MN to Hollywood

Impossible

2011-12-16T14:28:00.001-06:00

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” – Walt Disney

It shouldn’t have happened.

With just a few hours remaining to secure the last $2000 needed to meet the fundraising goal to get my newest feature film off the ground, it wasn’t looking good.

But as the hours ticked away, a steady stream of new pledges and increased donations tipped the scale in the affirmative direction. And just like that, the campaign ended with 134 backers contributing 101% of the fundraising goal.

And here’s the kicker… I’ve had people contact me after the Kickstarter campaign ended to ask if it’s too late to contribute. Kind hearted, generous folks are still showing support. Thanks be to God for showing that through Him there is no impossible.

I’ve been asked multiple times what it felt like to reach the goal in the manner I reached it. Was my head still spinning? Had I come down from the adrenaline high I was on?

Truth be told, the adrenaline was contained and my head was only spinning as it normally does in the hours after school when my kids are hyped up on whatever it is that turns them into monsters that time of day.

With the Kickstarter campaign moving along as slowly as it was the first several weeks, I had resigned to the idea that the ends may not have been as important as the means. All along, I felt convicted that $8000 was the amount to ask for. Believe me, I wanted to lower it to make it more attainable, but I had a serenity about me that assured me $8000 was the amount for which to reach.

When it looked unattainable, I assumed God wanted me to go through the process for reasons beyond securing the finances. Maybe it was the connections I’d make through the campaign or announcing to the public I was going to do this project or just a reminder that I cannot do things on my own.

And it was all those things.

Plus the money.

So I got that going for me. Which is nice.

Apologies to Bill Murray.

Anyway… I was really at peace with whatever would come about from the whole Kickstarter experience. Coming up short of the goal would have been a huge setback, but it wouldn’t have killed the project. Maybe just delayed it a year or two. As it is, now I’m hopeful I can move into production in the summer of 2013 which was the hope all along. Still no guarantees, but with money to pay my lawyer and put into marketing and meetings and oh-so-many other expenses, I’m ready to shift into the next gear.

Walt Disney really did accomplish the impossible in his relatively short life in this world. He may not have attributed his successes to the One I know was responsible, but Disney set a good example nonetheless – go out and DO something. Don’t wait until somebody else gives you permission. The more impossible those around you say something is, the more rewarding it will be to prove them all wrong.

At least I know for sure there are 134* people out there who believe I can accomplish the impossible. I thank God for each and every one of them.

* Though 134 backers are listed on Kickstarter, many of those backers are couples or families, so I know the number of supporters is greater than 134. Plus, the handful of angels who have given money after the Kickstarter campaign ended. And there were a few people who found non-monetary ways to show support. I just thought it sounded good to put a number in that delineation, in spite of the slight manipulation. Maybe there’s a political career ahead for me…

Beg

2011-11-29T14:33:00.001-06:00

“Whatsoever we beg of God, let us also work for it.” – Jeremy Taylor

Santa Claus is coming to town.

Forgive me for putting that melody in your head. Is it the Springsteen version? It is, isn’t it?

Santa may be coming in a few weeks, but God is already here. And despite popular sentiment, God and Santa are not one in the same.

Why is it we spend the majority of our prayer time in ‘ask-mode’ and so little in ‘thanksgiving-mode’? Or am I the only one who finds himself asking far more than thanking?

I’m getting better. That’s not to pat myself on the back, because I’ve still got a long ways to go, but the more I listen and offer thanksgiving instead of always asking, the more at peace I find myself. Funny how that works, huh?

These last few weeks I’ve spent plenty of time begging through Facebook, Twitter, radio and television. At least I assume many have perceived it as begging. My multiple Facebook posts nearly every day asking friends and acquaintances to donate money to the development funds of my current feature film could be perceived as begging. They could certainly be perceived as annoying.

Contrary to what many of my Facebook connections likely assume after the last month, self-promotion is not one of my fortes. I don’t like offering unsolicited updates about my career. I’ve always said it’s better to let others do the talking. Put another way:

“Boast not of yourself; if you’re as great as you think you are, others will do the boasting for you.” – J. O.

But this whole Kickstarter campaign has nothing to do with boasting or self-promotion. It’s really just a project for which I’m passionate. And it’s a project I sincerely feel is driven by a higher power. And not a higher power in a red suit flying in a sleigh.

I’ve been begging God to simply guide me through this whole movie project. He’s been faithful and true to His word, even when I get frustrated and pessimistic.

But in my begging, I have never been passive. I love Mr. Taylor’s quote above. Simply praying for God to take action while we sit on our butts is as productive as reading diet books while drinking a super-size Coke and a half-dozen Twinkies.

So that’s why I’ve been so persistent in my – call it what you want – begging, pleading, conjuring, imploring, urging. I believe this is God’s project, but I also believe He expects a lot of hard work from me in seeing it come to be. Posting a bunch of status updates is not hard work; that’s not what I’m implying. But the behind-the-scenes efforts I’ve been making at the expense of sleep and free-time are where I hope to separate myself from the passive beggars.

To my Facebook connections frustrated with my bombardment of repetitious status updates, please forgive me. I beg of you.

Relative

2011-11-16T14:56:00.001-06:00

“Generosity is not giving me that which I need more than you do, but it is giving me that which you need more than I do.” – Khalil Gibran

Professional athletes, movie stars, business tycoons – we love to see their philanthropic efforts. And for the most part, I’d like to think abundantly rich folks give a portion of their wealth to charitable causes. Whether they do it for publicity or out of a genuine desire to help is not our judgment to make.

Ten-percent of one’s wealth is the Biblically accepted baseline for giving back to God what is rightfully His. Where exactly this 10% should go is debated, but I’m a firm believer that any worthy cause is an acceptable allocation of the 10%, whether it be entirely to your church or charities or simply sharing with a brother or sister in need.

A millionaire’s 10% is incomparable to mine. A millionaire’s 10% is more than my 100%! Does that make his/her tithing more important than mine? Of course not.

It’s all relative, of course. While the richest among us have the potential to make the biggest individual splashes – and they often do when they donate 7 figures to a particular cause – the cumulative efforts of the middle and lower class can have just as big an impact.

It’s easy to give comfortably. Once we pay our bills, buy our groceries, fuel our cars, and take advantage of this week’s sales at Target, then it’s relatively easy to squeeze out some remnants for our brothers and sisters. Once number one is taken care of, then maybe we’ll do what we can to help others.

But as Mr. Gibran states so brilliantly, “generosity… is giving [away] that which you need more than [others].” What a statement! And what an idea! To give to others before taking care of oneself.

Mark 12: 41-44 talks about a poor widow who gives to the offering box a tiny donation in relation to the others who gave before her. Yet Jesus applauds her above the others because her donation was a bigger sacrifice.

We live in a greedy world where the richest few continue to get richer while the majority of the world continues to live in poverty. Instead of griping about the rich, maybe if those of us in the middle upped our efforts we could reduce the unnecessary starvation plaguing the world.

We’re called to love one another and to help each other when we are in need. If my current movie project becomes the success I hope it will become, I will be doing incrementally more to carry my weight in bringing this world back up from the poverty it’s currently in. I’m already working hard to take care of my brothers and sisters, but I want to do so much more.

Care to join me? Give money to your church, to your favorite charities, to a friend or family member who is struggling. Then take $5 or $10 and donate to the movie project I’ve been commissioned to oversee. I promise to be generous with whatever success the movie finds. And I will pay everybody back someway, somehow when the movie finds financial success. I promise.

Kickstart My Heart

2011-11-13T14:42:00.001-06:00

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” – Ghandi

Motley Crue’s crown achievement, 1989’s Dr. Feelgood, is one of my all-time favorite albums. The title of this blog entry, the fifth song on the tape – my first copy of it was on cassette tape – recalls a near-death drug overdose for bassist Nikki Sixx in which he needed two adrenaline shots straight into his heart to save his life.

I’ve never done a drug in my life and I’ve never even been drunk, so I can’t personally relate to Nikki Sixx’s physical need for direct adrenaline injections into his heart. But I feel a serious need for a metaphorical injection into mine.

My heart is strong. Always has been. Both physically and metaphysically. But so much of what my heart truly desires is impossible to accomplish on my own. I want to do so much more to take care of my family and friends. I want to take care of underprivileged children, abused children, neglected children. Adults too. I want to make an impact.

Granted, all the above desires can be accomplished on a small scale. But how much more impactful can I be if I’m able to do things on a grander scale? Not for my own glory, but for the glory of what we’re called here to do – to love each other.

Imagine if the world’s riches were spread amongst the generous instead of the greedy. Why is it that for every philanthropic millionaire, there seems to be countless hoarders? Why must it be that way?

I don’t want to be Robin Hood. I just want to be able to do things to help the world instead of designing million dollar bras (Seriously, a $2.5 million dollar bra… nothing more important to focus on than that?).

Naturally, my Motley Crue, Ghandi, and Victoria’s Secret references are all leading up to a discussion about the Christian feature film I’m developing. Naturally.

The specific injection my heart needs is a financial push to launch my new project about a disgruntled Christian and an atheist and the faith they conjure up in each other. For a guy who prides himself on being able to handle most tasks alone, it’s difficult for me to ask for help, but I just don’t have the money to accomplish what I hope to accomplish. Every dollar raised through my Kickstarter campaign will be dedicated to the development of this project and if things go the way I think they could, I will personally pay back everybody who contributes. And then some.

It’s not about me. It never has been and it never will be. I’m not looking for people to fund my career. I’m simply asking for support in launching a project that could benefit a world in need of positive, uplifting messages. The financial and door-opening potential of the project are inconsequential at this stage. If the project finds success, all those who believe in it will benefit.

I love Ghandi’s quote above because it exemplifies the problem with so many ‘face-value’ Christians who offer rhetorical prayer and passive well-wishes in lieu of action.

“Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, ‘Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?” – James 2: 15 – 16, NLV

Food and clothing are not lacking for my family and me, so I’m not comparing myself to the brother or sister mentioned in the passage from James. But the point is clear – passivity helps nobody.

One day I hope to be better positioned to provide more food and clothing for those that need it. I would hope anybody reading this would claim the same. If you don’t already, please consider donating to Compassion International or Union Gospel Mission or another worthy charitable cause (visit The Better Business Bureau’s charity website for a detailed list of charities).

And please donate to my fundraising campaign for “Away”. Whether you’re called to give $5.00 or $500.00 I appreciate the support. If the movie ends up being successful, I will do what I can to pay you back and I will certainly up my contributions to the charities I already support. Because that’s what it’s all about – taking care of others.

Miracles

2011-09-12T12:01:00.001-05:00

“God did not place you on this earth to notice Him at work only once or twice in your whole life.” – Bruce Wilkinson

When Al Michaels cried out, “Do you believe in miracles?” as the 1980 US Olympic hockey team pulled off what many consider one of the greatest upsets in sports history, he was hardly referring to the same brand of miracle about which Bruce Wilkinson writes in his book, You Were Born for This.

Yet miracles on ice, turf, and hardwood grab the timeless headlines while miracles at home, work, and play are quickly forgotten or ignored altogether. But it’s worth the extra effort to recognize and even study the unpublished miracles of everyday life.

In the quick read, You Were Born for This, NY Times bestselling author Bruce Wilkinson speaks of many everyday miracles. From a generous tip saving a struggling waiter from another overdraft fee to a chance conversation rescuing a dying marriage, these are the personal miracles worth infinitely more than a semifinals Olympic hockey victory.

You Were Born for This not only opens our eyes to miracles we may otherwise ignore, but it teaches us to actively accept God’s requests for us to carry out His supernatural miracles in the natural world. The book’s emphasis is on delivering miracles to others, not about asking for miracles for ourselves. Sorry narcissists.

But a fabulous side effect of being a miracle deliverer for God is that more miracles will be delivered to you. When we genuinely emphasize others’ well-being before our own, inevitably our personal well-being will thrive.

Mr. Wilkinson’s book is not simply a ‘golden rule’ commentary. It’s not about doing good deeds for others; it’s about explicitly asking God to deliver legitimate miracles through us. The miracles may be transported through a good deed, but the lasting ramifications surpass the immediate blessing of offering a dollar, an ear, or a hand.

The message in You Were Born for This is simple – invite God to use us to deliver His miracles – but execution of the keys written within transcends its simplicity. While the “Miracle on Ice” headline enamored the world, everyday “Miracles of Nice” can change the world.

Talk is Not Plot

2011-08-12T13:41:00.001-05:00

“I don’t care about plot.” – Rex Pickett, author of Sideways

I know, I know… what a shocker that the author of Sideways doesn’t care about plot. Now, I haven’t read the novel so I shouldn’t make blanket statements about its lack of plot, but the movie, written not by Pickett, isn’t the most engaging story to grace the screen in the last decade, and the screenwriters actually added plot to Pickett’s novel.

In her 2008 book “And the Best Screenplay Goes to…”, Linda Seger interviews Rex Pickett as well as the screenwriters who adapted Sideways for the screen. Furthering his argument against plot, Pickett goes on to say, “…three-dimensional characters are the pillars of any good film story, dialogue is the glue, and the story is only the body of the vehicle, not the engine.”

While I fully agree that characters drive the story, there has to be a story present for the characters to drive. Stage plays can get away with a couple hours of talking, but motion pictures are completely dependent on action. Characters need to do things, not just say things.

Who am I to question the plot of Sideways? After all, it won the Academy Award for best adapted screenplay in 2005 and was nominated for Best Picture. Its IMDb cumulative user rating is 7.8/10. The movie contributed to higher wine sales and a spike in tourism to the Santa Ynez Valley. Gross box office receipts topped $70 million on a budget estimated to be $12 million.

There is no question that Sideways achieved the rare feet of critical, audience, and financial acclaim – a huge accomplishment for a movie based on a novel that was rejected by no less than 15 publishers.

But I’m going to conclude that Sideways is an exception, not a rule to try to emulate. For every Sideways there are hundreds of talking-head plotless drivel-flicks without Virginia Madsen, Thomas Haden Church and Paul Giamatti carrying the weight.

I don’t hate Sideways, but I don’t like it. And I’m certainly not going to try to write anything like it. Give me movies about people doing things, not just saying things. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

What If...

2011-08-10T23:13:00.001-05:00

Perhaps the fastest growing classification of movies, faith-based films have a tendency to sacrifice production value for message. While movies like Facing the Giants and Fireproof have solid messages, they lack in the aesthetic polish audiences get from most Hollywood releases.

With "What If...”, director Dallas Jenkins manages to give audiences an aesthetically beautiful film with wonderful performances on both sides of the camera. The movie feels like a mid-budget Hollywood release, a remarkable feat considering the low budget and tight shooting schedule. Kevin Sorbo has a great presence throughout, and Kristy Swanson, still beautiful as ever, shows off her dramatic chops. And John Ratzenberger's performance is angelic, in a good-old-boy way.

Still, great direction and performances don't make a great movie unless the story matches. Thankfully, the story of "What If...", albeit somewhat recycled, is outstanding. Living a life of luxury and power, Ben Walker (Sorbo) is chosen by God to receive a glimpse of what his life could have been had he made a different decision 15 years earlier. The bulk of the movie is spent in Ben's alternate reality where he learns the true riches of life.

"What If..." doesn't hide the fact that it's a Christian movie. Still, it doesn't hurl religion at the audience with reckless abandon. In other words, it's a movie that even non-Christians can and should enjoy. Without sex, violence, or language concerns, it's perfectly suited for all ages.

Raising the bar for faith-based films, "What If..." is hopefully the start to higher standards for movies delivering messages of the Highest Standard.

I’ve posted the above review with slight variations to Amazon, iTunes, IMDb, and my Examiner column. I still feel strongly that What If… is one of the best explicitly Christian movies I’ve seen. The production quality, acting, direction, and screenwriting are what I wish the Sherwood pictures were. If you saw Fireproof and found yourself embarrassed by the stilted dialogue, wooden performances, and awkward didactic redundancy, give What If… a look and take pride that Christian movies can look like Hollywood and still feel like Sunday morning.

Do it Right

2011-07-05T16:14:00.001-05:00

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” – John Wooden

Imagine what the Minnesota Golden Gopher basketball program would be today had John Wooden landed here instead of UCLA back in 1948. Arguably the best coach in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history, Coach Wooden wanted Minnesota and Minnesota wanted Coach Wooden. But a snow storm took out the phone lines at the U of M campus and Wooden accepted the UCLA job thinking Minnesota had lost interest. When Minnesota got through to Wooden, he opted to keep his word with UCLA despite his and his wife’s strong desire to stay in the Midwest.

Would he have won seven championships in a row in maroon and gold like he did in blue and gold? Of course it’s impossible to know. But John Wooden was a man of utmost class, truest conviction, and highest esteem, qualities that would benefit any program.

John Wooden was an outstanding coach, but like the admirable Tony Dungy today, he desired to be recognized as a man of God, a man of family, and a man of character before being recognized as a coach.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeking status for the sake of status. To be envied by your peers. To be rich and famous as a movie star or director or producer. But what good is fame and fortune if you’re a butthead?

As Jesus said, what good is it to gain the world but lose your soul?

Christian or not, I would hope everybody recognizes just how small they are in this giant world. Nobody’s bigger than you and you’re bigger than nobody. I am no more deserving of a successful Hollywood career than the nauseating abundance of reality television stars clogging the airwaves. But I’m no less deserving of a successful Hollywood career than Howard, Clooney, or Jolie.

But more important than ‘making it’ as I’ve been trying so hard to do for so many years now is emulating John Wooden. I hope I show class. I hope I show conviction. And I hope I am esteemed among my peers. I’d rather be those things and not make it than lose those things and make it.

At least I can control my character even if I can’t dictate the level of my professional success.

2010-12-13T22:56:00.001-06:00

“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give” – Sir Winston Churchill

I’ll give more generously when I’m more financially secure. We’re barely making ends meet, after all.

House payments, heating bills, electricity bills, groceries, auto-lease payments, cell phone bills… all those things add up. Right?

Right.

There are plenty who have none of the above bills to worry about. Instead, they worry about keeping warm enough to live through the night and finding enough food to live through the week.

Too many kids live in poverty. Too many kids are sick. Too many kids are abused. Too many kids are not loved the way they deserve to be loved.

Too many people are legitimately struggling to make ends meet for me to complain as I type away on my computer. In my house. With a full stomach. (Fuller than it should be, truth be told.)

I am blessed. Therefore it is my duty to bless others. I need to give more. I want to give more. So what’s stopping me?

Fear. Mostly fear.

These are tough economic times. I’m a full-time dad during the day, moonlighting as a freelance actor/writer/director and video producer at night and on the weekends. I can’t count on regular paychecks. If my wife were to lose her steady-paying job, we’d be in trouble.

If.

If I don’t get over the fear of what could happen and start sharing more of my time and money with others already faced with something bad that has happened, none of my money in the bank will matter. Someday I do hope to be wealthy. Who doesn’t? Honestly? I imagine it will be easier to give when I get there, but why wait?

There’s a Bible story of a poor widow dropping two relatively insignificant coins into the temple treasury while the wealthy around her gave much larger sums. Jesus applauded the woman for essentially giving all she had while the others gave only a small portion of their wealth.

Relativity what it is, true charity demands sacrifice. My philanthropic dreams are grand, but they depend on achieving significant wealth for myself and my family. They shouldn’t. Now is the time to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of my brothers and sisters who are truly struggling.

Are you with me?

If you don’t know where to start, visit Charity Navigator and research until you find a charity you feel moved to support. Give generously; give wisely; give sacrificially.

Love/Hate

2010-11-22T00:21:00.001-06:00

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison

Below is an article I recently posted to my Examiner.com column. Maybe you saw it there. Maybe you didn’t. If you did, forgive me for my redundancy. Then forgive me again.

A movie's entertainment value is completely subjective. Just look at detailed user ratings at IMDb and you'll see movies with a high weighted average inevitably have a significant number of 1-star ratings. Take The Social Network; as of this writing, 8,484 IMDb users scored the movie a perfect 10 out of 10 while 868 scored it a 1 out of 10, the lowest allowable score.

Overall, only 3.1% of people who rated The Social Network on IMDb gave it a 1/10 while the 10/10 ratings accounted for just under 30% of voters. The numbers are insignificant except for the proof that in any given audience, there will be lovers and haters of the same movie. Whether the ratings are based solely on the movie's entertainment value or any other number of variables (didn't like the lead actor, saw it with someone who dumped you the next day, in a bad mood when you saw it, whatever), it can be assumed that at least a portion of the lowest ratings were given because the person genuinely hated the content of the movie.

Filmmakers need to accept that any movie they make is going to be loved by some and hated by others. As long as the lovers outweigh the haters, life should be good. One would hope that audience response comes down predominantly to the quality of the movie's content (plot, theme) and not petty intangibles (lead actor negatively dominating the tabloids, not enough 'eye-candy'). The content is completely controllable, and most intangibles are as well, so really there isn't an excuse for making a bad movie, is there?

Yet bad movies get made. More than good ones. The vast majority of current flicks seem to be wasting away in Mediocreville. Looking for their lost shaker of salt?

Nobody sets out to make a bad movie. Even Ed Wood believed his movies were high quality. And a small percentage of his audience actually agreed - most Ed Wood movies have user ratings on IMDb exactly opposite of The Social Network with the highest number of votes being 1/10 but a measurable number of votes rating 10/10).

The nebulous words here are good, bad, and mediocre. One cannot definitively apply the word "good" to The Social Network or the word "bad" to Ed Wood's Night of the Ghouls, because inevitably there are audience members who would disagree. But for the sake of argument, let's call a movie that is widely received in a positive light "good" and a movie generally regarded as poor quality "bad".

What are the most important details in assuring a filmmaker's efforts will result in a good movie? Ask ten filmmakers and you would likely receive ten different answers. One detail that I would hope consistently floats to the top is the screenplay. There has never been a good movie made from a bad screenplay, so the first ingredient in the recipe for a good movie has to be a good screenplay.

Of course, a good screenplay doesn't guarantee a good movie. Plenty can and does go wrong between pre-production and a movie's release. But none of the potential roadblocks during production, post-production and marketing make any difference if the filmmakers embarked on a project in which the screenplay was less than great.

Bottom line: Make sure your screenplay is GREAT before proceeding to turn it into a movie. Your chances of having more lovers than haters in the audience depend on the pages that build the foundation of the picture.

First-draftious Perfectitis

2010-10-24T23:27:00.001-05:00

“The work never matches the dream of perfection the artist has to start with.” – William Faulkner

Many claim to be perfectionists. I don’t believe them. Those sure of their perfectionist ways need to ask a few questions of themselves: Do I strive for perfection when folding laundry? When vacuuming? Wen txtng?

We who claim perfectionism need to be realistic and acknowledge the measurable ratio of level of investment to degree of perfectionism. When I am invested in a task, I very much want to perform perfectly. Conversely, if I’m not invested, I simply want to get the task finished quickly so I can move onto something I value more.

There are exceptions, of course, like when I’m not necessarily invested in a task but my performance can be measured and judged by my peers. Oh, the curse of wanting to look good.

Perfectionism can be a good thing, but so often it is a crutch. Take the first draft a screenplay. Few other tasks necessitate a non-perfectionist attitude, yet I find myself toiling over words, sentences, and paragraphs before I even have half the story mapped out.

The biggest disease plaguing my screenwriting is first-draftious perfectitis. I just can’t seem to shake it. Granted, I haven’t had much opportunity the last several months to try, but, hypochondriac that I am, the mere thought of starting a new screenplay gets the symptoms rising.

Luckily, I’m not alone in my sufferings. I stumbled across this great article that breaks down the creative process in a way I’d never seen before. I might as well give it a shot. The crampbark and couchgrass aren’t really working.

34

2010-09-27T15:03:00.001-05:00

“Let him who would enjoy a good future waste none of his present.” – Roger Babson

One of my favorite lines from the grossly underrated Steve Martin classic, LA Story, comes from Mr. Martin’s title character. When accused of romping around with a girl much too young for him, he replies, “She’s not so young. She’ll be 27 in four years.” Dry and underplayed, like so much of Steve Martin’s brilliant comedy, yet quite profound in its subtext.

I turned 34 this month and, as with each recent birthday, I played number games in my mind for the weeks preceding and postceding the anticlimactic date.

Half my life ago, I was 17. That one depressed me. Seventeen doesn’t seem so long ago until I add 17 to my current age and get 51. If seventeen feels like only a moment ago, then 51 is but a moment away. Right?

I’m half way to 68. For some reason, this one didn’t bother me as much as the previous. After all, while it doesn’t feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve been 17, it feels like eons since I’ve been… well, however old I was when I first harbored memories. Hence, 68 still feels eons away.

I’m 6 years from 40. Ouch. I was 28 six years ago. That seems like only yesterday. Logically, 40 will be here… tomorrow?

I went from Larry Bird to Walter Payton. What? Sports fan that I am, my mind often relates numbers to digits on an athlete’s jersey. Larry Bird, my favorite basketball player of all time, wore 33. Walter Payton, one of my favorite running backs of all time, wore 34. Pointless and trivial – that’s probably why it belongs in this blog.

Whatever number games I play with my own life calendar, I find being 34 matters little to me in the sense of chronology, but I don’t know how many more birthdays I can swallow before making that drastic career jump from “aspiring” to “established.” It’s gotta happen soon. Exactly what “it” is, is the tricky part. I know the abstract end goal, I just don’t know the tactile evidence that will assure I’ve “made it.” But that’s part of the excitement.

As much weight as I’m putting into my future, I need to be sure I’m utilizing my present to the fullest. At the end of the day, all that matters is that I’ve progressed instead of regressed. So far, so ~~good~~ adequate.

Examiner.com

2010-03-30T20:50:00.001-05:00

I’ve recently accepted a position with Examiner.com as their Twin Cities Filmmaking Industry Examiner. As such, I imagine my entries here will taper for a bit. I’m not sure the Examiner column will be as fulfilling as this blog, but I’ll give it a shot. Stop by and say hello: http://www.examiner.com/x-41843-Minneapolis-Filmmaking-Industry-Examiner

Obvious

2010-03-20T21:43:00.001-05:00

“The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterwards.” – Arthur Koestler

This list by screenwriting teacher Michael Hauge shouldn’t be necessary. His tips here are so obvious that anyone writing a screenplay should just know them instinctively.

Right. And Kansas was a lock to win this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Take special note of tip #4 from this list which is a close relative of the old screenwriting axiom – enter late, leave early. So many screenplays I read spend a great amount of ink on “hello, how are you?” lines. Instead of describing how two people meet each other, it’s more efficient to jump right into the conversation that necessitates the scene’s inclusion in the screenplay.

Of course, all bets are off on first drafts. I break many of these rules in the first draft or two, but when the screenplay reaches the point where I’m ready to expose it to other eyes, I’d better have eliminated all violations. If not, shame on me.

No Kidding the Block

2010-03-12T20:07:00.001-06:00

“People have writer’s block not because they can’t write, but because they despair of writing eloquently.” – Anna Quindlen

My tendency is to try to write an excellent first draft of a screenplay. I reason to myself that my rewriting will be less painful if I get my best stuff on the page the first time through. One major problem arises from this mindset – I fret over the first words so much that I often get no words on the page.

Ms. Quindlen’s observation couldn’t fit me much better. I’m in a constant battle with myself to turn off the censor, douse the inner editor, and muzzle the relentless perfectionist ensconced in the nether regions of my brain. They are only welcome at the late draft parties, yet they crash the early ones.

How do I defeat my counterproductive habits that disallow quantitative writing? This short list from Dr. Format himself, Dave Trottier, may be a good place to start.

And really… no matter how hard I try, the first draft always sucks. That’s just the way it is.

Mistakes

2010-03-09T14:48:00.001-06:00

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” – George Bernard Shaw

Hindsight is 20/20. What seemed like a good idea at the time can so often be revealed as a boneheaded move when reflected upon later. In this list from Heidi Van Lier, a columnist with Film Independent, Ms. Van Lier highlights some of the peculiar mistakes she witnessed independent filmmakers make last year. My favorite is #19 because I’ve seen many movies seemingly made in such a way.

It’s easy to roll our eyes, shake our heads, or blow a short puff of air through our nostrils as we pity the poor saps whose idiocy trumps our own. But at least they got themselves into position to make those mistakes. As Mr. Shaw profoundly states, it’s useless to sit on the sidelines only to avoid potential mistakes. Go out there. Make mistakes. The alternative is boring.

March

2010-03-03T19:09:00.001-06:00

“An optimist is the human personification of spring.” – Susan Bissonette

In Minnesota, March means one thing and one thing only: the end is near. Four months of four-walled banishment is finally melting away. While March is statistically the second snowiest month for the Twin Cities, the promise of rising temperatures and lengthening daylight hours is a much needed breath of optimism.

I’ve diagnosed myself with many things, mostly in jest, but if I don’t officially have Seasonal Affective Disorder, I have the red-headed stepchild version of it. For me, March is the light at the end of the barren tunnel brightening my cup just enough to see that it just may be half full instead of half empty.

This year, I’m going to treat March less like a noun and more like a verb – as in, march ahead, march forward, march of dimes… wait, not that last one.

No more waiting around for phone calls and e-mails to be returned. No more waiting for perfect opportunities to saunter up to my doorstep. No more hiding. No more begging. No more self pity. No more self doubt. No more…

Definitely Not a Broke Back

2010-02-25T14:49:00.001-06:00

The Pohlad family has an entire chapter in the book of Minnesota lore. Most notably, Carl Pohlad (1915-2009) owned the hometown diamond nine, the Minnesota Twins, since 1984, winning two world series in the process. Carl’s youngest son, William, produced Oscar dandy, Brokeback Mountain, when other production companies fled in fear. Now, 54-year-old Bill Pohlad is a significant player in Hollywood while keeping his roots in Minnesota.

This article from the Minneapolis Star Tribune paints Bill Pohlad as a soft-spoken but motivated movie mogul whose most recent venture is destined for success in the new age of movie distribution.

Now if I can just find his coattails and grab on…

Conviction

2010-02-20T09:31:00.001-06:00

“Conviction is worthless unless it is converted into conduct” – Thomas Carlyle

Oh the fine line between exhibiting conviction and exhibiting stubbornness. Those able to persist on the good side of that line are poised for success while those stuck on the wrong side are doomed to alienation. Anyone building a house of conviction on a foundation of stubbornness will soon find themselves without shelter. Those are dangerous folks.

“Conviction without experience makes for harshness” – Flannery O’Connor

At times I feel my conviction is translucent when it should be opaque, and other times I wonder if I should just keep my tail between my legs and nod along in agreement. It’s a balancing act. I don’t want to be a yes-man, but until I’m a go to man, my self loyalty will have to take a backseat to career-progressing conformity.

Then again, many success stories are built on conviction originally perceived as stubbornness. The roundtable discussion in the following video from the LA Times features James Cameron, Jason Reitman, Kathryn Bigelow, Lee Daniels, and Quentin Tarantino each discussing a moment in their careers when sticking to their convictions led to success. The stories are inspiring if not jealousy-inducing, but for every one of these success stories, I imagine there are hundreds of opposite stories where conviction was merely senile stubbornness.

How does one stay true to personal conviction without falling into stubborn opposition to the status quo? Observe. Reflect. Adjust. And learn from those whose success speaks for itself.

Moviebytes.com

2010-02-15T10:21:00.001-06:00

Pilar and Aadip mentioned the Movie Bytes website on a recent On the Page podcast. I remember bookmarking the site no less than an eon ago, but I hadn’t visited since. Turns out it’s the source for screenwriting contests and it appears to be a useful community for screenwriters to network, consult, opine, and vent.

Maybe see you there…

Predict the Oscars – Win Final Draft Software!

2010-02-09T20:32:00.001-06:00

StoryLink is sponsoring an Oscar prediction contest. The winner gets the latest Final Draft software. I’m ready to upgrade from Final Draft 7, so what the heck…

Professional

2010-02-02T21:30:00.001-06:00

“You have to perform at a consistently higher level than others. That’s the mark of a true professional.” – Joe Paterno

Each project on which I work has its own highs and lows, pros and cons, ups and downs. Some have more of the formers, many have more of the latters. Time on set of my most recent was all up, pro, and high.

I was blessed with the opportunity to shoot a spec pilot for talented child actor, Joseph Castanon. General free reign over the project was granted to me. I wrote several sketches for the Saturday Night Live meets The Tonight Show program for kids and we shot the sketches along with some interviews over a perfect-weather weekend at the end of January in Los Angeles.

My DP, Nick Evert, one of my mainstay collaborators, accompanied me. He and I have done our share of work in the Twin Cities and we were both excited for the new project but still a little concerned about the potential attitudes we’d be facing in Hollywood. Our worries were completely dismissed as the kids and their parents with whom we worked proved to be more professional, more polite, and more talented than we could even have dreamed they’d be.

I can’t put into words how impressed I was with Joseph, Ryan Ochoa and his brothers Robert and Raymond, and Sammi Hanratty. They each have more real credits than pretty much everyone else with whom I’ve directly worked. Funny thing is, I’ve worked with people with a few commercials or student films under their belts and they behave as if they’re King Poop of Turd Island.

Mr. Paterno’s assessment of professionalism is incomplete. A true professional not only performs at a consistently higher level than others, but the true professional does so while maintaining humility, embracing empathy, and always looking to give more than receive. These kids get it.

Kicks

2010-01-23T20:53:00.001-06:00

“A man can fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.” – John Burroughs

The 1998 Minnesota Vikings rank with the great NFL teams of the last couple decades. They were huge favorites to go to the Super Bowl and in all likelihood would have if Gary Anderson, their prolific kicker who hadn’t missed a field goal all season, hadn’t pulled a late attempt to put the Vikings comfortably ahead of the Atlanta Falcons. When the Falcons tied the game in regulation, then won in overtime, the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately fans asked for Anderson’s head on a platter. Gary Anderson is one of the great kickers of all time, and a good guy to boot (pun intended), yet many purple rubes unfairly crucified him that disappointing January evening.

Screenwriters are the placekickers of Hollywood – taken for granted when things go well, chastised when they don’t. That is, if they are recognized at all. Quick, name ten current NFL placekickers and the teams for which they play. Even the most astute fantasy footballer may struggle to produce such a list. Ten quarterbacks and their teams? Easy. Quarterbacks are the movie stars. Maybe running backs and wide receivers are the directors. And the insidious, conceited owners sitting in their private suites above the fifty yard line are the producers.

So what does it say about me that I want to be all of them? Is it because I want to reduce the possible scapegoats? After all, if I’m accountable for everything, there’s nary another to blame. Success or failure would rest solely on my own shoulders.

Or maybe this whole analogy, loose and unrefined, is just a side effect of having football on my brain right now. Here’s to hoping the 2009 Vikings are not the 1998 Vikings.

Go Purple!

Preparation (not H)

2010-01-15T10:22:00.001-06:00

“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” – Alexander Graham Bell

A little over a decade ago I got one of my front teeth knocked out of socket while playing basketball. I needed immediate care, but my regular dentist was unavailable. I was grateful to have a second option who took time on a Sunday to tend to my suddenly defunct smile. He gave me a root canal and ground down the newly dead tooth in favor of crowning with porcelain. The only problem was his crown didn’t come close to matching the rest of my pearlies.

To say the least, I was unpleased, especially when he wouldn’t fix his work. For several years I was embarrassed to smile fully because of the discolored, gray-bordered, misshaped front tooth which was, I’ve been told, a hundred times more noticeable to its owner than the rest of the world. We actors tend to take minor details about ourselves and magnify them in our minds, but this was one of my defining features. I like to smile. I do it often. Sudden self-consciousness over this fill-in dentist’s awful work resulted in mostly lip smiles until I finally had it fixed by a more qualified professional a few years ago.

I don’t know very well the backgrounds of either dentist. Which one studied more? Which one has logged more crowning experience? I do know the first dentist paid no attention to aesthetics. He had no comprehension of the importance of a smile to someone who relies on it to get work. Granted, I was in college when it happened and hadn’t started acting professionally yet, but I knew it was in my future and having a timid smile was not a big boost to my confidence.

Whether the second dentist (who did a marvelous job, by the way) was truly more prepared than the first, I do not know, but I have a hunch he was. At the very least, he promised to work on the tooth until I was happy with it. Apparently that was too much to ask of the previous driller.

The lesson here is that no matter what we’re doing, we want to be doing it with the very best. Going in for dental work? We want the best dentist. Going in for surgery? We want the best surgeon. Having our car worked on? We want the best mechanic. Going out to eat? We want the best chef. Making movies? We want the best writers, directors, actors, producers, cinematographers, grips, gaffers, hair and makeup artists, animal wranglers, masseuses, coffee makers, M&M sorters, grape feeders… or something like that.

The only way to be the best is to prepare as such. Experience is indeed the best source of knowledge, but before you can earn the hands-on experience, you have to study from others’ hands-on experiences. I’m offering what I can at this blog (check the archives – you’ll find something useful – I promise), and I’m going to make better efforts to offer more links to resources from professionals further advanced in their careers than I. Hopefully, I can connect somebody to the information they need to take the next step in their career. And hopefully I take a big step so my words can be validated or corrected as needed.

Let’s be the best dentists – I mean moviemakers – we can be! Prepare, prepare, prepare, execute!

Well-Read

2010-01-11T10:14:00.001-06:00

“The only source of knowledge is experience.” – Albert Einstein

I’ve logged hundreds of hours reading movie industry books. Acting, directing, writing, producing, history, technique, theory – anything that could and should help me in my career. Never satisfied, of course, but I had gotten to a point where I naively felt I had read more pertinent books than are left out there. Then I stumbled across The Independents’ list of the 30 Quintessential Books for Independent Filmmakers. Of the 30, I’ve read only 7. Guess I’ve got a ways to go.

Fact is, there are more books published in a month than I could possibly read in a year. But not all are worth the time. And, reflecting on Mr. Einstein’s words, reading all the books ever written about the film and television industry simply cannot replace good old-fashioned experience.

Reading is one of my worst procrastination stumbling blocks. It’s so easy to justify time spent learning the craft, but if it’s at the continued expense of practicing the craft, its gain is radically limited. Just like everything in life, balance is the key. When one side of the scale dips too heavily, it’s time to counter. After all, knowledge is useless unless applied.

Record

2010-01-08T10:22:00.001-06:00

“Never let your persistence and passion turn into stubbornness and ignorance.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo

Two days ago I turned 33 1/3. My joke was I must be some kind of a record. Though I shared the hilarious quip with only my wife, I’m guessing her confused reaction would have been shared by many with whom I could have shared the genius comedy. For those not in the know, 33 1/3 is the revolutions per minute at which LPs spin. What’s an LP? Long Play Record Album… you know, the things before tapes… tapes?… you know, the things before CDs… CDs?… you know, the things before iPods… iPods?… if you’re reading this in 2020, iPods have likely been replaced by surgically implanted audio devices of some sort, so iPods are the things before those.

But I digress.

In August of 2008 I developed an Internet entertainment channel with a group of businessmen. The channel was designed to operate in much the same way as a television network by releasing programs according to a schedule. For reasons too lengthy to explain here, it didn’t work.

Visions of hundreds of thousands of dollars rolling in was enough to keep me interested and striving to improve the ‘network.’ I still believe in the potential of earning that kind of money with Internet entertainment. After all, College Humor, iJustine, and FRED are all making a handsome penny.

So why do others succeed where we failed? They know their audience. A messy battle of power, egos, and irrational condescension from one particular group under my power in the channel became the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. I spent hours and days selflessly offering my services to them, asking for nothing in return, and they thanked me by lecturing with false accusations while themselves ‘secretly’ condemning everything I was producing for the channel.

Just like my 33 1/3 joke likely would be lost on many, the productions this group was bringing to the channel were geared toward an audience of themselves, 60 year-old-men. That audience simply doesn’t exist on YouTube, at least not for entertainment. So why bother creating content for a nonexistent audience? That’s where the power struggle came and that’s where the abrasiveness and irrationality become too much to deal with for mere dollars a day.

Whether creating content for television, theater, Internet, or even home videos of your family, you have to have an acute awareness of your audience’s tastes and tendencies. Yes, Mr. Cosby, I know you can’t please them all, but you might as well tailor your efforts for the majority. In this industry, it’s the only chance you have.

Never before have I dealt with a group plagued by such stubbornness and self-righteous attitudes. Their demeaning words and actions became a broken record, and nothing I said or did could change their already made up minds. It takes a lot for me to swallow my pride and walk away from something before I have tried everything to make it a success. Numa Network may very well succeed one day, but the awful treatment I received from a ridiculously egocentric group isn’t worth any sum of money. I’d rather be appreciated and poor, than rich and abused.

Goal 2009

2010-01-04T14:09:00.001-06:00

“The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.” – Ben Stein

If you haven’t seen Ben Stein’s Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, it’s worth 90 minutes of your time. While Michael Moore is constantly praised for his truth-twisting “documentaries,” Mr. Stein is chastised for his much truer effort. But I digress.

I like Mr. Stein’s quote about deciding what you want. How true it is. It brings me back to my earliest entries in this blog when I was defining my goal for 2009. I didn’t set out to sell a screenplay or produce another movie or be cast in a major Hollywood film. I simply wanted to create enough income to allow my wife to leave her job and stay home to raise our kids.

How short I fell.

Yet I made enough progress to keep going. Many times have I prayed to have this desire lifted. Instead the desire grows. While I am not financially free yet, I have had many projects along the way to help pay the bills and reinvest in my company. Creatively, I am not finding much fulfillment in the projects, but professionally, I am building a respectable portfolio.

How should I shape my goal for 2010? Logically, I should lower the bar and make the goal more attainable. Logically, my 2010 goal(s) should be realistic instead of the impossible goal of 2009. Logically, I shouldn’t expect anything close to what I really want in 2010. Right?

When has logic ever paid dividends? My goal(s) for 2010 will be loftier than last year’s. To paraphrase a popular US Army slogan, “The difficult I’ll do immediately… the impossible may just take a little longer.”

And along the way I’ll share my mistakes and successes, hopefully being of assistance to somebody else sharing the journey with me.

Dear 2010,

Please be good to me. I’ll do the same to you.

Love,

Justen

Granted

2009-12-29T00:17:00.001-06:00

“Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” – Aldous Huxley

One of the great mysteries of life is that the passage of time can seem simultaneously fast and slow. The six years between December 29, 2003, and the same date in 2009 is my personal proof.

I’m typing this entry exactly six years after I last saw my little sister. I’m struggling with words. I hate admitting the truth. I hate that because of an idiot drunk driver my sister didn’t get to have her 19th birthday. I hate how dark it is this time of year. I hate that she’s gone. I hate that she’s gone. I hate that she’s gone.

It seems like we were just playing Catch Phrase, quoting episodes of the yet unfinished Friends series or Dumb and Dumber. It doesn’t seem like that long ago I was telling her about this new band, Evanescence, that I thought she would like. I’m pretty sure six years ago today that I did my awful Jack Sparrow impression for her at least a dozen times. We probably jabbed playfully at our other sister at least half that on this day during her first college Christmas break. And I remember well her descriptions of a new boy she was sure would finally meet my strict standards.

In many ways, six years doesn’t seem long at all.

But sometimes I feel myself taking important things for granted again which would imply six years has been a lifetime in which I haven’t learned a thing about appreciating what’s in my life while it is. How can this be? How can I let the sun go down while I harbor anger or resentment toward loved ones? Or loathed ones for that matter? How can I excuse myself from visiting family and friends because of gas prices? How can I rank work ahead of playtime with my kids?

With uncertainty the only certainty, we would be wise to appreciate every moment we have, especially with those we love. Had I known my phone would ring at 4:30 in the morning six years ago with my other sister sharing what would turn out to be the worst news of my 27 year life, I would have hugged my baby sister that much tighter, told her I loved her that much more, and kept her under watchful eye for as long as I could.

She’s my company’s namesake and continues to be a muse to me. I miss her. I love her. I can still hear her, see her, and smell her. And at times I can feel her as if she’s been here the last six years.

But I’m still allowed to cry. Especially today.

Brittany Murphy

2009-12-22T14:36:00.001-06:00

“A human life is a story told by God” – Hans Christian Andersen

It’s easy to express token condolences amidst tragedies involving public figures. For many, sincerity is purposed but rarely achieved.

I didn’t know Ms. Murphy personally. I am saddened by the news and I have and will continue to pray for the family and friends she has left behind. But an attempt to claim personal devastation over Ms. Murphy’s sudden death would only insult those who are truly mourning the loss of their daughter, wife, sister, and friend. It is for them that I mourn.

On a personal level, this death resonates more than, say, Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze, or Farrah Fawcett. By no means am I ranking the loss of one over others– that’s ridiculous – but I had felt Ms. Murphy’s and mine were paths that would one day cross.

She was on my shortlist of actresses I hoped one day to offer a role in a movie I’d like to produce in the next few years. Her talent, looks, and demeanor were perfect for said role. As an actress, Ms. Murphy’s range was wider than perhaps all of her peers – check her out in Don’t Say a Word for proof.

But it wasn’t her professional skills that drew me to her.

I listen often to Brittany Murphy in a short audio clip I lifted from the commentary track on the Just Married DVD. At the end of the credits roll, director Shawn Levy makes a plea to anyone listening who has a dream of building a career in Hollywood to just go for it. Co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy added their inspirational thoughts, with Ms. Murphy breaking into an audible prayer of thanksgiving.

Maybe I’m the sucker for buying into the words of three mega-rich celebrities. After all, Hollywood is a town built on lies. And maybe I’m putting too much stock into 75 seconds of improvised audio commentary at the end of a movie I enjoyed more than I should have. But the sincerity seemed genuine. Mr. Levy, from Montreal, Mr. Kutcher from Cedar Rapids, and Ms. Murphy, from Atlanta, all followed dreams and all found success.

Ms. Murphy’s new successes will be experienced on a completely different plain. Maybe she and my sister will hang out. Kenzie was a big fan of Clueless.

2009 Screenwriting Expo – Closing Thoughts

2009-12-13T15:26:00.001-06:00

Over the last several blog entries, I’ve shared brief notes from each of the sessions I attended at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo. But the sessions were only a small part of the overall experience. Just being around so many other aspiring screenwriters was worth the trip. New friends, new connections, new excitement for continuing this journey.

It wasn’t easy for me to pull this trip off. I am – how can I put it delicately – quite careful with money. I had frequent flyer miles saved up for the flight, but Expo registration and hotel fees were still significant for my family. Time will tell, but so far I am happy with this investment in my career. If finances allow, I hope to take the trip again next year. Maybe the family can come with and we can spend a day together at Disney Land.

Here’s a short article I wrote about the Expo for the MN Film Board. Now, enough talk about the Expo. It was great. It was worth the trip. But it was more than a month ago. Onward and upward.

Gary Whitta – Breaking In

2009-12-10T23:06:00.001-06:00

I jumped at the chance to take a class from Gary Whitta. Who wouldn’t? What – you’ve never heard of Gary Whitta? Neither had I. I signed up for this session at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo based on its title – Breaking In. That’s what every screenwriter wants to know, right? What’s the secret to breaking in?

Gary Whitta’s secret? A spec script of his was accidentally placed in the wrong pile at an agency which led to his screenplay being read, which led to his signing with the agency. Sometimes it’s that simple.

But here’s the thing. If Mr. Whitta’s script sucked, it wouldn’t matter how many times it got placed in the wrong pile. Luck may play a big role in breaking in to this industry as a screenwriter, but it certainly is not the only role. Talent. Desire. Hard work. Resiliency. Without these, luck will do nothing.

Mr. Whitta understands that. He also understands that the secret to breaking in to this industry is that there is no secret. He was quick to question other sessions at the Expo which claimed to have the secret to selling screenplays. “If they know the secret,” he chuckled, “why are they writing books and teaching classes for peanuts when they could be making millions putting the secret to their own use?” (my paraphrasing)

Touche.

But I am thankful for all the teachers who have helped me understand the nuts-and-bolts side of screenwriting. Without them, I would be lost. Some are successful screenwriters. Some have “made it.” All have offered plenty of useful advice. While Mr. Whitta is right to question those who claim to know exactly what Hollywood is looking for in a script, who am I to prove they don’t?

One thing’s for sure – Mr. Whitta is on the right track. His first studio produced movie, The Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington, is slated for an early 2010 release. Having just watched a pre-release screening, Mr. Whitta was very pleased with the result.

Early in pre-production, Mr. Whitta was invited by Denzel Washington to the mega-star’s home where the Oscar winner shared notes by the pool with the rookie screenwriter. Mr. Washington showed up with his Bible riddled with notes and bookmarked passages which he felt were important for the story. According to Mr. Whitta, the host was gracious, passionate, and easy to work with.

Hanging out at Denzel’s pool, working on a project together. Not too shabby, eh?

Bob Kosberg – Selling Your Idea to Hollywood

2009-12-07T22:11:00.001-06:00

And the award for Most Entertaining Speaker Not Named John Cleese at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo (at least out of the speakers I saw) goes to Bob Kosberg. The award for Longest Award Title goes to me.

The way he commanded the classroom it’s no surprise Bob Kosberg is known as “King of the Pitch.” Something about him reminded me of Ted Danson, though Mr. Kosberg is perhaps even smoother than Sam Malone. His producer credits include Commando, Twelve Monkeys, and the forthcoming Ben Stiller Hardy Boys flick, The Hardy Men.

As confident and outspoken as he was, Mr. Kosberg didn’t come across as arrogant or smug. He admits his success depends on others’ ideas, and he invited each attendee to pitch him via e-mail. If an idea strikes him as a potential money-maker, he’ll partner with the pitcher and work at making a sale. Not a bad offer from someone plugged in.

His foremost piece of advice was to keep story ideas simple. If the movie idea can’t be summarized in a sentence or two, it’s not going to sell as a pitch. Visualize the movie poster, Mr. Kosberg advised. Movies today are all about marketing. Executives don’t care about changing the world or tugging at an audience’s heartstrings… unless it makes them money. We, as artists, must don our best business hats and develop a marketing plan right out of the gate.

When I signed up for Mr. Kosberg’s class I didn’t even realize he co-authored Pitching Hollywood, one of only a few books I’ve read more than once. I don’t claim to be a good pitcher, but if I want success in this industry, I’m going to have to become one. Maybe Nolan Ryan can give me a hand. Or Sam Malone.

Mark Golik – Breaking in Miles from LA

2009-12-02T14:36:00.001-06:00

Dynamic. Engaging. Polished. In his session, Breaking in Miles from LA, up and coming screenwriter Mark Golik was none of these. Neither was he any of these: Pretentious. Aloof. Arrogant.

While some speakers at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo were masters of pomp and circumstance (which, for them, worked just fine), Mr. Golik was one of the most genuine presenters. A Pittsburgh resident, Mr. Golik admits the option deal for his first screenplay, The Color of the Puck, was lucky. But, like Thomas Jefferson said, the harder you work, the more luck you’re bound to have.

Mr. Golik’s success story is the exception to my newly adapted rule that queries don’t work. It was through a query letter that he secured his manager who subsequently marketed his screenplay and penned an option deal.

Overnight success? Hardly. Mr. Golik sent countless queries before signing with his manager, and his manager pitched the script for more than a year before getting the option deal. Oh, and the option deal? Not exactly mucho dinero. But it is a huge step in the right direction – just don’t expect the humble Ohio screenwriter to admit it.

The sincerity and candor from Mr. Golilk was refreshing. He underplayed his success and promoted routes that I have been hesitant to accept – namely screenwriting contests and an Industry website, Inktip. More on Inktip in a future blog entry.

A quick summary of my notes from his class:

Learn your craft – be open to criticism – don’t beg – promote the heck out of yourself – palm up, not palm down (offer a favor from yourself before asking a favor of someone else) – do cool things for others – be proactive – focus on boutique agencies and avoid the big ones *

* this note contradicts some others’ beliefs that the larger agencies have more room to add clients while the boutique agencies are swamped with the clients they already have. I think both are correct. Like I’ve written many times before, this is the grayest of industries.

Victoria Wisdom – How to Get Your Script Read

2009-11-29T19:50:00.001-06:00

With a name like Wisdom, how could I not sign up for a session with her? Her middle name may very well be Passion, or Motivation, or Energy – she spoke with much of each while living up to her surname.

To sum up her class in a blog entry would be impossible, so I’ll do my best Chris Berman impression and give a few highlights.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them – Know Hollywood statistics – Know who the up-and-comers are – Know your competition – Most common genres, in order, are action, comedy, thriller, and drama – 50% of audience is under the age of 24 – In a meeting, you have 15 seconds to capture the attention of an executive – Don’t query (heard this many times at the Expo) – Execs will read e-mail, but you have 3-5 seconds to capture their attention

Ms. Wisdom wasn’t shy in lecturing her crowded classroom. When most of us were unable to name the all-time Australian Academy Award winning movie, Somersault, we were given an earful. Really? Is it imperative that we know something so trivial? I’m going to have to defer to Ms. Wisdom and agree that knowing this industry inside and out will offer a distinct advantage.

It goes back to the premise of this entire blog – education. The more ammo in the magazine, the better equipped one will be for this battle to enter the well defended Hollywood fortress. It’s funny how many people embark on this journey assuming it’s an easy ride.

Did I say funny? I meant sad.

Pilar Alessandra – You Had Me at Page One

2009-11-24T13:40:00.001-06:00

Along with Creative Screenwriting’s weekly interview podcast, Pilar Alessandra’s On the Page podcast is an essential listen for any screenwriter. If you have iTunes, subscribe to both. Now.

Ms. Alessandra taught all day Friday. Because of scheduling I I was only able to take her You Had Me at Page One session which was, for me, the weekend’s most interactive engagement. Using examples from popular screenplays including The Bourne Identity, written by the masterful Tony Gilroy, and The Hangover, penned by hot hands Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, Ms. Alessandra invoked thoughtful discussions on the importance of a remarkable first page of one’s screenplay.

As a former studio reader, Ms. Alessandra emphasizes the importance of hooking the reader as early as possible, forcing the reader to turn through the remaining 89-119 pages. Readers take home large stacks of screenplays (metaphorically speaking as pdf files are now replacing hard copies) and are looking for reasons to not like each one. It’s much easier for them to pass on a script than to hand it up to an executive. Consequently, many scripts get tossed after only the first few pages have been skimmed.

Page one of a screenplay must invoke emotion in the reader – fear, anger, sadness, happiness, whatever – something that will provoke the reader to turn the page. There isn’t time for elaborate character description, flowery location setup, or frivolous scene direction. Save that for your novel.

Talent Managers Panel featuring Philippa Burgess, Christopher Pratt, and Andy Corren

2009-11-17T21:56:00.001-06:00

“Queries don’t work.” – Philippa Burgess, Christopher Pratt, and Andy Corren

Earlier this year I made a concentrated effort to fully research and query specific agents and managers. Personalizing my queries, I reasoned, would more effectively prove my worth as a client. My indiscretionary efforts are explained in this blog entry from March.

I’ve read from multiple sources recently, and Ms. Burgess, Mr. Pratt, and Mr. Corren confirm, that query letters simply do not work for securing literary representation. I had suspected as much even before making my Spring push of query letters, but I reasoned that pitching myself as a multi-hyphenate and tailoring each pitch specifically to the intended recipient would increase my chances. It very well may have, but only in the most miniscule degree.

Each manager in this panel at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo noted that exceptions exist for every statistic, but they recommended strategies other than querying, including networking, screenplay competitions, or self-producing. I feel good about my current tract of networking and self-producing, and I am considering the competition route despite the steep cost of entering.

Ms. Burgess, who spent three years at ICM before starting her own company, stressed the importance of creating content, specifically blogs, DVDs, webisodes, and news articles. Check, check, check, and check. I’m doing all that. If I build it, they will come – right? According to the managers on this panel, yes.

Michael Hauge – Sell Your Story in 60 Seconds

2009-11-12T21:30:00.001-06:00

I’ve read Michael Hauge’s Writing Screenplays that Sell and listened to his CD lecture Screenwriting for Hollywood. His and Christopher Vogler’s The Hero’s 2 Journeys is a DVD I’ve been slowly working my way through over the last year or so – it’s not that it’s terribly long, it’s just a bit prosaic for my ADHD mind. Mr. Hauge doesn’t go for style points in presentation, but he offers a lot of useful information.

His lecture, Sell Your Story in 60 Seconds, based on the book of nearly the same title, was the second session I attended at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo. It fell on Friday morning, two days before I was scheduled to offer pitches at the pitch fest. Maybe the class helped – maybe it didn’t. It certainly didn’t hurt.

Mr. Hauge reminded us all that we should have one goal, and one goal only, when pitching – to convince someone to read our screenplay. The greatest pitch in the world won’t do anything for an awful concept. Conversely, the worst pitch in the world could still work if the concept is brilliant. Once again, everything comes down to having a story worth telling.

Mr. Hauge developed a list of 8-steps to pitching. Without his permission, I hesitate to include the steps here, but I found them all useful, albeit a bit obvious to an intuitive mind. That said, the most obvious of suggestions are oftentimes the most overlooked.

Now, the one caveat to all the teaching Mr. Hauge puts out through his books, DVDs, and seminars is that he hasn’t, to my knowledge, ever sold a screenplay himself. That fact doesn’t discount his claims – after all, I’ve only optioned a screenplay and produced one of my own, yet I’m ‘teaching’ through this blog – but it does cause one to step back and consider the source. Like any research, the learning one seeks in screenwriting should be filtered by the student from a variety of teachers. Mr. Hauge certainly belongs on the list of screenwriting teachers for the diligent screenwriting student. I, on the hand, don’t belong on that list, which is why I’m trying to point in the direction of the teachers I’ve enjoyed along the way. :)

George Escobar – The New Christian Film Movement

2009-11-08T14:13:00.001-06:00

“Movies have become more influential than the church.” – George Barna

How can one ninety minute seminar be equally inspiring and disparaging at the same time? George Escobar’s was the first session I attended at the 2009 Screenwriting Expo and I came away with mixed emotions.

Mr. Escobar spoke of Sherwood Pictures’ Fireproof and Facing the Giants as the gold-standard in Christian entertainment. Financially speaking, he’s absolutely right – Fireproof alone raked in over $30 million theatrically against a reported budget of $500,000 – but from a creative slant both movies fall far short of excellence. Don’t get me wrong, I love the messages of both movies, but the execution is painfully amateurish.

I’m optimistic about the upcoming movie, One Good Man, produced by Mr. Escobar’s Christian production company, Advent Film Group. Mr. Escobar was quick to separate his new film’s production quality from the Sherwood efforts. And he did so in a humble, non-incriminating manner.

However, Mr. Escobar also claimed to be unable to produce a Christian-themed movie that could compete with blockbusters like Transformers or The Dark Knight. “I’m not talented enough yet,” was his claim. Maybe by earthly standards he is correct, but even if he isn’t talented enough, there are many talented individuals out there, Christian or otherwise, that could turn mediocre into outstanding.

I hear the argument already. When so-called industry experts are brought in, the Christian message is compromised. I agree with Mr. Escobar’s assessment that Hollywood adapts a world-view instead of the Christian Godly-view. That’s why it is imperative that we Christians work our way into leadership positions within the industry so the Godly-view can prevail while Hollywood quality standards are upheld. Is this a paradox? I certainly don’t think so.

While I don’t aspire to make Christian movies, I do aspire to be a Christian who makes movies. I have a Christian screenplay sitting on my shelf, but before I do anything with it, I need to secularize it a bit. Preaching to the choir is not my mission, nor is it my strength. Fireproof and Facing the Giants may have their choir audience, but I’d rather reach the crowd outside the church walls.

Advent Film Group looks like a wonderful organization poised to groom Christians to fill prominent creative positions in Hollywood. I just hope the groomed don’t turn out to be Sherwood Pictures clones content to make below average movies with above average messages. Judging by Mr. Escobar’s desires, I’m optimistic that Christian movies will one day turn a corner and be good enough to compete with the summer blockbusters.

Decisions

2009-10-28T21:34:00.001-05:00

“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.” – Voltaire

I am inanely annoyed by most sports broadcast analysts. They get paid handsomely to repeat recycled comments week after week after week. Gee, did you hear Adrian Peterson has a firm handshake? Did you know Kobe and Shaq had a falling out? Did you know whenever the [insert team] play the [insert team] you can throw the records out the window?

What bothers me most, though, is the way these suits in the booth second-guess everything on the field or court. And they do it with such certainty. If they know so much better, why are they not coaching themselves? We’re all entitled to our own opinions, and we’re likely to disagree from time to time with the decisions made by our beloved sports authorities, but what gain can come from berating their every move?

When it comes to decisions, we all make bad ones. Coaches. Players. Actors. Moms. Dads. But we all make good ones, too. I have a theory that while bad decisions are very much a part of everyone’s life, wrong decisions do not exist. Just as every action has an equal and opposite reaction (thank you, Mr. Newton), every wrong has to have an opposite right. Otherwise, how could we be assured it is wrong?

Once a decision is made, there is no way of ever knowing what the result of an opposite decision would have been, unless we are Bill Murray in Groundhog’s Day. We can speculate, and in many cases the speculation leads us to believe strongly that a different decision would have yielded a better result. But that’s the key – it’s speculation.

So I’m living my life knowing that every decision I make is the right decision. Don’t get me wrong, many (maybe most?) of those right decisions are still very bad decisions, but at least I don’t have to burden myself with worries of making a wrong decision. Good or bad, I can only make right decisions.

Time will tell if my decision to spend money I don’t have on a trip I can’t afford will prove to be good or bad. I know it was the right decision and I’m glad I made it when I did. I met many wonderful people and learned from some of the great screenwriters working today. I’ll share in the coming entries some notes I took from the 2009 Screenwriting Expo.

If I’m lucky, some expert sports announcers will critique all the notes…

Hope

2009-10-22T22:03:00.001-05:00

“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

I plan to soon share my experiences from the 2009 Screenwriting Expo, but I received my weekly Max Lucado e-newsletter today and found its message remarkably poignant for anyone trying to keep their head above water these days. We creative types are certainly of no exclusion.

When You Are Low on Hope

by Max Lucado

Water. All Noah can see is water. The evening sun sinks into it. The clouds are reflected in it. His boat is surrounded by it. Water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the west. Water.

He sent a raven on a scouting mission; it never returned. He sent a dove. It came back shivering and spent, having found no place to roost. Then, just this morning, he tried again. With a prayer he let it go and watched until the bird was no bigger than a speck on a window.

All day he looked for the dove’s return.

Now the sun is setting, and the sky is darkening, and he has come to look one final time, but all he sees is water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the …

You know the feeling. You have stood where Noah stood. You’ve known your share of floods. Flooded by sorrow at the cemetery, stress at the office, anger at the disability in your body or the inability of your spouse. You’ve seen the floodwater rise, and you’ve likely seen the sun set on your hopes as well. You’ve been on Noah’s boat.

And you’ve needed what Noah needed; you’ve needed some hope. You’re not asking for a helicopter rescue, but the sound of one would be nice. Hope doesn’t promise an instant solution but rather the possibility of an eventual one. Sometimes all we need is a little hope.

That’s all Noah needed. And that’s all Noah received.

Here is how the Bible describes the moment: “When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf!” (Gen. 8:11 NIV).

An olive leaf. Noah would have been happy to have the bird but to have the leaf! This leaf was more than foliage; this was promise. The bird brought more than a piece of a tree; it brought hope. For isn’t that what hope is? Hope is an olive leaf—evidence of dry land after a flood. Proof to the dreamer that dreaming is worth the risk.

Don’t we love the olive leaves of life?
“It appears the cancer may be in remission.”
“I can help you with those finances.”
“We’ll get through this together.”
What’s more, don’t we love the doves that bring them?
Perhaps that’s the reason so many loved Jesus.

To all the Noahs of the world, to all who search the horizon for a fleck of hope, he proclaims, “Yes!” And he comes. He comes as a dove. He comes bearing fruit from a distant land, from our future home. He comes with a leaf of hope.

Have you received yours? Don’t think your ark is too isolated. Don’t think your flood is too wide. Receive his hope, won’t you? Receive it because you need it. Receive it so you can share it.

Love always hopes. “Love … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4–7 NKJV, emphasis mine).

Soap Athetic updated links

2009-10-17T03:34:00.001-05:00

I realized some time ago that the Soap Athetic links in earlier blog entries are now dead. We removed the show from Numa Network, but I have re-cut it into three segments and inserted a few extra jokes that weren’t in the original release. So here are the three segments and the gag reel for you to laugh at hysterically all over again. ;)

Soap Athetic part 1

Soap Athetic part 2

Soap Athetic part 3

Soap Athetic Gag Reel

I am now in full pitch mode in search for a home for my little mock soap opera. Good news to come. I know it.

Quick backup tip

2009-10-01T14:22:00.001-05:00

I suppose I’m late to the party on this one, but I’ve recently started e-mailing my script to one of my Yahoo e-mail accounts every time I finish writing. It’s a quick and easy way to back up my work. I haven’t seen the tip anywhere else, so here it is, free of charge. ;)

Casting

2009-09-18T15:45:00.001-05:00

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” – William Penn

I spent several hours the last couple days researching and e-mailing casting directors in LA and NY. The Hollywood Creative Directory is a great resource for gathering contact information for casting directors, managers, and agents. I cross-referenced IMDb credits with other websites and educated myself on each of the agents to whom I sent a link to my current demo reel.

Is it worth the time? Out of the 35 e-mails I sent, the optimist in me (he’s pretty small) hopes at least 5-7 will actually follow the link to the reel while only about half will be annoyed to be bothered with another e-mail from another actor trying to get his foot in the door. The pessimist in me (the optimist’s bigger, stronger bully) thinks all 35 will be annoyed and none will click the link.

So why bother? Because optimism and pessimism aside, the success rate if I don’t try is 0%. I’d rather take my chances by trying than passively wallow in self-pity because Hollywood hasn’t come out to find me yet.

This blog entry from Bonnie Gillespie destroys a good chunk of my optimism, but it’s still a numbers game. The more hooks I put out there, the better my chances of getting a bite.

Inspiration

2009-09-09T14:40:00.001-05:00

"You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club."
– Jack London

Mr. London, though not admirable for his political views, offers a brilliant quote especially appropriate for me. Too often I find myself waiting for that proverbial stroke of genius. When it eludes me – as it all too often does – I am disgusted with myself for wasting my limited writing time.

In lieu of inspiration, persistence is king of success. No matter a writer’s perceived talent, it is his or her perseverance that will determine success. I like Sophy Burnham’s message below because it keeps me optimistic that all this hard work will pay off.

"There are so many different kinds of writing and so many ways to work that the only rule is this: do what works. Almost everything has been tried and found to succeed for somebody. The methods, even the ideas of successful writers, contradict each other in a most heartening way, and the only element I find common to all successful writers is persistence – an overwhelming determination to succeed." – Sophy Burnham

Here’s to more late nights and early mornings!

Crack That Whip

2009-09-07T20:40:00.001-05:00

Drew Barrymore has a movie coming out this fall called “Whip It". Curse her. Now every time I see the title, from newspaper ad to trailer, my subliminal Devo cover band will don their red hats and crack that… well, you know.

I hate when this happens. My daughter recently found a book at the library called “If I were Your Mother”. I’m sure few others even know the Bon Jovi song of the same title that entered my head each time the book was read. It’s not as bad as Whip It, but it certainly wasn’t “Wanted Dead or Alive”.

Ob la di, ob la da, life goes on, right?

This interview with Drew Barrymore from Film Independent is a quick, interesting read. In it, Ms. Barrymore alludes to the fact that she doesn’t watch the monitor while she’s directing, but rather watches the live action. I can appreciate her desire to be ‘in the movie’ but how do you know what the movie is going to look like if you’re not aware of the framing? I’m completely opposite from the actor-cum-director – when I’m directing a scene, I’m glued to the monitor. I have to know exactly what the camera is picking up or I feel I’m not doing my job as a director.

Is my way better than Ms. Barrymore’s? Of course not. Just a personal preference. I wonder where the majority of directors fall on this topic…

Two-thirds

2009-09-02T22:10:00.001-05:00

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” -- Frederick Douglass

September.

It means many things. My birthday. Football season. The end of summer.

This year, more than any before, the end of summer is unequivocally uninvited. I remember previous Septembers when I couldn’t wait for a crisp fall evening, the turning of the leaves, and hot apple cider by the fire. I can’t remember a September when I’ve dreaded those very things like I do now.

Not that the crisp evenings, fall colors, and hot cider will go unappreciated this year, but the season they preclude looms more ominously as it draws ever nearer. I abhor winter. And that’s putting it mildly. While a gentle dusk snowfall as I sit atop a deer stand is a wonderful, almost spiritual experience, the fact that dusk falls before 5:00 for three months out of the year is a depressing, soul-wrenching reality. As someone who hopes one day to make drama the central part of his livelihood, I assure you, my disdain for the dark months hovering around the final solstice of the year is not at all exaggerated here.

But I’ve hated the darkness of winter as long as I can remember. Why does it feel worse this year? Is it because summer seemed shortchanged this year with nary a single 90-degree day in July? We had several in August, but still… Is it because my wife and I haven’t slept a night through since our new little bundle arrived at the end of June? Technically, I’ve had more waking hours this summer than probably any before which should render it a longer summer…

Or is it because 2009, the year I vowed to make it in Hollywood, is now two-thirds of the way over? With my promise in January to plant myself firmly in the entertainment industry in order for my wife to retire far from fulfilled, perhaps it’s the realization that I may, in fact, fail to meet that standard set before me.

Or maybe it’s just that winter really, really sucks.

Toy Movies

2009-08-26T09:42:00.001-05:00

In writing the screenplay for the announced Lego movie, I wonder if the screenwriter will actually seek writer’s block…

Check out this article and be sure to read the second to last paragraph for an indication of Hollywood’s future. Brand recognition is leaving originality in the dust.

We all live in a...

2009-08-23T22:57:00.001-05:00

I have great respect and admiration for Robert Zemeckis, one of the great directors of the 80s and 90s, but his recent efforts, technologically groundbreaking as they’ve been, lack the endearing qualities of his earlier computer aided movies including the Back to the Future series, Forrest Gump, and my favorite, Cast Away.

Can you fault him for making movies he wants to make? Of course not. But his former brilliance seems to be giving way to technology lust in movies like Beowulf and the upcoming motion captured 3D digital remake of Yellow Submarine. No, seriously. Read about it here. I’ll see Yellow Submarine and I may like it, but I still long for the Zemeckis of old.

One day, I hope to get close to Mr. Zemeckis’ level so I can make whatever movies I want and let random bloggers rant about how they miss my earlier work. Maybe then I’ll be satisfied with my progress in this industry.

Nah.

Apocalypse Wow

2009-08-21T22:32:00.001-05:00

I’ve had bad days on set, but this article about the Apocalypse Now shoot makes me feel a little better. Or a little worse.

Charity

2009-08-16T10:56:00.001-05:00

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” – Sir Winston Churchill

Admittedly, this link is somewhat off-topic, but I’m making a general assumption that anybody wanting to work in the entertainment industry has an interest in making life better for others. After all, isn’t entertaining simply one’s effort to brighten the days one’s audience members?

My naivety not withstanding, I offer this link for anyone wanting to share some of their own blessings with others:

http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/

Formerly known as give.org, this branch of the Better Business Bureau is a one-stop resource for pinpointing a charity that shares your morals.

John Hughes Podcasts

2009-08-12T23:09:00.001-05:00

"One thing about writing movies: It's different every time. When I finish a script and sit down to write a new one, I have to learn it all over again. Every single thing is completely different; there are no rules. As soon as you start to follow rules, your stuff becomes formulaic. Then you can forget about it." – John Hughes

Honoring the late John Hughes, AFI has reissued a pair of podcasts featuring the iconic moviemaker. You can follow the embedded link above or search for AFI on iTunes. You’ll stumble upon a bevy of equally relevant podcasts from AFI as well.

And speaking of podcasts, if you are a screenwriter and do not yet subscribe to the On the Page and Creative Screenwriting podcasts on iTunes, I highly recommend you take a look… I mean, listen.

Paycuts in Hollywood

2009-08-10T20:58:00.001-05:00

“I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.” – Jackie Mason

A recent LA Times article paints a grim picture of the state of Hollywood salaries. Seems an actor who could rake in $15 million for a role a few years ago will likely only receive $10 million today. How can they survive on that?

It was only a few years ago that head-case, Latrell Sprewell turned down a $21 million dollar contract offer from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Demanding more money, his famous quote was, “I’ve got my family to feed.”

Really? Twenty-one million dollars isn’t enough to feed your family? Am I supposed to feel sorry for Mr. Sprewell or for the stars in Hollywood taking these big pay cuts? It will be interesting to see how things pan out, but in the midst of our country’s biggest recession in more than two decades, I have to admit I’m pleased to see some of the outrageous Hollywood salaries come down. Let’s hope Major League Baseball follows suit.

Sure I want a piece of that million dollar pie, but, really, wouldn’t I be just as happy with $10 million as I would with $15 million? I could feed my family much better with that than my five figure salary right now!

Blake Snyder

2009-08-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

Both of Blake Snyder’s books are on my Amazon list on this blog. His second, Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies, is the better of the two, but the first, Save the Cat! is a necessary prerequisite to benefit fully from the second. John Hughes’ death grabbed the headlines, but budding screenwriters lost one of the better, more approachable teachers on August 4, 2009.

His was one of the sessions I planned to attend at this year’s Screenwriting Expo, but his untimely death reminds that tomorrow’s plans can never exceed tentativeness.

John Hughes

2009-08-06T18:41:00.001-05:00

One of the greats has now passed on.

For my money, John Hughes is one of the great screenwriters of our time. His movies were iconic for any child of the 80s. Two of my top-ten favorite movies of all-time were penned by Mr. Hughes: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and The Great Outdoors. Most would rank Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ahead of my favorites, and I would not argue.

His IMDb credits list is astonishing. Check it out and leave a quick comment about your all-time favorite John Hughes screenplay.

I must have been #11

2009-08-05T22:02:00.001-05:00

Justen Overlander was notably omitted from Variety’s top ten screenwriters to watch. Maybe next year… ;)

MN 2 Hollywood: The Movie

2009-08-02T22:42:00.001-05:00

The new Nora Ephron helmed flick, Julie and Julia, is apparently based on a blog conceived back in 2002. Read about the jealousy inducing journey from blog to screen here.

Diablo Cody’s rise from blogger to Hollywood A-Lister is well known now, and others are rising from blogscurity to bloglebrity. Check out I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell to follow the journey of one man’s drunken confessionals to big screen release this September.

Am I jealous? God-willing, I will overcome that crippling sin. Really, this should breed optimism that anything can happen to anyone anywhere. Is MN 2 Hollywood destined to be a movie? Of course not. But perhaps the right executive will stumble across something I’ve written and be crazy… I mean… moved enough to see what else is in this tank.

Begin

2009-08-01T21:07:00.001-05:00

“Acting is the most minor of gifts and not a very high-class way to earn a living. After all, Shirley Temple could do it at the age of four.” – Katherine Hepburn

So the inspirational cookies and ice cream I’ve shared over the past seven months are all good and fuzzy, but what about something tangible an aspiring actor/writer/director/producer can take home with them? Where does one really start?

While I do think it is imperative to prepare yourself mentally for a career that will at some point massage your insides with a rusty chainsaw, eventually you need to throw on the hard hat and climb the girders. I’ve recently sat down with several different peers to point them toward that first rung, which is not necessarily easy to find.

One approach is to dive in and start auditioning for student films, independent projects, and open calls. Craigslist has become a dumping ground, for better or worse, for any producer, legitimate or otherwise, to announce the breakdowns for their projects. Oftentimes these projects are open to any and all who want to audition, experienced or not. These projects, almost always unpaid, are great opportunities to get your feet wet and start the ever important networking.

But that may even be putting the cart ahead of the horse. Even if you have all the natural talent in the world, attending classes will introduce you to others in the same boat as you. You may charm your way into an aspiring producer’s next project, or a plugged-in actor may introduce you to his or her already broadening network. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll realize you aren’t the greatest natural born entertainer this world has ever seen and the classes may actually teach you something. I certainly have and hope to continue.

Sure, many have made a splash without much schooling in the industry, but they are the exceptions. We all want to be exceptional, but why wait around for luck to find you when you can go out and make your own? Learn from others’ successes and failures. I’m happy to continue sharing mine here in this blog, but I’m going to shift my focus a bit and try to be a conduit to other resources detailing the successes and failures of those more established in this business than I.

FX Seeks Comedy Rx

2009-07-28T13:35:00.001-05:00

A recent Variety article announces a new push by the FX Network to bolster their comedy presence. Perhaps I could prescribe Soap Athetic as a nice compliment to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia…

Dimensions

2009-07-25T20:25:00.001-05:00

“A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it.” – Alfred Hitchcock

P.M. Dawn had a song in the early nineties called “Reality Used to Be a Friend of Mine.” I think I may have first heard it in Encino Man, which featured the brilliant Pauly Shore. That’s a sarcastic brilliant for those unfamiliar with sarcasm.

The poppy, repetitive song found its way into my encephalon when I read this article featuring wisdom from Peter Jackson and James Cameron. Seems the two opulent directors are convinced the falling box office numbers will turn around if more 3-D screens are introduced in theaters around the world.

Leave it to those to whom money is as much an afterthought as water, electricity, or post-Taco Bell farts, to overlook the real reason for relatively modest box office numbers. People can’t afford to go to movies like they could a decade ago when Mr. Cameron’s pockets were filled to titanic proportions. Should the general public fork over more coin to experience in 3-D something that may or may not be any better with the extra dimension?

As a soda and candy smuggling matinee attendee, I’d rather keep things simple and – well, cheap isn’t the right word – um, less gouging. Maybe in a few years when Obama has rescued the economy like he promised we will be able to dole out a Benjamin to bring the family to see Terminator vs. The Hobbit in 3-D.

So financial reality may not be a friend to the Peter Jacksons and James Camerons of the world, but I was relieved to see Mr. Jackson quoted at the end of the article saying “movies and technology is, to me, just a huge red herring, because movies are all about story and character.”

At least some of the big directors still get that.

Critics

2009-07-23T17:04:00.001-05:00

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary.” – Winston Churchill

I’m not one to put a lot of stock into the words of film critics. I find myself all too often in complete disagreement with much of what the self-appointed experts have to say. But I recently read an article from Roger Ebert in which he had written some agreeable insights.

The article, now several weeks old, is a response to the implied hordes of Transformers fanboys calling out Mr. Ebert’s ignorance in blasting this summer’s sequel’s substandard semblance. I have yet to see the tent-pole sense stimulator, so I can’t pick a side in relation to its quality or lack thereof. However, I find most of Mr. Ebert’s generalities right on the button.

I find one point the Chicagoan makes to be most profound. He writes “that many Americans have an active suspicion and dislike of the ‘educated.’ They ask, ‘what makes you an expert?’ when they’re really asking, “what gives you the right to disagree with me?’” There is such a big push today to glorify the individual – with which I don’t disagree – but when that translates to, “I’m always right no matter what anyone else thinks,” we are setting ourselves up for endless, unwinnable battles.

What does this have to do with making movies? Well, looking back at some earlier entries in which I encourage feedback from unbiased sources, I think it’s important for all feedback to be considered regardless of the giver. Don’t be too quick to judge another’s viewpoint simply because it differs from your own. It is, of course, our job as the creators of entertainment to ultimately pick and choose which criticism we want to accept. It’s just way too easy to label as “wrong” the opinions that are simply “different” from our own.

This is an ongoing battle for me.

Art

2009-07-21T21:36:00.002-05:00

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” – Pablo Picasso

Ah, artistic integrity. The catch phrase is comforting and scary at the same time. A filmmaker’s artistic integrity is often praised by critics when audiences loathe the final product, and conversely admonished when a filmmaker “sells out” for commercial success. A filmmaker can tout artistic integrity as an excuse for either critique.

Only two kinds of filmmakers can afford to consider artistic integrity: those with already established careers and those with no desire to ever have a career. I’m willing to sacrifice my own artistic integrity to join the former club.

Am I jaded? Maybe. But at this point I have to approach the film industry as the business it is. Ultimately, I’m okay with that, because I’m in this business not for my own gratification, but to make others happy because of something I offer them on the screen. In that sense, my artistic integrity is based solely on the reception of my products. If they like it, I’m satisfied; if they don’t, it’s back to the drawing board for me.

Masses

2009-07-11T23:12:00.001-05:00

“50 million Elvis fans can’t be wrong.” -- title of Elvis Presley’s ninth album, 1959

So Uncle Harry, Aunt Rose, and Cousin Cletus all offer the same glowing review of your latest efforts. They must be onto something, right? Perhaps. But it’s probably best to seek out a few more worthy opinions. Brett Favre probably isn’t one of them.

I’m amazed by the selective hearing so many creative types employ. They treat favorable reviews as gospel while dismissing negative reviews as misguided tripe spewed forth by disgruntled wannabes. I’m certainly guilty of filtering feedback, though I tend to dwell more on the negative than the positive, an equally unhealthy habit.

A middle ground exists between languishing in only positive evaluations and loathing in only the jarring criticism. The law of averages comes into play and eventually the perspective of the masses is identified. It’s up to each of us to sieve through the crystal blue persuasions offered by all the hanky pankies of the world until our crimson and clover are aligned like mony mony.

Uh, in other words, invite feedback often, and utilize the most oft recurring notes to better shape your craft, whether the craft be acting, writing, painting, or singing in a Tommy James and the Shondells cover band.

Accreditation

2009-07-03T22:40:00.001-05:00

“Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.” – Aesop

Brett Favre. His laid-back drawl and fist-pumping antics have been fixtures on SportsCenter for a decade and a half. This summer, like last, has been a wait-and-see game for us Purple faithful while Mr. Favre teases us with his desire to once again end his faux retirement. The latest rumor today is that the immortal #4 is house-hunting in the Twin Cities.

Were Brett Favre to write a book on decision-making, I wouldn’t spend the gas money to go snag it from the library. A book about quarterbacking? Favre’s take on the subject would intrigue me as much as anybody not named Montana.

Brett Favre has accreditation as one of the most successful quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. His accreditation in decision-making has waned as much as his natural hair color over the last several years.

As mentioned in my previous post, I think it’s important for each of us to receive feedback for the work we put out there. What I failed to mention is that the source of the feedback is as important as the feedback itself. While there are many qualities desirable in our trusted critics, accreditation must be first and foremost. No matter how much your Uncle Harry claims to know about Hollywood, unless he’s actually been in the trenches, his critique is about as useful as marriage advice from Jon and Kate.

Come to think of it, so is mine. I haven’t been in the trenches, but I’ve learned from those who have. My hope is that anyone (the one?) who reads this, will seek advice from worthy sources. Don’t rely on Mom and Dad to steer your career (unless you’re Sean Astin or Colin Hanks). And don’t rely on Brett Favre for decision making advice… or acting advice. Have you seen There’s Something About Mary?

Wrong

2009-06-28T13:13:00.001-05:00

"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -- Henry Ford

Each season I'm distracted by the first several episodes of American Idol. Once the delusional contestants are eliminated the show loses its appeal to me, but those first few weeks of painful auditions pique my morbid curiosity. There's just something about watching these people with not even an ounce of singing ability argue with established (?) veterans in the music industry. I feel for the contestants, if for no other reason, because of the obvious lack of self-awareness due to candy-coated dishonesty from friends and family.

While teaching, I saw the trend heading toward neutral assessments. The theory, of course, is to spare self-esteem by offering only positive feedback. Let the child believe 2+2=5, but don't criticize him by telling him he's wrong. What is there to gain from this philosophy? We're training our youth to believe they can do no wrong, and that's one of the leading culprits of the rising trend in kids' rebellion to authority.

I'm not a proponent of harsh criticism, but when I'm wrong, I'm wrong. And I don't mind being told I'm wrong (as long as there is evidence to prove it). Don't mistake me - I don't like being wrong, but it happens so often I just have to accept it. It's called accountability. Fewer and fewer are accepting accountability and I think it's because we're teaching our kids they don't have to be accountable. If we teach them they’re never wrong, for what do they need to be accountable?

But I digress…

I may be wrong to pursue a career in Hollywood. No matter how spiritually destined I feel in this journey, the fact is I struggle with discerning the voice of God from the voice of... well, me. I just hope someone, somewhere along the way, will have the decency to tell me I'm wrong if they indeed know better than I. Don't let me be one of the horrendous contestants on American Idol. Then again, maybe I'm already a victim of Idiot Idol Idiosyncrasy.

Give us this day our daily bread

2009-06-22T08:02:00.008-05:00

The following is an excerpt from Max Lucado’s book, The Great House of God, copyright 2001, Max Lucado and Thomas Nelson Publishers. It is printed here with permission from UpWords Ministries. I include it here as a reminder that God never promised us an abundance of easy days, but if we can get through the difficult ones, how much more will we appreciate the easy ones?

“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”

What a statement of trust! Whatever you want me to have is all I want. Some days the plate runs over. God keeps bringing out more food and we keep loosening our belt. A promotion. A privilege. A friendship. A gift. A lifetime of grace. An eternity of joy. There are times when we literally push ourselves back from the table, amazed at God’s kindness. “You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup fills with blessing” (Ps. 23:5 MSG).

And then there are those days when, well, when we have to eat our broccoli. Our daily bread could be tears or sorrow or discipline. Our portion may include adversity as well as opportunity.

This verse was on my mind last night during family devotions. I called my daughters to the table and set a plate in front of each. In the center of the table I placed a collection of food: some fruit, some raw vegetables and some Oreo cookies. “Every day,” I explained, “God prepares for us a plate of experiences. What kind of plate do you most enjoy?”

The answer was easy. Sara put three cookies on her plate. Some days are like that, aren’t they? Some days are “three cookie days.” Many are not. Sometimes our plate has nothing but vegetables—twenty-four hours of celery, carrots, and squash. Apparently God knows we need some strength, and though the portion may be hard to swallow, isn’t it for our own good? Most days, however, have a bit of it all. Vegetables, which are healthy but dull. Fruit, which tastes better and we enjoy. And even an Oreo, which does little for our nutrition, but a lot for our attitude.

All are important and all are from God.

The next time your plate has more broccoli than apple pie, remember who prepared the meal. And the next time your plate has a portion you find hard to swallow, talk to God about it. Jesus did. In the garden of Gethsemane his Father handed him a cup of suffering so sour, so vile, that Jesus handed it back to heaven. “My Father,” he prayed, “if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matt. 26:39).

Even Jesus was given a portion he found hard to swallow. But with God’s help, he did. And with God’s help, you can too.

Experiment

2009-06-17T23:30:00.001-05:00

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

In all my research and experience, I’ve learned a lot of gray. If any truth exists in this industry, it’s that there is no predestined path leading to success. What worked for John C. Reilly or Lisa Kudrow or Michael Bay or Bryan Singer likely won’t work for you and me. That means we just have to experiment until we carve our own path to success.

I started acting professionally eight or so years ago. That didn’t take off as quickly as I’d hoped – was it really too much to expect starring roles in Hollywood movies within a couple years of graduating from college? With a degree in education? ;) – So I started writing screenplays a couple years later. I figured I’d sell a screenplay in which I could star, thereby launching my career. Didn’t go quite as planned.

Well, the next logical step seemed to be to produce a short. I would write, direct, and act in it, send it to a few festivals, win a couple awards, and hire a secretary to handle the resulting inundation of phone calls. Again, fate let me down.

Alright, might as well produce a feature-length movie, sell it, earn enough money, clout, and adoration to make more movies, win an Oscar, buy a winter home, and secure retirement for my parents and in-laws. Alas, the feature didn’t require the hiring of a cartographer for my name.

How about a television pilot? Might as well give it a shot. Thus, Soap Athetic was born. Zero budget. Zero leads for selling it once it’s finished. Zero calories in mustard – sorry, needed another ‘zero’ to finish the trifecta.

With Soap Athetic, I had an outlet to release it online, earning a few dollars along the way. Foolishly, I thought it would maybe catch a break on YouTube and reach several hundred thousand people, create a buzz, and at least garner a phone call from the people who hired the “Ask a Ninja” guys to rewrite “Attach of the Killer Tomatoes.”

The YouTube release of Soap Athetic has come and gone with little fanfare. It was received well, earning high ratings and overwhelmingly positive comments, but with a viewership smaller than Duluth, it didn’t exactly take the community by storm. Luckily, YouTube was only part of the journey, not the destination. What will become of it, I don’t know. It’s just too good of a show to passively set aside.

No matter what becomes of Soap Athetic, I will not consider the experiment a failure. Nor will I consider any of the aforementioned experiments failures, for each has brought me one step further along my personal path to success. It may not be the same path taken by Shia LeBeouf or Evangeline Lilly or Harold Ramis or Sean Levy, but I do believe it’s heading in the same general direction.

See you along the way when our paths cross.

2%

2009-06-11T23:22:00.001-05:00

“Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.” – Roman Poet, Ovid (43 BC – 17 AD)

I didn’t know a thing about Ovid before stumbling upon the above quote by chance. I found it apropos (how’s that for a pretentious word?) for a fisherman and bonehead trying to do something just on the edge of statistical impossibility. My lack of success on the lakes gives me hope I’m due for success as the bonehead.

According to an article from the September/October ‘08 issue of Script Magazine, only 2% of independent films ever get any kind of distribution (theatrical, DVD, cable, anything). I’m not sure how to feel about that statistic. On the one hand, I’m thrilled my first self-produced feature, Horror House, is in that 2% statistic. On the other hand, how depressing is it that out of every 100 independent movies made, only 2 are picked up?

With my first movie being picked up (albeit by a very small label), am I now in line for 49 movies that don’t receive any kind of distribution? Or does cracking that 2% barrier keep one firmly placed on the good side of the stat? The answer, like just about everything else in this industry, lies somewhere in the gray between.

As Benjamin Disraeli said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Let us not allow stacked odds to dissuade, but rather motivate. Those in the statistical minority are the exceptions, and my goal in life is to be exceptional. Who’s with me?

Soap Athetic #6

2009-06-07T09:37:00.001-05:00

The sixth installment of Soap Athetic is up on YouTube. A project that began as something I thought we’d carry through for months or years is now nearing its end… at least on Numa Network. Online release was the original intention of the show, but as I wrote it, I decided to turn the script into a pilot. I wrote 7 segments that could stand alone online, but put together, would stand as a half-hour sitcom pilot.

I’m happy with the finished product and am certainly not giving up on the prospect of doing this or a similar show for a more substantial entity than YouTube. But honestly, I’m ready for the Numa run to be over. More on that later…

Soap Athetic Episode 6

Soap Athetic #5

2009-06-01T08:47:00.001-05:00

My favorite ‘episode’ thus far is now online. The face Nick’s dad (Gary Keast) makes is absolutely hilarious! Then at the end of the episode, I use my old standby matte technique to get Keri on screen talking to herself. That last scene we shot late Tuesday night. Nothing like squeezing things in at the last minute. ;)

Soap Athetic Episode 5

Procrastination

2009-05-27T22:14:00.001-05:00

“It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well.” – Rene Descartes

Watching the Twins tonight I am, for the first time, experiencing the ridiculously slow-paced East World hurler, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Everything he does is in slow motion. Pitch the ball! Would ya?

Watching the Boston Beaner gets me wondering if God is a frustrated spectator pleading to me to stop pacing around the mound, flipping the rosin bag, and shaking off my catcher in favor of actually doing what I’m supposed to do. Flawed metaphor and discrepant personification of my creator aside, I do think it’s time to pitch.

I just don’t know where to pitch. My recent efforts to attract attention from LA agents and managers have proved fruitless. Reading quotes from a couple agents in Chad Gervich’s excellent book, Small Screen, Big Picture, I am no longer surprised by the wallish reception to my cordial outreach. Essentially, those poled for the book acknowledged that querying agents or managers is a waste of time. The consensus recommendation is to simply let your work speak for itself.

So I will continue to work. We continue to exercise our minds, but as Mr. Descartes eloquently coined nearly 400 years ago, building our minds up does little unless we apply that knowledge.

The path to success in this vainglorious club is nebulous. The only thing of which I am sure is that it takes hard work and a consistent counterstrike to the attacks of the procrastination enemy. No more lingering on the mound - one way or another I need to hurl some pitches up there and see if I strike out or hit a homerun.

And there… the metaphor officially fizzled.

Soap Athetic #4

2009-05-24T20:16:00.001-05:00

Episode 4 is online now. Keri did a phenomenal job with the delivery of the ridiculous soap opera dialogue. She did it all straight faced in spite of her always giggling scene partner. ;)

Soap Athetic Episode 4

Twister

2009-05-20T09:35:00.001-05:00

“A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission and the babysitter were worth it.” – Alfred Hitchcock

So what makes a movie great? Critical acclaim? Box office success? Oscars and Globes? Great being an arbitrary term, a consensus definition cannot exist. I’ve seen very few of what I would call great movies – Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and Jaws among them (see a pattern?) – but I’ve enjoyed a lot of flicks. Ironically, many of my favorite movies are, admittedly, not great movies.

Take my second all-time favorite, Twister. Sub-par acting, plot holes, continuity errors littered throughout, yet I watch it at least once a year at the arrival of storm season. I love it. The aerial shots of the expansive plains, rumbles of thunder in the rear channels of the soundtrack, Mark Mancina’s brilliant score, and flying cows – does it get any better?

For many, yes, it gets much better. I know I’m in the minority for regarding the movie as highly as I do. But that’s what makes movies such an important part of our culture. Just as everyone favors a particular brand of toothpaste or shoes or ice cream, we all have our unique tastes in movies.

Our goal in making movies should be to make the finished product as appealing to the masses as possible. Filmmaking is a business, and Hollywood has enough renegades throwing money away in pursuit of near-sighted art. I’ll settle for making commercially successful movies that allow me to bring home bread for my family.

Is this the way to go about making great movies? It all depends on your personal definition of greatness. 2008’s Academy Award winning Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire, ranked #16 in last year’s top grossing movies (according to Box Office Mojo). Fellow nominee, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, ranked #20. Next? The Reader at #82.

Hollywood seemingly lives now by the dichotomy that prohibits a movie from being a financial success simultaneously while being an Academy success. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Titanic are certainly two significant exceptions of the past fifteen years, but more and more the list of Best Picture nominees is filled with lengthy yawners I watch out of obligation rather than desire.

Maybe that’s why I haven’t made it yet. My preference for Twister over The English Patient could be my doom. I hope not, because I think there’s room for both kinds of movies. And sometimes, both movies come together into one. Maybe one day I’ll be a part of a Titanic or Lord of the Rings.

Soap Athetic #3

2009-05-16T08:59:00.000-05:00

Part 3 of the 7 part series is available online now. Check it out and if you have a YouTube account, please rate it and favorite it and leave a comment or two.

I put up a short gag reel from the episode, too. Aaron and especially Meisha had a tough time getting through the silly setup without giggling. It plays funny in the episode, but it was even funnier the night we taped it simply because it was an awkward setup with Aaron getting right into Meisha’s face. Remember the closer-talker episode of Seinfeld? It was kind of like that. ;)

Soap Athetic Episode 3

Soap Athetic #2

2009-05-09T07:15:00.000-05:00

Episode 2 of my mock soap opera is online now at Numa Network. Hard to believe for a 3 minute episode it took us three nights of shooting. Of course, we were picking up footage for other episodes at the same time. Thankfully the cast and crew were phenomenal throughout!

Soap Athetic Episode 2

Identity

2009-05-06T09:20:00.001-05:00

“I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” – Lily Tomlin

At an audition the other day I was asked what kind of character I saw myself playing. The question caught me off guard. I answered as honestly as I could by saying I view myself as a chameleon. The response was, “so you see yourself as a character actor?”

Character actor seems like a redundant term, doesn’t it? Isn’t all [good] acting character acting? I do my best to make sure I’m not myself in every role I play. Given the opportunity, I truly believe I could convincingly play any role set before me.

That’s not to say I could be Danny Ocean the same way George Clooney was; I’m not tall, dark, and ridiculously handsome like he is. Nor do I think I could pull off Steve Buscemi’s Fargo role for the opposite reasons. Poor Mr. Buscemi is my go to name when I describe my physical appearance as ‘somewhere between Brad Pitt and Steve Buscemi.’

You know what, though? I don’t think Mr. Buscemi would mind. He’s made an excellent career for himself. How? By being comfortable in his own skin and accepting his niche in Hollywood. Oh, and he’s good.

If we have any hope of becoming professional actors, we have to know our own identity. And we have to be accurate. In her book, How to Sell Yourself as an Actor, K Callan offers the following story from a New York talent agent:

“I had a funny looking lady come in, mid-30s, chubby, not very pretty. For all I know, this woman could be brilliant. I asked her what roles she could play; what she thought she should get. She saw herself playing Sandra Bullock’s roles. Meg Ryan’s roles.

“I could have been potentially interested in this woman in the areas in which she would work. But it was a turn-off because, not only do I know that she’s not going after the right things, so she’s not preparing correctly, but she’s not going to be happy with the kinds of things I’m going to be able to do for her. So I wouldn’t want to commit to that person.”

Know yourself. If you don’t know yourself, ask unbiased outsiders. Find out who you compare to in Hollywood. If you look like Kathy Bates, don’t fool yourself into believing you’re going to play the romantic lead in Transformers 3.

Just be yourself. That’s what Hollywood needs.

Soap Athetic

2009-05-02T07:51:00.001-05:00

One of my latest projects is now online at my Internet channel, Numa Network. Episode 1 was released May 1, with subsequent episodes being released every Friday at 7 Central for the next several weeks. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Soap Athetic Episode 1

William Morris and Endeavor Merge

2009-04-27T22:31:00.001-05:00

Two of the biggest talent agencies in the world have joined forces to form the William Morris Endeavor Agency. This merger has little if any impact on an outsider like me, but this is big Hollywood news. Read it about it here.

My only experiences with the formerly separate agencies were a query to William Morris a couple years ago and a brief series of phone calls discussing one of Endeavor’s talents who I was trying to attract to a project. Both agencies were cordial in there rejections. ;)

RWR 4

2009-04-23T19:31:00.001-05:00

Random Writers Resource

Creative Screenwriting recently offered a PDF listing 50+ producers and agents who openly accept queries. Cost is $19.95. Might be a good investment if it opens the right door. Click the pic below for details.

Ideas

2009-04-19T23:00:00.001-05:00

“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” – Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899

In his column in the January/February 2009 issue of Creative Screenwriting, Karl Iglesias offers a list of screenwriting resolutions. I already follow several of his suggestions – Experiment in a new genre, Eat less junk food and exercise regularly, Never stop learning, Develop new relationships – but one very tangible goal that I’d like to adopt, even though I’m already behind by 3 months, is to develop a new script idea every week of the year. That’s right, Mr. Iglesias suggests 52 new script ideas in 2009.

That’s a lot. In my lifetime I’ll be lucky to write a total of 52 screenplays, so why bother trying to drum up a new idea every week? There’s no way I’ll be able to turn more than four dozen concepts into feature length stories before some of the concepts lose their timeliness. I think that’s one of the benefits of Mr. Iglesias’ suggestion.

For every great screenplay idea I have (no, really, I’ve had a few) I have many, many sub-par ideas. In some cases the concept itself is unimaginative, while other times there simply isn’t enough meat there to cook a worthy stew. So playing the percentages I’m bound to come up with at least a few ideas worthy of the transformation from concept to 100 page masterpiece.

It’s easy (and dangerous) to believe, similarly to Charles H. Duell, that every great movie idea has already been thought of by someone else. It’s commonly suggested that only seven basic plots exist, so the trick is to choose one of the seven and tell it in a new way.

You never know where the inspiration for that new great story will come from – newspaper, magazine, book, mall, highway, backyard – so it’s best to be prepared and always looking to turn even a simple occurrence into a scene, character, or entire plot. My problem is I don’t carry a tape recorder or notepad around with me, but I’m considering one or the other. I’d hate to forget my idea about dinosaurs created genetically and placed on an island amusement park. I think that idea could have some legs.

Prepare

2009-04-14T21:38:00.001-05:00

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde

The story of new filmmaker Jacob Medjuck and his first self-produced feature, Summerhood, was featured in the January/February 2009 issue of Creative Screenwriting magazine. Mr. Medjuck’s story is both inspiring and cautionary.

After a 30 day shoot for a movie funded by 44 private investors, Mr. Medjuck claims the first cut of Summerhood was as long as “all three Godfather films put together.” Obvious exaggeration aside, his shooting script was a lengthy 130 pages, not a single word of which was offered for the investors’ approval.

The auteur laments of his herculean task in post-production of rewriting the movie, something he advises others to do at the appropriate time of pre-production. The story and ending changed in post along with the dismissing of two central characters which he had to digitally remove from several scenes.

My post-production for Horror House lasted much longer than I anticipated or wanted to tolerate. The major setbacks were due to technology, the troubleshooting for which I have little to no patience. I can’t imagine going through what Mr. Medjuck went through in digitally removing characters and changing the entire movie in post. Horror House, for all its imperfections, is at least a coherent story with no irrelevant scenes. Of course there are scenes I’d change a bit if I could – a result of my obsessive self-loathing perfectionism – but outside of one tiny scene I dropped in editing, the finished movie is the movie we shot. Preparation saved us from extraneous production which saved us money.

Horror House worked on the whole because we took the time to write and rewrite the screenplay a number of times. But… it should have been rewritten again. Nothing too significant, but the differences between a good movie and a great movie are rarely major.

The best place to start addressing those minor tweaks and adjustments is in the screenwriting phase where a delete key can be the needed messiah for your movie. Why mediocre screenplays are continually made into bad movies is beyond me.

Just to be clear, I am not claiming Horror House would have been a great movie with one or more rewrites of the screenplay. It could have been better than it is, but greatness was pretty much out of our reach. We simply lacked the budget, equipment, and resources to achieve the level for which I ultimately aspire. Then again, I hate excuses…

RWR 3

2009-04-08T22:01:00.001-05:00

Random Writers Resource 3

Boy, if you’re able to attend this free screenwriting event, you definitely should! Click on the picture for details. If you go, take notes and share them with me!

Q1

2009-04-02T20:31:00.001-05:00

“Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.” – Sir Winston Churchill

2009, thus far the most important year of my journey, is already one quarter through. I don’t feel any closer today to my goal than I did three months ago, but validating Mr. Churchill’s claim, I have taken many fruitful steps – I updated my demo reel, updated my resume, sent a dozen or so queries, assisted in the launching of two new programs on my Internet channel, read a few wonderful books, listened to a number of excellent podcasts, connected with a few more industry folk, and put on a few more pounds of muscle. No really, it’s muscle. I swear.

I just started a new screenplay and I am in production of my new mock soap opera pilot which I will send out and release in short increments online. In the coming weeks I hope to form a new group for Twin Cities screenwriters, and I have already talked with an actor friend about forming a support group for those of us in the community who are serious about making a career in the film business.

I’ve been approached by a few people looking at getting into the acting industry and offered as much advice as I was able. And I started this blog hoping to assist others in the same boat.

Will any of my first quarter efforts draw me to my goal for this year? It’s impossible to say at this point, but the destination matters only as much as the quality of the journey.

Self

2009-03-31T19:26:00.001-05:00

“If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence you have won even before you have started.” – Marcus Garvey

Perhaps the one consistent trait of those with successful careers in Hollywood is that of confidence. They’re not all beautiful. They’re not all funny. They’re not all brilliant (shock of the year). But they all believe in themselves. Those that don’t fizzle away.

So those of you joining me on a similar journey, do you believe in yourself? Do you really think you have what it takes to ‘make it?’

“Well, sure, I know I’ve got the talent to make it, but I don’t have the connections…”

“I’ve written a better script than any movie I’ve seen lately, but nobody will ever read it…”

“Of course I’m just as good as anyone else in Hollywood, but I don’t have the money to get off the ground with classes and training and blah blah blah…”

Having confidence in self means believing not only in your talent, but in your ability to overcome obstacles. This was a personal mental hurdle for many years. Still is at times. Let’s face it, nobody is at the top of their game 24/7/365.

But if your self-confidence is shaky, save yourself from the inevitable struggles and heartbreak tagging along on the journey. Or better yet, address your self-confidence issues. See a counselor. Take a class. Read a book. Might I suggest “The Dream Giver”, by Bruce Wilkinson… or “The Encore Effect” by Mark Sanborn…or “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey (I have yet to read this one, but I’ve heard great things about it)

If you haven’t already done so, prepare yourself mentally for a career path that is as competitive as any. Whether acting, writing, directing, producing, or anything else in the entertainment industry, rejection is the only guarantee.

Luckily for me, I’ve had plenty of practice handling rejection…

Timing

2009-03-29T08:18:00.001-05:00

“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.” – Benjamin Franklin

When Justin Morneau goes through a slump at the plate, inevitably, one of the expert commentators will suggest, “His timing is off.” A quarterback comes back from an injury and misses a few receivers in the first quarter, so the QB-become-analyst offers, “His timing seems to be off.”

You’ve got all the talent in the world as a writer/actor/director/producer/juggler, but you still can’t land an agent. Maybe your timing is off.

In an earlier entry I mentioned K Callan’s recommendation to avoid submitting yourself for LA agency representation during pilot season. In his book, An Agent Tells All, Tony Martinez qualifies Ms. Callan’s claim and adds that the holiday season is an awful time to submit as well. Mr. Martinez (a Hollywood agent himself) lists May, June, and July as the best months to submit.

If you’re reading this in August, does that mean you should wait 9 months? Of course not. I still think the best time to submit yourself for representation is yesterday. The odds may be better in the summer, but Mr. Martinez reminds us that agents are “always searching for talent. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. 52 weeks a year. It’s the one part of our job that we never put on hold.”

Just remember, if we’re not hearing back from agents, it may just be bad timing. Either that or we suck.

Approach

2009-03-23T15:21:00.001-05:00

“For myself I am an optimist – it does not seem to be much use being anything else.” – Sir Winston Churchill

Any scratch golfer can tell you a round can be made or lost with your approach shot. Yet many duffers like me spend most of their range time trying to knock the core out of the diminutive dimpled demon. Interestingly, the difference between a 240 and 280 yard drive is generally frivolous for a skilled iron player. Instead of trying to flex my muscles with monstrous drives, I would be better advised to learn how my 5-iron works.

Just like the wickedness that is golf, the even more impossible Hollywood game can be won or lost by the player’s approach. While many coaches have offered guidance in appropriate approaches for aspiring writers or actors or models, the multi-hyphenate approach is still somewhat fleeting. I’m certainly no pioneer in trying to pitch my eclectic self to Hollywood, but as far as I know, I may be one of the few documenting my successes or lack there of. So far, the latter has the better handicap than the former.

My first rounds of querying back a couple years involved blanketing every agency accepting screenplay queries. I exhausted a couple calling cards making telephone contact first, then many rolls of stamps mailing what I thought was a good pitch for a very marketable screenplay. I still believe in the pitch and I still believe in the screenplay. It’s the approach I question.

This time around, I’m spending a good amount of time researching each company before I send them my query. At 3 or 4 queries a week, I’m certainly not launching a mass attack, but instead focusing on specific targets of which I have an understanding of their philosophies and place in the market.

Will this approach work? The optimist in me says yes. Too bad the pessimist has the final say on these dreary, rainy days. But, as Mr. Churchill stated, there’s no use in being anything other than an optimist. Looking more closely at the glass, it does indeed look a little fuller than before it did.

Act

2009-03-22T11:22:00.001-05:00

“If you want to be an actor, act. It’s really simple. The more you act, the better you get. Go to classes. Go to workshops. Act more hours of the day than not. Act for free. And if you’re lucky, every once in a while, you’ll get paid.” – Richard Dreyfuss

My wife has the luxury of living with someone who morphs in and out of characters all day long. She’s thrilled by my perpetual meanderings into psyches as varied as Baskin Robbins’ menu. Um, yeah.

Inevitably, after watching a movie together, I will brush my teeth that night as the most memorable character from the picture show. My recent favorites are Rowan Atkinson’s Bean, googly-eyed Ben from Lost, and the always reliable Hannibal Lector. Granted, this is more mimicry than acting, but it serves a purpose. I’m practicing acting. And annoying my wife. It’s a double-edged sword, but I have lots of bandages.

Mr. Dreyfuss’s advice is simple and true. Many self-proclaimed future stars seem to think they can just walk on a set and make movie magic. Did Michael Jordan just walk on a basketball court and make basketball magic? Did Joe Montana just walk onto a football field and make football magic? Did Harry Potter just walk into Hogwarts Academy and make magic magic? Well, maybe he did… I haven’t read or seen any of his work.

Point is, to be good, you have to work at it. No matter what ‘it’ is, you have to practice. Practice doesn’t make perfect (despite the old saying), but it gets you a heck of a lot closer than you’d get without it.

If you’re just starting out as an actor, find a way to practice your craft. Take classes. Study literature on the craft of acting. Audition for student films. Start connecting with others that share similar interests and maybe start a scene study group with them.

Just act. But be careful who you annoy along the way. My wife is awfully tolerant, but sometimes a mirror is the best audience. Yeah, I do that, too. Don’t tell.

Pilot

2009-03-17T12:18:00.001-05:00

“We must use time as a tool, not as a crutch.” – John F. Kennedy

K Callan points out that pilot season is perhaps the worst time to approach talent agents in Hollywood. Most agents are too busy trying to sell their current clients and the last thing they have time to do is search through new headshots.

Pilot season generally runs from January through May, though this trend is evolving with the advent of new media and midseason program releases. Historically, agents have been most approachable in the downtime of the summer months.

Ms. Callan further advises prospective clients to avoid calling before noon as most agents spend their mornings reading ‘The Breakdown’ and submitting their already established clients’ pictures and resumes. This is getting rather nitpicky, but agents are looking for reasons to say no to prospective clients. Seems logical to minimize the potential red flags by following the advice given in Ms. Callan’s excellent The Los Angeles Agent Book.

I’ve had actor friends and acquaintances scurry off to LA in time for pilot season, but timing the departure around this often fabled time in Hollywood is probably more detrimental than beneficial. If I’m wrong, let me know!

The Los Angeles Agent Book by K Callan

2009-03-14T14:11:00.013-05:00

A must read for any out-of-town actor considering a move to LA. Ms. Callan, a working actor for more than 40 years (check her out on IMDb), interviewed a number of talent agents for this book, one of five guides she has written about the film industry.

Just about everything you need to know about finding and keeping a talent agent is included in The Los Angeles Agent Book. How to submit, what to submit, when to submit – it’s all here straight from the horses’ mouths. She even breaks down the geography of Los Angeles giving us aliens a head start on faking our way around. Having been to LA only a handful of times, I’m still trying to keep the 10, the 110, and the 101 straight. What’s with the binary highway numbering?

I can’t say enough good things about Ms. Callan’s book. Some of the information was a little redundant, but there is too much vital information for the aspiring actor venturing west to overlook this book. Look for it at your library, or grab it from Amazon.

As of today, there is one 3-star rating at Amazon. Don’t let that sway you. The book is 5-star, hands down.

How to Sell Yourself as an Actor” is the next book of hers I plan to read. If you’ve read it already, drop a note here and let us know how it was. Oh, and please don’t tell the Hollywood agents I called them horses. I didn’t mean it that way.

RWR 2

2009-03-12T19:12:00.004-05:00

Random Writer's Resource 2

CS Weekly

Published by Creative Screenwriting magazine, this e-mail newsletter contains more than enough distractions for the truly procrastinating writer. The news, interviews, and reviews are all useful for screenwriters at any level. For free, you can’t go wrong.

Hyphenate

2009-03-10T22:04:00.001-05:00

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sun-dial in the shade?” – Benjamin Franklin

The Hollywood buzzword for industry folks who are more than just actors or directors or writers is hyphenate. I’m seeing in more and more books and articles the recommendation from Hollywood insiders is to establish yourself as a hyphenate before expecting to garner much attention from Tinsel Town. Good or bad, the ability to make yourself a hyphenate is getting easier and easier.

Many claim to be several, if not all, of the following: writer, director, producer, editor, puppeteer, dentist, lawyer, Olympian. With digital-video-making being as cheap as it is and YouTube being as accessible as it is, anybody anywhere can write, direct, produce and distribute as much crap as they want.

So is it a good idea? I’m not of authority to say. I do think it’s best to avoid as much as possible dropping turds all over the Internet. (Ah, poetic euphemisms…) Make good stuff. Put it out there. See what happens. Then when you sell that screenplay of yours that you, and only you, can direct, Hollywood may actually trust you to do so.

Produce

2009-03-06T20:08:00.002-06:00

“When one door closes, another door opens. But we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell

It’s hard to beat fresh raspberries picked right off the bush or broccoli just snapped off the stalk. I was spoiled as a kid with succulent, fresh produce all summer long. Of course, this entry’s title is more relevant with a second syllable emphasis.

Frustrated by the seemingly impenetrable shell that protects Hollywood from newbie screenwriters, I figured I may as well produce a movie myself. That way, I could list ‘produced screenwriter’ on my resume. The motivation, of course, went well beyond resume boosting. Truth is, I just want to make movies, and if Hollywood isn’t interested in seeing what I have to offer on the page, maybe I can get them to notice something on the screen.

My research in independent filmmaking made it clear the easiest sell for a neophyte producer is horror. The foreign markets eat up American scare fare. Had I avoided a few key mistakes, I think Horror House could have made a bigger dent in the domestic and foreign markets. I’ll explore those mistakes in upcoming entries.

As it is, I’m proud of my first self-produced feature. Creating a movie and seeing it through to its completion is an accomplishment of which few can boast. And I think it was a necessary experience in my growth as a Hollywood contender.

Reflections on the entire production process can be found in my Horror House movie blog. Shooting the movie was an incredible experience with an incredible cast and crew, and I hope to emulate that adventure again and again.

You can buy Horror House here, or via a forthcoming link in one of the sidebars of this site.

It

2009-03-02T09:29:00.001-06:00

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemingway

When Rima Greer talks, I listen. She’s been agenting longer than I’ve been driving. In 25 years she has yet to sign a screenwriter who wasn’t referred to her by an industry professional. Gulp.

Without an insider’s track, it is essential to be extra cognizant of the traits for which literary agents are looking. As mentioned last entry, being good is first and foremost, but it’s not enough.

According to Ms. Greer, 99.9% of the time, a writer is hired because he or she is good in a room, not necessarily because he or she is compellingly better than the other writers up for the job. You have to be good, of course, but if you reach the stage of potential employment as a scriptwriter, it’s already understood you’re good. So you’d better be charming. You better listen well. You’d better have charisma (a word that will come up in future entries).

You also need to understand people and situations. As The Gambler himself stated, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em; know when to fold ‘em; know when to walk away; and know when to run.” Put another way, you need to know when to talk and when to shut up. I know, I know – I’m working on that one. I’m working on all the intangibles.

Truth is, I think I meet the requirements outlined by Ms. Greer. If I didn’t think this way, I’d be wasting a lot time, effort, and money, not to mention jeopardizing my future and my family’s financial security. Like so many others, I’m just waiting for that one phone call, that one connection, that one moment when the stars align and the carrot is finally mine. Waiting? No, pursuing.

In my three or so years of off-and-on querying, only three times has a full screenplay of mine been requested, leaving my batting average right around .023. One request led to an option and another led to a dialog back and forth with a couple rewrites in between before both sides mutually agreed our directions for the project were out of sync. By those statistics, I’m actually batting quite well.

But I’ve sent out over a hundred letters, made close to as many phone calls, and sent seven singing telegrams. Okay, no telegrams. Good thing, too, because Ms. Greer makes it clear that nobody in Hollywood appreciates gimmicks or brownnosing. Ass-kissing? Totally different story.

And I’ll keep sending queries, keep making phone calls, maybe make a trip or two to LA in the coming months. All for a chance to prove to somebody that I have it.

But who am I to think I’ve got it? I don’t know. But if I harbor any doubt, then I don’t have what it takes to survive in Hollywood. Bring on the sharks!

22

2009-03-02T09:23:00.001-06:00

“Looking for [new] clients is the last thing [literary] agents do… So, how the hell do you get an agent if none of us are remotely interested in taking the time to find you in the first place? I don’t know. Really, I don’t.” – Literary Agent, Rima Greer, from her book, The Real, Low Down, Dirty Truth About Hollywood Agenting

Ms. Greer goes on to say she’s never signed a client from a query letter. Great news for someone trying to break in as a screenwriter, huh? Luckily, Ms. Greer does know a few agents who have signed querying writers. In the words of the immortal Lloyd Christmas, “So you’re saying there’s a chance…”

In an industry built on Catch-22s, this one frustrates me as much as any: You can’t sell a screenplay without an agent, and you can’t get an agent until you sell a screenplay. Of course, the ‘can’ts’ are used for effect and are too absolute for unreserved validity. But I would guess this Catch-22 is at least 99% true.

I’ve read from more than one source, “if it was an easy business, everyone would be doing it.” There’s a good reason Hollywood doesn’t invite every Dom, Rick, and Larry to write her movies – most people aren’t any good at it. I’ve read a lot of bad scripts. A lot. (Quick note… yes, ‘a lot’ is a phrase, not a word. There is no ‘alot’ in the dictionary. Before writing a screenplay, please study the English language. Just a little. But I digress.)

My first drafts are bad. My second drafts are bad. Finally, by the third, fourth, and fifth drafts, my screenplays are starting to take shape. It’s a long, tedious process to give birth to a quality screenplay. I’m still tweaking stories I started five or more years ago. Why so many wannabe screenwriters are delusional enough to think they are above the laws of writing is a perplexity I’ll never solve.

Of course, a bad story is a bad story no matter how many times you rewrite it. Appropriately, Rima Greer’s first suggestion to aspiring screenwriters is to be good. She doesn’t say as much, but I would aver that goodness starts at conception (on so many levels, right?). The development of the idea, the molding of the characters, the execution of functional, succinct dialogue – all facets must come together to form a recognizable pattern while being completely original. Huh? Yeah, that’s another Catch-22: Hollywood is looking for proven entities that are completely original. And I’m looking for lettuce that tastes like ice cream.

More soon from Ms. Greer’s wonderful book.

RWR 1

2009-02-27T19:35:00.003-06:00

Following in the footsteps of RAR, RWR is a Random Waffle Resource, although waffle is actually a reference to writer. Maybe I should just call this Random Writer's Resource then. Hmm.

Interviews from StoryEdge.com

Though there are only eight interviews here, each is packed with valuable insight for budding screenwriters. Read what agents look for in a screenplay, or, just as important, what they look for in a query letter. The StoryEdge website is a screenplay consultation service. I have no affiliation with the company so I can’t vouch for their services, but if anyone has ever worked with the company, please do share your experience with the rest of us!

RAR 1

2009-02-26T18:16:00.022-06:00

Here begins a new recurring entry theme, RAR, Random Actor's Resource. It's not a resource for random actors, but rather a random resource for actors. Just wanted to make that clear.

Tony Martinez book reviews at Amazon.com

The auther of one of the better books I've read recently, An Agent Tells All, shares succinct reviews of four books, none of which I've read, but since Mr. Martinez recommends them, I soon will. If you beat me to any of them, please share your thoughts!

Expansion

2009-02-25T14:07:00.007-06:00

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." -- Colin Powell

If Mr. Powell's words are true, then my success is imminent. If nothing else, I've had bounteous opportunities to learn from failures. Fantasy Football drafts aside, I've made plenty of mistakes on my path to Hollywood. More on those later.

Had my story unfolded according to the dreams that were overtaking me circa high school, mine would already be a household name, for better or for worse. I was going to be a successful working actor with a part-time residence in Pasadena or Beverly Hills or Malibu. I didn't know when, but it would happen before the gray age of thirty. Right?

Wrong. At the rate I was going, it was going to happen never. Sure, I was being cast in a decent amount of productions, and when I wasn't cast, I was at least being called back. I was getting to know the casting directors in town; they seemed to like me. Acting colleagues were becoming friends and the support system was growing.

I'm embarrassed to admit it was only five or six years back that I realized Hollywood wasn't going to come knock on my door in demand of my acting services. So I figured I'd learn screenwriting. I'd write parts for myself, sell the scripts to Hollywood, and then they'd finally seek out my acting favor.

Problem is, I sucked at it. I've since learned that everyone does at first, so that's at least meager vindication. The formatting came easily. Not much rocket surgery in that. But what about all that jargon of character arc, structure, protagonist, antagonist, inciting incident? Isn't screenwriting just storytelling?

Years later I can answer that question with an irrefutable yes. And no. Great storytelling adheres to myriad rules, the knowing of which is a prerequisite to any desired breakage. I'm still learning when to break and when to take, and I'm still frustrated by paint-by-numbers movies that follow, unashamed, the exact formula that makes too many movies irritatingly predictable. Maid of Honor, anyone?

So that's my big screenwriting dilemma. Do I follow the rules to prove I know them? Or do I break the rules to prove I'm original? Or, am I only proving I'm confused by the whole screenplay business? After all, I'm trying to sell material to the same folks who green lit [insert awful movies here -- I would, but I may want to work for the producers].

At least I've got another iron in the fire.

Action

2009-02-24T08:25:00.010-06:00

"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Talk is cheap. It usually serves as a replacement for achievement. Over the years I've found the bigger the talk, the smaller the walk. In so many arenas.

For the purpose of this blog, the talk/walk relationship will be narrowed to the entertainment industry, and specifically for this entry, my place within it. I've talked enough - time to walk through the last several years of this journey.

Acting is and always will be my first love in this industry. I don't recall a cathartic moment when the venom of the acting bug really took hold inside of me, but I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't want to act forever. Well, until junior high school I probably wanted to be a professional football player, but what growing boy doesn't share that first dream?

Growing up in a small Minnesota town hours from any metro area, the opportunities to act were as plentiful as heat waves in January. Sure, I did plays at school and church, but I wanted to be on Family Ties. I made one or two trips to Minneapolis, auditioned for a Pop Tarts commercial or two, met with a talent agent, and duped myself into believing I was on my way. Aside from the support of one dear friend and her family, I was on an island.

So I went to college as a computer science major. A career in the computer field seemed just a bit more realistic than a starring role on the next Cheers spinoff. When I realized companionship from a blinking cursor was no match for human amity, I grabbed onto a business major. For a semester. But I couldn't fight the urge any longer, so I joined the theater department, officially ending any chance I had of later trying to walk-on to the football team. I was now a theater dork. For less than a semester.

Practicality again trumped happiness, and I made my last Major change to Elementary Education. The promise of indissoluble job opportunities for a male elementary teacher was too sensible to pass up. I scratched my athletics itch by walking onto the track team and getting coaching endorsements while tearing up the intramural fields and courts. I was finally content. I would become a teacher for a few years, then work my way up the coaching ranks. Acting? It felt good to finally squelch that childish dream.

After a year or two of filling the crater with boulders, the volcano hadn't gone dormant, but had actually pressurized. Either the volcano would blow, or I would.

I was now teaching in the Twin Cities area where exists abundant opportunities to get on stage or in front of a camera. On a whim, I went to an audition for an independent feature. Two callbacks later and some ridiculous compliments from the woman director (I look like James Dean in certain lighting? Really?), I didn't get the part. But finishing runner up for my first real audition wasn't too bad, I reasoned, so I looked into classes and found an agent.

Fast forward seven or so years and I've acted in about 50 movies, shorts, commercials, and industrials. I've made a little money along the way, met a bunch of wonderful people, and learned a lot about myself. But overall I am still dispirited with my career progression. The dominant forces in Hollywood are generally getting younger and younger. Look at the biggest stars out there right now. Many of them aren't even old enough to vote! Here I am, on the downhill side of 30, still trying to reach a level of success that can at least buy groceries on a consistent basis.

So, just in case the acting gig doesn't reach a desired culmination, I've thrown some other irons into the fire. But I think I may have reached the sensible entry limit for today, so I'll expound upon said irons later. Oh joy.

List 2 -- Online Resources

2009-02-20T16:55:00.003-06:00

John August.com
One of the Hollywood screenwriters to whom I most look up. Not only is he the writer of one of my favorite movies, Big Fish, but he shares openly with all of us 'not-quite-Hollywood-yet' screenwriters.

The Artful Writer
The blog of Ted Elliot and Craig Mazin. Mr. Elliot has an impressive resume, including a co-writing credit on a little trilogy of movies called Pirates of the Caribbean. Mr. Mazin is a writer and producer in the Scary Movie series, among others.

Ken Levine's blog
Emmy award winning television producer, writer, and director who's credits include some little shows called MASH, Cheers, The Simpsons, and many more.

On the Page
Hollywood script consultant, Pilar Alessandra hosts my favorite podcast. Find it on her website or search iTunes for 'On the Page'.

Film Specific
Stacy Parks, author of The Insider's Guide to Independent Film Distribution, featured in my book list a few entries back, formed this community that boasts a wealth of knowledge for independent moviemakers.

This is just the start to a list of links that will find itself, sans descriptions, embedded in the sidebars of this blog. As you can see, there are plenty of industry people out there blogging who have just a wee bit more credentials than I.

So I guess this is good-bye. Sniff.

Oh, I must have something unique to offer. Shame? Humility? Delusional visions of grandeur? Well, as I mentioned last post, I have yet to find a blog from an actor/writer/director/producer. And even if such a blog exists, the author does not live in Minnesota. I would know him or her if he or she did. I think.

So for now this niche is all mine. And if you've got a niche, scratch it.

Direction

2009-02-17T23:19:00.007-06:00

"I've got to keep breathing. It'll be my worst business mistake if I don't." -- Steve Martin

Steve Martin. Few are worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as the brilliant comedian, actor, writer, producer, director, genius. One of my favorite works of his is the 1998 publication, Pure Drivel. Irreverent and trivial with no cohesion, it is as funny and smart as anything I've read.

If Mr. Martin's collection of hilarious commentaries really is drivel, then no word exists to define the vast majority of blogs floating in the World Wide Interweb dot com net. Truth be told, I have no evidence to support my claim that most blogs are as important as a toothbrush user's guide. My small sampling of the blogosphere is no proxy for Mr. Gallup or Mr. Nielson (George and Arthur, respectively, for those trivia hounds out there). Just call it a hunch.

So how do I keep this blog from dropping into obscurity? More accurately, how do I guide my blog out of obscurity? Today, in true Hollywood wannabe fashion, I spent an inexcusable amount of time trying to make my blog prettier. I got my blog registered with the search engines, and I learned a decent amount of HTML, XHTML, CSS, XML, and SOL along the way.

Time well spent I'm sure. The reality is, no matter the cosmetics of a blog, it's the content that brings people back. I was lucky enough to find a handful of blogs that could prove useful to you, dear reader, and me, dear writer. Interestingly, I think we're the same person. Anyway... I'll share useful links in an upcoming entry, thereby eliminating any need to come back and visit this blog. Sniff.

Except for the one or two things that make my blog unique. In my tepid blogosearch, I came across some excellent screenwriting sites, but few good acting, producing, or directing blogs, let alone any blogs that encompass all those facets of the movie industry. So my first claim to sui generis (God bless you, Thesaurus) is that I consider myself a legitimate actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. Legitimate, of course, is the arguable term, but give me time.

So my basic direction for this blog is to be a one-stop shop for all other aspiring (or legitimate [insert smiley face]) quadruple threats. Until Clint Eastwood, Woody Allen, or Steve Martin start blogging, this may be the only place for us.

And to those who check in to see my progress out of interest, pity, or self re-affirmation - God bless you all. I'll still update a bunch.

Opus

2009-02-16T20:12:00.003-06:00

"Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths theater." -- Gail Godwin

Last night I finally watched, thirteen years after its theatrical release, Mr. Holland's Opus. Really a fantastic movie. I can add the Richard Dreyfuss triumph to my short list of movies that made me cry. Here was a man (forget he was factitious) who dreamed of conducting a symphony performing his own composition but wound up falling back on his teaching degree to support his family. His dream took a backseat to reality, but he touched the lives of many who later applauded his efforts in one of the more touching scenes to grace my 37 inch Panasonic.

I could be Mr. Holland - I have visions of grandeur for my life - I have the teaching degree to fall back on - I'm going to lose my hair.

But I've already fallen back on my teaching degree. In six years as an elementary school teacher, I was the victim of budget cuts three times. Most frustrating for me is that I was an excellent teacher. My connection with my students went well beyond textbooks and answer keys. I found myself invested in developing these young people into upstanding citizens who practiced courtesy, confidence, and integrity. That just wasn't enough to de-throne the tenured statues in adjacent classrooms.

So what happens when your safety net is full of holes? I guess you just work harder on your highwire routine without looking down, without giving up. At this point, I don't even want the safety net. The intimidation of the concrete below shrinks proportionately with each step across the highwire.

Of course, it wouldn't hurt to catch a few falling Benjamins while I'm up here.