Casting

James/COO

Gina

CEO

CFO

These four roles are, at the moment, unoccupied. But that doesn't mean I have no one in mind. 

While James is essentially me, I feel I shouldn't play me, you see? I'm not a great actor, as my face isn't great at emoting. So I'll be shopping around, asking friends if they know anyone. All I need for the actor is to be able to pull off the two different sides of the person while making the contradicting character convincing. Should be quite easy, really.

Gina, I was envisioning, would be someone who can hold their own against James, who is not buying what he's selling by coming off smarter. I was also envisioning a bit of confused affection that doesn't necessarily have to be sexual. There has to be a reaason why she is around him when he acts like a know-it-all. 

The two Mighty's are tricky. The "characters" are based off real people, my friends, and they are as ridiculous as they seem. I thought that they could play themselves, and I think they'd be down to do it. The reason I want the first scene with them to be improvised was because I know I could roll camera and just let them rift. They can pull off the ridiculousness of the "Mighty's" because they do it in real life, while making them enjoyable to watch. How will it go over with people who don't enjoy their ridiculousness? No clue and that's the hardest part to nail.

Script

Well it's done. As I write this post in class I can't help but wonder why it took me so long. It's six pages. Six. Not that long. Granted I rewrote it to try and get the best out of the character I could but... SIX. Most of it's dialogue. A lot of time wasted, but it's irrelevant at this point.

Anyway, here are the main things that I feel that the script accomplishes to convey the message:

1) It has the non-linear story that doesn't feel forced and helps tell the story in a way that suits the story. It is better the structure is what it is instead of a linear story.
2) The main character's contradictions are clear. Due to the people he is with when he is talking, it makes sense why he would say what he says. He doesn't seem to care in front of the Mighty's because it's something they normally wouldn't sweat. He seems to be very into the crisis in front of Gina because it's something that she would care about.
3) The script, it seems, will be very easy to shoot. I don't imagine it being difficult to find locations that would be feasible to film.

I know that some of the odder moments maybe off putting (the Mighty commercial), but I find that some risks are worth taking. Whether or not it pays off, I have no clue.

The script is below (it's in text instead of the pdf because it's the only way I could share it)

Pluarality
by
Jacob Krivitzkin

                                                       FADE IN:


     EXT. SIDEWALK - SUNSET

     James, 17, walks down the neighborhood sidewalk, hands in
     pockets. He stares down at the ground, headphones in ears.
     From what the microphone can pick up, he's listening to loud
     and messy metal.

     The song ends and he skips a few tracks. We are now tuned
     into the noise. Instead of music, dialogue is heard.

                          JAMES (V.O.)
               Well isn't it obvious that we are
               all fucked?

                          CEO (V.O.)
               Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. The
               Mighty's do not associate with that
               clown, nor the clowns that
               associate themselves with that
               clown.

                          CFO (V.O.)
               Neva, ever!

                          GINA (V.O.)
               The energy..

                          JAMES (V.O.)
               Good ol 'lantis.

     James takes out the earphones and inhales. He stares up at
     the defunct power cables.

                                                        CUT TO:


     INT. CAR

     James sits alone, sullen... until a smile widens on his face.

                          CEO
               That's a fool ol Curry.
               
     He's sitting down with the CEO and the CFO of the Mighty's,
     dressed in basketball clothes.

                                                        CUT TO:


     INT. MIGHTY ROOM
   
     The CEO and CFO of the Mighty's in a faux commercial:

                          CEO/CFO
                    (Simultaneously)
               Hello planet Earth.

                          CEO (CONT’D)
               I am the Cheif Executive Officer of
               the Mighty's and disciple of Zues.

                          CFO
               And I'm the Cheif Financial Officer
               of the Mighty's and disciple of
               Posideon.

                          CEO
               We are a non-profit organization,
               but we do take donations.

                          CFO
               Not our faults.

                          CEO
               Ever!

                                                        CUT TO:


     INT.

     A straight up improvised scene where the the three highest
     officers of the Mighty's talk.

     Things that need to be established:

     1) James is a Mighty and the COO.

     2) A lot of the lingo is used.

     3) James is acting like them, but much more restrained.

     4) It's a running joke, yet no one is willing to break it.

                          COO
               Good ol Katrina.

                          CFO
               Sexy ol Trina.

                          CEO
                    (hesitant)
               Hey, don't you think we're all
               fucked?

                                                        CUT TO:


     INT. ROOM

                          JAMES
                    (Reading from phone)
               Emergency Energy crisis! After the
               near catastrophic nuclear plant
               explosion and the high hikes in
               coal and oil, Broward County is
               likely to experience power outages
               along with the rest of South
               Florida. The White House has yet to
               issue a statement. MORE COMING
               SOON...

     Gina and James are sitting down at a table, lit by candles,
     shell shocked at the news.

                          GINA
               That's why you asked me over. Any
               time table?

                          JAMES
               No. MORE COMING SOON... We are so
               fucked.

                          GINA
               Huh?

                          JAMES
               Well isn't it obvious that we are
               all fucked?

                          GINA
               Well.. I don-

                          JAMES
               Come on, Gina. "The White House has
               yet to issue a statement." Why?
               Because they are currently cooking
               up some bullshit gumbo.

                          GINA
               It hasn't been too long.

                          JAMES
               Gina, please.

                          GINA
               James.

                          JAMES
               Don't be naive.

                          GINA
               I'm not. I'm being practical. We
               may not have TV for a few days, so
               what? This isn't Katrina. There are
               white people here.

                          JAMES
               This isn't funny.

                          GINA
               Either was Katrina.

                                                        CUT TO:


     INT. CAR

                          CFO
               CEO, it is irrelevant. Power
               outages and what not. We've got the
               mighty generators. Keep us nice us
               nice and warm.

                          COO
               And we still have the underwater
               city.

                          CFO
               Good ol 'lantis.

     James laughs. Of course he's joking.

                          CEO
               I'm just worried about gas prices.
               I mean shit, they're going for $4
               bucks a gallon. And the lines...

                          CFO
               Just tell them that they're the CEO
               of the Mighty's and all the cracker
               jacks will move out of your way and
               the gas station will give you all
               the gas you want.

                          COO
               It's a privilege to serve a Mighty.
               Just roll up. "Excuse me sir!"

                          CFO
               You won't even have to say that.
               They know the Mightymobile on
               sight.

                          COO
               Of course. And drive up. The people
               disperse like the Red Sea. Fill up.
               Not my fault.

                          CFO
               At all.

                          COO
               The government will figure it out.
               They always do.

     The CEO doesn't looked all that convinced.

                          COO (CONT’D)
               Anyway, back to Trina.

                                                        CUT TO:


     INT. ROOM

                          JAMES
               I'm not comparing it to Katrina.

                          GINA
               Of course not, but... Whatever.
               It's not important.

                          JAMES
               Well this power outage thing
               definately is. I mean, how are we
               expected to be governed by a group
               of knit-compoops, who don't really
               give a shit about the electorate?

                          GINA
               Sure, let's call for a revolution.
               A coup d'etat. Those work.

                          JAMES
               Coups work in Nigeria. It's how
               they continually changed leaders in
               the 70s and 80s. But in America,
               the coup would be couped by the
               government.

                          GINA
               Is this a way to show you're
               superior intellect?

                          JAMES
                    (sarcastic)
               To the girl ranked 23 in the
               school, yes of course.

                          GINA
               This abrasive behavior will get you
               far, keep going with it.

                                                        CUT TO:


     EXT. FIELD - SUNSET

     James, quiet for once, walks through the field with the
     thoughts of what he said roam through his head. He stares up
     at the power cables, occassionally the sound of power surging
     through and then sparking out.

     The constant struggle for power continues, as James accepts a
     call from the Mighty's.

                          JAMES
                    (into his phone)
               Sup bros.

                                                  CUT TO BLACK.


     THE END

(Written Monday, March 20th)

Driving at Night

There's no realistic way of actually shooting night. Even with current digital cameras that are able to capture low-light situations, the night is too dark that it's impossible to shoot without artificial lights.
The closest I've seen was this scene from Sicario, but even that.

The scene in question is the car scene with the Mighty's. I was thinking that since the energy crisis was occuring, that street lamps can't be in it. So, I've thought about how I could shoot the scene and came to a scene of Mad Men (Just finished season 5, so good). I noticed even though there are street lamps that provide light, there is a constant light on Don and Glen that isn't too bright and still allow the scene look like it's taking place at night.

Therefore, I need lights and I have time to play around with that.

And by the way, the car is going to be parked. No way I can film a driving car. The logisitical nightmare. Without a permit for filming on the road, the mounts, the rigs. I also don't have a green screen that big nor the software/ability to do that.


(Written Thursday, March 23rd)

Festival Card

All previous posts have focused on the short itself, yet I've completely neglected the two other important products. As you've guessed from the title, it's about the card.

I have limited knowledge on advertisment (even though I think I do after watching Mad Men) and color pyschology. This is the one I expect to probably do the worst in, to be frank. I'm obvious going to try, but it's a hard thing to create.

Here is the link to the first draft of it. It's a rough draft done on the school iPad during class. The real thing would be more professional made on photoshop, but I'm not too sure of it. I was planning on the background being grey and the two colors from the opposite sides of the color wheel popping out.

I actually really would like help from my peers and hope when we meet next week to help me make something a lot better.

(Writteen Saturday, March 25th)

Title

Ya. This week was a busy one. I went to watch the NCAA tournament up in Orlando on Thursday, went to UF on Friday, leased a dorm, and somewhere in between those two I decided I was going to UF.

                                                                                                                                                                         So, I didn't finish the screenplay this weekend like I said I was. I know, I know. I have a few weeks to finish the entire project. But I didn't come empty-handed today.

 I have a title.         

So now I can change the heading of the blog from "Untitled Short" to Plurality. 

plu·ral·i·ty

[plo͝oˈralədē]

NOUN

1. the fact or state of being plural:

   "some languages add an extra syllable to mark plurality"

I think it fits the story perfectly. The short is about conflicting ideas and emotions, how human beings compromise to fit into a clique or society. The main character, James (that's new), has plural thoughts, plural cliques, and plural opinions that make him a hypocrite in one aspect and a wandering soul in another. 

I promise that the script will be done by this week, I'm halfway through (I know, the script is only 6 pages, but it's difficult to make something good). 

Directing

Panic button had been pressed. Along with the rest of life's obstacles, I've been dedicating some time for the past two nights writing the script with two pages to show for it. I'm a slow writer and it's quite annoying. Dialogue doesn't flow out of my brain to the screen easily.

But the real reason I've pressed the metaphorical panic button is because I realized while writing this that the short is dialogue heavy and dialogue driven.

HOW AM I GOING TO DIRECT THIS??

Look, I've watched too much TV and movies to know what a scene with two to three people sitting at a table talking looks like, but I feel that I need to do something with a flair. That if I simply shoot the thing shot-counter-shot that it will turn out too boring and will have nothing to write about during my analysis essay. Obviously shot-counter-shot will be utilized but I need to add that extra something else to make the piece more engaging (I know the dialogue should be engaging, but I hold no promises).

I had an idea to do just that. If one has ever seen Do the Right Thing, this scene should be one that sticks out (the second half anyway). Speaking from a directorial standpoint, the addressing to the camera is bold and I thought I could do the same thing, but for a different purpose, story wise. I thought that I could have either the Mighty's introduce themselves or speak to a cause talking to the camera. I feel that this is something different that most wouldn't attempt and I want to standout in a way.

I feel that it would be best for the "Mighty's" and not the other group due to their outlandish and silly presence.

I'll test it and if worst comes to worst, then I'll cut it.

(Written Wednesday, March 15)

Epiphany

Well, after a week of struggling with writing I finally got my sh- stuff together and have a basic outline. It seems that daydreaming in APES (AP Environmental Science) has paid off.

The basic plot is that there will be two separate conversations that the main character has with two different groups of people. Through the dialogue and acting, it will be clear that the main character is a contradictory person with no real opinion. He is a floating soul trying to figure out where he fits in. It ends with him alone and performs an action that is contradictory to what he said with both groups.

The two groups he talks to are his "Mighty" friends and his platonic girlfriends. The "Mightys" are a fake "non-profit organization, but we do take donations." There's a CEO,  CFO (he's currently failing Algebra 2) and our main character (COO). There's a bunch of privates and they are in alliances with TTP and Butter Squad. Yes. It's suppose to sound ridiculous because it is ridiculous. Our main character is well aware of the silliness of the group, yet goes along with the dumb lingo (NMF, NOF, AYF, SAD ADH) because they are fun to be around. He only wonders if the CEO and CFO are too serious about their organization. 

The other group is comprised of platonic girlfriends. While the Mighty's are a bunch of idiots and the main character plays the straight man, with this group he gets to be the crazy one. The one with the one-liners, the funny one. They are more serious and more normal than the Mighty's. They are also more informed and realists. 

The premise of the short is that there's a big news story. Possibly worrying about AI/ nuclear holocaust. That life can be over in a snap. Or it could be something political (but no Trump. We get it, he sucks, I don't want to taint my short with him). The two groups have different opinions, therefore the main character will have different opinions. It's clear that neither are his 100% true feelings on the subject, but he's conflicted.

Now, the easy part: writing the actual script (How hard is it to detect sarcasm in text?). It should be done by the weekend so I can start scouting locations and casting. Oh, how joyous. 

(Written Monday, March 13)

Peer Meeting

Well...

I don't think the peer meeting was exactly the home run I needed at the moment, but it was a nice single.

I told my group some of the thoughts I had (and lack of) and there was a consensus on a few things:

1) I need to start getting to work, like, yesteryear.
2) The idea is neat
3) The writing has to be really solid
4) I can be really bad at communicating my thoughts at times

There was also some suggestions:

1) Possibly work with the lighting for the different sides (though subtle)
2) Have different people playing the same person (that was then quickly deemed too confusing)
3) Have the character be with a lot of different cliques or groups and show how he (yes "he") is with different people and then show his true self at the end
4) Abandon the parallel structure (I said "Naw, I'm good)

I listened with no reservations or pre-conceived notions, nothing. I was open-minded about the thing. I needed a spark that just wasn't coming.

And it's a start.

Regarding this project, that is the most hopefully thing that has happened since Monday.

(Written Friday, March 10.)

Writer's Block.

Well, crap.

As stated above, I am experiencing writer's block. Bad block. It's currently a struggle to eek out this post, cause I am overwhelmed. I'm hoping this post will help my brain start up again.

 I can't exactly pin-point the exact root of the issue, but I've felt as all creative forces have been purged out of me. I have a big project for Comp Sci that's due Friday, but big projects haven't messed me up like this before. It could be the absurdly busy 3rd quarter of my Senior year. Teachers are cramming a lot in and I was just not prepared for it. I think the biggest issue is deciding what college I want to go to, thinking about all the variables and scenarios that could factor my decision. It's been too much to think about and has consumed a lot of me-thinking-alone-in-my-room/class-time.

Whatever it is, it's putting a number on me. Can't think of anything for this short. It's not the idea, the idea is something that could be great. It's just my current state. I need to get my head out of my *** and get back to working. I've been watching TV and movies to try and jump start something to no avail. I'm hoping this peer meeting we have on Friday will do something to get me back on track, because if I don't, I know I'll be in some deep crap going forward.

(Maybe sitting at the poker table tonight will do something for me. I doubt it.)


(Written Thursday, March 9.)

Honing the Purpose

Welcome all that actually read these.

Last week I had no direction on what this short would be. I knew that I liked Memento, and I wanted parallel storylines to converge into an epic conclusion, but no idea on what the situation, theme, or purpose was.

And I still don't. Well, that's not true. I have one of those things, which is the purpose of the story. Still no plot, characters, etc. but I know what story I want to tell. Am I making any sense?

OK, so I want this story to be about how regular people have different aspects of their personality and who they share themselves with it. Now, the character wasn't tortured as a child, doesn't have multiple personalities, nor a murderer, but a regular teen (yeah teen. I don't know any adults who would be willing to act.) We as human beings put on different masks on with different people, whether it be with a certain group of friends, the opposite sex, family, etc. We are slight variations of ourselves around other people. This begs the question: is there a true self? When does this person "come out"? (Well that's two questions, but that's irrelevant).

I find this extremely interesting and have no clue how it will be executed. Still no plot, characters, etc. but I know the purpose and I feel excited about it. The different scenarios that play out in my head is nearly overwhelming. But I'm confident I'll get something good out of this. Hopefully, sooner than later.

(This was written back on Tuesday, March 7.)

Mad Men

I've been driving all day and am damn tired. After a night out in Tallahassee, my mother and I drove back home. That's a seven hour drive. And there was an accident on the Florida Turnpike, "The Less Stressway!"

Anyway, it gave me time to read, talk to my wonderful mother, and watch some TV. I downloaded a few episodes of Mad Men (on Netflix) and was blown away by the writing and acting. It transcends the soap-opera it could (and really should) be and makes it into some of the best television one could watch.

However, there was an episode specifically that caught my attention. The episode, "Far Away Places", was spectacular for numerous reasons (the direction is some of the most unique to be offered in television). But the thing that really stood out was the structure of the episode. Three different stories all diverging from one interaction, all about the relationships between the three leads of the stories (Peggy, Roger, and Don) and their significant others (Abe, Jane, and Megan, respectively). It was wholly unique, in a series that is willing to take chances, narrative-wise.

After watching this episode, I realized that I want my short to do something like this. I understand my time-restrictions, therefore three stories would be reduced to two, but I found something so rich for the story, as it wasn't using the structure as a way to deliver twists to the audience, but a way to present common themes in the piece.

I have no clue on how I would so it, but I think this has sent me down in the right direction.