Crafting Our Sanctuary: The Genesis of Desolate Dreams
A bustling hub for global media creators, our website, with 6 million users from 190 countries, nurtures a dynamic and diverse community. The platform's screenwriting and pre-production tools have always been about making filmmaking and scriptwriting more accessible, but it's the sharing of creators' journeys and their unique perspectives that truly fuels the community's growth.
No one can deny that the tool is crucial, but it's the task that really matters. Giving visibility to creators and their stories encourages learning, fosters growth, and contributes to the overall success of the community.
That's why we're excited to shine a spotlight on the remarkable work of Kiyoka "Kex" Rhodes, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, who has captured our attention with her short film, Desolate Dreams.
Kiyoka Rhodes: A Multi-talented Filmmaker
A graduate of American University, Kiyoka Rhodes has made a name for herself as a writer, producer, and director, working across multiple platforms, from commercials to films, all airing on renowned networks like BBC Studios, NBC4 Washington, Comcast, The CW Network (DCW50), and the American Bar Association (ABA). Her latest project, Desolate Dreams, is no exception.
Bringing Desolate Dreams to Life
Set in 1942 downtown Los Angeles, Desolate Dreams follows the harrowing story of an African American journalist advocating for justice with a Japanese American family forced into a prison camp. Kiyoka penned the script for Desolate Dreams using our website, and she's kindly shared her fascinating journey behind the film's creation.
Inspired by an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Kiyoka was compelled to honor the Japanese Americans who suffered from incarceration in the U.S. Her research led her to connect with Bill Shishima, a survivor of Heart Mountain, who shared his captivating story of life before and during incarceration.
Armed with extensive research, Kiyoka developed the plot, wrote, and revised the script for the film multiple times using the tools offered by our website, like the Revision Mode feature and Read Through feature, which allowed her to perfect each character's voice.
Visual planning was essential, too. Kiyoka collaborated with Jiayi Lu-LaLiberte (a.k.a. Lu Lu), a talented concept artist, to create a detailed look book, pitch deck, concept art, and storyboards.
Finally, in the fall of 2021, they filmed a teaser, which is being used to gather funding for the full-length film. Kiyoka hopes that Desolate Dreams continues to raise awareness on crucial issues that still impact communities today.
Join Kiyoka on her journey by following her social media channels or head to her website to show your support:
- Link
Online Screenwriting Solutions
While specific details about Kiyoka's employment of online screenwriting tools for Desolate Dreams may not be available, it's clear that contemporary filmmakers would typically use such resources to streamline script development, planning, and communication throughout the filmmaking process.
Top online screenwriting tools include:
- Collaborative Writing Platforms: Final Draft (Cloud), WriterDuet, Celtx, or Arc Studio Pro
- Pre-Production Organization: StudioBinder, Celtx, or Amazon Storywriter
- Digital Storyboards and Visual Planning: Boords, Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, or Canva
- File Sharing and Communication: Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, Slack, Trello, or Asana
These digital resources enhance collaboration, organization, and creative efficiency, especially in independent projects. By embracing these technologies, filmmakers can create, communicate, and collaborate more effectively, capturing and sharing powerful stories like Desolate Dreams with the world.
- The pre-production tools on our website have long been instrumental in making filmmaking and scriptwriting more accessible, fostering a dynamic and diverse community.
- Kiyoka Rhodes, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, utilized our website's script-editor feature to pen the script for her short film, Desolate Dreams.
- In her unique style, Kiyoka blends fashion-and-beauty sensibilities with social issues in her films, making lifestyle statements that resonate with her audience.
- During her research for Desolate Dreams, Kiyoka's travels took her to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, where an exhibit inspired her to tell the overlooked story of justice and incarceration.
- When working on projects like Desolate Dreams, Kiyoka collaborates with other creatives, sharing her work on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to garner support and further discussions around relationships, pets, travel, cars, shopping, sports, and weather.
- Storyboarding was crucial in bringing Desolate Dreams to life, with Kiyoka working closely with Jiayi Lu-LaLiberte to create concept art and detailed storyboards using digital tools like Boords or Canva.
- With online screenwriting tools like Final Draft, Celtx, or Arc Studio Pro, filmmakers can effectively collaborate, organize, and streamline their pre-production, production, and post-production work, shaping stories that capture the world's attention, like Kiyoka's Desolate Dreams.
