What makes a good story? For that matter, how many opportunities do we have to create a lasting piece of literature that transcends the lines of genre distinction and categorization? The answer to the latter is speculative, of course, but in order to truly understand your story, the spine...
Everyone’s been there before. A project is shot and edited and is now sits in the client’s hands. The time has come for that most dreaded of dances: video revisions.Revisions are a necessary part of delivering a product that a client is happy with. In video, so much of...
The craft of adapting a novel and creating a screenplay looms as one of the ultimate challenges for any writer. Like raising someone else’s child, you want them to remember their birth parent, but they must become their own work of art; an individual unto themselves.The first step is...
So you've got a great idea for a video project and you want to get some people to help you do it. If it's really simple like “I want to get video of the sun coming up over that hill while the kids drop pumpkins from ladders as the...
The PrologueI don’t mean to rain on this parade before the first baton is twirled into the air, but you need to know that getting free money is a whole lot of work. As my grant writing independent study teacher informed me when I started my graduate thesis film,...
You've met with the client, toured the business, and have pages of notes. Now it's time to take all that information and conceptualize a great commercial. In this segment we cover creating the concept, choosing a style of advertising, and pitching the idea to the client. Understanding these...
"Pay attention!" Bob demanded, waving a donut at us, next Betsy comes in and shows everyone the microwave and Randy's going to say 'It looks really reliable!' and we'll get a shot from above with the marching band - you know - marching around and playing something, and Betsy,...
It's important to note that writing a script isn't a single act, it's a process. It takes time, energy, and the ability to take constructive criticism in the interest of improving your story. While different writers thrive under different circumstances, here are four tips that have helped me along...
How will you bring your character to life? Whether you'd love 'em or leave 'em, dogs are well known for the life and vibrancy they bring to our daily lives. Though animal movies have persisted since Rin Tin Tin, there is quite a difference between viewing animals from...
Getting the Most Out of Your Actors or Subjects
Telling a powerful story with video does not require professional actors or people experiencing extraordinary events. But it does hinge on making your characters interesting and believable. So how do you do this? Remember those five Ws from fourth-grade English class?...
