Where Has The Bull Been?

A funny thing happened on the way to my blog…

I became screenwriter. No more is this notion fleeting fancy (a hobby as some might contend); it’s a reality. I sold an option on one of my screenplays several months ago to another filmmaker here in the Permian Basin and since that time my life has been much akin to a good old-fashioned West Texas dust-devil. Closing that deal opened a door of opportunity. The producer invited the wife and I to merge our fledgling production company with his and the end result is El Jefe Media, Inc. We now do web design, web hosting, instructional and training videos, commercials, weddings, special events, and (of course) we’ll be shooting our first feature film this fall. Check us out!

Last night we offered a part to a very wealthy and important person in these parts. We didn’t do it because we wanted some of his money (although that wouldn’t be too bad either). On the contrary, we offered him the part because the character was loosely based on him in the first place. It’s not a leading role, but certainly one that will get him back out there in the public eye, where he hasn’t been for a very long time.

Next step: finding a lead actress.

The film is entitled Coffee, Tea, or Me. It’s set in a truck stop in barren West Texas and the lead character is a female waitress whose nickname is “Me.” The story has lots of colorful characters (much like the fellow we offered the part to last night.) and takes place over the course of one very pivotal day. There are four primary female roles up for grabs, including the lead, and one leading African-American male. We plan to start casting these after the first of the year. We’ll fill out the rest of the cast with interesting characters we know from around here that fit the bill.

Eventually, our media group will also have a full-fledged on-line movie magazine. We hope to have the rolled out by the end of 2006.

More great news—Shari Hamrick has agreed to be the president of The Basin Film Society. Shari has over fifteen years experience in the film industry as a production assistant, production coordinator, location coordinator, and producer. Check out her IMDb page! As you can see, it makes mine look pretty sparse. Her primary agenda as our president will be to form our non-profit status.

Which is great news for The Desert Reel Film Festival. We’ve been in limbo ever since ArtWalk folded last year, sans tax shelter. Once Shari manages to get our non-profit status up and running, The Basin Film Society will be able to oversee the festival.

Festival dates for The Desert Reel Film Festival have been moved to November 2-5, 2006.

It’s going to be a life-changing, fantastic year!