Recapping… I did this in February of last year (2012), and got a few response, so I figured, a year-and-a-half later, with the site’s audience now larger than it was back then, that I’d try it again.
I know that a significant chunk of S&A’s audience comprises of actors, actresses, directors, DPs, editors, etc, etc, etc. Some are able to earn a paycheck utilizing their artistic and/or technical skills; others – and I’d say the majority – are what we’ve labeled the proverbial *starving artists*, working diligently, relentlessly, struggling to climb this incredibly steep hill, trying to reach some pinnacle of success – whether personal or professional. And still others exist somewhere between the former and the latter.
Where do you fall? And, as the title of this post states, what’s YOUR story, and would you like to share it with the rest of the world?
Think of it as an extension of the successful S&A Filmmaker Diary series we launched almost 2 years ago. I’m looking for your individual stories of struggle and/or success, regardless of what rung on the ladder you are currently on, after all, not only is S&A just a source for news, its goal is also to become a community of cinema lovers where we can all share/debate/discuss/learn/teach/commiserate/etc.
Here’s your chance. You might learn something; you might teach someone something.
What’s YOUR story? You can email me (obensont@gmail.com). You can submit your story in any format – written, or even documented on video. I’ll post as many of them as I can. Substance and presentation are key for consideration.
And be sure to attach a photo (large size) for me to include, and if you have samples of your work, include them as well.
It could be a story about a current situation you find yourself in; or it could cover several days, weeks, months, or years of your career. It could be that you just want to vent your frustrations; aspects of, or people in this business that piss you off; aspects of, or people in the industry that encourage you. It doesn’t have to be all negative, nor all positive. We’re complex people, and so I assume our stories are as well.
In today’s post, filmmaker/novelist/singer-
My name is Calvin J Walker. I am a 26 year old filmmaker/novelist/singer-
songwriter. I’ started writing when I was ten years old. And, I’ve been doing it ever since. I wrote/produced/directed myfirst play when I was in fourth grade. I’ve always known that I would end up in the entertainment realm. Now, I’m here and I’m ready to make my mark. I attempted writing my first novel, “The Rebirth of Midnight’s Child,” at age 15. Unfortunately, my computer crashed and took my manuscript along with it. At the age of 21, I attempted to write another novel, “The Gallery.” The novel was a Christian fiction work about a young man who was battling with his sexuality and spirituality. As a teenager, I became hooked on E Lynn Harris novels. I loved the realness of his work. It was no holds barred and the characters were so rich and full. I wanted to create rich characters like these inside of the Christian fiction genre.
The novel was published in 2010. In an attempt to get more publicity for the book, a friend of mine, Vic Barnes, suggested that I do a book trailer. The trailer turned out to be our first award-winning short film, “Judges 19.” After finding success with our first effort, I wrote/produced “The Most Beautiful Flower Blooms in Winter.” The story revolves around the life of a young girl who was orphaned after her mother dies at the hand of her father. “Flower” became our first international success. The film showed at the 2012 Dawn Breakers International Film Festival in Switzerland.
In 2013, I’ve written and produced three new short films (“Somewhere, “Alone with my Thoughts,” and “The Other Side of Silence.”). I directed two of the three (“Somewhere” and “The Other Side of Silence.”) I’ve been very blessed to work with some amazing talent. Most of our projects have been zero-budget; our max budget has been $300.
In addition to short film, I’m working on my first feature film, “One in the Chamber.” The project takes a look at the relationship between a preacher that has been imprisoned for spreading Christianity in a banned country and the jailer that has been given charge over him. The story is loosely based around the popular passage of scripture found in Acts 16:16-40. We’re in pre-production for the feature. We’re looking to launch the Kick Starter campaign for the project in the near future. In addition to that, my first webseries, “Fallen Star,” will premiere next spring on the newly formed Beacon Entertainment Network.
All of my projects are produced under my company, Watchmen Media Productions. Watchmen Media was formed in 2009. The goal of the company is to produce bold, edgy, relevant content for the Kingdom of God. Please check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CalvinJWalker
. Thanks for allowing me to share my story. Below, I’ve pasted the links to 3 of my short films and 1 teaser for your consideration:
“The Most Beautiful Flower Blooms In Winter” from WatchmenMediaProd on Vimeo.
