14 Days of Screenplays
July 31, 2011 by S David Acuff
Filed under Editorials, Film Schools
by Scott Myers
Students ask me how I learned the craft of screenwriting. I give the same answer that Walter Hill did:
“The usual story – read a lot of scripts, saw every possible movie.”
By and large, most folks seem to do a pretty good job on the ‘seeing movie’ front. But reading scripts? Not so much. I think I know why that’s the case. When we think of “movies,” we almost automatically think entertainment. And even if we students of screenwriting sit in a theater, checking our watch at every major plot, tracking subplots, and questioning story choices, on the whole the experience of watching a movie isentertaining. But when we consider reading a screenplay, my guess is that the first word that comes to most people’s minds is work.
Well, that’s true enough — reading a screenplay is work. But you expected to play your way to the top of the screenwriting heap? Think of any other creative outlet: painting, sculpture, novels, poetry, acting, dance, violin, composing. Do you think that any of the people who succeed in creating a career in any of these fields got there without studying the subject matter at a granular level?
The simple fact is if you are really serious about learning the craft of screenwriting, you must read scripts. It is perhaps the single best way to drill down into the heart of the craft. It’s one reason that so many script readers become successful screenwriters — reading all those scripts, even bad ones, is a massive learning experience.
So here’s something you can do to kick-start your screenplay reading habit: read 14 scripts in 14 days. I recommend this to my students often and the ones who’ve actually done it report back that it helped them immensely. Reading that many scripts in a compressed time provides a Gestalt grasp of the craft that you would not likely get any other way.
[Warning: old fart story ahead.]
Now way back when K-9 sold and I moved to LA, screenplays of existing movies were not that easy to find. I had to cobble together other screenwriters, my agents’ assistants, and other fans of the craft into a kind of ‘black market’ of screenplays. This was especially true of the latest hot selling spec scripts like Basic Instinct and The Last Boyscout, but track them down I did. Trudging 5 miles every morning… through thick snowdrifts… in the pitch black… oh wait, that’s another old fart story. My point is this: you’relucky! With a couple of clicks of your computer’s mouse, you can tap into a universe of screenplays — for free! My favorite screenplay hosting website is SimplyScripts.com, but there are plenty others.
So allow me to cut trail for you with links to 14 scripts. Different styles, writers, genres, and decades. I’m including Back to the Future and Witness because those are the first two screenplays I read, so perhaps a bit of good luck will rub off on you.
Day 1: Back to the Future
Day 2: Witness
Day 3: Alien
Day 4: Some Like It Hot
Day 5: Body Heat
Day 6: Fargo
Day 7: The Shawshank Redemption
Day 8: Die Hard
Day 9: Thelma & Louise
Day 10: Dead Poet’s Society
Day 11: The Matrix
Day 12: Network
Day 13: Memento
Day 14: Toy Story
14 great scripts. 14 days. Trust me. It’s worth it.
Reprinted with permission.
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Screenwriter Scott Myers
Scott Myers has been a screenwriter since 1987 when Universal Studios bought and produced K-9, a spec script he co-wrote. Other movie credits: Alaska (1996), starring Thora Burch, and Trojan War (1997), starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Currently, he’s an Executive Producer with Distillery Pictures in Raleigh, NC.
He has recently launched the ScreenwritingMasterClass.com with Tom Benedek to train, consult and mentor screenwriters into the industry.
He has a screenwriting blog you need to bookmark at www.gointothestory.com
Deconstructing “Christian Drama”
May 28, 2010 by S David Acuff
Filed under Around the Web, Editorials, Headlines
Manuel Luz has written a great article over at Conversant Life about the time he was cornered over coffee for some feedback on a Christian brother’s play. As I read it I felt a instant connection. Not in a weird “Soul Mates” sorta way, but more of the Tom Hanks/Brotherhood bond having survived a battle or skirmish together. Maybe we didn’t Save Private Ryan, but we’ve both made it through one of the five hardest questions of all time:
“So, what did you think?”
That question is a verbal/emotional minefield and you’re the one wearing NBA Shaq-sized 22 Nike boats on your feet. The question is right up there with “Does this dress make me look fat?” and “Daddy, where do babies come from?” and “If Snickers is really so satisfying, why the King-sized bar?”
Manuel thought to himself:
(EXCERPT) It was one week earlier that I actually sat through his play. I cringed at the stilted dialogue that hung in the air like a boring lecture. I lamented over the one-dimensional characterizations, a hodge-podge of stereotyped caricatures (does the anti-Christian antagonist really have to be dressed like a Nazi?). And I puzzled over the dystopian story arc, what little there was, which seemed simply to exist only for the purpose of asserting Christian dogma upon the audience. It was preachy, condescending, long-winded and poorly acted.
What does he do? (SPOILER ALERT!) Well, Manuel just straight up tells the guy what he thinks. But that’s because he’s a seasoned pro. Sort of an Amadeus of Art Criticism, if you will. And he lived to tell about it. Do not assume you will be so fortunate. In fact, if you ever get any of these questions, here is exactly what you do…
Step 1. Do NOT panic.
Remain calm. Do not whalespout your drink. Statistically you have a 47.9% chance of living through this without anatomical damage. Do, however, take note of the closest emergency exits.
Step 2. Deflect.
Oftentimes, the person’s not really looking for THE answer, they’ve got an answer. They just want to see if it lines up with your answer. And a little heads up, there is no right answer to the fat dress question. Trust me. Instead, by simply replying “I dunno, what do YOU think?” is sometimes all they need to hear. And they start talking and talking and talking while you slip out the back door.
Step 3. Lie
Now maybe you’re over your daily rationed sin-quotient and can’t afford to Lie, I can respect that, so instead you should be very Vague in the direction they want to hear. Again, we’re talking self-preservation here. If the person already has THE answer locked away in their cranium of what they KNOW to be true, nothing you say is gonna change that. I usually go with this old standby: ”I loved it. Better than ‘Cats’. I want to see it again. And again.”
And most of the time, that’s the end of it. People don’t generally want the truth, they want to be reaffirmed.
But occassionally you’ve got someone who digs deeper still and practically pleads with you, “No! I really want to know what you think.”
At that point you’ve got one of two choices:
Step 4a: Point up to the sky and say “Look! Pterodactyl!” then throw a ninja smokebomb to the floor and run out the door, orrrrrrrr,
Step 4b: Tell them what you honestly think.
But in choosing Step 4b, remember the Feedback Golden Rule: “Feedback unto others about their beloved pet project as you would have them feedback unto your beloved pet project!”
Okay, so without delay, head over to ConversantLife.com and check out Manuel’s ARTICLE HERE, because I really did love it. Better than cats. I wanted to read it again and again.
Well, that’s all I got. I hope you enjoyed this little editorial today. No, really, what did you think?
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Has World Wide Pictures been Raptured?
May 21, 2010 by S David Acuff
Filed under Around the Web, Editorials, Headlines
Dear Billy and/or Franklin and/or Anne and/or Other Lesser Known But Equally Valued Graham Sibling(s):
I have a righteous bone to pick with you! No, it’s not the Pre-Trib/Post-Trib thing, though I’m 97% sure Dr. Billy knows when Jesus is returning but he’s not sharing with the rest of us. No, I’ve got bigger fish to fry. What have you done with World Wide Pictures? Did you off-load it at a Garage sale? Did you cut it up into tiny pieces and turn it into “Dare to be a Daniel” bracelets? Did you take it with you on a South African Crusade where it “met with a little accident”? Is it tied up in the basement of the Log Cabin at the Cove?
Where are you World Wide Pictures? Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!
According to IMDb.com the last film was released in 2004. Was it ironic foreshadowing that the title was “Last Flight Out”?!? Sounds a wee bit suspicious to me. And why is no one asking any questions? Everybody is all, “That’s cool, man…24 different films and then…ffffffft. Gone. Right on! Prolly Raptured!”
24 Films! And then it vanishes into nothingness like Keyser Soze? I. Think. Not.
Come to think of it, it vanished the same year that “The Passion of the Christ” hit the theaters. Oh man, oh man, oh man! I’m about to go all CSI all over you Billy G! And not the second-rate spinoffs like CSI:Miami or CSI:Asheboro….I’m talking pre-Caruso expert gumshoe ballistics.
Is that a thing? Gumshoe Ballistics? I don’t actually watch CSI…but it seems like it could be a thing.
Anywho, if Team Billy has a minute from saving the planet, I’d like to go over a few of the incriminating facts.
FACT: Recently “MovieGuide’s” Ted Baehr said that 132 of the top movies released by Hollywood contained positive Christian content
FACT: “Road to Redemption”, “The Climb” and “Last Flight Out” were headed in the right direction cinematically even though,
FACT: In 1986 I lost major cool points among my friends as “The Official Movie Buff friend” when I recommended “Caught”
FACT: Filmmaking’s not THAT hard. I mean, Tyler Perry spits out a new one every time he brushes his teeth
FACT: The Salary of an average Pro Wrestler is $47,500/yr
FACT: Sherwood Baptist, Cloud Ten Pics and Gener8xion could reeeeeeeally use some competition at the Box Office.
FACT: World Wide Pics has been on the film scene since 1953 and helped launch an industry which it abandoned practically in Utero circa 2004. But maybe most importantly,
FACT: The Average life expectancy ( in seconds ) of an enemy soldier in a Chuck Norris film = 4
FACT: Reboots are all the rage. Batman, James Bond, Tron, Rocky and Karate Kid have all received dramatic franchise makeovers.
FACT: BGEA’s production facilities are first-rate, completely HiDef and easily outfitted for a feature film revolution
FACT: You’ve got multi-generations of Rock the River-ers and Dare to Be Daniel-ers begging you to do for film what you do in Music and Pop Culture
Here’s what I’m hoping. I’m hoping you’re just taking a little breather. Re-purposing World Wide Pics. Upgrading parts, like the Bionic Man and you’re just waiting to unleash heaven on us any day now.
What, do you need script ideas? A Modern Day Daniel in the Lions Den High School story. Or how about Disaster Relief: the Movie. We could hook you up with Richard Brunson over at the NC Baptist Men on that Disaster Relief film…he said he’d do it if we could get George Clooney to play him! I’m pretty sure if that happened we could get Brad Pitt to play Franklin. Either that or Denzel Washington. It’s kind of a toss up, there.
But it’s time, Grahams. It’s time to get back in the arena and it’s time to show these Christian film whipper-snappers how to use High Production Value and Craftsmanship as well as compelling stories to lead the pack in global impact. Unless your first step is to form a committee on Film Making. In that case….uhhhhh, forget I said anything.
But that’s not been your style. I’ve seen some amazing examples from BGEA recently of a Christian Ministry leading in Cultural Relevance. It’s time. And if all this begging and pleading and factual gumshoe ballisticery isn’t enough for you, then I have to resort to this: I double dog dare you…no….I triple dog dare you to make another film! (And if you know anything about Triple Dog Dares, there is NO backing down, my friend!)
Let’s make a movie!
Sincerely,
S. David Acuff
Wired4Film
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Stuff Christian Filmmakers Like
May 14, 2010 by S David Acuff
Filed under Around the Web, Editorials, Headlines
Here’s a little familial shout-out this morning…my Cousin, Jon Acuff, has recently published his first book through Zondervan (woohoo, our family beach trips are back on like donkey kong!). And while it hasn’t hit the New York Times Best Seller list (yet), I have it on good authority that “Stuff Christians Like” is at the top of God’s Book Club list, which is second only to Oprah’s.
Click The Book For Order Info
But I don’t know if Cousin Jon realizes this, but that New York Times goal is just…well, I just gotta be honest…it’s small thinking.
See, my personal goal (cue inspirational orchestral music and a covey of worship eagles) is to see “Stuff Christians Like” replace every Reader’s Digest in every bathroom across America!
For years our bowels have been soothed by “Quotable Quotes” and “Laughter the Best Medicine.” How many times have our rear-ends gone numb while we sit there sobbing like a baby through the “Dramas in Real Life.” Let’s face it, while we concentrated on #2, the #1 choice of bathroom lit has been the Digest. Bar none. But no longer.
Reader’s Digest, you’ve been served.
A C-130 Lapse
I know that all bathroom readers are not created equal. Some individuals tend to camp out in there for an entire afternoon. Perhaps they feel that if the wall-paper hasn’t peeled off, they haven’t done their jobs. While others swoop in somehow like an aircraft touch-n-go and lapse it right in (see graphic picture to the left).
Either way, “Stuff Christians Like” is written in small, bite-sized pieces so you can go through a whole chapter, or take it one clever List point at a time. And just so you’ve been warned, those SCL Lists are actually when Cousin Jon is in rarest form. (Gentlemen, I would not advise reading those standing up!)
Anywho…in honor of the SCL list, Wired4Film has devised our own. So without further ado…
The Top 3 List of Stuff Christian Filmmakers Like:
1. Blaming our bad scripts on God
“My fingers were just floating across the keyboard. It was as if heaven opened in a gigantic funnel into my medula oblongata and an entire script just poured forth.” And that’s the end of it. A single draft. We stop at one draft of the script because everyone knows you’re going to hell if you dare to edit God! Who’s gonna do that? Rewrite the Almighty? Not me! Not Cousin Jon! Just ask him. You just know the SCL manuscript poured out in one draft onto rock tablets he hauled down from Stone Mountain…which Google tells me is somewhere outside of Atlanta.
2. Hiring the Holy Spirit as Our Cinematographer and/or Camera Op
I mean, if you’re prayed up, the sort of prayed up where you’re almost certain you could have walked on water in the bathtub this morning, then you don’t need to spend all that money on a Professional Director of Photography. 
No, you let Gerald the Quickbooks expert take care of it cause he’s not only got a “calling” for it, but his friend’s dad’s sister’s got a couple of Lowell lights. So while you rehearse your actors, Gerald walks around the set, light stand in hand, like Inigo Montoya from Princess Bride with his eyes closed trying to feeeeeel out the right path to the light path.
3. Heaping High Praise on Mediocre Films
I get it. I do. When you don’t have the financing and Studio backing that the big Hollywood pix have, you are stuck MacGrubering your film together with Bubblegum and Tinfoil and Gary Busey. But that’s all Robert Rodriguez had for “El Mariachi” (minus the Gary Busey part) and his $7K film not only launched his Hollywood career, but it still holds up almost 20 years later. And that was before Mini-DV and Final Cut Pro. He had to edit that film on 3/4″ decks…in the snow, uphill, both ways. Anyway, I’ve heard a lot of film pitches that included the words “the next Fireproof” and — how do I say this as delicately as possible — I just don’t think Honda got to where it is today with the Accord by wanting to build the next Ford Pinto. But then again, if Ford had released a companion book called “The Pinto Dare” listing 40 ways to show love to your Pinto in 40 days, history might have been rewritten and we’d all be driving explosive Civics.
Well, how’d I do, Cousin Jon? I’m gonna be honest here. These lists are not easy, dude. In fact, what started as an overly ambitious Top-20 list got whittled down to a Top 10, then a more Godly Top 7 but eventually petered out at Top 3….also pretty Holy.
So go right out, order your copy of “Stuff Christians Like” and place it proudly in the magazine rack beside your commode. Unless you’ve got a Kohler, which is worthy enough porcelain to place this golden book right on the flushy back part. Right beside your Hummels.
And if not, well, you just need to get prayed up.
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Jesus vs. Jesus and Smoking Hopium
May 11, 2010 by S David Acuff
Filed under Around the Web, Editorials, Headlines
Did you feel that latest earthquake? The epicenter is located in what Bob Briner refers to as the Christian Ghetto. Well you should have because there’s a rumble in the Bronx brewing and it’s gonna get ugly. No, I’m not referring to the Franklin Graham vs Barrack Obama UFC Cage match that really needs to happen. I refer to a Box Office showdown the likes of which we haven’t seen since Turner and Hooch vs. K-9, or Armaggedon vs Deep Impact, or Miley Cyrus vs. Hannah Montanna. Wait, what? How would that even work? I dunno…
Anywho…
I knew there was another Jesus movie in the works. It’s called “The Messiah” being developed by In Jesus Name Productions (ack! why can’t I even type these Christian ProdCo names without gagging on my Corn Pops…I’m SORRY, okay?!? It’s just…it’s…it’s NOT what Jesus did) and was all set to let it pass under the radar like the slow-moving fat kid in dodgeball that was an opportunity referred to as a “low hanging fruit”. In fact, I was bodily shielding him from the uber-athletic bullies on the other team. Until I discovered another slow-moving fat kid behind me. And realized I was on a whole team of slow-moving fat kids…at which point I decided to take up tennis.
But then I discovered there was another Jesus movie in the works! And I calmly set down my spoon, stood on the breakfast table and shook my fists to the heavens…cut to wideshot Raleigh where a piercing soulful wail resounded through the city like “whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?”
No. Seriously. Why?
Am I the only one on the planet who saw “The Passion of the Christ” by that little unknown fella named Melbourne Q. Gibson (prolly not his real name…you know those hollywood types). That was only 2004, Mr. ADHD. I realize there were some religious groups that panned it because they thought they were speaking in tongues…but it was actually Aramaic. The other God language. Sooooo, not a good excuse to remake it.
The Passion sits at #14 in all-time domestic film grosses. It’s a cinematic masterpiece. Great script. Great movie. It changed lives on both sides of the aisle…both the secular and the sacred. Did you see the other film that came out the year before? It was called “The Gospel of John” and attempted word for word fidelity to John’s point of view tale. It, however, sits at #4561 in all-time domestic film grosses.
I can hear the critics out there winding up with their dodgeballs and their overmuscled theological precision ready to rain down hellfire and gelatin on my head with the old, “it’s not about Box Office, Acuff, it’s about soulssssssss! Soulsssss for Jesussssss!” (And I’m not making fun, guys, just my ssssss key sticksss sometimessssss)
And that, Young Skywalker, is why you fail. But before I go there, let me tell you about Jesus Film #2.
The new film in development is called “Jesus: No Greater Love” and despite the “Jennifer’s Body” type horror film looking website where blood is gushing down the screen in a nauseating cascade there are many similarities to “The Messiah”.
Both ProdCo’s are calling their film development a “movement”. Not because it is indeed a movement, mind you, not like Facebook is a movement or the Greening of America is a movement or the Oreo cookie, but because the filmmakers NEEEEED it to be a movement. Mostly because their vision (read pricetag$) is so high that they don’t just need a couple love offerings….they need a loaves-and-fishes-cast-your-nets-on-the-other-side-til-they’re-full-til-breaking sorta festivus miracle.
I mean, the “Jesus:NGL” group doesn’t even have a script yet, but feels like they require $45M to make it happen. They even gave themselves til March 2010 and were a little disappointed that they only had raised $300K. Oh, the films I could make with $300K. I’m. Just. Saying.
This is the second biggest problem with both films….they are donations based. For a $45M film you don’t need donations you need investors. This isn’t PTL, guys. Like it or not, this is show biz. Donors give $10 and $20s to showbiz. Investors give thousands and millions. Donors get no return except the good feeling they’ve been a part of a “movement”. Investors receive monies back in the end so they are then freed up to fund OTHER worthy kingdom projects…keeping the momentum going. Donors watch as Ministry leaders ride around in Bentleys and Golden Jetplanes with Jacuzzis. Investors don’t care because they’ve got their OWN Bentleys and Jacuzzi Jets. Donors are PCs…Investors are Macs.
In the options trading market we’re warned about this lethal drug that can devastate your trading if you get addicted. It’s called “Hopium”. It’s called not doing your research and legwork, but getting into a trade just “hoping beyond hope” that the market goes your way. If that’s you, you’ve been smoking Hopium.
And these filmmakers are smoking Hopium if they think these huge monolithic endeavors are gonna fly waving inspirational pep rallies and car washes and bake sales. What’s gonna happen is that your $45M film will have to be made for $300K. Instead of CGI you’ll be using Plah-Doh. Instead of Al Pacino you get John Tesh. And instead of “The Passion” you get “Soul Plane”.
More importantly, instead of attracting “souls to Jesus” they’re just gonna point and laugh at the lack of narrative structure, corny acting and also the paper mache cross…then they’ll go back to Iron Man 2 and Friday the 13th part 47.
Don’t get me wrong, the Choir is gonna love ‘em!
Is there room for another Jesus Movie in 2010? Heck ya there is, Napolean! How about some sorta Frank Peretti-like treatment of the Crucifixion. Let’s see what was going down behind the scenes with Michael and Lucifer in the most epic battle of all times. THERE’S your $75M film idea. I’d see THAT in 3-D, smellivision or whatev you throw at me!
But let’s not be looking at a Ford Focus and you trying to sell it to me as a Ferrari. As the good book says, “Homey don’t play that!” (Psalms, I think).
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Locally Made Film Delves into Faith Issues
September 7, 2009 by S David Acuff
Filed under Around the Web, Editorials, Headlines
"Masquerade" Movie Poster
This is an article by Chuck Jacobs, a staff writer for the Fayetteville Observer who put together a solid story on our friend Jeremiah McLamb’s film project, MASQUERADE.
MASQUERADE is a feature length project shot on McLamb’s RED One. Produced and Directed and Shot and Lit predominately by McLamb, the film was also co-written by he and Wired4Film’s own David Acuff.
Principal photography is set to wrap this month and tentatively scheduled to premiere in Fayetteville, NC in October.
What started as an exercise for Northwood Academy’s High School Film class has become so much bigger. Funny how God still takes a couple of loaves and fishes and creates something infinitely bigger.
(EXCERPT) “I was sitting in church and realized that all around me was this masquerade,” said Director Jeremiah McLamb, the 25-year-old Fayetteville, NC native. “There were all these shining, happy faces, masking pain, hiding doubt. And I started wondering what happens when the masks come off?”
The result of those mid-sermon musings will be shown this fall. “Masquerade,” a film that delves into the spiritual struggles of faith and friendship, wraps up filming in Fayetteville during the next couple of weeks.
The film, a semester-long project, stars students and church members at Northwood Temple. And, unlike the people McLamb described sitting in church, it’s not shiny and happy.
“Masquerade” is, at times, gritty and tough to swallow. It stings and soothes at the same time, revealing some of the doubts and difficulties that come when walking a life of faith.
The result is far from amateur, however. McLamb began working on video productions while a student at Northwood Temple School and now runs a video production group in Fayetteville. He had a lot of help from professionals and top-flight digital technology.
He credits David Acuff, Brian and Rhonda Kent with maintaining the professional look and feel of a film.
Once production is finished, McLamb hopes to arrange a local screening. He believes the film will find a niche like “Facing The Giants” did in 2006. That film, also focusing on Christian themes, was made with volunteers from a Georgia church for about $100,000. It has since raised more than $10 million for the church and its missions.
The full article can be seen at the Fayetteville Observer HERE
Contact Info: Jeremiah McLamb
Jeremiah@Jerfilm.com
www.jerfilm.com
www.masqueradethemovie.com
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This Present Darkness: The Film That Almost Was
July 8, 2009 by S David Acuff
Filed under Wired4Film Exclusives
by John J. Schafer
“John J. Schafer’s dream project… Frank E. Peretti’s “This Present Darkness”. FX dream team… ILM, Stan Winston Studio, Weta Digital and Weta Workshop. Budget… Priceless;)”
I received about a dozen or so comments posted on my wall. I received 43 e-mails on the topic. I decided to dig up an old blog that I had written. The write up was originally posted on July 30, 2006 and has NOT been updated. The original blog was much longer but after being posted on Blogger and on MySpace I had received numerous e-mails which helped filter out rumors, the out-and-out lies, as well as shed some light on new facts and photographs.
I have no knowledge of what the current status of “This Present Darkness” or anyone’s current involvement if any.
____________________________________________________________________
History of Frank Peretti’s ‘This Present Darkness’ Movie
Originally Published on Blogger (July 30, 2006)
By John J. Schafer
Many of Frank Peretti’s devoted fans of This Present Darkness (TPD) have been eagerly awaiting the feature film adaptation. Over the years there have been numerous confirmed reports, as well as spurious rumors plaguing the internet about the development status of TPD.
Rewind to 1992
Over the years I heard rumblings of a TPD film in the early stages of development. I started researching to find out who was involved. Not only was I excitedly anticipating the film as an audience member, but truth be told, my secret desire was to be involved in some way with the movie production itself. In those days, the internet was barely out of its infancy. Netscape was the new kid on the block, replacing my good ol’ Mosaic browser. Remember the days when you did a search on Gopher (not Google) and maybe 50 items returned at most? Then there was the promise of different variations of JPEG on the horizon. The viral video of the day was an ACSII based animation of a character in a walk cycle! Needless to say, it was next to impossible to find any specific information about TPD on the web.
In the late 90′s, there was only one visual effects house that could take Peretti’s written text and breathe life into Tal (Captain of the Host of Heaven) and Rafar (Prince of Babylon). That studio had three simple letters to it’s name; I–L–M. The geek boy in me flashed back to the final space battle scene in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Seeing the swarms of Rebel X-Wing fighters engaging Imperial TIE fighters at break neck speeds, I envisioned them transforming into Tal’s army of angelic warriors slaying the demonic minions of the Strongman of Ashton. George Lucas’ arsenal of artisans and technicians, from Industrial Light Magic, were the only ones who could elevate the written text of that final epic battle between good and evil, to cinematic art.
There were a few make-up studios that could probably deliver the highly detailed prosthetics, full body suits, and animatronics necessary to bring Peretti’s vision to life. But one stood out among the rest, Stan Winston and his team would be on the ‘A’ list. Both ILM and Stan Winston Studio collaborated and awed audiences world wide with their work on James Cameron’s T2. It was several months later, after I had read TPD, that Jurassic Park premiered and revolutionized both visual and special effects, raising the bar for all films to come.
Advancing technology and the high level of cinematic artistry that is pushing the creative envelope today have liberated all storytellers’ imaginations beyond the confines of what was possible in the near past. ILM has now become an option and not necessarily the absolute. There are new players, boundless visionaries, like Weta Digital and Weta Work Shop, who have allowed us to journey with Frodo from his home in the Shire, to the uncharted prehistoric jungles of Skull Island, and into the magical land of Narnia.
Over a decade ago I needed to contract several conceptual designers for a production at the studio where I worked. I was reviewing resumes and portfolios in our conference room when I came across a simple bullet point that brought that geek boy bubbling out of me. There, right after that simple black bullet point, was the holy grail of all word-searches I’d ever done – Conceptual Designer for: This Present Darkness. The studio was 20th Century Fox and the director was Charles (Chuck) Russell. As I read on it was like following the dotted lines on a treasure map that takes you to where ‘X’ marks the spot. At the end of the sentence was an internet address to the artist’s on-line portfolio. I don’t even remember how I left the conference room and ended up in my office in front of the computer. I typed in the url and waited breathlessly. On my screen concept art and storyboards came up. They were from well know blockbuster films. You’d think I’d have been impressed… awestruck… but all I cared about was finding even the smallest thumbnail sketch of TPD – to see what could have been. As I scrolled down paintings of angelic warriors and demons began appearing with small text beneath, This Present Darkness.
I gathered enough information to use in the search queries which then lead to the mother load. Though, I never found the secret animation tests that have been rumored about over the years, I did come across many more concept illustrations and paintings. At one point in my quest I stumbled on several storyboard layouts and sculptures, or what are known today as maquettes. I saved everything on my computer and burned a CD. As time moved on, the computer eventually died and the CD became a coaster.
Fast forward to today
Read the resumes thoroughly and you will see what role these people played during the early development stages of TPD. I did not provide IMDB info on these artists only because the information posted on IMDB are productions completed or in current development. I subscribe to IMDBpro.com , which gives much more detailed information about professionals in the industry. However, there is still no mention of TPD. It doesn’t mean that there is no further development going on, but rather that the reference lists on IMDB may not have been updated.
I used to get frustrated with all the false starts and rumors of TPD’s development. Like all things I have come to learn, its God timing. Look at the advancement of technology and what was achieved in the 90′s. Studios today are seeking more faith-based properties, simply because they realize after the success of The Passion and Narnia that Christians have a voice and they have buying power. There are very successful Christians in the industry who have professed their faith and have great favor and influence with key decision makers in the industry. With everything going on in the world today, people are searching – seeking for media that provides direction; in films, books, internet, television, and believe it or not, in Asia, even on mobile phones!
It seems like this would be a great time and opportunity for TPD to make its big screen debut. We need to continue to keep this production in prayer. We need to believe that the right people can and will be assembled to retain the integrity of the story and characters. And most of all we need to voice our desire that that the message contained in the brilliant vision that is This Present Darkness, not be compromised.
Here are some materials currently available on the internet regarding the early development of TPD.
CONCEPTUAL ARTISTS
Miles Teves
Cannom Creations (Owned by Greg Cannom)
This Present Darkness – Art Director/Character Designer (1997)
Profile: Miles Teves
http://www.milesteves.com/resume.php
(Overall coordinator of the Seige of Ashton) by Miles Teves
Conceptual painting of either Rafar (Prince of Babylon) or The Strongman
(Overall coordinator of the Seige of Ashton) by Miles Teves
Demon of either Rafar (Prince of Babylon) or The Strongman (Overall coordinator of the Seige of Ashton) created at Cannom Creations designed by Miles Teves
July 3, 2009
Stephan Martiniere
20th Century Fox
This Present Darkness – Conceptual Designer
Profile: Stephen Martiniere
http://www.martiniere.com/resume.htm
Stephen Martiniere
Marc Vena
20th Century Fox
This Present Darkness – Storyboard Artist
http://www.famousframes.com/cgi-bin/ImageFolio31/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Artists/0890~Marc_Vena/Films/This_Present_Darkness
TyRuben Ellingson
Industrial Light + Magic
This Present Darkness (Test) – Conceptual Designer (1998)
Excerpt of ILMfan.com’s 1998 interview with TyRuben
STZ: Are you still working at ILM?
TY: My position at ILM is what they call “Casual Status”. I still have an phone there, but what it really boils down to is I’m a free agent. ILM can call me in at any time, which they most recently did on Chuck Russell’s new movie “This Present Darkness”.
Full Interview:
http://www.ilmfan.com/articles/1998/interview_tyruben_ellingson
David J. Stephen
Industrial Light + Magic
This Present Darkness (Test) – Senior Technical Director
Profile: David J. Stephen
http://www.thescratchpost.com/artists/oct00/dave/dave_bio.shtml
William Stout
Charles Russell
This Present Darkness – Presentation art and designs (1992)
Profile: William Stout
http://www.dinosaur.org/dinodel/dinodelstout.htm
VARIOUS PRODUCERS INVOLVED AT ONE POINT
20th Century Fox
This Present Darkness – Director
Profile: Chuck Russell
http://www.showbizdata.com/pcredits.cfm?nameid=26847
(Producer: Return of the Jedi / Executive Producer: Raiders of the Lost Ark)
20th Century Fox
This Present Darkness – Producer
Original producer involved for This Present Darkness. Not sure of Howard Kazanjian’s participation with the re-activated development.
Profile: Howard Kazanjian
http://www.showbizdata.com/pcredits.cfm?nameid=86469
20th Century Fox
This Present Darkness – Producer
Not officially confirmed, briefly mentioned in The Dove Foundation interview with Frank Peretti (Famous Author Peretti Tries To Keep It Simple)
Full Interview:
http://www.dove.org/news/interviews/peretti.htm
Profile: Michael De Luca
http://www.showbizdata.com/pcredits.cfm?nameid=1040362
John Fornof
Focus on the Family
This Present Darkness – Screenplay Writer
Not officially confirmed, briefly mentioned in 2005 exclusive on Infuze.com. You will need to register to read the article.
Full Interview:
http://www.infuzemag.com/news/archives/2005/08/this_present_da.html
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GRAPHIC NOVEL PITCH
By Adam Meyer (a.k.a. Shard)
“Present Darkness Comic” on MySpace.com
http://groups.myspace.com/presentdarknesscomic
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Back on February 20, 2006 I had the opportunity to meet with Frank E. Peretti, author of This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, The Oath and The Visitation.
John J. Schafer
Trailer-JonathanSperry-ChristianoFilmGroup
June 8, 2009 by S David Acuff
Filed under Movie Trailer
ProdCo: Five&Two Pictures and the Christiano Film Group
Title: The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
Trailer-Fissure-TopPupMedia
June 8, 2009 by S David Acuff
Filed under Movie Trailer
ProdCo: Top Pup Media
Title: Fissure
Hooray For ‘Godlywood’
June 5, 2009 by S David Acuff
Filed under Around the Web, Headlines
BOX OFFICE BUSTERS FROM ‘GODLYWOOD’
An ABCNews report by Neal Karlinsky about Faith-based flicks which are rising above some of the Hollywood heavyweights. The main hook is a new Dave Christiano Film “The Secret of Jonathan Sperry” (Trailer HERE) but also looks at the recent box office success of “Fireproof” — the highest grossing independent film in 2008.
Watch the video at ABCNEWS.COM
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