Screenwriting

I'm working on my second full-length feature script. The first was Voir Dire, which I banged my head against for a couple of years. It was a learning experience and getting committed to finishing a script that I started. I rewrote it about six times, it's been in development for so long, many people have offered opinions and suggestions to make a good script better. Even now, Kim is rearranging and adding some extra touches of her own before it gets sent out to Hollywood.

Now, the new story I'm drafting is a radically different idea, as all of my story ideas tend to be. Kim and I were talking last night, and the funny thing about writing is -- letting the story come out.  It's inside, but I'm always wanting to second guess and challenge it. If it's easy to write - there must be something wrong - it can't be good if the scenes just spill out on the page without all the struggle and debate of "is this really any good?" Kim tells me that a partial script I wrote years ago is really great, but I tell her that I wrote it over a weekend, it can't be any good. That's the benefit of allowing other people to read stuff. Get feedback and see if it's going anywhere. So I'll be experimenting with just letting the images come into my head and writing the scenes. I'm always up for trying new things, and easier is better than difficult -- but is it any good? Perhaps that's not for me to decide.

It's been fun to write some of the smaller short stories, like "All I Ever Hear Is Crabcakes!" That script was written in a couple of hours and then put on the shelf. When Kim and I were looking for a story to create for the Trail Dance Film Festival short film competition, Lexi kept asking when we were going to make that movie. After all, she's the star, it's her story, and she wants to be famous.

So, we dusted off the script, Kim rewrote it and got it into a few pages. We went and shot it, and after getting in the cutting room, I realized there was no way in hell it was going to fit into one-minute. Yet, through the magic of editing, I ruthlessly cut out every second that didn't have a purpose in telling the story, and managed to squeeze it into 60 seconds. It turned out to be very cute and funny. The kids all did great and it's satisfying to see a story come to life and watch other people enjoy it.

You can check Crabcakes out at the Trail Dance Film Festival website. They are having a competition - go vote for it (yes, you have to!)  Click the link HERE.

For me, screenwriting is such an internal affair. When I wrote Contactee, it was the first story I crafted with the intention to direct. It was subject matter I knew about in depth, but I still struggled with the writing. It took a couple of months to get 20 pages written. Contactee turned out well and is doing good at the local festivals and will be playing at Trail Dance in January.

I would like to expand Contactee into a feature story and the concept Kim and I came up with is different in it's scope and much more tragic. If I get the chance to write it, the exploration into that world again will be an interesting journey. I love UFO's and the paranormal, and that's something I always want reflected in the stories I tell. The fantastic tales.

No Lie Films

The new website is up and running for our production company. No Lie Films. Our aim is to push the cinematic and storytelling limits here in Oklahoma to create great products for clients, either commercial, promotional, or music video. We're also developing feature film projects. We've got some fantastic stories coming along and great scripts.
Kimberly Noe is Producing projects while I am directing and we've been assembling a fantastic team of talent that loves what they do.
You can also visit our Facebook page! Check it out.
www.noliefilms.com

Fire Embers and Smoke

Uploaded this to Vimeo. I've been experimenting with fire simulations in After Effects. I have to create the individual planes to make it look right. The smoke is a little to dark.

Fire embers and smoke from Jeff Leyerle on Vimeo.

Working with particle effects simulating fire in AE.

No Lie Films

The new production company is gaining momentum as we put the word out there. We have a great team and so much talent for filmmaking. Lots of projects in development, stories, scripts, commercials and more.
Kimberly Noe is producing projects for us and she's making things happen. We've set our sights high and know that expectations are everything when it comes to creating high quality projects.
Stay tuned for more. Check out our facebook page, too! ----->

Been a proactive month

You know what they say about too many irons in the fire.

I suppose it doesn't really mean anything, after all, in a fire, all the irons get hot right?

Have called lots of local companies for production work, we've done some great pre-production for AirOne Flight Academy. However, it appears we'll have to postpone the project until srping, but it's going to be incredibly cool and the client wants to get it done right, just like I do.

Also, been working on numerous screenplay ideas and are developing those into products of value for myself to direct. Creating something of value for the masses is an interesting process. Certainly packaging entertainment can't only be about yourself, because eventually millions of people can come on board that project if it's done right - to entertain.
We have one hot property that Kim and I are sending out to LA. I'll let you know what happens.

All I Hear is Crabcakes! is almost finished. I'm going to sample it around to see what all you friends think. It's been a fun 60 second project for the Trail Dance Film Fest Competition. Putting a complete story in that short time span is a challenge, I can't wait to share it with you guys here, but it may not be until after it premieres at the festival at the end of January.

Video games are too damn fun and they seem to interfere with my creativity and output, so Steam was uninstalled the other night. No more team fortress for six-eight hours a night. Or any other games for that matter. I'd love to kick up some WoW right now and go raiding. Ah well, back to work.

Remember, take risks and live life to the fullest.

A great week for awards at SWFF!

Contactee won Best Okie Flick at the Southern Winds Film Festival. I wrote, produced and directed this short sci-fi film, it was released in late 2006. It was amazing to get it into the festival this year and I had a great time meeting great people and filmmakers.

James Bridges, the director of SWFF informed me that the judges for the Best Okie Flick were all from the Oklahoma Film Commission and they unanimously voted Contactee for this award. I am honored by this award and I thank the commission for their interest in this film. Thank you!

Take Me To Heart won Best Music Video at SWFF. I participated as Director of Photography and it's so great to be part the project. Monte Wilson, the director, and his producer Kevin Kruger, have been taking this video around the world, winning awards and getting wonderful press for Brian Menshew and his album Notes on the Human Condition. It's wonderful to win awards and I give thanks to everyone on the team and those that recognized the work of a very talented Monte Wilson. Thank you!

Contactee showing at SWFF

SWFF is in its fourth year and seems to be growing and getting lots of recognition for indie film and video projects.


I am privileged and honored to have my sci-fi (syfy?) short film Contactee showing at Southern Winds Film Festival, in Shawnee, OK this weekend. The showtime for Contactee is Saturday evening, 9:20pm at their outdoor venue. Can't tell you exactly where that is, only because I've never been there before. :D
This was my first shot at directing a narrative story of this scale. Everyone worked so hard on this movie and the results can only speak for themselves.
As always thank you to mom & dad, friends, family, crew, cast, producers, costumes, food, location owners....the list goes on. Thank you!
I hope the weather turns out nice and we have a great evening of fun flicks to watch!




Also showing at SWFF is the music video Take Me To Heart, directed by Monte Wilson. It's showing right after Contactee at the outdoor venue, Saturday evening at 10:00pm.
I was fortunate enough that Monte called and asked me to participate in this project. It turned out beautifully and I am truly stunned at the results. Monte showcased his talent at directing on this project and has submitted this film to festivals around the world. It has been getting tons of recognition and awards. I am humbled.

www.southernwindsfilmfestival.com