or 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' and the Picture will be 'Slumdog Millionaire'

 

Strange Wilderness? I grew up with moose around me!

Good thing to know!

As she falls asleep...

As a day is closing to its end, I found a peaceful silence in the room that I am sitting in. Only a candle and this computer screen is the light source in the chilly California night.

As time goes by and as memories are shaped I enjoy the silence and watch her as she sleeps gently, confident and safe next to me. She is beautiful and every single breath she takes brings warmth to the inner of my heart and to the presence of this room. After a glass of red wine, thoughts are flowing in my mind and I ask my self how 731 days have past by so fast. I think back for a while and I smile, I feel safe and so secure lying next to her.

An entire journey lies behind both me and Matilda as we celebrate two years of love, songs of recognition, memories of happiness and sometimes hard times that lies beneath our bond of love. She is beautiful when she sleeps, as well as when she laughs. I love this girl who on the fourth of February, 731 days told me that I was beautiful. I replied with a question; 'If she had in mind that I kissed her'. 

As she falls asleep, the lights from the burning candle rests over her beauty and her gentle presence I thank her, I tell her that she is beautiful and I tell her that I love her...

Good Night

Monday Hate Expressed on a Sunny Thuesday

My girlfriends professor in song is the only one who can give the full explanation in one sentence on what happened to me yesterday on a godforsaken Monday filled with hate and frustration.

'Once, Big Blue Buses almost got me fired'
Dr T.

Answer to that is, the simplest thing would be 'Yes' a subway between Downtown Los Angeles and Santa Monica and second, stop driving alone in your car to work, car pools exist for a god damn bloody reason.

Off Topic in another world miles away, the song 'Jai Ho' by A.R Rahman is nominated for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for the Oscars and yes, it's from India but it is kind of catchy and probably one of the main reasons why I watched the entire credits.