Well, it looks like I may have a deal. A local producer/director read my holiday script, loved it as is, and made me an offer---all within the space of three hours! He wants to shoot it quickly on HD and sell it to a cable network, we'll split the profits 50-50, so there exists the possibility of a nice chunk of change. Or it may just fizzle. We'll see. But it certainly was a boost to my ego to hear someone compliment my script for like FOREVER!!!!
But of course, in the midst of all my usual chaos and upheaval, I came up with a script idea, actually two, and I think one is quite actually good and plan on writing it. When an idea stays in the back of my mind for more than a day and I actually SEE the characters, I know it's a keeper.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Sunday, August 28, 2005
A Wing And A Prayer
We've gotten some initial reader (pals and such) reaction on INTO THE AMAZON, our kick ass rom com action adventure, and it's been embarrassingly overwhelmingly positive. A sampling of comments:
GREAT GENRE
LOVED IT
I WAS ONLY GOING TO READ THE FIRST THIRTY PAGES, BUT I ENDED UP READING IT IN ONE SITTING
WHEN IS IT COMING OUT?
A FUN READ, I COULD SEE IT AS A MOVIE
A POPCORN SUMMER FRANCHISE
Let's hope our industry reads are as positive!!!
GREAT GENRE
LOVED IT
I WAS ONLY GOING TO READ THE FIRST THIRTY PAGES, BUT I ENDED UP READING IT IN ONE SITTING
WHEN IS IT COMING OUT?
A FUN READ, I COULD SEE IT AS A MOVIE
A POPCORN SUMMER FRANCHISE
Let's hope our industry reads are as positive!!!
Thursday, August 25, 2005
No News....
Is no news.
Trying to keep calm, rest my tummy (ack), soak up the last rays of summer and think of anything else but the pink elephant in the room wearing a tutu.
To that end, I have started a horror (and not about my current poor financial status). Coming up with a new twist on horror is neigh near impossible, but I've come up with something that seems doable, so I'm gonna keep at it until I run out of steam or type THE END.
Also reading a new book called "The First Time I Got Paid For It" (which my mother said sounded porno). Nah. It's about writers and the first time they got paid for doing what they love. Nice fluff to read when your tummy is gurgling over what is happening (or not happening) with your new spec.
Trying to keep calm, rest my tummy (ack), soak up the last rays of summer and think of anything else but the pink elephant in the room wearing a tutu.
To that end, I have started a horror (and not about my current poor financial status). Coming up with a new twist on horror is neigh near impossible, but I've come up with something that seems doable, so I'm gonna keep at it until I run out of steam or type THE END.
Also reading a new book called "The First Time I Got Paid For It" (which my mother said sounded porno). Nah. It's about writers and the first time they got paid for doing what they love. Nice fluff to read when your tummy is gurgling over what is happening (or not happening) with your new spec.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Sending Out A Spec
It's done. Well, just about as done as it can be for the moment. I keep telling myself that a script is just a blueprint. A director will have notes. So will a producer and studio. And actors and actresses, they'll prolly stick their thumbs in the pie too. But that's the way screenwriting is, and if you can't accept that it's a collaborative process, stick to writing poems.
So far we 've gotten several reads from people we trust, and so far the comments have been all positive, overwhelmingly so.
What does that really mean, though?
Nothing.
You can write what you think is the best thing since WAR AND PEACE, and you could end up flat on your face, busted.
The marketplace is what decides.
A good script, no, make that a great script, may not sell for a variety of reasons. There's just no way to tell.
You keep second guessing yourself. Would one more little tweak make the difference between a sale or pass?
That's the place Brett, my co-writer, and I are at right now.
We're reasonably certain that we have no plot or logic holes. We've tried to bulletproof our spec as much as we can to the point I think I could recite all 118 pages of it.
After the flops of this summer, one would think Hollywood would be looking for fresh faces, new voices, new ideas.
Maybe not. I just heard that a remake of BARBERELLA is in the works.
It almost seems that TPTB would rather throw good money into bad remakes. Aside from Jessica Simpson's T&A, what did THE DUKES OF HAZZARD really offer? And it dropped 58% this week.
It's like holding your nose and jumping off a cliff.
No safety net.
No harness.
You're free falling, and have no idea when you'll land. With your head intact.
That's what sending out a spec is like. And we do it over and over and over again.
So far we 've gotten several reads from people we trust, and so far the comments have been all positive, overwhelmingly so.
What does that really mean, though?
Nothing.
You can write what you think is the best thing since WAR AND PEACE, and you could end up flat on your face, busted.
The marketplace is what decides.
A good script, no, make that a great script, may not sell for a variety of reasons. There's just no way to tell.
You keep second guessing yourself. Would one more little tweak make the difference between a sale or pass?
That's the place Brett, my co-writer, and I are at right now.
We're reasonably certain that we have no plot or logic holes. We've tried to bulletproof our spec as much as we can to the point I think I could recite all 118 pages of it.
After the flops of this summer, one would think Hollywood would be looking for fresh faces, new voices, new ideas.
Maybe not. I just heard that a remake of BARBERELLA is in the works.
It almost seems that TPTB would rather throw good money into bad remakes. Aside from Jessica Simpson's T&A, what did THE DUKES OF HAZZARD really offer? And it dropped 58% this week.
It's like holding your nose and jumping off a cliff.
No safety net.
No harness.
You're free falling, and have no idea when you'll land. With your head intact.
That's what sending out a spec is like. And we do it over and over and over again.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
New Spec, New Hopes
Sorry I've been so remiss in keeping my blog up, but July was busy between my tummy and life and August promises to be more of the same.
I wish I could say my tummy was on the mend, but I have to play it day by day. It seems to have become a routine. I may have a day or two of peace, but then something kicks it back into high gear.
So I'm still home, hoping that time, fiber and Paxil will give me long lasting relief. Paxil, for some odd reason, seems to help with IBS sufferers. My doctor says it has something to do with Serontin but it's Greek to me.
Meanwhile, life goes on even when we don't want it to.
Nina and I are waiting for her agent's reaction to MADAM MOM before we decide how to proceed, Matt and I are still tweaking FIELD TRIP and in a day or so Brett and I hope to have a meshed version of CHASING THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (still working on the title, sigh).
And this weekend I started a suspense horror thriller, of all things. A tad out of my league, but I figure I'll run with it until I run out of gas. Horror is one of my favorite genres, so if I'm going to do anything in it, I want it to be special like THE EYE, not pedestrian like THE CRAWLING EYE (and to think that movie scared the shitzola out of my brother and I).
I'm really proud of CHASING. I've done several collaborations, and I can honestly say that this has been the best by far. Thus far, Brett has exceeded my expectations (while I probably underwhelmed him). His passion and creativity bowled me over, and I've not had a moment's regret since, even though we lost the dog in the final scene.
Collaboration is like sex. When it's with the right partner, it's heaven on earth, and when it's not.....you can fill in the blank.
I wish I could say my tummy was on the mend, but I have to play it day by day. It seems to have become a routine. I may have a day or two of peace, but then something kicks it back into high gear.
So I'm still home, hoping that time, fiber and Paxil will give me long lasting relief. Paxil, for some odd reason, seems to help with IBS sufferers. My doctor says it has something to do with Serontin but it's Greek to me.
Meanwhile, life goes on even when we don't want it to.
Nina and I are waiting for her agent's reaction to MADAM MOM before we decide how to proceed, Matt and I are still tweaking FIELD TRIP and in a day or so Brett and I hope to have a meshed version of CHASING THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH (still working on the title, sigh).
And this weekend I started a suspense horror thriller, of all things. A tad out of my league, but I figure I'll run with it until I run out of gas. Horror is one of my favorite genres, so if I'm going to do anything in it, I want it to be special like THE EYE, not pedestrian like THE CRAWLING EYE (and to think that movie scared the shitzola out of my brother and I).
I'm really proud of CHASING. I've done several collaborations, and I can honestly say that this has been the best by far. Thus far, Brett has exceeded my expectations (while I probably underwhelmed him). His passion and creativity bowled me over, and I've not had a moment's regret since, even though we lost the dog in the final scene.
Collaboration is like sex. When it's with the right partner, it's heaven on earth, and when it's not.....you can fill in the blank.
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