I've been writing most of my life. It's probably one the most consistent activities that has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I've had periods where I didn't start and finish a project, but for the most part, I've written something on a daily basis for many years.
In late 1999/early 2000, I had an idea for a screenplay. I spoke about the idea to my friend, Mike (the same Michael Joseph of a couple days ago) during a late night pub crawl and he wanted to embark on the journey with me. This was shortly after Matt Damon and Ben Affleck had won an Oscar for Best Screenplay for "Good Will Hunting." If they could do it, we figured, so could we.
Mike and I had a plan, every Friday, we would get together at our condo in Wrigleyville (he lived 1/2 block up the street from me) and write. We took turns with whose turn it would be to supply the case of beer each week, and we'd write until the case was finished. I would be the scribe and we'd simply write what came out of our mouths. My job, since I was the "writer," was to edit our notes on Monday and type them out on the computer.
Screenplay writing is much different that writing a short story, essay, article, poem, or novel. Hollywood expects a screenplay to be between 90-120 pages and follow a specific format on the page. They say that one page in a screenplay equals a minute on the screen. There are characters, scene headings, parentheticals, stuff that I was not familiar with, but quickly learned about through reading published pieces. For the most part, my education came from reading Kevin Smith, Cameron Crowe, Alan Ball, and any other screenplay I could find at the bookstore or library.
Transcribing our words from a notebook to the computer was difficult. Like I said, Hollywood expects a screenplay to be a certain way, and that also means look a certain way. I did my best each week, to follow the format. We were about 2/3 of the way done with the first draft, when I realized that there was software available to make the whole format issue a non-issue. We were able to secure a copy of it, but somewhat a little too late in the process.
Mike and I pretty much got through an entire first draft of the idea, but life got in the way of taking it to the next step. Frederic was born, Laura moved back from Colorado, we moved to Philadelphia. Mike and I kept talking about the project, but even today, almost ten years later, it still remains an unfinished script.
Around the time we moved to Philly, "Project Greenlight" was launched. It was an Internet contest developed by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to help launch the careers of undiscovered writers. Basically, people uploaded screenplays to their site, had to read and review three submissions, and then have their screenplay read and reviewed as well. While the story Mike and I were working on could have probably been completed and submitted, I got another idea for a different story, so I wrote that. And I entered the contest.
While my submission received lukewarm reviews, I didn't make it to the next round. The reality was, I had no idea what I was doing and my story needed A LOT of work. I tried shopping it around a little, sending emails to production companies and agents, even receiving some requests for the finished product. But every request ended with a "pass."
I don't blame them, either. It was a hacky story that tried to be a romantic comedy, without the comedy. I'd pass on it too.
As time went on, I continued to write, but I veered in other directions. I started and finished my Master's Degree in Nonfiction writing and concentrated mostly on essays. I've had a solid writing life over the past four years, the best most recently, but I could never shake the desire to want to write another screenplay.
So, I challenged myself. Shortly before Thanksgiving, I charged myself with having to start and finish a screenplay in 90 days. I concluded that I would write at least one page a day, more if I felt the inspiration. I had a general idea what I wanted to write (the story), and I held myself to the notion that I wanted to write a screenplay to a movie I would want to see. I love movies. I'd watch a movie everyday if it were possible. I like complicated stories that connect people. I like dramas that show how people connect and how they make each other change. I like stories where people are somehow connected, even if they don't know it. Something binds them together, if even for a moment (think "Magnolia" or "Short Cuts").
One page became two, two became four, four became 90 in about three weeks. It was almost as if someone was channelling the words to me and I was just taking notes (someone said something like that about Joyce Carol Oates' prolific nature--I'm no JCO, but I get the idea).
I remember when I finished writing the last few words how good I felt. I sent Cyndi a Meeting Request to do a "table reading" with me. I wanted her to be the first person to hear these words, to offer feedback, to begin a possible journey with me. Cyndi's known me long enough and has seen me work through the creative process enough to know that she can be brutally honest with me. When her feedback was nothing but positive, I was excited.
Then I shared the work with Bob. Again, he knows he can tell me if something sucks. He's known me longer than Cyndi and has seen some of my garbage. Again, positive feedback.
Now I am at a crossroads. When I finished the first draft, I committed to myself that I would get it into the hands of agents, production companies, etc. and find a home for it before I turned 40. While I know I have little control over the fate of my work once it's out there in the real world, I think the goal is something good to motivate me.
But I am frustrated. It's March and I have not sent it to anyone. I know it still needs work, but I don't know where to turn to to get detailed feedback. They call it script coverage in Hollywood, and if I wanted to pay some anonymous person $250 to review my work and give me feedback, all I have to do is Google "script coverage" and I'll find hundred of people to help. Agents would be great, but most of them won't work with you unless you are recommended to them by someone in the business. It's a crazy and competitive world, screenwriting is.
I'm not saying that this is the next Oscar for Best Screenplay, but it's a movie I'd like to see. SO maybe that's something.
I turned to Northwestern to see if my alma mater can help. I went straight to the top of the Film Department, asking if maybe I could have access to students to provide me with coverage. It's "not something they are doing right now."
Project Greenlight has been dead and long gone for years. It was a great experiment that lasted for three movies. But it failed.
And that's what I don't want to do.
Fail.
If anyone out there has any ideas, any connections, or has Matt Damon or Ben Affleck's contact information, I'm ready to beg for help!!!! :)
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