Introduce Yourself : Welcome to Newcomers & Lovely to See Vintage Members Posting! Valerie Mich'El Here. by Valerie Michele Oliver

Valerie Michele Oliver

Welcome to Newcomers & Lovely to See Vintage Members Posting! Valerie Mich'El Here.

I'm happy to see new and existing friends!

What's new?

I'm working on a grant proposal to fund an innovative new model program that will have an impact on how we write, develop and produce projects by democratizing storytelling: Audience-Driven Storytelling to Impact Filmmaking. The first project will be a short film. I need about $15,000 to launch it, and if funded, will be reaching back to Stage 32 to hire cast & crew in the Atlantic City area. I'll keep you all posted.

Currently, Jacob Larch and I (who I partnered with each other via Stage32) are revising our series bible while packaging the THORN TREES series project (A conscientious, grieving witch recruits a repentant witch-hunter in Elizabethan England to help save her family from a treacherous bishop intent on murder in this prequel to the Salem Witch Trials.). We are seeking a showrunner.

We just completed a year of publishing an e-zine ("Rachel's Gazette") featuring the female protagonist as the executive editor (https://paper.li/RachelsGazette) and were interviewed by "That Witch Life" podcast: (https://tinyurl.com/d4j822zv).

Also, coming up is writing for Stage32's blog in January.

Congratulations to everyone who is experiencing success in some way shape or form, and keep at it as good fortune, sacred synchronicity, blessings, magic, whatever you call it can happen at any time for the time and work we put into our passion. Cheers!

Karen "Kay" Ross

Great to see you again, Valerie Michele Oliver! How have you been? I love that you're still pursuing this series, and I look forward to reading your blog!

"an innovative new model program that will have an impact on how we write, develop and produce projects by democratizing storytelling: Audience-Driven Storytelling to Impact Filmmaking" - is this the subject of your blog? I'd love to post about it in the Filmmaking Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/directing), or maybe the Producing Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/producing)?

I'm not sure if this is similar, but I just wrapped on an indie feature as a PM. Since we were a non-union shoot working at the same time as the impending IATSE strike, it got me thinking - what would a budget built from the crew up look like? As opposed to an investor throwing out a number, a producer accepting it, and making everything work from the top down (and often resulting in over-worked and/or underpaid crew). If that would be something of interest to you, I'd be happy to share it with you!

Valerie Michele Oliver

Hey, Karen "Kay" Ross! Great to see you again too! I really enjoyed our group discussions with other Stage32 members on disrupting the reality TV format. Maybe I can make those available to Stage32 members.

I haven't confirmed the blog topic yet with Taylor. After consulting with arts grants folks, I see there's more work for me to do on the "Audience-Driven Storytelling to Impact Filmmaking" proposal--perhaps splitting it into two different focus areas, so more on that later. It would be great to get Stage32 members' impressions and thoughts on it, so I'll reach back when I've progressed on the re-write.

I love your thinking about building a budget from the crew up. Yes, do share. Thanks for reaching out!

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