About this project

Filmmaker James Pizarro and actor Mark de Jeu connected in July-2026, talking about their desire to practice and improve their filmmaking skills. The project: SceneWorks.

THE CONCEPT

Improve our filmmaking skills by making films.

Shoot high-quality scene reenactments and original short films at least once a month. Shoot fast/nimble with a small/skilled crew, talented local actors, and minimal budget with gear we own. Critique and review our work.

This is a self-funded educational venture with no commercial value or intent.

LOCATION

The SceneWorks Project shoots around the Cleveland, Ohio area.

THE PROCESS

Scene Reenactments
  1. Maintain a backlog/pipeline of scene scripts to reenact.
    • Ideas can be submitted by actors/crew participating in future shoots.
  2. Schedule shoot.
  3. Shoot in 2-4 hours.
  4. Edit within 7 days.
  5. Actors review in the edit bay.
  6. Post restricted Vimeo link for personal review.
Original Short/POC Films
  1. Receive/review short film scripts from sponsors.
    • Sponsor will be the film's Director and also responsible for any of a film's financing, marketing, distribution, contracts, and compliance.
  2. Refine/approve script.
  3. Schedule shoot.
  4. Shoot in 1-3 days.
  5. Edit.
  6. Actors review in the edit bay.
  7. Color/score.
  8. Hand off final rendered film to sponsor.
  9. Sponsor distributes reel clips to actors.

FINANCING

Reenactments are minimal budget. Crew, craft, and location fees are paid by James/Mark.

Actors are not paid (and do not pay).

Short/POC films have a 'sponsor'. Sponsors submit scripts to The SceneWorks Project and might participate in financing for the shoot. James/Mark do not charge for their time or kit.

REVIEW / FEEDBACK / CRITIQUE

Self-review, group review, and coach feedback.

This is how we grow. After each shoot, actors meet with the editor in the edit bay to review insights and feedback from the editor and each other.

Acting coaches can be enlisted to prep, direct, and review actor performances.

MARKETING / DISTRIBUTION

Clarify here...

ACTOR REELS

Clarify here...

JOIN US

James and Mark are collaborating with local actors and crew in Northeast Ohio. We want to continually refine our skills and see how good we can get at our craft. We team with others who share our desire to get better at this.

Have a scene reenactment or original short film you'd like to shoot for practice? Let us know by sending a note to info@sceneworks.net.

A NOTE ON SCENE REENACTMENT COPYRIGHTS

The SceneWorks Project respects copyrights.

Scene reenactments are short excerpts from original copyrighted works and are solely for private, educational purposes, with no commercial value or intent. They are practice tapes, for personal use and not for public distribution.