And It’s Another Year…
A good year already for screenwriters as there isn’t a looming strike on the horizon, which means there are no credible excuses for why we aren’t all jumping into the deep end of creativity this January (if you need floaties or a noodle to tread water, symbolically speaking, that’s okay too!)
The point is to T-R-Y, whether what you are writing is good or simply practice like the proverbial springboard in search of your great masterpiece. There’s no reason for not coming up with great ideas and, more importantly, there is no reason to censor yourself or to worry about what comes after the writing ie representation, setting up the project, or possibly being nominated for an Oscar.
This year, for my own personal writing journey, I’m committing to small portions or brief moments. There is something to be said for writing for as few as five to ten minutes daily. It’s called an accomplishment and a commitment and I applaud anybody who puts pen to paper and fingers to keyboard as opposed to full faith in AI doing the “dirty” work for you. Until a computer grows a heart, my money is still on animate artists.
People can feel real passion and writers can express it on the page. That’s one of the commitments I’m making to my artistic journey this year. Taking a few minutes like yogis do in meditation to remember my passions and where I experienced them. There are feelings associated with super happy and fruitful intervals in our lives and if we can capture that memory in our minds like on a loop, we can translate that intensity into our writing, even if your genre of choice is horror. You think Michael Myers didn’t slash and kill with real emotion?
The second commitment I am making to myself and my business is the launch of a new web series called Armchair Screenwriting. It’s a lot to expect other writers to have the time in hours to commit to their craft as much as they might hope to. The challenges and responsibilities of life sometimes supersede those of our artistry. That’s why I have developed a series where I am going to provide the most important lessons learned from UCLA Film and my Hollywood career in five minute offerings. A step by step map to make sure your script is cohesive, resonant, and memorable, I’m going to offer pertinent lessons to make sure your script is conceived, edited and reconsidered in brief five minute tutorials. Best of all, it’s free, my gift to you. My only request as “payment” on a cosmic level? Moving forward in 2024 and beyond, you want for fellow writers the success you desire for yourself and your script so that we can support each other on this journey.
Movies are important aspects of our culture and the language with which we speak to each other. They are critical for both entertainment and education. It’s an art form that needs nurturing, guidance, and support. Just take a look at your Netflix menu. Sure you have the option of recent offerings like Stranger Things, Beef, and The Trust, which are new and topical productions. But, were I you, I’d take a look at some of the classics like The Front Page, The Great Gatsby (not the one with DiCaprio, but the one shot when Redford was Leonardo), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. There’s something to glean from past and present productions alike to guide us to bettering our craft.
And lastly, and to me, this is the most important point of all. Write for YOURSELF! Ever heard that phrase, “Dance like nobody is watching.”? Well, I say, “Write like nobody is reading!”
First and foremost, you are your own best audience. Write because you love the subject. Write because you love to make yourself laugh. Write because you think this is the greatest idea your psyche alone can appreciate and only you can do this idea justice in three acts. Write for your own passions and you’ll find your audience. If you approach the job at hand pandering to others for their approval, you will sadly end up re-writing until you write yourself out of trusting in your ability. You have to have the confidence to believe the accomplishment is the writing of the script not the production or the riches you hope to amass from the writing of it. It’s a subtle distinction, but one that is going to be every important for your journey.
Well, I’ve wasted enough of your time when you should have been writing! I see big things in your future and I hope my words can impact yours. And that your words influence mine…We’re all in this together.
Write and right on!