persistence

The only constant is change

Maximum Z creativity, determination, development, entertainment, ideas, originality, outlines, perseverance, persistence, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec, story, writing , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Even though a lot of the past week was family-oriented, thoughts about the current spec were omnipresent. There’s still a lot to figure out, but things are progressing, albeit slowly.

One positive result is that as these ideas develop, each causes a ripple effect in terms of how it impacts the rest of the story.

Just as an example, I needed to come up with a very important story detail, so started listing all the possible reasons how it could happen. I came up with one I felt worked best and started implementing it into the still-under-construction outline. That in turn triggered thoughts of “that could be because of ____” or “what if ____ is why?”.

A little more rejiggering of possibilities and how they’d fit into the story and voila! Some really helpful ideas and additional details that strengthen its designated storyline AND how it affects a few others.

When I started this project, I reminded myself that the end result would most likely be very different while the core story remained the same. Staying on top of all those little details is really keeping me on my toes, while also forcing me to constantly ramp up my creativity to make this script as original and entertaining as possible.

It’s a safe bet I’ll come up with more story-changing/impacting ideas over the next few weeks, but I welcome them and will deal with those as they happen.

The main focus remains just putting it all together.

Even just a few steps is still good

Maximum Z determination, draft, encouragement, outlines, perseverance, persistence, plot points, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s the onset of a holiday weekend here in the US, so file this post under “short, but relevant”.

The good news is I hit the midpoint for the outline of my current spec. The not-so-good news is that I’m still figuring out the rest of Act Two and most of Act Three. Plot points (such as they are) are in place, and the filling in between them continues.

Daunting as that may be, I’m just happy to have gotten this far. Current mindset is “just get it written and fine-tune it later.”

I know I’ll figure things out, but count on lots of ruminating in my near future.

Speaking of which…

As if by divine intervention by the writing gods, a friend posted online that the upcoming month is being labeled “Spectember” in that a writer could complete a spec script by month’s end. Pretty certain I couldn’t complete an actual spec, but the outline? That’s a definite possibility – or as mighty close as I can get.

Enjoyment levels and overall excitement for this project remain strong and steady, which always help.

Finish line crossed. On to the next one

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It might not be too far-fetched to say there were more than a few times I thought this day would never come, but it did.

It took a while, but yours truly can now honestly and proudly proclaim to be

A WRITER WITH REPRESENTATION

(insert triumphant fanfare here)

I recently signed with a manager who really likes my writing and is incredibly eager to help me establish a career as a working screenwriter.

I’d connected with him on LinkedIn after responding to a listing asking for scripts to review and potentially promote. I sent the fantasy-comedy. He and his team really liked it. Their notes and comments are buried somewhere in my laptop’s digital folder for the script.

This led to several back and forth emails and lengthy Zoom calls. He wanted to know more about me, my writing, my goals, career plans, etc. I also got to know more about him and his background (started as a producer, sold the company and switched to managing).

He liked my work and what I had to say, both in my writing and as a writer. A little more back and forth, a revised contract, and voila.

I am officially a repped writer.

Fantastic as it is to say that, I’ve no plans to kick back and take it easy. On the contrary. Bigger and more challenging goals of getting my scripts out there await, along with continuing work on new projects.

And I am ready like you wouldn’t believe to take on all of it.

I would also like to add that I am truly overwhelmed and incredibly humbled by all the positive and supportive comments and notes of congratulations I received from across social media. That kind of support and encouragement means a lot, and I am very grateful for it.

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.

Well, that was an experience

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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”.