Holding the Winning Ticket...

As I was talking with a good friend last night, we were discussing Elle and Jake and the further news that financing was looking good for the latter film and the former was close to sale. He congratulated me, which I never take as gracefully as I should, and compared the situation to holding a winning lottery ticket. I like that analogy, and it seems fitting.

I'm in a position I've heard few writers discuss, so if I wax verbose, bear with me, but maybe it will help someone down the line or, maybe, even inspire someone. After getting hired for a gig for the low-budget production of Elle, at a ridiculously low wage, but it was everyone's first film, so no criticism there, I fulfilled the initial dream. As my manager said, "You give away the first script, you get paid for the rest." More than anything, I wanted to be able to look at a shelf and see the DVD of the movie I had written sitting there. That's not quite happened, yet, but it will and it's close. The big worry, following that production, was, 'Will I get another job?' Fortunately, the same people behind Elle wanted to do a second, and that contract has been signed, the first draft delivered and notes on the way.

The latter film was contracted under WGA low-budget rates, so much of the pay is still deferred, and we'll see how all that goes. Another film is looming for the fall and I still have a script almost ready to pitch in the agents' hands. So, it is like holding the lottery ticket. Not sure about the winning part, yet. But it feels amazing when I take a moment to stop and appreciate the fact that the original dream has come true. I wrote a film that was actually made into something real. It's an awesome responsibility, and there were moments I failed the film as a writer, and I accept that, knowing I'm better at the craft now and that I will say the same thing throughout my (hopefully long) career. You are always better than the script you wrote last. You've learned, honed, practiced. I think Jake will be a lot of fun. I think the next one will be better.

So, after Jake is complete, a weird sort of limbo state enters where I have some rewrite work to do, but no official gigs. It's frightening, because I want to keep doing this - keep creating, keep writing, keep filling the page. And I always will, but it's a lot nicer to be paid for it. The ticket I hold has two outcomes. The first is that the numbers hit, and this movie leads to the next which leads to the next and so on. The other result is that, after this film, the phone doesn't ring. The agents lose faith. And I'm relegated to the day job for the remainder of my days, still writing, and boring people with stories of how I almost made it to the big time.

So Close...

If you're anything like me, there is nothing quite as satisfying as completing a script. It is the pure act of creation, something from nothing. In this case, a first draft had existed prior to this script, but enough substantive changes were made that it feels new. Oh, sure, I can already tell which scenes need to be rewritten, which characters need to be made more consistent, but that's rewriting. As for the initial draft, it's close, so very close.

The thing I dislike about rewriting is the departure from the joy of creation. Fine-tuning is a necessity and has its own rewards, but for sheer creative thrill, I'll go with the first draft every time. I think that's why so manya re resistant to the rewrite. It lacks the charge of seeing a story unfold, for characters to be born. It lacks the surprises when you're rewriting, those moments when a character says or does something you hadn't planned, but that works spectacularly well. Or a scene that never played that well in your head that sings on paper. I love those moments and, for a writer, nothing comes close to delivering the same satisfaction. To paraphrase Homer J., you can try to fill that hole with work, religion and family, but you'll never be as complete a person as when you finish a script.

And, yet, there is work to be done. Poor Jake is stranded in an unfamiliar world and his friends and family are in terrible danger of his insane uncle. Time to get back to them, to get Jake back where he belongs and appropriately punish the villains. After that, a moment's celebration, then rewrites. More about them later. For now, I'm enjoying the creation and anticipating the completion. Those are my favorite parts, and I have to remind myself to savor them.

The Unavoidable Delay

I pride myself on delivery on or ahead of schedule, but, recently, family matters arose that were impossible to avoid. That led to, essentially, four days of lost productivity in the midst of completing a contracted first draft. Fortunately, the producer was forgiving and understanding. That said, a delay can have a greater effect than simply postponing completion.

After an outline is completed, and I swear by outlines and beat sheets, you should know that, the task of breathing life into the script is not so daunting. I know what my characters are doing, and I have a good idea of who they are. But, when taken away from the rhythm of the story, it becomes a more difficult task. All the second-guessing and doubt that accompany a rewrite are suddenly part of the initial draft, and it takes time for the characters to reintroduce themselves to me. Suddenly, my main character, Jake, is less talkative, more stubborn to speak. When he does, it's plain and simple language, different from the colloquial and friendly conversations we had before. If speaking to the characters in off time sounds crazy, you're probably not a writer.

I don't mention this to provide fuel to the procrastinator's fire, however. Deadlines are deadlines and, barring emergencies, must be met. Just because you don't feel like writing doesn't excuse you from writing. We all do lots of things we don't feel like doing. In the words of William Goldman, "Life is pain. Anyone who tells you different is selling something." So, no excuses, get back to writing. Which I have done, myself. Back on schedule, with a delayed completion date, but writing. Just not as easily as I did before.

The moral of this, I hope, is that if you are working and the writing is going well, for the love of all that is cool and awesome, DO NOT STOP. Keep the flow going from day to day. Ignore the fact that it's a weekend, or that there's a great movie coming on. Keep the story moving. You can procrastinate later.

The Benefit of Management

So, a little practical talk today. When I first began writing screenplays, my only thought was how to make a good movie. As I grew, I learned more about the craft of screenwriting and the mechanics of structure, how to make scenes use tension of some sort to propel the action... all the things that make a good script, well, good. What I quickly realized is the difficulty of getting a script you are happy with into the hands of people who can actually make the movie, which is a whole different set of hurdles.

I got lucky with my first produced film, a movie made for very little money, but Elle was received well, and the director wanted to make a second film with me on the script. That's both flattering and potentially profitable for all involved. But, since our first film was behind us, it was time to bring a more professional air to the proceedings and contract discussions have begun. And here is the second arena in which I count myself lucky. I have a management team behind me. It gave me the option of sending the contract to them, a gig that they did not procure, but I'm happy to give them their cut. Why? Because they have the resources and expertise to ensure that the project is a WGA signatory film and that both I and the director have a clear understanding of pay, payment schedule and any penalties levied if I am not compensated appropriately. "You give your first script away," one of my managers said. "Not your second."

There's the vicious Catch-22 of most agents and managers, in that you can't get representation without something produced and you can't get anything produced without representation. Fortunately, the company I signed with was new and willing to take a shot with me. Several rewrites of a script they liked later, and I'm a better writer for the experience. I don't know how common it is to find a team of people who get your work and do everything they can to make it better so we can sell it and all become rich beyond our imaginings. or, at the very least, make a living doing what I love... making movies. No matter, I count myself lucky.

At the end of the day, I value their input and appreciate their services. I can't recommend enough finding someone within the industry to give you pointers and help you with legal matters. There are plenty of hazards in navigating the waters of the film business. It's a whole lot easier with a crew.

Elle Screens, Jake Evolves...

Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale screens today at Cannes, in the sales wing. No competition or anything, but it's there and I couldn't be happier. Now if it would only sell and make a little coin for all of us who worked on it, better yet.

On the other front, the next film for the same director is trucking right along. First act is just about complete after much negotiation on the outline. I find that an outline is the only way to fly. I also use a beat sheet program from Blake Snyder, which helps more with structure. One lesson that every screenwriter should learn is the appropriate use of the three-act structure. the story is, of course, important, but ithout the beats, you might as well be telling your story around a campfire. Even then, you better have some moments to propel the story along.

Although outline-less, I have done the same beat sheet work-up on the next two films I intend to rite, and it's a great way to begin the process of developing, fully, the story while work continues on Jake. I revisit the beat sheet and muse over the ups and downs of the characters, hoping that, when it comes time to write, they speak as they should - clearly and with distinct personality. We'll find out soon enough. The to week deadline on Jake means that the first draft must be done within the next ten days. We're on track, for now, and the story is humming along. The villain is fun, the hero is torn and the supporting characters, so far, have their own agendas. What more could you want?

Updates and What Nots...

Been far, far too long since I posted. Well, that's largely due to being busy and not taking the time to update, and that's on me. But, good news is afoot. Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale played the Newport Beach Film Festival the weekend of April 24th and came away with the audience award for Best Family Film. And, yes, there were other entries. Also, it may be making a trip to a well-known European locale...

So, much good news. The director of that film and I have been hammering out the story for another film, one which I think will top Elle in just about every way. Still playing in the family genre, but with a bit darker tone and some real action for the young men in the crowd.

Lastly, a couple of ideas are in the hopper and have been partially written out. My next two scripts have been decided upon, barring a paying gig that will delay them. I'm very excited about both, but first comes the family fare.

Produced and Should-Be Produced

So, quick update on the produced script, Elle. The print should be locked soon, then off to final corrections and the March release date looks solid. I still have some issues with some of the clips I've seen, only because I didn't write them, or the tone in the shot is different than what I had in mind, but what are you gonna do? I still like the film for the most part, and, more than that, I like seeing the words on film. The next project with the same company I hope will yield a little more involvement in the realization of the script.

On to the rewrite. Posted up the first act yesterday, and I've been shooting for about ten quality pages per day. Lots of the original script has now become backstory, which I dig. It gives a lot of depth to both story and character, and I've also been pleased with the dialog.

Now, enough yammering... back to work!