Imagination is available now at Amazon for 1 dollar. It follows the story of Billy, a young boy with a huge imagination. Unfortunately for him the cause for his vivid imagination is also what is killing him.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Imagination Has Manifested
Imagination is available now at Amazon for 1 dollar. It follows the story of Billy, a young boy with a huge imagination. Unfortunately for him the cause for his vivid imagination is also what is killing him.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Book 2: Imagination
A few months ago I was watching The Mummy: Curse of the Emperor’s Tomb…not my idea. There was a particular scene where Brendan Fraser’s character gets hurt and must travel to Shangri-La to get healed. During that scene is when the original idea for Imagination wormed itself into my brain.
Imagination like the title suggests is a very important part of the story and was the one thing throughout the many iterations of the story that remained from the original concept. Originally the story was going to be about an imaginative artist that gets diagnosed with brain cancer and believes that if he can find Shangri-La that he would be magically healed. This was the original premise.
As time wore on and brainstorms were made the story eventually took form into what it is today. Imagination is now about a young boy named Billy who has a very vivid imagination that helps him overcome bullies, a neglectful mom and most importantly provides him with imaginary friends that he can play with. Although the story drastically changed the main theme never has. What if the thing that made you happy was also killing you?
Imagination will soon be on sale at Amazon, available for the Kindle, PC, Tablets, Smart Phones and whatever other reading devices out there.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
PITCH-FEST AND SELF DOUBT
A Pitch-Fest is an event where writers get an opportunity to pitch their ideas to Hollywood Execs, Managers and Agents.
This past Saturday was the first one I ever attended. Below is a dramatic reenactment of what happened before the event.
INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Frank is nicely dressed in slacks and a buttoned up shirt.
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
Frank exits his house. Before he closes the door a shadowy figure skitters out behind him.
The shadowy figure jumps behind a bush unseen.
INT. YARIS - MORNING
Once entering his car, Frank adjusts his rear view mirror and catches a glimpse of the mysterious shadow figure but when he looks in the backseat nothing is there.
He starts his car and pulls out of the driveway.
EXT. 101 FREEWAY - MORNING
Frank exits the 101 Freeway via Sunset Blvd.
INT. YARIS - MORNING
Frank gets closer to the Pitch-Fest building. The clock reads 8:30am.
He is just a few feet away from the Pitch-Fest parking lot.
Frank turns on his right blinker but instead of slowing down he accelerates.
He looks down at the gas pedal and sees a shadowy foot pressing down on his. He looks at the passenger seat and sees his arch nemesis.
Self-Doubt picks up Frank’s script and pinches his nose as if it stinks.
Self-Doubt tosses the script out the car window.
Self-Doubt shakes his head and points forward. Seemingly powerless Frank presses down on the gas, leaving Pitch-Fest in the distance.
INT. YARIS - LATER
Frank drives into Beverly Hills. The clock reads 9:00 am.
Self-Doubt grabs a GPS and punches a search in for Target.
Self-Doubt taps the highlighted route on the GPS screen. Frank makes a right turn towards his new destination.
EXT. TARGET - MORNING
Frank and Self-Doubt pull into the parking lot.
INT. TOY AISLE, TARGET - MOMENTS LATER
Self-Doubt rides Frank piggy back style through a toy aisle.
INT. BATHROOM, TARGET - MOMENTS LATER
Frank is at the urinal while Self-Doubt is in a stall.
Frank catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
EXT. TARGET - MORNING
Frank runs out of Target leaving Self-Doubt in the bathroom.
He jumps into his car and exits the parking lot.
INT. YARIS - MORNING
Frank is blazing down the street. He glances at the clock, it reads 9:25 am.
He once again draws near to the Pitch-Fest but once again accelerates past the building.
Self-Doubt is sitting in the passenger seat pressing down on Frank’s knee with both hands.
Frank slams the brakes and makes a quick U-turn. Self-Doubt gets tossed out the door.
Frank pulls into the Pitch-Fest parking lot and exits his vehicle. He takes a look down the street and see’s Self-Doubt trying to catch up. Frank grabs the door handle.
Self-Doubt stops dead in his tracks and gets hit by a bus.
Frank takes a deep breath and enters the Pitch-Fest building.
This past Saturday was the first one I ever attended. Below is a dramatic reenactment of what happened before the event.
FADE IN:
INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Frank is nicely dressed in slacks and a buttoned up shirt.
FRANK
I’m leaving now, I’m going to Pitch-Fest.
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
Frank exits his house. Before he closes the door a shadowy figure skitters out behind him.
FRANK
(turns around)
Huh?
The shadowy figure jumps behind a bush unseen.
INT. YARIS - MORNING
Once entering his car, Frank adjusts his rear view mirror and catches a glimpse of the mysterious shadow figure but when he looks in the backseat nothing is there.
FRANK
I could have swore I saw something.
(shrugs shoulders)
Aw well.
He starts his car and pulls out of the driveway.
EXT. 101 FREEWAY - MORNING
Frank exits the 101 Freeway via Sunset Blvd.
INT. YARIS - MORNING
Frank gets closer to the Pitch-Fest building. The clock reads 8:30am.
FRANK
Cool, I got here an hour early, I’ll be able to run through my stuff a couple more times.
He is just a few feet away from the Pitch-Fest parking lot.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Here we go. No turning back now.
Frank turns on his right blinker but instead of slowing down he accelerates.
FRANK (CONT’D)
What the heck?
He looks down at the gas pedal and sees a shadowy foot pressing down on his. He looks at the passenger seat and sees his arch nemesis.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Self-Doubt! What are you doing here?
Self-Doubt picks up Frank’s script and pinches his nose as if it stinks.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Hey put that down.
Self-Doubt tosses the script out the car window.
FRANK (CONT’D)
What about the Pitch-Fest?
Self-Doubt shakes his head and points forward. Seemingly powerless Frank presses down on the gas, leaving Pitch-Fest in the distance.
INT. YARIS - LATER
Frank drives into Beverly Hills. The clock reads 9:00 am.
FRANK
If I don’t go to pitchfest what will I do?
(beat)
Go to Target? That’s silly. I don’t know if there is even a Target in this area.
GPS
Please drive towards the highlighted route.
Self-Doubt taps the highlighted route on the GPS screen. Frank makes a right turn towards his new destination.
EXT. TARGET - MORNING
Frank and Self-Doubt pull into the parking lot.
INT. TOY AISLE, TARGET - MOMENTS LATER
Self-Doubt rides Frank piggy back style through a toy aisle.
FRANK
(pointing)
That’s pretty cool.
INT. BATHROOM, TARGET - MOMENTS LATER
Frank is at the urinal while Self-Doubt is in a stall.
FRANK
So if I don’t go to the Pitch-Fest what am I going to tell my girlfriend?
(walks to sink)
I guess I could lie to her but--
(beat)
You’re right. I’ll just tell her it got cancelled or something.
Frank catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
FRANK (CONT’D)
(to self)
What am I doing?
(looks back at stall)
Well...I’m all done here. I’ll wait for you outside. Don’t rush.
EXT. TARGET - MORNING
Frank runs out of Target leaving Self-Doubt in the bathroom.
FRANK
How could I even think of not going to the Pitch-Fest. I worked hard to get to this point.
He jumps into his car and exits the parking lot.
FRANK (CONT’D)
(out the car)
I’m outta here!
INT. YARIS - MORNING
Frank is blazing down the street. He glances at the clock, it reads 9:25 am.
FRANK
I’ll make it just in time for final check in. Stupid Self-Doubt you almost got me.
He once again draws near to the Pitch-Fest but once again accelerates past the building.
FRANK (CONT’D)
Not again.
Self-Doubt is sitting in the passenger seat pressing down on Frank’s knee with both hands.
FRANK (CONT’D)
How did you?--
(beat)
No, I will not go back to Target...
(beat)
Or the comic store.
Frank slams the brakes and makes a quick U-turn. Self-Doubt gets tossed out the door.
Frank pulls into the Pitch-Fest parking lot and exits his vehicle. He takes a look down the street and see’s Self-Doubt trying to catch up. Frank grabs the door handle.
FRANK (CONT’D)
See you later.
Self-Doubt stops dead in his tracks and gets hit by a bus.
SELF-DOUBT
I’ll be back!
FRANK
I know.
Frank takes a deep breath and enters the Pitch-Fest building.
THE END
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
I Hunt With The Predators And Other Dreams
If you have not visited the DREAMS section of frankcubed lately, you have been missing out on some strange and celebrity filled antics. My recent trips to slumber land have resulted in me playing a game of 5 on 5 football and being congratulated by Serenity's Gina Torres, taking a walk in the park with Rosario Dawson and getting a present from the friendly Predators after a hunt well done.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Motion Comics = Wave Of The Future?
Are "Motion Comics" the future of the comic book medium?
...I hope not. Sure they might be nice to look at and sometimes fun to watch but they are nothing compared to the enjoyment of a real comic book.
The fun of reading a comic book comes from the interactivity between the reader and the page, the dictation of pace, the voice of the characters, the emotion of the moment. All these things are supplied by the audience and all these things are taken away within a motion comic.
Motion comics are not a showcase of the greatness of comic books, instead they do a disservice by trying to transform it into something that it was not designed to be. It tells the viewer how to watch, what to look at, how a character sounds, the emotion to feel, the music to hear. This is not the way that comic books are meant to be appreciated.
If motion comics are the future you can have it. I'll be in the comic book store going through the bargin bins. Comic books are meant to be read not watched.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Chicken Soup Is Hot And Ready To Serve
Chicken Soup my short story/screenplay thing is now ready to be purchased through Amazon for the low, low price of 1 dollar and no cents.
Chicken Soup originally started out as a comic book or a "graphic novel" for the bookstore crowd but I was never able to get an artist for it. So after much time passed, I thought of the idea of making it into a novel and I did. It was completed and finished at about 300 pages. Before moving forward with it I asked some friends to read it to get some feedback. None of the comments was good.
Even though my friends and I were in an agreement that as a novel writer I sucked. I still felt that somewhere deep inside all the words was still a good story to tell. After much thinking I realized that it was silly of me to try to write a novel. I asked myself, "How many actual books have I read?" the answer could be counted on two hands and a foot. "...but how many movies have I seen?" Once this revelation hit me I started to research on how to make a Screenplay.
Once I learned the most basic of format I was off to re-work Chicken Soup the novel into Chicken Soup the screenplay. To do this I had to eliminate, delete and destroy absolutely everything that was unnecessary and keep only the essential. The process was absolutely brutal, it was like punching puppies and kittens at the same time. But after many, many drafts the screenplay is now complete and ready "fingers crossed" for public consumption.
Chicken Soup originally started out as a comic book or a "graphic novel" for the bookstore crowd but I was never able to get an artist for it. So after much time passed, I thought of the idea of making it into a novel and I did. It was completed and finished at about 300 pages. Before moving forward with it I asked some friends to read it to get some feedback. None of the comments was good.
Even though my friends and I were in an agreement that as a novel writer I sucked. I still felt that somewhere deep inside all the words was still a good story to tell. After much thinking I realized that it was silly of me to try to write a novel. I asked myself, "How many actual books have I read?" the answer could be counted on two hands and a foot. "...but how many movies have I seen?" Once this revelation hit me I started to research on how to make a Screenplay.
Once I learned the most basic of format I was off to re-work Chicken Soup the novel into Chicken Soup the screenplay. To do this I had to eliminate, delete and destroy absolutely everything that was unnecessary and keep only the essential. The process was absolutely brutal, it was like punching puppies and kittens at the same time. But after many, many drafts the screenplay is now complete and ready "fingers crossed" for public consumption.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Updated Website
Like the title in the entry says, I have just updated my website. www.frankcubed.com. I have gotten rid of stuff that is no longer relevant and added new artwork. Also check out the DREAMS section where I will post up dreams that I've had written in script format.
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