Happy June! Wait…or is it July? These last two months have melted together so much that I can barely remember what year I’m in! I’ve been so busy with…you guessed it…filming, and I’m pleased to say we are 95% of the way finished with the film, we just have one more day in August and 2 ½ scenes to film then we will be done. At least with episode 1 😉
Putting this update aside, I gotta be real with you. This project was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. We filmed through scorching heat, rain, and even floods. But it wasn’t just the weather that created issues, we also had tech malfunctions, a number of recasts for the same role, and even a little drama on set (but what’s a massive project without a little drama, right?)
And, looking back on everything, I wouldn’t change any of it for a second. Why? Because I learned so much about myself as an artist through it. I learned how far I was willing to go to get my story to the “big screen” as it were and I also learned where I was going to stand my ground on certain aspects of getting this story out.
But, I think what kept me going through all the ups and downs was the actors. They got so into the characters that they willingly became the characters in the Amber Oak world and, I don’t know why, but it really amazed me.
Here I am hyper-fixated on getting all the shots in and making sure everyone is standing in the right places, but it was in between the scenes when I overheard the actors talking about their characters and asking each other where they thought the series was going next. They were hypothesizing the motives for other characters in the series too. It was at this moment that I knew this series may actually go somewhere.
Now, I’m not expecting to get a call from Netflix or Hulu the day after it airs. But just the fact that the actors put their all on the set for this film gave me so much hope. Even if the series doesn’t take off as I hope, I’m still going to be pumping out more episodes, writing more scripts, and (at some point) finishing the third book of my trilogy as the ending events coincide with this film series. And, who knows, maybe someday I can put the trilogy into film too…I just need a few dragons and a couple of castles. Anyone know a guy? 😉