Feelin' Mighty Nice...

I'm only minutes away from completing a first draft of the current feature spec I've been working on for the past 2 months.  In addition, I had a meeting w/ a friend of the other half this morning.  He's an actor/model and writer.  He saw that I was a writer (we're friends on FB) and wanted to chat about some of his current ideas.  So we did...over coffee and breakfast.  We've decided to swap some scripts and adt'l ideas and begin a working relationship.

I felt the need to blog today (considering I hardly ever do anymore), as my screenwriting life this year has been one of excitement, let-downs, possibilities and most of all hope.

I also wanted to just take a moment to catalog all of my writing accomplishments thus far in my career.  It's not necessarily a call for kudos, but a way to reassure myself that I've been doing good work.  I tend to come down on myself a lot and my brain absolutely REFUSES to accept compliments.  During a recent argument w/ the other half, he praised my writing, calling me a "good writer".  I replied w/ some expletive, basically saying he didn't know what he was talking about.  Ah, the joys of non-existent self-esteem.

But I feel good right now.  The piece I'm working on is based on an idea from an old college chum.  He got in touch w/ me about it and wanted to know if I would work on it with him.  I agreed, and once the semantics of the working relationship and how the credit would be handled was completed, I got to work.  Sometime in mid-June, I got started.  Today, I hope to complete my first (and oh-so rough draft).  This will mark my 6th feature script to date.

Now, let it be known that one other script has not reached past a first draft, so technically it's not complete, and goodness knows that some of my other abandoned, but "completed" pieces could use a makeover...but getting to a full script that goes from A to Z (minus lots of details in between) could (and will) be considered an accomplishment. 

I went back in my archives today and found that my first screenplay attempt was in January of 2004, with SID'S APPLE.  Back then, I wasn't on Final Draft, had NO idea about proper formatting (as is apparent from the Word document where that piece finds itself) and didn't really have a solid idea about structure then (as opposed to now, right?)

So, I wanted to catalog my writing (screenwriting) journey since then.  It's almost 10 years.  In that time, I've completed two short scripts (two of which I produced), one short spec script, and now almost six feature spec scripts.  Is that a lot?  Should I be proud of that?  Or is that an unimpressive amount?  

One thing's for certain, I have grown immensely since I started in that January so long ago.  I can see it in my current rough drafts.  I can see it in my edit-while-I-write style which has developed.  I can see it in the speed (when I set my mind to it and when the muse hits just right).  A script I completed earlier this year, saw a first rough draft of 77 pages completed w/in 4 days.  Based on my history of 2 years from start to finish, this was mind-blowing.

Which brings me to this great year of screenwriting.  Late last year, I met a dude in my store.  (for those not in the know, I've worked retail in Beverly Hills for almost 5 years).  I've not made this following story common knowledge, since I didn't want to jinx the relationship.  I'll still keep names under wraps, but I wanted to point out how wonderful this past year has been for my writing.  Promising.

Anyway...this guy returned a fabric swatch and ordered some yardage.  His business card was attached and it was a company called "_____Film".  Not wanting to waste an opportunity (I've gotten better at being shameless, believe it or not), I asked if they accepted unsolicited scripts?  He said, "not really, but you guys have been good to me here, so send it over".  Which I did.  Within days, he replied to me, basically stating that the idea was not something he could see producing, but that I was a good writer, which is "hard to find these days".  I did my research, to find that this guy was an assistant to an A-list producer (behind some mega-budget, high profile hits).  In addition, he had written and co-directed an indie horror flick a few years back, which garnered some good reviews.

I sent him another script, which didn't suit his needs.  But what happened next, was the biggest kudos ever (even if it may have turned out to be smoke up my ass).  I was (and still am) determined to make this a t-shirt.

"You should write something for me to direct."

Yeah.  Cloud Nine.  Perhaps Cloud Ten (cuz it's higher right?)

Anyway, he eventually took a meeting w/ me in his office, where we spent about 2 hours discussing personal lives, careers and this new idea.  

There was a feature idea I had been toying with and based on what he said "people were looking for", I began to outline (I NEVER outline) a script which combined some of his requirements with my idea about an upscale furniture store (imagine that!).  Within 4 days (what I mentioned above) I had a rough draft (this dude seemed impressed by that, later saying "have you ever thought about writing for television?").  On top of this, all of my emails and phone calls were usually returned within 24 hours.  With my limited knowledge of the industry, I found that to be unheard of.  So, he gave notes, I fixed them.  This was back and forth for a while.  Until I completed my fourth (and currently "last") draft.  I forwarded it, hopefully fixing all of the issues he saw, and then didn't hear back for some time.  So I reached out to him.  Said it was a good script, but didn't seem like something he could produce.  Ouch.

Well, the bottom line, I found someone deep w/in the industry who had faith in my writing abilities.  In addition, I had a new spec script under my belt in record time.  He left it open, saying that if I had anything else for him, to send it in.  I haven't forgotten that, and will CERTAINLY take him up on that offer...when the time is right.

So right around this same time, my script w/ the brilliant Chris McCaleb, TONIGHT I SHALL LEASE YOUR SOUL, was selected as a finalist in the Beverly Hills Film Festival.  It was my second year in a row @ this contest, so that was super.  We didn't get any prizes for it, but it was another ego boost.

Somewhere around May, my script ME & SIMON BAKER was chosen as a quarter-finalist for the Cinestory Screenwriting Awards.  I was one of 55 chosen for this leg of the contest.  I didn't advance, but again, it was a nice ego boost and a good marketing material.  Most of all, this was the second contest which ME & SIMON BAKER had been named.  To me, it spelled out "not a fluke".

And now, with this new script nearing a first draft, and the possibility wide open on that (my college chum has a producer interested in the original concept), things are looking up.

And just today, with the meeting of minds at our local Denny's, this other new screenwriting partnership shows great promise as well.

The bottom line is that I'm building a catalog.  I'm working toward a career that I love and which will pay my bills.  I'm seeing the closing days of the necessary "day job".  In addition, I'm WRITING.  Since age 10, I've loved getting lost in my own mind, putting it down on paper and seeing the reactions of those hearing and seeing the things contained in my brain.

Universe.  You appear to be lining things up.  I appreciate it.  I accept it.  I await it.  Keep the good stuff rolling in.