Dream Representation

What a wonderful Jan 2012 turned out to be for me.

I secured representation with an Entertainment Attorney in LA.  WhooHoo!!

I have been writing screenplays for the last 20 years skirting the fringe of the business.
All I can admit to:
I've written 14 screenplays.
Optioned 3.
Sold 0
Continued my craft education with seminars, tele-seminars, screenwriting books, etc.

I have reached the point where I am not settling for sitting with the fringe group any longer.
I have paid my emotional dues and now I am taking myself seriously... I am a professional screenwriter.
I am starting a Page One rewrite on an adaptation screenplay attached with a Letter of Intent to a major Production company.
I have a working agreement for my next screenplay. (We are working on getting LOI's from two other Production companies.)
I am developing other ideas, log lines, pitches for other projects.

This is what I've wanted to do all my life.
Why did I wait so long.....?

I guess it was my fear of success. As silly as that sounds I am not alone. I would guess many, a vast majority of people, sit and wonder what would I do if I succeeded at my dreams? What if I gave it my best and failed? What if I wasn't good enough? What would I dream then?

I keep done something until I can't do it any longer.

For me it was sitting on the fringe. No more fringe sitting for me.

Risking my dream is living my dream.

Your Life Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

So Long... 2011

On the eve of a new year awakening I thought about 2011.
I wasn't all that I expected or planned, but it was a productive and prosperous year.
I kept an attitude of prosperity, gratefulness and love in all my ventures. It's surprising simple. Opportunities walk into my life that I couldn't have predicted.
I'm finishing up a adaptation of a novel to screenplay. We have a production company waiting to read the script. Whoohoo.
I am negotiating another screenplay that has two other production companies interested in the story.
I made a lot of great friends working at Caffe Mela in the middle of downtown Wenatchee - my office. Great staff and great customers.
My health is returning after 13 years of struggling. I celebrated an anniversary from my surgery. I feel great.
I have nothing but positive, productive, prosperous expectations for 2012.
It's going to be a magical year. I can't wait.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year.
Namaste Speedo

The Draft

I've been adapting a novel to screenplay form since August. I hold a Letter of Intent from a major production studio waiting to read my script.
This is my first adaptation. I have to say it has presented more than a few challenges. I have pulled every trick from my writer's tools bag I can muster... relying heavily on Blake Snyder's Save the Cat.
This week I finish my first rough, rough draft from fade in to fade out...
My process:
1. Go through the storyline to tighten it. I am about a quarter of the way through my first pass. It is tight, but I can make it tighter.
2.  Add emotional/action scenes to complement the story. The tighter the storyline the more I can devote to emotional character arches.
3. Add theme, subtext to every scene in order to hook the reader.
4. Include dialogue directly from the novel... tweaking to heighten flavor of the characters.
Next, return to #1
It's hard to express the excitement I have for this project.
I have been half-heartedly writing spec-screenplays for 20 years. I am finally learning my craft...
The key is to plough through, continue to learn, write, have passion for your craft and enjoy to process.
Your Movie - Your Life
Namaste Speedo

Christmas Ideas: Support local services

I received this email and thought it was a wonderful idea for all of us.... Enjoy....


Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into
high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced
goods -- Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American
labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the
gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an
excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced
by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to
fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift
certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about
some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American
owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift
certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking
down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that
grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed
for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local
golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what
about  a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks
this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your
home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep
their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of
a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy
who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people
spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and
pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and
leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or
ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand
Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of
light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those
kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a
nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring
about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away
to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we
care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we
couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.
Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion
groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section
in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio
stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about
each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?


Pass this on.....


Your Life - Your Movie
Namaste Speedo

What another month....?

I really don't have much to report in the way of inspiration... Wait..I am inspired!

Summer has left and winter is in the near future... Wenatchee and the Columbia River Valley is a wonderful, colorful place to live and work. I am one lucky man...

I been working daily on the novel adaptation. What a wonderful journey it is to put another author's story into script. I am learning a lot about storyline, character arch, B story... well everything. I know this will improve my storytelling for future screenplays. Oh... the screenplay is maturing daily. I'm beating out the scene process. No dialogue.

Until then.... Smiles to all you scribes....

Your Life - Your Movie

Namate Speedo

What a Month!!

I can't believe September is behind me... Lots of productivity, creativity, fun...

I am will immersed into the treatment of my adaptation project... It's starting to jell. The work is becoming fun. Full of enjoyment and surprises.

I can always tell when the project turns to fun - I have found the voice of the piece. It's taken me a long time to arrive at this point in my creative career. It was a joy all along my journey.

I feel I'm the luckiest man in the world right now. I know it is only going get better and better.

My bliss have become my career... I am and always have been blessed...

I don't have anything else going on at this time to expound upon... so .......

Your Life - Your Movie

Namaste Speedo

Chase Your Dream - Never Give Up

I have been writing screenplays for 25 years. Most of the time I kept them to myself. I didn't feel they were ready for primetime.

My first intro into the working of Hollywood came in 88 when after playing around with writing industrial videos. I had put an ad in the Desert Sun looking for scripts.

I received a few, none good enough, but I met a screenwriter to be who became my writing partner for a few of years. Together we were introduced to a producer who had a 'deal' with Paramount. He had an office on the lot. We wrote a couple of scripts that were that good - not that good, but I got a taste of what the industry was all about. It's not for the weak of heart.

The partnership broke up.

Still I would pump one out every few years.

About 15 years later I met another writer/producer of short films and over three years we wrote a couple and scripts and even got one optioned.

All the time I continued to read scripts and books about screenwriting. I would drop it for a few months, but always developed story ideas.

The thing is I kept immersed in the learning. I met a wonderful mentor, Blake Snyder, and was fortunate enough to take a couple of his seminars on the craft of storytelling/screenwriting.

I kept writing, developing and in contact with my last writing partner. I would read his scripts and give coverage notes.

A couple of months ago I contacted him and asked if his project was moving forward. He said that he was in another rewrite. He sent me his script to read and I mentioned it was a vast improvement. Writing scripts is all about rewriting and rewriting and rewriting.....

He told me that he had a project that had been offered to him, but he was too busy to work on it and asked if I wanted to take a look.

Well today I received word that the adaptation that I have been beating out, outlining, sample scripting is going forward. The author has a letter of intent from a production company to make the film when he presents a quality script.

Next week I will be signing an Intellectual Property Agreement with the author to adapt his book to a screenplay. This is fun.

What I wanted to point out is I never gave up. I continued to learn the craft of storytelling and screenwriting so that when this project landed at my feet I was ready.

I never gave up.

Here's the optimistic quote from a screenwriter/author that we all should read every morning...

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark.

In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all , do not let the gero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world ou desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible…. It is yours!” Ayn Rand….b. St. Petersburg Russia

Your Life - Your Movie

Namaste Speedo