Circle B Productions

08/29/2025

On Tuesday August 26th from 7-9 pm the latest Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) Screenwriting Lab meeting was held at Imported Studios in Sacramento. Veteran SAG actor John Demakas provided a brand new pilot for a series he's developing called "Golden State" for our monthly Table Reading event. Over 40 CFAA members attended the Lab most of which lent John their voices to this fine political themed work. It definitely had a "West Wing" vibe running through the initial 43 pages.

A wide variety of CFAA members were on hand as the group was composed of Actors, Screenwriters, Producers and various other filmmakers. Some of the folks in attendance were CFAA Board President Laurie Lytle Pederson, as well as Board Members Steve Orcino, Donna-Lisa Otto and Todd Bull. Actors Workshop Director Jason Bortz spent a few minutes inspiring members to take advantage of the actors program, which meets every second Tuesday of the month.

John was pleased with the insights forwarded to him from members after the table reading. Two of his creative team members listened intently to the feedback. Local Director, Producer and SAG actor Rob Gore and long time friend and filmmaker Larry Wattson nodded several times to particular "notes."

CFAA Screenwriting Leadership Team is composed of Lab Director Todd Bull. The Education Director is Dawn Spinella and Operations Director is Steve Orcino. The CFAA Screenwriting Lab Meeting is held on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 7-9 PM at Imported Studios - 1767 Tribute Road Suite J in Sacramento.

08/20/2025

We've been working on the volumetric lighting, lens flares, and color grading for our 3D Photorealistic Animated Feature Film Singlewide Pride. Here are 2 stills of one of the master files for downtown Eureka. This set is used in multiple scenes.

These are the types of projects we've been focusing on waiting for the new version of Character Creator 5 to be released from Reallusion. Once CC 5 is installed and the training is finished we'll be running our present Singlewide Pride characters through the upgraded software. We're optimistic the results will be as good as advertised.

08/01/2025

Please accept our apology for the lack of Circle B Productions posts during the past month. I was on location in Crescent City for a week earlier in July working on another of our films in production. "Terror at the Dragon's Teeth: Sinking of the SS Brother Jonathan." This is a documentary / docudrama feature film about a sidewheel paddle steamer that hit an unknown reef ten miles off the shore of Crescent City on July 30th 1865. Only 19 out of 244 passengers and crew survived. I was capturing necessary B Roll video footage and reviewing reference documents in the Del Norte County Historical Society Museum.

As a Crescent City resident from the time I was four years old until I went off to college at eighteen I was always fascinated by the story of the sinking of the SS Brother Jonathan. The search for the missing gold shipment was an exciting component of my interest, but really it was the cast of characters that I tended to focus on. A well known Madam from San Francisco - Roseanna Keenan. The private doctor and good friend of Abraham Lincoln - Anson Henry. One of the top newspaper journalists from San Francisco - James Nisbit. The Brigadier General of union troops on the west coast - George Wright. The skilled ship's captain - Samuel DeWolf. Even folks traveling in steerage have stories that deserve to be explored.

So we are using 3D Photorealistic Avatars and animation, AI generated period correct photographs, skilled voice over actors, current B Roll video and surviving images from the era. We will do our best to put viewers on the ship as events unfold both the hopelessness some felt as they faced their doom and the elation and guilt that plagued survivors.

07/02/2025

We did it! Yesterday we submitted a Grant Proposal to the Robert Craig Films Foundation. The deadline was today, but Olivia Bull was determined to be at least one day ahead of the deadline.

We worked our rear ends off putting together an inspiring proposal package for the $20,000 short film production grant. Olivia's magical mastery of the English language is on full display. The Background and Bio document is ten pages of sheer brilliance.

The script we submitted with the grant is a seasoned "The Lifelong Gift." If we are lucky enough to earn the grant we'll be in production in the fall.
Here is how Olivia introduced the film in the proposal:

"The Lifelong Gift" is the tumultuous tale of a Black Family torn apart by co- dependence. It's the story of a wheelchair bound alcoholic and her brilliant teenage son, destined for greatness - if only she can release her smothering grip on his future. Throughout the plot, they grapple for dominance as Ashlyn's clinging - combined with her dependence on booze and drugs - threatens Jalen's scholastic career.

As part of this process we redesigned our website to match the information in the proposal. The new website went live a few minutes ago. Please check it out and let us know what you think. Todd will manage the website so it lines up with all of our social media accounts. We'll continue to work out issues on the website that need tweaking. It's best on your phone to use an external browser.

Circle B Productions LLC was officially formed in 2019 to produce our award winning film scripts into captivating motion pictures predominantly utilizing 3D Photorealistic Animation. We currently have five feature film projects and one short in various stages of development.

06/26/2025

On Tuesday June 24th the Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) Screenwriting Lab had its monthly meeting at Imported Studios 1767 Tribute Road Sacramento. The gathering was dedicated to table reading scripts planned to be submitted to the Robert Craig Films Foundation Grant Program due on July 1st. At stake is a $20,000 grant to make a 20 page script into a short film.

Three scripts were submitted for readings. Jacob Morales offered up "Do Something", David Perez presented "Riding Home" and the team of Todd Bull and Olivia Montgomery Bull provided "The Lifelong Gift." Following each reading members provided feedback for the authors to consider in a final rewriting before the deadline.

06/22/2025

There's a change in the wind! Reallusion - the company that makes our 3D animation software - is about to release a new version of Character Creator, called CC5.

At first we were excited about the new capabilities this would give us. Then we got a little nervous. What will this mean for the massive amount of work we've already done to create and animate the quirky characters of our feature-length films? After all, depending on how you count them, we've got 5 or 6 in production right now.

Trying to figure this out by combing through Reallusion's lengthy, jargon-filled forums was a little daunting. For the answer, we took to Chat GPT, which summarized things in a tight little package for us. Here's what AI told us.

Import Process: We’ll be able to replace previously animated CC4 characters with their CC5-upgraded versions. This means retaining animation, rigs, physics, and props.

Here are the Implications for Our Feature-Length Films:

Quality Leap: Upgrading our characters to CC5 will deliver sharply improved visuals (mesh detail, skin/shader realism, facial nuance). This is especially important for close-up shots.

Smooth Re‑Import: Since CC5 integrates with iClone 8, we can upgrade existing characters, use “Edit in CC” on our animated segments, and swap in CC5 versions with minimal rework.

Hardware Check: We're currently running CC4/iClone 8 on a decent system (dual Intel Xeon Gold 6148 processors, 256 GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro P5000 graphics card). We should be fine with the upgrade. However CC5's HD subdivision and displacement may require a bit more oomph for optimal performance. That means yet another computer upgrade might be called for in the coming year or so. 'Cause... you can never have too much computer.

You can read more about CC5 here (not an affiliate link):

Join the CC5 prelaunch! Spend $399 now and get Character Creator 5 free at launch — your gateway to the most powerful HD character tool yet.

06/22/2025

We are extremely proud of the work we did on this wonderful short film "Songs and Secrets" written and directed by our dear friend Sherri Z. Heller. Circle B Productions was heavily involved in the production and more significantly in the post production. Olivia handled sound design, provided music, created a complete period kitchen in 3D, performed CGI for the kitchen scene shot in front of a green screen panel and she took on color grading. According to Olivia "When we are helping a friend with their filmmaking journey and we have our name attached to a film we give the very best we have."

Sherri is in the inner most of the Circle B Productions LLC inner circle. She has contributed artistically to both of our 3D Photorealistic Animated Feature Films deep in production "Fawn's Justice" and "Singlewide Pride." In fact, Sherri has been known to refer to herself as the Boss Bitch of "Singlewide Pride" as she voiced Shelia Gunner a small time female mob boss who serves as the main antagonist in our story. Sherri is currently working on the Film Freeway platform to select the right mix of film festivals for this tender story of a father in the 1970's coming out to his daughter and his mother. You're going to want to see this film when it's available for the public viewing. When we know more about screenings, you'll know too. Well done Sherri!

06/02/2025

With Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

06/02/2025

We're extremely busy working on our film projects. These images were created a few months ago to visually compliment dialogue and action lines found in our award winning "Singlewide Pride" script. Tony Freeman has just been released from prison and he's riding in his friend Art Perfect's Blue Mustang around the old neighborhood.

EXT. TWILIGHT MOBILE HOME PARK - LATER
This shabby section of Eureka has gone farther downhill. Art
drives Sapphire past the Twilight Mobile Home Park sign.

TONY
First day out of the can and you
drag me back to this cage?

ART
Didn’t exactly see anyone with you
at the funeral.

TONY
I got a voucher for the Come-In
Motel. Take me there, man.

ART
Come-In Motel rents by the hour.

TONY
How do you know?
ART
Everybody knows.

Tony punches Art’s upper arm.

ART (CONT’D)
I missed you too.

05/29/2025

On Tuesday May 27th the Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA)
Screenwriting Lab meeting hosted a collection of outstanding events for members.

Education Director Dawn Spinella led a conversation about the upcoming July 1st 2025 deadline for the inaugural Robert Craig Films Foundation $20,000 film grant for financing a short (20 pages) film per the grant guidelines.

Active CFAA Member Mitch Bechtold enlightened participants about his time as a paid script reader for a working Producer in LA.

Sherri Z Heller, Jeffrey Ogata and Lorna Norrise updated members on the progress of their film projects which sprang to life from the CFAA Screenwriting Micro-Film Initiative, brainchild of Dawn Spinella. Sherri's film is deep into the editing process. Jeffrey's had principal filming on May 24th. Lorna's is scheduled for principal filming on June 7th.

We finished the meeting with two Table Readings from recent member submissions. Paul Young provided the first 12 pages of his feature film script "A Legacy of Blood". We also read a short script called "The Nest" submitted by a member who wished to remain anonymous.

Our next meeting will be on June 24 at 7:00 PM. We meet each month at Imported Studios located at 1767 Tribute Road Sacramento. Our leadership team decided to open up the June 24th meeting strictly for table reads of member scripts targeting the July 1st deadline for the Robert Craig Films Foundation Grant.

05/05/2025

We had a great time with my Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) colleagues at the "Cast and Crew Call" day for Access Sacramento's "A Place Call Sacramento." Many new folks signing up for our monthly newsletter. Dozens of meaningful conversations with attendees concerning our Screenwriting Lab, Actors Workshop and Film Forum.

04/19/2025

Last Saturday April 12th, Circle B Productions was thrilled to aid with the production of a short script written by our good friend Sherri Z. Heller who has contributed to both of our 3D Photorealistic Animated Feature films as voice over talent. Sherri created and directed her script called "Songs and Secrets" though the CFAA Screenwriting Lab's new program called Micro Filmmaking Initiative which helps writers get their short scripts made into micro short films. Two more CFAA microfilms will be enter production in the upcoming weeks and Circle B Productions will be there to lend a helping hand.