posting by RudyG
[Daniel
Olivas returns next Monday.]
Ricardo Acuña |
I was surprised last year to run across Ricardo Acuña's
Kickstarter campaign fundraising for his first graphic novel The Realm. It was described as: "A supernatural, dark and gritty graphic novel about
a thief searching for buried treasure who must overcome his greed in order to
escape from a Mexican ghost town."
My first surprise was how
easily this vato could pass for the cult, Mexican-American, political rock
star and Elvis Presley "impersonator." You compare the photos. (Yeah, Acuña's not as viejo-looking, true.)
My next surprise had to do with so many writers hoping their
writing will be turned into a movie (and movie script). Acuña (aka Ricky Luv) was doing the
opposite, striving to get his script published as a book, a graphic novel.
As he explained it, "This is my first graphic novel
based on a feature-length script of mine. Besides film, the graphic novel is a
perfect medium for the pulpy and fantasmagorical world I created in The Realm.
"I did exhaustive research on the few companies out
there that convert scripts into graphic novels and struck gold when I happened
upon Stephen Stern (President of StoryBoardGraphicNovels.com)
who paired me up with legendary illustrator Stan Timmons. Stern said,
[Acuña's script] reminded me, at turns, of El
Mariachi, and Treasure of Sierra
Madre, and even The Shining. It's
a wholly original, mind-bending, sexy ghost story.' "
I was next impressed that the kid was hungry and determined.
As he explained, "In Stephen Stern and Stan Timmons, I have the best team
to convert my script into a graphic novel. My unique deal for the entire
production will cost approximately $10k (the graphic novel script, sketches,
inking, lettering and the cover art). I invested $5k out of my own pocket and
ask your support and contribution towards the remaining $5k, while giving you
the opportunity to be of part of it."
You can go here for the trailer on that.
Acuña knew there'd be risks and considerable work: "The
biggest challenge in the production of this graphic novel is to ensure that the
film script translates well into a graphic novel. The process starts with
formatting the film script into a graphic novel script, that is, breaking down
film scenes into comic book panels.
"Basically, I'm testing my story and my storytelling
skills. At every stage, from initial sketches to final lettering, I work
closely with the illustrator so that the panels are faithful to the story. As a
graduate of Columbia's University film program, I am uniquely prepared for this
challenge as I shape and edit the plot and dialogue from one medium to another.
"In essence, this graphic novel should stand on its own
and also serve as a storyboard for eventual production of the film. The risk is
not whether it will work or not, but how well it will work in either or both
mediums."
When I read Acuña's bio that he'd lived in Denver but we'd
never crossed paths and that he'd done a stint in public school teaching, the
ex-teacher in me was hooked. I decided to make a donation and follow Acuña's
publishing trek, since Kickstarter-type projects are growing avenues for
publishing.
I recently received my copy of The Realm and will share my take on it in a follow-up posting, as it
takes off. I'll also look into interviewing Acuña about lessons he learned that
may help other aspiring writers. In the meantime, you can learn more below and by
going to The Realm website.
Summary of The Realm:
A dark and gritty tale about thief Juan Caballero who botches a bank
robbery in San Diego and in the process gets his accomplice and friend killed.
Juan escapes to Mexico and comes across an old drunk with a map to
buried gold in a town called El Reino (The Realm). But instead of laying
low, a desperate Juan steals the map.
After much trouble, Juan eventually
finds El Reino and the gold. Problem is, El Reino is cursed by an evil
witch so that anyone who enters El Reino can never leave. Juan also
falls in love with a beautiful young maiden imprisoned by the witch who can
show him the way out of El Reino, but only if Juan gives up his greed.
Juan
must choose between the gold or his freedom.
Ricardo
Acuña bio: "I was born and raised dirt-poor in Nogales, Arizona,
a small town on the U.S./Mexican Berlin Wall. At 15, I earned a full, academic
scholarship to attend a prep school for rich kids, The Lawrenceville School.
After culture and climate shock, I attended Stanford University (a year spent
studying wine-tasting in Paris) and graduated with a BA in English and French
Literatures.
"I returned to the East Coast, worked at the Columbia
Presbyterian Hospital psycho-sex ward as a research assistant whilst putting
myself through Columbia University’s film school, where I earned my MFA, with a
concentration in screenwriting.
"I then moved to Denver (a year and a half prostituting
myself to temp agencies), drove through the icy, treacherous, bittersweet
Rockies to sunny, hazy L.A. and worked day jobs from the depths of typing pools
to copy editing, from communications management for the farm workers to
episodes teaching high school English.
"I have paid my dues, but am very happy to report I am
now married to the love of my life, have a brilliant, beautiful little girl
and a tough preemie baby boy, and know that the only thing I need to
do in life is write. If not, I will drop dead."
Acuña just officially released The Realm and if you want to check it out, you can purchase the
soft cover here.
Purchase the eBook here.
Es todo, hoy,
RudyG
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