Starting My Week on a Wednesday…

Sorry for the lack of posts. I was in New York on vacation, and though I didn’t run into Mos Def like I was hoping, I did see the Empire State Building, visited Ground Zero, took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty, went skating in Central Park, and ate some damn good pizza.

Oh, and I also saw this:

Watching actors such as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury do their thing live was such an incredible experience. Seeing this show caused numerous daydreams about how freaking sweet it would be if an actor of this caliber ever acted out my script (honestly, any actor would be fine by me). It got me so fired up to write.

This week I’ll be working on Easier Said Than Done, plus putting together something for Julie Gray’s “Christmas One-Page Scene Competition” (thanks for the heads-up Patrick!). And tomorrow we’ll be hearing the results in Kid In The Front Row’s 5 Page Screenwriting Competition.

Thankful Friday… 11/13

It may feel like it’s thirty degrees in my apartment right now, but I’m feeling great. I’ve been very productive the last four days, and I’m going to work hard until early afternoon today and then CHILLLLLLLLL….

Writing for oneself…

Besides still cleaning up My Brother Mick, outlining the Untitled Superhero script with my wife, I’m also playing with a third feature-length idea, Easier Said Than Done. It’s not marketable, it’s a drama, the lead is a female, and it requires a large number of locations. It’s pretty much what I’ve been told NOT to write as I try and make my way in the business.

Screw it.

I need to feel some connection to the projects that I’m working on. The Untitled Superhero script is going to be an Action/Comedy, but there’s going to be a theme behind it that I believe in. With my wife having a full-time career, time is somewhat limited for when we can work on the Superhero project together. Therefore, I need another story to work on when I’m by myself during the day, and that’s what Easier Said Than Done is about.

Like I mentioned previously, I’ve been making my way through Story by Robert McKee, a book by the guru of screenwriting teachers. A previous reader (I’m on a budget baby… you know I borrowed the book from the library) marked a passage out that I came upon yesterday when I was reading:

“Every time you reread your script, it should excite you, for this is your kind of story, the kind of film you’d stand in line in the rain to see. Do not write something because intellectual friends think it’s socially important. Do not write something you think will inspire critical praise in Film Quarterly. Be honest in your choice of genre, for of all the reasons for wanting to write, the only one that nurtures us through time is love of the work itself.”

The week ahead

I always feel recharged and ready to go after I’ve relaxed over the weekend… in fact, it’s more like I’m “feening” to work. I can’t not be productive for long.

Ready… set… go back to bed?

I was a productivity maniac yesterday… just tearing up the to-do list.

This morning, however, I’m struggling to get going. I’ve made my list and have had two cups of coffee, which I guess is a start.

Short assignments…

I haven’t slept very well lately, and right now I’m sitting in the coffee shop trying to keep my eyes open so that I can focus on what I need to do today.

One of my favorite chapters so far in Bird by Bird is the one entitled “short assignments.” Author Anne Lamott explains the importance of concentrating on one small thing at a time to prevent yourself from becoming overwhelmed by only thinking about the larger project of writing a novel or a feature-length screenplay. Basically, it’s reiterating the idea of breaking up larger goals into smaller, daily attainable to-do’s.

Instead of me going into my workday with the mentality of, “I need to work on the script,” and becoming immediately overwhelmed at putting together 120 pages of awe-inspiring drama, I go into it thinking in smaller terms. For example, you tell yourself you’re just going to write one scene, or perhaps even just a piece of that scene.

Today I want to:

*print out my short script project, read it through, and make notes on how to make it better
*read through 10 pages of My Brother Mick with my wife and tighten up scene description and dialogue
*write the scene in Easier Said Than Done where my main character makes a conscious decision to change her situation

Along with my daily short writing exercises that I’ve already gone through today, it’ll be a hell of a productive day if I get the above completed.

Going to go with My Brother Mick

I made the decision over the weekend that I’m going to pitch My Brother Mick at the Screenwriting Expo in October.

I was hoping that Easier Said Than Done would be ready, but I want to be 100% confident in my work before I try and sell it to somebody. Easier Said Than Done might be ready, but I want to start preparing my presentation now, and I think with some additional work, My Brother Mick will be a strong one to go with.

I haven’t looked at the script since I submitted it to the Silver Screenwriting Competition (of which the top 10 finalists will be announced by September 10th, dah!) earlier in the year, so my first order of business was to reread the story.

I headed to the local coffee shop and sat down to read it all the way through. I think the time away will prove to be beneficial. I immediately saw some changes I could make to strengthen the story, both smaller tweaks like wording issues that will improve the pacing, and complete story structure issues to increase conflict.

I’ll spend the next month getting it as strong as possible and putting together my pitching presentation.

I’m playing with the idea of having a “pitching party,” and inviting some people over to liquor them up and practice my pitch with before the big event in October. Why does the thought of that make me more nervous than imaging myself in front of production studio representatives?

My next steps

The next couple of months of my screenwriting adventures are going to be exciting. Here is my to-do/activity list for the next couple of months:

*online film history class (8/25 – 12/20)
*finish and release a short script project (more info on this soon; slated for 8/31)
*finish the first draft of my next feature length screenplay, Easier Said Than Done (slated for 9/15)
*pitch my screenplay (either Easier Said Than Done or My Brother Mick) at the Screenwriting Expo (10/15-16)
*attend Screenwriting Expo (10/15-16)

I look at those five items and start to get a little nervous. Will I be able to finish all of them like I hope? And will I be able to do them well? I don’t know. I’m just going to hold on tight and try my best. If I fail my class or bomb the pitch to producers, it’s still going to be a crap load of fun.

Besides, all five things are similar in that I am in control of what happens. How well I do is all in my hands, and that is a freedom that I wake up every morning and am thankful for.

My wife says I make her out to be an angel on this blog. Though I tell her that I write nice things only because I know that she reads it, in reality she’s the mechanic that keeps my engine full. She routinely checks my confidence and stress levels, and if found out of wack, repairs them accordingly so I can get back on the road. So to my wifey, who probably won’t see this until the weekend when she can finally get a break from busting her butt during the week, thank you.

To my friends who have always supported me and have never once made me feel lame for quitting my job to tinker on the laptop all day, thank you. One in particular I need to point out and thank, because she has not only kept me from feeling like a bum, but has helped me get to the point where I feel proud of taking the plunge and she always pushes me to be better.

Wow, this ended up being somewhat of a sappy entry. I better get back to work.

Getting better

Another day of studying film = another thing to tweak on the screenplay.

The class I’ve been taking has been an incredible learning experience and has also been very humbling. I knew I wasn’t a feature film guru, but I realize now that I really don’t know crap.

Every movie I watch in class, I pick up something new for my script; something that will make it a little tighter, a little better. Maybe there’s something I thought would be genius and then see it in a movie and realize it’s really lame.

I currently have my outline for Easier Said Than Done laid out in front of me on index cards. Every scene is mapped out, and though I’m pretty happy with it, it still needs to be stronger. As you know, I started in on my first draft, and have since put it on pause and decided to go back to my outline after realizing it still needed some more work.

I’ve never been as excited about writing something as I am right now. However, I’ve felt the same way every time I start on a new project. I learn something and apply it, then feel good about what I’m creating, only to later find it’s still not really where it needs to be. It’s okay though, this is where I excel.

It’s cool to see yourself improve. I had the same feeling when I was trying to become a good basketball player in college. My strength is my self-discipline and my work ethic. I put together a plan and I stick with it. People could tell me I’m crap and it won’t deter me. I don’t know if I’m a good screenwriter yet, but I’m confident in my abilities to improve. In other words, I’m good at getting good.

Easier Said Than Done is coming along. Not as quick as I’d like, but it’s getting better every day… just like me.

Don’t drain the brain…

The hope that the 45 minutes I was left with yesterday to work on Easier Said Than Done would prove be productive came true!