I have been working on the website making some changes here and there, removed a page or two, added a little content here and there, the frequency of posting should be on the rise over the next few months.
With some scheduling tweaks I am hoping to get some other surprises up and running before we pass from the aught’s to the tens.
More to come.
Time has flown by the last couple of weeks. This is going to be a catch up post rather than a topical one, though several things are related.
First off, the Thrill The World event I am working on with Grave Mistake has been going strong. We have had two Dance Workshops so far and had around 20 people at each. The group has 58 people registered so far making it likely that we will be over 100 for the event. It is still very possible to hit 250, which is my ‘goal’ for the event. I have managed to get two short videos produced and I am putting together more media for the project now. As you can see this project has kept me hopping by itself.
And of course, if you are in the Silicon Valley and want to learn Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ dance come out to one of the free workshops. 😉 *Shameless plug, cause I’m a producer*
Other things in the chute include getting a visit from an old producing partner two weeks ago. He expressed an interest in me working on a couple of projects with him. I am interested, but was very up front about my expectations from him. I think that might have soured the deal as he was supposed to send some information to me to use in developing a preproduction/development budget and I haven’t heard back from him. In truth, I wasn’t holding my breath.
On the good side of producing, I was encouraged by his interest in me working on a couple of films, and decided to drag out a story I have been developing for a few years. I finally have two and a half acts laid out, and a screen play well under way. This is most definitely a labor of love, so the time laps is not all that frustrating. I also think that my returning to the original plan (I wrote about this lat time in Writing for Screen) was a good move.
There are of course the requisite ‘subsistence’ projects that I do to keep afloat during long development stretches as well.
I know I have mentioned social media interests and projects that I have been implementing in previous posts and now one of the tools I have been waiting for has arrived… yes, I am now a member of the CrackBerry (read as BlackBerry) set. I considered both the BlackBerry and the iPhone and opted for the one more oriented to business applications and durability. I am hard on cell phones and have been wanting to do more with mobile media so it was a natural choice. The QWERTY keypad is a godsend for mobile data. I am still getting used to having a really useful phone, but it is fun getting there. With a little work I will be posting more media here and on my twitter feed.
Now it’s time to take The Boy for a hair cut before he starts High School. 😉
Today marks a shift in direction once again. Graphics have been updated, features have been added and the feel/flavor of the site is turning back to it’s original ‘personal’ feel.
I have tried several ‘moods’ and directions for the site and this is the one that appeals to me the most. Adventures will still be forth coming, aviation stuff will be in the mix as well. I am changing the way I work with my online presence, relying more on social media to communicate what I am doing and where. I also intend to post more media, maybe even that podcast that has been rumored!
Media is where I am focusing my attentions. So look for audio, video, and pictures to become a regular element in this blog. Other Social Media outlets will also be playing a much larger part in the new FlyBoyJon.
As you may have guessed by now, I am involved in independent filmmaking. Not in the “I’ve got screen credit” sense, but in the “I’m a self educated film school student” sense. Sound peculiar? It is. Since 2004 I have been meeting with indi producers, directors, and writers, studying the art and science of filmmaking. Along this journey I have discovered a few things.
Indi producers, even the ones who graduated film school, don’t know the industry as well as they think they do. There is a lot, and I do mean a LOT, of business behind making a movie. This is where most of these producers are weakest. It becomes clear when you ask questions about the guilds and all you get is a blank stare; Do you have a marketing plan? Do you maintain your budget? Do you have below the line stakeholders? Are your crew and talent on deferral? Is your production “cleared” for distribution, and can you document it? These are all important considerations in the process.
Another thing I learned is that knowing all of the business is very important, but… there’s always a but, knowing what you can sidestep under the right conditions is even more important. Many of the books in print on filmmaking cover the technical hurdles and how to work around them. Some of the books cover a small part of the legal obligations a filmmaker has to protect his or her work; not from infringers, but from being one. Making a movie requires documenting EVERYTHING; and knowing what documentation you can sidestep.
With all of this in mind, I am a Producer. I document, catalog, budget, plot, plan, create forms (up until after midnight creating some production forms spurred this post) and do the minutiae that goes on behind the scenes. I spent a considerable amount of time working on several screenplays ether as a co-writer or clean-up, and time in concept sessions, and I spent more that a few hours co-directing and as an AD on several commercial productions. Now I need to start flexing my Writer and Director muscles on my own.
There is a small project I thought of a couple of years ago. It is a mockumentary short that should be fun. I have done the basics, concept sheet, and production design elements, now I need to do the script. With that in hand I can start the shoot. I don’t have a completion date yet (I have been stuck on the script for a while) but I will be done before the summer is up.
Looking at the near term, I need to start networking with other local filmmakers to collaborate with; writers, directors, producers, department heads and talent. Come one, come all.
If you are interested in participating or collaborating on indi projects send me an email.
~FBJ
With the winter season upon us in full force there has been very little opportunity to get into the sky, this is why we scheduled this time for planning. There are a few new developments in the aircraft portion of the flights.
The original intention was to fly a certified aircraft from an established manufacturer. What we may be flying on the adventure flights is a historical replica war bird. At present there are a few possibilities. The front runners for now are a Nieuport 17 and a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny both of WWI fame.
The use of one of these vintage aircraft will have a significant impact on the flight planning portion of the adventures as well as several significant benefits in maintenance and cost-per-operation areas. More details to follow.
~FBJ
If you have been poking about it will be obvious, several web site/domains have been merged into this site. They include;
The move to incorporate several domains into this site was to provide a central administrative system and to encourage more frequent updates and posts.
Now back to the project list,
~FBJ