Month: November 2023

Socializing from the comfort of your own home

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Over the past year and a half or so, I’ve taken part in an increasing number of Zoom calls with other writers. Sometimes it’s a group thing – usually involving breakout rooms, and sometimes it’s a no frills one-on-one.

Much as I love meeting with other people in person, these are a darned good alternative.

If you haven’t allowed yourself the pleasure of being involved with this, you’re doing yourself a great disservice. Networking is a key part of being a screenwriter, and this really is a golden opportunity to do that.

At its heart, it’s just a conversation between two (or a few more) people. Just shootin’ the breeze.

The biggest benefit is just being able to talk to somebody equally as familiar with all the trials and tribulations of being a screenwriter. Topics of discussion usually include where we’re from/where we are, how we got started, what our scripts are about, what we like to write, and what we’re working on.

I always get a special satisfaction seeing somebody get excited and enthusiastic when they talk about their work.

Granted, non-writing topics are usually also involved, but eventually it all works back to that one detail we all have in common.

What’s also great is that geography doesn’t play a factor in any of this. I’ve had conversations with writers in my neck of the woods and those literally on the other side of the planet, which is kind of mind-blowing when you really think about it.

As we all know, writing is primarily a solitary activity, and most of us welcome the chance to interact with somebody. The detail that this version of it is while both of you are sitting at your desk is a minor one.

Is there a writer you know via social media you’d want to talk to? Ask them. Chances are they’ll be more than happy to do it. A lot of the time the biggest obstacles are timing and scheduling – especially if you’re in different time zones. It might take a little time to coordinate, but once it’s set and the chat begins, it’s a pretty safe bet you’ll both have a great time.

And as we head into the holiday season, some writers might even see the chance to take an hour out of their day to just sit and talk with another writer as the respite they didn’t know they needed. It’s always great talking to a kindred spirit, and talking about your respective works can be a real boost and/or motivator for creativity.

So don’t hesitate to take advantage of the fact that the technology is easily available for you to have a great conversation with, and potentially establish a professional relationship with another writer, no matter where they are.

Embracing my inner Stan

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“I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic book writer while others were building bridges or going on medical careers. Then I realized that entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. I feel if you’re able to entertain, you’re doing a good thing.”

That’s a quote from Stan Lee that has been ringing true a little more often for me lately.

When another writer asks me “What do you write?” or “What do you like to write?”, my go-to answer is “fun, popcorn adventures.”

Serious dramas, character studies, and examination of the human condition just aren’t my thing. If I can give you 100ish minutes of pure escapism, I’m a happy guy.

“Write something you would want to watch” I always tell newer writers. I go to the movies to have fun and enjoy myself, so that’s what I like to write.

I’m a member of an online writing group, and I always felt very self-conscious when I’d submit pages. Other members were PAGE and Nicholl-winning writers, and I’ve got an animated story about a young witch, her talking cat, and the state of New Jersey. Who wouldn’t feel a bit silly about that when other scripts are about dysfunctional families and dissolving marriages?

Interesting side note to that: some readers had a tough time adjusting to the fact that it was an animated story, while others marveled at how fun and creative it was.

I think it was going to Austin that helped me turn the corner on how I viewed the overall picture.

When you get together with a whole lot of other writers, discussing your script is an automatic part of the equation. I was quite proud of how my script had turned out – both as a script and for the competition, and wanted to convey that pride while talking about it. So I did. When somebody would say “What’s your script about?”, I’d smile and tell them without a moment’s hesitation.

It’s safe to say just about every reaction was a positive one. Each person thought it sounded great, plus a few “I’d like to read that”.

My current project is a rewrite of the sci-fi adventure. Similar kind of situation. Scientists. Monsters. Diabolical plots. Typical me kind of stuff. It’s still very rough, but you can see my enthusiasm for it on the page. Why not take it and run with it, head held high, so to speak?

I submitted the first ten pages to the online writing group, pitching it exactly how I wanted to, including the apt descriptor “This is a fun, silly romp.” I wanted the other members to know what kind of story they should be expecting. Hopefully some of them keep that in mind. It’ll be interesting to see what the reactions are.

Like Stan Lee says in his quote, I used to downplay what my scripts were about because I thought people might look down their noses at that sort of thing. But after seeing how others have reacted to my scripts and what I like to write, I realize that a lot of the time people want to hear that sort of thing. They want to be entertained.

There’s just as much of a demand for fun popcorn escapism as there is for serious drama.

I can appreciate the latter, but am much better suited for writing the former.

And in keeping with the spirit of the post – Excelsior!

Is it different for animation?

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It was suggested that I come up with a pitch deck for my animated fantasy-comedy, or at least some character designs and concept art – and maybe a title page.

I’ve never been big on pitch decks. I figure if somebody’s interested enough in the script AND willing to shell out the moolah for it, then it’s out of my hands and they can come up with whatever looks they want. It’s not like they’re going to care about what I envisioned.

But dealing with a story that’s meant to be animated is something entirely different. You want to present at least a general idea of what the characters look like. If you’re trying to skew younger, they’d probably look more cartoon-y or Pixar-ish. If you’re going for a wider audience, they have to look like you weren’t seeing this as primarily a way to sell toys and Happy Meals.

I can honestly say these are things I hadn’t thought about while I was writing it. But since marketing is one of those screenwriting topics that doesn’t get mentioned as often as it should, it’s something requiring my attention.

Especially now.

As for the contents of the pitch deck, that was also me starting with a blank slate. What to include? And not include? How much of the story do I describe? How many pages should it be?

Fortunately, several trusted colleagues offered to send me their pitch decks as points of reference – an offer I eagerly accepted. A majority were for television pilots, which is very different from one for a feature. Some were for animation, so it was at least a start.

Like I mentioned before, my pitch deck would need to include character designs. My drawing skills are lousy, so doing it myself was not an option from the get-go. I need an artist. Thus I made my way to Fiverr and deviantart.com to check out artists whose styles match the vibe I’m going for. Several have been found, so initial contacts are underway.

Unlike some folks in the entertainment industry, I’m a firm believer in paying a creator what they deserve to be paid, but I also need to keep a close eye on how much I have available. No idea what the end cost will be, but hoping it’s not too pricey.

Like with a lot of projects in the early, early development stage, it’s all a lot of info to process, so there’s a general feeling of being overwhelmed. But also like those projects, it just requires dealing with it all a little at a time. It might not get done quickly, but this isn’t something to rush through. It’ll take as long as it takes to get it to be as effective as I can make it.

Wish me luck.

My Austin experience

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The 30th Austin Film Festival is in the books, and I had the pleasure of attending for the first time. There was also the bonus of my script being a Second Rounder. Twice. More on that in a minute.

Before I went, a friend who’d been there several times offered up some very sage advice:

“Don’t go expecting it to be a career-launcher. While that might be a remote possibility, go with the intent of meeting people, maybe learning a few things about the craft, and most importantly – to have a good time.”

I took all of those to heart, and it most definitely paid off.

For me the absolute best part was getting to meet an extraordinary amount of people I’d only known through social media; a lot of writers I’ve interacted with for years. It was fabulous to be able to talk with them face-to-face. Whether it was over coffee or drinks, a meal or just waiting in line for one of the many panels, just being able to chat (or shout, depending on the location) with each other was extremely pleasant.

Like a lot of writers, I can be quiet at first before I feel comfortable enough to open up and be more social. In the days leading up to the festival, I was terrified it would be another one of those “Everybody’s talking to somebody while I’m just sitting/standing here by myself”-type of situations.

And I hate those.

More than a few people told me it’s very easy to start a conversation in Austin. You see somebody wearing a badge and just start talking. I figured I’d give it a try.

The easiest place to do this was in line, of which there are MANY. A bit awkward at first, but this ended up happening a lot. One of my favorite parts was asking somebody about their script or scripts, which were listed on their badge if it had placed. I love seeing and hearing a writer talk about their work – you really can see their excitement about it on display. I even got a few “I’d love to read that” in response to them hearing about mine – always nice.

Another great thing was the wide variety of panels being offered. I think this will be the last time I’ll feel the need to go to any of the “how to break in”-type panels. While the information was good, none of it was anything I hadn’t already heard many times before. I didn’t mind attending them, but next time I’ll be able to focus more on the ones that feel a little more tailored to my kind of writing (e.g. Deconstructing the Action Movie, Tentpole Storytelling, etc.).

With my script being a Second Rounder, I had the opportunity to attend some roundtable panels, which involved industry pros chatting with some of us at a table for about 12-15 minutes, then moving on to another table. The ones I got to hear ranged from TV writers to a screenwriter who’s had several films produced over the past few years.

Regarding my earlier comment about my script being a Second Rounder twice. I’d entered the animated fantasy-comedy before the early bird deadline, but then did a few rewrites on it and thought it was a lot better, so I rolled the dice and entered it again before the final deadline. I felt it was worth paying another entry fee. I was thrilled when I got the phone call saying the script was a Second Rounder, but then remembered I’d entered it twice. Was this for the first or second entry? The first, I was told. This gave me hope that the second entry might have a shot at making the semifinals. A few weeks later, another phone call came in to congratulate me for my script being a Second Rounder. Not what I was hoping for, but still really nice to hear. It was the first time a script of mine ever made Second Round, so to also be attending the Festival for the first time was a double-win.

One of the things that wasn’t as great a match for me was the late night activities. Much as I wanted to take part, a combination of decades of my body being used to getting up in the middle of the night for work and non-stop activity from dawn to dusk resulted in me being totally spent at the end of the day. Hitting a party or visiting a bar at 11pm or midnight might work for some, but not this guy

I could talk about other peripheral things like where to stay, good places to eat & drink, and that sort of thing, but that’s more of an individual choice. Part of the fun was the exploring of the downtown Austin area. Although I will add that dinner at Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken was phenomenal.

If you’re a screenwriter who hasn’t had the chance to attend the Austin Film Festival, it’s something I highly recommend. It’s truly an experience you won’t forget and hopefully be one you’ll be eager to repeat. I don’t plan on doing any contests for 2024, so I’ll probably skip going to Austin next year; more likely ’25 or ’26. Or as one of my friends put it: “You should come back when they’re talking about the movie that you wrote.”

I like that option the most. Working on it.

**One more thing: I tested positive for Covid upon my return home. Another first-time experience, and another reason this trip will be truly memorable. This has also happened for several other friends, so if you haven’t tested yet, DO SO IMMEDIATELY and take the appropriate action.