Ceara Comeau's Blog: Lessons From A Struggling Writer - Posts Tagged "filmmaking"
Book Sisters Productions
The month of September has been a roller coaster of craziness! But through the ups and downs, I had something really amazing to look forward to--filmmaking. Remember last month I said I was going to work together with a local filmmaker/author? Well, it's not just a concept now. It's officially a reality!
With my marketing and public relations skills and Killarney's filmmaking vision, we make an amazing team. What's better is that we're both writers, so we understand each other's dreams!
To be honest, I never knew just how difficult it is to maintain the marketing aspect of a project and the project itself. But, it's very rewarding in the long run because at the end of the day I can say, "Hey, I helped with this! I made it work!"
Book Sisters Productions is what we have appropriately titled our little company. Our first project will be taking my old Amber Oak short stories and turning them into films. That, in itself, is a challenge.
For those who haven't read my original stories, they were written when I was twelve. Being in my late 20s, I can see areas in these stories where I need to either explain things better or flesh out the plot entirely. It's definitely a lot of work, but what's fun about it is that I'm also writing them in the series they were meant to be.
While the screenplays are in progress, our little company is assisting in other films. There's never a dull moment, whether it be last minute props…emergency script adjustments…or planning out the film day to a T. Although I still have a lot to learn about "show biz", I feel that assisting in these upcoming films will help me understand things better and also help me better as a writer whether that be writing on or off-screen!
If you want to be part of our journey, check out our website at www.booksistersproductions.com
With my marketing and public relations skills and Killarney's filmmaking vision, we make an amazing team. What's better is that we're both writers, so we understand each other's dreams!
To be honest, I never knew just how difficult it is to maintain the marketing aspect of a project and the project itself. But, it's very rewarding in the long run because at the end of the day I can say, "Hey, I helped with this! I made it work!"
Book Sisters Productions is what we have appropriately titled our little company. Our first project will be taking my old Amber Oak short stories and turning them into films. That, in itself, is a challenge.
For those who haven't read my original stories, they were written when I was twelve. Being in my late 20s, I can see areas in these stories where I need to either explain things better or flesh out the plot entirely. It's definitely a lot of work, but what's fun about it is that I'm also writing them in the series they were meant to be.
While the screenplays are in progress, our little company is assisting in other films. There's never a dull moment, whether it be last minute props…emergency script adjustments…or planning out the film day to a T. Although I still have a lot to learn about "show biz", I feel that assisting in these upcoming films will help me understand things better and also help me better as a writer whether that be writing on or off-screen!
If you want to be part of our journey, check out our website at www.booksistersproductions.com
Fresh Perspective
As this month comes to a close, I reflect on the little blessings that have come my way in the last few weeks. I’m on the third to last chapter in my latest book and I am getting so much help with my upcoming film.
In fact, this past week I met a fellow filmmaker who was local to me. We spent a few hours today going over my script and even looking at some of the locations I was planning to use. It was probably the most productive two hours I’ve had. He gave me valuable suggestions on the script and was not only interested in the film but asked me how else he could help with it! And although the time we spent was great, I took something away from our meeting that was not what I expected—a fresh perspective.
For those who are just “tuning” in, I’ve taken my short stories of Amber Oak and turned them into screenplays. The trick is, I’m trying to combine the short stories with my science fantasy novel, “Memories of Chronosalis” and the prequel “A Scientist’s Remorse.” Now, this is a huge challenge for me as, in a way, I’m having to entirely rewrite these screenplays. I knew my first screenplay was a bit rough, but I figured I could manage with what I had. When he took the script and read it, some of the things he noted, I had never even thought about. What’s even better, this is coming from someone not only new but someone who hadn’t even read my books. And contrary to what you may be thinking, this is exactly what I needed.
As I told my parents and husband after the meeting, it’s difficult to have people proofread things when they are so familiar with the universe they’ve known for years. Not only that, but many of the people who will be watching this film, might not have ever heard of Amber Oak until the movie premieres.
So, all this to say, if you are a writer of any sort, I want to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and in addition to the current beta readers, find new ones too. You will be amazed at some things that may come up in your writing that a fresh pair of eyes will catch!
In fact, this past week I met a fellow filmmaker who was local to me. We spent a few hours today going over my script and even looking at some of the locations I was planning to use. It was probably the most productive two hours I’ve had. He gave me valuable suggestions on the script and was not only interested in the film but asked me how else he could help with it! And although the time we spent was great, I took something away from our meeting that was not what I expected—a fresh perspective.
For those who are just “tuning” in, I’ve taken my short stories of Amber Oak and turned them into screenplays. The trick is, I’m trying to combine the short stories with my science fantasy novel, “Memories of Chronosalis” and the prequel “A Scientist’s Remorse.” Now, this is a huge challenge for me as, in a way, I’m having to entirely rewrite these screenplays. I knew my first screenplay was a bit rough, but I figured I could manage with what I had. When he took the script and read it, some of the things he noted, I had never even thought about. What’s even better, this is coming from someone not only new but someone who hadn’t even read my books. And contrary to what you may be thinking, this is exactly what I needed.
As I told my parents and husband after the meeting, it’s difficult to have people proofread things when they are so familiar with the universe they’ve known for years. Not only that, but many of the people who will be watching this film, might not have ever heard of Amber Oak until the movie premieres.
So, all this to say, if you are a writer of any sort, I want to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and in addition to the current beta readers, find new ones too. You will be amazed at some things that may come up in your writing that a fresh pair of eyes will catch!
Childhood Dreams
Imagine this…
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
Childhood Dreams
Imagine this…
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
It’s summer of 2006 and you’re driving down a lonely road in the rural town of Acworth, NH. About ten miles back you convinced yourself you were on the right track to your destination. But now, the road has become narrow, a river is to your right, and thick woods to your left. There seems to be no one around for miles to ask for directions. You slow your car down as it bounces over some unexpected potholes. You’re about to find the next available U-turn when you look off to the side and see this grand, beautiful yard. But that’s not what catches your attention. It’s the thirteen-year-old girl who appears to be dancing to the beat of her own drum, literally. You think it's nice that she’s getting fresh air and has no care in the world, but you continue to drive on by, seeking your destination.
That little girl barely noticed you, she didn’t have a care in the world because she was not in this world. She had her headphones in her ears listening to a song that resonated with a story she was writing. And, she wasn’t dancing—she was acting. She was imagining how her characters would respond to a scene while at the same time imagining the actors who’d play the roles in the future live-action movie. This girl had so many dreams—this girl was me!
If you had told me all those years ago that I’d be filming my pilot episode in that very same backyard, I’d have been so confused and probably doubtful, “Who’d care about my Amber Oak stories?” I might have said. If you’ve followed my blogs, you probably have noticed that my writing journey has been a long and bumpy one, and one that will never be over as I am always writing still in some way or another.
The truth is, filming had been something I always wanted to do. In fact, when my mom found out how to self-publish my work when I was 15, I was honestly indifferent. Publishing didn’t matter to me so much as imagining the people who’d become the characters in my head. I found so much joy in my friends helping me act out scenes.
As I get ready to start filming this coming weekend, I reflect back even on the journey of getting into film. It was bumpy as well and I’ve faced so many challenges already. But the support from my friends, family, and even cast has been so encouraging. Even though I’ve been planning this for months, it feels so surreal to me. The characters aren’t imaginary anymore, they’re real.
Ever since I finished the last “Amber Oak” book, something had been nagging at me, I’d work on other stories and it’d be fun for a while, but I still kept thinking back on Amber and what she’d be doing right now. I’d ask myself the “what if's” and two summers ago I could almost hear her say to me, “My story isn’t done yet, it’s just beginning!”
I’ve met a LOT of people on this long journey to making Amber become real. And every single one of them helped me in their own way. So, to those who gave me my “wings” and to those who taught me how to use them…Thank you!
What An Adventure!
Happy June! Wait…or is it July? These last two months have melted together so much that I can barely remember what year I’m in! I’ve been so busy with…you guessed it…filming, and I’m pleased to say we are 95% of the way finished with the film, we just have one more day in August and 2 ½ scenes to film then we will be done. At least with episode 1 😉
Putting this update aside, I gotta be real with you. This project was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. We filmed through scorching heat, rain, and even floods. But it wasn’t just the weather that created issues, we also had tech malfunctions, a number of recasts for the same role, and even a little drama on set (but what’s a massive project without a little drama, right?)
And, looking back on everything, I wouldn’t change any of it for a second. Why? Because I learned so much about myself as an artist through it. I learned how far I was willing to go to get my story to the “big screen” as it were and I also learned where I was going to stand my ground on certain aspects of getting this story out.
But, I think what kept me going through all the ups and downs was the actors. They got so into the characters that they willingly became the characters in the Amber Oak world and, I don’t know why, but it really amazed me.
Here I am hyper-fixated on getting all the shots in and making sure everyone is standing in the right places, but it was in between the scenes when I overheard the actors talking about their characters and asking each other where they thought the series was going next. They were hypothesizing the motives for other characters in the series too. It was at this moment that I knew this series may actually go somewhere.
Now, I’m not expecting to get a call from Netflix or Hulu the day after it airs. But just the fact that the actors put their all on the set for this film gave me so much hope. Even if the series doesn’t take off as I hope, I’m still going to be pumping out more episodes, writing more scripts, and (at some point) finishing the third book of my trilogy as the ending events coincide with this film series. And, who knows, maybe someday I can put the trilogy into film too…I just need a few dragons and a couple of castles. Anyone know a guy? 😉
Putting this update aside, I gotta be real with you. This project was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. We filmed through scorching heat, rain, and even floods. But it wasn’t just the weather that created issues, we also had tech malfunctions, a number of recasts for the same role, and even a little drama on set (but what’s a massive project without a little drama, right?)
And, looking back on everything, I wouldn’t change any of it for a second. Why? Because I learned so much about myself as an artist through it. I learned how far I was willing to go to get my story to the “big screen” as it were and I also learned where I was going to stand my ground on certain aspects of getting this story out.
But, I think what kept me going through all the ups and downs was the actors. They got so into the characters that they willingly became the characters in the Amber Oak world and, I don’t know why, but it really amazed me.
Here I am hyper-fixated on getting all the shots in and making sure everyone is standing in the right places, but it was in between the scenes when I overheard the actors talking about their characters and asking each other where they thought the series was going next. They were hypothesizing the motives for other characters in the series too. It was at this moment that I knew this series may actually go somewhere.
Now, I’m not expecting to get a call from Netflix or Hulu the day after it airs. But just the fact that the actors put their all on the set for this film gave me so much hope. Even if the series doesn’t take off as I hope, I’m still going to be pumping out more episodes, writing more scripts, and (at some point) finishing the third book of my trilogy as the ending events coincide with this film series. And, who knows, maybe someday I can put the trilogy into film too…I just need a few dragons and a couple of castles. Anyone know a guy? 😉
