Metronome Chapter 4 Release
Hey there friends, below is yet another chapter in the mysterious Metronome WebSeries! The stakes continue to be raised on Dr. Evans as he continues his increasingly dangerous search for his missing patient. As he learns more about the Black Monarch Dr. Evans begins to question where this all leads. Watch the latest episode below & subscribe to our YouTube Channel to catch up & past chapters & to stay up to date on future episodes!
Need to catch up on past chapters? Links here:
Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/pMNDMWs7On8
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/2IW91tZ9p7k
Chapter 3: https://youtu.be/Vjsn_h6wVJ8
If there's one lesson I've learned from writing, producing, & acting in these productions it's that the best way to learn how to do something is to get out there & do it. Yeah, it won't be perfect, but name one thing in this world that ever is... :)
Onward,
Gabe S.
The Sound of Your Voice
Strangely enough when you read this point you are most likely reading it in your own voice or if you know me well enough you can imagine how it would sound coming from my own voice. As Actors our voices carry immense power in everything that we do. Whether you're playing 17th century royalty, a martian from a distant world or a pretentious business man, our voices make up a majority of our performance & it's crucial to know the instrument of your own unique voice.
Below is a great Ted-Talk about unique vocal patterns & how to get people to listen when you speak. As an Actor, you may be asked to do an interview, give an important speech, or call to action the army of a nation. Overall we must be charismatic, when we speak we must be worthy of the ears that are catching our every word. In short, our very careers depend on it.
The video includes a great warm up to use right before speaking, going on stage or heading into the audition room. Check it out & let me know what you think.
Be Well & Onward,
Gabe S.
Metronome Chapter 3 - Release
Well after lots of hard work, Chapter 3 of our webseries, Metronome is here! We had a blast putting this together & I'm really happy with the way things turned out.
To be honest, when you start a project you just never really know where it may lead and as an actor you pour your heart into a role & you never really know if it'll even see the light of day ( I've filmed a few projects that never even came out & never even received footage). Unfortunately, so many things can and do go wrong. I'm always thrilled when projects do make it out of the creative obstacle course & are able to be seen! However, the release itself can be riddled with anxiety, what if people say it's no good, what if others think you're not a very good actor, or what if you think you don't look good on camera... I mean the list goes on & on.
At the end of the day none of that noise matters & it IS just noise. The point is that you set out to do something & you've accomplished it (good or bad) nobody can take that kind of experience away from you. You've grown & learned so much, and that alone is worth the journey... which brings me to why I decided to title my website with one of my favorite quotes... "THE VALUE OF ART IS IN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO STARE DOWN THE RISK & TO EMBRACE THE VOID OF POSSIBLE FAILURE." Because it says so much about what we do as creative people. So be bold, take risks & never surrender to your FEARS, never!
If you haven't seen Chapter 1 or 2 of our series I've included links below. Let me know your thoughts! The mystery continues...
Click here to watch - Metronome: Chapter 1
Click here to watch - Metronome: Chapter 2
Onward,
Gabe S.
5 Top Writing Tips - in my own words...
There's lots of websites that will teach you the art of writing, but it's not always as easy as it sounds. Now I am by no means an expert on writing, but these are all tips that have helped me in the past & I hope they can help you going forward with creating your own project!
- Write the way everyday people speak! We are all programmed the way our English teachers had us write... it was all complete sentences this & proper sentence structure that, however, when you are writing a screen play it's best to write the way people actually speak. When we talk to one another there are awkward pauses, we start, stop, think, break up our sentences & jump from idea to idea. I feel writing this way adds a certain realism to what is being said.
- Write about what is interesting to you! What would you want to see on screen, what film genre do you feel is neglected that needs some fresh ideas? Can you give a new spin on an old concept? The more interesting the subject, characters & story are to you... the easier & more genuine it will be to write about said subject. You'll feel it pour out of you when you are really engaged with your own idea. If you're not feeling this way about your project, then you may want to reconsider the idea or reinvent it. Add a new twist & see where the ideas take you.
- Take into account the filming mechanics of your script & ask your self whether it is actually feasible! Robert Rodriguez was quoted as saying that if you are on a tight budget when it comes to filming, you should write & use what you already have. You wouldn't want to set your film in Africa or on the International Space Station as both may become much to difficult to produce. So if you have a great location you know of then write a story around that location. If you have a very unique object just sitting around your house, why not write a story about that object. Use what you have & you may end up with a compelling story of your own.
- Base your characters off real people that you've met & allow them to write the story for you. This one really helped me when writing Metronome. Once I had great characters in mind, they are really the ones who took the story from me & ran with it. You can feel them writing the story for you... all you're doing is typing out their words, but you really have to sit down & listen to the story play our in your own mind.
- Last, but not least. Just Start! Start writing, start formulating ideas, start letting these ideas & characters take you on a wild adventure all your own. Writers commonly talk about writers block or struggle to get started, I've definitely had that same feeling come up. I find the best way to deal with that is to search for inspiration. Give the writing a break & go out into the world in search of ideas. Perhaps you'll catch the last part of a coffee shop conversation or you'll see a random object or interaction that will give you that spark of an idea you'll need. Just be ready for that idea because you never know when it may appear... you may even have a random dream that'll give you an idea. Write down these ideas even if you're not sure how to use them at first. An idea you write down this year may become part of a new screen play 3 years from now.
The point of all this is if you've ever had a desire to write your own script, it's important to just start. Allow it to flow out of you & go from there. You may end up going back & rewriting everything 300 times, but that's okay, it's all part of the creative process. Metronome started as just a simple, very basic idea & somehow exploded into a full on production with different characters, a villainous organization & a huge concept. What are your thoughts or ideas when writing? Share them with me here or on social media!
Onward,
Gabe S.
Update: Metronome Chapters 3 & 4
Well it has been a busy few weeks over in Dallas, Texas! Over the last two weekends I was able to complete pre-production & filming on Chapters 3 & 4 of Metronome the series. It was quite the wild ride & such an amazing adventure. There was so much free flowing creativity in the air & I'm excited to show everyone what happens next in this mysterious series!
Production Photo from Metronome Chapter 3
"Continuing his search for Olivia, Dr. Evans stumbles upon a man with similar symptoms as Olivia. He decides to investigate further" Without giving away too much of the mystery, I can tell you that the story only gets crazier from here. I had such a great time writing these two chapters, expanding the characters & continuing the mystery of Dr. Evans. You'll find that you grow by leaps & bounds when you push your skill sets to the absolute limits, that's something I definitely can appreciate. While producing this series I was still going to 2 different acting class for 5 hours two days out of the week, working 40 hours a week & keeping up with family/friends... I some how managed to stay sane during the whole process.
Production Photo on set at Dr. Evans office
As we now head into post-production there is still lots to be done. We have to stitch the whole story together, add music & somehow tell a compelling story that people will be interested in watching over & over again... the stakes couldn't be higher. However, at the end of the day, thru all the stress, investment, blood, sweat & tears ... I always try to remind myself why I chose this life for myself. I do it for the art, I do it for the creativity, I do it those moments where time & place don't matter... what matters is that you are there co-creating with others artists. There will always be mistakes, things you would do differently, but those mistakes are all part of the process. They will enlighten your future decisions and you will be that much better because of their occurrence. Own your battle scars, own your faults, because at the end of the day they make you the amazing person you've already become.
Onward,
Gabe S.
What if you got everything you ever wanted? Would you be ready...?
I recently had the privilege of going to an advance screening of the A24 Documentary film "Amy". The film revolves around the tumultuous music career of Amy Winehouse. Now I've personally always loved Amy Winehouse, her music comes from such a painfully honest place. In a world of never ending Top 40 hits, she was the giant middle finger they deserved. For one, she actually wrote her music & secondly she fully owned who she was. Unfortunately, fame has a way of tearing people down & seducing our vices.
As an Actor I feel I often run into people who are in this business for all the wrong reasons. I.E. They want to be famous... well liked, rich even... but who can blame them. Our society glamorizes fame to a fault. Amy was one of those girls who was in it for all the right reasons, she just wanted to make music. She wanted to feel that creative fix we all crave, that feeling of just being in the moment creating & not thinking of a billion other things. "Just leave me alone & I'll make the music".
This film really made me appreciate the whole creative process, even the frustrating parts, but also as a welcome reminder of the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for". You can never know of the unintended repercussions of booking that big gig or becoming a huge star. Are you ready for that big break... or will you crumble under the pressure? During the film you come to find the source of Amy's problems which eventually cost her, her life.
As performers, actors, singers, etc, we are often under enormous pressure & when duty calls, we must be able to put on a show! I think we often neglect taking care of our mind, body, & souls so we can handle this immense weight when it comes up, but the most successful people in life are the ones who do. Go see "Amy" on July 10th, 2015... or if you reading this late, I"m sure it's on Netflix or something by now.
Onward,
Gabe S.
On your darkest days...
It's been a few weeks since I've written anything. It would seem that life has a unique way of pulling you in & out of storms. We often times piss & moan at these minor inconveniences, how dare we be forced to deal with such matters. At the end of the day, these storms can teach us so much about ourselves & the world around us if we let it. I personally went through what I'd refer to as a funk, I don't want to call it a depression, as that seem so cliche, but I'd say a 2-3 week funk is about accurate. Sometimes as artists we become creatively frustrated when things aren't going our way. Perhaps an audition didn't work out, we feel stuck... "why am I not there yet?" we say to ourselves. It would seem I couldn't dig myself out. Even as others were trying to dig me out unbeknownst to them. "Great scene Gabe" "I love what you've written" "Such a funny scene, can't wait to see more"... for some reason it all fell on deaf ears. It just never made me feel better. I felt trapped & the weight of my day job & family matters was starting to pull me down as well.
However, Inspiration came in a very strange place & I started to escape my funky town funk, where I had since become mayor. I ended up with a serious case of Pneumonia that put me out of commission for 2 weeks. As I was sitting in the doctors office getting my chest X-ray, the infection made me realize how fortunate I was just to be healthy at a time, it made me feel grateful to work with such an amazing acting community, I felt grateful to be able to pursue my own creative direction no matter what I should choose to do. I felt slightly ridiculous that it took an serious illness to show me what had been in front of me the whole time. I suddenly felt born again, I felt creative inspiration again, most of all I felt grateful to wake up everyday & be pursue a creative dream. It's so incredibly easy to become discouraged in this business, there's just so many dark-sides, whether it be the drama, narcissism or constant rejection... but it's important that we never lose sight of what's truly important on a fundamental level... that the universe allows us to create something truly unique on this planet of ours.... that alone is something that should never be forgotten or ignored because on your darkest days it can serve as the ultimate source of creative inspiration.
Onward,
Gabe S.
~ Metronome Chapter 2 Arrives ~
After lots of hard work we are finally able to release the next installment of Metronome the series! I had such a great time writing & producing this series! Find out what happens next when curiosity becomes obsession. In this chapter Dr. Evans is feverishly searching for his missing patient, Olivia. As his obsession takes hold, his research is interrupted by an old flame & former patient, Anna.
We were so fortunate to work with such an amazing cast & crew in this Chapter. Chuck Hatcher did an amazing job directing & making each shot look top notch, with great help from Kyle Novak, who is just phenomenal. Jason McRoberts did a tremendous job handling our sound along with Scot Walker who worked his magic stitching everything together! Co-Producer Zack Ambold was an amazing co-producer & trusty side-kick. Coupled with the talented Michelle Hirst, Sydney Daly, & Douglas Cunningham, we couldn't have asked for more without being selfish ;). Enjoy Chapter 2 & stick around to see what happens when curiosities become obsessions!
Onward,
Gabe S.
P.S. Feel free to share it around your social network! :D
Metronome Interview with Turnabout Media
Hello Friends,
Recently I was contacted by the good folks over at Turnabout Media to do an interview & I of course said yes! They had some great questions, we covered everything from the creative process of Metronome, highs & lows, to the full production process. It was great answering questions & realizing how far we've come since I started writing Metronome in early 2014. Everyday I get to work on this series I'm so grateful that I took a chance & decided to pursue a creative idea. I genuinely feel everyone has ideas worth sharing & that it's important to escape our comfort zones to take a chance. We are often afraid of failure, but I can tell you that failure is just part of the process. As they say, you didn't fail, you just found a way that doesn't work, which can only mean you're one step close to finding a way that does! Head on over to the link below to read the full interview & let me know your thoughts/questions.
http://www.turnaboutmedia.com/uncategorized/an-interview-with-gabe-saenz-creator-of-metronome/
Onward,
Gabe S.
Headed back to Dallas Comedy House!
Happy Tuesday Friends,
Now that Post-Production on Metronome Chapter 2 is complete, I could really use some comedic material in my life. So this May I'll be headed over to the amazing Dallas Comedy House for another level of improv. I can't tell you how excited I am! Being around these hilarious people always keeps me in a good mood! I love having to make up stuff on the spot, it definitely helps keep your mind sharp. "Yes, And!"
Onward,
