Hey Everyone!
I was just thinking that it's been a while since I last checked in. How's everybody doing? Are you off to a great start for those New Year resolutions? Personally, I'm having a delayed start. My vacation ran (thankfully) longer than I originally intended, and then I had a very sluggish start getting back into the groove, but I'm back, I'm ready, and it's...February.
Looking back over the past year, I would say I've had a (personally) successful year. No, I didn't win any competitions or meet anybody who's going to catapult my script to the top of the list, but I did write a feature-length script that I'm proud of. This in itself is an accomplishment, so any of you who have written scripts that you're proud of, just relish in that right there. Writing isn't easy and perseverance is even harder, so congrats to all of you.
Not only did I write one script that I'm proud of, but I've actually completed 7 scripts thus far (TV & Feature), and this is entirely due to my developing a workflow that I'm happy with. I wake up around 7 am, coffee and procrastinate till about 8 am, and then I write until lunch time. Lunch and more procrastination till about 1/1:30, then back to work until about 5 pm. After that, I stop for the day because to me 8 hours is plenty. The best part of this schedule is that I've grown used to it, and I came to miss it over the holidays.
So my goals moving forward are to go back and do third and fourth drafts on my previous scripts until I have 7 scripts that I'm proud of. While I periodically do this, I'm breaking ground on an original TV drama that I'm pretty excited for, working as 1st AD for an upcoming short film, and starting to figure out how to produce and direct my own personal short films. There's a lot going on here, but I keep reflecting on things I hear or read about on Stage 32; newbie questions, people's success stories, as well as people's failures. Not everyone wants to talk about failing, but when they do there's a lot to be learned from it.
Anywho that's me. I hope everyone is doing great and constantly moving forward!
Mitch B.
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Hey Mitch its great you can stick to the same schedule every day and not respond to any curve ball thoughts that may crop up, to halt your writing. Procrastination is the thief of time, so great you nailed it down to just an hour. I never stop at the 8 hour time period personally and can carry on writing till next morning. But this binge way of writing is not the best I know, and procrastination always follows, in much bigger chunks of time. Sounds like you know about cameras aswell, congrats on your AD job. Keep it up.
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Just gotta be around folks doing it for real (paid jobs) or for practice (show reels). Be the person with the "and what else can you do" answers. "That Mitch, he's a 1st AD, produces, and he writes! Hire Mitch, he's valuable, He can do 3 jobs."
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your schedule is a baller and super intriguing!
Debbie Croysdale I'm not gonna lie, procrastination is tough to fight, I'm a pro at it, but I've convinced myself that if I need to take a long break, I should at least do something productive (gym, books, groceries), and that way I keep my Netflix binges for the evenings. If I'm on a role I'll usually keep writing until I'm tapped out, but I try to save some of my "inspiration" for the next morning. I try to stop while I have a clear idea of what's coming next.
Dan MaxXx Thanks man!
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How many scripts have you read? How many movies have you seen? How many Film Festivals have you attended? You have to be around it, constantly be networking and meeting people. Reading scripts and seeing movies. "What was your favorite of all the Oscar movies?" "I haven't seen any? In fact, I haven't seen a movie this past year." Someone said this to me. You think I would hire him? Nothing bothers me more than people who say they have passion, but haven't a clue about movies or the industry itself. Be around it, as Dan MaxXx suggested. Crews, Film Festivals, networking events. Go see movies. Read scripts of your favorites to learn from. Write. And, you MUST brand yourself. Both with a Social Media presence and with every person you meet. Why not write a Short-Short that you can raise the money to make? Get yourself a real IMDb credit. Maybe win some Festival Awards and then put it on both Amazon/I-Tunes and DVD after your Festival run. There are ways to do the things I just said. ;) Break Legs! GOD BLESS and STAY FRESH! <3