Sabattical

So I've proved the rule that I'm terrible at this business by taking a brief hiatus almost as soon as I started this blog.

I've been absent for a little while as I've been finishing work on a drama-documentary about the Australian troops in the Vietnam war. It was someone else's baby, I just shot it and edited it and mighty fine its looking too I must say.

Here are some teaser stills.

It's out of my hands having a voiceover done for it at the moment but should be finished soon. I don't know what will end up happening to it but I'm just happy to have made it and got some invaluable experience. It did make me appreciate just how much easier it is to make something look beautiful when you don't have to worry about anything else happening on the set. 

The break has given me some time to think about my first project and backtrack a bit. I had decided to plough on with a film I knew I could make with no money and keep the one I care the most about, but will take some cash to make, in reserve for when I can raise some capital off the back of my first feature. 

However, I'm just too invested in the film that will take some money to make. So I've shelved the cheaper film while I write the script for the one I care most about. I think I've decided you should run with what you're most passionate about at the time. I still think I'll have to make the cheaper film first but I really want to have both scripts to play with. That way I can put the more expensive script out there while I work on the cheaper film. It means if the first film is successful there won't be a gap while I have to write the second. 

I hope that's a smart move. 

Anyway, the good news is the first ten minutes of the first script is complete and I'm writing it quickly. I don't want to discuss the plot in detail but its about a man who can play the piano. It seems to me that a good piano movie comes along every six or seven years and they always seem to do very well. The Piano, The Pianist, Shine. I'm hoping mine will be the next. The core themes are tragedy and loss and the redemptive power of music. 

I became aware of an incredibly talented young American pianist about a year ago and have approached him about doing the music. He really liked the story idea and seemed very enthusiastic. He released an EP last year that just astonished me and he's still in university undiscovered at the moment though he is bound to hit the limelight at some point so I hope I can get him before it happens. Maybe it will come from the back of this film.

I'm also friends on Facebook with a couple of actors who I really like and are rapidly rising through the up and coming ranks. One has asked me to send the script when its finished. But its early days yet and I don't want to jump the shark before its time. Its frustrating to have to bite your tongue when you have something you want to get people excited about but aren't ready to sell yet. How do you sow the seeds for something you may not accomplish for several years? 

My aim is to have a feature film under my belt by the end of next year but at the moment I don't know which film that will be. The temptation is to jump three steps at a time. I caught myself looking at locations for the more expensive film online the other night and bookmarking ones that I like. I have to run before I can walk and get these scripts finished and out there first. 

Lesson number one: Finish your script before you do anything.