AND THE WINNER IS...!

…You guys! Yup, every single last one of you! Why? Because I’ve finally dragged myself out of hibernation to contribute to this here page once again and distract you from the dramas of your lives with my ramblings… Have you got nothing better to do? Well, I’ll keep posting as long as you keep coming.

First of all, apologies. Despite my best efforts, and I really did try to post regularly- no really! My October workload not to mention deadlines, seriously got the better of me. Something had to go and sadly it was my time writing here.

On a positive note, I’ve been busy writing up a storm, embroiled in “The Biz” and so have a few more ideas about things to share with you lovely people. If you’re interested? In the meantime… FINALLY! – The results of my “Win A Free Story Consultation” blog from last month!

To all of you who had the courage to share your loglines, thank you so much! To be honest, I had a tough time making my decision. They were all suitably intriguing but in the end it came down to the specifics of what the original challenge was i.e. The best LOGLINE.

I have my preferences in terms of genre but I put that aside in this case and focused purely on what makes a good logline…

Loglines are a necessary evil in this business. Nobody who’s anybody will read somebody’s script, if they did, they’d be inundated with scripts from- well- EVERYBODY! To alleviate the load on their minds and the system in general we have the logline. A snappy one-line (approx) description of the screenplay in question. It’s sad but true, quite often many months of work crafting a feature screenplay comes down to your ability to sum it up in one breath. Fail at this and the big-time studio exec. or agent will pass on reading anything beyond that one line description.

In my mind there are three important elements of a logline… THE WHO, THE WHAT WHEN and THE BUT!

Kudos to you all on THE WHO – everyone gave a pretty clear sense of the subject and protagonist of their story. Without adding too much, always try to give us something extra beyond the name of your character and their age. Try to paint a visual picture. Occupations are a good way of adding a layer here as are personality details, talents and flaws such as “an Ex-Army Ranger” and “a life-long procrastinator”.

THE WHAT WHEN is essentially a hint towards the inciting event of the story… It’s that moment when Elliot finds an alien in his backyard, when Frodo and Sam agree to take the One Ring to mount Mordor or when Vickas realizes that he has been infected by alien DNA and is becoming what he most hates.

Finally, we have THE BUT to the equation. This is usually a taste of the major source of conflict in the story. It is also the area where our logline can has its biggest hook for the reader. THE WHO opens the door, THE WHAT WHEN intrigues us to step closer and THE BUT grabs us and won’t let us go. It’s this single detail that quite often provides that extra layer of marketability in a concept and that tips the scales for someone somewhere to feel more secure in investing large sums of money and time into developing the property.

Surprisingly (at least it is to me!), most loglines I’ve read in the past and, in this case, those that you lovely people were kind enough to submit for consideration, were almost all lacking that final piece of the puzzle. This makes me concerned. Either your story is flawed conceptually (in that it is lacking a source of central dramatic conflict) or you are failing to shine a light on what makes your project truly special. Film is an art form but it is also a business, and an arduous, soul-destroying and expensive one at that. It is also highly competitive… No matter how good our writing and our ideas are, we must all learn to focus them in a way that sets them standing head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.

This is why Meghan’s logline is the winner! It was a tight race but the hook of her logline was what put it over the edge. In the case of her project “THE MARKED”, there is intrigue in the concept of the protagonist “returning to a childhood home she barely remembers”. The excellent dramatic possibilities hinted at by her main character only being able to fulfill their “mystical destiny” by killing their soul mate is ripe with possibility… I can’t wait to read the screenplay!

And that's really all a good logline needs to do - create anticipation for the coming read of the full screenplay.

Thanks again to all of you who submitted.

Until next time folks.

PARTNERS IN CRIME

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, Lennon & McCartney, Martin & Lewis, Laurel & Hardy, Siegfried & Roy, Bush & Cheney (?!), Cheech & Chong… There are a myriad of partnerships throughout popular culture. Though I do not consider my writing partner, Chris and myself to be anywhere in the same league as the famous or infamous duos above, I am nonetheless one half of an ampersand.

A short while ago, in preparation for our latest writing assignment, we were asked by one of the producers how we function together as a writing team. In answering his question it made me realize that sometimes I take my professional situation for granted.

I had worked with many people before in different capacities with varying degrees of success but the idea of co-writing something had always kind of scared me. Part of my fear was grounded in hearing the horror stories of egos clashing like stags in the Spring. Mostly though (and I was too pompous to realize it at the time) it was because I was one of those self-absorbed fools that thought being a real writer meant toiling alone in a dingy apartment with nothing but my tortured artist’s soul and a bottle of JD to keep me company.

This was of course a load of B.S. and was an ego-driven instinct far more damaging to the creative process and it’s eventual results than the aforementioned pitched battle of antlered animals in heat!

Do Chris and I disagree on things? Absolutely! Do we lock horns and fight over ideas like our survival depended on it? Never, because it’s never about us as individuals, it’s about finding the best ideas and distilling them down to their core, examining them from different angles and ensuring they are the very best ideas for the context of the story. In short, the project always comes first.

When we begin a new project, regardless of it’s source, be it a crazy thought one of us has had, an idea brought to us by someone else or a fully realized property that is being adapted for the screen, we always begin in the same way. We get together and we talk about our gut reactions to the idea – how we feel about it, what it means to us, what we’d each like to see part of it. This invariably leads to an ever more excited geek-out session of “what if?” possibilities. Usually, these sessions involve us joking around, referencing favourite movies, remembering crazy shit that has happened to us in our lives and going off on wild tangents.

Coming up with creative gold is rarely the outcome here. In fact more often than not we come up with more ideas for completely new projects in these discussions. However, we always walk away understanding what the overall tone of the piece will be, what our individual goals are and what we each personally respond to on an emotional level with the project in question.

Sometimes one of us will go off and launch into the writing, sometimes we’ll immediately divide things up into manageable chunks. Usually there are sequences that we each have a clear idea of how to tackle and sometimes our unique strengths play more to certain sequences than others.

We both come from very different backgrounds and our personalities, to the outside observer would also seem wildly divergent. We both have very different writing habits but where we meet in the middle makes it all work: Our passion for storytelling and movies and our basic societal belief systems. Most of all though, we respect each other’s opinion and this is how our writing process is able to function.

When one of us has completed our agreed upon workload, we trade off and re-write each other. Thanks to our initial discussions regarding overall tone and emotional goal of the piece, we have a consistent map to work off of. Chris makes my writing better and I make his better and come the end it is usually tough for us to say who wrote what.

We have disagreements along the way on every single project but by maintaining a clear vision of what the end product should feel like, we are able to argue and dissect ideas without ever having to resort to ego-driven battles to protect our individual voices. Neither of us is too precious about our babies, and when we are, we make ourselves debate the pros and cons of the idea rather than the person presenting the idea it! Thankfully a satisfactory, not to mention amicable solution always presents itself.

There will always be “creative differences” when more than one person is involved with the act of crafting something. But when “creative differences” cause individuals to part ways (often scarred for life!), this has nothing to do with the craft and everything to do with ego and personal insecurity.

As with any relationship, be it professional or otherwise, know who you are walking alongside and most importantly, make sure you both have the same goal in mind and the same core values at heart. Be honest. Be respectful. Communicate with one another.

Though we both spend a lot of time doing the physical writing sitting alone in our apartments, at least we can pick-up a phone. At least we have a lifeline that doesn’t have Jack Daniels’ name on it!

Having someone else to bounce ideas off, give you a boost or pick up the slack when you’re suffering the invariable bouts of insecurity and droughts of creativity is invaluable. I’m proud to be an ampersand and consider myself very fortunate to be a partner in crime with Chris.

Until next time folks...

NORMAL SERVICE WILL RESUME SHORTLY...

Yeah, I know, I’ve gone off the grid the past weeks…

A new project that my writing partner and I have been involved with for some time is moving to the next stage, so apologies for not having had anything to say lately. My Fall looks like it is going to be very busy indeed but I will be endeavoring to get something up here once a week.

Something that might motivate me more in keeping going with this blog would be hearing more from you!

I’ve gotten a lot of emails from people expressing kudos for my free story consultation offer and many have said things like, “I might” or “I should put up my logline”. Others have said, “I would, but my idea sucks” or “I haven’t gotten around to writing a logline for my project yet”…

Come on people! What’s not to like about something that’s free?! Or is it me? Are you afraid I may not like your work? Remember, it’s not about seeking my validation or my approval – in the grand scale of things I’m not worth much but if I can help you improve your project, I will. It’s not about pleasing my tastes (which, you’d be surprised, are pretty diverse all things considered!).

So to those of you who have had the courage to share your loglines, thank you! And to those of you who have doubts about sharing, all I can say is, what have you got to lose?

For those of you who don’t have a logline to share or to those of you who aren’t even writers but who have a mild interest in the film and tv world, please send your comments and let me know what you like, what you’d like to see more of, etc. Any questions you may have I’d love to hear, there really is no such thing as a dumb question.

More to come soon… Until next time folks!

FREE Story Consulting!

It’s that time of year again people… Summer distractions will soon be over. It’s time to dust off our umbrellas and hide our sexy, toned and tanned beach bodies beneath winter clothes (hey not all writers are pale and sloth-like!) With ¾ of the year now gone it’s also a time to begin thinking about what we have to show for 2009…

Great, another smug blog to make you feel guilty and unproductive…

Wrong!

A lot of people have extended me an olive branch of advice, encouragement and general feedback and they continue to do so. As I advance in years, experience and lessons along the winding path of life in the land of movies, I’ve tried to do the same, be it sitting on juries and panels at script workshops or doing some pro bono story consulting from time to time.

And that’s exactly what I’m offering here today as my Fall 2009 act of “giving back” and saying “thanks” to all of those amazing people who have been gracious and generous enough to help me over the years…

THE DETAILS: Paste a logline for your project (short, feature or TV series) and the best/most intriguing/most insane one wins. Simple as that.

WHAT YOU GET: Me! Well, kind of… I’m not going to come over to your house and do your laundry and I’m not willing to give you a kidney either. What I am willing to do is read your script and provide you with written coverage AND an hour or two of my time in person (if you’re in Vancouver) or on Skype (if you’re outside of Vancouver).

The only rule is that the logline be for the script you want feedback on and that the script is completed! I can’t give feedback on 5pgs of a feature that you know (when you get round to writing it) will one day be amazing.

Any genre, any subject… And feel free to post more than one if you have multiple scripts kicking around. Depending on the response, I may give feedback on the loglines themselves prior to selection – maybe we can get a fun dialogue going here.

I’ll make my final choice on October 1st, 2009

Who doesn’t love free stuff, huh? So let’s see those loglines!

Until next time folks…

Running From The Dreaded Bubble…

I’m back! Is there anyone still listening? Was anyone here listening to begin with? Hard to tell given how reticent you all are in commenting… And yet, thanks to my StatCounter I know you’re out there! So for now at least I’ll keep writing and pretending that any of this has a point…

Writing can be a solitary existence at times. Especially if, like me, you are one of those writers who works best when distraction is eliminated. Maybe I’m just stubborn (or too old?!) to adapt to writing on a park bench or in a busy coffee shop or maybe I’m just too damn lazy – let’s face it, going out means taking a shower, dressing in socially acceptable attire and being forced to deal with people that appear busier, have more structured lives and make a more predictable income than I do. Are they happier because of this? The grass if always greener, you know, over there where the “happy” people are playing.

When I actually do find the courage to venture into the world and when I have one of those rare days when I feel I can hold my head high and proclaim, “I write for a living!” I often meet people who look at me with that certain look in their eyes… There’s that glazing over, that sad smile that says “Wow, your life must be so interesting…” There’s that subtle sigh that comes with it that says, “I wish I was able to ignore every bit of common sense my parents and society ever grilled into me about making sure I abandoned my dreams in favor of being a responsible adult…” Ah yes, the grass is always greener where the “happy” kids play.

I say, (usually quietly) “Um… I wrote an Uwe Boll movie…” then I look over my shoulder to make sure my secret is still safe. And it IS still safe! Because nobody is listening and that includes the person standing in front of me with the glazed expression and the sad smile. They’re too busy playing in that imaginary green land of possibility and dreams pursued, not abandoned, to pay any attention to my contribution to the sewers of the cinematic kind.

So it’s usually with a sense of relief that I return home, back to “the real world” of writing in my solitary bubble… I like my office at home. I like my tattered leather chair that I picked up in a garage sale for $10. I like the 18” Robocop figure looming over me from the shelf above - the thin layer of dust on him gives me comfort that little in this bubble-world has changed in awhile. Most of all, I like the peace of mind I get from knowing my bathroom is just a few short steps away, that it does not require a key on a giant stick and that, when nature calls, I can be assured a clean, comfortable and safe cathartic experience.

Safe + Quiet + Routine = Creativity!

Normally I cherish those words. They are what I need to do what I do. At least that’s what I’ve convinced myself they mean. Unpredictability? “Begone!” Noise and distraction? “I banish thee!”

But who the hell am I kidding?

This existence, though conducive to the actual writing process I am accustomed to now, does not alone bring about creativity. Well- it does… But it’s a kind of creativity that is mired in safeness and routine. It becomes boring. Anyone can bang words down onto a page in some kind of order (one only has to read this blog to know that!) but for it to be about something, for the words to connect in that special way that invokes an emotional reaction other than a yawn??? That takes a perspective. A perspective that comes from emotional experience and the unfettered desire and desperate need to delve deeper into that emotional experience and transform it into something else! And that kind of experience cannot be got living inside a bubble.

So today I am thankful for my recent time away from my tattered leather chair and 24/7 clean, comfortable and safe bathroom access… I’m grateful for the amazing places I got to visit between here and Edmonton in the last 10 days. I’m grateful for the super genuine and fascinating people along the way that I got to cross paths with. I’m especially grateful to my girlfriend for dragging me kicking and screaming into my first camping experience (Shock! Horror! I have to pee in those bushes? With no light? With mosquitoes, bears and god knows what else lurking around every corner?!). Among many things I discovered: That I have a massive allergic reaction to bug bites; that there are miraculous places in the world where you can swim right above a giant waterfall and NOT plunge to your death; that despite my hatred of the Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton, and the people who live there, really are quite pleasant; that A & W makes a damn tasty breakfast when you’re hungover and that you can never ever have too much ice for your cooler…!

Now that I am back in my homely little writing bubble, sitting in my tattered leather chair, my back is aching… I’m kind of sad to be here because the grass really IS greener and besides, this chair sucks! Robocop and his layer of dust gives me no comfort at all and I’m noticing for the first time ever that he’s holding a gun to my head…! (“Your move creep!”) And yeah, my bathroom is close by. And yeah it’s clean. But now that I think about it, I’ve seen some pretty hilarious bathroom wall graffiti over the years! (“Jesus lives!” then, scrawled beneath, “What about my Easter vacation?! Screw you Jesus you self-resurrecting sonofabitch!”).

To hell with safe! Bring on unpredictability! Am I scared? Terrified. But you know what? For awhile at least, I’m okay with that.

Until next time folks… Keep running from that bubble!

Stuff that's pounded my eyeballs this month...

Drew Barrymore hoping America will one day forgive her for "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle".

Periodically (as in when I feel like it/when I remember) I’ll share a few movies that I’ve seen in the last month. They may be movies you’ve never heard of, they may be movies that the mass media behemoth etc. have made it impossible for you to avoid but, either way, maybe I can help tip the scale as to whether or not they’re worth your time and your money…

GREY GARDENS: This is a TV movie produced by HBO and I had no clue what to expect as all I knew in advance was that it was a drama about a couple of eccentric ladies, that it has won some accolades and that Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore were in it... Sometimes a blissful state of ignorance can provide a tasty surprise and that’s exactly what happened with this film. Inspired by the 1975 documentary of the same title, “Grey Gardens” centers around the eccentric lives of Edith and Edie Bouvier Beale, the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy. Edith and Edie lived for decades in their family mansion in almost total isolation and squalor sharing their flea-infested, garbage-strewn home with numerous cats and raccoons until their story, (together with their lineage), was exposed by the National Enquirer.

Taken purely as a character-study, Grey Gardens is a fascinating, albeit tragic story; add to that the Bovier’s social standing and connection to Jackie O and it is the stuff of legend. Initially, though encouraged by the presence of Jessica Lange as Edith, I was extremely perturbed by the thought of Drew Barrymore as Edie… How wrong I was! Don’t let such “memorable” performances as those in Charlie’s Angels and Poison Ivy (?!) put you off seeing this – I have to say I have a new respect for Drew Barrymore’s abilities. She completely inhabited the character and found a way of giving her usual bag of quirky and kooky tricks a wonderful level of depth, realism and pathos. There were times when I couldn’t quite believe I was watching Drew Barrymore and then, when I saw some clips from the original 1975 documentary, I was even more blown away. Her portrayal of Edie is uncanny and downright spooky!

Overall, well worth a look and given its staggering 17 Emmy Award nominations last week, expect to hear a lot more about this film.

KNOWING: Huh… This one is definitely what one might call “a rental”… And it’s a rental that should only be made when there’s little else to choose from… Yet another completely mediocre Nicholas Cage movie with big ideas that never come together. Conceptually, there’s some interesting stuff here but it’s obvious that Richard Kelly’s original screenplay was butchered by the development process. Come the third act I was asking myself “Why don’t I care about any of this?!” Given what should have been a tearful and surprising ending to the story a la “E.T.”, I found myself feeling frustrated and cheated by the whole enterprise. I also found myself wondering what on earth has happened to Alex Proyas the brilliant visual stylist that gave us “Dark City” way back when???

GRAN TORINO: This falls into the same category of Clint Eastwood efforts as “Absolute Power” and “Blood Work”. In other words, it’s far from being a classic and has some serious mis-steps. That said, there are some things to savor here- Okay, so there’s one thing and that’s Clint Eastwood’s portrayal of Walt Kowalski, the hard-nosed, ass-kicking curmudgeon at the center of this story. There aren’t many actors out there that can make lines like this work: “Ever notice how once in awhile you come across somebody you just know you shouldn’t have fucked with? …Well that’s me!”

RELIGULOUS: Bill Maher has a style of humor and delivery that is all his own so if you’re not into him (or his politics) this one is not for you. There are a lot of funny moments here but given the incendiary subject matter (for some at least) this was a missed opportunity in my opinion. The film fails to stick with you in the way that films like Michael Moore’s “Roger and Me” or “Bowling For Columbine” do because all too often the choice is made to make a gag rather than an insightful social commentary. The editing especially is both manipulative and obvious. The cuts often sabotage from within what could have been an important and memorable investigation of the nature of religion, the importance of faith and the increasing redundancy of archaic rituals and practices in our modern day world.

THE MACHINIST: Yeah, yeah, I know its been 5yrs since this came out… Somehow I missed it at the time despite all my geek buddies raving about it. If you haven’t seen it, check it out, particularly if you like Hitchcockian-style thrillers and stylishly realized journeys into paranoia. Personally, I frickin’ loved it – it’s one of those films that as a filmmaker I can say, “Wow, I wish I’d made that!” Christian Bale cuts a terrifying emaciated form and I found myself wincing every time he was onscreen with his shirt off and at the same time shaking my head in wonderment… How the hell did he go from looking like a skeleton to having the Gotham-ripping physique of Batman in just a few months? Apparently his weight went down to 120 lbs for the role and was achieved by a diet of an apple or a can of tuna and one cup of coffee a day… Now that’s commitment to one’s craft!

MAN ON WIRE: This won the Oscar for Best Documentary this year and I’m so glad I finally tracked it down. Who would of believed that a) Anyone would be mad enough to not only balance but DANCE on a high wire (and an illegal one at that) stretched between the towers of the World Trade Center and b) That such a subject would make such a funny, exciting, moving and incredibly inspiring story as this. The film made me want to go out and do something extraordinary – instead I sat down and wrote a new blog but hey, one step at a time… Even Philippe Petit began on wires just a few feet off the ground!

Until next time folks, I’m off to high wire walk across Lions Gate Bridge – Honk if you see me!

Working with... A Story Consultant

This is the first in a semi-regular series of “working with” posts I’ll explore in the next little while. Important word here is WITH – film is a collaborative process and when you find a professional relationship that works, nurture, appreciate and protect it with your life! They’re worth their weight in gold.

“So what’s a Story Consultant and why do I need one?”

A Story Consultant is essentially the same thing as a Story Editor but as a writer and a Story Consultant myself, I never liked the Story Editor moniker – it conjures up images of someone looming over the screenplay I’ve labored on for months (years?) slicing and dicing with a blunt pair of scissors or, in really severe cases, a rusty machete and a hockey mask… I can’t speak for others but this isn’t what I do when I’ve been hired as a Story Consultant – I don’t even own a machete or a hockey mask. What I do have is a critical eye, an understanding of story, a passion to help do whatever it takes to make that story as good as possible and the courage to be brutally honest with who I am working with.

If you’re a writer, you need a Story Consultant because no matter how good you are at working your craft there comes a time when outside eyes prove invaluable in the ongoing development of both your project and your own personal growth. If you’re a producer or a director working with a writer, a Story Consultant can be useful because after several drafts even you can be too close to the project to see possible problems. In addition, when you do identify issues with the project, you may be at a loss as to how to solve them. Regardless of your involvement in the project, be it as the writer, director or producer, bringing in a Story Consultant means opening the door to someone who is not invested in the story in the same way that you may be.

“But- I want them to be invested! I NEED them to be invested!”

A good Story Consultant will still care about your story in all the ways that matter. What I’m really talking about here is ego, as in: Leave your ego at the door… This is the most important step in bringing in those critical outside eyes. The reality is that whether the Story Consultant is good or bad, there’s a very good chance that they will tell you things you don’t particularly want to hear. Things that are the equivalent of “You’re a pitiful waste of skin” or “Your baby is ugly and retarded”… You get the idea. However, just because a pill is difficult to swallow doesn’t mean that it isn’t good for you…

It’s all about credentials. Just as you wouldn’t ask the guy at the car dealership to give you an eye exam you shouldn’t be getting critical feedback on your screenplay from your mother, girlfriend or guy across the hall that kinda digs movies. You may have a friend or colleague who is also a screenwriter and whether they are at the same level as you or not, being a writer doesn’t necessarily mean they can also be a Story Consultant. Being able to identify a story problem is one thing, being able to see potential solutions and communicate them in a way the writer can understand is something else entirely. Some writers can do this, some can’t. Many professional Story Consultants are also writers (myself included) and some rarely write themselves and yet are geniuses when it comes to wading through others’ creative mud and navigating narrative to the promised land.

“So how do I find myself my very own super-wizard story saver extraordinaire?”

Well, you could hire me- Oops, I just forgot about that whole leave your ego at the door business… Failing that you could hire someone not me as long as they have a proven track record (be it produced credits, glowing recommendations from other legitimate writers, etc.) and are someone who you feel you can trust. This is where asking the friend who is also a writer can be problematic – no matter how good friends you are, sometimes pesky little things like jealousy, selfishness and good old fashioned competitiveness can rear their ugly heads. Be sure that they’re helping you for the right reasons.

If you are getting the assistance of a professional who you don’t have a previous history with then feel them out as much as you can first before embarking on what often ends up being a journey of several months and several drafts. The getting to know you dance does not have to be complicated, in fact it should be as simple as possible especially if the individual you are expecting feedback from is a working professional since time is a valuable commodity. Recently, I was approached to story consult on a feature and the producer wanted me to read the screenplay and write a sample report – in effect they were asking me to audition. I flatly said no and told the producer that if anyone agreed to do what they were asking, they clearly were not a professional Story Consultant and as a result the producer was taking a huge gamble as to the quality and usefulness of the ultimate feedback they were hoping to receive. Personally, I suspect this producer was tendering out “story auditions” in order to get several perspectives free of charge.

Anyway, back to the getting to know you dance. Firstly, ask to see the Story Consultant’s resume. If your script is a horror film then you may not want someone giving you feedback that has worked exclusively on comedy or animation. If they don’t seem to have credits that reflect the genre of your story then ask them what the last good horror film they saw was. Presumably (one hopes!), if you are writing a horror film then you have some degree of knowledge of the genre so you’ll soon be able to tell if your prospective story savior is well versed in things that go bump, splat and “EEK!” in the night.

Secondly, make sure everyone is on the same page as to what is expected. Is there something in particular in your screenplay that you are unsure about? What form is the feedback to take – full written report? Brief notes? 1on 1 chat over coffee? What’s the schedule – when can you expect to receive your feedback? Whether it is a colleague that is providing you feedback out of the goodness of their heart or whether you are paying for someone’s services, these are all reasonable questions to ask. Again, a professional’s time is valuable so this can all be covered in a five minute phone conversation.

“So I’ve found someone whose opinions I know I will respect, we’ve dotted the I’s and crossed the T’s – now what?”

Throw yourself off into the abyss! Seriously, go for it. Make the most of the time you have and most importantly, listen to what they have to say and take notes. I’ve been in situations in the past where a writer I’m working with is so nervous and wound up at the prospect of finally hearing something- anything at all concerning the story they’re trying to tell that they just want to talk about all the amazing scenes they’ve written and all the amazing ideas they’ve had since we last communicated. Try to ignore the fact that you are feeling completely vulnerable (maybe even foolish?) and be open to the criticism. Ignore the voices in your head telling you that you suck, that your story sucks, that the person giving you feedback sucks and try really hard to resist the urge to slam your fist into their face. Remember that you chose to share your work with someone and invited their honest opinion. Remember that if you can’t take one individual maybe not understanding or appreciating the depth of your genius then it’s going to get a helluva lot harder if/when the screenplay makes it to the screen with your name on it. If/when that happens there may be, potentially, millions of people giving their two cents-worth.

As writers, whether we like it or not, we are forced to create in a void. We begin inside our head, with a blank page, often laboring in complete isolation. If you ever want your words to reach others, to move them and inspire then sooner or later you have to step out into the light. Working with a Story Consultant gives you someone to navigate the void with and show you alternative ways of reaching the destination in mind. Best of all, when you survive the process you have a thicker skin and a little more courage for the next time you leap into the fires of creative hell...

Until next time, keep on pushing that rock uphill folks!