Will 2008 be NeoZAZ’s banner year? Well, we’re certainly planning on it. There have been some exciting changes already during this first quarter.

Probably the most exciting news is that the principles are now both on the East Coast and in the same time zone.

For a quick primer; NeoZAZ is essential 2 people. My self (Matt Hunsworth, in case I hadn’t mentioned it before) and David Smith. Dave’s been my Writing/Film/Creative partner since I was at least 20, if not earlier. We “formed” NeoZAZ in 1993 with our first short film “Die Hard With Butter Flavoring”, though that wasn’t our first creative piece – but I digress.

We grew up in the Philadelphia are of Pennsylvania. Over the past 10 years, I’ve moved to Orlando, FL while Dave moved to Scotts Valley, CA. There were literally years at a time where we lost contact. Not that we weren’t talking to each other, the time difference and distance, and the fact that high-speed internet wasn’t available in part of the state for the longest time made it difficult. Luckily Just before I moved from the suburbs of Orlando into the Greater Orlando area, Dave managed to contact me about his wedding. Within a year I moved, flew out to California to be part of Dave and Anne’s wedding, and the time in the company of my old creative partner rekindled that old, strong creative spirit we have cultivated while we were in Pennsylvania. That same year, Dave convinced me that a website would really aid in keeping the creative process going.

Did I say “quick Primer”? We’re almost done. Anyway, the site was slow to start. Anyone that knows me probably knows I have the tendency to quickly jump into things, then either loss interest, or (in the case of the website) get things moving quickly, but not necessarily properly. The first 3 attempts at the site resembled that characteristic perfectly. I would have a look for the site hurry to get it up and running even though it wasn’t ready to manage in any easy way. As more ideas of articles and features came along, I’d find away to fit it into the site. Well, it didn’t take too long to make a mess that was unmanageable and unfixable.

What’s this have to do with the first point of both founders being on the East Coast? I have no idea; guess I went off on a tangent there.

So back to that point. Dave moved back to our hometown in Pennsylvania in February of this year. So communicating with Dave being in the same time zone, and now that I have high speed internet in this part of Orlando, communicating with him has been easier than it’s been in the past 10 years. Collaboration on NeoZAZ projects should be at an all time high – better than it’s ever been since the site was launched.

That’s not all that’s helping mold 2008 in NeoZAZ’s banner year: One of the first large scale on-going projects NeoZAZ took on over a decade ago was the D-1-3 Show – a college Radio Show. I always had a lot of fun with and develop a long lasting fondness for that audio genre. In 2007, my wife bought me some very nice recording equipment for our anniversary. All I needed to do was find a place to set it up and I could begin some serious Audio production. Well now in May 2008, 10 months after our anniversary, I’ve set it up. These pictures don’t do the recording area just, it is absolutely stunning! It’s in a low light level room and the flash drowns out how freakin’ cool this area is. Until I get some better pictures, these will have to do. But believe me; it looks 10 times better than the pictures let on.

    

Also in the works is a secret project, an internet series currently in pre-production. A 6 episode series, and it’s actually got some sustenance to it – it’s not just an idea this time. There are 3 scripts completed, on currently in draft, and the final two in treatment form. And most exciting is that principle filming and sound test being this Thursday – March 6, 2008.

Further down the horizon are other ideas. Many that are good and just as many that probably aren’t, we’ll see.

I’m planning a trip to Pennsylvania in April or May to get with Dave and really start planning out future projects for NeoZAZ. Right now in my mind, the ultimate goal would to be to put together a short film (or feature length) ready for the 2009 Sunscreen Film Festival in Tampa Florida.

Here’s to 2008!