And though 2013 has been slightly dicey so far (not only have I been sick, yesterday I dropped my keys in a Portapotty...seriously) I'm optimistic that it will be an inspired year.
Enjoy!
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I thought I'd share a little visual of what I've been up to in 2012. It was a year of big changes and lots of firsts: first cruise, first soccer team, first Austin Film Fest, first screenwriting contest win. And though 2013 has been slightly dicey so far (not only have I been sick, yesterday I dropped my keys in a Portapotty...seriously) I'm optimistic that it will be an inspired year. Enjoy!
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I've been keeping track of my goals and successes for the upcoming and previous (respectively) years since 2008. I don't have a complicated system for doing this. This year, I have two Word docs, titled "GOALS 2013" and "Accomplishments 2012." I know, I know. My goals for this year are similar to ones that I've had in the past, but I have learned one lesson: make the goals concrete. As in, if you know what you want to get done in the next year, don't list "write more." Your goal would be "write the comedy project that could star Kristen Wiig (SNL sketch)." It's also important to reflect on what you've done over the past year. Even simple things, like generating a list of story ideas, or querying one film company, can be thought of as successes, because you're moving toward your objective. It's a lot easier to stick with something if you feel like you've actually made some progress toward your goals. With these things in mind, I thought I'd share this year's screenwriting goals and successes with you. 2013 Screenwriting GOALS:
1. Rewrite drama. 2. Write (the potential) Kristen Wiig project (yeah, I was serious about that!) 3. Query 12 film companies. 4. Have three short films made. Number four might sound pretty ambitious, but I'm thinking of my work project, the short documentary my friend and I are making, and I'd love to write for the 48 Hour Film Fest this year... 2012 Accomplishments: 1. Finished Jessi Hart, Alien Photoblogger; it placed in three competitions. 2. Wrote first draft of first drama. 3. Started ScreenwriteHer. 4. Wrote first corporate screenplay for work. 5. Got my butt to the Austin Film Fest. 6. Ran PowerWriters (this is my writing group). 7. A short film that I co-wrote, The Ride, won a competition and placed in several others. Blast from the past: Goals for 2012: 1. Do website for female screenwriters (Done!) 2. Finish Jessi Hart, Alien Photoblogger (Done!) 3.Make my own short (This didn't pan out, but I did give it a try. Maybe this year, with the documentary project?) 4. Sell or option a screenplay (Didn't happen. However, notice that my goals for this year include querying? A smaller step, but probably a more concrete goal to reach for.) I hope this post will help you to set your own goals for 2013. Leave a comment, if you'd like, and let me know what your plans are! I'd love to hear about your projects and ambitions. Gift giving is one of the Five Love Languages (thank you, Dr. Gary Chapman, for your excellent book on this subject) and as such, should probably get more cred year-round than it does. But, since the holidays seem to be the one time of year when gifting is not only acceptable, but expected, I thought I'd weigh in on what a screenwriter might enjoy receiving this season. Now, you might want to check out The Writer's Store to score some classic giftables for the screenwriter in your life. (I'm partial to the b/w "Writer" ballcap, myself.) If they haven't read them already, any of these classic books would make an admirable addition to your screenwriter's bookshelf: Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder Screenplay by Syd Field The Hero's Journey by Joseph Conrad Or a subscription to Script magazine might fit the bill, too. You could also get them software (like FinalDraft), coverage, a writing class, or a trip to a conference where they can continue to pursue their dreams. Paper, highlighters, 10" x 13" envelopes, print cartridges, 1 1/2" brads and an audio recorder would all be helpful, too. The best gift, however, is reading their scripts. Honestly, there is nothing more valuable than when people take the time to read my work and give me feedback. Any success that my work has is as a result of the comments, positive, negative or off the wall, that others give me. It really is a collaboration. A gift, if you will. What's gift you'd most like to get? What makes it so special to you? This week I wrote my first corporate script! It's an educational video on different techniques for moderating small group activities. I got this task in a kind of round-about way...some other members of my team (I work at a larger non-profit) got asked to create a video as part of a grant funding project. None of them had any video experience, and when I heard that they were planning to "shoot as they went" (without a script) I staged an intervention. And got myself the job!
I've attended several classes and panels over the last several years, and there are two things that I've really taken to heart regarding script writing. The first was gleaned from Gregory Poirier (Missing, National Treasure), who gave a talk at the Northwest Screenwriter's Guild a few years ago. He recommended that you never take a screenwriting job that you aren't sure you can complete. So, even though this was my first corporate script, I looked at the basics: who I'd be working with, the length of the script, and what the story was we were trying to tell. Factoring in these considerations, I felt confident that I could deliver, and turned in a first draft yesterday. The other piece that I tend to focus on is listening. I forget who passed on this deceptively simple pearl of wisdom to me, but basically they pointed out that you cannot deliver a good script unless you are really listening to the person/people who are telling you what the script needs. This paid off for me--I think (I hope!)--this week, when I wasn't getting enough info. on what to include in the script. Maybe you've had this happen to you? You get a stack of paperwork handed to you, with some suggestions, and you have a meeting or two. But even after reading (and re-reading) and meeting (and re-meeting) I still wasn't sure what the point of doing the video was. So I asked a pile of questions, and as a result got an 11 page brain-dump of material. BINGO. Let the writing commence. So, if you're ever offered a script-writing gig, I pass along the same advice to you. Ask yourself, can I write this? If the answer is no, that's okay! Know yourself, and what you're capable of (and know that some projects aren't worth your time.) It's better for you, and your career, to turn down a project than to do one badly. And if the answer is "yes, I can do this," don't be afraid to listen to what's needed and ask questions. It will pay off for you in the end! My friend A. made this video ON HER CELL PHONE. I love it! Not only is it beautifully done, but it's proof that you can be artistic and creative without spending a ton of dough on your production. The lyrics combined with the moody black and white footage tell a unique and vivid tale, and if you're familiar with Seattle in November, you might agree that she (along with Tom Waits) has captured its essence in under three minutes. My favorite parts are the smiley face sticker stuck to the ground, the single twirling leaf, and black bird flying off into tree beyond.
Way to go, lady filmmaker A.! Eggs. Not all of them should be fertilized. My friend L. asked me to let you know about an unusual opportunity to create a short film for cash. You can win up to $5000 for creating a short film about female condoms. Find the details about the contest here. Sponsored by PATH, this is your opportunity to explain why female condoms are awesome. Or, in their words, "one of the most promising health technologies that people don’t know or hear much about." Writing a script like this and filming it is such a creative challenge...and it could help a truly inspiring non-profit. So give it a shot! Someone's got to win...why not you? Yin and yang. Mary and Rhoda. The do's and the don'ts. Lest you think I did everything fabulously well based on my first blog post, I thought I'd take a moment and share a few of my oopses...the things that I did that I would not do again, and that I'd recommend you consider not doing either. They are: 1. Don't miss the most important meeting of the conference. I did this. I really did. I had a special meeting set up for me as a Second-Rounder in the contest, with directors, producers, and the like, and I missed it. No, it wasn't my fault. But in the long run it didn't matter, because, well, I missed it. So, if you get a meeting, get there, no matter what. 2. I was asked for writing samples, and I didn't have any online. Argh. Why? Why? (You can now find my sample work here: http://screenwriteher.weebly.com/sample-work.html. 3. Because I didn't have my writing samples online, the cards I had printed to pass out were kinda useless. Sure, I had my contact info on them, but did anyone contact me afterwards? (No.) Waste o' moolah. 4. I packed extremely badly. We're not just talking I forgot my toothpaste (I did). I imagined Texas as warm; the weather report confirmed my imaginings. As a Northlandic polar bear, I thrive in Seattle's cooler temps; however, I completely forgot that buildings in the South strive to maintain our frosty temps indoors. I brought one (1) sweater. One, people. And I wore that sweater all four days I was there. I'm sure people were thinking, oh, look, there's that chick in the turquoise (!) sweater again. 5. I didn't go to the wrap party. It started at 11pm, and after four panels and several movies, I just didn't wanna. Opportunity lost, I'm sure, and I would make the effort next time.
6. Another whoops--I didn't pre-register for the Second-Rounder panels that AFF offered, and they filled before the conference started. In fact, I missed one with the Pixar rep. So, yeah. That happened. 7. Finally, I should have gone a day earlier. I would have been less tired for the conference itself, I could have settled in and seen more of Austin. So, there you have it. The seven things I shouldacouldawoulda done. Have you been to a conference yet? What were your successes? Look, here's a cow head mounted on a wall! Proof that I was in Texas! So, seriously, this was essentially my first conference, and I was a little apprehensive about going. There would be people doing what I'd like to be doing for a career, and given the opportunity, I can certainly embarass myself with the best of them. As is also common for me, I was anxious for no reason. (At least, I don't think I offended anyone. I definitely wore pants the whole time. Or at least a skirt.) In fact, I might even have had what some might call "successes." Seven of them, in fact. Here they are, in their glory... 1. I went. Let's face it, it's a lot of time and money to go to a conference. Not only that, it takes some courage to meet the people who might be able to make your dreams come (kinda) true. So the fact that I got myself down to Texas from Seattle was a win. 2. I introduced myself to some of the panelists. No, Mary Coleman didn't hire me on the spot to work for Pixar (and I actually had a total geek-out moment when I met Terry Rossio) but the point is, I put myself out there. And if I can do it once, I can do it again. And again. And again. (And again, but only if needed.) 3. I brought a buddy. This is my friend A. (Cute, huh?) It was great to have someone to talk about the conference with. Plus, A can navigate public transportation, and has great taste in movies. This paid off when...
4. We saw lots of (brand new) films. It was fab to meet some of the people who made them, and see flicks that haven't been distributed yet. I especially enjoyed The Exquisite Corpse Project. You heard it from me, first. :) 5. I attended the panel comprised of female writers--and they were cool. Effusive. Funny. Some of their advice: Shoot your own films. Write a TV spec. Get read. However possible. Don't be annoying. [Hah!] Have different genres as examples. Bond with your peers. Live in L.A. Be disciplined. Think strategically. What can you give, and what can someone give to you? 6. I got inspired. So much talent, so many cool people. I want to do more of this! I came home and finally got my website up. Next up...revising the drama I wrote this summer. 7. I had the two best tacos of my life. Torchy's Tacos, folks. The deep-fried avocado taco is out-of-your-mind good! So, there you have it. The seven things I'd do again when hitting up a screenwriting conference. Hopefully next year, The Lone Star state will be equally hospitable. |
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