Plodding Along

Still waiting, but I suppose that's a good thing.

Still plugging away on the plot for the Greek script. It's weird, because this time I'm just expanding the plot synopsis (usually like 5 pages) to the full twenty pages This is one of my least-favorite bits. It's a mess, with like 6 drafts at various states of being in one. It has pacing problems, character problems, plot problems, and it forgets several characters for long periods of time. I'll obviously go over it again and again, until it's perfect (or about as good as I can get it). I'll do multiple reads and get it to the point that I can't think of anything to change. And it'll change in the actual editing stage.

It's just hard, because I have so many projects I want to work on, and I feel like this one is eating up a lot of time. But I suppose it's better to work this project than do nothing, waiting for the results of the contest. If I set it down for a month, they'll know that I'm not a worthwhile investment, and they'll be right. So I'm trying to get it going so that everything is conveniently in-line. After this one is in rough draft (which is best done slowly/thoughtfully, so the editing will be easier) I'll work on stretching out my WWII script. It'll be fun. I like my characters. They're just really... different.

Also, I'm not sure how they'll take my submitted script. Maybe it'll be the best. Maybe they'll like it, but it'll lack the X factor. Maybe it's not as good as I think it is. But maybe it is. Maybe it's better than I think it is, and maybe it'll sell. Probably not, but I'm getting into the numbers where other screenwriters were discovered, and I have my own style and way of doing things. Who knows, this may be the one that jump-starts an entire career. (Because even the bad of this would beat the piss out of working for a call center.)

So, until I'm done with the plan, I'm just going to keep working. Some day, I'll produce something good enough to get noticed. I haven't come this far to stop now.

Blitzed by Ideas

I'm working on editing a script, and I'm panning another one, and suddenly I got inundated with ideas for another script. It's another Hun-level script, as it hit hard and fast. I'm hesitating on the other two, as I'm pretty unfamiliar with planes and plane movies. But if I take my time on the planning, it should end up pretty damn good. And who knows? Maybe they'll both be pretty good, but I just need to let it happen when it happens. And I'm editing another, but damned if it ain't tough as hell. It just doesn't feel... as good as The Hun. I mean, I'll finish it, but I'm going to take my sweet fat time with it. It MAY still turn out good enough to put in my portfolio, and may even sell, but... again, it's just not at the same level as the other.

My winter goal is to get all three done. So, by May. If I get them all done by May, I'll come up with some kind of reward for myself. In any case, the Greek one is at the front now, because it keeps hitting me hard with inspiration. And since it's the first in a potential trilogy, I think that, if it sells, and gets made, and makes enough, I could make a SHITLOAD off of this project.

Pearl Harbor

I'm watching Pearl Harbor, to try and figure out how I could do a WWII plane movie. I have the idea, and it's got potential. And in watching it, I may have figured out why it's so poorly received.

IT'S SO DRAMATIC. Like, to a ridiculous degree. It's got WWII politics, and Ben Affleck's main plot, and it's just thick with drama. They have a relationship based on terrible things happening while they're together, and they do everything. The "baby, I'm going to war" speech, the sad train goodbye sequence, and they're just SO in love, despite dating for like, a month. And then she ends up with not-Ben Affleck, and she's all "I'll wait for you." Like, she's got Ben Affleck as a backup dude. It's kind of fucked up. And I know she's preggers, but that doesn't make it not fucked up.

And then, when Ben Affleck's in Britain, the Brits get shot down left and right, and they're like "If all Americans fight like you, god save everyone who fights against you." It felt like they could have put Ben Affleck in an Uncle Sam costume and had him slowly jerking off from time to time. It was 'Murica x100.

Don't get me wrong, the bombing sequence is FUCKING AWESOME, but it't like an awesome burger with pretentious toppings and an overly-dramatic bun. I mean, I understand that the character story would be boring if they dulled it down. It just felt like their dialogue choices were over the top.

Ultimately, it's a good movie. It's just got two scoops of 'MURICA in every scene, and that makes it a bit tough to watch at times. Thankfully, the action is enough to make the movie overall watchable.

Also, Goose.

Back at the starting line.

Dear god, I HATE this part of the writing. Coming up with the ideas blows, and I'm an idea guy. And I know boatloads of people who swear they're idea-people, and THEY MIGHT BE, but they never utilize them for some dumb ass reason. Hell, even editing can be fun. It's just taking the rough-hewn bits, shaping them up nicer, adding flourishes, and trimming them down a ton. But thinking them up is such a time-consuming process, and they may never turn out, or you may end up with a Jar Jar Binks. But I'm done for one project, and so damn close on the other.

This is exciting now. I'm going to dive headlong into "The Hammer" first thing after work. I've done a (really shitty) rough draft, and I know exactly what I'm doing this time. The same same shit that made The Hun good. Worst case scenario, it bulks my portfolio so that once someone DOES discover me under my rock, doing whatever I do, I'll have plenty of other projects for them to check out.

But either way, I'm back to the land of measurable progress. And I'm thinking the way I have this worked out, I'll be done with The Hammer about the time I'm done with the planning for "Spitfire." So I'm setting up my efficiency system, to see if it works. If so, great! If not, fuck it! I have two scripts yet.

Also, I can't hardly wait until the end of February. I want to find out what they thought. I'm debating entering The Hun into the Blacklist, to see if I've improved much. I'm confident about this one, because my characters came together naturally, and they felt like nearly all of them had a distinct voice. I'm certain they'll love it.

Recovery

The Hun was good. Damn good even, as my other stuff was well-received too. And the Blacklist folks complained about the budget, but this budget is pretty manageable. And the characters are solid. I'm actually considering this the benchmark for my characters at this point. If they all turn out as good as these guys, it's literally only a matter of time and effort until they take me. Either way, I've sent The Hun off, and without waiting to hear back on it, I'm planning my next two projects. One is an older project I thought through, but not enough to make it work. So I'm jazzing up the characters and deepening the plot some before I get into it. It had potential, but struck me as weak, so I'd put it on pause. The other was one I intended to utilize while I can. I have to pop my WWII cherry at some point, so I'm going for it.

Both scripts are coming along. Both of them have pretty cool characters, and I love the shit out of my Nazi antagonist already. My main character is pretty cool as well. But my biggest regret is that I don't have a project in editing at this time. Planning one and editing another is the best damn thing. I feel like that's how to make the most efficient use of time.

In any case, I've taken the weekend off and I'm right back at it. But from what I can tell, most of the contests are staggered, so I'm perfecting my vision of The Hun, to show the Blacklist. It's a long shot, but they may be able to sell it. So, my recovery was brief, and now I'm throwing down again. Just like anything else I give a shit about, it's hard and fast, then taking a breath, and back to it.

'The Hun' is loose.

It's sent, and I'm so fucking nervous. It all tied itself together tightly, and previous winners submitted scripts that were turned into movies. I watched the ones I could, to see where the bar was, and I think I got there. I also sent a cover letter, which was written on screenwriting software, because I don't have Word, and other computers tend not to open OpenOffice documents. So that's a thing. I explained my deal, and my goals, and my ambitions, and what I thought. And then I let them know that I'll get there, whether it's them or someone else who first sees my potential.

And that's true. I am as inevitable as a glacier. This wasn't my idea, it was God's. I can't fail as long as I keep going. I busted my ass for this. This is one of the best things I've ever written. Shogun and Anabasis were 'good,' but this is better. And what's better than good, if not great?

Trying to break through the wall.

I'm getting there. I found several pacing issues last night and thought through them during the more tedious parts of work. Now my pacing is impeccable, and it only took 45 minutes. Then I worked through the dialogue changes, ensuring they were smoother. I also worked out that I had missed a part of my storytelling: the wound. The reason why the main characters were the way they are. Why their flaws were there in the first place. I made it work for my big three in less than 20 minutes. They were pretty-well established, so it was very little effort. At this point, I'm just trying to ensure I don't tweak my pacing while doing this.

I got the first two in without an issue, and then I hit the god damn wall. I just stared at the page, dead. Redbull had worn off, and now I was down to Deadmau5, binaural beats, and the crushing tedium of the day. Went on a Redbull run, and this is me waiting for it to kick in. I know WHAT to change, for WHO, and WHERE, but I just couldn't do it. The wall was too much. The day caught up with me.

Alright, we're going. My fingers and toes are feeling it. Time to finish this bitch.

ADDENDUM: I've finished it and titled it. I have a couple more polishes to do, but yeah. It's about as good as it's going to get. This is a winner, I can smell it. If nothing else, it'll at least place. I got everything exactly how and where I want it. I did multiple dialogue passes and everything. Now I'm doing one final pass to ensure everyone has their individual voice, and then it's a final quality polish. I'm excited. This came a long way in a short time. I thank the muse for being so facilitative. And now I'm going to sleep for a long fucking time.