I made two Channel 101 shows this year.

It’s been a long time coming, but somehow, I’ve started directing again in earnest. It’s a good feeling.

I’ve known for about a year now that I wanted to shoot something, but I took my time to be smart and deliberate about projects. Channel 101 is great fun but ultimately a chance to practice…a distraction. For me anyway. So I wanted to make sure I didn’t burn too much time and money when I could be writing.

And so, myriad possible projects came and went. Including some that went into pre-production and ended up with test footage and a bunch of other stuff you can’t see. Yet.

Then in September, I hit on a concept that used resources I already had (namely work travel and my Osmo Pocket), and so was born ‘Sam Erases His Own Memory,’ which is an action comedy sendup of the sort of thriller where some dude loses his memory and people are after him because he Knows Too Much.

It turned out well I think. I’m proud of it.

And then ‘Sam,’ my first ever Channel 101 submission, made it to the screening! Getting in on the first try isn’t the easiest. I’d taken it for granted until I heard what an ordeal the debate was around what five things to pick.

And then it placed 9th out of 10. Ah well. Channel 101 is weird. I’ll write about it later I think.

Andy and I came back the next month with Wizard’s Corner, and that one placed fourth. And so, we return in January. Also my grandma LOVES Wizard’s Corner, which is the best thing.

So what’s it like to be directing again? Honestly it’s a lot of fun. I get to practice things I used to delegate and/or ignore, like lighting and cinematography and acting. I’ve got the bug again, and I want to direct a microbudget feature next year.

That’s something I haven’t done before.