Here We Go Yo

… so what’s the, what’s the, what’s the scenario?

How’s everyone doing? I’m in a daze my friends. After dutifully taking care of myself for the last few weeks (exercising, getting enough sleep, eating well, relaxing in the evenings), this entire week I’ve been hitting it way too hard. I’ve been working late, eating too many Cheez-Its and slugging slowly through my workouts. That must mean it’s deadline time.

Two feature length screenplays have been in my face over the past six months or so. Just a few weeks ago I sent the latest draft of one to the gentleman to which I am writing the script for. It’s now out of my hands at the moment, which I have to admit feels pretty great. That leaves me with the second script, which I’m having a blast working on, but am just taking way too long getting through. A combination of perfectionism and procrastination. I really took my time outlining and prepping this particular project, which you would think would allow me to knock it out more quickly. I wish, but no. Just the opposite has occurred. I’m analyzing every single word I type as I go along. There’s no “letting the fingers fly,” because I’m spending too much time deciphering whether or not that last set of action lines I just laid down conveyed what I was shooting for.

I am hoping to send the draft off by end of day Friday, which is why I’m spending my evenings cuddled up to my laptop instead of my wife (WIFE, Supreme Court… I’m counting on you all to do the right thing). If I reach my goal, I’m celebrating by taking next week off. Cross your fingers for me, please!

Tidbits:
* How sweet is the photo my wife snapped of my best friend and I after our recent race over the Golden Gate Bridge?
* Take seven minutes and watch Sam Molleur‘s short film, THE PROMISE. Such great dialogue! And props to the actors for their performances.

Still Kicking…

I know I’ve been MIA in the online world as of late, and I apologize. I’ve had my hands full with projects and just the normal ups and downs of life. I’m very conscious about where I spend my time nowadays; doing my best to stay away from things that aren’t pushing me forward or adding positivity to my life.

Slowly, and yet steadily, I’m making progress on the two feature scripts I’m writing, as well as on the production of my next short film, BREAKFAST AT GERARDO’S. I’m in the middle of a rewrite of one of the scripts, and writing the first draft of the other. I’m currently raising funds for the short film, which is slated for production this Spring.

Over the past month, I’ve been relentlessly hitting up the theater to see the Oscar-nominated films, and powering up the iPad to read the nominated scripts. I’ve caught all of the Best Picture movies (I’m rooting for ARGO, or maybe LINCOLN. I also wouldn’t be upset if SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK took it) and just have David Magee’s LIFE OF PI and Mark Boal’s ZERO DARK THIRTY screenplays remaining on my reading list.

I’ll be back soon with updates. Thank you for taking the time to keep up with me and my work. I expect to have some exciting things to share with you this year! Read more →

Cross the Motherfreaking Finish Line

Dude. It’s already hump day. And it’s the last hump day of January, which means that the first month of 2013 is almost behind us. I guess most would be excited that they’re halfway through the week. Closer to the weekend. Closer to the Super Bowl if you’re a 49er, or God-forbid, a Ravens fan. But for me, it’s a little kick in the pants. I’ve been consistent with my work this month and for that I’m proud. I’ve reeled back my freelance load so that it’s just a little blip in my work day, which allows me to spend most of my time on the two screenwriting projects currently on my plate.

But I’d be lying if the coming of the new month doesn’t make me a little anxious. It’s a punch to the gut reminder that I need to produce. Get things done. Tear ahead and cross the motherfreaking finish line instead of happily trotting at a turtle’s place.

I think about the writing monster that is Mark Duplass and the volume of work that he does. That guy pumps out scripts like no other. It’s not uncommon for writers to finish multiple scripts per year, but Mark knocked one out on a single plane flight across the United States.

Mark’s no doubt talented, but I think his impressive work volume has to partly do with the previous years of work he put in. It now must flow for him. Back when I was playing hoop, because of the hours of shooting work I had chalked up, I got to a point where I could freely make my way “around the world,” hitting every shot at various locations on the court.

Each script poses a different challenge, but the practice that Mark has put in makes him better prepared and skilled to handle the challenge. Because of the hours of shooting drills I put in, I was better able to make jumpers in circumstances other than when I was alone and playing “around the world.” Perhaps with defense on me, or if I was off-balance.

The work put in. The practice. The discipline. It all leads to becoming not only better skilled, but more confident. And that confidence translates to being able to pull the trigger on a difficult jump shot. It allows you to write freely without concern of whether what your fingers are tapping onto your laptop keys is any good.

It’ll give you the courage to finish a feature screenplay. Or hopefully in my case, two!

Thankful Friday 1.25.13

This morning I was a red-eyed zombie as I crawled out of bed to the coffee maker, which thank God was all ready brewing that beloved caffeine fluid that keeps me running. The weeks have been busy, but a blessed type of busy.

+ My writing efforts, though tumultuous as always, have been consistent.
+ My wife and I went to Opening Night of the Mostly British Film Festival. We saw HUNKY DORY, which was followed up with a Q&A with the film’s star (and perhaps my first real crush), Minnie Driver.
+ We also went and saw Amy Herzog’s theatrical play, 4000 MILES. How awesome is it that in the theater world it’s the writer and not the director  that gets touted as the creator?
+ On the morning of Martin Luther King Day, I spent a few hours boxing up food at the Alameda County Community Food Bank.
+ I was blessed with an early morning workout run around Lake Merritt with my best friend.
+ I got my teethies cleaned and polished.
+ Last weekend, we hung out with our neighbors during a “Progressive Dinner Party,” which entails walking to each others’ homes for each course. We were in charge of night caps at the very end of the night, but we were all pooped and wined-out, so now we’re loaded up with port and scotch. Good problem to have.
+ We had a few people over to watch the San Francisco 49ers win the National Football Conference.
+ My wife and I caught the breathtakingly beautiful and yet disturbingly haunting documentary CHASING ICE at Oakland’s New Parkway Theater.
+ Jose James released a beautiful new album. I highly recommend you check out NO BEGINNING, NO END
+ Julian Fellow’s screenplays for Season 1 of DOWNTON ABBEY are now available in a paperback book. Ordered.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

What’s Happening?

I’ve been outlining, writing, rewriting, applying for film grants, reading scripts, watching movies. And yet, as of right now I’m not overwhelmed. I’ve hit the groove as far as understanding what’s really attainable every day. My best friend would routinely bark that I expect myself to solve world hunger every morning when I wake up. She’s wasn’t far off. I used to load up my daily goals with so many things that unless I had the supernatural powers of Evie, there was no way I’d even make a real dent. Now I focus on one or two things a day. Now completing my to-do list is attainable.

In addition, this week I’ve started to get up a little bit earlier in the mornings. The alarm’s set for 5:30, and after typically one slap at the snooze button, I crawl out of bed at 5:40 and head to the kitchen table where my notebook and a pen await. With a cup of coffee by my side, I knock out my daily three pages and force myself to churn out two story ideas for possible future projects (sometimes they are extremely lame).

I’ve been spending less time on the internet because it depresses me. I made the mistake of actively searching online conversations regarding the Golden Globes, and after discovering the swirl of negative responses of Jodie Foster’s honest and passionate speech, I decided to crawl back into my hole and keep my focus on my family, my work and my health. Over the past week I read a book, made vegetable soup, rode the skateboard twice, had dinner with my best friend, sent hand-written letters to a couple family members, and went to the theater.

2013 is turning into the year of reevaluating priorities.

Highlights of 2012

In a few hours I’ll be heading to San Francisco to spend the last evening of 2012. Honestly, my ideal way to spend the night would involve a couch, a movie, wine and a crackling fire, but my wife prefers to actually step out of the house sometimes.

This year has been en eventful one. It’s been one of the most stressful years of my life and yet I can’t overlook all the positives that occurred over the year. Both professional and personal progress were made and I’m thankful for that. I find it helpful to take some time to look at what I accomplished over the year, as it serves as motivation and inspiration as I lay out my game plan for the following year. Here is a look at my 2012:

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Happy Holidays / Rudy

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you have fun plans lined up for tomorrow. I’m heading to Napa to spend time with family and shovel as much food into my stomach as possible.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I have a gift for you. After chugging through feature-length projects most of the year, I wanted to do a light-hearted and fun short script to finish up 2012.

The story is inspired by the Christmas tune, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. From the moment we finish celebrating Thanksgiving, I have to endure my wife and her enthusiasm with Christmas music. It was after hearing the Rudolph tune for the sixth time in the same day that I realized something.

Rudolph gets jacked! All his fellow reindeer are a bunch of jerks. Santa doesn’t know he’s alive. And yet when bad weather has them all clamoring for Rudolph’s help because of his bright nose, according to the tune, Rudolph gladly obliges. Yeah, right.

So, I thought I’d tell the real-life story of Rudolph and how he came through to save the holiday that one foggy Christmas Eve. I enlisted the help of artist Kate Dittmann, who generously put together some awesome cover art for the script.

You can read the script here. If you prefer to download/read the PDF of the script, you can do so here.

Happy Holidays!

- Kim

Thankful Friday 12.21.12

I try my best to only share positive things on my site, via Twitter and through Facebook. It’s been difficult lately, because there’s such an overcast of negative energy in the world right now. So much anger, hate and selfishness that I at times I want to gather up my close circle of family and friends and move to a deserted island. At the least, I know I’m going to be taking a timeout from reading my Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Despite the tumultuous aura, there are so many things I have to be thankful for over the last couple of weeks since my last Thankful Friday post.

+ Spent five days in New York with my wife. Highlights included visiting Brooklyn for the first time, writing in the New York Public Library, meeting up with Anthony Hull and checking in with our friend Griselle.
+ Once I got back to the Bay, I got to share a birthday dinner with my wife and best friend.
+ Went to the midnight showing of THE HOBBIT with my friend/former neighbor and wife. Yeah, I’m not old!
+ Spent one evening recently eating pizza, drinking wine and listening to records with my best friend.
+ Read the screenplays THIS IS 40 by Judd Apatow and HOW TO CATCH A MONSTER by Ryan Gosling.
+ Came down with one hell of a cold, but I know it can only get better from here.
+ Christmas shopping 93% finished.
+ I’ve been keeping up with my “three pages a day” plan.
+ I laid out my game plan for 2013. Lots of exciting things on the horizon.

Have a great weekend! Be nice and respectful to each other!

A NY Tribute to Eadweard Muybridge

I was in New York last week. My wife and I took the trip partly because it was my birthday and partly because we both needed a break. One afternoon in Dumbo, Brooklyn, we had fun taking a collection of photos inspired by the work of Eadweard Muybridge, who was a British photographer responsible for using his photos of animals in motion and his Zoopraxiscope creation to essentially invent stop-motion film. One of his most popular collection of photos, “Galloping Horse,” is shown above.

You can see our own Muybridge-inspired project below:
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Three Pages

My great friend Julia came over this week. We shared canned soup and soggy salad and talked writing. She’s always been hilarious and this year has been spending more time writing sketch comedy. After reading THE WRITING WAY by Julia Cameron, she’s incorporated an exercise into her regimen which involves starting each day with writing three pages. We’re talking longhand, stream-of-consciousness babble immediately upon waking in the morning… or at least after you go to the bathroom and have a cup of coffee.

Julia (my friend, not the book author) has noticed that she’s better able to focus on specific projects after she’s finished with her three pages. I’ve started to incorporate the same exercise into my work days. There’s no better feeling for a writer than getting pages under your belt before you step out of the house.