Tracey Cramer-Kelly's Blog, page 24

Making a Music Video: Writing the Script

Last week I spent a lot of time working on the script for my biker video project. Perhaps I did it “backward.” I had an idea what I wanted the finished Biker Video to look like, but it wasn’t until I’d assembled the “project team” (cameraman, production assistant, director) that I was able to finish the script.

A key consideration was the actor to play opposite the singer. This was not a small consideration, as I’ve never done any type of acting (unless you count stage performances as a taiko player or singer with a bar band) and I needed a strong “co-star.” The only logical conclusion? I needed a professional.

Thank goodness for the wonders of Craigslist. And for a “small world.” Because one of the respondents was a local actor who had coincidentally auditioned for my last project. So we were already familiar with each other, and after meeting with him, I thought he’d be perfect for the part – AND he can help coach me in the acting department. (Secretly, I’m sure he’ll make me look better than I am!)

Although we had a shooting script for “The Rose,” those were all scenes taken from my novel True Surrender. The writing was already done so the script was a piece of cake. For this video, I had to create the drama from scratch. (The shoot plan is broken into three “sections”: dramatic scenes, closeup biker scenes, and on-road riding scenes.) I’m a storyteller at heart, so that was the fun part. And once I knew who was playing opposite me, I was able to write the script to play on his strengths.

Last time I did this, we didn’t stick strictly to the script. And I thought the project was better for it. So I view this script as more of a “framework” and I’m looking forward to seeing what this particular group of folks will do with it!

Producing a Song for a Music Video

Last month I mentioned a “top secret” project I was working on.

Who am I kidding? Nothing I do is that secretive!

So here’s what it is… my second music video.

This video is the polar opposite of my first video (The Rose Surrender Version). It’s a rockin’ remake of an 80s biker song, and the video will emphasize women bikers (on their OWN bikes) – a topic near and dear to my heart.

It’s surprising how much goes into a four-minute video. Since this is a “learning experience” for me, I’m wearing a lot of hats. Over the next few posts, I’m going to talk about some of them.

I’ll start with the song itself.

This is my second cover song, and I’ve performed on other musicians’ albums, but this is the first time as the song producer. In other words, I have the final say about every little thing (“should this instrument be louder or softer? Are the vocal tracks the right volume in relation to each other? Should we drop the tambourine from these three lines?” And so on…) It sounds cool, but there were so many times I was like “ummm, well…”!

I got lucky with the music in two ways: first, I had Tim (of Fates Maze). He laid the base and piano tracks, let me use his studio and equipment to record the vocals, and was my sound engineer (mixer). Second, big thanks to my friend Chad Holm for the guitar work. Chad’s a phenomenal player but he doesn’t seem to know it; I can’t think of another guitarist so humble and low-profile!

I wanted the song to be complete by the time we shot the video so that I could lip-sync during the video. This will make matching up the video action with the audio song track much easier when we get to video editing. I just didn’t know it would take as long as it did…

Review of Navy SEAL Romance Novel

When a writer friend asked if I’d like to advance-review a novel about a wounded Navy SEAL, how could I say no? It has so many of the same themes that True Surrender does (we write what we love to read, after all):  a wounded military man and a strong-willed, no-nonsense heroine. A healer theme. Military intrigue (the opening scene when the hero’s mission goes bad hooked me right away) and the friction in personal relationships.

This novel did not disappoint!

The voices and military “feel” was authentic, the commitment and camaraderie right-on. (As an ex-Army paramedic and helicopter pilot, the only thing that was jarring was the fact that the hero could fly a chopper just because he’d had fixed-wing lessons. Flying a helo is HARD, folks; you can’t do it after just a few casual lessons, especially a military chopper!)

Writing a military character (especially a man) in a relationship or romance novel is hard to do. I know from experience how hard it is to walk the fine line of SHOWING rather than TELLING!  (I spent a lot of time in thoughtful debate about True Surrender hero Aaron Bricewick’s words and actions.) These characters hold their emotions very close to themselves and aren’t often verbose (so you don’t have a lot of dialogue); you can show them using exercise or alcohol to “exorcise the demons” only so much before there’s not enough to hold the reader’s interest.

By and large, the author achieved this delicate balance. There were a few times when I felt she was tipping into the territory of “telling” me too much of what was in the hero’s head, and there was a six-week period that flashed by without showing his struggle with his memory that was a bit abrupt. But I thoroughly enjoyed the characters (and their backstories), the story arc, the healer elements, and the climax when we gets his memory back (that’s not a spoiler, right? You knew it was a happily-ever-after ending!).

If you like a little spice in your novels, this one won’t disappoint. But in my opinion, the story was plenty compelling on its own and didn’t need as much sex as we got. By and large, a great read. Rated at 4.5!

Get a Free Story When you Become a Facebook Fan

If you like medical drama or fast-paced action … if you enjoy story themes like “Friendship turns into something more” … you’ll want to get “Born Rescuer” for FREE.

All you have to do is become my “Fan” on Facebook.

When you click on the “Like” button in the upper right, you’ll get instant access to my short story “Born Rescuer.” (If you’re already a fan, I wouldn’t forget you! You can see it there too, by clicking on “Free Story”!)

“Born Rescuer” is about an advertising executive who’s just been accepted into search-and-rescue school – a major life “rewrite.” As he’s experiencing a moment of self-doubt about this career change, he careens headlong onto the scene  of a horrific accident. Told from his perspective, it’s a fast-moving nail-biter with lots of medical drama and a blossoming friendship with the paramedic heroine.

If it sounds familiar, it’s because the characters in the short story are the hero and heroine of Last Chance Rescue. The short story was a contest finalist, and now I want to share it with you. Enjoy!

Military Experiments with Meditation to Help Soldiers Cope with Stress

“Resiliency”—what used to be called “psychological hardiness” or “mental toughness”—is a person’s ability to cope with stress and anxiety and bounce back when confronted with hardship. Can meditation help a soldier become more resilient?

A recent article reports on how the military is using new technologies (like real-time brain scans and neurofeedback) as well as centuries-old techniques (like yoga and meditation) to “train” soldiers’ minds to perform better and avoid psychological injury during combat.

Why is this important?

More troops are serving multiple deployments, and despite increased awareness and new treatment options and improvements, the rate of injury (physical and mental such as PTSD), suicides and relationship stress/divorce continue to climb. So it makes sense to go to the source, so to speak.

According to this article, the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs have not only studied the benefits of meditation for quieting minds jostled by disturbing wartime experiences. They are using meditation to prepare solders’ minds for the battlefield, giving them mental tools to stay focused in combat, cut through the fog of war, and perhaps limit psychic damage.

The article follows a platoon in the use of this new training method. Read more here.

Book Review: Novel Featuring Famous Actor

Ryan is a famous actor; he can’t get away from the paparazzi and his (mostly female) fans physically accost him. Taryn is a “commoner” – a bar owner who’s unimpressed with Ryan’s star status. Ryan finds this refreshing and he pursues her. Although she initially says “no” the reader knows that’s not going to last. I was surprised how little she held out, though – before the half-way mark they’d slept together and she was meeting his parents.

That brings me to my main complaint about the book: although I found the opening incident and the climax to be especially compelling, the story could have been told in much fewer words.

In particular, the section from 50% to 80% (on my Kindle) really bogged down – lots of extra scenes that didn’t move the story forward or contribute much to the characters’ development. I might have quit reading if I wasn’t in the midst of writing my current novel (which features an actor hero and a director heroine) and wanted to see how other writers handled famous actors! Luckily, it picked up…

About the characters: Ryan’s “poor me, I don’t have any privacy and I’m so stressed” attitude got a little tiresome … yeah, being famous is probably stressful but if you’re making $7-$9 million for each film, I don’t really want to hear too much whining. A shorter storyline would have gotten the point across without rubbing it in. There were a few times Ryan flaunted his money, making changes to Taryn’s home and bar without her actual consent, which didn’t seem to be something Taryn would have allowed based on her personality at the beginning.

What I liked about Taryn: she insisted she didn’t want his money and the author did a good job of keeping that consistent. What bothered me about her was the constant doubt about trusting Ryan. Not surprising at all, really… and it wouldn’t have been a problem if the story had been shortened (there wouldn’t have been so much time to harp on about it).

Overall, though, I enjoyed this book. There is a little twist to the climax that I won’t give away but definitely a nice touch, and grammar, spelling, etc is good. I would have rated a 5 if the story had been more concise (rating: 4).

Military Suicides – Less than 10% have multiple deployments

I recently blogged about military suicides, a topic that visits the hero of True Surrender in a very personal way. A new article in Time magazine got me thinking more about this topic.

The statistics: If you assume suicide is happening only to soldiers with multiple deployments to a war zone, you’d be wrong. Nearly a third of suicides from 2005 to 2010 were among troops who had never deployed; 43% had deployed only once. Only 8.5% had 2-3 deployments.

More stats: enlisted members are more likely to kill themselves than officers, and 18-to-24 year olds more likely than older troops. Two-thirds do it by gunshot; 1 in 5 by hanging. Nearly 95% are male, a majority of them married.

More troops are coming home to encounter struggles like Aaron in True Surrender. Is there enough help for veterans?

Since 2009 the ranks of mental-health professionals have grown by 35% but there’s still a national shortage. Frequent moves mean soldiers change therapists often. National hotlines like the VA’s are overwhelmed (one soldier was on hold for 45 minutes before he shot himself). One example cited in the article shows a soldier seeking help six times over the course of three days, all in vain. Another example cites the Army’s finger-pointing to relationship/marriage issues without taking any responsibility for the strain military service takes on a relationship.

Perhaps more concerning: over 50% of the soldiers who committed suicide had seen a behavioral-health specialist before killing themselves, often receiving a diagnosis along the lines of “this individual is of no danger to himself or anyone else.”

It’s not that people don’t want to help… and there’s no one answer, just like there’s no one trigger for an individual to take that drastic step. Perhaps it’s a perfect storm: unresolved childhood issues, loss of comaraderie, relationship strain, illness amongst family members, economic or job woes.

Great fodder for fiction… not so great in real life.

Nine Tips for Getting Back in the Writing Groove

One of the biggest challenges for writers is getting back into the groove when a project has been interrupted. Since I’m just coming off a two-month “interruption” from working on my third novel, I think this is a very timely topic!

I love this analogy from Maria Connor & Wendy Kitchen: “Coming back to an unfinished manuscript is like returning to a cold meal. The plot may no longer be appetizing. The characters, once fresh and vibrant, may have become indistinguishable gray lumps. And the truth is, when you’ve lost your taste for something, it’s hard to chew and swallow.”

So what’s a writer to do? There was spirited discussion on one of my writer loops recently, and I’ll share some of the comments with you…

1. Re-read what you’ve written to reacquaint yourself with the plot, characters and turning points. It may feel forced and unnatural. That’s okay. It’s part of the process. Give yourself permission to just write.

2. Set up a daily schedule and word-count goals. Set small, daily writing goals that you know you can achieve. (In my case, it’s weekly goals.) Find an accountability partner who can support you in your word-count goals.

3. If you aren’t feeling “creative” or “inspired,” force yourself to write anyway. (I do this often!) At the very least, write what is happening in the scene or how your character is feeling. Drop in details or dialogue you do have. You can edit later.

4. Interview your characters (I’ve actually posted fictional interviews with my main characters as part of my book descriptions). Rediscover who they are and why you initially fell in love with them.

5. Create a spreadsheet or use index cards to organize your scenes/chapters. (This has never been of interest to me, but some writers find it very helpful.)

6. If you reach a point where you are feeling more frustrated than productive, step away and engage in another writing activity. Do research, read writing-related magazines, meet with a writer friend (in person or online), or work on a different project.

7. Join a writer’s club or organization. Go to conferences. (I’m considering one in September right now!)

8. Brainstorm ideas with writers friends (either in person or online). My RWA co-authors are great for this!

9. And my personal favorite: Daydream! I tend to work at night, after my kids are in bed, and when I go to bed I am often thinking about my WIP as I fall asleep. Sometimes my subconscious will work out whatever scene or idea I’m on while I sleep. I also tend to daydream while driving (oops, that’s a no-no)!

True Surrender Nominated for Award from Military Writers Society of America

Each year, the Military Writers Society of America reviews hundreds of books, nominates dozens, and awards a few for excellence in several categories.

I’m honored to report that True Surrender is a nominee!

The MWSA is an association of authors and artists drawn together by the common bond of military service. Most members are active duty military, retirees, or military veterans. The core principle of the members is a love of the men and women who defend this nation, and a deeply personal understanding of their sacrifice and dedication.

True Surrender has been nominated in the category of Literary Novel. Other categories include Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Sci/Fi, History (nonfiction), memoir, biography, how-to/business, spiritual, poetry, young adult and childrens. You can find a Nominee List on Amazon, or visit the MWSA web site.

For details about True Surrender’s military officer hero, click here.

The winners will be announced at the annual conference/banquet in Ohio on September 30.

YOUR Photos Needed for Biker Project

Get a FREE Video and Gift Certificate … (if you’ve got the right stuff!)

Here’s what we need: photos of GUY and GAL riding together on their own motorcycles. The gal MUST be riding her OWN bike beside, behind or in front of her guy (this is important!). We cannot use photos of guy and gal standing next to the motorcycles, nor can we use photos of the gal as passenger. She MUST be the driver! (It is OK to have a “stationary” photo, where you’re not moving, but if so, do something fun or different with it.)

We are not interested in scantily-clad model women; we want real women bikers and the men manly enough to love them the way they are!

The Project

I can’t tell you much – after all, that would ruin the surprise (see below to get sneak peeks).  I will say that we hope to complete it by late October/early November – and that it’s going to be cool! We need your help to make it even cooler.

If we use your photo, we’ll provide you with a free copy of the video and a gift certificate good on anything at LeaderMotorcycle.com (important: see legal mumbo-jumbo below).

How to Submit:

Read the legal mumbo-jumbo (below).
Email to Tracey (at) TraceyCramerKelly.com. If you don’t get a confirmation reply within (2) business days, please re-contact me (to make sure it didn’t get blocked or go to the spam filter).
If you have a large amount of photos (or large photos) please email me first at the address above so I can have you upload to our DropBox account.

Deadline: September 20, 2012.

Get Involved

Even if you’re not submitting (just interested in the project), like my Facebook page because I’ll be sharing sneak peeks and photos from the project starting in late September (we might even have some freebies to give away). Or join my subscriber list to get specific info right in your in-box (I only email every six weeks or so).

And while you’re here, please check out my novels, True Surrender and Last Chance Rescue. I am currently working on my third novel which will release in 2013. And YES, this one finally has a character who rides a motorcycle!

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LEGAL MUMBO-JUMBO

Please read before submitting. By submitting photos or video to Twiggle T Productions “Biker Project,” you have agreed to the following.

I, for good and valuable consideration, certify and agree that all of the images/documents/files (hereinafter referred to as “Masters”) rendered by me in connection with the “BIKER PROJECT” by TWIGGLE T PRODUCTIONS shall be deemed a work “made-for-hire.”

I grant to TWIGGLE T the exclusive worldwide right in perpetuity to manufacture, sell, reproduce, adapt, distribute, transmit, communicate and otherwise use the Master(s) in any form and by any method now or hereafter known, including, without limitation, via cable transmission, satellite transmission, electronic transmission, transmission via the Internet (including any promotional or commercial downloads), and advertise phonograph records or other reproductions (visual and non-visual.

I waive any and all moral and like rights in the Master(s) and the performances and/or compositions embodied therein and I agree not to make any claim against TWIGGLE T or any party authorized by TWIGGLE T. To the extent that I may be deemed the “author” of the Master(s), I hereby grant and assign to TWIGGLE T all rights of every kind and nature whether now or hereafter known or created throughout the universe in perpetuity.

I represent to TWIGGLE T that, to the best of my knowledge, all Masters provided to TWIGGLE T are not in violation of any third parties’ patent, trademark, copyright or service mark rights.