productivity

Some appropriately metaphorical posts

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While I continue to chip away at progress for my assorted projects, I’ve been seeing more than a few posts from other writers on social media about their significantly faster results.

“I finished this draft in two weeks!”

“Just wrapped up my third script of the year!”

Jeez, I’m hoping to get three scripts done by the end of the year. If I’m lucky.

All of this reminded me that everybody writes at their own pace. Some people are more productive, some not as much. It all comes down to “just get it written”.

It also reminded me that I’ve written about this before, so thought this was a good opportunity to revisit a few of those posts, along with some that are kinda-sorta related.

Enjoy.

Run at your own pace

My race, my pace

It is most definitely NOT a sprint

Second half is all uphill

Comfortable shoes will also help

Not writing? What does that mean?

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Had a great catch-up call with my manager this week (still gives me a charge to be able to say that).

As part of our respective “here’s what I’ve been up to”s, mine included work on the two rewrites and the slow but steady progress of the first draft of the action-comedy spec.

He responded with “That’s really great. Some of my other clients will say ‘Oh, I haven’t written anything in two weeks,’ so I’m really glad you’ve been keeping at it.”

Keeping at it? To me, any day where I don’t write anything is a wasted opportunity. Even if it’s just one page, a few scenes in an outline, or just a few attempts at a better logline, I’m one of those writers who has to write something. It’s hard-wired into my system to do so.

I’d rather write something already knowing I’ll have to totally redo it as opposed to not writing anything because “I’m just not feeling it”.

My manager added that ideally each of his writing clients would have an arsenal of scripts (at least 3-4) ready to go, and not be “some one-trick pony with a single script to their name. What do I say if a producer asks ‘What else have they got?’ and the answer is ‘nothing’?”

Quick aside about writing the action-comedy spec: It’s going to need a ton of rewriting when the draft is done, and the outline remains incomplete, but writing a few pages a day has been exhilarating. I’m doing my best to keep each scene tight and to the point. Tempting as it is to go back and tinker, I’m forcing myself to stay focused on moving forward. Fixing and fine-tuning is what every following draft is for.

A lot of writers I know are very productive and prolific, some even cranking out a few feature scripts a year. I’m definitely not one of those, but still happy with my output.

I find it astonishing that a writer wouldn’t feel compelled to write. Something. Anything. Not that you should be chained to your desk until you see the results, but you get the idea.

I’m one of those writers who can’t not write. I love doing it, and to paraphrase Dorothy Parker, especially love having done it.

Just stumbling my way through

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T-minus one week to shooting my short film SHECKY, which means constant checking and re-checking of the seemingly infinite list of “stuff that needs to get done”.

And just about every item on there involves me asking a ton of questions to those with much more experience and doing my best to not feel foolish while doing so.

Fortunately, everybody has been extremely understanding and patient while explaining, coupled with “You’re actually doing a really good job.”

Certainly doesn’t feel that way.

One of the things I severely dislike is not knowing how to do something I’ve set out to do. It’s very frustrating and can easily throw you off-kilter. But nobody’s good at something they’ve never tried before. (Hello, screenwriting!) Mistakes will be – and have been – made, and the best thing to do is learn from them.

Which is what I’m trying to do with this.

I’ve also been told on multiple occasions of how excited everybody is about the project and being part of it, and how great it’ll feel during the shoot and once it’s all over.

That’s what I’m hoping (post-production notwithstanding). In the meantime, back to the list.

One down, a gazillion to go

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Just two weeks to go until we shoot my short film SHECKY, and there are a lot of things I need to take care of. It’s a list that feels like it never ends, or at least like every time I check something off, two or three more take its place. I’m doing my best to deal with a few items each day.

I suspect it would be very easy for things to fall through the cracks, instantly rendering them as forgotten – which means they would inevitably be needed in some kind of vital capacity or else the whole thing is shot to hell.

Which is why I’m doing everything I can to stay on top of that list and keep things moving.

It is my objective to have as much stuff ready to go for that first day of shooting so that when everybody shows up we can get right into it.

It’s exhausting and challenging, and definitely a crash course in learning how films are put together – even if it’s only a short.

Like when we start out as screenwriters, there’s a lot I don’t know, so I’m taking the time to learn as I go. Mistakes will be made, questions will be asked, and I’ll learn from all of it.

Each day involves adding a few more items onto the list, or maybe a new expense (which also seem to keep showing up). It’s always good when I can check off one or two things as “taken care of”.

All of this is part of the gargantuan effort to see this thing get made. Confidence and support from the cast and crew remains high, so I’ll keep working on reducing the number of items on the list. Don’t know if it’ll ever get to zero, but I’m sure gonna try.

-Donations are still being accepted to help with any and all SHECKY-related expenses (hello, post-production!), so let me know if you’d like to chip in. Every dollar helps, and perks and tier rewards from the crowdfunding still apply.

Just put “SHECKY project” in the subject line and I’ll send you the appropriate links (Venmo or PayPal).

Thanks!

Me too, Indy

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As the crowdfunding for my short film continues (all donations welcome!), I’ve also donned my producer’s hat and am quickly discovering just about everything involved with putting the whole operation together.

I say “just about” because my more-than-capable director is handling some of the more technical aspects, but pretty much everything else falls under my jurisdiction.

For someone who hasn’t done this before, I’m taking the approach of “this is something I’m pretty certain needs to be done, so I better take care of that”.

And I am not understating it by saying there is A LOT to take care of.

From all the social media to get word out about the crowdfunding to making lists of props I need to pick up to reaching out to local restaurants about donating food for the shoot (with onscreen credit, natch), every day a few more things get added to the list.

Writing the script is challenging. Producing it is a whole different and much bigger ballgame.

It’s exhausting, and sometimes I feel pulled in multiple directions, constantly wondering if I’m doing a good job. But I will admit on a certain level I’m enjoying it. This is a project I’ve worked on for a long time, so doing everything I can to make sure it all goes smoothly, or at least as close to that as I can get.

And we haven’t even gotten to the post-production part of the conversation. I’m bracing for that one.

As I’ve said to more than a few people involved with the project, I hope they’ll be patient as I stumble my way through all of this. It won’t be pretty, but I’m doing what I can.

And here’s the link to the crowdfunding once again, which also falls under the category of “something that needs to be done”.