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.

Isn't there something about the Rubber hitting the Road?

This is it, folks! We're caught up now. You're with me in the present. It's time for action. Steadfast, organized action. Every day something must be done. Today I worked on my re-write homework on the bus, at lunch, and after work, but still didn't get it posted. I also wrote one e-mail to support the Omni pitch(which we will hereafter refer to as the O-project), and sent a new, brief pitch line to my Hollywood Meetings "twin" sister.

Truth be told, I did indulge in two telephone visits, and was sucked into Idol gives back a little bit. Just so you know, I've experienced three days of hellish deadline pressure at work. But hey, I'm still in a good mood, and I got SOMETHING done today that serves the goal.

Last e-mail check revealed some prep work that needs doing prior to a Hollywood meetings teleconference this Sunday. Tra-la, tra-la. Here's to tomorrow evening being more productive, and then the weekend cometh.

Say, what do you think of my mini-pitch line?

Peter wants to prove a psychologist guilty...(pause)
while the real murderer "helps" his teenage son.

More soon...

Steadfast, organized action...
Every day...

Hollywood, Here I Come

Oh my goodness! This title just reminded me of Al Jolson's "California Here I Come". If anyone else knows this song, please leave me a comment. I was raised on Al Jolson. 78's for heaven's sake! If I have any young readers out there who don't know what a 78 is, it's something we called a record, and that particular record was made of something that alcoholics could melt down and drink when things were tough.

To return to this opportunity, the alumni of the writing class was invited to three days of meeting producers in Hollywood! How could I say no to that? Only twenty writers and we will meet twenty producers, each of them likely willing to take a one-page of our most marketable script. What an amazing experience this will be! We 20 who will attend the session are coached between now and then so we have the absolute best chance of impressing someone through this process. Coaching brings with it some occasional homework and a few teleconferences. Good!

The other way to impress these producers, of course, and perhaps even get a "script request" is to have amazing material. Everyone knows that in order to produce amazing material, one must re-write. Unless you know what you're doing, a re-write may not do any good at all. I used to just revise words, and fix holes in the story if I could see them.

But it's way more than that. Examining structure, re-thinking character, evaluating action, enabling brilliance, elevating quality in a lot more ways than just looking at words. Tough to do on one's own, so, since there's not much going on (ahem) and I want to have the best product I can have in LA, why not sign up for re-writes too?
Assignments are 'only' twice a week, and we trade critiques with a partner for an even better chance of being the best. Nothing to it.

Did I mention I work full time, too?

That First Course-on-the-Phone!

Ah. It was soothing ointment on my dried, shriveled soul. It was better than the first sip of nourishment for a desert traveler. It was more like how that traveler feels two hours later when he can drink all he wants. I was so thirsty.

I liked what I heard.

There was so much good information in that two and a half hours that I really felt like more. And, like all free teleconferences, it ended with an invitation to pay for more, with a healthy discount. How could I refuse? I was still thirsty!

It is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Hal Croasmun is one of those rare individuals who actually cares enough to spend time. He has spent time researching, experiencing, and testing what makes screenplays sell, and he is willing to share. I've never met anyone so eager to spend SO many hours with writers. He genuinely wants to help. And I have a lot of time for people like him. And money, too. Heck, it's the American way.

For those of you who may not be familiar with the peeps north of the 49th, the Canadian way is apologetic. We end up feeling sorry that we've made a lot of money. We can't help but feel that it's just wrong somehow.

(Cancel that, Universe! I don't want you to get the idea that I, Peg, feel like that. Not me. I'd like to make a lot of money and experience all that entails.)

Stay tuned, gentle reader, we're getting ourselves up to present day current developments. I'm busy with family this weekend, and will blog as and when I can. Thanks for being here. I'm loving it!