The family songs album, Cranberry Red Balloon by Tab Laven is a magical masterpiece. With inspired lyrics and layer after layer of beautiful musicianship, it is easy to remain focused on writing something magical. I’m super excited because I finally get to select a song or two from the album to insert into the story. Hmmmmm…..which shall it be?!! If this is your first time reading, scroll down and begin at the beginning! 
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Tab Laven recorded a beautiful family songs album entitled, Cranberry Red Balloon. The songs are playful, insightful, and calming. They remind me of everything lovely about love. How calming love should be. How hopeful love should be. How playful love should be. Love for a new baby, love for an old friend, a child, a partner. Who better to represent all those kinds of love than Cupid. So, I am writing a screenplay inspired by the album Cranberry Red Balloon.
We’re up to page 16 where Cupid has discovered he is in a positition to lose his wings if he decides to fix the shot he missed in order to save Paige from a lifetime of heart ache. There are many layers to any story and in the first thirty pages we are introducing the characters and the subplots to the audience. We’re working our way to somewhere between page 25 and 30 to hit the first turning point or the Break into Two as Save the Cat calls it.
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Wow! huh? What’s the deal with Hector? Now off to find out if Cupid will try to fix the shot or come up with some other brilliant solution. Something must happen or a series of things must happen in order for Cupid to come to his decision. We’re always working on pushing the story forward. I’m feeling like one of the songs from the family songs album, Cranberry Red Balloon will find a place in this story very, very soon! Now, just to decide which one! See ya soon!
Tab Laven’s, family songs album, Cranberry Red Balloon is an album filled with great imagery and has been the inspiration for this screenplay. His songs brought to my mind the images of love, sweetness, fantasy, and playfulness. Thus, Cupid!
By the way, sorry for the delay! I upgraded my operating system and lost access to my Screenplays. Ugh!!! Had to do some maneuvering to retrieve and upgrade my Final Draft program. Anywho! Back to Cupid….
I left you after Cupid had missed his shot and well….he is devastated. According to “Save the Cat” this is where your lead character debates whether or not they will do something about it (it being losing his job)….leading you to the first break. I’ve taken you half way through to the first break, setting up his problem with Psyche. My next post will take us through to the “Break into Two” which is where Cupid makes a decision which will take us back to the catalyst (Will Cupid lose his job?).
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Off to work on the next ten or twelve pages. I’d like to develop the relationship with Cupid and Paige. Really create a situation for Cupid regarding his decision coming up and how that will affect whether he loses his job!
I’ll be listening to my favorite album, Cranberry Red Balloon. A family songs album that soothes, calms and inspires!!!
Just imagine what you can create today!
listen to the songs here at www.cranberryredballoon.com
This is a screenplay inspired by my love of the music from the Cranberry Red Balloon album by Tab Laven. This album is so much more to me than just a family songs album. It helped me imagine a whole story about Cupid. RECAP: Cupid has been introduced. He loves his job, but on occasion gets distracted causing him to miss a shot. He has been warned that if he misses again he will lose his job. Now for the catalyst. What is going to happen that will create the problem that needs fixing?
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Whew!! I made lots of decisions while writing these past five pages. I introduced the catalyst, the lovers that will be affected by Cupid’s decisions (Paige and Mills) and the protagonist, Psyche. Now onto the next beat from the Save the Cat book: debate. This is where the character has to decide whether or not to pursue a certain path which leads us to the first break in the story. I’m going to work a few days on this next section as it will probably be about 15 pages or so. Generally, you’ll want to Break into the second act anywhere between page 25 and 30. Lots to do here! Wish me luck!!!
Love,
Annie
Thanks for returning! Each blog I’ll be reminding you that my muse for this screenplay is the album, Cranberry Red Balloon. It is an album of family songs written by Tab Laven that is quite magical.
Now, back to the writing of CUPID.
So, I’ve introduced my main character, Cupid as well as the potential problem: The next shot he misses he loses his job.
Okay, I’m going to try out the Save The Cat beat sheet on this screenplay. It’s a certain way of setting up your story before you write it to make sure you have the main beats of a movie. Let’s see how that works.
According to Save the Cat, I’ve got the first two beats done. On to the most important one, the catalyst. This is the problem that enters into the story that I’ll be trying to solve the entire script. I am raising a question that I will want to answer again and again throughout the script. Kind of like…who did it? Will he survive? Will she find love?
I have to decide one thing: Is Cupid going to miss therefore losing the job he loves so much? Or will some one make him miss? Or Is he going to not miss and someone say he missed? Choices. Choices. Choices.
(scribble, scribble, scribble)
I’ve made a choice and I’ve just laid out my entire beat sheet. I’ll reveal it as we go. I’ll post the next scene in a few hours and you can see what direction I’ve chosen to go. Of course there will also be a subplot I’ll have to develop that will wrap around Cupid’s story line hopefully making Cupid’s journey more complicated. That subplot will certainly be the couple whose love is involved. I’m going to want to make this particular couple’s love important to Cupid, adding another layer to his situation. See you in a couple of hours.
Cupid’s Beat Sheet
Opening image: Clouds
Set up: Cupid loves his job, but tends to get a bit distracted which causes him to miss on occasion. He is notified that if he misses again he’ll lose his job.
Catalyst: To be announced in next scene
Debate:
Fun and games:
Twist:
Bad guys close in:
All is lost:
Dark night of the soul:
Break into three:
Climax:
Don’t forget to check out Cranberry Red Balloon by Tab Laven.
For those of you experiencing lots of rain in the south, I suggest the song, That’s What I Like About the Rain!
Love,
Annie
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Thanks for checking out my introduction of the character, Cupid. I’m going to continue on and figure out this whole mess about what happens if he misses. Now, that I know I love this character and that I’ve set up his problem, I’m going to work on the overall outline. Ya know, three act structure…beginning, middle, end. Introduce the characters, set up the problem, create the barriers to the problem and so forth.
Back to Cranberry Red Balloon for inspiration. It’s a wonderful album of family songs and it keeps me focused on the overall feel. If you have any questions let me know! And if you notice a comma out of place….let me know that too!
Love to all,
Annie
Hello friends,
I thought I would share with you the screenplay that is being inspired by the family songs album, Cranberry Red Balloon by Tab Laven. As I create this story, I thought what the heck, it might be kind of fun to share as I go. If you’ve never read a screenplay this will be your chance to get some insight on the behind the scenes action or more accurately, before the scenes action.
So, what was it about this album of family songs, Cranberry Red Balloon that is inspiring the idea of a screenplay? First, it’s the beauty of it. There is something quite magical about this album and it truly takes me to another place. It has the perfect balance between childlike and sophisticated AND it sounds like a soundtrack for a movie (which makes it very easy to see scenes in my head).
Now where does one go when they are inspired by an album that is beautiful and takes you to another place, which is childlike and sophisticated? Well, my thoughts are immediately going to Eros, the Greek God of Love. Some of you may know him as Cupid, the Roman God of desire, affection, and love. Not where you went? That’s okay.
I’m thinking I’ll go light and playful like some of the songs on the album (Cranberry Red Balloon, That’s What I Like About the Rain, Perfect Day), but also deeply moving and layered like other songs on the album (Janer’s Dream, Mesmerized, Too Blue to Fly). I’m thinking romantic comedy! I love the idea of Cupid being a light playful character who loves his job and is being forced to retire. Yes!!! I have conflict. Ahhhhh. A story is emerging. My mind is on fire. (scribbling notes)
I’m going to take a break and press play and listen to the song Cranberry Red Balloon! This song is my muse. Chase a dream, an idea, a scene, a plot. Catch it and realize it is amazing, use it and let it go so you can continue to pursue new thoughts, dreams, ideas or plots; or catch it and realize it doesn’t work, and let it go so you can catch the one that does.
Here I go, chasing my cranberry red balloon….. you can listen to the song on the home page of the www.cranberryredballoon.com website.
I’ll post my first pages of the script in a day or two. Wish me luck!
Annie
Cranberry Red Balloon, an album of family songs is the perfect album to play during a family gathering, a celebration or during the holidays! Imagine having your family and friends gathered together around a nice roaring fire in the fireplace, or around a blazing bonfire near a frozen pond. Everyone is drinking hot chocolate or hot toddies and in the background is music that adds to this magical atmosphere. Before you know it, you’ll all be singing, “I wish, I wish, I wish. They could all be like this!”
The air is filled with much more than just music. It is filled with memories in the making. From the charming guitar driven songs to the hypnotic and lush instrumentals your family will be taken on a journey that relaxes, calms and inspires.
The young kids will love this album of family songs because it is filled with wonderful opportunities to use their imagination; chasing a cranberry red balloon, lost in a daydream, riding on a ship of dreams. Adults will love it because it is filled with wonderful opportunities to reflect and remember all the joy and beauty of being a kid.
We believe family is the safest place on Earth. When we are with our family, we become rejuvenated and feel like we can do anything. Time with family reminds us that there are people in our lives who want us win in life; who want to see us to continue to go after our goals, and to remember all the amazing dreams we had as kids. When we spend time with our family we leave feeling like we can do anything! Cranberry Red Balloon, an album of family songs is the perfect background to help your family create this atmosphere.
We believe family gatherings are about creating beautiful memories that will last a lifetime. They are our reminders that we are bigger than just ourselves and that life is not lived alone. We love our family and friends and that’s why Cranberry Red Balloon, an album of family songs was created; to remind us of all that is beautiful about life and family and friends.
Family Songs CD, Cranberry Red Balloon by Tab Laven wins another award. At a two day Creative Child Magazine conference teachers and real mom judges gave Cranberry Red Balloon their 2012 CD of the Year Award in the Kids Music-Easy Listening category.
Creative Child Magazine’s Awards Program is unique in that all products submitted are reviewed by parents, educators and professionals alike. Each product is reviewed by many of the people who also purchase them. Click the link below to read the rest:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/family-songs-cranberry/red-balloon-tab-laven/prweb9762383.htm
Love, Annie and Tab
(Summary paragraph) Family songs CD Cranberry Red Balloon by Tab Laven received rave reviews from Early Childhood Educators and Administrators at Super Saturday Childcare Conference.
Nashville, TN – Family songs CD Cranberry Red Balloon by Tab Laven received rave reviews from early childhood educations and administrators at the Super Saturday Childcare Conference held May 5, 2012 at the Lamar Institute of Technology Multi-Purpose Building in Beaumont, Texas.
Sharon Kruger, M. Ed, School Readiness Integration Program Coordinator, and Super Saturday Event planner said, “In playing Cranberry Red Balloon for childcare administrators they agreed that it is calming music they want in their programs.
Kruger went on to say, “It is refreshing to hear quality music for families that uses real instruments and voices. As a PreK teacher, I am always looking for music that engages children with visual imagery that they can relate to.”
Read the rest by clicking the link below http://www.prweb.com/releases/Family-Songs-Cranberry/Red-Balloon/prweb9540420.htm