It's a new day...

I can see that you will have no faith left in my resolve, anything I promise and most of what I say, but here I am anyway, carrying on carrying on. It's April 3, and I see that the last time I visited here was November. Pre-Christmas, pre-move, pre-"all is well".

Now I am in the middle of the moving process, just having said my farewells to Victoria, and taking a week to visit my way into my new life in Calgary. My new life, by the way, is the worklife I have been attempting to create for 30 years. It's strange when you suddenly get what you want. You don't even really see it coming, but here it is and it's so good.

I now have writing contracts filling five days per week that I can do from anywhere. I choose to do it from the same city in which my family is currently located. It doesn't matter if they are always there, I will enjoy whatever time there is with them before they decide to move on.

When winter comes, "anywhere" may be somewhere there is palm trees. I do crave palm trees from time to time. I know things change and I enjoy it. I've not chosen a change for a long time, and this one feels so right.

The only thing better will be to make my writing-for-a-living screenwriting. For now, though, as my good friend tells me...enjoy the success (wallow in it, I believe she said) of achieving this long-term goal. And I am. Wow. squirm, stretch, roll, wallow

Day 3 - Bingo!

This 3-day event has come to a close on the best possible high note! The last thing this afternoon was a pitching session, where we got to tell three producers about our scripts, and get feedback on the pitch itself. The last one our table got to speak with was a woman who works on budgets under $2 million. We all went around. She said my story was compelling, and I said it was doable for that budget, and that was it - she was on to the next writer. At the end she talked a bit in general and slid in this sentence so quietly I wasn't sure I'd heard it. "I'd like to read your (motioning towards me) script, because I worked as a journalist in the past, I have a child, and I can identify with a small town. I like this."

Blink.

What'd she say? Did she say what I think she said?

Yes she did! BIG GRIN.

I was the only one who got asked on the spot. (She said, humbly.)

Every other producer we met except one took our one-sheets with them, and most of the script requests will come from that, so I don't know what else will come up for me. There will be lots for the others in the class, that's for sure. There are tons of good projects.

Gary says that this gal makes a lot of movies, so that sounds pretty cool to me. She said she sometimes partners with writers (which I think means there won't be money until it makes some, I'm not sure). It doesn't matter. A LOT of these people have just said, Get something MADE and you'll have a lot more luck going in.

She could change her mind as soon as she reads the one-sheet for all we know, so it's one of those mini-successes that we take a moment to celebrate and then move on. Also it means I'll be writing my ass off when I get home, as the script is not ready.

Two fellow writers offered straight away to read it for me, which is awesome. There is so much support in this group. I'm so happy, I just may go out and buy a purse!

No Bull in Hollywood?

Got someone to take a pic today that I could post. Great day today. SO much good stuff! And I'm a bit too tired to really blog about it.

I'm definitely able to go to the Producer's Conference this weekend, so that is tres cool. Someone named James has cancelled out, so I may get to be a Jamie this weekend!

Three more Sleeps!

With the Hollywood meetings looming large, we had another conference call about what we need, and the almighty "One-Page" reared its head again. The first one I'd done way back had way too much in it, so I didn't even re-visit it. I just started over. I got a short, zippy pitch written and off to colleagues for critique. It only seemed to fit the bill for one of the three who read it. They needed a little bit more. So now that is out there to two additional fellow writers who hadn't seen the first one, and my first e-mail back said, "May I be brutal? Call me." Uh-oh.

On Tuesday evening I have a one-on-one call with the instructor to review this item. It's a marketing tool designed to make a producer want to read your script. If the first line doesn't grab them, they won't read on, and so forth. So it needs to be brief but tweak the curiosity, or help the producer see that you've got a character who would attract an A-list actor, or be easy to make for a million dollars, or something appealing to his/her business sense.

If you think this is easy, you are mistaken. Believe me.

In regards to progress on the re-write course assignments, I did get #7 done, and that leaves 8, 9, and 10. I'll be able to get back to these once this one-page is done and I'm on the road. It's good that I'm nearly ready because it's almost time to go. I will keep you apprised as I go. Cheers for now!

Oh - BTW, I have a new story posted on LifeasaHuman - could give you a giggle: http://lifeasahuman.com/author/pegainsley/

Assignment 11 Complete & Posted

It feels SO good to be back in the game. Now 7-10 to catch up. Just wanted to let you know I did get some real work done today, and thought I'd also share some visuals...

This will show you what I wrote on the Beat Sheet big sheet, and what it looks like now i.e. 5 pages of beats (scenes) for the movie! The red scribbles? You wouldn't really expect that I would publish it all for anyone to see do you? Especially that all-important final scene!

Finally...a BREAKTHROUGH!

If you are still there, gentle reader, I can finally report that I'm on my way again. And now there are only 10 more sleeps before I leave home and begin my 2010 vacation which includes the all-important activities in Los Angeles. Hollywood, even.

There are two kinds of being stuck for this writer.

One is just the regular there's-a-blank-page-and-I-can't-go-on, which is normally handled with good old-fashioned procrastination. Laundry to do, bathrooms to clean, plants to transplant all become more important when you're that kind of stuck. Eventually you just sit down and write the thing because while you are planting plants and upside down in toilet bowls, your mind is working on something that you can write down.

This particular term of stuckedness was not this variety at all. It was a deeper, scared-y-cat, I-can't-do-this kind of stuck. When you believe that you can't do it, your mind doesn't work on anything at all, and in fact you think you'd better just lie down rather than clean the house. This is the worst kind of stuck, because you don't really see a way past. The energy I have been using for sheer determination has run out. I'm tired.

In desperation I called out to my former writing partner, long since lost to cancer. No, he didn't answer, and no, I didn't feel his presence. I didn't even think about him again. I just sat down and began to add the ones, then the twos, and compared them with the script I've already written, which gave me some threes, and before you know it, I had broken through! Four straight hours and the elusive "beat sheet" is done!

I was so happy I did a little happy dance around the apartment, even though it was after 11:00 and I actually chortled, and laughed out loud, and yes, I remembered to thank Alex, justincase, and Zoooooooom! I am back to loving what I'm doing!

Assignment 11 came out today, and I "only" need to make up 7, 8, 9, and 10! And meantime I'm making lists of what to pack, and trying to get other things ready for my trip. And that's okay! I feel now I have a complete story, and guess what? I can see the humour in it!

Back Online at Last!

It has been awhile - I feel behind in everything, so it's time to get that rectified. I am tackling life - as we all do - one task at a time, one day at a time, one assignment at a time. Who said, "Life is what happens when you're following a dream," or some such thing.

Things to deal with - day job deadlines, day job blues, day job effort required beyond belief.

Body - killer throat bugs - desire to sleep, and sleep - age itself -

Mind - interest in project, high - number of assignments done, low (see above)
- attention required to a friend's accident - concern taking up mind-space
- attention required for children - for friend moving to new house -

Home - always left 'til last, but order brings joy, so will do that first

Then I'll get on with assignments. One month until the Hollywood Meetings begin!

And the O-project? E-mail to update, inform of activity and request for time.

So now you're caught up. This read can't have been much fun, and I will improve, as I do, with age. Please grant me the gift of patience. Cheers to all!

In the Light of Day

Okay, now we have direction, we will get on with the next assignment. It is to have another look at your beat sheet. A beat sheet is the story, step by step, scene by scene. I never really did have a full beat sheet, as things kept changing, and before I got to the end of the story, beat by beat, I would be moving things around, or changing the flow, and so now here goes.

I am very much looking forward to getting this finished (I did get a start on the weekend) as I really need to know the story from front to back and inside out by the time I get to Hollywood.

As the end of April nears, I realize only May remains to do the work necessary.

That's okay. I get done exactly what I need to get done to have the level of success I'm supposed to have in June, and that's a high level!

I love you for being here. Bye bye for now...

Decisions, Decisions, & Inspiration

If this title seems a little odd, then you've already peeked into my current head space. What a ride this is.

With a partner to critique my re-write work, it brings to light amazing insights - like why am I trying to make this thriller into a dark comedy? The answer to that is so I can have the next Fargo. This begs the question, who told you you're on par with the Coen Brothers? Do you really think that the first thing you sell is going to be the next "Fargo?" Where that is not impossible, is it reasonable? or even the least bit realistic?

The only producer I pitched "SERIOUS" to told me that Dark Comedy is a tough genre to write. Maybe I should work with some others before moving along to that particular challenge. I'm supposed to be going to Hollywood with my "most marketable project". Is that really going to be a dark comedy?

I go back to my earliest learnings from John Truby. ALL scripts need humour - no matter what genre. As my re-write partner points out, Hitchcock used ironic humor in even his most suspenseful plots and moments. The fact that I have some ready-made humorous elements is a good thing. The audience will enjoy themselves more as a result, whether they came in expecting to laugh or not.

The script I have is a decent (and not-been-seen-before) thriller that can be made for a million dollars, which seems like a great place to get one's first deal. I've heard stories of people who feel insulted by the offer of Writer's Guild minimums. I, personally would kiss the feet of anyone offering me that - cripes, it's $80K!

So, where is this coming from? I finished one of three homework assignments yesterday and got my feedback. I also just got off the phone with Hal and my Hollywood Meeting group. He went through the steps a writer goes through to get somewhere, and what I got from that is that you are where you are. He told us what to focus on while you're on each level, and I'm no where near writing like the Coen Brothers. If I prove myself wrong, great. But for now I need the best work I can create, in the most marketable genre.

My decision is that my thriller remains a thriller, and I no longer need to keep trying to push it into the shape of a Dark Comedy, when I don't really know what that is, other than Fargo is a great example. I am laughing out loud now. What a skit. And it is one of my goals while working with this thriller to make sure the comedy is found and brought to the forefront for people to enjoy.

Also, just so you know, had you ever told me I would be writing a thriller, I would have been very surprised. But I kinda like the twists and turns of suspense, and people getting into trouble, and people being trouble, and making trouble and finding trouble. So, onward.

The call was inspiring to me because this teacher has laid out a map to follow. If we follow it, we will succeed. It's that simple. All the times I've decided in the past not to succeed are gone. To follow this map will bring me much joy - at every step. I know it won't be easy, but nonetheless, the steps are there.

I am currently at Step 1 of 10. I have been at step 2 many times, and even toyed with step 3 once, only to freak out at how little I knew and decided to stop trying.

Going to the Hollywood meetings in June will be a full-on Step 2 and may well lead to Step 3. Meanwhile, there is writing to be done, re-writing to be done, and lest we forget...Project "O" to deal with.

One Short Evening for Woman, One giant leap for Screenwriter

It may not seem gigantic to non-screenwriters. In fact it may look totally ridiculous when held up as a shining accomplishment. To other writers who tackle short stories (I believe one of the most difficult written art forms there is) it may seem like nothing happened tonight at all, but to the screenwriter... this is big - golden - a coup!

I am talking about the logline - not to be confused with the pitch, although I always do. Yesterday I left you with a pitch and today it was scrapped thanks to input from a fellow screenwriter with a whole lot more pitching expertise than me.

You may at this point be anxious to read the logline, but not until I've gained advice from colleagues who know about such things.

And don't forget, 24 hours from now this logline may be scrapped too. Re-writes are a way of life, and this is the beginning of the re-write process. And I'm determined to begin here, even though I am now three (count 'em) lessons behind.

I am happy with the tone of this one. I have changed genres, you see. My LA project is going from a thriller to a Fargo-like dark comedy. It's a difficult change that will be a lot of work, but with the sparks created by discovering something new (thanks to colleagues, generous fellow writers) and writing it so it makes you giggle, it becomes imminently do-able. And for today, it feels like a giant leap for this screenwriter.