Hi Reader, Hope you're having a productive week! Watching the Venom The Last Dance trailer the other day, I had some thoughts about sequels. Most films these days are based on existing intellectual property (IP), which means they tend to be sequels, remakes or reboots of existing films or stories. The way the studio execs see it is, "If it worked once, it can work again!" But is that true? From a storytelling perspective, it might be, IF: It tells a complete stand-alone story. It takes...
10 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're enjoying the weekend! I watched the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer the other day, and had a few thoughts from a storytelling perspective. 1988's Beetlejuice is a horror-comedy classic that fires on all cylinders from a storytelling standpoint! And the upcoming sequel - made 36 years later! - might have you asking, "Will it be any good?" The way I see it, it stands a good chance if it gives us: Real character development for the main characters - new and returning. A...
10 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're having a wonderful day! This week marks a milestone for me. My directorial-debut feature film, SPIN THE WHEEL, dropped on streaming platforms on May 14! As a true indie film with a tiny budget, I realized early on that if we were to succeed, we had to do things differently than big studio pictures. That meant a focus on: Story and characters, through strong dialogue and purposeful action. Using the most out of our locations. Clear communication with cast and crew on all...
11 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're having a great week! I had the chance to see an early screening of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes earlier this week, and I wanted to share my thoughts with you from a storytelling perspective. I'm a huge fan of the last three POTA films, mainly due to the strength of its characters. And if you're like me, you might be wondering, "How can a new movie in the series succeed without Caesar as the main character?" It really comes down to three key elements: A riveting new...
11 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're having a great week! With the weekend around the corner, I find myself planning the next filming day for my latest movie, CONTAMINATION. And it makes me think on the importance of WIDE SHOTS! Now, if you're not a filmmaker, you might be asking, "What the heck is a wide shot? And why should I care?" Because it's a form of visual storytelling, that's why! And my promise to you is to always open your world to storytelling techniques beyond just writing. The first few...
11 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're having a wonderful day! This past weekend, we started filming my latest feature film, CONTAMINATION, and I wanted to share the experience with you. It's amazing what you can do with a great story and a dedicated cast and crew! As I've said before, not all independent films are created equal, and the lack of money and resources forces you as a filmmaker and writer to: Step out of your comfort zone. Be more efficient and open to improvisation. Adapt quickly to changes and...
12 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're having a wonderful day! With a little over a week to go before we start filming my upcoming feature film, CONTAMINATION, I find myself going over the script and really honing in on the dialogue. Yes, action is important, but nothing gets to the heart of your characters like dialogue! And one big misconception people have of dialogue is that it's only what characters say. In reality, great dialogue is as much about what characters DON'T say as it is about what they DO...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, I hope you're having a great day! I recently watched the new Road House remake and wanted to share my thoughts on it from a character and storytelling perspective. Is it as good as the Patrick Swayze original? Are the characters and dialogue as much fun? And does it take any risks to stand on its own? Join me as I try to answer these questions and more in a spoiler-free breakdown of what I think works and what doesn't about this new movie! Overall, the two versions differ in: The...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Hope you're having a productive day! Over the weekend, Netflix dropped Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen series onto its platform. As a fan of Ritchie's filmmaking style and storytelling, I had to check it out! Old-fashioned storytelling is needed now more than ever, so the question is, how does the first episode stack up? Like with Dune 2 the other week, I focused on a spoiler-free breakdown of what I think works and what doesn't from a storytelling perspective! Overall, my takeaways...
about 1 year ago • 1 min read