Chris Jones Blog

John Truby, script guru comes to town, and we have a GREAT OFFER for you

When I decided to make ‘Gone Fishing’, I knew it would open doors. But I didn’t realize just how many it would open, and how many of those doors would be in Hollywood. I am working flat out with Judy Goldberg right now, penning a feature script for a major Hollywood studio – and it’s REALLY hard work. But whenever I get down or tired, I remind myself that I really do have the very best job in the world. Truly!

As serendipity would have it, I just got contacted by John Truby, US script guru, who is coming to London on 12/13 September to run his two day workshop for writers (at Craven Street Rehearsal Rooms, 10 Craven St, London WC2N 5PE). I took his course about four years ago and I found it really useful (and actually made three new writing friends who have gone the distance with me too).

John has a 22 step structure that to this day, I refer back to. And we are using it right now as we develop this script too. So if you are interested in attending his workshop, we have a special deal for you. In fact we have two deals for you!

(dates September 12/13 2009, London)

Deal Number 1 - Johns course costs £250 plus VAT, but if you sign up with us, we will send you a free copy of any of the three Guerilla Film Makers Handbooks (which sell for £30 normally, or any one of the other three titles including the Documentary Handbook, The Hollywood Handbook or the Movie Blueprint). So just £250 plus VAT including the book for free. Click Buy Now below

Deal number 2 – For £275 plus VAT, you get John’s course (RRP £250) AND our two day workshop, making the world class short film, about our journey to making an Oscars contender (which normally sells for £69.99 inc VAT). It’s currently getting off the scale feedback which you can read here… So that’s TWO full weekends of world class workshop, and ours you can take over and over again as its online (14 hours of video). So that’s just £275 plus VAT. Click Buy Now below.

There is more information about the Gone Fishing workshop here.

OK, so here is more info about Johns course.

If you think you know structure from what you've done in the past, think again. Old structure taught in old structure classes doesn't work. If you've read the books, taken the courses and did everything they said, why didn't it work? Because, what you were taught was wrong. Nobody buys old style, tired and obvious scripts.

Truby's 22-Step Story Structure paradigm is the most modern, exciting approach to storytelling to be developed this generation. His approach is flexible and dynamic, and enhances stories that have been written for the 21st century. His tools for writing are considered in America to be the most advanced and the easiest to understand. No screenwriting instructor works with more established writers.

John Truby's 22-Step Story Structure creates the new scripts that are fast-paced, powerful and more exciting than three-act scripts. Top professionals use fundamentally different tools than amateur writers. Yet most books and courses on screenwriting teach a one-size-fits-all approach, useful only to beginners. Isn't it time you stepped up to the professional ranks? This course will teach you literally hundreds of expert tools and techniques that allow you to compete with the best.

This flagship class has been taken by over 20,000 students worldwide, and wins awards year after year as the best screenwriting course in America. Don't miss this rare opportunity to master your craft.

Day One: Creating A Dynamic Structure
Using John's revolutionary 22-step structure, create a dynamic structure for your story and learn how to translate it to the screen.
•How to find the perfect structure
•3 Confusions that hurt writers
•Uncovering the myth of 3-act story structure
•7 Steps to deep structure
•Creating the single driving force
•Three variation s to classic story structure
•Key weaknesses of myth, fairy tale, and drama
•Seven steps to a great premise
•Building the hero from the ground up
•How the character web works
•True character change and how to write it
•Using desire and motive
•5 Major character changes
•Keys to the perfect opponent
•Sequencing the moral elements of the story
Day Two: Creating A Dynamic Story

Learn the methods and techniques used by professionals to layer plot, dialogue, subplot and setting to create a dynamic story.
•The 22 building blocks of every great script
•Pacing by character growth, not page number
•Creating the visual world
•Using the subplot
•Setting the tag line
•Building the reveals
•Choosing the right story shape
•Creating the strong middle
•The trick to scene sequencing
•How to write 3-track dialogue
•Secrets of building the scene
•Dialogue that increases the conflict
•How to write a great feature

His course has been attended by novelists, librettists, poets, lyricists, directors, producers actors, and yes - screenwriters. John Truby is regarded as the serious writer’s story coach and has taught his 22-Step Great Screenwriting and Genre courses to sold-out audiences in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Sydney, Rome, Toronto, and other far-flung locales. Over the past twenty years, more than 30,000 students have taken Truby’s 22-Step class and rave about the insights and direction it has given them.

His students include the writer/director/or producer for the following films:
Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Mask of Zorro, Nightmare on Elm Street, Outbreak, Scream, Sleepless in Seattle, Back to School, The Addams Family, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Beetlejuice, Valley Girl, The Negotiator, Star Wars

"Truby's 22 Step Great Screenwriting Class is a totally new system.... a course that allows a writer to succeed in the fiercely competitive climate of Hollywood."
American Film Institute Magazine

"If you're ready to graduate from the boy-meets-girl league of screenwriting, meet John Truby...(His course draws) epiphanies that make you see the contours of your psyche as sharply as your script."
LA Weekly

"John Truby's 22 Step Great Screenwriting Class is a thoroughly detailed and impeccably presented education in the anatomy and psychology of any good story... an invaluable road map that I would recommend to any serious writer.”
Jeff Arch, Sleepless in Seattle

"This course is so good I took it twice."
Ralph Winter, producer Planet of the Apes, Inspector Gadget, Star Trek IV, VI

OK to recap – Deal 1, Johns course plus free Guerilla Film Makers Handbook (or any Guerilla title) £250 plus VAT. Click Buy Now below.

Deal 2 – Johns course plus the online 2 day making the world class short workshop, £275 plus VAT. Click Buy Now below.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass... The Day After!

Exhausted doesn’t even come close to how I feel after this weekends roller coaster 2 day Guerilla Masterclass at Ealing Studios. We had a small and intimate group of around 12, which made for a really interactive session that was full of laughter and gasps. There were a number of real characters in the group which, for me, made the whole event that bit more entertaining…

Two sisters, a force of nature dynamic duo who conversed at full throttle, were sat in the front row, ready to explode into questions and comments at any moment. They have a supernatural movie ready to go, though I think that after the workshop they have bitten the bullet and accepted that they need a script trim and also to reconsider the title. The title is soooo essential to get right as it has to convey huge amounts in one or two words (which can be enhanced with key artwork). I don’t think this can be underestimated. We had some really great case studies where films had not sold and within a few hours of re-titling were in fact sold. It’s that vital!

One other delegate, an ex theatre director turned film maker, spent most of the workshop vacillating between broad smiles and a look of utter horror, always a good expression to visit for me! Sat next to her was a lovely lady who had flow in from Uganda and seemed to be on a mission to create a film community out there – she asked if I would come to Uganda to speak to her community… and it’s under discussion!

I really enjoyed this session as the group was very dynamic, responsive to ideas, and extremely interactive – I know everyone left hoping to stay in touch and possibly collaborate in the future – let’s hope that happens.

Anyway, here’s some of the feedback we got.

'It’s been emotional!!! This course has given me the knowledge and motivation to now believe that anything is possible. Thanks Chris, you have been inspirational!’
Donna, Film maker, Hertfordshire

‘A really good insight into the business part of the process…’
Mario, Writer / Director, Portugal

‘A really informative course with great presentation and easy access, offering more tailored information when needed’
Derwent, Technical Artist / Film Maker

‘So much information and insight delivered with real humanity, integrity and humour…’
Tanya, Film Maker, Devon

‘Why are there not more courses like this one! More info on 2 days than all I have ever learned put together! The decisive moment for me was when I saw where two paths converged and I made the choice to go down the path less travelled!’
Tuki, Film maker, Uganda

‘If you want to make a low budget film in the UK and you need a role model, Chris is the guy!’
Billie-Jean, Film Maker

I always say to the group at the end of the masterclass, ‘I get as much out of this as anyone else…’ It really does ignite the fire and passion in us all. This is the one aspect of this workshop that is hard to really put down on paper, but everyone present felt it and knows what I mean. I guess it’s no big shocker, but I am always surprised that it infects me too! So while I should be resting, I am actually up at 8am and hammering away at my screenplay! Thanks guys! We are all in it together!

Right…

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

One plus one equals six!

I am making final preps for this weekends Guerilla Film Makers two day Masterclass (we will be accepting drop ins if you want to come, just send me a text on 07977 516 628). Thank goodness we will be in an air conditioned room too!

Things have changed so much since I ran the first of these classes in 1999, and that’s one of the reasons why I have never developed a Power Point version of this seminar, I need to keep it fluid and up to date. Who would have predicted that Twitter would explode in the last year for instance, and who can predict what the next tools in your arsenal would be? Hence the fluidity.

Over the coming months, I am hoping to re-kick start the evening workshops we ran a few years back. I keep getting requests for them and now the festival madness of Gone Fishing is dying back, and we are entering a script development phase, the time would seem right. This will mean we are running more regular and less expensive short workshops, targeted at various areas and disciplines.

In a few weeks time, I am going to be joined full time by writer and producer Judy Goldberg (she co-wrote From Beneath Us). Judy worked at Impact Pictures in LA for some time, on movies such as the Resident Evil franchise, and she brings a whole load of goodies to the table. She really is a terrific talent and I am hoping that together, we will become fabulously effective. Something that we discuss on the masterclass is how two people equal much more than twice the effectiveness. More often, two equals more like six times the energy and possibilities, as long as both parties compliment each other along the lines of the 80 / 20 principle. So I am VERY excited about Judy joining team Living Spirit.

Right, I gotta get my ducks in a row for tomorrow as I will have a class of film makers ready for action!

Onwards and upwards

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Amazing Email from LA...

I wanted to share an extraordinary email I just got, all the way from LA...

I just wanted to send you a quick email about my experience with the Gone Fishing Online Seminar. I was quite literally stunned by not just the amount of information in the seminar but by the outstanding quality.

As a British student coming to an end of 3 years at UCLA film school in Los Angeles I can hand on my heart say that some of the information in this seminar was more worth while than graduate degree classes at one of the worlds top film education programs.

Plenty of workshops take you through the instructional steps of how to make a film, but Chris' seminar takes you on a journey of how to actually get the film made to the highest possible standard and he does it with ease, clarity and sprinkles amusing anecdotes along the way.

Right at the beginning I was particularly impressed by Chris' career plan stages. This made so much sense, it was like a light bulb just flickered on. That along with the marketing and exploitation section of the course I regularly re-watched to squeeze out more information and let the advice sink in. I greatly appreciate the option to view the seminar videos as often as I like, you definitely get 100% more than what you pay for.

Chris is an inspiring character and lays things out in ways that are tangible and attainable. Before the seminar as a student filmmaker when in pre-production on a film I would take the deals available to me, only dreaming of having that star actor or experienced DP. Now, I will certainly be as Chris puts it 'Politely demanding' and start asking for things at the top. I now know the importance of building a product that people can see well in advance of the shoot. Having the ability/confidence to go out there and get people talking about your project is of such enormous value, I can't believe I haven't been done it before!

For the proficient filmmakers/ students who are sceptical about paying for an online course, this is worth every penny. Yes there will be elements that you know about but I guarantee there are many more little gems that you will be glad you signed up for. Especially the marketing/PR/Festival segments. The myths around these departments and events are straightened out and I personally have re-thought my film festival and promotional materials strategy since taking the course.

So thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. You could have kept this information to yourself but I thank you greatly for speaking so openly.

Take care, Hazel

WOW! Thanks Hazel. If you want to see her work, you can check out a film she made for the Virgin Shorts competition here – if you like it, drop her an email and say so - [email protected]

You can sign up for this workshop here…

And remember, it’s only a few days before the final Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass in London this year…there is more info here…

Onwards and upwards

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass UK in just over a week...

Hot on the heels of last weekends success with the shiny brand new workshop, Delivering Your Film to the Sales Agent, comes the original ‘classic’ Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass, the workshop that started it all. There have been over 1,000 graduates now, and I have held this workshop around the world over the past decade. What does it do? Essentially it lays out a road map for you and your long term film career in such a way that you can get going RIGHT NOW! It’s about giving you the tools and knowledge to take the next big leap TODAY, and to make that investment work for you so that the following steps appear logical, effective and powerful…

Here’s a bit from the mail out that we sent yesterday…

'EVERYONE HAS GREAT IDEAS. IT'S HOW YOU MAKE THOSE GREAT IDEAS INTO A GREAT MOVIE, A MOVIE THAT IS MARKETABLE, THAT CREATES GREAT AND SUSTAINABLE CAREER... GET OFF THE FENCE AND TAKE ACTION NOW...' Chris Jones

THE GUERILLA FILM MAKERS MASTERCLASS REDUX 2009! TWO DAY INTENSIVE COURSE, July 4th / 5th, EALING STUDIOS
PLACES ARE LIMITED - BOOK NOWbr> Call now on 020 8758 8544, or 07977 516 628 or email [email protected]

Course dates July 4th / 5th, EALING STUDIOS - £247.00 inc VAT
SUMMER SPECIAL BOOK NOW AND GET THE SEMINAR FOR £199
BOOK HERE. COURSE INFO HERE

Here are some quotes from previous course members...

‘If I ever win an award for film making I will thank Chris Jones in my acceptance speech. Honestly!’ - Philippa Heal - Film Maker

‘This is a ‘magic’ course which truly embraces and expresses the potential lives of British Indie Film makers. It is, itself, a journey.’ - Rebecca Kibble - Film Maker

‘You will come out of the course wondering why you have not made a film yet!’ - Rose Wicksteed - Film maker

‘I have delayed my trip back to Australia for this course, and it has been TOTALLY worth it! I will go home many times more motivated…!’ - Derek Huckel - Film Maker and Actor

‘Chris has broken down the remaining barriers that have kept the dream behind bars - I now feel free to make my movie’ - Paul Skellett - Director and Editor

‘Profoundly motivational… This course provides the kick up the arse any would be film maker needs to get going.’ - Oli Lewington - Film maker

Here’s a few quotes from previous students...

"Well impressed, Chris Jones gets the top banana award for inspiration, education and provocation. His course "The Guerilla Film Makers Advanced Masterclass" illuminates a road that few have ever successfully traveled. He maps out the terrain with the skills of a battle hardened SAS pathfinder and is your survival guide in the feature film production jungle. Hunt him down and get equipped before you start your campaign and you might just make it. Chris directs his audience through the minefield of independent film making with confidence and clarity. His own experience as a 3 time feature film maker and writer of "The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook" allows him to deliver his hard won insights with more conviction and pragmatism than just about any other independent filmmaker in Britain today. His perspective and depth of knowledge is unique and an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps on the path to full feature film production."
Steve Wilson - July 2002 Course

"the opportunity to talk to people who have "been there" and "done that" was of inestimable value. A very worthwhile weekend"
Owen Carey Jones - Writer

"Chris has answered in two days every question I ever asked myself over the last four years. It is a brilliant course and I could not be more satisfied and with the result!" - Jimmy Jones

Want to pay by cheque?
Drop us an email to confirm your place and then send a cheque payable to Hard Copy, to Hard Copy, Ealing Studios, Ealing Green, London, W5 5EP.

'I guarantee you will leave this course buzzing, armed with new knowledge and prepared from a point of enlightenment, to really go for it in a way you could not have done so just TWO DAYS EARLIER... WOW'
John Andrews, Film Maker - Previous Attendee

GET YOU MOVIE MADE NOW! The Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass will be run by the author of The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook and Movie Blueprint, Chris Jones, and will be held at Ealing Film Studios over the weekend of July 4th / 5th.

'…I have made three feature films, and recently got Oscars shortlisted for my short Gone Fishing. All the features have received international and theatrical distribution, even the short is going theatrical in June! And this course will show you all the how's, where's, why's, and how much... of your first movie - and how to survive it and move on to the next...' Chris Jones

It’s a ‘full on’ two day seminar, with very long hours, heaps of clips to illustrate points and covers everything from conception to completion, with a special emphasis on post production and distribution, the areas most people fall down at... Loads of new features have been added for 2009...

Course Objectives... Attendees will leave with...

1. A short, mid and long term view of their career in film and TV

2. The tools and drive to make a movie NOW...

3. What movie to make and WHY you chose a particular story over another... The world is full of people who know how, you need to be a person who knows WHY...

3. The knowledge of the pitfalls to avoid, thereby maximising opportunities and budget...

4. The knowledge of how to get sold and distributed, and move swiftly on to the next movie...

5. To be inspired and have a great time learning, making new contacts and film maker friends...

6. Attendees will also leave with a special script book and a flowchart poster detailing the whole of HD post production...

More info is on our website at http://www.livingspirit.com/GFM-Masterclass.htm

If you want to come, call 020 8758 8544 or 07977 516 628 and and speak to us. Or email us at [email protected]. If you get the answerphone, leave a message with your phone number and we will get back to you. Hope to see you on the course, and look forward to a rollercoaster weekend!

More on the seminar...
What is the course and who is it for? It was put together by the authors of The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook to manage the overwhelming amount of enquiries received from new and young film makers. Too much time was spent helping others and not enough on making their own films, so it was decided to organise weekends, whenever convenient, to answer as many questions as is physically possible in two very very long days.

The two day event covers everything from your films conception to it’s completion and all the way through screenplay, production, sales and distribution, with a new special emphasis on theatrical and video distribution. There’s special emphasis and problem areas such as business structures, legal issues, post production, getting the best cast, marketing, markets, and of course, the all important international sales.

STOP PRESS - We just ran the Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass REDUX 2009 in Australia to RAVE reviews! AND NOW BACK IN THE UK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UK FOR 18 MONTHS!

'It was truly an empowering experience and one that I know Jason, Greg and myself absolutely needed. In fact it was precisely what we needed. Chris was unquestionably the most honest, candid, and generous film maker I have had the pleasure to meet. He met each day with extraordinary energy and crammed those days not merely with information, but with affirmation and ultimately inspiration. He treated every participant with such wonderful respect and patience regardless of experience, and offered to us not only tools and ideas but himself. To be honest, I learned more in those two days than I have in years of filmmaking, not just about the craft, but about myself. If I was weary, frustrated and uncertain of my standing in a filmic world when I arrived, I have departed, energised, focused and tremendously excited about taking our work to the next phase. In short- a life changing experience.'
Shane Emmett, Film Maker, QLD, Australia

'After producing a string of award-winning short-films and doco's, and frustrated at not being able to move to the next stage with our concepts, we were feeling spent and disillusioned. Then we met Chris Jones' at his Guerrilla Filmmakers workshop in Gympie, Australia. Wow, man he put the steel back into our rod. The passion is back...we are on the road again...watch out world...here we come'
Greg Hall, Producer - The Treehive, Australia

'I just wanted to say thank you so much for coming all the way to Australia to do the Guerilla Masterclass! Even though there were almost 30 other people in the room, it felt like everything you were saying was directed right at me - it was everything I needed to hear and learn.'
Candice Deere, Writer/Producer from Maryborough, Australia

Watch a video of how the event played out here on our blog.

'Shooting For Success...'

I am putting together a fascinating workshop for the corporate sector, about using video webisodes as a way to promote your business and brand. I was asked to do it by Actix, who had previously sponsored Gone Fishing. They had seen the extraordinary responses I had been getting from the webisodes at the festivals and wanted to bring that craft and technology to their web presence and brand. The workshop is being attended by top brass at Actix, so no pressure!

We are presenting the workshop next week, and as part of the actual event, we will be getting the delegates to make two webisodes during the day. Let’s hope we pull that off as it’s a tall order.

Putting together the presentation has taken some time as I wanted it to be as detailed as possible, and peppered with real life examples, not just of my own webisodes, but also from others, some of which are astonishingly successful and getting 20 million hits on YouTube.

Simon Cox will be working with me through the day, shooting, assisting with technology, but mostly editing at 2000mph in order to deliver the completed webisodes by the end of the day.

The video here is one of the most amazing viral successes of last year (currently 21 million hits on YouTube), so much so the conspiracy theorists declared it a hoax. They then came clean and admitted it was a hoax... You can watch that here. But you gotta love'em, the Coming clean, it's a hoax, was in fact a hoax! The original is authentic. Talk about getting mileage out of it!

After next week, I hope to deliver this seminar to other companies too, to help their staff get shooting their way to success! If you know anyone who may be interested, drop me an email.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass LONDON 2009

I have just announced that we now have London dates for my Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass, June 27 /28 at Ealing Studios. I sent out the email just now and here's what it said...

'EVERYONE HAS GREAT IDEAS. IT'S HOW YOU MAKE THOSE
GREAT IDEAS INTO A GREAT MOVIE, A MOVIE THAT IS
MARKETABLE, THAT CREATES GREAT AND SUSTAINABLE
CAREER... GET OFF THE FENCE AND TAKE ACTION NOW...' Chris Jones

THE GUERILLA FILM MAKERS MASTERCLASS REDUX 2009!
TWO DAY INTENSIVE COURSE, June 27 / 28, EALING STUDIOS
PLACES ARE LIMITED - BOOK NOW
Call now on 020 8758 8544, or 07977 516 628 or email [email protected]

Course dates JUNE 27th / 28th, EALING STUDIOS - £247.00 inc VAT
EARLY BIRD OFFER - BOOK BEFORE THE END OF APRIL
AND GET THE SEMINAR FOR £199 BOOK HERE. COURSE INFO HERE

'I guarantee you will leave this course buzzing, armed with new knowledge and prepared from a point of enlightenment, to really go for it in a way you could not have done so just TWO DAYS EARLIER... WOW'
John Andrews, Film Maker - Previous Attendee

GET YOU MOVIE MADE NOW! The Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass will be run by the author of The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook and Movie Blueprint, Chris Jones, and will be held at Ealing Film Studios over the weekend of June 26th / 27th.

'…I have made three feature films, and recentty got Oscars shortlisted for my short Gone Fishing. All the features have received international and theatrical distribution, even the short is going theatrical in June! And this course will show you all the how's, where's, why's, and how much... of your first movie - and how to survive it and move on to the next...' Chris Jones

It’s a ‘full on’ two day seminar, with very long hours, heaps of clips to illustrate points and covers everything from conception to completion, with a special emphasis on post production and distribution, the areas most people fall down at... Loads of new features have been added for 2009...

Course Objectives... Attendees will leave with...

1. A short, mid and long term view of their career in film and TV

2. The tools and drive to make a movie NOW...

3. What movie to make and WHY you chose a particular story over another... The world is full of people who know how, you need to be a person who knows WHY...

3. The knowledge of the pitfalls to avoid, thereby maximising opportunities and budget...

4. The knowledge of how to get sold and distributed, and move swiftly on to the next movie...

5. To be inspired and have a great time learning, making new contacts and film maker friends...

6. Attendees will also leave with a special script book and a flowchart poster detailing the whole of HD post production...

More info is on our website at http://www.livingspirit.com/GFM-Masterclass.htm

If you want to come, call 020 8758 8544 or 07977 516 628 and and speak to us. Or email us at [email protected]. If you get the answerphone, leave a message with your phone number and we will get back to you. Hope to see you on the course, and look forward to a rollercoaster weekend!

More on the seminar...
What is the course and who is it for? It was put together by the authors of The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook to manage the overwhelming amount of enquiries received from new and young film makers. Too much time was spent helping others and not enough on making their own films, so it was decided to organise weekends, whenever convenient, to answer as many questions as is physically possible in two very very long days.

The two day event covers everything from your films conception to it’s completion and all the way through screenplay, production, sales and distribution, with a new special emphasis on theatrical and video distribution. There’s special emphasis and problem areas such as business structures, legal issues, post production, getting the best cast, marketing, markets, and of course, the all important international sales.

STOP PRESS - We just ran the Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass REDUX 2009 in Australia to RAVE reviews! AND NOW BACK IN THE UK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE UK FOR 18 MONTHS!

'It was truly an empowering experience and one that I know Jason, Greg and myself absolutely needed. In fact it was precisely what we needed. Chris was unquestionably the most honest, candid, and generous film maker I have had the pleasure to meet. He met each day with extraordinary energy and crammed those days not merely with information, but with affirmation and ultimately inspiration. He treated every participant with such wonderful respect and patience regardless of experience, and offered to us not only tools and ideas but himself. To be honest, I learned more in those two days than I have in years of filmmaking, not just about the craft, but about myself. If I was weary, frustrated and uncertain of my standing in a filmic world when I arrived, I have departed, energised, focused and tremendously excited about taking our work to the next phase. In short- a life changing experience.'
Shane Emmett, Film Maker, QLD, Australia

'After producing a string of award-winning short-films and doco's, and frustrated at not being able to move to the next stage with our concepts, we were feeling spent and disillusioned. Then we met Chris Jones' at his Guerrilla Filmmakers workshop in Gympie, Australia. Wow, man he put the steel back into our rod. The passion is back...we are on the road again...watch out world...here we come'
Greg Hall, Producer - The Treehive, Australia

'I just wanted to say thank you so much for coming all the way to Australia to do the Guerilla Masterclass! Even though there were almost 30 other people in the room, it felt like everything you were saying was directed right at me - it was everything I needed to hear and learn.'
Candice Deere, Writer/Producer from Maryborough, Australia

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Heart Of Gold Opens with TGFMM

Less than 24 hours after flying into Australia, I was lined up for my two day Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass. I can tell you I was quite nervous as among the group were film makers who had been cameramen for 40 years, actors with over 50 features under the belt and a director searching for his next feature, he had only made four features so far! So when I kicked off, my heart was beating pretty fast. I need not have worried though as I was among friends. The guys in the room were everything I love about film makers. Open minded, playful, generous, challenging, entertaining, thought provoking, and yes, as Pancho (who you saw lots of in the video) in search of greater truths, a worthy quest for anyone. And Pancho, who is exactly like he is in the video (bonkers, but in a good way), is an extremely successful photographer who became the darling of the festival as he worked so hard taking amazing photos and infected everyone with his charming personality.

The two days whisked away in a blur, separated only by a whistle stop tour to a genuine Aussie BBQ with G’Fisher AP Simon VanDerSpoel and his lovely family and friends. Boy do the Aussies have an amazing lifestyle. Makes me wonder why so many of them are in London!

Over these two days I became aware that in the room were new friends, and new possible collaborators. This was a truly unexpected gift and I look forward to seeing how things develop. I also took a call with the Aussie equivalent of the UK Film Council, about bringing one of the features I am working on, ‘From Beneath Us’, to Australia. And we made good headway. So it’s possible I may be jetting back sometime soon. And between us, I could not think of a better place to shoot the movie, if the guys on the seminar were anything to go by.

The festival Gala Opening was awesome too, and if you listen to the soundtrack, you will hear that when the audience clapped and cheered at the end of Gone Fishing, they also started stamping their feet too! That’s never happened before.

The picture on the video is a GREAT indicator of the tone of the festival and the Aussie film business too. It’s a shot of the guys who made Mankind Is No Island, featured on the blog a could of days ago, hauling festival director Toni Powell out of the Gala Opening, in costume for a new project they are promting – they are dressed as the Design Crimes Police. Gotta love em!

I have not fixed a date yet, but I will be running the masterclass in the UK in a few months, so if you would like to attend, drop me an email at [email protected], and I will be in touch when I am back in a few weeks.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

FilmSpecific.com's Stacey Parks interviews me!

I just did a great interview with Stacey Parks here in LA. Stacey is a distribution guru who runs her own site called FilmSpecific.com. We have been in touch for a few years, and last year I did a seminar at Ealing Studios with her, when her latest book was released. You can listen to that interview here.

She was interviewing me for her members on FilmSpecific. You can join up to get free emails every few days, which is really worth it as they are always crammed with lots of tips. So here is what Stacey had to say in todays email blast…

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Hi everyone, hope you had a great weekend!

For those of you following me on Twitter you know that I had a great time in Malibu on Saturday. I even uploaded a photo of me at my favorite Seafood Shack NEPTUNES NET on Facebook. You can check it out on there!

Other than that, I actually started off the weekend with a very inspiring interview I did with filmmaker Chris Jones. (Chris is also author of the Guerrilla Filmmaker Handbook series). Chris is just winding down off the festival circuit with his Oscar short-listed short film called GONE FISHING. For all of you out there who have a completed short, or are thinking of making a short as a career move, you've got to check out this interview I did with Chris! I've been following his webisodes for a year while he's been on the film festival circuit and have been waiting patiently to corner him for an interview. And I finally did it!

I don't want to give too much away but let me just say there is a whole new model for short films emerging - and it involves the power of Webisodes and Viral Video.

OK, but before I link you to the Chris Jones case study I wanted to go over a few tips for leveraging Viral Video for your own film, whether it's a feature, doc, or short. There were some questions pertaining to this on one of my group coaching calls recently, so I figured it's a good time to tackle this.

TIPS FOR LEVERAGING VIRAL VIDEO FOR YOUR FILM

1. Be sure to upload your chosen video clips to multiple platforms including your blog, your Facebook Film Page, your You Tube channel, even Twitter.

2. Remember that for any video clip or webisode to go VIRAL, it needs to be good enough, or compelling enough for people to want to pass it around and forward it on to their friends. So what's so special about your video clip that will make them do that?

3. Always link to your main website or blog from the video, either by putting a watermark on the bottom, or have it be on the last frame so people can immediately link off to your site and find out more about your film, or buy a DVD copy if it's available.

4. Remember to make your videos FUN. You want people to look forward to seeing the next installment. If you can engage people enough with your videos, you have a great shot of getting them to want to watch your film. And this is how you can begin to build your audience.

5. For the love of God, make your video easy to watch by using one of the flash based services like You Tube or Vimeo. There's nothing worse then pressing play and having to wait for a video to download. You'll lose people's attention IMMEDIATELY.

If anyone has any examples of great viral videos they want to send along, please do. I'd love to see them!

NEW FOR FILM SPECIFIC MEMBERS THIS WEEK....

To hear how Chris Jones is blazing new ground with his short GONE FISHING, and how he's making MORE money with it than he ever did with his features... AND how it is catapulting his career, you must check out this exclusive interview here:

http://www.filmspecific.com/members/850.cfm

Thanks for the write up Stacey and I really enjoyed our interview!

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Heart of Gold Guerilla Masterclass Approaches

We just got a write up in one of Australia’s (East Coast anyway) more important news papers. It’s about the Heart Of Gold Festival, north of Brisbane, in a couple of weeks time. You may know I am flying out there to hold a new two day Guerilla Masterclass and I am really looking forward to it.

Here is the link to the online version of the article (and I hope more press follows too). If you are in Australia and do fancy coming to this Masterclass, sign up now as Toni tells me it’s starting to sell out. Click here.

I am really looking forward to Heart Of Gold as historically, when Gone Fishing plays at festivals that have just the right temperament and character (such as Sedona or Rhode Island), the experience is nearly life changing for me. On the face of it, Heart of Gold has all the hall marks of this kind of event.

So, come along if you are down under… I promise the masterclass will be a great event, and Toni (Festival organiser) promises the Festival will be knockout too.

And if you have not joined Twitter yet, you should as I am now enjoying the Tweeting and fun and games we are all having.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

MAKING YOUR FIRST OSCAR WINNER... Feedback is in!

The Online Guerilla Masterclass about the making of Gone Fishing is currently being updated with the extra new sections on festivals, sales, marketing, awards and beyond. Anyone who enrols now for £69.99 will get these extra sessions for free (after these new sessions are live, the price will go up).

I just wanted to share with you the incredible comments that our automated feedback engine is producing. So far we have received 100% five stars out of five ratings, and delegates have truly come from around the globe – London, Australia, Canada, USA even one in China! Awesome.

We worked hard to deliver a really immersive experience that any film maker would find educational and inspirational, and by delivering online, we were able to keep costs down, and pass those savings on to the delegates.

Anyway, you can read the full feedback here…

And here are just a few abbreviated comments to give you a taste…

Fri, 3/6/09 8:13 PM Absolutely fantastic, attention to detail is worthy of Gordon Ramsey himself (what higher praise is there)
The seminar was very detailed and informative. Very interesting the whole way through and above all else it was very inspirational. If you are a film maker I think this is an invaluable tool and for the price, simply amazing.
Michael, Actor/Film Maker, Canada

Fri, 3/6/09 1:55 AM I loved the seminar and loved the experience! Essential viewing for EVERY filmmaker, no matter what sort of film you want to make or what level you (think) you are at.
This Seminar is essential viewing for everyone who either, is thinking about working in the film industry, is beginning their career, is at film school or has been creating films but not having the success they desire. I feel the seminar as a whole is catered more towards someone who wants to be a director, but as an aspiring producer, with experience in production design, I still felt I learned a lot and if your clever you can work out how to tailor the advice to your own stream. I loved the format of being able to watch the seminar online at my own pace, to fit in with my schedule and as tempting as it was to jump ahead I'm really glad I didn't. It made me feel like I was part of making the film. The applet is really easy to use, and instructions are clear. It's great that you can go back and watch over the videos more than once. you certainly pick up on new things each time you watch it! The whole seminar was incredibly inspiring. Thanks Chris, hopefully one day we'll be thanking you at the Oscars ceremony!
Kate, www.ronansescape.com

Thurs, 2/26/09 9:22 AM An in depth look at the inner workings of making a world class short film, essential to anyone looking to make acclaimed shorts.
The seminar is both inspirational and eye opening. It gives you the self belief that you could make a film and the mindset for actually making one, now not only do you feel you know how to make a quality film but have the knowledge needed to exploit it. A top notch claritive look at the film industry from someone who has seen it's inner workings.
Ross, Film Student, London

Wed, 2/25/09 2:29 AM A MOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE FROM A SHORT BUT PERFECTLY FORMED FILM
My producer and I first saw gone fishing while at cannes 2008. I recognised chris's name and was intrigued, slightly baffled and somewhat curious as to why he had returned to shorts after making full features. It took about 30 seconds to see why and forgive the pun...we were hooked. The sheer quality of the piece was a slap in the face wake up call. We had arrived at the festival with a short we were very proud of, and now sat opened mouthed staring at what a short could and should be. It wasn't just the cinematic depth and richness of picture or the outrageously professional sound and music track, but the captivating sense of identification with the characters. The subject of death and loss is skillfully and respectfully carried within the narrative of an old fishing tale that beautifully piques with a surprise ending. A mini masterpiece. The course dissects GONE FISHING and bares every facet of what goes into the making of a movie at professional level albeit on a small scale. From concept to creation in the making of this remarkable piece of cinema. I trully believe that the course has forced me as a writer and director, to sit up and reassess what i am creating...and has made me REBOOT and start again. Thanks to CHRIS for enlightenment and allowing myself and my partners and many other new film makers the benefit of gleaned knowledge from his mistakes, discoveries and achievements...and hopefully he as held the door open for new film makers who have followed his progress in stepping into the light and showing what they have created... oh and the gauntlet has been thrown down after spoiling our cannes with you bloody great short film... :) Standing back to get the whole picture in...
Richard, Writer/Director Filmmaker... London

Thu, 2/19/09 4:06 PM Undoubtedly the most useful 7 hours I have ever spent learning about film making!
Chris Jones' seminar is the perfect experience for anyone unable to afford to go to film school - and for those who have already been, this seminar reveals the realities of what can be achieved outside the safety of some educational institution. I spent more or less (usually more) seven hours a day at film school five days a week for two terms, yet your seminar was by far the best 7 hours I ever spent learning about filmmaking!! There is so much useful information in Chris' presentation because he isn't merely theorizing about the hypothetical, he is presenting the journey he undertook to get his film made to the highest possible standard! So, to anyone who wants to be a filmmaker: watch this seminar then read some David Mamet books then go out and shoot your movie!!
Chris, Aspiring Filmmaker, London

If you would like to take this online Masterclass, you can sign up right now and be un and running in moments by going here!

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Festivals and Sales for Gone Fishing, the Masterclass

Yesterday I ran the final part of the Gone Fishing Masterclass at Ealing Studios. The first seminar we ran, at BAFTA last year, was all about how we made the film. This second was about how we exploited the film. The first seminar is online now, and this second one will be edited and uploaded as a bonus to the first seminar over the coming weeks.

The seminar ran most of Sunday and was extremely well received, and covered festivals and sales for Gone Fishing. To really give the group the ‘festival’ experience, we also screened five other short films that represented the ‘best of the best’ from the festivals I had been too. Perhaps more than anything, watching these films illustrated the bizarre nature of film festivals, and the ridiculous idea of choosing one film as being ‘better’ than another. Each of these films were excellent in some ways.

The choice of the day to host this master class was also symbolic, as the Oscars are also taking place tonight, and I fly out to LA tomorrow to begin what I hope will be a new chapter in may film career. I will be back in 7 weeks, and will continue the blog in those weeks. When I am back though, that will be the time when I make the choice to either move there or stay here in the UK.

I think for everyone present, we could feel the Gone Fishing chapter closing. Of course we will still take the film to festivals; we will still support it and also use it as a ‘calling card’… But it’s time to really get my teeth into the next movie.

I can’t wait!

If you want to see either of these masterclasses online, go to www.guerillamasterclass.com and sign up. Right now there is just the first eight hour masterclass, but you will get this second masterclass for free when we have it edited and online.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Online Seminar Feedback Is Now Coming In...

As you know I am running the final part of the Gone Fishing seminar this weekend coming. If you buy the online seminar now, you can also come to the live seminar on Saturday too (or watch online when it’s uploaded). You can read more about the online seminar here…

I just wanted to share with you an email I got from a film maker who is undertaking a very exciting project. Joe Atkins did our seminar this weekend and was simply busting to share how he felt about it… Here’s what he said…

In film making, as in life, the most valuable resource one can hope for is honesty in others. What you get when you join with Chris on this wonderful on-line adventure is just that: honesty - by the bucket load! This approach epitomizes everything Living Spirit seems to stand for and it does them much credit to come to the market place with this fantastic product: An affordable, brilliantly conceived and innovative approach to learning about the film making process.

Chris’ engaging and inclusive approach allows the participant straight in to the heart of the project, where the learning curve will be steepest, but also of the most value. His forthright approach will challenge you to re-think your strategy which, even if you may ultimately end up disagreeing with him, he has forced and invited you to consider every angle in the process of bringing your dream to the screen.

This course is superbly thought out, the flow of information is perfect, and the depth of discussion truly fascinating. I urge anybody who is thinking of making their own film to seek this course out and feed on it’s bounty.

Not only did I devour every second of this course but along with me, over the course of one Sunday, did my wife and my four children ages ranging from 8 - 17. We had wonderful discussions through lunch and dinner, before the delight of sitting through the finally finished movie. If I owned a tux, I really would have felt like wearing it.

I am currently in pre-production for my first feature, and as it says on my web site - I have 135 days left to the first day of principal photography. A scary, and wonderful and hectic place to be - and it will only get better (and worse), how great then to have Chris along, in the form of this seminar, as a constant council to keep me straight and keep me being just as good as I can possibly be.

Thank you Chris, and to all who participate in this seminar, it is a truly wonderful experience.
Joe Atkins: film maker, UK, www.43pictures.com

So remember, you can buy the online seminar now for just £69 and get the second one free. After this weekend, the price will go up though.

Just go to www.gonefishingseminar.com

Finally, we have just built the user feedback engine, so you can now read feedback as it is posted. Take a peek here.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Making YOUR First Oscar Contender!

No other film award creates careers overnight like an Academy Award… As you may know, some time ago we set out to make an Oscar contender with our 35mm film ‘Gone Fishing’… Last December we got the email from Academy to let us know we were in the official shortlist of ten movies, and the ONLY UK movie at that… For six weeks, we were a whisker away from going to the Oscars!

As part of the package for ‘Gone Fishing’ we ran a one day seminar at BAFTA, which was filmed and has now been expanded. We are delighted to announce that this ground breaking seminar is now online! That’s over eight hours of world class film tutoring about making a truly world class movie with very little resources. If you are wondering just how empowering the seminar is, read the feedback on the site.

And remember, you can go back and retake the course as many times as you like, learning from your own computer and from anywhere in the world.

The course costs £99 but is discounted to £69 until a week on Sunday… Why?

On Feb 21st we will run the second seminar for the first and only time – the first seminar was ‘How to make the world class film’. This second seminar is ‘How to exploit the world class film’, and we will be covering everything from mastering, PR, sales, distribution, iTunes, festivals and the Oscars. If you sign up to the online seminar BEFORE the 21st, you will get a free seat on this seminar (London venue TBC).

We are running this seminar ONCE and we have limited places.

Remember, this is based on real world experiences over the last year and NOT pulled from books. We have talked the talk and WALKED THE WALK… And we are going to share it all.

To book, please go to the seminar site at www.gonefishingseminar.com

If you are unable to attend in person, you can still take advantage of this offer by signing up now – you will get the ‘How to make your film’ seminar now and the ‘How to exploit the film’ seminar in a few weeks time, once we have edited it and uploaded it to the site.

Go one, just click on the link and take a peek – we GUARANTEE your film career will be hugely accelerated!

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass in Australia

As part of the Heart Of Gold Festival in Gympie, Eastern Australia in March, I will be running my two day masterclass for film makers (Gone Fishing is also screening too). This will be the first time I have run the seminar in Australia, and it will be a completely new and revised seminar, including all the great new stuff we have managed to collate over the last two years. I will also be announcing dates for the course in London, LA and Vancouver over the coming weeks.

Above is a video that went out on Australia TV last week, and features one of our Associate Producers Simon VanDerSpoel, as well as the lovely Toni Powell who has championed Gone Fishing from the very start.

So if you are on that side of the planet and want to attend, follow this link to get yourself a seat. I promise it’s going to be an AWESOME event...

Here is part of the press release they are going with…

Most film makers operate inside a vacuum, unable to communicate and collaborate freely with other like minded creative and entrepreneurial minds. This can stifle ANY movie maker… That’s why we are bringing The Guerilla Film Makers Masterclass REDUX to Australia!

This seminar is like a House Party for creative and entrepreneurial people, designed to educate and inspire in equal measure. Just by being in a room with 25 others who share your dreams, values and ambitions is GREAT! But when the event is led by a film maker with proven record over three features, Oscars shortlisted short film and five best selling books, it promises to be a breakthrough event.

This two day seminar, run by veteran film maker Chris Jones, who is visiting JUST ONCE from London, has been taught to over 1,000 students worldwide, and now he is bringing it to Australia.

What does it cover?
The seminar covers everything, from concept to completion, and beyond into career development and management, sales and distribution. It really does set out a road map for success, not just once, but for a lifetime. Throughout, we use extensive DVD clips and handouts to illustrate points.

It’s not for the feint hearted too, it’s two very long and intense days as we have LOTS to get through. But we guarantee, the following day, you will see the world through new eyes. Inspired, educated and refocused.

Who is it for?
You! Yes, almost anyone who has an aspiration to communicate through film, be it arthouse or commercial action movie, be you a writer, actor or director, be you a newcomer or an old dog (like me)…this seminar will broaden your horizons. Most people become halted in their career because they can’t move beyond a few simple blockages. We remove those barriers, and the group of film makers around you quickly form a new community which will flourish. You are not alone in your madness now!

The seminar is faced paced, fun, challenging and utterly inspiring for ANY FILM MAKER!

Seminar leader Chris Jones offers a 100% unconditional guarantee that you will be way past satisfied with the seminar, you will be bouncing up and down with excitement!

So here is some free advice right now… ‘Amazing opportunities are all around you, even now. Most people do not succeed because they do not seize those opportunities...’

Film making success is in your lap already, you just need a little refocusing (that’s what this seminar is for), a MASSIVE AMOUNT OF ENERGY (which we can give you), some money (which will show you how to get, well some of it anyway) and a little luck (which we will show you how to create). Oh and a camera, actors, crew, editing, distribution… (which if you don’t have already, we will show you how to get!)

So what to do now.

1. Sign up for the course to guarantee your seat. Remember there are limited seats and this is the only time this seminar is being run.
2. Start making a list of questions you want to ask. Now is you chance to get straight answers. Go on, start writing now!

ACTION CREATES RESULTS…

Blimey, I think I would like to attend myself!

Finally, I just wanted to share a video I was sent by an American film maker I met over here, nothing to do with movies, but certainly an inspirational tale if ever there was one…

Go ono, watch it again... It's just as good a second time!

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Gone Fishing Seminar Near Completion

I have spent the last few days working very hard on the Gone Fishing seminar that we shot at BAFTA last January – I want to be able to launch this seminar on the anniversary of the premiere when it was recorded. I always knew it was going to be a big job, but it really has turned into an extraordinary educational tool. I have asked a few people to look at various sections to make sure all is working well, and the feedback I have received has been superb.

We are going to sell this online seminar, which will be around eight to ten hours of edited and detailed film making tips, tricks and techniques, as a way of raising more funds for the coming events in Jan and Feb this year. We were going to release on DVD, but the wisdom is now that we deliver online so people can click, buy and watch immediately.

Doing the final polish on the seminar, I have been struck at just how much detail we managed to fill it with, and if emerging film makers choose to make the small investment of money and time to do this, I am certain that it will transform their careers.

There is one final section to present and film though – the final round up about film festivals, awards and a final analysis on how well we did with the goals that we set out to achieve. I will be letting all the associate producers know when we will be filming this final part of the seminar, and of course, they will be invited.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

Nightwatcher development and The Gone Fishing Seminar Online

The last few days have been immersed in script development on Project Nightwatcher. It’s been an intense and demanding process, and I hope in the next few days, to report on what is actually happening and what is about to take place.

I have also been completing the Gone Fishing Seminar Video that we shot on the day of the premiere, at BAFTA in January 2008. This is a full day ‘journey’ seminar about making a world class short film, an Oscar contender if you like. I had imagined we would release this on DVD, but it’s now looking much more likely we can release on the web – this will of course save money, which we can pass on to anyone who chooses to buy it.

Just reviewing the video footage, I am amazed at how much we managed to compress into that one day. I am also glad that we shot it then, because so much of the process was very fresh in my mind, and so the detail is immense. It’s also not coloured by the passing of time.

The actual course covers the whole process, mainly from a creative perspective. It’s about ten hours of very detailed video seminar, with clips, interviews with lots of key crew members, a detailed dissection of script drafts and edits etc… All in all, even if I say so myself, it’s pretty amazing. I have beta tested the course with a few guys, and here is what one film maker said…

‘I've been reading lots of movie making books, listening to pod casts, researching the internet and watching 'making of' featurettes on tons of DVDs and NOTHING comes close to what I'm learning from your video course. Thank you for producing it!’
Danny Lacey - Film Maker

You can read the notes on my blog and feedback from the actual course here.

I also plan to shoot a final seminar, wrapping up the experience, discussing awards and festivals etc. I hope to do this as soon as possible, but it all really depends on whether we get the Oscar nomination or not.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author
www.livingspirit.com
[email protected]