Two Cool Things

The first Cool Thing:  had to take the little MacBook in to the Genius Bar on Friday because I am not.  A genius, that is.  Waiting for a resident Genius, I was chatting with one of the help staff.  Turns out, she's an aspiring movie trailer writer/producer in a NY film school and is taking a break for the summer.  I told her the plot line of Stubborn and she loved it.  I mentioned I wanted Willow Smith attached as the lead and she suggested someone else in case Willow was a non-player:  China McClain, who is in a Disney show called Ant Farm.  Looked her up, cripes!  She would be fabulous as well.  Plus - she already has a contract with Disney, obviously, and this is very obviously a Disney movie.

Cool.

The second Cool Thing:  Hubby and I had dinner last night at Piero's, an Old Vegas Mob eatery that is Cool in itself, with an ex-colleague of Hubby's that is now a Newspaper Editor.  The conversation rolled around to Famous People we've met.  Editor won hands-down:  he interviewed Captain Picard last month; has his e-mail address and phone number, and (gasp!) is very certain CP will be here for a Las Vegas adaptation of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.  He then went on to assure me that he would be throwing a party for the production and we will be invited.  I would be introduced.   Introduced!  (double-triple-gasp!)

To.

Captain.

Picard.

Way Cool.

A Boat Anchor

Faithful reader - this muse has not much to do with my screenplay saga.

Rather - it has a lot to do with incapacitation.   (Hope that's a word.)

Long ago, living with my grandmother, she had it in her head that one of our horses was harassing her cattle.  Hence, she had a chain strung on the poor horse's neck and affixed to it was a long metal pole.  Her rationale was that he would not harass the cattle with this chain dragging a pole attached to his neck.

It was a stupid rationale.  But I was a little girl and as such had little power to change the poor horse's fate.

But the horse survived.  After a few months my grandmother deemed the miscreant horse 'cured' and she removed his cruel fetters.  He was a good horse.  He survived worse under my grandmother's hand.

So - what has this to do with Stubborn?

You make the call.

Some Reviewer Magic

This broken ankle is at once a blessing and a curse.

Curse:  Can't sleep worth a crap, can't ride the red sport bike, can't drive the snappy little white convertible.  Going anywhere saps my energy to where I feel like I'm a hundred years old.  Or more.  Major suckage.

Blessing:  Must focus on the Screenplay.  No excuses.  Not even for me.  And I'm on it, once again.  Thanks to Wonderful Sister who's provided a wealth of information on character exposition.  Thanks!

It's also given me an opportunity to thoroughly evaluate the screenwriter reviewer's review:

I have read between the lines of his critique.  He is a gifted reviewer and for once I will reveal his identity for those like me that aspire:  Mike Cheda.  You can do a web search and find his page.  Good guy, a very good guy indeed.

Case in point:  One of his critiques was that my dialogue was "on the nose" - meaning that my characters were saying exactly what they were feeling or thinking.  Did you ever realize how wrong that was?  Moviegoers need to become 'invested' in the dialogue, i.e. develop the conclusions the screenwriters want you to reach, without telling you.  Therein lies the Art.  The writer needs to dance around the point, albeit briefly, and let the viewer reach the conclusion you want them to.  Who knew?

It sure changes your perspective.

I am moving forward.

The Muse (Mostly) Returns!

I dunno, there's something about the atmosphere in L.A.  that works magic on a tube-blocked aspiring screenwriter.  Waiting in the doctor's lobby while hubby was having a minor procedure done, trusty laptop in my lap,  I managed to cut through the layers of self-doubt and cold fear and have started revising Stubborn.

This has never happened to me before - being too paralyzed to move.  What's up with that?

But we move on.  And I am.

For anyone who has never been to L.A.,  I strongly recommend scheduling a visit.  It is like going to another planet.  Really.  Something about the vibe of the place is just startling and will make you catch your breath.

Back in Las Vegas now, broken ankle still in a cast, propped up on the ottoman.  This time next week I hope to report a lot of progress, faithful reader.  I've only revised four scenes so far.  But that's four more than I had last week.

Any progress is good.

Oh - and Follow-up on Captain Kirk, et. al

If you're a Trekkie in any sense of the word - oops, purists refer to themselves as Trekkers - you would certainly be aware of the big Trek-Fest that went down this past weekend in Las Vegas.

There were more headliners there than you could shake a phaser at.  Not to mention Captain Kirk.

Now - for the low, low price of $1000 you could have your photo taken with him and an autograph.  Briefly toyed with the idea of shelling out the serious coinage and shoving my screenplay in his hands.  What's wrong with this picture?  Oh, only about 10 million other people have done the same thing.

Captain Kirk ($1000!)  Captain Jean-Luc Picard ($1000!) here's a little sidebar for you - prostitution is illegal in Clark County, where Las Vegas resides.

You whores!

Back in LA-LA Land

Traveled with hubby today to Los Angeles.  He is scheduled for minor surgery tomorrow and needs a responsible person (ME? Hah!) to take him back to the hotel room.

This will prove interesting because I have a cast on my right foot/leg.  But I have been practicing.

Faithful reader, as you well know, I have not mentioned revising my Stubborn screenplay.  In fact, I have been studiously avoiding even going near my screenplay.  Kind of like the North end of one magnet facing up with the North end of another magnet - instant repulsion.

But - I am back in the Land of Earnest High Hopes for all aspiring screenplay writers.

Hoping to juice my mojo.  While hubby undergoes his surgery I will have NOTHING TO DO BUT WORK ON STUBBORN, Rev. 1.  Will keep you posted.

PS - Also as I've previously said, LA is like no other place on earth.

Stay tuned.

The New "IN" or Not

Soooo....I called my friend who has a business relationship with Captain Kirk.  Turns out it is only a passing relationship - but he DID scroll through his Rolodex and give me a number that he thought was CK's cell.

Called it.  Turned out it was a production company CK owns.  Spoke with CK's personal assistant, who, sadly, referred me to CK's agent.  Another black hole!

But nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I send CK's agent a resume of my Entertainment Lawyer (E.L.) a treatment of Stubborn, and a synopsis of all I've done so far to get my screenplay in the Right Hands.

We will see.