Libertas Picture Company

So as we tie up a neat little bow on phase 1, it's time to move on to phase 2. "What?!" I hear you say. "There's phases to this thing?" Indeed there are, Inquisitive Reader.

I now have the equipment and capability to shoot movies, music videos, web series, and/or anything else our imaginations and cook up. And so I would like to open the doors of the Libertas Picture Company.

If you live in the greater Chattanooga area, and have a story you'd like to tell, but up till now haven't had the equipment you've needed to do so, well it's time for you to look me up. Since film has all but gone the way of the cassette tape, I'm not going to call Libertas Picture Company a film studio. No, it's a story-telling studio. What stories do you have? What ideas do you have peculating?

Have a song that needs a music video? Have a short film idea that needs capturing? Have an idea for an ongoing web series? Have a feature-length film script that's just collecting dust?

Contact me via this blog, via Facebook, or e-mail me at tsfogg@gmail.com and let's see if we can't get your story told.

Hiccup

So far in the Acquiring of the Hardware That I Need the only hiccup I've run into is I accidentally bought the wrong memory cards for the camera -- if only the hiccup I ran into was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. The stories he could tell me! But alas, it was not he that I ran into, instead if was memory cards that couldn't record HD video fast enough. *sigh*

I returned the memory cards and got some newer and more improved memory cards and they seem to be working just fine. Upon returning home I also ordered the boom mic kit that I needed. So, with the thousands of dollars I spent this week, and Loren's editing equipment and audio recorder, we're ready to be making movies again (or anytime we want, really).

So I'm back to writing now. But knowing that I have all this equipment at my disposal has changed the feeling of writing. Now writing has a very clear purpose and a very clear end. Everything I write, I can shoot! And not in some far-off mystery land veiled in fog and guarded by untrained dragons. I could write something today and shoot it tomorrow!

If tomorrow wasn't Sabbath.

And if I could get the actors and crew together that I needed.

But I could do it!

Success!

With the money I've raised thus far, I went to Best Buy's website and applied for a credit card. I didn't really want to, it's not like I need another monthly credit card payment, but with it, I could go into the store and buy the camera, the tripod, the spare batteries and the spare memory cards. And, with it, I don't have to pay interest on the camera for 18 months.

Now, I'm going to turn around and pay off half that card. Just BAM send them a big check tomorrow. Or Friday. Or, actually, whenever the check card arrives in the mail for the checking account I set up for Libertas Picture Company. Then, with the leftover money, I'm going to buy a boom mic -- the only other thing I really need to start making movies again.

A light kit would be nice. But I have China Balls and Lord knows how much I love the soft, warm glow of China Balls. I'll be fine for some time.

Anyway. I just wanted to keep everybody that wanted to be in the loop in the loop and the rest of you . . . why are you here?

;)

Sacrifices, part 2

I'm beginning to think God had bigger plans for me than the Create Here grant would have allowed. When I got my rejection letter, my mom said, "that just tells me that there's something bigger or better out there for you." I knew she was trying to comfort me and I knew she believed what she was saying, but it did little in the way of taking away the sting of rejection.

But now here I sit, 196 movies poorer and 1200 dollars richer. I can't help but feel that I've been rewarded for stepping out in faith. I've declared my priorities, my passion, and my desire, and the money which I made from the initial sale of movies doubled in less than 24 hours. And then 20 extra dollars came forth. And now, the very fine Rick Hardaway (who plays General Rhodes), having heard all this, has promised another 100 dollars to the fund.

So I'm doing it again. Or still. Or . . . actually I'm not sure what tense to use, but tomorrow I'm taking in all my graphic novels and trade paper backs. Good-bye Spider-Man, Superman, Wolverine, and Batman. We'll meet again, I'm sure. But right now I'd rather be making movies and telling stories than stockpiling your old tales.

Just as with the movies, there are a couple I'm holding onto. But right now I'm looking at nine grocery bags full of hardback books that I'm trading in for cold, hard cash. Because I'm committed to this. I was created for and called to a very specific purpose and I'm not going to let something as petty as money get in the way.

UPDATE: Made $275.23 from my 92 books.

Which means we now have $1478.51
Which means we're 72% there!

If you have that other 28%, or a portion of that 28% and would like to help, do let me know!

That Which We Need (The Woes)

I've decided to let everyone in on our financial woes. They're not woes in the traditional sense, but woes in the sense that they are what is standing in the way of us pursuing further seasons of Remnants as well as any future film projects.

Here is the reasonablly short list of things we need (and are currently raising money to purchase). I've included links so you can check the equipment for yourself.

1 Canon Digital Rebel T2i - 899.95

2 spare camera batteries - 95.98

4 camera memory cards - 163.80

1 Portable Audio Recorder - 299

1 Shotgun Mic Kit - 599.95

Which, for those of you interested in the math, brings us to $2,058.68

We have raised $603.28

We are 29% there.

July 12 UPDATE!!

A very fine couple (who shall remain nameless until I have their permission to tell the world what they just did) read my blog and said they'd be happy to match what I've already raised!

Which means we have now raised $1,203.28

We are 58% there!

Which means right now, we could buy the camera, the spare batteries and a couple of memory cards.

God is so good.

July 13th UPDATE!!

Took in 92 of my comic books/grapic novels/trade paper backs and made $275.23.

Which means we now have $1478.51
Which means we're 72% there!

If you have that other 28%, or a portion of that 28% and would like to help, do let me know!

Sacrifices

We applied for the Create Here grant and didn't get it. Apparently the "winners" of the grant were more established Chattanooga artists. I suppose I can understand that. If I was giving away a lot of money, I'd want to think I was giving it someone who would use it wisely -- and who else can you trust but people who have already proven themselves as trustworthy and who have already made a name for themselves without your help?

Though, I do also have to admit, I'd be less excited about helping someone who already owned their own studio. I know what they're going to do with the money. I'd like to help some no-name up 'n' comer who needs a boost up. But that's neither here nor there.

We don't have any money and we need equipment. We could continue to beg, borrow, and steal equipment from our wealthier friends, but I'd rather reserve those called-in favors for more dire needs (like for a steadicam sequence or what-have-you).

Hence the title of this blog: Sacrifices. I've known people, and continue to be friends with people, who are big dreamers but not big doers. They talk about all these wonderful things, but don't really seem to ever do anything to actually get themselves closer to accomplishing their dreams. I'm not going to be one of those people.

Step 1 in getting closer to the dream is selling my DVD's and Blu-Rays. I want you to understand what this means. I have upwards of 500 DVD's and Blu-Rays. I haven't counted them in a while, but I was definitely close to that last time I did (I have been downsizing, though, so I'm probably hovering much lower nowadays). This is a finely tuned and sculpted collection I've been working on for that past 10 years. I love movies. I love owning movies. But I'm not going to let my library of movies get in the way of my dreams. I'm taking them into McKay today and selling them. Whatever I make on these movies, I'm putting towards a camera.

It's a sad day. It's a scary day. It's also a thrilling, exciting, I'm about-to-step-off-the-ledge day. So here goes. I hope, like Indiana Jones, there's an invisible bridge to catch me.

UPDATE: I made $583.28 from 196 movies.

UPDATE 2: After reading this blog, an anonymous donor gave me $20, pushing the grand total to 603.28. Thanks, Anonymous!