carl b. richetti: a storytelling bloghttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/Stories, ruminations about storytelling and more from your bff, carl b. richetti.en-US2012-02-18T11:43:33ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)"Townies" Sneak Peekhttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2011/4/13/townies-sneak-peek.htmlcarl b. richetti2011-04-13T23:35:07ZTownies

"Townies: Season 1" Sneak Preview from Townies on Vimeo.

]]>The Newest "Townies" teaser...http://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2010/10/13/the-newest-townies-teaser.htmlcarl b. richetti2010-10-14T00:20:38Z

]]>Byron Winery Almanachttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2010/7/4/byron-winery-almanac.htmlcarl b. richetti2010-07-05T03:51:45Z 

I've been working with the people at Byron Winery for the past several months now, and I'm really proud of the stuff we've put together. When they first approached me with the idea of creating an educational video podcast series, a little red flag when up. Usually when people say "educational" they mean "excruciating snoozefest" and don't know it. To their credit, the brand management team at Byron has an excellent grasp on the balancing act between education and entertainment. They gave me a ton of freedom to have fun with these videos, and I think we pulled off something pretty nice.

Check out more of the podcast series, or visit Byron's facebook page to find out more.

]]>Trailer - Townies: Season 1http://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2010/1/1/trailer-townies-season-1.htmlcarl b. richetti2010-01-02T06:47:27ZTownies trailer videos web series

I've been dreaming about this series for a couple of years now. A little over a year ago, I finally decided to write it. By March 2009, I was casting and crewing up for the show with my co-director, Ryan Johnson. And now, with the new year ahead, we have wrapped production on the first 10 episodes and are gearing up to shoot our season finale in just two short weeks. I couldn't be prouder of the work that the cast and crew of "Townies" have done. And I'm especially proud to be releasing this preview of what's to come.

If you enjoy it, please check out our official Townies website, fan us facebook, find us on YouTube...you know the drill. We've got lots of great stuff coming out over the coming months, and we'd love to share it with you. Let me know what you think!

 

]]>Jon Anderson & the Zamran Experiencehttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2009/12/23/jon-anderson-the-zamran-experience.htmlcarl b. richetti2009-12-24T05:45:16ZJon Anderson music video never ever zamran experience

Far and away the longest lasting and the most successful of the '70s progressive rock groups, Yes proved to be one of the lingering success stories...Jon Anderson would grow up to become one of the most recognizable voices in progressive rock.

In early 2009, Jon Anderson began to develop his "Zamran Experience"--a multimedia experience revolving around his newest musical compositions. To date, Carl Richetti and the falling deer: story manufactory have produced three music videos as part of the Zamran Experience. The first of these videos, "Never Ever," is currently available on iTunes; two additional music videos and much more will be released in 2010.

If you'd like to find out more about Jon and the Zamran Experience, you can visit his official website or find him on facebook.

]]>Wanted: Thoughts from Indie Web Series Creatorshttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2009/10/31/wanted-thoughts-from-indie-web-series-creators.htmlcarl b. richetti2009-10-31T22:38:07ZTownies directing producing web production web series writingOn set for "Townies"I have a few questions for fellow web series creators out there. Here's the set up:

In my experience, the biggest challenge facing a web series creator is the sheer number of roles one has to fill. Over the past year, I've found myself alternately producing, designing and catering when my time would probably be best spent re-writing and working with my actors. The fact is, even though I have an awesome team of designers, crew people, and production support surrounding me, all the little things just wouldn't get done if I didn't step in sometimes and take the reins. It seems to be the nature of the medium: if films get made within a highly-organized, corporate studio hierarchy, it seems that a web series is more akin to a small business, with the series creator playing the frantic entrepreneur. 

I'm curious to know how other web series writers and directors out there deal with the demands of the medium.  Do you get as much time to review dailies as you'd like? Rehearse with your actors? Spend time re-writing? How well do you feel you balance your creative duties with the nuts and bolts of getting your series shot? What techniques have you developed to achieve this balance?

All this being said, I love the challenges of bringing a fictional web series to life. Even in the midst of the most insane moments, I wouldn't have it any other way. So how do you deal with the craziness? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

]]>Leo Laporte on Digitial Mediahttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2009/10/4/leo-laporte-on-digitial-media.htmlcarl b. richetti2009-10-04T19:05:57Znew media ruminations technology videosI recently gave a presentation to a group of businesspeople on new media. Not an easy thing to do. Trying to explain why newspapers are dying, TV is soon to follow, and how YouTube and Facebook are supplanting them, all to an audience that doesn't understand YouTube or Facebook--it's tough. And of course, nobody really knows where the evolution of media is headed, so I was really just standing up there blowing smoke. Anyway, I've embedded a presentation by Leo Laporte because after seeing it, I think it was the presentation I was trying to give. It has some great insights into the future of media and journalism.

And if by some bizarre twist you're a nerd and aren't aware of Leo Laporte, check the guy out at TWiT.tv. 

]]>Meet the "Townies" Cast and Crewhttp://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2009/8/5/meet-the-townies-cast-and-crew.htmlcarl b. richetti2009-08-05T23:59:18ZTownies cast crewIn just a few short days, Townies will begin production, and we're kicking things off by throwing the talent into a dumpster. I couldn't be more excited to start working with our team on set. Pre-production has gone as smoothly as one could hope for, with big thanks going out to our producing team, costume designer, production designers, make-up artist, hair stylist--the whole cast and crew, really. I expect nothing but great things going into our first production day.

Enough with the effusive rambling. The reason I'm posting this is to share some pictures of our cast and crew BBQ from a week and a half ago. They're as talented as they are beautiful...or more talented than they are beautiful, in case you don't find them particularly attractive.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer



]]>The Hill and the Valley (listen below)http://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2009/7/1/the-hill-and-the-valley-listen-below.htmlcarl b. richetti2009-07-02T04:26:12Zradio short story slobispoYou've just left a movie with a group of friends, and you've nearly made it to your car without a word of discussion.  This is a good thing, because as we all know, after-movie discussions never end well.  From the lighting to performances, everybody has an opinion, and, well, most people's opinions just aren't worth the air required to utter them.  But the opinion I dread most, what I consider to be the after-movie nuclear bomb of criticism, is the following statement: "The book was better than the movie.  The book's always better."  This is what people say when they want to sound intelligent ("Hey, look at me!  I read a book!"), but don't actually have anything intelligent to say.  It's a conversational nuke because now the discussion has devolved into a single, inane topic: books versus movies.

All that ranting to say that there is some truth buried in that loathsome statement.  Although the book isn't always better than the movie, most stories shine brightest in a single medium.  Birds are meant to fly, fish are meant to swim, and puffins are made to tragically wander the earth staring skyward.  Some stories are novels, others are movies.  And just because an eagle has legs to walk doesn't change the fact that an eagle is at its most beautiful and poetic when it's soaring (have I over-extended this metaphor yet?  Yes?  Okay, moving on.)

I wish I could say that when I first read The Hill and the Valley four years ago I instantly recognized it as a radio story waiting to happen.  I didn't.  I just liked it, and so a few months ago I asked the author, Lauren Schenkman, to read it for SLObispo: the show!  After listening to the finished product, I believe that The Hill and the Valley has always been a radio story trapped inside a short story's body.  Like a children's book, it screams to be read aloud.  And so without getting into too much inane criticism of my own, I present to you The Hill and The Valley: 

 

 

The Hill and the Valley
Written and read by Lauren Schenkman
Produced for radio by Carl B. Richetti

]]>Townies: Crewing Up!http://www.carlrichetti.com/home/2009/6/16/townies-crewing-up.htmlcarl b. richetti2009-06-17T05:54:45ZTownies upcoming web productionProduction will soon be upon us for Townies (formerly known as Cowboy Cookies)--a fictional web series written by yours truly that will be produced in San Luis Obispo, CA, this summer.  To give you the elevator pitch, Townies is the story of a twenty-something shopgirl stuck in her hometown and the townies who battle for her soul as she struggles to make sense of her life.

We are currently crewing up, and are looking to fill the following positions:

Production Designer
Costume Designer
Make-up Artist
Cinematographer
1st Assistant Camera
Key Grip
Production Assistants

If you live in San Luis Obispo and are interested in being part of an exciting, creative, labor of love (read: no pay for now, but lotsa good food and good company), drop me a line.  Basically, if you're a creative person and this project piques your interest, get in touch with me, cuz chances are we have a place for you.

 

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