Thank you for visiting the Blood on the Leaves official website! And double Thank You for reading this inaugurating blog post! There will be plenty of these about the development of this dramatic independent motion picture, insights into the story and characters, behind the scenes photos, and production news. Have you ever followed the creation of a film from the very beginning? Sign up to receive updates and blog reminders (not spam, spam sucks!). Let’s do this.
Blood on the Leaves (BOTL) producer, writer, director here, typing on my MacBook, bumping J. Cole in my headphones, and sipping Mt. Dew. Boom, establish the scene. Done. Alright, I’ll be honest, blogs are actually a new writing medium for me and I’ve already backspaced and deleted this thing like three times and debated whether or not you’d find my “losing my blogging v-card to such a fine reader as you” joke funny, creepy, or oddly flattering. Therefore, I’ve decided to just relax and approach this blogging gig the same way I approach screenwriting. I’ll tell you more about my process as it relates to BOTL in a minute, but first allow me introduce myself.
My name is Vincent Barnard and I’m a filmmaker from DuBois, Pennsylvania, which is a little under two hours North of Pittsburgh. Why do I live in… not Pittsburgh or anywhere you may have heard of? That’s a whole other blog post, but I’ll just say I give props to those who make their own opportunities, no matter where they are; plus, I live with my super supportive girlfriend (supportive significant others are essential in this racket). Basically, I am from and currently live in the rural Pennsylvania setting of BOTL. Write what you know, right?
I’ve written, directed, and starred in countless film projects, attended and won awards at film festivals, brag, and recently completed a feature-length web series titled Blue Card, which is now available to watch on Backlight TV here. This series is the reason I am 1000% sure Blood on the Leaves is not only doable but will be nothing less than captivating. My rookie film is in the bag, folks, and it taught me so damn much about what we all want to see in a film. Turns out all of those headaches were just me learning stuff. Check it out!
I began writing films in middle school, not scripts, but random ideas of scenes and characters; however, one thing stayed consistent. For me, film projects have always started (and ended) with story. I would be the worst person to give a brand new camera that hasn’t yet hit stores and ask to put together quick test shots because I would feel the overwhelming need to incorporate a time-consuming plot even in those. I mean I’ll still take it though, if you’re offering.
In high school, I wrote script after script. Sure they were terrible but I formed a writing process that I still use. For Blood on the Leaves, and now this blog post, every single word is written to the sound of music. I was a teenager who came home from an annoying day at school, stomped upstairs to his room, opened his laptop, popped in ear buds, and zoned out for hours; trying to figuring out that writing stuff – iTunes just as important as the screenwriting software. Music of all genres was and still is inspiration through the beats, verses, choruses, and bridges. Then I ventured from one small town to a not as small small town and began college. During this 18-month film program, I figured out the writing stuff (for the most part). After several completed shorts, I co-wrote, directed, and starred in Blue Card and was introduced to the phase after writing features: production. But not just any kind of production: low budget independent production.
In a literal sense, independent film is an oxymoron like “pretty ugly” or “living dead.” Independent implies that you’re on your own and don’t need anyone else. Film, on the other hand, is the most collaborative art form in the world, you simply cannot make one by yourself, and if you did, I don’t want to see it and you are an arrogant douche. Of course, independent film means producing outside of a studio setting, which is what Sideline Pictures is all about. We’re bringing opportunities to us. Does that mean it’s more difficult? Maybe. But if I am to make anything clear in this post, it’s that no matter what the label is, story takes precedent. We had $1000 from crowd funding to make Blue Card, a truly independent endeavor, and we pulled it off, keeping the story in mind constantly. In short, I’m here to make movies with amazing people for amazing people.
The 99 page BOTL script that I wrote with my new Sol headphones (remember that generous, supportive significant other) is currently in preproduction, with a solid start! So triple Thank You for reading this whole thing and welcome again to Sideline Pictures’ Blood on the Leaves, a gripping tale of two men who must find common ground in order to survive the forces of nature. So pop on some headphones, zone out with us, and listen to this song that the film is named after; and remember, film is collaborative! You, the audience, are now part of the adventure. Let’s do this!
My name is Vincent Barnard and I’m a filmmaker from DuBois, Pennsylvania, which is a little under two hours North of Pittsburgh. Why do I live in… not Pittsburgh or anywhere you may have heard of? That’s a whole other blog post, but I’ll just say I give props to those who make their own opportunities, no matter where they are; plus, I live with my super supportive girlfriend (supportive significant others are essential in this racket). Basically, I am from and currently live in the rural Pennsylvania setting of BOTL. Write what you know, right?
I’ve written, directed, and starred in countless film projects, attended and won awards at film festivals, brag, and recently completed a feature-length web series titled Blue Card, which is now available to watch on Backlight TV here. This series is the reason I am 1000% sure Blood on the Leaves is not only doable but will be nothing less than captivating. My rookie film is in the bag, folks, and it taught me so damn much about what we all want to see in a film. Turns out all of those headaches were just me learning stuff. Check it out!
I began writing films in middle school, not scripts, but random ideas of scenes and characters; however, one thing stayed consistent. For me, film projects have always started (and ended) with story. I would be the worst person to give a brand new camera that hasn’t yet hit stores and ask to put together quick test shots because I would feel the overwhelming need to incorporate a time-consuming plot even in those. I mean I’ll still take it though, if you’re offering.
In high school, I wrote script after script. Sure they were terrible but I formed a writing process that I still use. For Blood on the Leaves, and now this blog post, every single word is written to the sound of music. I was a teenager who came home from an annoying day at school, stomped upstairs to his room, opened his laptop, popped in ear buds, and zoned out for hours; trying to figuring out that writing stuff – iTunes just as important as the screenwriting software. Music of all genres was and still is inspiration through the beats, verses, choruses, and bridges. Then I ventured from one small town to a not as small small town and began college. During this 18-month film program, I figured out the writing stuff (for the most part). After several completed shorts, I co-wrote, directed, and starred in Blue Card and was introduced to the phase after writing features: production. But not just any kind of production: low budget independent production.
In a literal sense, independent film is an oxymoron like “pretty ugly” or “living dead.” Independent implies that you’re on your own and don’t need anyone else. Film, on the other hand, is the most collaborative art form in the world, you simply cannot make one by yourself, and if you did, I don’t want to see it and you are an arrogant douche. Of course, independent film means producing outside of a studio setting, which is what Sideline Pictures is all about. We’re bringing opportunities to us. Does that mean it’s more difficult? Maybe. But if I am to make anything clear in this post, it’s that no matter what the label is, story takes precedent. We had $1000 from crowd funding to make Blue Card, a truly independent endeavor, and we pulled it off, keeping the story in mind constantly. In short, I’m here to make movies with amazing people for amazing people.
The 99 page BOTL script that I wrote with my new Sol headphones (remember that generous, supportive significant other) is currently in preproduction, with a solid start! So triple Thank You for reading this whole thing and welcome again to Sideline Pictures’ Blood on the Leaves, a gripping tale of two men who must find common ground in order to survive the forces of nature. So pop on some headphones, zone out with us, and listen to this song that the film is named after; and remember, film is collaborative! You, the audience, are now part of the adventure. Let’s do this!