No post last night.  too tired.

But the good news is I got a lot done on the outline.  Just a few more minor details to work out, then it’s done.  Sort of.

While part of me is itching to get working on actual pages, another part says “punch it up some more!”  And although it is SO tempting to dive into the 3-page-a-day routine, I may heed my own advice and see where I can improve it.

This doesn’t constitute anything drastic.  Just putting stuff in to give it more of an impact.  I’m not sure if it was the Chinese restaurant script or Dreamship, but I recall somebody telling me the script in question needed to be “more Hollywood.”

So while the current script is okay, it could definitely use some more work.  But the important thing is that the basic structure is there.  That’s never been a problem for me, but the more I think about it, the more I want to add to it without making it too complicated.

I think it was Billy Wilder who stressed the importance of a relevant joke in every scene.  But having watched BLAZING SADDLES recently, each scene has jokes upon jokes, but that’s not my style, nor is it something I’m capable of.  If I can get at least one joke into each scene, then I’ll feel better.

And I have to remember that snappy responses do not a joke make.

If I do decide to take a two-week hiatus from this script and develop the next one in the interim, I’m still deciding whether to go with the mystery-comedy, the noir comedy or the effects-laden superhero epic.  Fun choices, all.

Decisions, decisions.

today was more productive than I expected.  which is good.

I had this list of 5-6 items I wanted to work on, and was able to cross out 4 of them.

But I also was able to flesh out a supporting character and add a slight complication to the story, including the necessary payoff.  Nice.

It certainly seems that next week will see the end of outline work and the very possible start of actual pages.

Gosh.

Still no word from Manager Guy.  Big surprise.  I’m seriously wondering if I’ll even get to see him face-to-face.

Also sent a note to the Morning Sidekick asking if she can connect me with her working writer brother-in-law.  Wonder if I’ll hear back from her by Monday.  Again, that would be nice.

We’re going to the Giants game tomorrow evening, but K is staying after for the showing of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD on the Jumbotron afterward.  I’m bringing V home.  I may post upon our return, but no guarantees.

because this time most of it is NOT my fault.

See, my computer’s memory was bizarrely almost used up without my having used it for much.  So off it went to a former co-worker of K’s who ran a diagnostic.  A few days later, problem isolated, deactivated and computer returned.

Which brings us to now-ish.

And I’ve been trying very hard to keep busy during that time.  Mostly split amongst working, working on the outline and trying to set stuff up for my trip to LA in a few weeks.

Work is work.  I’ll leave it at that.  I did the midday shift for most of last week and one day this week.  While I’ve said I get a lot done during that time, this time I didn’t.  Progress was slow.  So I worked when I could and trudged ahead.

This week I’m back on a regular schedule, which frees up more time, which has really helped.  A few scenes here, some tweaking there.

Today, I got to the end.  There are still some minor things that need to be fixed, but it really looks like I’ve reached the end of this particular road.  I’d forgotten how nice that feels.

-The trip to LA is coming up fast.  I’ve yet to hear from Manager Guy about meeting.  I worry this will not happen at all.

But, as always, K is there to help.  An associate of hers who used to work in the industry has some folks she’ll try to connect me with.  That would be cool.

And turns out one of the morning personalities I work with, her brother-in-law co-wrote WEDDING CRASHERS and does a lot of script doctoring.  I really like the idea of meeting with him, but am not sure what exactly to ask/talk about.  First have to see if a meeting happens.

I always try to catch at least one movie when I’m down there.  While this will probably still happen, it’s nice to think I’ll be too busy to.

Back tomorrow.

I didn’t get to post last night because K was using the computer.

And there’s something using up a ton of memory on this thing, so we’re handing it to an ‘expert’ who couldn’t really find anything wrong with it, but will give it another look-see, so I won’t be able to post over the next couple of days.

Regarding the great outline fine-tuning project, I’m up to around the halfway point.  Not as insurmountable as I thought, but still somewhat intimidating.  I hope to be for the most part done sometime next week, and could actually start writing pages the week after that.  Gosh.

I’m still a bit nervous about the comedy issues, but maybe inspiration will strike during the process.  Just waiting and seeing.

Fingers crossed until then…

I just got back from my group.  It was good.

We all had something, which is definitely productive.  I’ll get to my stuff in a minute.

-Other Guy’s outline.  Lots of potential, but needs a ton of work.  He seems to keep missing basic points of structure, including establishing who the hero of his story is. There are lots of subplots put into play, but it gets confusing trying to keep track of them all.  As he said, it all makes sense to him in his mind.  But other people need to have it make sense on the page.  And without that, it doesn’t work.

It was easy to see the disspointment on his face, but he has a habit of rushing through outlines without thoroughly developing them (in my opinion) and wanting to get right to actual pages.  Which is why when he gets our feedback, he starts over.  Repeat ad infinitum.

Our advice was to put it away for two weeks, then approach it with things a bit more…thought-out.  We’ll see.

-Sole Female had more pages of her script.  Nice development, but there is so much in there that can be cut out, or at least rewritten and much, much shorter.  I was wincing on the inside when I saw how many spelling errors there were.  Don’t get me wrong – she’s got a great idea and is still developing it.  But it would be nice to see her not worry so much about minute details and focus more on having fun with it.

Again, we’ll see.  I made some suggestions about tightening things up and how to get to the final scene right away.

-My stuff.  I made some slight changes to Act One, printed it out and brought it as my contribution.  I read through it and got several actual chuckles/laughs from certain parts.  That was VERY encouraging.  Other Guy had some helpful suggestions on how to better establish a supporting character’s backstory – something I’ve been internally wrestling with since last week – so that was good.  They also thought it flowed well, seemed very organic and did a good job of setting things up.  This was all followed by “So where’s Act Two?”

Well, first I make changes/edits to Act One.  THEN I move on to Act Two.  We meet again in 3 weeks, so I’m hoping to have that ready by then.

I’m back in the traffic studio tomorrow, so that means more of SAVE THE CAT and the aformentioned Act One edits.

Getting rumblings that this thing is actually starting to take shape.

Wow.