Oh Hi There!

So I'm trying this whole blogging thing again. I could've sworn I had a blog for the ongoing adventures of my life in LRF, but it seems to have either been deleted or lost in the internet void. So here we are.

A brief introduction: Hi, I'm Jacob. I've been writing at Last Resort Films for the last six seasons and have produced thirteen films overall. I am on the autistic spectrum (high functioning) and writing is one of my many passions.

Whenever something happens or I'm entering a rough mental patch, I usually find that writing helps me feel a lot better. When I write, it's like I'm transporting myself into a new world with characters to create and adventures to tell. It's not always pretty, but they get the job done.

You'll notice I don't really talk much on the LRF forums. This is usually because I prefer not to cause too much of a commotion and go under-the-radar unless if needed. I also don't want to accidentally offend someone (which has happened once before, I regret to say). I'm not known for being the most tactful person. Hopefully you won't see me fly off the rails in this blog!

Anyways, I'd like to talk about how the season has been and how I feel about my inputs this year. Overall, I think this has been a strong season that has been dominated by with several great films from so many wonderful writers. At this point, you can see the Golden Reel Awards races shaping up and there are some heavy contenders for every category. Who will set out in front of the pack? We'll see!

Now then, my films for Season 16:

Greenwater Amusements:

Greenwater Amusements is a project I have a soft spot for. A few years ago before I discovered Last Resort Films, I created this film for a similar project for a forum I am no longer a part of. It was very well received, though there were some noticeable differences (C.J Cyborg was a lot meaner, there are musical numbers, I cast Sterling of Hell's Kitchen fame, etc.). So obviously there was a lot that needed to be fixed in the new version and I think I was able to do that. I still have the old version on Google Docs so if anyone wants a copy of it, I'll be glad to give you a link!

I love amusements parks, I love roller-coasters and I love animation. What happens when you put these three things together? You get something as fun as this. The story of Greenwater Amusements is me putting the Pixar theory to the test and asking "What if amusement park rides had feelings?". My theory is that if they had feelings, they'd act a lot like us but with differing personalities to match the ride name and theming.

We'd also have a shit-ton of Batmans roaming the streets trying to stop crime (thank you B&M).

So what are my overall thoughts on the final product? I'm satisfied! I think it told a good story and served it's purpose as a fun romp for families to enjoy. One of the things Genndy and I talked about while working on this was to focus on both kids and parents (as this was a big reason why critics were mixed on Oh Deer). As such, the story is a little darker than Oh Deer, a little spicier, there are more stakes at play this time (comparing finding a place in the middle of nowhere to having to save your amusement park from being destroyed AND having to keep your secret safe).

I wasn't sure what critics would think giving the response to Oh Deer. I figured anywhere between 50-70 was the sweet spot for the movie and I was right. It's a shame it didn't make profit, but such is life for most animated films. You either need a really big name or do something really different to give it life, something The Banded Ants knew well.

With that said, now that it's been several weeks since it's release, what would have I done differently had I the chance to go back?

The first thing I would've done is scrapped Ferris Wheele, Cactus Clyde and Barnstormin' Benny. None of them really serve a purpose in the movie and they only served to pad things and give less focus to storylines that really deserved it.

The second thing would be to focus more on the relationship between Ralph Riverback, C.J Cyborg and Carolina Cobra. It's the popular clique cliche you find in teenage movies and I'm a little disappointed I didn't give them more to do together. Especially Ralph and C.J since they have a crucial scene during the climax. If given another chance, I would focus on C.J flaunting his superiority for the world to see while Ralph tries to keep his head on straight.

Finally, the big thing I would change would be swapping Thomas Middleditch out with someone more likable. I like Thomas, he's proven to be a solid addition for a cast before and will again. With that said, he does carry a sense of insincerity that turns people off. Animated movies need a likable protagonist more than any other medium of film or otherwise, the film doesn't work. With that in mind, who repaces Thomas? I think someone like Seth Rogen or John Cena takes his place since they have a likable charm and are capable of being humorous if needed.

Overall, I'm relatively happy with how things played out, even if it didn't make a profit. Here now was the movie that did make profit and started something even bigger.

The Crow: Resurrected

Okay, confession time. I've never watched the movies or read the comics. I've read up about it on Wikipedia and seen clips of it on YouTube, but I've never actually sat down to read or watch either thing. With that said, I seem to have this knack for getting the gist of something the moment I read about it, and seeing the potential for a Crow reboot, I decided to give it a shot. Like the previous movie, it was the other movie game and contained several differences (An almost completely different cast, Alex Proyas as director, a vastly different ending, etc.). Like with Greenwater Amusements, I still have the original copy is anyone is interested!

Rewriting The Crow: Resurrected to fit the word limit was not an easy task, especially with the walls of text I created for the original. It was so difficult, I had to abandon my first plan of editing the story and do a full-blown rewrite. I'm glad I did though cause I think we can agree that it would be a difficult task to cut an over 10,000 word document to around or under 4,000.

Casting was also a little tricky. The first cast bombed hard with the studio and I struggled to find suitable replacements. Several people dropped at different times and it was stressful. Thankfully, I was able to figure out replacements just in time for the movie's debut.

And man, I was so happy when I saw it made profit and scored decent reviews with critics. It wasn't perfect, but it confirmed something in my mind. This franchise had serious potential and I could be the guy to revive the once struggling franchise and carry it into a new era. In fact, allow me to confirm now that I have outlined and prepared a cast for a sequel to The Crow: Resurrected, set two years after.

I present to you, The Crow: Wings of Isaiah!

I can't go into too much detail on what the plot will be or what the cast will look like, but I can say this much: It will be more faithful to it's predecessors than this movie. It will also be bigger and better than the first movie. What I have to tell about The Crow's second journey into LRF Films will be a fun journey to explore one day.

I'm also planning on a spin-off movie featuring Wendy Parsons, the troubled girl Sparrow Wilson befriends and how life in juvie is treating her. Speaking of which, regarding what I'd change there isn't much to discuss. Probably the only two things I'd go back and rework are expanding on Sparrow and Wendy's relationship and maybe casting Logan Lerman as Sparrow. I was considering it for a bit during production but I felt he wasn't the right person for the job, hence why Ezra got the job.

And finally, I'm actually going to address a major complaint critics had with the film. A big issue most people seemed to have was that the story wasn't as linear or focused as it's original. Admittedly, some of this is my fault, I didn't translate some things as well as I should have but I think there's a misunderstanding regarding The Crow's mission. The Crow died on the hands of his friend with his band watching. Sparrow (unintentionally) took everything away from him, his girlfriend, his friends and his life, Sparrow has to pay for it, and that means killing or hurting everyone he loves.

Again, part of this is my fault. I didn't translate it well on the screen and didn't think to explain further and I apologize for that. However, I do hope this explains more on what I was trying to do.

Next Season:

Last thing on the agenda, Season 17 projects! Now that both projects for this season have been sent to theaters, it's time to look ahead to next season and see what I have in store!

First, debuting in the second round will be the big movie adaptation to a famous mascot probably no one saw coming. Introducing, Whammy!

Whammy:

Whammy marks my first animated film without the guidance of Genndy Tarkovsky. Instead, animation fan-favorite Thurop Van Orman will be leading the way as we expand on the story of that mischievous red mascot of Press Your Luck and uncover why it is they steal your money.

Whammy may be the most out-there idea I've had in my time in the audio, but it's one I needed. I was going through serious writer's block during that time and I wasn't sure what I was going to have for future seasons. Then I wondered, The Whammy from Press Your Luck sure does like to steal your money. Why is that? And is there a way for them to stop (theoretically at least)? That's what this film does! Without going into any spoilers, it's possibly the most fun I've ever had writing a movie. So many fun interactions and characters, even a little bit of trivia for those not into the show.

It also serves as a love letter to game shows. I remember watching Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Price is Right and Who Wants to be a Millionaire (RIP Regis) growing up and being enthralled at the games and prizes the contestants could win. Game shows are some of the most fun shows out there if you do them right and I hope this movie gives them the respect they deserve.

And now, the other film I have planned for next season:

Kiss Me Katie:

My first collaboration with Jean-Marc Vallee! I've admired his work for a few seasons now and find him to be a natural at crafting relatable characters and exciting storylines. He's an excellent director and I'm happy he finally got noticed for his hard work. With his appearance also brings the addition of the actress who's career got kickstarted thanks to him and Mo Buck, Mackenzie Foy. Mackenzie is one of the biggest home-grown stars in LRF's history, and it's thanks to her work in Buck's films. He always seems to bring the best out of her, and I hope I can do her skills justice here.

Also noticeable is the inclusion of Michael B. Jordan. He's come under controversy in the studio for being poison in the box office. It's a shame as he is a solid actor. Hopefully, this will be the movie that revives his LRF career as he has proven to get it done on the big screen before.

This movie doesn't come across my mind as much as it should, and it's a shame. I believe I've crafted an excellent storyline for it and I hope when the movie comes out, people will agree. It's a gripping tale of lust and revenge and again, without spoiling anything, there will be some twists along the way.

Conclusion:

So that'll just about wrap up this first blog post from me. I'm really excited to see where this goes and hopefully you'll follow along for the ride. Until next time, this is Jacob Jones, signing off!