Climbing into 2019: projects, writing, and WordPress

I've been meaning to create more updates on this blog, but again, I've been slammed with more work than ever before as things start to transition once again in my life. While it's challenging, I'm also learning to appreciate time management more than I ever have before. Projects that have been backed up for weeks (sometimes months, even) are getting some daily attention as I start to understand the importance of time and how little of it we have.

I've been trying not to put my podcast on hold, but that was unfortunately benched while I realign a few things. However, it will soon be time to bring back some of the things that I love to do and want to share with you.

Let me also say that the motivation that I needed came from seeing you all creating wonderful things yourselves. I forgot that I know and interact with so many talented and artistic individuals and I'm really eager to work with you all again.

It's not just being more active in a creative respect. I've been more conscious of my overall health as I am edging towards the end of my 20s. So, I'm making a promise to myself to start taking better care of my body and my mind well before the time that New Years resolutions are made.

So, speaking of the new year, welcome to 2019. The start of the year is promised by many to be the start of something fresh, something new. What do I have to offer up to the New Year Gods? Well, promises. Like so many others. Promises to myself. Promises to those close to me. A promise to not fade away. To be forgotten is worse than death. Or so I've read.

But hey, this is always a great way to start. If I have in writing, I have something with a little bit of weight.

While I'm trying not to mention it on this particular blog (as it's more related to digital media, film, photography, etc), I have made the move to completely revamp what I'm doing with my writing, because I really want to make that a large focus for this year. Check it out.

WordPress was the first big move that I made. Used as an open-source management tool, WordPress has a lot of power behind it, with an even more powerful community that is using it. It is a place where anyone can create the webpage they desire. Utilizing themes, WordPress allows the user to easily create their ideal website or blog. The themes that can be used can also originate from the user, utilizing web design practices and interfacing. However, there are many resources available for those who aren't as savvy in basic design, HMTL, CSS, etc. There is also plenty more features that I'm failing to mention.

I'm just looking for something basic that I can build upon. So, basic designs and easily developed interfaces are part of my initial blog. Later, I'll be looking into more advanced design techniques and possibly sharing some of that on this blog.

WordPress, it seems, helps connect users to more accessible communities, providing many social
options, including the ability to interface with others with similar goals or interests. This is something that I've been lacking. I need people that can help build me up and vice-versa. Also, what good is my writing if I don't give it a little exposure?

So, I've laid out how I'm starting this year. I will also be making a few film investments in the near future, because I'm not completely out of the game and have plenty of vacation days saved up. Oh, and photography. I'm investing more time in photography. That'll be the focus of my next blog post, actually. Please contact me if there is anything that you need me for or if you have something you want to collaborate on.

See you in 2019.
Steven

The Inspired Traveler

Though I've not traveled much in the past couple of years, it has always been in the back of my mind. When can I get away and how can I afford the luxury only select few can afford?

Well, it also hit me that time is very limited and traveling is often used to inspire artists and creatives. I, for one, have been looking for something to kick-start the creative writing that I've been holding off for far too long.

My personal belief is that travel can help to move along the constipated condition that is known as writer's block. Travel can also be used as a motivator, helping you to find the right creative state of mind.

Sometimes it's important for me to remember my priorities when I have so many things going on in my life. Stepping away from the chaos of everyday life helps to re-prioritize your daily tasks and find the time to let your creative energies flow.


In my ever growing struggle to maintain a personal life, juggle several hobbies, produce content, work a 9-to-5 job, and freelance in both video production and writing, several things tend to get lost in the shuffle and priorities constantly shift on a daily basis.

For example, my podcast has a total of nine episodes recorded, only six of which are currently out. Two were recorded back in January, but due to the constant barrage in my ever shifting routine, I had to bench a couple projects while I got a few other things sorted out.

Life as usual.

Anyway, to escape from the constant grind of things, I was able to make a trip to the city of Minneapolis. Originally planned as a trip to see one of my favorite bands play (Closure in Moscow),  we mapped out some fun adventures as we scoped out the city.

This had been the first time that I had gotten away in about three years. In that time, I had forgotten the true importance of getting away.

Certain college and university institutes actually provide the opportunity to study something called Travel Writing. Particularly, Chatham University comes to mind.

When I was applying for graduate programs about six years ago (christ, I'm getting old), I looked into the particular Fiction Writing program that was available through Chatham. It was interesting because it placed an emphasis of moving around to faraway locations and using that experience to help get the juices flowing.

As writers/creators, we are constantly pulling from our real-world experiences to create a world beyond our own. Travelling certainly has its perks, as it gets you away from the daily repetitive grind to show you something new and exciting. We can ultimately expand on ideas with this fresh take on the world around us.

Even just having a "staycation" can help with clearing a cluttered mind, filled with the fragments of our "important business" that we take priority over. How doI benefit from stressing over our short-term accomplishments in our 9-to-5 grind? It comes down to just wasted time and money that has to be thrown away to the rising costs of living.

Of course, we're all wired differently, so maybe my needs are much different from yours. Some people do very well with the time that is given to them, and I always admire that. Unfortunately, I can get drained by the barrage of repetitive work, which is why I find such love for an "escape" every now and then.

If you find yourself in a tough spot creatively, just remember that it's important to step away from the routines of life and explore something new, helping to provide something fresh to bring to the table.

To see more from my trip to Minneapolis, please check out my newly updated photo section on my website (Sorry it's not more organized. It's still a work in progress).

Until next time.

Cheers.
Steven

Some of That 'New Year, New You'...Stuff.

"What makes an excellent screenplay? Is it the size of the bridges that are blown up or the number of cars that crash in the first ten minutes of the film? Or is it the characters and what they say and feel?"

Take a moment and let that sink in.

"We all know the answer to that one."

Well, hopefully.

The answer should always be 'it's the characters.'"

These quotes come from Myrl A. Schreibman, an experienced Producer and author of The Indie Producer's Handbook: Creative Producing from A to Z. This was a book that was recommended to me by a friend back in college. It was then a required text for a video production. Obviously, it holds great importance to my colleagues and mentors. However, I'm ashamed to say that I am just now getting around to reading it, as I prepare several film and video projects for production, later this year. This guide has proved invaluable to me. Of course, I'm not here to plug some random book you may or may not care about. This is leading somewhere. This is how I ended up starting my new year: nose in a book and feet to the pavement. Overlooking my poor attempt at idioms, let's move onto some recaps from 2013. Then, we'll get to what's brewing for 2014.

Still from 5 Minutes... Credit goes to Steven E. Croner and Suture Films.

It's been a while since I've made some major updates. The last time I wrote an entry, it came with the online premiere of the gory horror short, 5 Minutes... : The Director's Cut. It's over at YouTube, if you want to take a gander at it. Since that time, I've been extremely busy with different projects and jobs. In meantime, I had a chance to upload some photography stills over at Flickr. You can check those out to see what I've been up to with my (limited) free time. Most of that time has been (happily) taken up by film productions, and 2013 was not lacking in the film department.

Continuing into 2014, Shepard, the web series from Grimm Sleeper Productions and the talented Mr. Joshua D. Maley (here's the Facebook page) will wrap its pilot in the very near future. I'll provide some tidbits on my experience with this amazing production sometime next week. In the meantime, check out the website and like the Facebook page!

Jason Shepard, as portrayed by Dustin “Roz” Tichenor. Image credit goes to Grimm Sleeper Productions.

Back in November, I had the pleasure to work with an awesome cast and crew on a short called Judgement. Check out the Facebook page and give it a Like. I can't release too many details about the project, but I have some awesome material to share, once the time is right. Stay tuned for more!

Official Self Obscurities DVD box art. Credit goes to Nickel 17 Productions.

Speaking of short films, I got the chance to see the finalized film anthology, Self Obscurities. This short film series from Nickel 17 Productions and Mr. Nick LaMantia (Facebook page) was produced in the span of less than two years and includes three short films: Soliloquy, Assertions, and Confessional. I was fortunate enough to be apart of all three productions. In fact, Soliloquy was my first official film production in the Greater Pittsburgh Area! So, you can imagine how happy I was to finally receive a hard copy of the finished product. This is the part that makes it all worthwhile. Thanks again to Nickel 17 for providing me the opportunity to connect and work with such an amazing and talented cast and crew! So, what's next for 2014?

Andrew Wolf. Image by Steven E. Croner.

2013 was a great year, and this year will prove to be even better! I already have man projects in the works. At this time, I can only provide a few details, since many of the projects are in the extremely early stages of development and preproduction. One particular project will be a collaboration with the talented Mr. Andrew Wolf on a film adaptation. The project is a short film based on the play Lights Up, which is also written by Mr. Wolf. More details will surface, once we go into production in a few months.

Other projects are also on the rise. Like I said, it's too soon to release any firm details. However, I would like to take this opportunity to expand my blog beyond the boundaries of projects that include my involvement. I plan to feature projects and production companies that are local and/or small budget and deserve the spotlight. I hope to have these features complete with interviews and exclusive materials to showcase right here on this blog. I want to reach out to artists and filmmakers in the community. Help me to help you!

While we're at it, help me to spread the word about the previously mentioned people, companies, and productions. Check out the below pages, follow them, and share with your friends! They're all in place to help promote this blog and local filmmakers. Things are about to get BIG in 2014.


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ciphereyemedia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CipherEyeMedia
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+SecronerCEM/

These are the official social media pages to my blog and related work. Also, check out my personal website, which acts as the central hub:

http://www.secroner.com

Next week, I'll go over my experiences with the Canon EOS 6D, as I close in on one year with this solid piece of hardware. After that, I plan to dive into a little more detail with an ongoing production. Cheers!

Observations and Changes

Well, it's unfortunate that August has been plagued with so many technical issues, because I had some really big plans. The end of July rolling into the next month saw the breakdown of many devices that were necessary for productivity. Not to mention I had to put everything aside just to dedicate the time towards getting those problems worked out.

Now, it's the beginning of September and it seems that most of the bugs have been worked out of the system...keyword: most. I also have a new job on the way, which means that my schedule will be drastically adjusting to adhere this change. I'm not sure how this will affect the time I normally dedicate to film work. I may have to cut back for the time being, returning to local volunteer film work when I am able to work with my new job on scheduling this time.

Although I might be taking a break, that doesn't necessarily mean that I will not stay active in the film community. I will continue writing in the meantime, working towards my goal of developing an original short film. Unfortunately, it may not begin production until early 2014, but the extra time will work in the film's favor.  I don't want to rush things and run into issues with the writing or filming, so this short hiatus might be more beneficial than hurtful. Check back for more updates, as I add new content to my website and associated accounts (links available on website).

In the meantime, I will continue with non-narrative video work and photography (it helps to keep me sharp in the technical department). Cheers!

Taking "Quick" Detours

Well, I've had some good news over the past few weeks. It seems like good and bad things come in consecutive groups for me. Luckily, it was a number of good things this time around.

Image from http://www.adobe.com

I was able to get both my PC motherboard and Nexus 7 back from my repair shop. Meanwhile, after installing the PC hardware and Windows 8 (I swear it's not as bad as they say), I went straight to work on obtaining the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. For a cool $50/month, I get the latest versions of the entire Adobe Suite, plus additional features and support not available with Creative Suite 6. Do the math... for a constantly updated, industry-standard software package with cloud support and the newest features, you're getting a lot more than you would to pay a lump sum (about $1500, depending on the package) for the Creative Suite, which, in the past, usually only lasts about a year until they come out with a newer version, forcing you to shell out more cash to keep up with the current industry-standard version. Considering the options, I think subscribing to Adobe CC is the smarter route.

Anyway, this means that I have a quality PC and quality editing software to finally start working on some serious projects! First up, my film reel. I might also post some test footage, including some GoPro footage that went on the back-burner until I figured out my whole post-production situation.

In the meantime, I will be providing full reports on new hardware and writing projects that are in the works. Stay tuned!

Back to the Drawing...errr...Storyboard

Once again, it's time to get productive. While I have some downtime between the wrap of my 48 Hour Film Project and the start of fall videography jobs, I figured I would get some screenwriting and pre-production pumped out. While I'm not entirely sold on which story idea will get developed into a shooting script, I plan on working out the details of over half a dozen ideas that I have compiled, in hopes that the strongest script will stand out. From that point on...well...one step at a time.

I previously said that I would have a short film ready for production by August. Obviously, that's not going to happen. Between work, job transitioning, and freelance gigs, it seems as though time is limited to whatever I can scrounge up, especially in the next couple of weeks. For the time being, bear with me and know that I am working hard to bring something to life.

Itching to do this again.

Also, if you have any ideas that you would like assistance in bringing to life or would like to assist me in my own work, feel free to contact me. All of my contact information is at www.secroner.com, along with any updates on projects. And, as always, keep checking back here for a more in-depth look at any project updates. Cheers!