THE MEMOIRS OF SUMMER RAY

One of the greatest lessons I have learned about being an author, script writer, and filmmaker, is the simple fact that I cannot go at another’s pace. I have to do and be me. When I first stumbled upon From the Heart Productions, I was as amateur as one could get. I knew nothing of the film industry. I just knew that I had a story that was going to be on the screen. After I told Carole that I had already been working on the project for a few years, she told me, “Tenacity is the backbone of a filmmaker and you have it!” She then instructed me to be on a training call. OMG! What? I need to get involved? I was literally shaking as I was on my cell phone pushing the numbers. What? I need to take classes? I am thankful I started to blog my journey, way back in January of 2016. I have now been blogging for over 10 years and this will be my 514th blog to date. Also, I was part of an amazing group of other writers and filmmakers who published the book: (To view just click on the book cover).

Description

This book is to inspire you to use your imagination, persistence, and desire to create a life of filmmaking.

This book is for people who love films and for people who are currently in or want to be in the film industry.  It shares amazing stories of how films get made.  Stories of how people created their future and become what they wanted by their dedication and faith in themselves and their desire to use their God given talents for making films.

My chapter is seriously quite hilarious, at times. Dear God, when a man told me he needed to brand me as an author, all I could think about was a cow being branded. LOL! I was so young in this business. Websites; business cards; logos; bank accounts; business names; etc. etc. etc.! I was overwhelmed. Then I had to do what with the script – like format it properly? The script took eight very long years to get where it is today. It when through Largo AI Script Analysis three times. But I am happy to say that on the third try, the results were “fantastic.” I am still tweaking it a little here and there. But for the most part, it is ready. The storyboards are ready. I thought my neighbors were going to just draw stick figures. NOPE! They drew actual scenes! I am looking for film festivals who accept storyboards.

Then I had the bright idea to have a montage of scenes in paintings. The thought was to display them in the production office (which they will be), but also to use them for marketing and possible book covers. I did try several years ago to make book covers. But they blended together too much. I didn’t know at the time that they needed their own individual background colors.

It took several more years, before I finally got the book covers right. My amazing best friend, who is a graphic artist, told me to get rid of the frames around the pictures. I cried. I was overwhelmed to the point I couldn’t even think about changing the book covers again. (Here is the old book cover for reference!)

She told me it was so people could get a better feel for the story through the pictures. I also lightened up the background color. Overall, my friend is 100% correct! But at the time she told me, I fell apart…literally! But it was because I was so busy trying to get the 7th and the 8th book done. But once I was far enough along and closer to finishing them, I could work on the new book covers. They took only a few hours and all eight are now done! This is volume 1 – This Fair and Blighted Land.

She also wanted to make sure that General George Washington had his boots in full display. This 8th and final book of the original series will be released on July 04th, on the 250th anniversary of our America’s independence! PRAISE BE TO GOD!!! The title to the 8th book is, The Portals of the Past. (Old book cover for reference!)

The difference in the old book covers to the new, is amazing. The old, they were closed in. By removing the frames they are opened up and you can feel them. Even adding George Washington in full uniform, standing outside his headquarters in the snow at Valley Forge, tells its own story. God has blessed me with so many honest and talented people!

While in class last Saturday with our Fiscal Sponsor, Carole Dean of From the Heart Productions, www.fromtheheartproductions.com, a few people talked about how overwhelmed they were. Carole has so much knowledge of the film industry, it is astounding! FTH offers so many classes, workshops, podcasts, blogs, etc. etc. etc.! I know the feeling of being overwhelmed. But I also know the feeling of guilt. I would feel so bad because I couldn’t take as many classes as I wanted, or read more, or listen more as I was busy with the book side of the project. I felt like I was letting the project down. But I had to get the books updated and upgraded. I had to get the ISBN’s and barcodes; the publishing LLC; the business bank account. All those were not options, if I wanted to expand the book series worldwide. I did what I could with the film side. I read Carole’s blogs as I love to read. I started this new class, as it was what I could handle. But come July 4th, the book series will be finally finished – after seventeen and a half years. Like I said in the beginning of this blog, I had to learn to go at my own pace, and just be myself. I had to stop comparing my work to others. I had to stop getting upset if I didn’t sell books, while I watched others sell them. But I am just now getting them where they needed to be, in order for the readers to have a quality product. I had to make sure the storylines eventually connected and that the emotional intensity was there like it is in the pilot script. We received an 8/10 for emotional intensity. That is a great score! But it took eight years of rewrites and getting the book storylines where they needed to be as well. I was constantly going back and forth tweaking this, and tweaking that. It took a very long time. But I believed in this story so much that I didn’t quit. Even when I wanted to, my insides wouldn’t let me. I had to keep going and I guess that is the core issue. I believe in this story so much that I will never quit. I don’t care how long it takes. I will see this the live action part of the project to the final, “The End,” just as much as I have seen the original book series to the final, “The End.” I also will be working on the book series in Summer Ray’s first person point of view. Those books are what the scripts are based on. So, I have a lot of work still ahead of me. I am also going to be taking a very intense TV writing class. I couldn’t take it last year because I already had too much on my plate. But once certain things were taken care of, I was able to add a little more to my, “To Do List.” Someone said in last Saturday’s class, to “prioritize.” To me that means, do excellent work, and don’t try to spread yourself out too thin and produce something mediocre. Take each piece and make it something you can be proud of. Seventeen and a half years is a very long time to publish an eight book series. But the way the books are now, I don’t have that sinking feeling that they can be better. I have given my heart and soul into them and I am very proud of the story. I believe that AI has its place. But it doesn’t take the place of real people, having real emotional issues. There are so many AI book covers that bookstores are starting to not accept them. Why? They want the emotional connection to be real. It is why I kept the pictures, and didn’t allow AI. Summer Ray is well on her way to the big screen. But it still has to be at its own pace. I trust in God’s timing. But I also know that I need to do what I am supposed to be doing – taking the next steps and continue moving the project forward!

Stop comparing your project to others. You do you, and make your project the best it can be! I will always refer other Indie filmmakers to From the Heart Productions, if you need guidance. www.fromtheheartproductions.com

THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR SUMMER RAY WORLD!