The Importance of the Script Part 2 AKA Download Celtx Now

So now that you've written your script and you're ready to move on to the next steps of preproduction, figuring out how long your movie is going to be and breaking down the script.

So first, figuring out how long your movie is going to be; this part is easy. You simply take your script and see how many pages the script is and that is how many minutes your script should be. This is important, because if you have a ten page script you should be looking to make sure you have enough footage to cover those ten pages. This means that when you get into shooting and editing you should be looking to make your film ten minutes.

I've been on shoots where the scripts are around 10-12 pages and when you get done with shooting and editing the film ends up being about 20-30 minutes. Just think about that. When the person wrote the script there were envisioning the film to be about 10-12 minutes, the actors were envisioning the film to be about 10-12 minutes, the DP was envisioning 10-12 minutes, everyone was expecting the film to be 10-12 minutes until it got into editing, when either the editor or the director couldn't let their vision of the film die and just had all of the shots in the film.

So, If you write a ten page script make it a ten minute movie.

Next, what you are going to need to do is breakdown your script. If you used Celtx to write your script then breaking down your script is really easy, because there is a breakdown tab on the right hand side that allows you to easily add actors, characters, props, locations, etc. into their different respected groups, which then can be generated into a report to easily know who is required for each scene.

After breaking down your script, I'd recommend using the storyboard feature and calendar feature in Celtx to help schedule your film for shooting.

If you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of Celtx as a program, it's amazing considering it is free to download to your computer and a small fee to download it to your iphone, ipod touch, and ipad. You can download the program at www.celtx.com.

Also, below I have included a couple books that can help you understand all of the complexity of what celtx has to offer.

Mastering Celtx by Terry Borst
Celtx: Open Source Screenwriting by Ralph Roberts

Mankato

Ran down to Mankato today with my buddy Lucky and his friend Rich. I had my camera and they had their selling know how. We met with Rich's cousin about trying to get her and her friends to join world ventures. Now for those that don't know what World Ventures is, it's a travel based network marketing company that Lucky and Rich are apart of.

So as the video got done I shot little testimonies of the people that were there and got a testimony of one of Lucky's other business partner as well. It all seemed to go very well and I think that being their video specialist could be pretty well for me.

I'll keep you updated on some of the video work I shot for this and other pieces. I also hope to get the muppet head finished tonight. Pictures will follow.

Like a woman

Like a woman, we have changed our mind on the skin type of the muppet head. We are planning on adding the same fabric that made up the muppet's hair to the rest of his head. We are also planning on giving the man teeth to make him look more like an animal instead of a man. It should be good, but it just means more work for myself, and it all has to be done by tomorrow. It looks like it could be a long night, but I hope not to late. Pictures will be updated, when the muppet is complete.

On another note though, I'm heading to Mankato in about an hour to shoot some video for my buddy Lucky and his network marketing company World Ventures. I'll fill you in with more information after I get done with it.

Until next time readers,
Keep it Classy.

Head Update

I'm ending construction for the night of the muppet, but he is almost done. All that is needed is a nose and possibly some ears. I've uploaded an image of what he looks like at the moment as to not disappoint all of those that were hoping to see him for what he is. Let me know your thoughts if you have any good ideas as to making him better.

Again we based our head off of this Indy Mogul Episode, though I couldn't find a magnetic motor so I used some rope and a pull system. It seems to work well. If you have a chance, give them some love.

The Head is built

So I got the head built for the commercial. It's got a frame and has the foam attached. I had to go to Hancock Fabric today to get the outer felt to put over the foam framing and saw a low heat hot glue gun that is made to work with fabrics and art supplies. So I bought that along with some dark green felt. I also got some googlie eyes for the eye balls.

I thought I would upload a couple of pictures that shows the progress of the head so far, and will upload the final version of the head when it is done.

I think I should also say that the best way I've found to attach the foam to the frame is to add the hot glue to the metal framing itself and let it dry. I've also been using low heat hot glue, I guess it is designed to attach to fabric and foam better, and it seemed to have worked better.

This kind of reminds me of pac man

Again we based our head off of this Indy Mogul Episode, though I couldn't find a magnetic motor so I used some rope and a pull system. It seems to work well. If you have a chance, give them some love.