JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Acting, Theater, Film and TV Forum JPF--The Movie

Let's just see if there's any interest(Hi Lynn), because there's definitely enough material. But I fear it will be like trying to herd cats:-)

So, going with Brian's inspiration of not whining about what we don't have, let's focus on what we DO have, and go from there.

1. Access to songwriters. I know from experience that people will gladly throw songs at ya if you ask for 'em.

2. Access to folks with "movie" experience.

3. CELTX.......And not just CELTX, but CELTX STUDIO. For the low low price of $50 per year(& yes, I'll front the first year) 5 people can team up and have access to their team projects on line.

So, I'm taking suggestions for projects, and wondering who's interested...Keeping in mind that the 5 member team will have to work together until an idea solidifies, and then we can bring it back to JPF for input and songs as they're needed.

Don't worry about "formatting". That's easy...What's needed is a STORY...And if we actually wanna get it filmed, then we have to consider "budget"...Big Story, small locations...A director would rather film 35 people in one location, than 3 people in 35 locations. Road trip movies are a pain to shoot.

As most of you know, I have access to a production company and director who have shot 3 films in their first year. They plan to continue doing 3 films per year, but are having trouble finding decent scripts.

As to locations, they have access to:

A cafe, that could double as a bar.
A small run down house in the country.
An office building.
A studio space where they can build limited sets.

But it all comes down to STORY...Does anyone have one that's compelling enough to convince someone to spend $50,000 on telling?

Or a series of ongoing stories that can be filmed with the idea of a You-tube/web series?

Suggestions start here....

Midnite

...And I'll start with some ideas I've been toying around with.

1. A couple of people, maybe related, who go in search of a reclusive bluesman. Tracking him down to the run down house he now lives in...Maybe even a band that has lost it's "soul" and after a long lousy night of playing, drunkenly decide on a road trip to track the bluesman down, whether he wants to be found or not.

2. A waitress in a diner. Midnight shift. Maybe a struggling single mom...But what's the inciting incident?...Maybe the cafe is the after hours meeting place for songwriters and musicians who use the place to unwind after gigs...

3...I got no 3...

Midnite

Now this sounds like fun. I will definitely give it some thought.

Good idea, Midnight!

Hi Bob,

Well I know absolutely nothing about this kind of art, but it sure was interesting to read about your plans.
Sounds real cool.

Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

I LOVE the process of making films, having scored two and been an extra in one, seeing up close what it takes to "wait"! And to see how to set up sound, lighting, structures and props, etc. (College short films, that is). I would love to be any part of this! My creative side, for eyes and still ok ears are like a Hubble for details on all things screen related, tv or film. Creating mood/scene music, and spotting films is something I was briefly trained in NYC at an ASCAP one day workshop. Buddy's and my score for one film was selected as being in the top 13 Indie scores of the year by Sony Films and ASCAP, (1998).

I happened to have just met and talked with a 26 year old local Indie director, who is going out with Roon's daughter. His film that I just saw, had one of Roon's songs in it. It was shown at a major multiplex theater near me, for the director and his friends rented the theater for one showing. It was packed and had to turn people away. The cheers after the film was really something, but of course, about half the people new somebody involved in the film, to be upfront about it all. But still, this director is a very good guy, and has tons of energy. He's Roon approved, (his daughter is "still" seeing him, as I mentioned), so that counts for a lot!

Please let me know how I can help. If Brian wants any of my songs, or for my scoring duties for when the film is rough-cut, he has them and me, for the benefit of JPF.

What a great story, Brian is! I also know of a screenwriter, Buddy;s sister, who has a masters in a related art. One of her scripts turned to film was shown at about 12 Film Festivals around the US, and placed no lower than 4th in all of them. It was also shown in some state's PBS TV stations. "Waving At God", a story based on true events. She is trained, and knows how to write film scripts, had several meetings with Gary Marshall, and has been doing other work in films, doing voice overs, etc.

I also have a connection through my son to a well known celebrity of possibly investment interest. BUT that is a whole other legal and business venture, that might be too much to want to take on at this point. (maybe for a later time, if this indie film gets enough legs for a major studio to want to take on).Or a big Indie project with the person I have in mind.

Please keep me in the loop. Would love too assist in any way.

Johnny

(Hi Bob) first I thought you meant a movie about JPF from your thread title, but in reading further it looks like you are looking for members of our JPF community to possibly engage in a movie type project.

First let me say the very best of luck. I hope you can pull something together for real. I'm not sure I have enough experience or talent to be a help to the group and don't want to be a drag on the group. If your talking about a "musical movie" I would surely love to help in those "musical" type tunes (atleast lyrically) should you be seeking help, and I don't mind if I hear a "no thank you" on anything I might write since it would all be for the creative challenge and lyrical stretch w/no strings attached. If you are talking about a regular movie, I'm not sure what I could offer, but of course whatever comes of this, if in anyway I can help even in a small way, I'd be happy to, just shoot me an email.

Best of everything,
Lynn

Going to suggest something...have to clear it with Big Daddy first!

Hi Bob,

I do have something I've been fooling around with long before your post here, but I'll send you a pm to see what you think.

Best,
Lynn

I do have a short story and 2 songs that Roy Cooper co-wrote with me about Ole'Kelly of Cutters Creek...bout a man that lived on the other side of the creek growing up from us when I was little...the story is in the creative writing forum, will bump it and the 2 songs are on mine or Roys' soundclick page, can send the links if you like, or I could bump them too...maybe you can use this ...thanks glyn

It should be a musical, for one...

Two, the "basic outline" can involve a few key characters who prepare and journey to meet at "Pineyfest", where we get to meet other musicians and just hear them play...with lots of little side stories can come from participants

HiDee Bro Nite!

Maybe a Quick Bio-Pic on Jim Stafford's Life.

Big early hit w/ "Spiders & Snakes"...then Off to Hollywood...Babes/Drugs/Career Crumbles (I met his Manager, "Bullets Durgeom" in L.A. when Jim was a-tumblin'..didn't have One Good Thing to say about Jim.)

Then..somehow...Jim ends up in Branson, MO...new wife..new kids...new Career. NOW has 2nd biggest (I think) Theater out there & KILLS with his show. Clean-Living Family Man..& I see a LOT of "Happily Ever After" in the guy's Career Cycle.

Worth Researchin'-Further. MIGHT be a hit...ya never know.

(& ya already heard my input on Nikola Tesla's Life-Story...tho I'm sure THAT baby'll take a bigger budget.

ALWAYS ready to help with a Song...for whatever works, Amigo!
Best Wishes/Big Guy-Hugs,
Stan

I say the movie be about Brian Austin Whitney and his passion for building this site, and subsequently going all over the world encouraging musicians to unite and be productive! It's an incredible, REAL story, and Brian has A LOT to tell! It's like the musician equivalent of "Eat, Pray, Love".

Tom Yeager, Noel Downs and I had a parody in mind about "The Birds"...only it's "flying cds" that take over Nashville and slice up any publisher or other "known" big fish in Nashville. It all started with Tom's comment, "If you yell out of your window 'Does anyone have a cd???' a HUNDRED will come flying through your window within seconds!" Noel and I embellished on it...a publisher leaves his house for the office in the morning, and his little daughter watches in horror as a cd drops down from the trees and slices his neck! (It goes on from there...)

Polly,

That's so funny.. I was talking with my brother about the 30K+ CD's I have sitting around here that no one wants from previous awards and one idea was an art project where we turn them all into a giant monster that eats the music industry. = )

Actually a really sarcastic commentary film about the industry xould be concealed inside a low budget horror movie about indie CD's.

Brian

Great minds think alike!!! (Yours and Bob's and Tom's and Noel's...not MINE! My mind is like a gutter...stuff comes in...and drains right back out! And it's empty again!)

child who picked up a guitar after his parents took him to dinner where a musician was playing

plays all through school -- becomes very popular

everyone thinks he can Make it Big

writes and sings better than original covers.......
makes plans to go to Nashville

dad dies -- mom is aging -- so he stays on the VT farm to help mom and keep the land

can only play local gigs - starts a band-- but meanwhile becomes so popular that he has more work than he can keep up with -- and everyone is happy that he stays around so all his friends and family get to hear him all the time.....

he decides that he HAS the best life as a farmer and musician in VT

true story...........

...beep...beep...beep..Hour One 3:00PM:

Disgruntled songwriter (and terrorist) in Alabamastan gets scathing reviews on Lyric board. Seeks revenge. Has hijacked a nuclear device. Plans to set it off at JPF music awards show in Tunetown USA.

Meanwhile Jack Bauer (who happens to be in Tunetown that day) is listening to the MP3 board on his PDA. Gets an urgent call from Chloe (who also happens to be in Tunetown that day). She tells him that Alabamastanians have infiltrated the Raman Auditorium where the awards will be held, and disguised themselves as members of the set up crew.

Current US President (and all around nice guy) Ben Willis is scheduled to make a state of the music business speech at the show at 6:00PM and is marked for assassination by the Alabamastanians. He decides to wear his lucky bullet proof underwear that day.....beep...beep...beep...

Stay tuned for a preview of Hour Two.

beep...beep...beep...Hour Two 4:00 pm

Close shot of the President, known affectionately as "Gentle Ben", still trying to get into his bulletproof undies, and struggling because it's made out of Indie CD's and is difficult.

BEN: "There must have been some lighter material we could have used."

Wider shot to reveal Ben's Campaign Manager, BC, raiding the recently built liquor cabinet in the Oval Office.

BC: Nothing stops anything, or anyone, as dead in their tracks as coming face to face with Indie CD's. And besides, there's an endless supply, so we got 'em real cheap.

BEN: It's okay. If you hadn't convinced me to add "Long Island Iced" to my "Tea Party" ticket, I'd've never gotten elected.

CUT TO

Windowless room where Jack Bauer is placing his ipod and headphones over the ears of a MAN tied to a chair.

MAN: I told you we lost track of where to bomb is. We strapped it onto Ol' Yeller's back, and he wandered off.

JACK: You strapped it to a dog?!?!? I thought you said you gave it to the Bass Player?

MAN: The Bass Player was too flakey. The dog was much more dependable.

JACK: Well, we'll just see if listening to an hours worth of songs with forty five seconds of instrumental intros and scratchy 'a.m. radio' noises will help jog your memory.

SOUNDS OF MAN SCREAMING as we cut to...

Thanks Midnight. The plot thickens.

Dang! I had written this brilliant scene where the camera cuts to Ol' Yeller as he wanders away from Ryman, doing what dogs do, hitches a ride with an old dude hauling a load of tires, escapes and winds-up at the Grand Ole Opry. But then my laptop decided to reboot itself. I ain't typing it again!

The dog being more dependable than the bass player is VERY realistic!

How about a story about some crazy guy that has a dream of cowriting songs with one person from every state? Imagine what that could lead to.

Tom, I actually have a script called "Illegal in 50 States" about a guy who attempts to break a "stupid" law in each of the 50...For instance, did you know that it's illegal in:

Minnesota to tease skunks
Ohio to fish for whales on a Sunday
Georgia to dress/undress a manneguin in a storefront window with the shades up
Florida to walk down the street with an ice cream cone in your pocket
Maryland to throw a bail of hay off any building more than 5 stories high
New Hampshire to whistle while under water

Shall I go on?????

Midnite

Hello everyone, I have an idea. How about JPF the Documentary. This documentary would spot-light some of the great topics and ideas from JPF members. Members from JPF could be interviewed on life as an independent artist in the music business where the member lives. This would make for a great art-house film/documentary.

Sincerely,
Keith Gamble,Saxophonist
Booking/Info: (313)330-0346
keithgamblemusic@comcast.net
www.myspace.com/keithgamblemusic
creativetradition.tripod.com
"Gamble soaring on tenor sax like Sonny Rollins"
Muskegon Chronicle

Meanwhile, back at the Ramen, the Alabamian pseudo-roadies, Chester and Hester, are noodling around--

SOUND OF GUNSHOT

As one of the screenwriters is executed for bad-play-on words.


Hester: Did you hear something?

Chester: Nothing but your two fingered earblasting whistle. Why don't that dog come runnin'?

Hester: I dunno. But I tolja we shouldn'ta built the bomb to look like a beer keg strapped around his neck. Gonna pro'ly be found by some kids from Belmont Universiteeee.

Chester: Wouldn't wanna be the first one to pull a draft...

Beep...beep...beep....And now a word form our sponsors.

Midnite