This last week I've been eagerly waiting the results of the American Gem Literary Festival (
http://www.filmmakers.com/contests/short/) and the results are finally in.
Out of the Box, a script I co-wrote with Lawrence King came in
thirteenth
place. It was not the stellar finish I hoped for, I really would have
liked to finish in the top ten. Oh well, it just reinforces that I've
still got a ways to go as a screenwriter. There were 25 finalists in
total and this was my first time making it to the finals, so I'm still
proud of my effort.
Now where to go from here. Right now I'm in the midst of rehearsals for
Anton in Show Business,
the play will open next month October 10, 2008. The work in this play
is definitely challenging me and at times I've felt discouraged, the
cast is a group of seasoned thespians, which I'm not and I feel like
the little fish in a little pond. But then I tell myself bad rehearsals
are part of the learning process and that I can do this. I guess I just
need to believe in myself a little more and practice, practice,
practice.
It's hard to find focus because I'm also in
pre-production for
After the Headlines,
which will shoot a few weeks after I finish the play. Boy, do I know
how to pack it in. I took this semester off to focus on my thesis, but
I won't be able to realistically do that until the end of November,
beginning of December, a month from when I'm supposed to finish my last
semester in Western Connecticut's State University' (
http://www.wcsu.edu/writing/mfa//). I will also be in post-production for the
After the Headlines. It's going to be a hectic time, with so much to still do.
Looking
forward, one good thing I see is that I will end 2008 with my focus
back on screenwriting. I don't want to lose the headway I've been
making. I feel like I'm getting better at telling visual stories and
that is at the heart of what I need to continue to do, to succeed as a
screenwriter. There is so much competition out there. I didn't realize
how much until I started submitting to screenwriting competitions.
With
all these competitions, seminars, workshops, and readings, I also need
to find time to network and promote myself. I did a little of that this
past Friday. I attended a preview screening for the feature independent
film London Betty (
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1956440184). My sis Dawn (a film lover and tough critic), who was down for the holiday weekend tagged along. Neal
Thomassen
the director of photography (DP) for London Betty will also DP my short
film. I had an opportunity to connect with some people I've worked with
on previous projects as well as meet some new contacts. That is always
good, but time will tell if things are topan out for other projects.
When
I think of everything that's on my plate and what I need to do, I get
overwhelmed. I'm probably have given myself more gray hairs in the
process. Let me take a moment and breath.....
hmmn,
that feels better. While my nervous energy has not completely subsided,
I have to accept that everything I go through is to help make me a
stronger individual and hopefully a better artist. I have to keep on
tryin until I'm
flyin.