Don Swaynos » Screenwriter

SIX HUNDRED AND FORTY-ONE SLATES

Don — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:15:52 +0000

Sorry, I made an experimental short film. It’s called Six Hundred and Forty-One Slates and it’s a compilation of every slate marker from the production of an independent film.

It’s going to have it’s world premiere February 9th at the Berlin International Director’s Lounge and its US Premiere a few days later at the Strange Beauty Film Festival on February 16th- exactly a year and a day after we started production on Cinema Six, the film from which the titular slates come from. You can see the full Strange Beauty line-up over at Bad Lit.

SOMEBODY LIKED BLOOD BREW

Don — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:04:54 +0000

Blood Brew, my surreal horror-comedy tribute to ’60′s drive-in films like The Undertaker and his Pals and The Gruesome Twosome, was a semi-finalist at Screamfest LA. You can find more information about the script after the jump and find a full list of finalists at Dread Central.

Plot synopsis: When two slackers are in need of rent money one decides to capture the local serial killer and collect a bounty while the other gets a job at a bar that caters to some unusual clientele (pssst… they’re vampires).

I’d either like to produce the film or option the script. If anyone might be interested and would like to read it, send me an e-mail.

POST-PRODUCTION UPDATES

Don — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 03:52:42 +0000

In case you’re curious, here’s what I’ve been up to: I’m currently putting the finishing touches on Mark Potts and Cole Selix’s A Splice of Life (aka Cinema Six) while my film, Pictures of Superheroes, is following close behind and should be completed by the end of the summer. In addition to that I’m also editing Spencer Parson’s horror-comedy Saturday Morning Massacre (aka No Such Thing As Ghosts, pictured). Plus, I’ve just started officing out of Arts and Labor, feel free to stop by and say ‘hi.’

THE STATESMAN LOOKS AT UPCOMING TEXAS FILMS

Don — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:29:44 +0000

I’ve been doing a poor job of posting project updates on here, fortunately The Austin American Statesman published a list of Texas films currently in production which includes two of the films I’m currently working on. The article discusses Jollyville Pictures’ Pictures of Superheroes (which I wrote, directed, produced, and edited) and Mark Potts and Cole Selix’s A Splice of Life (pictured above, which I produced and edited).

PICTURES OF SUPERHEROES

Don — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:21:28 +0000

I’m currently directing a feature-length comedy called Pictures of Superheroes. It stars Kerri Lendo, Shannon McCormick, and John Merriman and is being produced by Tate English and Kelly Williams. The film’s already received some press from Bad Lit so hopefully it will be good. If you want to see how things progress you can follow the film on Twitter and tumblr or over at Jollyville Pictures’ Facebook Page.

Once we wrap, Kelly and I will jump into production on Mark Potts and Cole Selix’s A Splice of Life, which you can also follow on Twitter.

A FISTFUL OF PRESS

Don — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:15:48 +0000

Here’s a quick round-up of the press some of my projects (an ad I wrote and directed and two features I edited) have picked up in the past month:

“Spin Check”

Campaign Promises

Scott Meyers’ Ultimate Guide to Flight got a lot of attention before its premiere at the Austin Film Festival including mentions on TwitchFilm, MovieWeb, and ScreenCrave, and a positive review from The Austin Chronicle.

Mark Potts’ S&M Lawn Care was also at the Austin Film Festival and also received a lot of press including positive reviews from Moviefone, Gordon and the Whale, Smells Like Screen Spirit and even some nice words from the folks at Sweet Leaf Iced Tea.

BILL WHITE AD #2: LET’S MAKE YOU A MILLIONAIRE

Don — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:14:07 +0000

Here’s the second video Dano Johnson and I created for the Filmmakers for Bill White initiative. It stars John Merriman and Emily Kaye.

[YouTube link]

BILL WHITE AD #1: CAMPAIGN PROMISES

Don — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:16:38 +0000

Embedded above is the first video I created for Texas Gubernatorial candidate Bill White as part of the Filmmakers for Bill White initiative. In this spot current Texas Governor Rick Perry is played by actor/filmmaker John Merriman.

You can read more about the spots and the initiative on Bill White’s website.

[YouTube link]

CURRENT PROJECTS…

Don — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:34:31 +0000

I redesigned my website, so I figure it’s a good time to give an update on what I’ve been working on.

Dano Johnson and I recently completed two ads for Democratic Texas Gubernatorial candidate Bill White and I’m currently finishing the first episode of the American Widow Project web-series. I’ve just started work on a PSA for Voices of a Grateful Nation, a music video for Michael Des Barres (above), and editing on Charles Wiedman’s The Sinner.

I’ll be posting more information about all of these projects soon…

JOLLYVILLEPICTURES.COM IS NOW ONLINE

Don — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:32:56 +0000

JollyvillePictures.com is now online and so is Tate English’s critically-acclaimed, award-winning short film The Ballad of Friday and June (which I produced and edited). Since being posted, the film has receive some nice press from Bad Lit and Film Festival Secrets.

JollyvillePictures.com also features lots of other work from Tate English, Dano Johnson, and myself including our new web-series Love, Lies, & Video Files.