Hi Everyone!
I've been so busy lately, I've not had the time to blog much. I figured it was the right time to post a short update on what's been taking up most of my time.
Well, I finally scored the Adobe Master Collection CS6, which include After Effects! I've been focusing on learning more about AE, as a majority of my projects tend to lean towards the visual side of things.
I began sorting through my older short stories, scripts & storyboards to see if there was anything that I could develop into a short movie that would take full advantage of After Effects, but it needed to be simple. Most of the things I have written and storyboarded were too complicated for an initial effort, so I began searching for something to adapt to suit a smaller enterprise.
Being a huge H.P. Lovecraft fan, I decided to use his material. So, I started scouring his writings to find something that met my criteria:
1)- Could be adapted to remain faithful.
2)- Short enough to remain within my capabilities to film/edit/SFX, etc.
3)- Can be completed within an almost non-existent budget.
4)- A Lovecraft story no one else had tried to adapt to film yet.
I found the perfect piece, "The Thing in the Moonlight". Not only does it meet all criteria with absolute perfection, but it's got creatures! A good-old monster story!
I began by creating conceptual artwork for both creatures featured in the short story and have now finalized the designs. Sketches, concepts, notes and re-reading the story about 150 times resulted in many hours of work...but it's fun! I did Tweet a single conceptual creature concept so get a reaction and it was all favorable. Once I have the time to scan them all, I'll post them on a Blog update.
Currently, I am one-half completed with the initial script and have completed story boarding the shots of what has been written thus far. I'm hoping to shoot something that will fall in or around 7-12 minutes long when finished. I will have to cast 2 main characters & their younger selves along with 1 central character. I've actually scouted some locations and will have to contact a man in our area to have access to a turn of the 20th century trolley...but other than that, it's all After Effects. With the exception of two practical creatures that will be crafted.
So, the problem I am having is the same issues that every Lovecraft adaptation has ever had: "How is it possible to interpret his writings into a visual format without destroying the original material or losing it's 'Lovecraftian' tones?".
Well, with this short story, what you read is exactly what you will get...almost. I've crafted a wraparound story that should link the body and ideas of the short story, while keeping it intact. That's really the only way to go with the choice I've made. To simply film what is written would not work- it wouldn't make sense. However, there are mentioned characters who, in an expanded capacity, would provide a common link to the "nightmare" itself. Hopefully, what I've chosen to do with it will translate to the screen. I honestly think it will.
Anyway, that's what I've been up to. It really is just like Troma Team owner Lloyd Kaufman said: "Go Make Your Own Damn Movie!".
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