Filmmaking / Directing : My goals for the July Filmmakers Club - Week 1 by Leonardo Ramirez 2

Happy July Filmmakers Club Month, Leonardo Ramirez 2! Congratulations on getting to the quarterfinals in Hollyshorts and all the success with “Homeless"! I'm rooting for you to reach your goals! I can't wait to watch your film! Here if you need anything.

I am so thrilled for my Leonardo Ramirez 2

Congratulations! I look forward to seeing "Homeless" at the movie theater!

Thanks so much Wendy Kay Sandra Isabel Correia Maurice Vaughan! I'm rooting for you as well my friends. Always and with lots of love behind it all.

You're welcome, Leonardo Ramirez 2. Thanks.

great targets, Leonardo.

Thanks so much Geoff Hall. Hope you're doing well and working towards those goals. Let me know how your mom is doing.

Leonardo,

That sounds like a great plan.

May I suggest that you get the shooting script for Book of Eli and read along while you’re watching. I find this exercise helpful when planning my projects.

Sorry for your loss, Tommy

Oh great idea Tommy Gallego! Will do that. And thanks so much for the kind thoughts.

Sorry for your loss and best of luck on your goals. Book of Eli is such a great film with a great twist.

Sounds great, Good luck and Sorry for your loss.

Leonardo Ramirez 2, sorry for your loss. I remembered sometime a couple months ago, you were expressing the concerns. It is admirable you keep that spirit in which parents instill in you and us as creatives to strive on.

God bless!

Your very gifted to continue to fill your days with work which help you celebrate by helping others. There is no better way than to be useful and nurture the well-being.

Your continued learning and success will happen.

Yes, it does have an awesome twist Nathan Smith. Love how it ends.

Thank you so much Emma Nuella - you're very kind!

That means a lot Eon C. Rambally. I did get a great work ethic from them. And they were both creative.

You are so right James Boyd Fuller. When you pair healing and encouraging others, it does help. Thank you so very much.

I found the script for Book of Eli Tommy Gallego and downloaded it. What a great suggestion!

Healing is a big one when experiencing such a tremendous void in one's life. I was in the middle of a project when my Mom passed on. It's been a few years and I've discovered that all of the heartache will never go away so it becomes and opportunity to channel those emotions into story. Sending you positive thoughts.

Thank you so very much Mugs Cahill - such kind words. I am so sorry for your loss. I love the thought of channeling emotions into story. Such a great take. Thank you!

My condolences. I lost my mom when she was 52. I'm 50 now, and I still think about her often, though the grief has receded enough that I can think of her without getting too emotional. I wrote a song about her awhile back that also helped clear the grief a bit. As for your goals, it's a solid list!

Thanks so much Patrick Koepke. My condolences to you as well. And that’s a beautiful thing that you wrote a song about her. Love that. Worked a little on learning storyboarding today.

Thanks Rebecca James! Hope you’re doing well!

Just added another goal - rewriting "Homeless" with shot headings. This came about after putting on my producer/director cap and thinking cutting costs. There were heavy FX at the beginning of the short which can be re-imagined with closeups and voiceovers so I've started that process this morning. :o)

You got this, Leonardo Ramirez 2, go for it :)

Thanks so much Sandra Isabel Correia. Next step is to create a budget for it.

If you need help with your budget, let me know :))

Oh bless you Sandra Isabel Correia - I certainly will!

Just figured out that I need to do a script breakdown first Sandra Isabel Correia. So I'm working on that now. Adding this to the list of goals!

You need! Thats the first step. You got this, Leo. :))

Finished the script breakdown last night Sandra Isabel Correia !

Congratulations, Leonardo Ramirez 2!

Yeahhhh, you did it. Leonardo Ramirez 2, proud of you. Now, as I usually say: nexttttt

Thanks Maurice Vaughan !!

Yes, Sandra Isabel Correia! On to the budget!! Although I may send you a question or two via email on that. Thanks!

Thanks so much Asmaa Jamil for your kind words. They really do mean a lot!

You're welcome, Leonardo Ramirez 2.

You are welcome :) And if you need a film budget format, I have one.

GOAL UPDATE: Aside from the locations, I'm just about finished with the script breakdown. I've learned a bit while doing this...like the difference between a prop and set dressing. A prop is essentially something the actor interacts with while set dressing is not. I did land on using Studio Binder for the breakdown as it is super user-friendly.

From there I'll do a storyboard and a shot list. I've had to alternate some of the goals since I don't have location information yet but all in good time. I've also studied up on shot angles so that I know what to plug in when the time comes.

I feel like the important thing is that I'm on a workable schedule and I know what comes next as opposed to flying blind. Special thanks to Sandra Isabel Correia for the encouragement along the way!

Congratulations, Leonardo Ramirez 2! Glad to hear you learned a bit while doing it! Thanks for sharing the difference between a prop and set dressing.

Thanks for the encouragement my friend Maurice Vaughan. I have a ways to go but I’m enjoying the learning part along the way.

So kind Asmaa Jamil - thank you for always being an encourager!

You're welcome, Leonardo Ramirez 2.

Finished the breakdown...sans locations.

Finished the mood board. ;o)

Congratulations, Leonardo Ramirez 2!

Thanks Asmaa Jamil and Maurice Vaughan! Just putting one foot in front of the other. ;o)

You're welcome, Leonardo Ramirez 2. That's the way to do it!

You are my hero Leo and I am proud of you :))

Thank you Sandra Isabel Correia !!!! Means so much! I finished the production side of the budget this morning. ;o)

Congratulations on finishing, Leonardo Ramirez 2!

Thanks Maurice Vaughan !!!

You're welcome, Leonardo Ramirez 2. Hope you have a great week, my friend!

You too Maurice Vaughan. Working on a tribute blog post for mom today. :o)

There you go :))

I'm looking forward to reading the tribute blog post, Leonardo Ramirez 2!

It's for my personal website Maurice Vaughan but I'll be sure to share it with you!

That’s so beautiful Leonardo Ramirez 2, I will read it!

Ok, thanks, Leonardo Ramirez 2.

Ok I'll send it to you as well Sandra Isabel Correia - thank you!

That's so kind of you Asmaa Jamil - will send!

Thank you Leo, got it! Thank you

Thanks Sandra Isabel Correia !

Hey Leonardo Ramirez 2 Thank you for sharing something so personal with our community. I'm deeply sorry for the loss of your mother - that kind of grief is profound and touches every aspect of our lives, including our creative work.

Your insight about encouraging others as a source of strength is both beautiful and wise. There's something powerful about how supporting fellow creators can help us reconnect with our own creative purpose, especially during times of healing. It speaks to your generous spirit that even while processing your own loss, you're looking for ways to lift others up.

Sometimes the act of showing up for others becomes a way of showing up for ourselves, and creative collaboration can be surprisingly healing.

Your phrase about being "deeply called to" the creative path resonates strongly. That sense of calling often becomes even clearer during difficult periods - grief has a way of stripping away everything non-essential and revealing what truly matters to us.

I wish you both the opportunity to support fellow filmmakers and the space to nurture your own creative healing. The combination of purpose and community can be incredibly restorative.

Thank you for sharing your journey with us, and for the reminder that creativity and compassion often work hand in hand.

Wow Pat Alexander - can’t thank you enough for this encouragement. And you’re absolutely right in saying that purpose and community can be both restorative and healing. And it’s doing just that. Many of my fellow mods have reached out with words of comfort and some I’ve been able to encourage on their journey. Once a creator herself, that’s what mom would have wanted.