Indie Director

Indie Director

I still smile when I think of myself as "Director", it is that new.  I have been a writer forever and look forward to this new phase of my life!  I looked around a lot and learned a lot, but just doing it will be the best teacher I think.

My iPhone is the camera I am using until I get one of the ones I want.  I had fun trying to figure it out, it looks super goofy though!

My daughters and I are planning a new promo one.  It is funny to do a promo for the promo!  But baby steps seem to be the order of the day...  So, this one we plan is to direct a small scene in the backyard.  Hopefully it will be as interesting as I see it in my head!

I am writing more of them, little short things to get practice.  I have a documentary "Mayor of Attu" and then one called "Erase Me At Your Own Risk" that deals with a lot of things those living a "hard" life face and how to get past it to what is real!  A lot will be taken from my old Journal site:

This hopefully will take you to the last page of my Journal that has the first ones I wrote:



I tried to talk about issues like low self esteem, bad marriage, etc.  I am trying to think how to write it.  I remember at one point I wanted to become a journalist and had written an article called "The Slug Monster Of Anchorage" about low self esteem and how you can hide behind a fake mask but it is infinitely better to take it off and deal with things...

This horror trilogy will be a huge adventure as well!  I wrote them with a lot of the same people appearing (not the stars, but supporting roles) trying to pre-plan it so it can be shot at once.  No one is cast yet (well, a few are but mostly not) but once I get the groups I will post about it.  It will be fun trying to get them into character and costumes!  I don't think as a people we have been in films really, so this will be a blast!  New and exciting for us all!  Hopefully that will balance out the hard work we will need to do to get ready!


But I think I got it planned where it can be done!  I expect post production to take a bit since I want it to look nice!  The feel will be a new one hopefully, if I can do what I see in my head for it!  The sublime with the creepy hand in hand!  I am hoping that the funders will get more confidence in the project as we get it more organized.

I am releasing them in opposite order though, Bride of Sorrows is the "flagship" but released last.  The zombie one will take a bit to make sure the effects and all look nice but it is the second and then Ni Na Noh will be released first.

I did not think of it from the funders point of view at first, I guess I pictured them being excited to be a part of it instead of "she is asking for how much of a loan?".  I can imagine it now after reading lots of sites about it.  I guess it is not too uncommon for us new directors to feel so good about a project that we forget we lack not only experience in the field but as "director" as well.  Lol, thinking of it now, I can see why they hesitated.  I plan to shoot 3 feature length movies at once was the first big "SHE WHAT?" moment I am guessing....   I think I wrote that I raised 4 incredible daughters so am very good at multi-tasking and doing a dozen things at once.  Somehow it did not inspire the confidence I thought it would  :p   hehe...

But they were written with this in mind and there are a few crossover scenes even. They are well-planned I think, all taking place around the same time and even though they bump into each other, I don't have the zombie happenings in Bride...  Like alternate timeline story I guess... 

I know I will get them done!  I haven't begun searching for my crew yet, I wanted to get an idea of how long the funding will take.  I mean, they may wait until we have a bit of it shot even to see how it is looking and all.  But I am hoping it will be more then me and a few who want to break into the biz... 


The story that Ni Na Noh begins with is one we plan on animating, one of our Unangan Chronicle of the Dead ones...  but I am getting ahead of myself.  First these horror ones then the rest will follow quickly since they are already planned, a lot of it is anyway...

A huge ambitious project that I cant wait to get started!  Baby steps though for a bit more yet!  First the back yard scene, then the next campaign to see if I can garner interest.  I don't expect a whole lot since I expect people will be waiting for the first movie itself to reach post to help out!  But I think the interest will begin to blossom once we can get some "making of" videos, but that is a bit off yet.

But so excited!  How many other indie Directors are out there tonight?  too excited to sleep but too tired to work on the project since you don't want ramblings in it... 

Anyway, hugs and love,

~Sea

Movie Costuming

Movie Costuming

Some of you already know I am planning on making some movies to kick off my M TOMA Inc company.  The Bride of Sorrows is the theme and I am hoping to get masks made by David Groat!  Woot!

Here is his site for those of you not familiar with him:

David Groat


Not finalized yet, but I am hoping!  I hopefully will hear from my funders soon and know how much I can afford!  I will use the masks to build the rest of the "look"...

This is one of his sold images and art is always one of a kind, but this look I love:

This would be the "spirit guardian", a friendly protective friend type.  I think I will have one "mask" (full masked one)  then do just smaller eye mask versions for the rest of them.  Unless I can afford 4 of them, since that is the most that appear at once, I believe.

The color of the beading would determine the colors of the rest of her outfit I think...  The beader will use their own inspiration but ideas I like are:


http://indulgy.com/post/YJYUqLBfn1/fairy-dress-by-dina

http://lillyxandra.deviantart.com/art/Seafoam-Fairy-Dress-451773285



I cant wait until I know the budget I can use for the outfits!  Man, I get very excited thinking of it all coming together!

I will update as things happen, but right now it is a whole bunch of hurry up and wait...

My first Indiegogo campaign fizzled out but I learned a lot and will do it differently!  I know now to ask for one item I want and then do stretch goals once it is reached!  So, then $500 camera, then if that goes well, the lighting kit, etc.   Baby steps to start but better to be forced to wait and have to think and organize it as best I can and try to plan it all out so one I do get funded I can hit the ground running!

hugs and take care!

~Sea

Diabetes as Motivator!

Diabetes as Motivator!

I was not feeling very well and when I went in for my checkup my doctor noticed right away something had changed.  I guess I had lost a lot of weight (40 pounds) and he took a lot of tests.

It was funny since the lady scheduling the one special test and check up got  a hold of me before my doctor did.  she was wanting to schedule some tests and all and I was like "umm, why?"  and she said for my diabetes, it was a common thing to check like this.  I was like "Umm, do you have the right person, I don't have diabetes"...

Poor lady felt so bad about it.  But I ended up going to appointments all that week.  I met with the nutritional lady and she was calling my doctor about something, I forget what now, but got a hold of another one.  it worried her my blood sugar was so high.  One is supposed to be about 6.5 and was 13.5 and another was supposed to around 100 and was over 400.  So she scheduled me to come in the next day, a Saturday.  This was after I spent Mon- Thursday at various appointments already.

I began to fear I was dying and they did not want to alarm me.

When I got there though and asked what exactly this appointment was for, the nurse was like "yeah, we were not sure either!"  so, relief!

But it scared me!  Going from having all the time in the world to suddenly maybe I am dying!  And it motivated me too!

All the ideas bubbling around in my head, I decided to do one right now!  The Bride of Sorrows was 5 novels I was working on, I kept getting ideas for one while working on another so had 5 going at once.  One was a short story that is completed, but the rest are only parts.  So, I was going to pick one and finish it, now that I had diabetes that was out of control!

That is when I became inspired to do the horror trilogy instead...

The first one I wrote is a supernatural thriller, set in the Unangan villages of Attu and Atka and the big city of Anchorage.  It should be good, I have the first draft done and am working on ideas to improve it.  I can see it in my head so that is the important thing!  Parts can be better, but I am not sure how yet.  I think because I see it in my head and am also going to Direct it that I did not write a ton of descriptions for the scenes.  So when some others read it the first time they wondered about it.

I have her flying to Anchorage and first thing she decides to do is shop for some clothes.  I knew I planned on dressing the villagers in specific looks that are not how we dress today.  So when she gets to Anchorage she realized she stands out more then she wants to.  I wanted some good Mall chase scenes too....  hehe...

heading out now, hugs and take care!

~Sea

Pretty in Purple!

Pretty in Purple! 

Now I feel all dressed up and ready to go!  I might make it more stylish later on, right now I just wanted a place I can come post a quick thing and go...

Bride of Sorrows

This is my idea for the first project my new company will do.  It is the story of a young Unangan Maiden who refuses a marriage offer by saying she would rather die a thousand deaths.  Unfortunately for her, the Other she refused has the power to make it happen.  So, such a woman living under this "1,000" death curse always has an interesting life, but not necessary a happy one, hence Bride of Sorrows!

My mother was from Attu, the last island on the chain.  She was one of the ones taken to Japan as a prisoner of war.  While she was over there, the Americans ransacked their village and when they were brought back, it was never to their home again.  If this had happened to a white town the outrage would be immediate and fierce.  But it happened to indigenous, ones weary from being prisoners of war, too tired to fight for what was theirs!  And no one fought for them either!  The only Americans ever to be captured like that and it is hushed up.


That is bad enough, but imagine then, once they got a bit healthy again and wanting to go home to discover that America said no and that we could not even try to get heard by the UN or whoever helps!  Of course, this is not in writing, so there is no "proof" except that it became a US naval station or coast guard station...

So, I was one of the children born to this weird situation!  My white father would not let me learn any customs or language of my people.  My mother told me a lot but not to repeat, just to know.  She wanted me to be a writer, but not one expressing only pain and anger.  She wanted the beauty of our culture shown.  "Do not let what happens to you become who you are" were her wise words to me!  As her youngest, the age gap between us was huge, but we were close.

So, my work is not a political rant, but to show the diversity and our unique voice.  I think my project will interest people, and when they realize I am not the best story teller of my people, the demand for more will be great!

So, my plan was that I would tell her story of 1,000 lives in film, animated movies, novels, graphic novels and video games.  I was planning to start it off with some novels.  Then I joined Twitter and learned @Slash loves horror movies.  It inspired me to write 3 screenplays!

Ni Na Noh is a supernatural thriller.
Zombie Apocalypse, Unangan Style  is a new take on the whole zombie thing.
Bride of Sorrows is a serial killer/ love story.


 I have a tv series based off of Ni Na Noh, a video game and tv show based off of Zombie, and Bride of Sorrows is the kick off for the whole thing!    I am so excited and hope my funding comes through!  it will get done, just how quickly is the question  :p  And being forced to "practice" by doing other related things first is not necessarily a bad thing...  (breaks down, falls to knees and begs please please fund me  :p  )  hehe...

I think once the first one is done, people will enjoy it and want more!  So, I am a filmmaker, director, producer, writer and creative artist!  anyway, almost time to make dinner so...  hugs and love!

Hello all,

Hello all,

Wow, my first blog post!  Weirdest things happen when in writing mood and neighbor decides to cut down a tree and turn it into mulch..  hehe, but been in the planning stages for awhile so decided to get it started!

My first ever CrowdFund Campaign is closing very soon:



Mayor of Attu


 I learned so much already!  Even though the only donor turned out to be my own daughter(!) I am glad I did it!  I love it, yesterday I became a "filmmaker!"   Not every day you can say that!  It took me years and years to call myself a "Writer"... Used to call myself a "writer, unpublished".  But a few years ago I decided I was a writer!  It is amazing when you can do what you love!  And are lucky enough to have people support you while you attempt it!

When I attempt it again, it will be much better!  I learned when you are new you need to help build confidence, especially if you do not already have a following!  My next post (after i pretty up my page) will be to introduce the concept "Bride of Sorrows"!

Until then, here are some pics to enjoy...

This is a cropped pic of me, taken on the spur of the moment for a Slash birthday video from his fans!  I love Slash!

Here is the cropped edition of the Bride of Sorrows image for the Crowdfund Campaign.  Can you tell I am an 80's chick by the lips??!  Hehe

This will be a new campaign sometime, but for the Novel called Mayor of Attu, I will post the link when it is an active one...

So got to go make the page look pretty now...  Hugs and see you again soon!