Catching Up

It has been about three weeks since my last posting. Twice a year my "other job" takes over my life - once is in April/May. My plan was to hand off enough of the work such that I could continue the efforts on my own project - but then an unexpected life event appeared and absorbed more than every remaining free moment.

Tonight was my first night back on track. This doesn't mean I've done nothing, but my focus has really not been clear.

In the last three weeks I did a lot of camera research. There are many new cameras coming out - Red, Silicon Imaging, and many enhancements to existing 1/3" sensor cameras. But - technology literally changes daily and while I don't regret spending time catching up with it - but it's really irrelevant until the project is started.

So, in more exciting news - I also did a lot of writing research. I read a fascinating book by James Bonnet called "Stealing Fire from the Gods" and also listened to some audio CDs from www.scriptsecrets.net - both of which I found quite inspiring in totally different ways.

Which brings me to the script at hand. I am now doing my final pass of it. All the new material has been added, I'm just smoothing it through. Yes, I know I'm very late on my original finishing goal. But on the plus side I'm quite excited about it. I plan to be done in a few days and then I will set up the reading and get back on track. There is ONE well known actor I will try to get attached. If that does not happen, I will pursue no one else and simply make it independently - as cheap as possible just to show that I can do what I do.... not sure how to put that... do in feature form what I've been doing in short form?

And in anecdotal news, I had a good meeting with a major production company who apparently liked me. I thought I'd sort of blown the meeting. My stomach started growling really badly as I was feeling not so well and it was so loud I had no choice but to mention it and make it part of the meeting. But even though I thought the meeting didn't go so well, she apparently thought it did and asked my manager to send over a couple of the scripts... not all of them, but 2 of the ones I'd pitched which isn't bad. I may come up with some additional ideas to pitch her way which would fit their charter.

that's a huge thing by the way. Companies get charters... they always do. Whether they all of a sudden want "teen slasher horror" or "contemporary action" - they always have an agenda and are looking to fill that agenda. Something to keep in mind for people writing things on spec for sale. Writing unique script in definable genres is a good idea. Having more than one genre of writing is like diversifying your investment.

More soon. I'm back.