Renée Brack: Producer, screenwriter and story analyst in Sydney, Australia.

Hi Renee. That's awesome you write poetry, too. I wrote some poems and short stories in a writer's workshop class when I was in middle school. I didn't really get into writing again until I finished high school and started writing poetry, lyrics and short plays online in my spare time. I'm also part of a poet group in my city that does open mics and poetry slams throughout the year, so that keeps me inspired.

I have positive envy of your poetry group. I was part of one some years ago but in Australia, poetry passion seems to subside as the internet rose. They may be unrelated events. After all, poetry can be short form and lends itself to social posts. My work appeared in prestigious poetry publications and I miss the live events - like the ones you mentioned you attend. Might see if I can find some poetry groups again and make them part of my writing and social life. Thanks for re-igniting a past passion :)

That's a shame that the passion for poetry subsided as the internet rose. While I at first had a community online at allpoetry, which is still a thriving site after many years, when I posted my poems to youtube, I didn't find that poetry was all that popular there, which is why I eventually took my art offline to the real world. In Saskatchewan, the community is small, but there are often between ten to fifteen people at events every month. Once a year, there is even a slam to qualify to compete for the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS). I hope you find a poetry group in Australia that you can be a part of. :)

Thanks so much Pamela. I’m chuffed by your mini review and love even more that there may be an insight in the blog that’s helpful.

I’m so pleased. I enjoy learning ways to accept and embrace what appear to be deficiencies in my process and lean into them, transforming them into positives. While I’m working productively on one, I’m also ruminating on a roadblock in the other - then move between the two, progressing both. And I find my basic humanity amusing to study.

creative people do things differently, I work on one thing till I run out of creative juice that work on something else.

Glad it’s that oscillating between 2 projects is a test you want to run. I discovered it by accident and thought ‘hmm. I’m avoiding 1 project by working on another - how can I harness this energy and turn it into a tool for good instead of evil?’

hi Maurice, I’m tossing up getting a portable 2nd screen for the couch in the living room which is a bit funny seeing I set up a dedicated separate home office years ago to work away from the living room. Ahh, the games we play with ourselves :)

Haha I know what you mean, Renée. I set up a screenwriting room in my closest once (not the place I live now). The closest was big. I had a small desk in it, and I still had a lot of space for my clothes, shoes, etc. It was a great screenwriting room, but I didn't use it that much. I wrote scripts in my bedroom instead.

Thank you Sille, Maurice, Curt, Geoff, Robin, Ty and John for your kind comments. They mean a lot. Fundraising during the first Covid lockdown presented challenges based on the traditional and assumed way of doing business. I turned them into positives and had many more 20 minute pitch meetings because of lockdown, raising more money than anticipated in a shorter amount of time. Shooting during covid also had challenges but doing post in the 2nd Australian lockdown was a gift - 9 months - 3 editors - to really nut out story beats in the narrative and the emotional journey for the audience. It was like an extended incubation period that really helped me understand the story being conveyed and themes explored. Time is a luxury.

Ty Strange - I've been invited to develop a military feature inspired by some real life experiences I had spending a month in the Middle East, 2007. I was given a backstage pass to the front line of the biggest war of my generation. What I saw and heard about the machinations of war and the personal stories of soldiers - the excess of money invested - the little joys and monumental misery - so much to distill and turn into a narrative. The film will have a female protagonist.

You're welcome, Renée Brack. Glad you turned those challenges into positives. It's inspiring and encouraging to the rest of us.

"Outback Killer Koalas." That's unique, Renée Brack! :D Have you pitched your script through the Pitch Sessions (www.stage32.com/scriptservices/pitch-sessions/tag/horror)? You can pitch to experienced execs, producers, etc. in the Horror genre.

Hey Renée Brack! Thanks for sharing, I love these ideas. And thanks for writing today's blog post! We have execs from Australia and others who've worked with Blumhouse and other horror companies that you could get your work in front of. Shoot me an email at success@stage32.com for recommendations!

Hi Renée Brack! Maurice and Emily are steering you in the right direction, but I just had to say that The OKK sounds like a hilarious idea!

My pleasure Abdur - I love that it respnates with other writers :)

** resonates - writing in the dark as it's 6am in Australia :)

No worries lol. At least you double check your spelling? Thanks Renee