This is J.Dyer, reporting for duty…sir.
Posted by jacob in UncategorizedOct 19th, 2009 | 1 CommentHe looked to his left, then looked to his right.
Took a deep breath.
Sighed.
Then let out a sharp, almost piercing burp.
“Awesome” he thought.
Dialogue, I Cannot Write
Posted by Chris Leydon in Pre-Production, planningJan 25th, 2009 | 1 Comment
Writing dialogue is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I hate it. I hate having to put words into a virtual character’s mouth. It doesn’t feel right.
This past week I’ve been working on the first draft of the script for Project New York and I keep running into the same problem My dialogue sounds wooden. I write as though I’m writing an email, or a blog post, not as a person speaking. I’ve always had this problem and it’s something that needs to be overcome.
When myself and my business partner, Nick Cooper, first started Keyone Productions we were writing a script for a film that we had received funding for. This film was called Finding the Right Chord. Production started on the film, but it died in the summer of 2007. However, what we learnt whilst working on that project helped make Keyone Productions what it is today. The point that I’m trying to get around to is that Nick and I wrote this feature length film script ourselves. Many a spring morning, a summer evening or a winter afternoon did we spend working on that script. We gave it our love and attention for 4 months. The way we would write the story would be that I explained a scene’s scenario in my own words, we’d play act it out, bounce ideas off of one another over a pint. We lived and breathed this script for so long. However, I never wrote a word of dialogue. Nick took my ideas and wrote them beautifully up in the form of the script. Whilst I may be an artist, a creative individual, I cannot write scripted dialogue.
My problem is that I make the dialogue that I write sound scripted. Some people have suggested that I work with Nick on this project again, perhaps I may. Whatever happens though, I need to truly understand and learn the skill of writing dialogue for a screenplay. It’s crucial to what I want to do. It’s crucial for my career. It’s crucial to this project.
Chris Leydon.
A Long Road Ahead
Posted by Chris Leydon in Pre-Production, planningJan 16th, 2009 | No Comments
Although it’s only day two of the official start of Project New York, a lot of progress has and is being made. There’s still a very long way to go, but I feel comfortable in the knowledge that this is a project so close to my heart that I wont let it fail.
Since I announced the launch of this project I’ve been working very hard to figure out the intricate details of making this happen. The research that I’ve been doing over the past day circles around the possibility of filming in New York City. After a bit of Googling around I discovered that gaining permission to film in NYC is fairly easy. All one needs to do is contact the Office of the Mayor of New York City, simple enough. As I’m a student all I need to do, in order to gain my free filming permit, is have a letter from my education establishment (Staffordshire University). Once finding this bit of knowledge out I immediately got in contact with my head of faculty, who has agreed to supply a letter if and when I need it. Although I’ve found out how to gain permission to film in NYC as a student, I’m not sure if this remains the same for international students.
The second area I’ve been looking into is insurance and equipment hire. Although I haven’t completely ruled out the prospect of taking a camera to New York with me, I would rather hire one out over there if possible. Insurance is relatively straightforward, British Airways travel insurance pretty much covers me fully. The University’s public liability insurance should also suffice.
Over the weekend I’ll be doing a bit of extra research into the two topics above, as well as working on the story line some more. I haven’t released story details publicly yet, the only remote hint that I shall give is that I want to tell a story that means the world to me, it is incredibly close to my heart. The weekend looks set to be incredibly productive.
Chris Leydon.
First, Introduce Yourself
Posted by Chris Leydon in Pre-Production, planningJan 15th, 2009 | No Comments
Project New York is the new working title for my latest film venture. As part of my University course I have to make another film this semester. The film has to be between 3 and 10 minutes long, but can be about anything I choose.
I’ve always wanted to tell a story in New York. Personally I find the city to be calling film makers to it. There’s such a romanticised version of New York City; there’s the gritty side too, but that doesn’t interest me. I want to shoot a stunningly good looking and great sounding film amongst the famous locations of New York City. It is agreeable that this does sound like a bit of a cliché, but it’s something that I want to do and there’s a story that I want to tell.
Currently I have a rough idea of the story that I want to tell, it’s one that’s quite personal and very close to me heart. For the time being I’m concentrating on the logistics of actually filming in NYC. Being British and 3,000 miles away of the location where I want to film doesn’t tend to help. There are all sorts of complications and issues that I have to take into account before I can even start to thing about booking planes etc. Finding a cast and crew in another country is a major aspect. Getting equipment to the States to film with is troublesome too. Insurance and permission also need to be considered. A few people think that I’m mad to take on such a project, however I believe that if I can pull this off it will be the best film project I’ve worked on to date.
Please keep checking back here for all of the latest developments on the film project. There will be regular video, photo and blog post updates. Feel free to follow Project New York on Twitter at twitter.com/projectnyc
Chris Leydon.
About Me
