CUE FLASHBACK

POW!!! Or rather…BANG! Why either you ask? Well, hell, because it’s my debut blog. I’ve never, ever blogged and if not for my love of the two creators of this site – probably never would. But, truth be told, I think this site is a really great idea. It’s definitely something I would have loved back in Atlanta as I pondered what life as a screenwriter might entail.

– Cue Flashback –

I was mid-way through a long stream of the shittiest jobs, well…EVER. I was a retail men’s store manager. And not even at a cool store — at Sears. In fact, it was in the middle of getting SCREAMED at by my district manager for not having the underwear rack organized to spec (yes, there are detailed plans for the order in which underwear is displayed) when the revelation hit me…

“What in God’s name am I doing with my life? Is this really it? Really? Retail management? Really?”

It was at that very moment that I decided to actively pursue my nagging love of writing. And frankly, given the alternative (hanging myself), this seemed the better route.

So I literally walked upstairs to the computer department, maxed out my Sears card and bought my first laptop. I then proceeded to lock myself in a tiny, storage room office and pound out my first screenplay as my well-oiled men’s department disintegrated around me.

Upon completion and flush with finally doing something I loved — I did what any person would do without properly thinking things through…

…I quit my job. I screamed, “Day jobs are for chumps,” stuffed everything into my truck, and headed West where I promptly was forced to get an even crappier job — claims adjusting.

But hey, I was here – La La land. I remember reading a quote from John Singleton where he said if you’re serious about being a screenwriter, then you better “Get your ass out to Hollywood!” And I did, John. Where ever you are.

Everything was moonbeams and unicorns, until I attempted use my Oscar-worthy screenplay to land an agent. It took me almost 2 years to get ANYONE at an agency to even read my script. Why two years? Well, the big problem is that I didn’t know anyone when I got out here. In fact, I had never even been to California before. Ever.

And one thing you should know before you embark on this career — EVERYONE on the planet thinks they can write. I’m really not kidding – everyone. So agents out here are bombarded. Constantly.

The best way to get at these guys is to find one of their clients and have them vouch for your script. This is part of the reason Singleton’s advice makes so much sense. It helps to be out here to meet these people. To shamelessly ingratiate yourself and beg them to forward your script to their agent. The internet helps, but nothing beats actually being here. Meeting people face to face.

Sooooo…after almost two years, the first agent that read my script signed me up. From here, we’ll fast forward. This agent didn’t do a lot for me, I fired him, picked up a manager and then wrote a script called “Scared Straight.” Off the strength of this spec, I got a couple agents at ICM who then went off and sold the script.

The studio immediately attached a star and A-list director. But, before I could pop the Crystal and begin stalking Jessica Alba in earnest – they promptly kicked me off the project and brought in a writer with a bigger name. Standard fare out here for all first-timers.

Undeterred, I then wrote a spec called “Straight & Narrow” which sold and is in development now. Off this momentum I was put up for an assignment to write the movie version of “21 Jump Street.” I went in, pitched the producer, then pitched the creator of the show and POW, I mean BANG – my first assignment.

Then, one day before the strike commenced — I sold my first TV show called “Deputized.” This takes us up to present day. Now, as all members of the guild, I wait patiently for the strike to end. I miss working and most of all, I miss all the cool people I got to work with. Hopefully we’re near the end. I’m waiting, fingers poised over keys.

Till next time…