Creative Writing Process...

Creative Writing Process

I wrote in another blog how I sort of dreamt this up as I was trying to fall asleep.  It came to me as a fun way to do a sort of "prank" and tie it together with my YouTube channel and film making practise...

So I decided to show the process as I do it.

Concept:

Use the doll my sister gave me in a horror film like she wanted, sort of...  I will create a series of tutorials about it as I do it.  I would show the behind the scenes of setting up the scene to editing and uploading it.   


Step 1)

I would write a story about it.  I would need to follow a base idea for it though...

•  keep it bland enough that someone else can put their stamp on it
•  
• write the "rough" rough draft
•  
• use no names so they can name it themselves
•  
• keep it simple so they can add or change it easily

• just long enough to feel like it has substance

Step 2)

I will go over my process of reading and evaluating the story to see what to keep and what to throw out.  This is just the starting idea and can change completely in the rough draft version.  How to edit your own stuff and be ruthless can be hard!

Step 3)  

Explain the thought process that lead me here so far... 

So, the other night I was falling asleep and it came to me as a fun idea to make money for my equipment!  I guess it was a year ago that my daughters and I were talking about the Internet pranks and if we could ever create one.   That became one of those back-of-the-mind-ideas that become stored away for future use.  

It caused me to smile thinking I could build interest in the doll, generate a lot if possible, then auction on eBay!  Lol, my imagination is pretty vivid and wild at times so I pictured myself doing it as a "buy now" price of $11,000, just enough to get the basics I want at B & H Photo!   But it would be fun because I would explain along the way how it would work and how I would create the "fake" auction hoping someone would buy the doll and I could buy my equipment  :p

hehe...  But I believe in giving value for money so thought I should really write a good story.  When writing  a new idea I usually just write without thinking too much about it.  I guess seeing where it goes on it's own kind of thing...  

My "rough" rough drafts are pretty rough, giving me a starting place.  I will usually hate a portion of it and rewriting that will usually give me a whole new story as a "rough draft".   Then working it into shape.  

This one will be a bit harder since I will try to purposely keep it unnamed and bland.  The idea is either an idie director wanting to help another newb out will turn it into a cool horror one and I get a mention as a writer or something.  

Or...

There are people obsessed with the idea of possessing something that wont "age" like the human body does.  At least I think that is the attraction, could be something else entirely...   And they would love to have a soulless doll that is "ready" for their own!  Or their girlfriends even  :p

hehe, so I will do this once a week I think... not sure...  I need to get audio and that should be soon.  that will make it much easier to record and upload!   

I guess it is fun to have side projects going on for when I need a break from my S'happens.   I love the script for it so far.  I do get a ton of goofy ideas though...  I plan to record a few for a behind the scenes thing...  

anyway, got the bare bones done...  see you again soon!   I will post the link to the rough draft in the comments! 

hugs,

~Sea


 

Gadgets and Gizmos

Gadgets and gizmos

I added some gadgets to the side of the blog, should make it easier to follow and subscribe now, yeah!

Please feel free to add suggestions or post a comment.   I hope to create a place to come to when you have some free time and can stop by for a quick read...

I am in a great mood, things are going very well here for me and my family.  I hope everyone else is enjoying their weekend too!   Just a quick post to try out the new gadgets and see if it seems any different or not...  

hugs,

~Sea

Script Ideas

Script Ideas

How often do new ideas come to you when you are trying to sleep?  I got the coolest idea for a short last night...

My sister gave me a creepy doll to turn into a "horror flick", lol.  The backstory is it was one of the first things the lady got when she began her used/antique shop and has sat there every since. The shop lady died and is "haunting" the doll...  that is the story the salesperson told my sister to get her to buy it...

But I was busy trying to create my low budget horror film, S'happens, so put it on the back burner.  But last night I guess I was letting my mind wander to see what would pop into it as I drifted off to sleep...  

                                             Bring Me to Life Evanescence

It came to me as "The Soulless Doll"...  lol, a short where I do it as me creating a "fake" to sell on eBay to either an Indie Director like me looking for a cool theme or one of those people obsessed with Chucky and wishing they could enter a doll and here I just happen to have a soul~less one...

I would write a short story about a soulless doll and post it on here.  I would put the "creating a fake" ones up on my Youtube channel and then create the short movie about it...  I began thinking how fun it would be to actually do an auction on eBay and blog here that it is a gimmick for the short movie and NOT to buy it so everyone rushes over to buy it  :p   Except I think I fell asleep right about then because Bigfoot came to me and wanted to play the part of the Werewolf in my low budget horror film  :p  

But it was a fun idea, it involved my Youtube channel as I did DIY film ones about lighting the scene as I show behind the scenes of me creating the short  :p  

The doll is a sort of creepy looking one, like it was meant to be a joyful one but got neglected and became gloomy or something...  It needs retouching and that is how I would start the short...  me sitting here with the doll on the desk, the paints next to it and me just staring at the screen here ignoring the doll but holding the little paint brush like I was about to start any second...  So for the eBay auction I would include a little touch up kit :p  Saving pics of it in case I actually decide to try to create the short  :p 

hehe, I love the creative process...  add in a healthy dose of editing and it comes out ok...  So tell me where your ideas come from... 

hugs,

~Sea

Newest Must Have #want

New Must have:  Drone!!

Wow, look at this:  

DJI Zenmuse Z15-A7 3-Axis Gimbal for Sony a7S / a7R

Now this is definitely a "must have" and not a #want!!  :p

Just imagine how much easier the chase scenes will be to film using this instead of one of my crew endlessly running in front and behind each actor!  :p  

Man, it makes me wish I had gotten into film making ages ago!   My non-profit TCOOO/FWP (that is not quite up and running yet) will definitely work on helping our youngsters learn it!  I want to be able to supply them with cameras to practice framing shots and maybe handycams to practice scenes...  

What is that saying "if you can dream it, you can do it" so teach them to begin dreaming very young!!  

But wow,  I think this would be practical besides super cool to have.  How much easier would it be to film the chase scenes.  Can get tons of practice without needing the actors even.  Just me, the camera girl and the woods!  Maybe even create some "raw footage" that we can sale as 'stock"...  hehe

I am not the best storyteller of my people, which is what makes me feel like this project will only get better and better as others feel confident to want theirs filmed too!  

The BOS series is meant to be told in film, animated movies, graphic novels, novels and video games.  I think once they see we can do it any style we want they will be eager to go for it too!  

I truly believe my culture is unique and interesting and then there is the rest of "Alyeska" too!  

I have several 'chase' scenes in my BOS trilogy of terror so it would be used over and over... hehe, talking myself into really needing this equipment  :p  

Anyway, what inspires you?  What makes you smile and feel "thrilled" at all the possibilities?  

hugs,

~Sea

ps)  they say to mention to "like" this comment and to share it and to follow this blog so you never miss one...  not sure it works but lets see what happens  :p

Setting The Mood

Setting the mood...

What do you do as a writer to get into the right frame of mind for writing the horror scenes?   I often wonder about that.  I often go to YouTube and google "creepy pics" or "scary pics" to see what pops up.  I watch them sometimes and try to think about what exactly causes me to get scared or nervous when watching them.  

Most are not scary or creepy, unless you let yourself play act it, right?   I think that is true of all horror though, you choose to allow it to scare you even if it is not so scary by itself.  

A lot of it is the music, I think.  I wonder how I will do mine since I want to show an "Unangan vibe".  I think I will need to teach everyone to fear these sounds...  will be  a fun challenge!  

I bet I get some musicians interested too since it is a new "thing".  

Here is a video I found, dancers and music.  This group is impossible to get a hold of, they never respond!!  I hate how they try to pick and choose who gets to be "native", sigh!  

This drumming can become scary, I can imagine a version of it!!  In my stories, it is only loosely based on my culture, a "sci fi" version of it!  I cant wait until we get more in touch with other Unangan!    Poverty and isolation is never fun and makes it hard to learn your own culture.   It is one reason I so want to do this!  Introduce us to the world!  We are unique!!  

But back to setting the mood, I want people to feel that slight chill down their spine, a sort of uncomfortable feeling that you cant quite identify as "fear" but know is not a good feeling...  So the beginning of the film is pretty tame, but I want to give a creepy sensation down the spine, just here and there.  So they are left wondering what is there, did they miss seeing it?  Hehe, I don't know, I know how I want to do it, I want a slow build until they recognize it is "Fear" but by then it is too late...  It is one of our old warrior traditions: "when you hear our drums, it is already too late"...

This style shown, it is kind of shapeless, I find it hard to imagine it is real cultural look and not "modified" by the Rus and their church....  Maybe they just copied the men's for the woman's too??   I find it hard to believe that ancient Unangan who traded with the Orient on a regular basis had this lack of fashion sense!!   I half think it was meant to discourage us somehow from embracing our culture again...  :p    I know, I know, put me tin hat back on....  :p

This one says it is a parka and purse, that makes more sense to me, as a coat rather then an outfit!    Now look at her cool hat and imagine the dress underneath her coat to match...  

Lol, and now back to our regularly scheduled blah blah...  :p

But to create the chill and fear, I have the plan...  How do you go about it?  Do you also search "creepy and/or scary"?     

Do you picture the scene and then add scary elements or picture it scary and work from there?

Do you know it is good when you feel your hairs on the back of your neck reacting??!!  :p  

Anyway, still in too good a mood to try to write horror, do not want to mess it up!  But yikes, hopefully my rambling does not scare away people  :p   

hugs,

~Sea

Big Dance Number

Big Dance Number...

Lol, ok, I have no idea the exact thoughts that lead to me thinking I should have a dance number tribute to Bob Fossi as part of my "drugged werewolf scene"...  But I wanted some short scene that would be easy to recognize as "Fossi" and ended up listening to this and got it stuck in my head, yikes!

                              Chicago ~  We Both Reached For the Gun


 I was thinking more 

                             Paula Abdul Cold Hearted Snake


I imagined a scene where the werewolf is drugged and then he sees the people both as people then as other scary images.  Then I thought it would be a giggle to throw in a few seconds of this where they move over the hay stacks or something...  

I did say in a previous blog I wanted to get all the silly stuff out of my system with this film before I do my "real" ones...  hehe...

But then in a creepy way that first one could work...  The one old couple could be the pair as dummy/ventriloquist and the other people as creepy puppets, that might give the werewolf pause...  :p  

But as part of publicity for the film have contest where people do a greenscreen of themselves like a creepy animal /werewolf puppet and see if I can put them together creepily...  lol, what ideas do you come up with that you would rather not people know??  :p 

I wonder if it is because I watched Fight Club and have "all singing / all dancing" stuck in the back of my head  ...


But have you ever wondered what would happen if a man got drugged but turned into a werewolf anyway??  I did, sort of...  :p  But still in that "get it all out of my system" thang...  hopefully will catch them all and put them as behind the scenes junk...  #horrorfilm #indieDirector

hugs,  

~Sea



 

Types of Writing Moods

Types of writing moods...

I am in a weird mood right now.  I so want to write on my werewolf movie but kind of too excited about it to do a good job...  ever feel that way?

I can see the scene in my mind so can type it up anytime, it is just weird.  I guess I think the scene is good, so excited.  I dont really dream of becoming super famous and all that blah blah blah...  I think my biggest wish as a director is not an Oscar but to meet Slash and have him say "You scared me to death, Searean!" hehe...  #Slash

#Want Slash as me toy, heheh

 He is even better today then when I first fell in lust with him back in zee 80's!

But my writing mood is too happy I think to write horror.  I guess I think the script is going well and I am forcing myself to stay within what I can do right now today and not after a year of practice  :p    Or at least what I can picture myself doing...  I can picture how to do each scene so far, I am trying very hard to keep it "low budget filming".  

I think it is a good thing to learn, imagine all the money we can save over the years by picturing it this way!   For my main Bride of Sorrows (BOS) I have a big upfront costs but it will end up being spread out over the movies and tv shows I have planned around it.   So, it is pretty low budget since it is mostly the costumes that will run up the price of it but they will wear them often in the films so...

It is good to think of this enforced waiting time as prep time.  I become more excited and less scared as it feels drawn out.  I had hoped to do it last Summer but lack of funding, blah blah blah, and it ended up being postponed to this Summer.  But I feel it is a good thing for me.  And not just in a 'turn the events to a positive" thingy, I have learned a whole lot and gone beyond my comfort zone even.  That has been a big help to me I think.  Writing a totally new script idea has given me a lot of confidence I lacked last year!  Strange how it can happen.  Writing something I have wanted to see for awhile and then realizing I can do it myself!  

What kind of writing moods do you get?  Just write, and do not erase!  Create a folder called "junk" and put them there instead of erasing them.  It is important because sometimes a certain phrase will be remembered and you need to try to find it or remember it, easier to put it into a folder!  

Anyway, I hope your mood is as good as mine!  

hugs,

~Sea

The "Toys" Game

The "Toys" Game!

It is so easy to get caught up in it, the Toys game!  

I love to browse B & H Photo     , it is so fun!


I try to find the best combo for what I need for my first low budget film, just a few things really, but can add on a thing here or there too easily!

I got the basics down to just under $11,000 now.  But that is for a Sony A7S II

Sony A7s from B & H photo

Isn't it strange though, how I get the ideas into my head.  I absolutely need this camera to make the perfect low budget film.  No idea how I got that idea in the first place, but now it is there, the seed planted.  My fertile imagination doing the rest.  Browsing the site though, you see it is also paired with a Sony PMW F5

B & H Photo

And there is my imagination telling me it is a good deal and I will need it eventually, right?  So I need to wait until I can afford both to make the film.  I guess it seems like it is a "practical thing" and I can talk myself into needing almost anything I want  :p   

But wow, I have it down to the absolute necessities and it is do-able!  Once I get the audio for my handycam, I will do a behind the scenes for you.  It is funny how all the goofy ideas come to you, the ones you would never actually put in the film itself, but pop into your mind...  

Ever see the movie "Much Ado About Nothing", the Kevin Kline one?  I love their play scene as it shows him doing lots of added 'goofy' stuff.  I hope to get it all out of my system with this Werewolf one!   I daydream the scenes if I am not at my computer to type it up.  I wanted a scary chase scene but my ideas had an element of the absurd.  I will probably film a few just to have them as behind the scenes.  But this also leads me back to my "toys" theme...  I need more!  hehe...  I dont know why, I have some very interesting ideas but they are NOT low budget!  darn!  

I know the best way to actually get the film completed is to write it with what I actually have to use now.  But I keep thinking it would be cool to get a dozen kayaks, life vests, etc.  and an action cam for each one and see how cool it is filming the rafting!  Ok, they do not get chased here, it would be added money and not further the story, just be a cool scene to do...  So, reality check and cut scene!  Then I tell myself, well...  we could add a chase scene here, the werewolf on the bank keeping pace as they race for their life down the river!  How cool would that be, the 4 or so kayaks and a desperate race for their own life!  We would need to throw in "Crewman #23" to die since my main cast cant yet...  hehe...  more toys!!

But reality check and that is something we can save for a sequel...  :p  

For my documentaries, part of it involves interviews and I convinced myself I needed this very cool green screen set up to do it.  I told myself it would allow us to film it and then place us on Attu once I get those background shots!  Course, first I need to get there myself...   but Toys needed!   hehe, I got the idea to buy my own boat, since we will be going and forth often.  Better to buy one and save us $$ in the long run!   

Research boat, yummy!

Oh man, I can just see me loaded down with Toys someday and wondering how it happened...  I dont know, fun to dream I guess!  

hugs,

~Sea

Trying To Sound Translated...

Trying to sound translated...

It is an effect I am trying with some of the stories, to try to make them sound as if they have been translated into English...

With Seafoam, I tried to show it.  I want it to be subtle, like you are not sure why but you think it is somehow one of those "as told to" stories.

http://www.vanishingtattoo.com/artic_piercing.htm

It is strange to see these images and wonder about them...  I imagine she is very much like me but dresses way cooler...  

I mean, how it has to be a translation, the stories I mean.  I want them to sound passed down for generations.  A few of them I mean...  It seems strange to have to explain it so it makes sense but I guess I cant expect everyone to know my mind by magic  :p

So, try reading Seafoam again and see if it makes a difference now that I have explained it is meant to sound translated...

Did I achieve it?  Almost?  Not Quite??  


I think it is a fun way to write them, it comes naturally too.  Not all of my stories are written in that style, some are modern and meant to sound it too.  

My mind is buzzing today with ideas for "stuff"... I am gathering all the junk needed to apply for a business loan, woot!  wish me luck!  So may write a few more blogs since feel like bursting with creativity at the moment but dont want to work on any of my stuff...  

hugs,

~Sea

Joan Jett, The Blackhearts - Little Liar

I love this song!!

Strange Sounds In sky At Night

Strange noises at night...

Does anyone else notice the weird noises at night?  Some kind of music, I so wish I had better audio or that it is still happening when I do!  


I found this online, it sounds like what I heard, pretty close! 

Now this is from 2012 but some comments say they heard it last few nights too!



I hear it around 2 or 3 am or so I guess...  I think most of the time I thought it was coming from one of my daughters games as they played on their computers with me... A few times I asked them but with their headphones on they don't notice it as much I guess because mine are not as good...

2 nights ago one of my daughters and I were heading to bed when we heard it and could not figure out where it was coming from.  I went into the living room with her and looked out the window (sneakily, just in case...) ...

It was kind of loud, and sounded like music...

Last night I went to bed early so I would be deep asleep before it started!  

This morning one of my other daughters was on the couch.  We had told her about the weird sound and I guess she stayed up to hear it and got scared and was up most of the night...  

But last night I dreamed about it!

Was a good dream since I figured it out!

heheh...

So, I used my brand new recording equipment (in my dreams... sheesh, cant wait until I can afford to upgrade!!!)  and recorded it...

Got real good quality sound too!  So good I realized it was a woman talking, but her voice was so musical it sounded like music to all of us!  Made me think of Melody from Archie comics...    I dreamed I went on Youtube (and you know, had an actual following...) and asked them to help me out...  I said it was a woman talking, asking how we are...  and thinking us so rude because we never respond!  I said I am not musically inclined so needed someone to record themselves singing "I am fine, how are you?" beautifully for me...  I played it the next night and presto!  mystery solved!

Course I ran into my house too scared to even look out when she came to have a nice chat...   

but...  mystery solved!  someone sing and say "we are fine" and ask how she is!  

hugs,

~Sea