Peppermint Village Characters

These are the current characters in the first Peppermint Village story. Since it is a village, a city, as new stories develope, new characters will get introduced. For now, meet the cast....

Behind The Scenes

I've uploaded some photos from my current film project my Peppermint Village series titled "To Chase The Heart." Coming up is a collection of writings on the inspiration, technique, and characters.

Inspiration: "To Chase The Heart"

So many things can be a combined inspiration for our work. With "To Chase The Heart," the first story in my Peppermint Village series, there were several sparks that led me to write this story.

First of all, my interest in music. I think all filmmakers start with a sort of familiarity. Something that is deeply engrained. So, music was key to build a story around. Secondly, my passion for things multicultural. I could not imagine creating a 'world' and not have it blended to reflect how I live, and what I believe.

Which brings the main thrust of the story, as it relates to one of the main characters, Donovan Dane, the classical piano player, who falls into this identity crisis after he meets Parker Vintalli of the band called Xkon, who, with his popularity, causes a joke to be made of "playing classical music." Donovan recalls a time in his life when he was excluded from the 'cool kids.'



Donovan thinks quitting and joining Xkon will make him 'cool again.' He even begins to play basketball, although sports is not his thing.

My premise is that, we are all chasing something. In my next blog, I will examine the relationship between Donovan Dane and his music teacher, Kendall Blair.

Film Blog Coming Together

I am currently working on some new graphics for my film blog layout. The new graphics will include my film projects and stories in the works, as well as those on the drawing board. I want to keep things 'free-flowing' so, I may bounce around from project to project. That's a good way to show how each work is going, and introduce 'what's new.'

Excited and feelin' the creative vibe!

Extreme Makeover-Blog Style

After countless going's back and forth on whether to keep writing personal blogs, the answer finally came. With many past writings, I've got to the point where I want to diverge into writing on films, both mine and other filmmakers I admire. Also the process. For all of you who read my personal thoughts, thank you, hope you weren't too scared. I appreciated your support.

Here, I will post film clips. Motivations behind story and characters. I'm very excited about making this blog known to my fellow citizens who are embracing a state geared toward filmmaking.

All future questions can be directed to the director. Hey. That's me.

Think Like A Mouse

Getting a new avatar. This one is temporary for this blog.

...Okay, so, I was sitting at my computer one evening when I saw a little movement in the corner of my eye. I was like, oh it was nothing. It's late. My mind is playing tricks on me. Can beat me at games. Then another evening, from out of nowhere, it seemed, a tiny, furry critter ran under my desk!

I jumped up on my office chair, stating over and over in disbelief, "No way. No way."
A mouse turned the corner as if to say, "Yes way."

It's all quiet, except for the sound of my beating heart. My first thought was, "Who do I call?" Calming down, I knew even our local Critter Control would not take the job. At least, not without charging an arm and a leg, and perhaps, the right to use the story in a feature article. Okay. That would be too embarrassing. Call my brother? He lives across town. No. It's up to me to deal with this.

But it's too late to go out. I will have to wait until morning. I could barely sleep. Thoughts of mouse tracks over my face, or worst under my blanket, had me a nervous wreck.

I'm relieved to see the sunrise. It's time to go hunting. I take a jaunt to the local hardware store. Now. How do I say this with style? Dignity. I quietly spy out an employee. "Um...I got a mouse. I mean, not pet mouse. He's a stray. Um. I don't know where he came from." I'm rambling.
"Oh you need a mouse trap."
"Yes. That's it."
He leads me over to the section, and hands me a big giant rat trap. I'm thinking, I'm not trying to catch King Kong. Then he hands me the ancient traps that...crush. My eyes widened. "Do you have something humane. Where I don't have to see the critter in his last moments?"
He hands me a glue trap called "Noseeums." Mmm...no...see...um. Oh, I get it."

I get home. Now where do I put the thing? I have to think like a mouse. It was upstairs. It will probably take the same route again. I place it the corner in my reading room, and return to work. Not five minutes later, I hear the sound of the trap moving. I've got him!

I go into the room, and his little head is sticking out. Eyes wide open. Staring at me. Like, "Why are you doing this to me. All I wanted was cheese!" It's alive. I can't pick the thing up, while it's alive. I leave to come back. Thinking that it's over, I go back. The critter has eaten his way out of the box.

He's still on the loose!!!!

I panic. I can't take another night like last night. I open the second trap. Determined. Now, how can I entice it to come back, since it knows what I'm up to? I have to think like a mouse. Peanut butter. Don't have any. Soynut butter. I hope it's not picky.

Okay. I can't put the trap in the same place. No, he's on to me....I'll put it in the closet. I did. Went back to work....I hear the trap moving. I open the closet door. I can't see him, just like the package said. It's over....

What I've learned from this experience?

We have a big God who can do great things in our lives, so, the only time to think like a mouse,...is when you're trying to catch one.