Month: July 2025

No restraints! (up to a point)

Maximum Z action, comedy, community, development, outlines, problem-solving, scenes, screenplay, screenwriting, script, sequence, short films, spec, story, strategy , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

While my short film is now in the hands of the editor, that allows me more time to get back to working on the outline for the new action-comedy spec.

It’s coming along, but choices have had to be made in terms of how far to take things regarding the story and how things play out.

Do I play it safe and hold back, or do I throw caution to the wind and go all out?

Believe it or not, this was a tougher decision than expected. I don’t want to overdo it, but I also don’t want things to be boring. There’s pushing the envelope, and then there’s way over the top.

But then again, this is an ACTION-COMEDY, with an emphasis on both parts, so maybe there’s some kind of middle ground that would work.

It also helped to get the opinions of a few other writers, who all said for this kind of story, you pretty much have to ramp things up, but to also not let things get out of control, which makes it feel like you’re throwing everything at the wall, which reeks of desperation – which I do not like, or want.

What I do want is for the reader/audience to really get the impact of everything that happens because it all works within the context of the story while also reinforcing/supporting the action and comedy. Not an easy path to navigate, but I feel up to the challenge.

So that’s the plan. Most likely it’ll be initially putting it all together in a simple and straightforward way, then go back and figure out the best/most effective way to have each scene and/or sequence showcase the action and comedy when applicable. Sort of “How can this be more exciting and/or funnier while still accomplishing what it needs to?”

I also suspect that once everything is in place, that’s when the real fun begins. Even with all of this figuring things out, I’m really enjoying putting this one together and look forward to unleashing it on the world when it’s ready.

From the archives: If only you could eat a bad script

Maximum Z baking, comedy, determination, disappointment, fantasy, frustration, PAGE, perseverance, persistence, screenplay, screenwriting, script, westerns, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Rather a tasty metaphor, no?

I’d originally planned to repost this because I liked what the topic was discussing. It became especially pertinent after reading the first line. The past repeated itself this week with my fantasy-comedy also not advancing to the quarterfinals in PAGE this year. It stung a bit – especially after an earlier draft accomplished it two years ago. But it is what it is, and I’ve gotten past it as I focus on more important stuff. In the meantime, enjoy this post from July 2016.

Before we get to the gist of today’s post, let’s address the elephant in the room: my western did not advance to the quarterfinals of the PAGE contest.

Honestly, I was a little surprised; I thought it would have done better. After a brief wallow in disappointment, I shrugged my shoulders and moved on. It’s just another one of those things over which I have no control. I still have a ton of confidence in this script and might submit again next year. Also waiting to see how it fares in Austin and the Nicholl.

True, it was a rather lousy way to start the weekend, but over the next couple of days, I managed to redirect my focus, which included a nice long run that involved traversing the Golden Gate Bridge, and attempting something I’ve always wanted to try:

Making a pineapple upside-down cake (from scratch, naturally).

Guests were coming over for dinner, and I’d made pies for them before. But this time,  I wanted to try something entirely new and preferably a little challenging. I’d say this falls into both categories.

I scoured the internet for an ideal recipe, found one to my satisfaction, and followed the directions to the letter. The result? It looked like it was supposed to, and that’s where the similarities end. A little too sweet and the center was still kind of goopy. Nevertheless, my guests still liked it, and K & I split the last piece after they left. Not bad for a first attempt.

Why did it not turn out the way I expected? A lot of reasons. The oven’s a piece of junk. It didn’t bake long enough. The ingredients and the amount of them probably need to be tweaked. No matter what, I know now that I can adjust all of these next time and get closer to the results I seek.

Except for the oven. It will forever remain a piece of junk until it dies. Which can’t happen soon enough. But I digress.

Notice all of the comparisons you could make between baking and writing a script? Trying something new and long-sought-after. Seeking advice and guidance. Following the guidelines. Doing what I was supposed to. An okay-but-was-hoping-for-better initial result. Planning ahead on what to fix/adjust for next time.

If a less-than-determined baker ended up with the cake I made, they’d probably denounce the whole process, give up entirely and probably buy pre-made stuff at the supermarket. But we’re made of sterner stuff. We hit a snag or some kind of unforeseen development, and we compensate as best we can. We learn what not to do next time. Sometimes you end up with something jaw-droppingly amazing, and sometimes you end up with something totally inedible.

With this whole experience behind me, I can now focus on projects of the immediate future, which includes another round of editing and revising a script, and making a pie or two for a dinner party this coming weekend.

It’s my intention to have the results of both of these undertakings be totally and utterly irresistible when they’re done and ready to serve.

This blog can now legally drive in several states

Maximum Z blog, pie, screenplay, screenwriting, script, writing , , , , ,

My oh my, where has the time gone?

Hard as it is to believe, it really has been 16 years since I started this blog. (July 9th, to be specific)

Initially once a day, which was a foolhardy attempt on my part, so it switched to twice a week for a while, and then to once a week, which seems to work just fine.

My original intent was to chronicle my journey towards being a working screenwriter. At the time, that translated to “write and get paid for it”.

That still applies – sort of.

Don’t get me wrong. I’d love for that to still happen, but my interpretation of what it means to be a “working screenwriter” has drastically changed.

First and foremost, I can say with absolute certainty that my writing is significantly better. Looking at a script from back then and at one from earlier this year, the difference is more than noticeable. Took a while to get there, but well worth it.

On a side note, I think my analytical skills when it comes to giving notes have also improved. Of all the scripts I’ve read, there’s only been one writer who didn’t like what I had to say.

The number of writers I’ve met, both virtually and in person, has also skyrocketed. I’m quite proud to have established and maintained a professional relationship with many of them.

Some of those connections have led to other things, like becoming involved with the San Francisco Writers Conference to invitations to speak to writing groups and appear on podcasts.

And speaking of podcasts, my connection with another writer led to my co-hosting, and eventually solo hosting a podcast about writing.

I’ve done what I can to help the community, from forwarding or posting “scripts wanted” listings to inviting submissions to the Maximum Z Script Showcase to offering my two cents on screenwriting craft, methods and practices.

And for those who’ve been following along the past few weeks, production finally commenced on my short film, with things now moving into post-production.

It’s been a fantastic journey with lots of ups and downs, and I am exceptionally grateful to all of you fantastic readers who’ve been incredibly supportive over the years. I really appreciate all the likes and comments – don’t be stingy and keep ’em coming!

Hope you’ll join me in a celebratory piece of pie to commemorate this momentous occasion. In the meantime, keep writing and keep pushing forward.

Go get ’em, chums. I’m rootin’ for ya.

Well, that was an experience

Maximum Z actor, crowdfunding, determination, encouragement, excitement, experience, filmmaking, perseverance, persistence, post-production, producer, screenplay, screenwriting, script, short films , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last weekend was the shooting of my short film SHECKY, and it was definitely something most memorable. That’s me in the middle with some of my more-than-capable crew.

For the majority of two consecutive days, four actors, sixteen crew and two behind-the-scenes photographers occupied my house. Thank God my cousin was able to take the dog for the weekend or that poor animal would have lost her mind.

My wife and I did what we could to take care of everybody in the best possible way (i.e. food and beverages). A good part of it was purchased, some was donated, and some was homemade. Helpful tip – feed them well. They will notice and it will be appreciated.

When you write a script, there’s a good chance you probably don’t think about all the aspects involved in the actual making of the film. And believe me, there is A LOT. Probably a lot more than you realize.

Lighting and sound equipment, and the related insurance. Props. Set decoration. Wardrobe (which the actors provided). The aforementioned food (also A LOT) and related items (breakfast, lunch, snacks, plates, cups, coffee maker, drinks, etc). Hard drives to store the info from memory cards used during shooting. I most likely saved a chunk of change by using my own house for the location.

And paying your cast and crew. This is not something you want to skimp on.

Believe me – IT ALL ADDS UP, so definitely make sure you can afford it. You’re a producer, and that’s your job: to take care of all of that, and probably a lot more.

It’s probably safe to say that all those “behind the scenes” scenes you’ve seen in movies and TV are just the tip of the iceberg. Producing your own film, even if it’s just a short, is a HUGE undertaking. The closest comparison is organizing a wedding. Leading up to the actual filming, I made it clear more than a few times that this was my first time as a producer, so to please bear with me.

Everybody was great, patient, and very understanding. They were all experienced (except for one PA who was also a first-timer) for which I’m very grateful. Over the course of the weekend, just about everybody came up to me to say that they really liked the script and were excited to be part of the project.

As for the actual filming, it really is mind-blowing to see characters, scenes and dialogue you wrote literally come to life in front of you.

That being said, there’s also a lot of “hurry up and wait” while the crew gets the equipment ready for each shot and scene.

But then everything’s good to go and the director says “Action”…

Magic.

I gave myself a few days to recover (including dealing with some kind of sinus infection), and am now gearing up to launch the crowdfunding for post-production – another world of which I have a lot to learn. I don’t know how that’ll go, but am hoping for the best possible results.

Would I do it again? My initial response is “Lord, no.” But I suppose once this film is completely and utterly finished, I might consider it.

Emphasis on “might”.