Author Archives: CJ Powers

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November 27, 2013

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Stories

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Johnny’s Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving I wanted to give thanks for the inspiration I received for the first story I ever wrote. It was ever so slightly rewritten and I hope it is still a blessing to my readers.

Johnny's ThanksgivingThe snow lightly fell outside of the big picture window where little Johnny leaned against the back of the couch. His eyes sparkled at the small fawn crossing his grandfather’s snow covered lawn in the north woods of Wisconsin.

The smell of turkey snuck up behind Johnny, as his grandmother kissed the back of his head on her way to the dinning room table with the platter. Johnny spun around and caught a glimpse of the golden brown turkey, as it was set on the table in between the sweet potato and dressing.

Johnny kicked his feetsy pajama covered feet out and dropped with his seat landing squarely on the couch. He slipped off the edge and took his place at the dinning room table next to grandma.

In place of a traditional prayer, grandpa suggested each person take a moment to thank God for the simple things for which they were thankful.

Grandpa thanked God for his job, new car and having the family over for Thanksgiving. Grandma thanked the Lord for His provisions and the family. Johnny’s mom thanked God for his baby sister who was partially covered by a small blanket, as she enjoyed her dinner.

It was Johnny’s turn and he leaned back in his chair and took pause. The others were curious and wondered what was going on in his little mind. He thought and he thought, bringing smiles of anticipation to each one at the table.

“I wonder what Daddy is thankful for,” questioned Johnny.

A warm smile came over everyone in the old Chicago gym where Johnny’s dad was dishing up turkey for the homeless. A tear of joy rolled down the cheek of a mother holding a small child on her hip. A man with long stringy hair and a stubble face smiled as he received the turkey leg. An old woman reached out her shriveled hand and patted Johnny’s dad on the shoulder, “Thank you for giving up what you’re thankful for, so we might be thankful as well.”

Johnny smiled and said, “I’m thankful for my dad and I’m going to grow up and be just like him.”

And so, that Thanksgiving day everyone found something to be thankful for and shared with each other generously from the depths of their heart.

Copyright © 2005, 2011, 2013 by CJ Powers
Illustration © Kelly Hironaka – Fotolia.com

 

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November 25, 2013

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Behind the Scenes

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“Black Sheep White City” Enters Development

Last Friday, I facilitated a team of  creative artists that brainstormed a web series into existence. The creative process was a fantastic experience because each member, top people in their fields, collaborated in a way that drove our ideas into a great storyline.

The only rule was that we weren’t aloud to use the word “No.” This was much easier than I had anticipated because each person on the team commanded such great respect, due to his or her expertise, that there was no reason to ever say no. That’s not to say that we didn’t build on each other’s ideas, we did, but no one ever shot any idea down.

During a very short time, we were able to establish the overarching story arch, outline the beats of episode one, and develop the three main characters. We also selected key Chicago locations that will enhance the story and determined the beats of the story arch.

In all my years creating story, I’ve never worked with a team that pulled so many story elements together in such a short period of time. For instance, it took 24 hours over a three-day weekend to develop the first draft of the Tried & True story structure. This team did the same work in two and a half hours, which was absolutely amazing.

I’ve got to admit that watching creative experts brainstorm a story into existence was astonishing. The artistry, creativity, and playfulness had us dropping our jaws in awe of each other’s ideas. I counted the experience as a privilege to have been a part of it.

The seven or eight screenplays will be developed over the next three months with plans for shooting the first episode in January. Word has already gotten out and there are several actors clamoring to participate, based solely on the people involved in the creative team. The goal is to release the series toward the end of May.

While I can’t share too much about the story at this stage, I will say that it’s unique and centered on one of the facets that make Chicago the city it is. The locations are also very Chicago-esque and the story would not be able to be shot anywhere, except in Chicago. Even the characters will seem very familiar to those who’ve lived in the area for years.

During the development phase of the webisodes, we’ll be looking for sponsors to help offset our production and post-production costs. The fees will be low for the first season and the sponsor will have their ad embedded into the show so it will be seen no matter how many times the videos are forwarded.

Any companies interested in helping us launch this Chicago based storyline can contact me for additional information. Our goal is to get one million viewers during the first season, but we understand that the fans might push it much higher. The only thing I can confidently attest to is that the creative team is demanding the story is entertaining.

Copyright © 2013 by CJ Powers
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November 22, 2013

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Reviews

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Coming Home for Christmas – Review

Coming Home for ChristmasThe best part of the Coming Home for Christmas DVD release is its tie-in with Vudu HD video service. This allowed me to access a digital copy of the film within seconds of opening the DVD case. In fact, the digital movie popped up before my DVD player got the disc spinning.

While its commonplace for big box office films to make digital copies readily available, it was a pleasant surprise to learn that a new heartwarming film was quickly added to my Vudu cloud library after typing in a simple code. In addition, the DVD case held a Norman Rockwell reprint of his 1950 Plymouth ad Christmas painting.

But there was another surprise I received. Amy Jo Johnson (Wendy), who is known for her hard hitting roles in shows like Flashpoint, played a mom struggling with losing her family to a long standing emotional feud. Her performance showcased her diverse acting chops.

The story is about her daughter’s Kate (Carly McKillip) and Melanie (Britt McKillip) who haven’t spoken since Kate walked away from Melanie’s wedding because she was marrying the wrong guy. When Kate learns that the stress has separated her parents, she decides to reunite the entire family back at their original family home for Christmas.

Kate doesn’t allow the home being sold to deter her and heads to the house for a visit. The new owner (Ben Hollingsworth), who seems to be the ideal guy for Kate, interrupts her dreams with a reality check. The two banter in a fun RomCom way and Kate’s new friend decides to open his house to support Kate’s efforts of restoring her family.

It was not surprising to see how well Carly and Britt connected as sisters in the film, especially since they are sisters in life and co-performers in the band One More Girl. They’re gifted with a presence that commands attention from stage and it translated well in this movie.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hopes that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”