What I learned working with my film composer Kieran Kiely
I have a confession - I’m not a musical person. I don’t listen to music when I work. I’m not the guy who can rattle off the names of different bands and musical genres. But when it comes to movies, even I know that music can make or break a film. The problem is that...
Cut Throat: A New Short Fillm
Excited to continue working with my buddy Tom Colley on quick, fun projects. More information on this film will be coming soon but this is another 1 day shoot that we were able to pull off recently.
New Short Film Shot in one Day
I'm excited to tell you that we just wrapped production on a new short film. My friend Tom Colley and I co-directed a little short I wrote in one day at his apartment. It was a blast and I'm just about done with post as well. Just have to solidify a couple options in...
Celebrate Your Wins – Staying in the Filmmaking Game
If you’re going to succeed in the film business it is crucial that you stick with it and stay motivated. The best way to stay in the game is to celebrate your wins. A lot of people getting into the film have their eyes set on grandiose goals that are often hard to...
The Two-Person Crew and the future of filmmaking
Filmmaking with a Two-Person crew - are you serious, Jon? Yes I am. It’s time for filmmaking to change. There are too many filmmakers out there trying to make movies according to the 1990’s Arthouse system. Gone are the days where independent pictures can seriously...
What Hollywood Won’t Do
Times are changing in the media world quickly. Moviepass just bought Moviefone and it seems that every blog is talking about how silicon valley is replacing Hollywood studios. One thing that has proved to be true is that if you want to get attention you need to stand...
Thinking Visually as a Writer
Thinking visually as a writer - is it important? As a screenwriter, there are many obstacles you must overcome in order for your script to be exciting enough for someone to want to make it. It’s a unique craft. Unlike a novel where someone can kind of like a book - if...
Thinking of Film as a Business First
Making films is hard. There are a lot of moving pieces to making a great film. You can also make the production process even more difficult if you chose to get fancy with your equipment, shot list, locations, art direction, etc. One of the most disheartening things...
Amelie: Favorite Film Friday
Amelie came out in 2001. Seventeen years have passed and I have yet to see another film that captures the magic of cinema as well. 2001 was the year I graduated from high school and the year I started taking screenwriting seriously and that was in no small part as a...
Are Drones Overused?
Are drones overused in production today? There was a time not long ago when getting a helicopter shot for your film immediately upped the production value. If you were lucky enough to have such a shot and you put it in your film in the first few minutes you could...