Just when you thought that the last thing the world needs is another blog, well guess what?

There’s a new blog in town, but don’t panic!

It’s very narrow and geared toward filmmakers and it is called QUICK DIRTY TRICKS.

Add it to your RSS feeds, bookmark it or add it to your twitter.

Just like the name implies, it is a minimalist blog with quick tricks any filmmaker can use in making a movie, be it in editing, directing, writing or simply for quick inspiration.

Here’s the last post I wrote about one of my favorite words: Inspiration.

Inspiration: Everywhere

The real trick to writing is not how well you write, but what you write about.

Just like anything else, the more passion and fire a work of art has, the more powerful it is.

If you feel, you have what it takes to write, but don’t really know what to write about. Then disconnect your computer, and get out there and have an adventure OR find someone that has had an adventure. Even if you don’t end up writing that person’s particular experience, it will burn a fire in your heart and inspire you to write something powerful.

Today, I went to the Witte museum in San Antonio; to my surprise there was an incredible exhibit called: Stories of hunger and resilience.

Each picture had headphones on the bottom with each persons story about hunger, home, love and about life. Each was different; some were scary, some were sad, some had happy endings, but they were all beautiful and very inspiring.

My point is: inspiration is everywhere, sometimes we just got to stop and listen to the world.

This blog will continue to focus on the films we make and the people who make them!

Happy reading!

Source: http://quickdirtytricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/quickdirtytrix

NOTE: We’ve had the great fortune to have had the help of many, many, many (CHINGOS!), of wonderful and talented artists in all fields, and I’d like to profile them, because they deserve to be honored and appreciated.

Projects: Ash Wednesday- Capitulo Unus, The Heart of Treviño

Call it chance, destiny, luck or whatever you may call it, that’s exactly how we met Rolando (or Rol, to his friends).

It was September, 2006 and we were in Monterrey, MX doing the soundtrack to Ash Wednesday with our friends and great artists Waris Rodriguez and Giuliano Innocenzi.

A week before we arrived for the soundtrack, Giulias & Waris went to a school reunion in their hometown Sabinas, Coahuila, where they saw their old school chum Rolando. They chatted for a while back and forth about everything that they had done with their lives and were excited that they all had chosen a path that involved music.

Giulias and Waris told Rol about the movie soundtrack and Rol was intrigued, and to our luck he was also going to be in Monterrey that same week.

Sure enough, a week later we met Rol at the studios and I was very excited to work with Rol, because he had been built up as a piano prodigy.

To my surprise, he not only is an accomplished pianist but also an accomplished opera coach AND a really nice, down-to-earth kind of guy. Very rare to have that combination in any human.

The funny thing is, that was the only night we’ve only been with Rol for two nights in person. Thanks to the internet we’ve become friends and have recently collaborated for THE HEART OF TREVIÑO.

This guy really pours his soul into every piece.

For THE HEART OF TREVIÑO, he composed an incredible piece that will grab your soul, break it to pieces and then put it back together, it’s that powerful.

The piece is entitled: “Pintando las calles…” and is inspired by Jesse Treviño himself.

I cannot wait to see how we can take “Pintando las calles…” further… An orchestration is in our to-do list for the soundtrack, but I guess we’re going to have to wait and see what the future holds for all of us!

Here’s “Pintando las calles…” live:

Waris, Me, Rol and Paco

Me & Paco getting things done (Hardcore!). (Outside Jesse's House of Art)

Even as far as cliche’s go, today was a very f***ing beautiful day.

And actually, these whole past two weeks have been nothing but amazing, but enough of the generalities and let’s get down to the meat of it all:

• Sunny skies, not warm, not cold. Perfect weather all-day-long.
• We finished our shoot with Jody (Parks and Rec, San Antonio), which was cool (we got to earn our cash).
• Then we went to the Barnes and Noble and stumbled upon a really cool f***ing book called “Film Club”
• Next we visited our good friend Jesse Treviño, to clarify some stuff for the script AND to get another dose of f***ing enthusiasm.
• Next we visited with our good friend Robert G. Rdz, to clarify some financial questions we had for the movie.
• Next we visited with Office of Cultural Affairs (with our dear friends Lindsey & Sebastian!)
• NEXT we went to the hospital. My new nephew Santi Harbison Mendoza (picture below) was born today. Which was THE f***ing highlight of the day. My dear sister Luana was in labor for quite some time until she finally made it through. We were all worried sick, until the news came of the delivery. It’s quite a rush and a quite a heavy feeling of love for a new human being that will take this earth and bend it to its knees. FTW.
• NEXT, Paco and myself were homesick and we hit the road back home. Frank Turner, Basi and propagandhi provided the entertainment for the ride home.
• NEXT, here I am, writing this post. A new uncle. A new perspective. Happy.

On Jesse Treviño: I am happy to report that he looks great and I just admire his f***ing enthusiasm (There’s no other way to put it, there’s “enthusiasm”, and then there’s “f***ing enthusiasm”). Even though his health is not at 100%; his persistence is very overwhelming. Even if I wasn’t making a film about Jesse, I feel very privileged to be in his presence. I don’t think I have ever met a person like him in my life and I am very glad that this movie will let audiences around the world to finally know Jesse.

Me, Jesse & Paco after probing Jesse for some cold hard facts. Picture taken by our good friend Gabe Velasquez.

Also, I am trying my best to write the best f***ing script anyone has seen. I am glad to report that after many, many, many, many rewrites, I have finally grasped the whole concept of the movie. I have been wrestling with the script for almost a year and I am (finally) very happy with what I have right now.

It is filled with surprises and hits all the right notes, but there is still much left to do. And in keeping with my writing spirit I will be in hiding from the world for at least two more months until I finish this damn thing.

Thanks for all your well wishes and support for THE HEART OF TREVIÑO. I can’t wait to finish the script.

Until next time,
Your friend, Ricardo (f***ing) Mendoza.

PS: Thanks again to Jesse Treviño for formalizing our relationship and setting it in stone last week. A handshake can only go so far, but a signature is a commitment. Thanks for trusting us. You will NOT be disappointed.

My sister Luana with my new nephew. aaawwwwwwww.

Basi, Me, Paco & Roger. Happy with contract in hand. Taken Feb 8, day after Frank Turner gig.

This is one of my favorite Treviño paintings. Tribute to John Lennon. Imagine.

WARNING: This blog post is for the few people that have asked me about my way of writing, how do I write, what’s the proper way, etc. Here’s a short-short version on my way of writing:

There’s many ways to skin a cat, if you were so inclined to, and if you’re in a country where that’s legal, like La Pryor (just kidding).

The way I like to write a screenplay is to first jot down all of the important pieces you’ll need for the script, like grabbing the necessary ingredients before making a meal. This time around I am jotting down not only ideas but shots I have planned, cool quotes, background information and an extended outline. All this is put into my trusty moleskine notebook.

This screenplay is a little special because I’m dealing with true life events and there’s hundreds of pages of research, hours of recordings (both audio and video), and hundreds of pictures to go through.

Once I have a strong feeling for structure in my notes I would type it all up, (I’m not here yet, but I’m close). I would read it, edit, cut, add and do it all over again, until it is completed.

When completed, (and this is the fun part!) I get a stopwatch, turn it on and start  visualizing the movie while reading the script. The movie unfolds as if I were watching it, I feel like a kid playing with a cardboard box. After this I would tweak, add, edit, cut, delete, paste until my heart’s happy and singing zip-i-dee-doo-dah out of its valves.

I hope to have a first draft really soon.

Also, please spread the word, rate and comment our promo on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SSvqVlXxKw

Stephen King’s book On Writing is very recommended and some screenwriting blogs (google them) are also quite helpful!

Our new promotional teaser for our upcoming new film!

The film’s website is also open for business at: theheartoftrevino.com

We’ve been working on this project since mid-2008; thanks to all our friends who have helped us make this promotional teaser, thanks to you we are one step closer for this film to be in theaters worldwide.

Jesse Treviño has been an inspiration to all of us and we are humbled and excited that he has put his life’s story in our hands, and naturally we won’t disappoint.

In no particular order we’d like to thank the following folks whom have helped us along the way in this project, and will continue to support us:

• Jesse Treviño (of course)
• Jesse’s family
• Felix Padron- Office of Cultural Affairs
• George Cortez and the Cortez family
• Bert Cecconi
• Gabriel Q. Velasquez
• Robert Price & Luisa Wheeler
• Robert G. Rodriguez
• Frank J. Garza
• Rosemary Kowalski
• Juan & Terry Vasquez
• Ricardo Romo
• Arturo Almeida
• Lionel Sosa
• Frank Herrera
• Elizabeth Rodriguez
• Alicia Treviño
• Alex & Jesse Villarreal

I also want to appreciate the following, on the making of this promo:

• Paco Flores
• Roger De Los Santos
• Hector Hernandez
• Rolando Garza (Piano on “Pintando las calles…”)
• Oscar Ortiz LBASi (Score for The Heart of Treviño promo teaser)
• Alexander Probst (Logo design)
• Gaby, Rickito Mendoza and Marcus Moncada
• And me, for my hard work (ha-ha)

There’s also many artists working behind the scenes that we’d also like to thank: Patricia Vonne, Lorenzo “Chacho” Saldaña, Alonzo Avila, Jacqueline Martinez, Alfredo “Huesos” and many others that have pledged their support!

This film is under development!
We will be posting news and updates right here on this blog, but you may also want to add us on twitter: www.twitter.com/heartoftrevino