Thirty Nine years ago, I saw the First “Star Wars” Film, and my life was changed… Three years after that, “The Empire Strikes Back”…
It was those two movies that set within me that I wanted to be a Filmmaker.
In my 20’s, I wanted to begin pursuing Film Making, but life took me in another direction… For around 10 years, I was in Corporate America.
Making decent money, but suffering, and shutting down on the inside
In 1999, at the age of 30, I stepped away from Corporate America, and the decent paying job, bought my first Video Camera, and lived off my 401k (Something you’re never supposed to do, lol), while I began working on Experimental Film Projects… And came to the realization I was also a Writer of Film
Two and a half years later, I shot a 5 Minute Short Film, in an hour and a half, and submitted it to the ‘New York International Independent Film And Video Festival’, and got it in… Eight months later, I was sitting in a small theater in New York, watching my Film
My life had changed… I was a Filmmaker
Two months later, I was admitted to the hospital with medical issues basically caused due to the fact that I had difficulty finding work after 9/11, and lost Medical Insurance for over a year, which caused me not to be able to afford the medicines I needed for an otherwise manageable condition.
After spending 10 days in the hospital, I blasted out of state, and tried to continue my pursuit of Film Making, but ended up going through some trauma related to the Medical Issues, and suffered a Severe Panic Attack
Sadly, my physical ailment was healing, but from that day forward, I suffered with serious Anxiety issues
And so I shifted my focus from Film Making, to Screenplay Writing for the next one to two years
During that time I completed a Written for Film Screenplay that I had written a First Draft for in 2002, called “White Jade”
Tried to get an Agent to read it, so that they could Represent it (And me), and shop it around… To no avail…
After sending out several Quarry letters, with no response, I sat my Dreams aside…
I was 36-37
For the following 5 years, I played a lot of ‘World of Warcraft’, lol
I did some Admin. Work from home, and got a couple jobs out of the house, but in the end the Anxiety Issues (Which ended up being more of a PTSD thing) made it difficult for me to hold onto work outside of my house
In 2011, created this Blog, and began Writing Everyday…
Poetry, Blog Series (Stories), Novellas, and even a Fantasy Novel…
All right here.
In 2012 I Self Published my First Book, which was a Book of Poetry
Later that Year I Self Published my First Novella…
In 2013 I took a break from Writing, but in 2015 Self Published my Second Novella in the Series, which I had Written in 2012
And at the end of 2015, I picked up my “White Jade” Screenplay and decided I didn’t want it to go to waste… And so I created a rough “White Jade” Trailer, with a not great Video Camera, with not good sound… But it inspired me
And so in April of this year, I began PreProduction of the “White Jade” Web Series…
And though I am a bit overwhelmed with Production Details, especially after starting our current August 1st, through October 31st Push, I am essentially living my Dream of being a Filmmaker
My next challenge… To be ok with that… As it is fairly easy to avoid your Passions, and live a Simple Life… Torturous, but easier
And sometimes, believe it or not, it’s easier to be less happy, with less emotionally at stake…
But I recommend you consider the alternative…
Chase your Dreams
DarkJade/James-
