I wasn't sure what to expect when I lifted off (and touched down) 3 times on my way Texas...Austin that is. I had ideas of cowboys and guns, and music galore. I was correct about the music, but I missed the boat on college kids.
6th street was a fairly wild place, and if not for Murray, and some serious MUAY THAI, MOTHERFUCKER- I'd perhaps have only the AFF to speak of.
Yeah, I was there. Among a throng of experianced and not-so-experianced writers, producers, groupies, etc. I met a boatload of people I had only know as screen names with complimentary blogs to paint a broader stroke- but seriously, you just don't know someone until they're sitting on your lap. Or eating cheescake from it.
But aside from the people, which were honestly awesome- the experiance was something I wasn't really anticipating. Not that I got what I didn't expect, I just didn't really know what to expect, period. I walked away from it, 4 pounds heavier, and a little more weighted in something else.
Confidence.
I'm not a very good writer- I admit that too frequently. But, it lingers over me anyway- I'm untrained, young and perhaps no so good with English. Drop out not so good. But the one thing I always thought, or was told, was that even if I couldn't write the way professionals wrote, I still had my way of telling things. And above all else- that's what I learned from the pros. That's what I got told over and over again.
Shane Black
John August
David Milch
All notable. All talents worth aspiring too. And they all said the same thing- Write the way you write. Because that's your key into the forbidden palace, that's the backdoor. No one else will write like you, or me, or Shane Black. And that's what makes all of our stories unique, gives it that little pop of something else.
And that's what I think I needed to hear. We'll see...I've never been a personal writer- never instilled anything of my own emotions into scripts...I'm going to change that.
Anyone that wants to can read my next spec. It's an autobiography of sorts...which a smidgen of fiction - you can decide which is which.
SO what did you learn, if you were there? What was it that you needed to hear?
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
BBQ, Beer and Kittens
Posted by Systemaddict at 11:31 AM
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11 comments:
I've never been a personal writer- never instilled anything of my own emotions into scripts...I'm going to change that.
Jamie, as soon as you let yourself go and channel some of that presence and Self into your work -- be it writing or acting -- you'll be a star. I have no doubt.
Hugs.
MY favorite thing I heard was "Send me the script. Just send me the script."
That was from a VP of Production and Development for a major prodco, one with numerous well-known mega-productions to their credit.
Three script requests, two offers to call and discuss ideas mentioned at parties, four cards from prodco folks who repeated their desire to keep in touch, and at least a half dozen offers of meetings the next time I'm in LA.
That and a ton of booze, loads of good food, heaps of great insight and knowledge, and way too much fun with great freinds, some old, some new.
Good times.
.
.
.
B
:-)
I think I lost an earring.
Just write the way you write. Cool beans.
mmmmm....cheesecake never tasted so good.
...and I now relate to the title of your blog.
I'm with you, bud. Just write what you have to write in the way that best suits you. Forget everything else.
I haven't been there since '03 (I had a free ride - all access when my script was a comedy finalist) but I loved it, wonderful experience. Damn good food, too, met a bunch of people, a few good contacts (half of which have left their posts at the prod companies they were with then so now they're useless but anyway).
Keep writing, you'll only get better.
I've never been to Texas, but the advice "write the way you write" seems like some damn fine piece of mind.
Everyone has already said it better here as well. Write from the heart and from yourself, and you'll do great things.
-J
Someone, or maybe it was my sneakers, told me "Just Do it!"
Sometimes wisdom comes in a size ten and a half.
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