My First Attempt At A Novel

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Over the years I have just been a script guy. Let’s face it. Writing scripts are way easier than writing novels. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not the reason I write scripts. I write scripts because I love filmmaking. I want to produce those scripts into films. I have only recently tried to sell a few of my scripts but really I would love to make these films myself. I always worked on stories that I wanted to see. I don’t know if I could write a story if I didn’t interest me, say if I was hired to write something and I wasn’t “into” the idea. As a writer, I would like to think I could write anything, in a genre but I get far more satisfaction and enjoyment if it’s an idea or story that I was really excited about.

Anyway. Getting off topic a bit. I came up with a great science fiction story back in 2007 called “Deadstar”. I wanted this to be my first shot at writing a novel but I had a few other scripts I wanted to write first so after writing some basic outlines and a few short stories involving some of the main characters, I put it on the shelf. Fast forward to 2013. I have just finished the first part of Deadstar. Manuscript writing is touch man! You have to put EVERYTHING in it for the reader. The action, what that character is feeling, inner thoughts, outer dialogue. It’s crazy! At least for someone that has primarily written scripts. I mean, you put a little of some of that stuff in scripts but not much. Producers, directors don’t want that in scripts so they have the freedom to create based off your words. I get that. But manuscripts are a whole other animals all together. I found it extremely challenging when I began the novel. As each page was written it got easier but it’s still a dog of a challenge.

I will say I have put the novel down for the meantime. I have every intention of completing it but in the now I am focusing on a new script. Another thing I have always wanted to do is write a love story which I am doing now. I really like the idea. So much so I am planning to film it myself next year. I will explain about it in a future post. It’s gonna be killer!

 

The Saga Of Elpi Dixon

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This is not a story about my character Elpininki Dixon. It’s a story about trying to bring her to life which I am still trying to do. I came up with the drama in 2007. In short it’s a story about a teen who is involved with drugs and alcohol. Her friends try to help her go straight. Her best friend Delayna really tries but has her own problems (MS for one, depression for another) and ends up killing herself. It’s a story about Elpi coming to terms with her death and eventually defeating her demons.

It’s an inspirational story (the type I love to write) but getting it realized has been a challenge to say the least. I met online with a film producer and writer from Detroit that loved the idea. She helped me tweak my writing to be more professional. She told me to buy Final Draft, a great screenwriting software. I still use it. It’s fantastic! Any screenwriter worth a shit already knows about it so I won’t bore you with the details. Elpi Dixon has been many things. A book, A short story, a webseries, a short film, a feature film and a mini-series.

Last year I was bound and determined to make a short film of it. I have about 20K worth of film equipment so I wanted to make a slick, professional looking film. I casted it, I wrote it, I shot promotional photos for it (actually my wife did. She’s a professional photog) I built a website to market it. Signed up for Withoutabox.com in preparation to shoot it out to every Goddamn film fest in the country. Finally began filming it last winter, then suddenly one of my main actresses (who was featured in every scene I had filmed to that point) had to bow out due to “financial reasons Re: broke as broke gets) so everything I had filmed was now useless. That pretty much took the wind out of my sails. It had been such a struggle to get to where I was. I was basically making the fucker all on my own. I had a small crew but one by one they dropped out due to their lack of commitment to the film project, citing one reason or another. (I’m too busy…I don’t have the money to show up anymore…I took another job) I get all that but if you commit to a fucking project, commit to it 100%, not 30% or whatever. Needless to say I didn’t want to fuck with it anymore.

Will I return to the world of Elpi? Sure. I have no doubt but for now it lays in wait. Next time I will require a cast & crew that is truly committed. Now some talker that can talk the talk but can’t walk the walk. There are plenty of talkers in that industry. I’ve unfortunately met more of then and less of the passionate one who love the craft of filmmaking. I hear they exist in KC but I haven’t seen them. I have a few finished sequence I will post for your viewing enjoyment.

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