Greetings dear reader. There’s no way in sugar coating this so I’m going to get right to it.
I’m officially halting all production on this film project effective immediately.
Come again?
Allow me to explain.
Back in 2011 when I was writing the screenplay, I knew that if I chose to film this story that it was going to be a gauntlet in of itself to create it. The amount of visual effects shots, the compositing, 3D modeling, motion design, sound design, etc., all of it was daunting when you’re facing it by yourself. I honestly believed that when all of the shots were filmed, I predicted I could have two years tops in finishing the project. Incredibly naive I know. Currently, I’m closing in on 7 years on this project and the sobering reality is that I’m not even close in finishing the project. 7 YEARS!
Please hear me state that the process so far has been incredibly rewarding. Throughout those 7 years I’ve accomplished so much artistically but also technically in working with the software. The speed at which I can create ideas that I have through the software is quite astounding. What is frustrating though is that the finished product isn’t done yet. I’m disappointed because I fervently want to show people the completed scenes that showcases all of the completed work. This would be a moot point though because I’d have to explain what is going on in the scene, rather than just showing a completed short film.
Because of this frustration, I believe, is the motivation for me to find a different outlet to showcase my creative talent. During this year, I’ve been brainstorming an idea of potentially creating a YouTube Channel that would help educate new sports fans by teaching them the basics in becoming a fan of a professional or collegiate sports team. Since each video would be a “lesson”, I chose to name the channel LURKS LESSONS, with “Lurk” being the first pronunciation of my last name. From the months of March through August, I began doing some sketches and designs of how the channel should look like, along with creating potential logos to brand the channel. Mind you I did this when I couldn’t work on the film while I was at home, during my free time.
Lurks Lessons Banner
From this posting, YouTube currently supports the right of “fair use“, meaning that people can use other entities copyrighted image and likeness for their videos. Personally, I believe this won’t be in effect at some point in the future because of the fact that so many YouTuber’s today have their channel monetized IN using other people’s videos/image/likeness WITHOUT their permission. I could be wrong, but I didn’t want to play with fate, especially if my channel does get monetized. So with all of that being said, I decided to create my own designs of the sports teams logos and implemented their current colors. You can see the playlist below of each league represented including collegiate. I also animated each team so that when I do a video on the league or the sports team itself, the animation is already complete. All in all, this work took over the course of 6-8 months.
With all of the designs of the teams and brand of the channel in place, I had to come up with a concept of how the “How To Be A Fan” episodes would flow. Through trial and error, I came up with a concept of filming myself on green screen hosting and then go into five basic categories of being a fan of said team. I am happy to announce that I’ve released the very first episode to the channel where I explain how to be a Bowling Green Falcons Football fan, my alma mater. You can watch the video below!
To be fully transparent, the original goal for creating this film was for me to get a job in my field. Back in 2010-11, I was a dime a dozen when it came to videographers trying to get a job in the Nashville, TN area. I chose to create a film that could set me apart from the competition, especially as it showcased my VFX capabilities. That goal was reached back in 2014. I am now fully into my career as a videographer and motion designer. I couldn’t be happier in that regard.
Will I come back to the project? I honestly can’t say at this point. I’m hopeful that I will finish the film someday but right now, it’s healthier for me as a creative to step aside from the project and expand into new territory. Who knows what the future might bring.
Until then, you can check out my work on my Channel, Lurks Lessons.
“The problem in cinema is that you can never predict what will happen.”
– Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner: 2049, Prisoners, Arrival)
