Bran & Park: Vampire Noir

It is tradition that at the University of Iowa, all Modes classes produce 'Bran & Park'. It's a silly short screenplay that is primarily dialogue, so the class is allowed to interpret it however they want to. Each student is elected a role that would be in a real production--I'm the Assistant Director, which is the role I wanted because I get to yell at people--and we shoot our version of 'Bran & Park' in Studio A. Half the class wanted to make a noir film, the other half wanted to make a vampire film (not because vampire films are good, but because everyone hates them). I came up with the compromise--making a vampire noir. At least I think that was my idea... it's crazy enough to be...

So, rehearsal was a lot of fun. I took some photos. Don't we look so professional?

Reel World Production Logo

For a while, I've been struggling with a production logo. Throughout my years, I've had a few fake production companies--Blooper Brothers (age 11), Vaudeville Films (age 16), Reel World Films (age 18). But now that I'm making movies that I plan to show off, those "production companies" won't cut it because they don't exist. I read that having a fake production company would reflect as childish. Also, if someone liked my movie and wanted to learn more about it/me, they'd probably Google the nonexistent production company instead of my name and they'd find nothing. So the smart and professional thing to do would be to not have a name for my production company and start a film off with "A Zachary Hayes Film" or something of that sort.

BUT it would still be nice to start my movies off with a production logo. So using the amazingness that is After Effects, I created this rough animation using the Reel World logo. This was entirely made from scratch, no templates. It is amazing what you can do with a flat image of the Earth, moon and various planets. I'm new to After Effects so I'm sure I'll be able to improve it in time.

Screenplay Project

In Modes, we were assigned to write a 4 page screenplay based on a proposed dialogue. Mine was to be about a homeless person giving a student advice at a bus stop. It is one scene, because we weren't allowed to have any more (or less) than two characters, and there's no reason to have multiple scenes when it's just gonna be two characters talking. The goal is to have a natural flow of dialogue, while demonstrating good screenplay writing technique and having as much of three part structure as possible.

I didn't think much of my screenplay draft. Wrote it overnight and finished it before class. Thought there was a bit of a dark humor to it, but when my classmates acted it out--it turned out a lot funnier than when reading it. So it got a good reaction and I'm satisfied with it so far. This is just the draft, and I have to draw a storyboard to go along with it. So I'm looking for feedback, but don't be a tactless asshole. I'm not majoring in writing, and there were boundaries to what kind of plot I was allowed to write. It is unoffically titled 'Bus Stop'. I think that is a horrible title and I'd be open to suggestions for a new one. Keep in mind that I'm not a fan of one-word titles.

Here is the PDF. Enjoy.

F*ck 'em

Film school is a funny thing. Some people say you have to go to the right film school in order to get into the industry--yet so many filmmakers suggest that college is not necessary, and that's kinda true. So am I to believe that because I'm not going to the right film school, I won't make it in the industry? But if I didn't go to school, I would? I'm going to film school because I don't have the right connections or a large portfolio to run away to L.A. Seems reasonable enough.

I'll admit, the University of Iowa is indie based. Many of the students see the industry, "Hollywood", as soulless and say "f*ck 'em". I disagree! It is certainly not soulless. Not with the collection of souls they accumulated over the past century. I owe Hollywood for making me passionate about movies. I didn't get that passion from 'Requiem for a Dream'. That's a indie movie isn't it? Or is it too successful to be indie? Why do I bother asking questions?

It takes a certain kind of person to pursue working for the film industry. Obviously, they have to have a natural talent. But it also takes persistence and dedication. Not having kids helps. It takes soul, because that is the equivalent of currency. It takes encouraging, successful friends and connections. It takes willingness to fail, but the ability to try again. It takes accepting parents who have a second child as a backup plan. I seem perfectly qualified to take a risk. And I do understand the risk and am willing to settle if it comes to that.

I never considered myself an artist until coming to the University of Iowa where they treat you like artists. I think that's because I see two sides of art. Pictorial art and narrative art. Pictorial art is typically painting, sculpting, etc. Narrative art would be like writing, music, etc; which consists of artists but they're more rarely referred to as such. Cinema can be considered both. I would come more from the narrative side because I'm more focused on the audiences' reaction to the story than I am the imagery (which is still very important!). The University of Iowa has so far had me focused on the pictorial element. White balance is something I never taught myself, and now that I use it, I'm in a whole new world! For instance, I work for City Channel 4 now as a production assistant. We record city counsel meetings and such, but I've focused more on the interviews for Community Voice. Setting up lights, the camera equipment, microphones and setting the white balance, focus, f/stop--this is fun sh*t! And I have to work on my dialogue project for my Modes class. Just thinking about writing that screenplay is getting me excited! The job possibilities are endless! As are the impossibilities.

And if I fail, I'll live my life watching movies, playing World of Warcraft and writing blogs nobody will ever read. It'll be like never leaving college! Artists, which I apparently am, are all about escapism. We're escape artists.

Nobody put me down about taking a risk with what I want to do with my life, and I appreciate that. But I can tell when people think I'm only dreaming. But there is nothing else I could do and I have nothing to lose. So I'm doing it. Refer to this countdown clock and when it hits 0, if I've gotten nowhere, I'll reconsider my life direction.