Half done!

I finished Act II yesterday. I'm pushing forward today. I think I'll need to go back and add a scene to Act II, but I'm focusing on moving forward. If I stop to rewrite anything I'll get stuck there, analyzing what has already been written. I don't want to deal with that until I finish the 4th Act and the Tag.

I'm definitely in a better mood today. Reaching a goal will perk you up. Plus, I feel like a real Californian today. I woke up to the earthquake this morning -- my first that I've actually felt. Since it wasn't very powerful here, it was more exciting than scary. Did you guys feel it? How did you react?

Alone

It's really gratifying to see the little blog community that has formed in the last few months -- the few of us who band together through comments and mutual links as fellow screenwriters or aspiring screenwriters. In my daily struggles and frustrations I no longer feel alone.

And yet, in another way, I am as alone as I have always been. The one thing I have noticed jumping from one screenwriting blog to another is that I am decidedly different in one thing -- not gender, or style or genre. I am a conservative Republican.

There, I said it. I hope that having admitted my political affiliations (which should have been rather obvious from my other blog links) that you will not deem to dismiss me or my work. I do not wish to alienate those of you whom I have met in the last few months. But I do feel as if I am a minority in this community. I am always happy to see when other writers release their political frustrations, but I refrain from comment or debate simply because I do not wish to be considered for my politics first. I consider myself a writer, period. I have no political agenda nor do I wish to convince you or convert you. I am not an evangelist nor am I a fundamentalist. I'm a conservative.

But I do stand alone among you. I do not want pity or sympathy. I know my odds in this town where I stay mostly closeted in my political views, for fear of facing a backlash. I'm the one smiling and nodding wordlessly when confronted with anti-Bush rhetoric at gatherings. And this sometimes makes me lonely.

Tonight I'm lonely. I just want to tell great stories. I want to write without agenda but not be judged by anyone else's. Is that asking too much? Can I attend a class or a social gathering and not be subjected to the snarky or acidic commentary on the politics of our country? Apparently not.

I've thought a lot about whether to address this on my blog. If you search through the archives, you will find that I was passionate during the election, but my focus shifted after the first of the year. I found the truth of my blog, what it meant for me and it wasn't politics. There are plenty of other great blogs to visit and read about this right or left political viewpoint. The number of blogs about struggling writers is small and I am happy to be in the midst of those who also share their thoughts, feelings and actions in the writing world.

I think I'm also just feeling moody tonight. Feeling like I won't finish my spec by month's end as I let the stresses around me close in. Hopefully I'll be able to shut them out this weekend and focus on crafting pages.

I appreciate your patronage. I appreciate your blogs, if you have them. When I discover another great writer, I add them to my blogroll. I'm barely keeping up these last few days. If I've missed you, let me know. It's nice to feel not so alone.

Time

It's one of those days when you can hear the tic-tic-tic of the clock as the day soldiers on toward a close. The office is quiet. Ocassionally I hear someone's voice drift down the hallway, but overall there is silence and the palpable feeling of worry and dread.

People are interviewing for jobs this week, trying to stay with BUC (Big Unnamed Company) and avoid the uncertain future of being sent off to a vendor company. We are all interviewing against each other, so conversations are short and do not dwell too much on our current situation other than to note how much it sucks. As I walk past my employees I can see them clicking through job search websites. They don't even try to hide it anymore. I can't blame them for looking, and they can't blame me for my curiosity.

After my own intervew three hours ago, I had the perfect opportunity to get some writing done, but I just couldn't shake off the heavy malaise that surrounds us all, not even to do what I love.

So now I'm blogging. I needed to do *something*.

My outline is done. My spec is started and Act I is finished on the first draft. I'll work my way through Act II tonight and hopefully I can get a few scenes written. Optimistically I'd like to see me finish Act III by next week. Trying to set the bar high but within reason. I won't start class again for three weeks, so I have to use the time between now and then to push ahead, especially if I want a pretty decent awesome draft to submit for the ABC/Disney Fellowship.

Phone rang. Nope, they hung up. Even phone calls are in short supply today. I need to call the dentist to schedule my cleaning.

I'm taking suggestions for what to spec after I finish this one. Note: I am less inclined to spec CSIs, Law & Orders, or The O.C. Everything else is in bounds.

I'd like to finish another TV spec before breaking a new feature or rewriting my first screenplay. At least I've got two TV samples to send out that way while I keep writing other stuff.

Ugh, I need a nap.

Lost fans!

You've probably already seen it, but I thought I'd link to it here: The Oceanic Air homepage. I recommend clicking around the site, particularly on the home page -- there is an area which can be dragged to see a distress message and a script page.

Looks like they write "Lost" in 6 Acts! Good info when writing a spec...

Movia mania

For the first time in a very long time, I saw a film every day this weekend. It was great.

Friday night I saw Lords of Dogtown which if you've seen the documentary is more of the same. If you haven't seen the documentary, I recommend it as I also recommend this film. The young actors, most are 'unknowns' or 'hardly knowns' are compelling. Catherine Hardwicke is a fine director and Stacey Peralta wrote a servicable if not exactly a gripping script. There's plenty of drama and tension to keep you wondering how it will all end, even if you have seen the doc. It's easy to forget the real history as you watch these boys go from scrapping along Venice Beach to fame on the skateboarding circuit.

Saturday night I took in the first film of the Cinespia season. On Saturday nights during the summer (this summer it is every Saturday) they show films on the side of the mausoleum at the Hollywood Forever cemetary. Before the show started, they informed us that we were surrounded by the remains of 95,000 people (good thing it wasn't a zombie movie on the bill). They showed Twentieth Century which is widely considered to be the birth of the screwball comedy. Starring John Barrymore and Carole Lombard the film is quick and smart and still resonant today, 70 years later. Seeing a movie out under the stars surrounded by thousands of other film lovers is a real treat. Pack a picnic dinner, show up early and pay 10 bucks each. It's well worth it.

Today I saw Cinderella Man which I found to be a well done 'feel good' film that makes me want to call my grandparents and apologize to them for having to live through the Great Depression. Russell Crowe is fantastic, there's no two ways about it. I think Akiva Goldsman cranked out some cheesy lines (it was hard to hear Renee Zellweger say 'You're the champion of my heart' without snorting my diet coke all over the seats, but somehow I restrained myself). The boxing scenes are really vibrant and exciting, a credit to Howard for keeping them constantly in motion without using 'shaky cam'. I suppose critics will call it the first 'Oscar contender' of the year, and they are probably right. In any case, it was a good film which I enjoyed.

So, a good weekend, and I got some writing done (I know, can you believe it). I have phone interviews tomorrow. Wish me luck.

The Day Job

So, as previously mentioned, I work at BIG UNNAMED COMPANY. I've worked for BUC for 9 years, most of that time in Florida, but the last 2.5 years here in L.A. BIG UNNAMED COMPANY is outsourcing most of the IT department (and if you are up on current events, you might even be able to guess what this BUC is) and so I face an uncertain future. Fortunately, I got scheduled for an interview for a position still within BUC and not at the outsourcing company. If I don't secure a position here, I will most likely end up working for the vendor. The question is, do I still want to be doing this kind of work? I'm a supervisor of the computer help desk and I have to admit, my job isn't really all that strenuous. I have time to write in the evenings. Still, do I stay on this path or do I take a significant paycut and start at the bottom of the latter in 'the business'. I hate being faced with these kinds of dilemmas.

Spec script is written through the end of Act I. I'll be writing Act II tonight.

From the comments

Here's a comment posted anonymously on a previous post:

do you use people you know as characters in your writing? are there people you won't use as characters (peole with certain relationships)?

do you write them as you know them, or do you change them for what you're writing?

I often use attributes of people I know in my writing. I've written characters who resemble in part relatives or friends of mine. I would never try to copy someone in real life, because I think that is unfair, unless I were making a biographical film. However, I think that attributes of that person (mannerisms, quirks, behaviors) are fair game and I use them often. I always make sure to use those attributes to enhance a character, not completely define him/her. I also make sure that I'm not demeaning anyone I know with the use of that characteristic.

Does anyone else have an opinion on this topic?

You are all priceless.

Seriously, I feel like doing a 'Mastercard' commercial right now. Cost of UCLA writing class $350. Copy of Lew Hunter's book: $14. Being told by actual writers to improve your writing and forget worrying about your grade: Priceless.

I incorporated a couple of the minor suggestions from the instructor but I have basically decided that I'm happy with my outline and have started writing pages. I hope to have the first draft finished by next week. I'm already 20% there (hmm, maybe I need to steal David's completion bar for my spec).

I appreciate all of the feedback, encouragement and advice. I respect working writers immensely. I also respect my fellow students and newcomers, because this ain't as easy as it looks.

Enough with the love, back to the writing.

Minor setback

I received some new notes on my outline from my instructor. Things he hasn't commented on in the last two weeks suddenly have given him concerns and I'm frustrated. I'll have to take time out from writing script pages to address possible concerns with my structure (fortunately I fixed one thing he questioned as I was writing the pages). I may only be 10% done writing script pages, but it feels like losing momentum to go back and focus on the outline.

Still, this *is* an outline writing class, so if I want to get an 'A', I'd better deal with it. Ugh.

It has begun

Weekend is going well, in case, like me, you are home slaving away on the next 'Great American Screenplay or Novel' and are home to read this. (Wow, nice run on sentence there Shawna. You call yourself a writer??)
As a matter of fact, I do. I have started the spec. I know, most of you are thinking BFD. Can't say I blame you, but it's always momentous when I start thinking about writing or talking about writing or (the worst) writing about writing and I actually start banging out my crap draft. The crap draft is what spews forth when I start typing. It comes before the really horrible draft which usually leads to the just lousy draft. The lousy draft is what I end up working with to form a first draft.
Went to an arena football game today and played pool. Sometimes it's good to live life and not be holed up away from it. I'm working on that aspect of my existence.

So, what burning questions can I answer for anybody? Doesn't need to be about writing either. Some of you have been hanging around long enough, you must be *dying* to hear me tell some tale or other of myself. I just don't know what you want to hear...

Film Friday for 5/27

It is almost the end of the month, so it's time to recap all of the new sequels, spin-offs, tv shows made into films and remakes that were given deals this month. All info can be found at Done Deals. So, what do we have for May?

• Rush Hour 3 - apparently we need more Chris Tucker paired with Brett Ratner. At this time, Jackie Chan has not signed on. Perhaps he's had his fill of Michael Jackson impersonations?
  
• All of Me - Originally this was made in 1984 with Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. Now Wanda Sykes will star. I think I'll pass.
  
• The Prone Gunman, Rider on the Rain and Honor Among Thieves - I've grouped them together because I had never heard of them. They are remake projects all being produced by John Woo and appear to all have starred Charles Bronson in the 50s and 60s.
  
• Kung Fu Hustle 2 - I guess it did well.
  
• The Power of the Dark Crystal - I'd list this as one of the more interesting projects for the month. I really loved The Dark Crystal as a kid, so there's a little geek part of me that is happy. We'll see if it actually gets made.
  
• Tekken - Video game adaptation. This is in rewrite.
  
• The Rum Diary - While not technically a sequel, since Johnny Depp is going to Play Hunter Thompson again in this adaptation of Thompson's book, I'll throw it in here.
  
• Shutter - remake of a scary Thai film. Asian horror films are still hot!
  
• Day of the Dead - Sure, why not, we keep recycling all the other Romero zombie films.
  
• Adventures in Babysitting - NO NO NO!! And to think I respected Lynda Obst! This is a travesty, and if Hilary Duff gets anywhere near it, I'm gouging her eyes out.
  
• The Ring 3 - Hey! New character, same stupid girl in the tape!

That's it for this month. I'll update if there are any relevant deals on Tuesday, but it looks like a trend is developing, a very unsettling trend. The studios are now dipping into the 80's for remakes. This can only bring very bad things. If anyone breathes a word about remaking 'Ferris Bueller' for a new generation, I'll sic Ed Rooney on them. Ed will teach them a lesson.

Long, lost weekend

I wish I could say I have exciting plans for the weekend, but I can not as I do not. My sister and I will be making the 'big push' to finish our domestic painting this weekend, a project that started a month ago. I might get out of the asylum long enough to see a movie or do some shopping, but I see your head nodding. I'll end the boring details there.

No, I will not be drinking myself into a stupor, despite what the post title might lead you to think. More likely, I'll be finally starting to write script pages for my 'Lost' spec. The outline is complete and I'm ready to breathe some life into this sucker.

Can I just say I don't know if the 'Alias' finale was the most awesome thing I've ever seen or the lamest thing? If done correctly, next season could be a real head trip. If they fail to make sense out of it...let's just say I do not see a Season 6 in their future. That is all I'll say on the subject. For now.

HOA woes

My primary job (what I get paid for) is as a supervisor for UNNAMED LARGE COMPANY. My second job (currently unpaid) is as a writer. My third job (which I would drop in a heartbeat if allowed) is as the President of my HOA.

Last night there was smoke in the laundry room. Guess who gets their doorbell rung in the middle of the 'Lost' finale...

Yup, yours truly. So I schlep downstairs in my Winnie the Pooh slippers to see what's up. Sure enough, burning rubber smell and light smoke in the air. The VP of the HOA had called 911 so the sirens were whirring in the background as I inspected the room. I think we disappointed the firemen. We had no fire, but certainly a problem with one of the washing machines.

This is just the latest 'crisis' in a series of crises in my condo building (which has 18 units and very strange residents). We have bad pipes, electrical problems, water damage, an old elevator and we are technically broke. And, there are so many elderly residents that they prohibit us from raising the association fees to cover our expenses and needed maintenence. The building is 40 years old and shows it.

It's horrible, but I keep hoping a few will either pass on or move soon so we can actually improve our builidng and stop the unnecessary degrading of our property value.

But we are in a kickass location. I just wish I had an extra parking spot in the garage.

Whither 'Lost'?

Season finale is tonight. Of course, this is exciting for me, as I follow this show very closely, and not just because I'm writing a spec.

Some of you have wondered why on Earth I chose to spec Lost. There are two answers to this question.

• I wanted to spec 'House' but my instructor writes for that show and discouraged me from writing it as it is a very difficult show to write (and I think he didn't want to be extra hard on me, since he has such vast knowledge of the show).
  
• I refused to spec CSI, Law and Order or The O.C.

I know there are other shows I could have chosen, but I feel vindicated in my choice since I've been looking over the network pickups this fall. What do these shows have in common:

• Fathom
  
• Invasion
  
• Supernatural
  
• Threshold

They are all new hourlong dramas that deal with 'strange' or alien phenomena and appear to have an arc for an entire season. I don't know if any of them will hold on and make it, but my Lost spec might be interesting to writers of any of these shows.

I'm still writing a 'House' or some other procedural spec though. Gotta cover my bases.

Class tonight

Gearing up for class -- instructor told me in his last set of notes that my latest draft is pretty good. I've made a couple of tweaks to share with him tonight, but then I think I'm ready to go to script.

I've signed up for the summer course, just to keep my momentum going...especially while things are so topsy-turvy at work. I need something to focus on outside of that stress.

They are outsourcing at my workplace and my job is in limbo. Hopefully I'll know more in the next two weeks. This has been a long time coming and finally the hammer is falling. I wouldn't mention it, except it seems to be the overriding concern in my day to day life right now. I've always maintained that in order for this 'screenwriting thing' to work, I'd need to keep my day job. I never really planned on what to do if the day job wasn't there (besides get another one). It has me thinking about all sorts of possibilities, though the most realistic is just to find another foothold until I can get an agent/sell something. I am all about what I will do right now, I have no time to think about how much I suck or how remote the chances are that I'll succeed. Those thoughts are irrelevent. My current predicament has brought into focus what I came out to L.A. to do and I will not fail.

I just hope I don't suck. :-)

Upfront roundup - the final tally

So, there are lots of places where you can find the schedules (try here or here). One thing they may not say is what does this all mean?? In Entertainment Weekly style, I present to you the 'Winners and Losers' list:

Winners

• Jerry Bruckheimer - the man is unstoppable. He already had six shows on the air and now the networks have picked up four more. He's got Aaron Spelling in his sights. (Read more at Hollywood Reporter).
  
• Dramas - There are 19 new hourlong dramas vs. 10 new sitcoms in the network programming mix. For now, drama is where the action is...so to speak.
  
• Jim Belushi - is he not the luckiest guy on the planet?
  
• David Mamet - he actually has a midseason show. Whodathunk that David Mamet would want to break in to TV?
  
• Conservatives - CBS cancelling '60 Minutes Wednesday' may have been for ratings reasons, but conservative bloggers will still feel it a victory to have ousted Dan Rather from yet another home due to the National Guard memo scandal.
  
• Warner Brothers - Clearly they hold the keys to the show production kingdom. While Paramount and 20th Century may be close behind, Warner has more shows on the various schedules than any other production house.
  
• UPN - Yes, I know...this one seems weird. The perenial whipping boy of the upfronts actually had two bits of good news to tout (even though they cancelled 'Enterprise'). One, they renewed Veronica Mars. Two, they managed to get Chris Rock to do a sitcom with them (even if he only does voice overs and produces, it's enough for them). And hey, they still have 'WWE Smackdown!'

Losers

• Tara Reid - her sitcom for Fox didn't get picked up. Of course, IMHO she was a 'loser' before her sitcom was rejected...
  
• David E. Kelley - believe it or not, Kelley had a show rejected. As I read somewhere (sorry can't remember where) there was a time when Kelley didn't even need a pilot, they'd just buy the thing sight unseen. I guess 'Snoops' and that show he did for CBS changed that.
  
• Reality - Okay, there are still a lot of reality shows on, but the networks are only introducing 2 new reality shows ('Three Wishes' and 'The Apprentice: Martha Stewart' on NBC) this season. This is down significantly from the five to seven new shows we were seeing each fall. Thankfully, we are going to get a break from 'The Bachelor' until midseason.
  
• Donald Trump - Another strange one, you are thinking. Let me put it this way: Martha Stewart's Apprentice show is going to crush Trump's. Trump has been fun for three series, but now it's time to watch the 'Domestic Diva' put people through the ringer.
  
• Jeff Zucker - Defamer has been all over how much crow this guy has had to eat this week (last year at upfronts he boasted that 'Joey' and the rest of the NBC schedule would keep the network at #1. They fell to #4 last year. Not only that, he's been taunted by the other network heads too. Advertisers will have to consider the new NBC schedule closely before deciding where to spend their precious ad dollars.

Finally, I'd say writers are big winners. Lots of networks putting lots of faith in new product. It will be interesting to see what of the current crop of programming hits and misses with the public. Get your specs ready. Staffing season may be over, but the fun is just beginning.

Analyzing the TV schedules

All of the networks have been announcing their fall schedules this week. Lee Goldberg has links for the new schedules.

One major trend I noticed was a lack of major new reality programming. NBC has one new reality show and everyone else seems to be holding reality for summer or midseason. As a result, there are a lot of new scripted programs on the schedules. Obviously this is great news for writers as the possibility of some of these shows being successful is higher now that they aren't competing quite as much with reality fare.

I'm particularly heartened that there are a lot of 'Lost-inspired' shows on everyone's schedules. My Lost spec may actually be of some use, if I can get an agent and if any of these shows are good enough to make it. Of course, I'm still going to spec a procedural to cover my bases.

My screenwriting bookshelf

Someday maybe we'll talk about my other bookshelves (the sci-fi bookshelf, fantasy bookshelf, mystery bookshelf, non-fiction, etc) but today I'll just give you a quick run down of the books I refer to most often when I am writing and need words of wisdom, technical help or just need to procrastinate.

Of course, there are two or three which should be on every screenwriter's bookshelf:

• Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri
  
• Screenwriting 434 by Lew Hunter
  
• Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger

I suppose if you want the true basics, you can read Aristotle's Poetics but that's up to you. It makes you sound smart to your non-writing friends if you can quote Aristotle.

Books I read for inspiration:

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
  
• Breakfast with Sharks by Michael Lent
  
• The Right to Write by Julia Cameron

Books I refer to for advice (but not as much as the first 3):

• Creating Unforgetable Characters by Linda Seger
  
• The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler
  
• Writing Screenplays that Sell by Michael Hauge

Books I haven't really used in the last year, but I still have on my shelf:

• Screenplay by Syd Field
  
• Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Televison by Richard Walter
  
• Write Screenplays that Sell by Hal Ackerman
  
• Writing Scripts Hollywood Will Love by Katherine Atwell Herbert

Recent purchases/reads:

• 10 Minutes to the Pitch by Chris Abbott
  
• Screenplay by Disney by Jason Surrell
  
• Successful Television Writing by Lee Goldberg

I'm going to pick up Alex's book Crafty Screenwriting next chance I get. I'm always picking it up in the bookstore, but I'd like to finish it this year, so I'll just buy the damn thing already.

Now you know why I never get anything written -- I'm reading too many books!

Quick hits

Who am I voting for in the L.A. Mayoral race? Hell if I know.

All I know is I'm choosing between bad and probably just as bad but hasn't been mayor for the last four years. Some people think that Hahn has been useless the last 4 years and V-ray can't be worse. I say the devil you know is probably better than the one you don't. Still, I'm conflicted.

TV Network upfronts this week. So far, I'm not impressed with NBC's schedule. Thursday goes completely unchanged and they bench their best sitcom until midseason or so. Worse, they move "The West Wing" (which, admittedly, I think should have ended this year since I've hated it for the last 3 years and refuse to watch it now) opposite Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which I think is just folly.

Tomorrow, I get to hold my head in my hands and wonder what Andy Dick had to do to keep "Less than Perfect" on the air. I shudder to think about the possibilities, and since this is a family site and not Defamer I'll keep those horrific thoughts to myself.

Welcome to the blogosphere, Lord Vader!

Please take time to visit everyone's favorite Sith Lord Darth Vader. He's a struggling blogger, and I think we should all give him some support. Especially with that whole 'left for dead' moment with Obi-Wan. Bastard.