For the time being, I’m going to use this blog to help get the word out about my writing forum: Scribefarm.com. My updates regarding Mathmission Films have been moved to a different blog, which is currently under construction.

SCRIBEFARM.COM is a writer’s webforum for poetry, prose (short encouraged, but longer accepted) and screen writing. Our members write reviews and offer critiques. We host short fiction contests and information on publication and query letters. Please visit us some time, and check out the resources we have. If anything, just take advantage of the guides. We encourage you to sign up, but we want to get as much info out as possible, so please feel free to just check us out.

Additionally, Scribefarm has a XANGA site as well.

USER EXCERPT OF WORK:

Filled with
All that remains
Of what you gave me
From the first night we met

Nicotine and
Tobacco with some
Rat poison according to
What the activists say

I said that
I'm into self-preservation
That I want to make it
Past my forties
But your smile
Changed all that

You flashed
Those sun colored teeth
And you kept your shoulders in
So your heart was closed
I asked you to open up
'Cause I wanted that feeling

It was all
That mattered to me
I've never meant much
To anyone
So you smiled that
Stress stained calcium smile

And I told you
I'd take your pack so
I could
Inhale it all
Swallow it
Hold it
To keep what's
Left of you.

USER SOMATIZATION

One thing is for sure: you cannot fake quality. Be it writing, or filming, or any other creative piece. You cannot fake high quality work, and you cannot fake high quality video. A group of my friends recently went to the newest installment of crap by M. Night Shyamalan. I know how stupid this sounds, but we make it a point to go when it comes out simply because we know how awful it’ll be. It’s more of a “gapers” interest; a car wrecks, and we as passer-bys find it irresistible to look. The movie was a disaster, falling far short of his previous works. Let me amend: Sixth Sense and Unbreakable are his only reputable works. I digress.

After watching this film, we quickly came to the conclusion that we had to write an equally terrible film, and try to be the first to shoot it, and have it up on YouTube (I’ll post a link of the completed film once we have it up). So, this goal being set, we have spent the last two days, getting little more than 4 hours sleep, setting up, shooting, editing, writing, cutting, and organizing this film. This brings me to my point:

Quality cannot be faked. As you can tell by my previous post, I’ve an interest in becoming a serious player in the film making game. I’m looking at serious cameras and trying to organize myself enough to take a professional stance on production. However, I’ve found nothing more than frustration when working on this short mock-film. Yes, I’ll admit that we’re working with stone-age digital film technology for this one, and yes, we wrote, edited, cast and shot most of this film in less than 48 to 72 hours. But I can’t help but wonder if this is a demonstration of my own lacking as a member of the film employ that will carry over to my more professional attempts.

I began editing yesterday (video) and was much more pleased than I was when we finished reviewing the shoot. And perhaps, when I work again with the remaining video, things won’t be so bad. I’ve started (a few weeks ago) writing my own screenplay with hopes that it will help bring about this more professional side that I keep referencing. If I do in fact purchase a camera, and start this “dream” up, I need to make sure I don’t fall into the same mistakes that I’ve made in the past. There is a very dangerous word I’ve learned in my experience making short films: settle. To settle is to destroy a film beyond repair. If time runs short, and frustration is high on the set, and the film makers say the dangerous line: “We’ll just use it,” you’re screwed. Editing can do a world of good for film makers, and can cover errors beyond most expectations. However, they can’t fix everything. They can’t fake quality.

Ok, that’s all I have. I just wanted to try to make myself feel better after shooting this morning at 6AM. I’ve got work, then shooting during lunch, then work again, then shooting tonight, then editing after that. You internet people, you better help me share this video!

Here is a preview: Newscast
And per usual, here is a link to my Writing Forum