Celebrating 4 years with Gold Pictures!

Wow!  I can't believe it's already been four years since I began working with Jenni Gold and Jeff Maynard at Gold Pictures.  My how the time flies.

To celebrate the occasion, I thought I would share a few of the things we've been working on over the years.

The Year:  2008.  The Writers Guild Strike had just ended.  The Presidential Election was if full swing.  And a new book published by one of Jenni's long-time friends, Eric Reinhold, was gaining traction in the world of Christian Fantasy.  Eric contacted Jenni to see if she knew anyone who could take his book and adapt it into a screenplay, and guess who she chose:  me!

The book was one from a planned series of books entitled the Annals of Aeliana, the first one called Ryann Watters and the Kings Sword.  Needless to say, I jumped at the chance, and in a little more than three months adapted my first feature screenplay for a book!  

By 2009 Jenni and my work relationship was in full swing, but after a hard year pitching projects to unenthused buyers, the economy tanking, and everybody getting a handout but us, we decided it was time to collaborate to write our own story.  After weeks of discussion, we settled on a family film about a dog who brings good luck to all of those that love him, thinking that in this down economy people would enjoy seeing a film that made them feel good, the way old Disney movies warm your soul.  What we ended up with was Lucky, and ever since we've been nothing but.  Here's the Facebook Page.

In 2010 we diverted some of our attention away from these projects to devote to a massive undertaking that would become The Power Wheelchair Comparison Series for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation (click paralysis research center to find clips, if you dare).  Though it was a long process, Gold Pictures can claim the first production to shoot on the (then) newly re-opened Universal Studio New York Street Backlot (narrowly beating out the Spiderman Reboot by 5 days) after the massive fire burned it to the ground in 2009.  Here's a picture of me celebrating the end of the shoot. 

In 2011, my time here at Gold Pictures came full circle as Eric Reinhold returned to Gold Pictures for another adaptation.  This time for his second book in the Annals of Aeliana series, Ryann Watters and the Shield of Faith.  Apparently he was pleased enough with Round 1 he decided to come back for more, and I gladly accepted the challenge, as this book was 400 pages long, a full 160 pages longer than the original.  But, I hunkered down, and with the help of Jenni and Eric I created a faithful (no pun intended), tight-knit adaptation that continues Ryann's adventures in Aeliana.  Gold Pictures jumped on board to help produce both films, and we're currently raising money in order to begin production.  Here's a link to our Facebook Page for the films.

2012.  Another year, another Project, as I am currently working on a new screenplay adaptation, this one from an as-yet-unpublished memoir dealing with a woman's struggles with a twenty-two year addiction to crack cocaine.  Somewhat heavier than most of Gold Pictures fare, this project fits my sensibilities well as it delves into the darker recesses of human nature.  Looking to complete it in the coming weeks, it is a haunting true story about addiction, resentment, guilt and most importantly perseverance.  I am extremely honored to be able to work on this project and bring such an important topic to light in new and hopefully exciting ways.  Although I can't discuss the project in detail, the pic below serves as a little hint (though granted, not a very good one.)

And last but not least, through the years the bulk of my work at Gold Pictures has been devoted to one project, CinemAbility.  This Documentary is a 6 year in the making opus featuring interviews with some of Hollywood's biggest celebrities including Ben Affleck, Jamie Foxx, William H. Macy, Jane Seymour, Gary Sinise, Marlee Matlin, and many others, to discuss the History of Disability in the Media, from the silent era to today, from Chaplin to X-Men, to examine how these portrayals affect society, and whether or not positive portrayals have made an impact.  We've culled over 200 hours of interviews, film clips and behind the scenes footage to create a comprehensive look at disability and the cinema's relationship with it.  After years of hard work I can finally say this film will be released in 2012, hopefully in time for Oscar consideration.  This will put us in multiple theaters across America, and give us a chance to showcase this important film on a national platform.  If you are interested in bringing this film to your area, please contact us at Gold Pictures at contact@goldpictures.com and tell us where you are!  Also, Like us Facebook!

And frankly, that's just the beginning.  Over the years there's been Movie Premiere's and After Parties, Field trips on the Universal Backlot, Vegas Vacations, The Weinstein Massacre (that's a whole different blog), Camera Tests, and all sorts of funny Behind the Scenes Action.  Be sure to check us out on Facebook, and feel free to check out all of our projects below.  Thanks!

LINKS:

Gold Pictures IMDB

Lucky IMDB

Ryann Watters IMDB

CinemAbility IMDB

CinemAbility.com

A few New Year's Resolutions... for my blog's sake...

I don't blog enough.

Frankly, I don't love doing it, it's a time suck, and nobody comes here anyway, yet I find myself constantly thinking of ways I could improve my poor pitiful page in order to keep you, my dear readers, informed as to what it is that really makes me tick (or ticked off!).  Several years ago I decided I was going to start an Annual Music Review, which I thoroughly enjoy doing, scouring the interwebs every year, searching for the newest latest and greatest, but frankly after listening to all that music, and figuring out what I like the best, and who deserves the extra recognition, I'm tired, and no longer feel like writing the paragraph reviews I started publishing in order to give my audience the full scoop.  Yes, it's important to explain why I may like one album more than another, or at least allude to the type of music it is, but this blogging shit is exhausting.  Not to mention, I always miss something.    Sometimes by accident, other times not, and occasionally an album that I just like ok becomes a sleeper hit, and the more I listen to it the more I love it.  Or the opposite happens, something I praise one minute withers with time, and in a few years I regret the whole thing.  Yet, I do it anyways, because, hell, why not...

But I want to do SO much more.  I have BIG ideas for this page, if only I would devote a little more time.

And thus, my resolution for 2012...  I'm gonna try to spend more time Blogging.

Here's the Plan:

First up-  Keep you informed.  I've been working on several interesting projects recently, some of which will be airing soon, and I'm going to start using this as a tool to keep my peeps in the know.  So if you don't follow me yet, it might be a good time to start.

Second-  More lists.  I've been compiling music and film lists for the past several years, and I think it's finally time to post some of them.  I've been reluctant, as there are always those films you miss, and always that album that slips through the cracks, and I want this to be as comprehensive a list as possible...  but enough with the waiting.  I will soon introduce my Best Films of the Year category, which should hopefully serve to guide my readers to the best cinema fare around.

Lastly-  Pictures.  People love pictures.  I love taking them.  Over the course of the next couple years I am going to try to digitize some of my art work (past & present) so that I can share my talents with you, instead of just boring you with my words.  That way this blog can better reflect me, my talents, my ambitions, and hopefully through that, you will get to know me even better.

Of course, being a New Years Resolution, there's a 98.86% chance I will NEVER do any of this... but now that it's in print, you can hold me accountable!

So Look Out Blogosphere...  it's a whole new year...

(I'll catch you in June next time I'm up for air.)

~swr

Hello 2012

Let the busy year begin...

The Human Condition (COMING SOON)

After months of hard work, filming finally began on the new webseries "The Human Condition"  It was created last year by the talented trio of Brandon Henry, Keith Pratt and Arnie Pantoja, who also star, and can best be described as "Planet Earth" meets "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."  I was brought on to help write and produce the first five episodes of season one, which has been a blast, I might add.  Taking the Animal Planet approach to comedy- it is a docu-series about the dominating yet most idiosyncratic presence on earth- the Human, and dissects what it is that makes these creatures tick in insightful, often hilarious ways.



Here's a link to an early trailer:

http://vimeo.com/20383016

We currently have 4 themes that will be split into 3 episodes each, giving us 12 (4-5 minute) episodes total.  The themes we will begin with are Mating, Perversion, Addiction, and Death (we wanted to kick things off with a bang!)

But Stay Tuned...  There's much more where that came from.  While we were working on these episodes we laid out hilarious plans for even more...  Religion, Prejudice, Communication, Sex...  the list goes on and on.  So help us out by spreading the word, and we'll keep doing what we can to bring you more of...  THE HUMAN CONDITION!

all my hard work ;)

~swr

The Other Country (TRAILER)

A new trailer for a FragFilm I wrote with Director Brett Leonard is now available!  Be sure to check it out at:

http://www.popfictionlife.com/burlaptocashmere.html

A FragFilm is a film told in fragments, or "Frags" made specifically for your personal web device, be it a cell phone, laptop, personal computer or Pad.  For the PopFictionLife series, these films revolve around real musicians and tell fictionalized versions of the real journey's they've gone through.

This film follows the amazing band "Burlap to Cashmere" as they join together after a ten year hiatus to memorialize their old manager on their way to his funeral in California.  On a cross country trip across America the band must come face to face with the very same demons that had them give it all up a decade earlier.

Filled with beautiful cinematography for the amazing DP Ellie Smolkin, and the stunning music of Burlap to Cashmere, Brett Leonard has crafted an American Road Movie that is sure not to be missed!  (Okay, maybe I'm partial.)

Stay posted for the final product.  I'll continue to add links as I find out more.

Until then,

~swr

Quotable Quotes...

"Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity."  ~ Henry Hartman

"Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it."  ~ Unknown

"It's not whether you get knocked down.  It's whether you get up."  ~ Vince Lombardi

"Winning!"  ~ Charlie Sheen

~swr

The Most Important Post You'll Never Read

I have come to the realization that I am a terrible blogger.

~swr

Screenwriters Anonymous

Hi.  My name is Sam.  And I am an addict.

(Hi Sam)

It all began about ten years ago when I took a class outlining the basic guidelines and formatting for usage.  It started small, an idea here, a sentence there, maybe a punchy line of dialogue thrown in for good measure, but before long it was taking over my life.  At first I didn't notice, but it was getting in the way of my schoolwork, my relationships, and even my own ambitions to do bigger and greater things.  Before long, I was hooked, and I'd let nothing and no one get in the way of my fix.

For a while I was able to work as what is now commonly referred to as a "Functioning Script-aholic," yet it is still uncertain how well I was actually "functioning."  Early drafts were filled with typos and glaring errors-  characters were poorly drawn, plot points were missing, and the entire three act structure was thrown out for something I called "artistic license."  But now I can clearly see that was just me making excuses for my sloppy work.  In time, I got better and better thru practice, often lying, cheating, or sneaking around to get my late night fix while no one else was around.  I would sit in the darkness, lit only by the soft glow of the computer screen in front of me, pouring my heart onto the page.  I would get drunk off the word and image combinations in my head until I worked myself into such a frenzy that I eventually passed out from exhaustion.  The next day, despite strong feelings of guilt from abandoning my previous obligations towards my only friends and family, I would open my laptop and start the whole process over again.  I was hooked.  I knew of nothing else.  I couldn't sleep.  Couldn't eat.  My libido shrank.  It was all I could ever think about:  Feeding the Beast.

Like most addicts, I didn't know I had a problem for a very long time.  Of course people confronted me about my issue, but I didn't care.  I'd make excuses for my behavior, and when no one was looking I would dictate into my iPhone, or text notes to myself on my wife's blackberry.  I was busted more often than not, but it didn't matter.  I got mine, and screw anyone else who got in my way.  It wasn't long before my family members began hiding things from me.  Pens, pads, paper, pencils, keyboards, tape recorders, the word scramble on my refrigerator- all thrown away, or flushed down the toilet while I was away at work.  Exhausted... physically, mentally, and emotionally, not to mention my stash...  it was time to move on.  There was nothing left for me where I was, and like the 69'ers from centuries before, I convinced my wife of a better life three thousand miles away and moved the family West.

By the time I landed in LA, I knew I had a problem.  After hours upon hours on planes, trains and automobiles, itching for a fix, scratching my ideas into any available surface, I finally realized it was time to take action.  So, I started going to meetings.  Didn't take long for me to realize a very hard truth:  addicts are all the same.  The greasy hair, the coffee stained shirts and teeth; each one of them sucking the life out of their eight dollar pack of cigarettes.  I promptly sat down with my own coffee stained shirt, and finished off my own seventy-five cent cigarette, and waited anxiously to be chosen to stand before the group, where I could announce my hard earned plight to the world.

Only I wasn't chosen.  Later on a Sponsor approached me and explained that it was because it was my first time with the group, and the Group Leaders preferred for people to get a sense of the group dynamic before they shared their own stories, but deep down I already knew the truth:  I wasn't good enough.  So I did the unthinkable.  I used again.  I fell off the wagon.  Hard.  I buried my emotions beneath metaphors and similes and symbolism and hyperbole for weeks on end until one overcast day late in January, I stopped typing and finally opened my eyes.  I sat back in my ergonomic chair and thought for a second, real, clear, human thoughts.  The world was passing me by and I hadn't even known it.  I was married, with a child, in a thankless job with a mortgage payment and medical bills and my entire life was flashing before my eyes, like scenes from a movie:

INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

I laid in bed, sweaty, staring at the ceiling, mind racing, wondering how long I had been there, how long had I been asleep, and when could I get my next fix?  My computer had collapsed after prolonged intravenous use, but my mind was racing, itching to break a story, and I did the only thing I could think of.

My wife caught me early that next morning, sitting in our closet, in the dark, all alone, scribbling feverishly into a lined notebook with a pen I dug out of her purse.  Red ink bled across the page like I had stabbed myself in the heart with it- which is a perfect metaphor for the scene.  My wife was horrified.  I was humiliated.  And, as a faithful partner to me, and mother to my only beautiful child, she did the only thing she could, and checked me into this facility here, where I currently reside, and am monitored from a safe distance by an over-polite staff in a sterile white environment.

The Nurses say I'm doing much better now, and even allow me to dictate this blog through a phone from time to time, to be tapped into a keyboard by another patient here who apparently talks too much, and is therefore only allowed to communicate through the written word.  There's an addict for everything these days.  The Pillow Fight girl disrupted our Ward again last night, and was removed to solitary confinement, but I'm told she still has a soft place to lay her head, which is good.

I've been clean 18 days now...  432 hours...  25,920 minutes since my last fix.  But don't fixate it.  The staff says that as long as they are able to continue to limit my computer dosage and monitor my activity I should be completely weened from this horrible disease within the next couple weeks.  But, I like it here.  I have a window, and a shelf.  I can see the birds outside dancing around the feeder every morning at 7:15.  The administration says that I can have visitors soon, just as long as I keep submitting myself to their clinical trials.   They say I'm one of their best subjects, and I'll be "normal" again soon.  I know my wife will find solace in that.

They say the first step to recovery is admittance, so here I am, admitting my faults, my errors, and my compulsions.  My hope is that my own admissions will help those who are less fortunate than me to confront their own fears, their own demons, and overcome their own hardships.  So for better or worse, here I am...  Samuel W. Reed, Scriptaholic.

Hi.  My name is Sam.  And I'm an addict.

(Hi Sam)

~swr

I'm on Twitter!

But I have no idea how it works.

http://twitter.com/#!/SamuelWrite

Stop by.  Pay a Visit.  Give your Respects.  Make Fun of me, I don't care.  Learn me a thing or two.

~swr

Nomadic Entertainment Presents: Devils Canyon