#WesternX Chat and Episode 7 - January 27th

EPISODE 7 Premieres Friday January 27 at 12AM PST

TWEET CHAT THURSDAY EVENING

It just wouldn't be a premiere without a Western X Tweet Chat. 

#WesternX chat will start 2 hours before the premiere, Thursday January 26 at 10PM PST.

www.tweetchat.com - Just enter #WesternX.

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Watch Episodes 1-6 on iTunes

www.cazadorradio.com

Questions From Fans PT. 3: Sound Design

Questions From Fans PT. 3: Sound Design

ADR - Automated Dialogue Replacement

This will actually be a three part section. The first part will actually be featured in the WSN magazine next month. WSN is a Los Angeles based industry magazine that focuses on web series. 

Sound is a crucial element within the filmmaking process. When done correctly, sound helps create mood and atmosphere that will add life and realism to any television show, web series and film. Unfortunately it is also an element that is often overlooked by inexperience filmmakers and sometimes completely disregarded as not important.  There are three major elements of post-production sound i.e. sound design, foley and automated dialogue replacement (ADR). For the purpose of this article I will be focusing on ADR. 

When shooting a show, there are times when it is almost impossible to get a clean dialogue track and a looping session (ADR) becomes necessary; a process where dialogue is dubbed during post-production . This particularly is an issue among low budget shoots where access to a studio may not be possible. Shooting on location can be noisy which creates complications when trying to capture a clean track; this is where ADR comes in handy.

When filming ‘Western X’ I knew from the very beginning that it would be tough because two of our locations were tourist attractions, so there would be no way to salvage any of the audio because of the uncontrolled atmosphere. However, I always roll sound regardless of the background noise because It will be used as a reference once I’m in post. It always comes in handy when preparing for a looping session. 

Recording studios charge a fairly hefty amount for looping sessions and it usually is much too steep for people operating on a very small budget, which is the same situation I found myself in with ‘Western X’. However, budget should never be a reason to put out poor quality work. The best solution for me was to cough up a small bit of cash and build an ADR booth. 

To build the booth was approximately $200-$300, which included the cost of lumber, soundboard and sound foam. Once complete I was ready to capture studio quality sound; this is only half the battle. The real work begins once the tracks are imported into your audio workstation. This is where the audio starts to truly take shape and goes from just raw audio to properly mixed and synced. Episode seven of ‘Western X’ took me close to four weeks to mix the dialog properly within the timeline. Is it overkill? Not when you compare the difference between a properly mixed track and a raw one. 

Most of the dialog in episode seven takes place in a saloon and I had to recreate the proper tone that would make the audience believe the characters are in the saloon; and 

because I don’t sit in western saloons all day I had to study hours of western movies so that I can get the feel of what sounds acceptable and believable to the audience. Forget about realism you have to recreate what feels right to the audience and that goes for the entire sound design process as a whole. 

Watch Western X www.westernxtheshow.com 

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Men With No Lives - Saturdays 7pm PST

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Supergirl should be in 'Western X'

Questions From Fans PT. 2: Segment 1 - Writing Process - Creating a Fictional World

QUESTIONS From Fans PT. 2: Segment 1 - Writing Process

How to Keep Your Sanity When Creating a Fictional World

From the conception of Western X there has been notes jotted on index cards, ideas scratched into scraps of paper and I believe at some point I used crayons and napkins. When the ideas start flowing I always scramble for something to write with, otherwise the idea could be lost. I've done the "I'll write it down later" routine, but I never seem to remember, so I started making myself write ideas out immediately. This has helped tremendously with story concepts and keeping ideas sorted out. Eventually I was able to train myself into carrying pencil and paper wherever I went, which helped keeping thoughts more cohesive and easier to recall later.

Additionally, I tend to write my first drafts by hand with pencil and paper. Writing this way allows my mind more creative freedom, I found that the keyboard restricts my creativity at times. This also allows me to sketch out geography, VFX shots, and costume design ideas. All of which lends itself to the initial early stages of the writing process, when ideas are fresh.

The Importance of Character Bios

Before I start the official first draft, I always write a mini biography for each character. The biography can range from 3 pages all the way to 15 or 20, it really just depends on the character i.e, depth, importance, story arc. I found by doing this, I not only understand the character fully but it helps me work out plot issues and gives me perspective on the storyline as a whole.

With Western X, I also wrote down biographies on geographical locations. I've always felt that in western and fantasy stories the towns, cities, and landscapes are almost like characters themselves, they all have a story of their own to tell; a story about existence with a rich history of living and life passed. When you look at history, you can learn a lot about people by the type of town they lived in or how they lived. By examining their way of life you can learn about a particular group of people and you develop a better understanding of a culture.

Creating a Fake Religion

The religious beliefs of Western X is based loosely on Semitic religions i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam with a bit of Greek philosophy and eastern mysticism. But the story needed something more than just influences; and just understanding religion wasn't enough, there needed to be a central idea. Something I felt was needed in order for this world to feel "real" was an actual religion; an organized belief filled with doctrine, philosophy, ideals and hypocrisy. I've studied religion most of my life and it has been something that has always interested me, so it wasn't that much of a chore when I decided to create a new religion. Now in order to grasp the religion of Western X fully, I wrote a 65 page bible. A book filled with biblical stories, prophecies, and ideals. By doing this I was able to grasp the world I was creating so much better. Additionally, it helped when I was writing bios and making decisions pertaining to characters.

After I completed the above, I started compiling notes, bios, religious ideas plus any other scraps of information I've accumulated and I started to write the first draft.


I will go more into the writing process next week in Segment 2. 

There are many different ways to go about writing this is the process that I felt was the best way to go with a story like Western X.

Questions From Fans PT. 1 - Inspiration

Questions from fans is something that I get a lot of. So I figured I'd just answer the questions I have gotten by posting a blog entry about it. 

QUESTIONS from Fans PT. 1 - Inspiration
How I draw from inspirational sources without stealing shamelessly

Inspirations for Western X - That is a question I have received time and time again. To answer that question properly, you first have to break down what Western X really is. What is Western X? Is it a western or a science fiction? Fantasy or mystery? What genre does it really fall under?

The answer is simple. It's all of them. At the very core, Western X is a western; it has all the elements that make a true western. From the archetypal character of the "man with no name" that Clint Eastwood made so famous, to the greedy blood thirsty soldiers of the civil war era.

That being said one of my biggest inspirations for Western X is what I call the fantasy epics i.e. Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time series. Stories of ancient evil resurfacing after years of hiding, play a part in many fantasy stories and is many times a "must have" element in the genre. This is something that I had to have in Western X, it's subtle but if you've watched episodes 1-6, you know it's there.

Another inspiration is the Spaghetti westerns of the 1960s i.e. Once Upon a Time in the West, Sabata, Django, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. 

The thing about inspiration is that you need to be careful because there is a thin line between being inspired and directly ripping. When I'm inspired by a style or genre, I usually try and forget about it and completely detach myself from the source of my inspiration. Once I feel like I've disconnected myself, I grab an index card and I write down a dozen or so elements that should be in the genre that I want to write in. From there I begin crafting the story, starting with a bio on all my main characters. I will talk in detail about a bio workup and back stories in PT. 2

Once my character biographies are complete I usually let two or three people read them along with a rough outline of the story. After reading, If the readers draw too many connections to established stories within the mainstream I lose those particular items or I craft the elements deeper into the story so that they are not so "overt". However, if I feel some elements are vital in keeping true to a particular genre, I keep it. When keeping an element that may have been used before, I focus on the writing. In order to stay true to certain genres there are elements or even certain cliches that are a must, this is where flexing the writing muscles come into play. My writing process will also be discussed in detail in PT. 2.

Once you've established the genre you wish to write in, it's time to begin compiling your elements. I grab my index cards and start to write. The toughest part is to take those elements and now make them unique and original. It took me two years to craft the storyline of Western X but once I was done I had seven seasons and two spin-off shows written.

Getting back to my inspiration......it's an odd eclectic list but here is a list of movies / books that inspired me when putting together the storyline for Western X. The funny thing is, this is just a condensed list

Some examples of my inspiration for Western X

1. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 

2. The Chronicles of Riddick 

3. Matalo 

4. Battlestar Galactica 

5. The Lord of the Rings (Books)

6. Once Upon a Time in the West

7. Jason and the Argonauts 

8. The Wheel of Time (Books)

9. American Gods (Book)

Here are some very small examples of the source of my inspiration.

LIVE - IAWTV AWARDS NOMINEE ANNOUNCEMENT

STREAMING LIVE

IAWTV AWARDS NOMINEE ANNOUNCEMENT

The IAWTV AWARDS will be held at the Venetian Hotel Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada during the prestigious International CES on January 12, 2012

***Michael Flores is a member of the International Academy of Web Television

Watch the Award Winning Web Series Western X

www.westernxtheshow.com

Western X Source Guide Update

THE SOURCE GUIDE

Rough Version of Book Cover

"From the beginning of time there has been a singular ENTITY that controlled and created all things. The Darkness was it’s first creation. It’s power. It’s force. Through the Darkness all other things were created, leaving behind a small amount of itself in every living organism within the known universe."

Why a source guide? 

Before I decided to write the source guide for Western X I did what I usually do....I let the internet decide if it's a good idea. If the idea is met with enthusiasm and intrigue, I usually get right to work. 

Even when Western X was just an idea or concept I let the internet decide for me if it would be worth my time and effort. It's a trend and I tool that I now utilize whenever contemplating an idea. 

If I'm not sure about a certain idea I simply post it on Twitter or Facebook and I wait for the reactions. Needless to say when I first announced, almost a year ago, the idea of writing a source guide for Western X it was greeted with excitement. 

I believe Western X is an ideal situation where a source guide can really aid in the storytelling process and really build a strong fan connection to the series. There is so much depth, so much mystery and intrigue to the world of Western X that if I didn't do this, I'd feel like I cheated the audience.

I already have a 65 page bible that I wrote based on the religious views of the Western X world and 20-30 pages of backstory on every character. I have hundreds of hand written notes and pages upon pages typed up on my computer of details about the world, so I might as well start piecing it together as a source guide. 

When fans combine the Customizable Card Game and the Source Guide together, fans will get the ultimate feel on the world and get an insider perspective that the casual web series viewer will not have. 

The coolest thing about the guide is that it will be updated as the series progresses and the world grows. 

I'm aiming for a mid 2012 release on the guide. There will be an online downloadable and hardcover versions available. 

Customizable Card Game

Michael Flores - Award for Best Directorial Debut of New Media/Webisode for "Western X"

Western X continues to raise eyebrows within the film and new media circles.

This past November Western X was part of the ITN Distribution Film & New Media Festival in New York City, where show creator Michael Flores received the award for Best Directorial Debut of New Media/Webisode. 

Have you seen Western X?

Below is a brief glimpse at the road so far. 

Western X so far.....

September 2010: Episodes 1-3 were released 10 months ago at the Sacramento SciFi and Horror Show with enormous excitement and intrigue, setting the ground for a strong fan base that has created a network that spans thousands.

October 2010: Episodes 1-3 were played at the Beverly Hills Film/TV and New Media Festival, where we shared the screen with the likes of Lisa Kudrow, Paul Sorvino, Sharon Stone, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Joe Mantegna (BHF Festival).

December 2010: Episodes 1-3 release on the net worldwide through Koldcast TV, creating a very positive buzz among web series enthusiasts.

SCIFIPULSE

Top Ten Web Series of 2010

February 2011: Episodes 1-3 is accepted into the IDQ Independent Film Quarterly New Media festival.

Western X

WINS BEST WEB SERIES IN THE FANTASY CATEGORY. 

February 2011: Episodes 1-3 screen at the Wild Wild West Con at Old Tucson Studios.

March 2011: Episodes 1-3 is Honored 3 categories at the LA Web Fest.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

Western X

-Michael Flores (Creator/Producer)

-Vernon Wells (Producer)

-Rudy Flores (Producer)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES

Western X

-Michael Flores

-David Sabal

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A DRAMA SERIES

Western X

-Michael Flores

April 2011: The Western X team wraps photography on all 18 episodes. 

May 2011: Western X episodes 1-5 plays at the Phoenix Comicon. 

August 2011: Western X episodes 1-6 plays at GenCon Indy

THE PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA

Nominated Digital 25 

Leaders in Emerging Entertainment 2011