Contests

Here's a question for those of you guys who also write screenplays: what are you top 10 list of screenplay contests? Do you believe in contests? Do you find them useful, a waste of money? Good for anything?

I have one friend who won the Nicholl Fellowship a couple of years ago and it was a really exciting time, he got some (new) representation, and met with a lot of people. I have another friend who won one of the Nickelodeon Diversity Fellowships.

So any thoughts? Anyone? Here's what I've got so far:

ABC Disney Writing Fellowship Program
Austin Heart of Film Screenplay Competition
Chesterfield Writer's Film Project (on hiatus?)
Cinequest
Filmmakers International Screenwriting Awards
Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting
PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Screenwriting Expo
Scriptapalooza
The Slamdance Screenplay Competition

Okay. That's it for now.

My Hatchback (The Overreacting Rant)

JB and I are trying to transition into a new phase of our lives and gracefully shed the hand-me-down and/or broken furniture we've been carting around with us since 1997. We are shopping around a lot because furniture is EX-PEN-SIVE. So we find the chair we ABSOLUTELY MUST HAVE, and then look for one that costs one fifth the price.

Anyhoo- we found one last weekend. Uber-comfortable, should be around for a very long time (for not a crazy amount). And when we were discussing how we'd transport it, I asked JB if it might fit in my hatchback. A sales clerk immediately pooh-poohed my hatchback. MY HATCHBACK. This is the little car that can hold my massive scroll-top desk. That carted the USC dolly, track AND LIGHTING KITS to many a student film set back in the day. The car that folds the space-time continuum to contain pretty much exactly what you need it to. And never complains.

All that being said, I think in this particular case she might be right. However, my hatchback rules.

Rain, Rugs, and Writing

I think I heard that we've already exceeded our average annual rainfall for the LA area. It was raining pretty hard last night.

So James and I decided to go buy a rug. We went to the shop, picked one out, and had to carry it to my hatchback in the torrential rain. I had this fleeting moment of panic that it wouldn't fit, but if you snugged one rolled up end against the dash board you could just squeeze the other end into the back. I think that's 8 feet from dash to trunk edge. Which is a good figure to have in the back of your mind for situations like "it's raining, I want to buy a rug, and I need to know if it will fit in my hatchback with the trunk closed because driving home with the back edge of a new rug sticking out in the torrential rain is pointless and will only lead to bad feelings all around."

We drove home, unloaded it in the - rain, and about thirty seconds after getting it into the condo I realized it wasn't going to work and we'd have to take it back. (Sorry, JB.)

In other news, just finished Act I of the first draft of the new script.

Less Talking, More Writing

It took me a long time (maybe 5 years of writing screenplays) to get to the point where I could call myself a writer without cringing. Or apologizing. And that was great. I live in Los Angeles. I'm out here to pursue screenwriting. I'm meeting people - finally! - and getting my scripts read!

Amazing how fast that can turn into self-satisfaction. I found myself talking about the craft of screenwriting, or the dedication it takes to be a writer, or how hard it is, or how much perseverance it takes... Talking about it more and practicing it less.

This happened more frequently when I was in closer daily communication with a guy who also called himself a writer. He had written most of a script about 4 years ago. But he could talk the talk, man. Boy howdy, he sounded like the genuine article. That scared the crap out of me. I shut up about writing and started getting up every day before The Day Job to write for 2-3 hours.

I've been writing screenplays for 8 years now. In that time I've cranked out eleven scripts (keeping in mind there was that whole film-school black hole in the middle), most quite mediocre, a few I'd let others read, and just recently - ones I think might actually entertain someone. Someone not related to me, even. So I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of this strange animal that is scriptwriting. And I feel like I am a baby who's pleased she learned to crawl in a world of Olympic gymnasts. I know I have a long way to go.

But, damn, it feels good to be crawling after sitting on my ass for 8 years.

You Can Run...

Ha! Ears! You thought you could escape me... but you are now one of my collection of blog links... Which is alphabetized. Finally.

Hey, guess what?! Luna learned how to scratch our new couch last night! And she learned that every time she did this she got immediate attention from daddy! She now knows exactly how to get daddy's attention when daddy is within earshot of the couch. Devious kitty. Once she has daddy's attention, she tries on all her cute faces, but they don't seem to abate daddy's wrath so she does not get the nice kitty scratches she expects.

I wonder if the pent-up-hostility of not getting kitty scratches after batting her eyes is leading to the carpet-decorating? Hm. If only I spoke Gatito.

Screenings, Hollywood Style

JB and I went to a friend's short film premiere last night (EW! you rock!). We had a great time, thought the film (and its company) was awesome, and the venue - spectacular old-style Hollywood theater with the pretty scrolly architectural details all over a surprisingly cavernous lobby.

That being said: I hate parking in Hollywood. Let me rephrase. I love parking in Hollywood. What I hate is LOOKING for parking in Hollywood. Just once I would like to show up to a movie premiere not just on time but comfortably early. You know, get a pre-show drink, catch up with some film school friends I haven't seen for years, shake the traffic stress out of my clothes...

For JB and I, going to a premiere has become its own ritual:

Scramble to get out of work on time.
End up 20 minutes late anyhow.
Argue about the fastest way to consume dinner while en route to screening.
Plan to stop by bank for money because Fast Food places want cash.
Remember there's this one Del Taco that takes ATMs through the drive through.
Go to Del Taco and order Fast Food.
Receive food and drive off.
Argue about directions while trying to eat Del Taco.
Navigate 80% of the way there - start to feel uncomfortable from having eaten too fast.
Come to the street we're supposed to turn on - turn the wrong way.
Take 15 minutes to turn around and get back to correct street.
Find the theatre - but there's no parking.
Drive around looking for parking.
Pass $10 parking because it's $10 parking.
Drive around looking for parking.
Return to $10 parking because we're now officially late.
JQ stays with car while JB runs to nearest ATM machine for the cash we didn't have to get for food because of the ATM Del Taco.
Pay for parking.
Run to theatre.
Get name checked off list.
Go sit down just in time to hear that they're holding the show for 30 minutes because traffic is bad.

The moral of this story is: keep cash on hand.

Still - had a great time at the screening!