Selling a Screenplay? A True Exercise in Patience

I think if a screenwriter takes away nothing else from the experience of having come up with a great idea for a screenplay, writing a kick-ass script and marketing your effort, it is learning to be patient.

When I consider that I wrote Martin Eden... well, what I mean to say is, I adapted the screenplay from Jack London's 1909 novel, back in 2009. Incidentally, I think it's pretty cool that I completed that work exactly one hundred years from the date of its publication. And here we are just weeks away from 2013, and I'm still waiting on some action. When I say action, I suppose I'm referring to something in the form of representation, an option deal  or an outright sale. I guess I can say, in truth, that my screenplay has seen some action when you consider the recognition Martin Eden has received from various screenplay competitions. I must also admit that my efforts in marketing my work have been rather encouraging, when I have had at least a dozen requests from some high-profile executives in the industry for this work.

Funny, when I first completed this screenplay and I felt it was ready for the eyes of Hollywood producers, I was convinced, as I'm sure are many first-time script writers, that once I cast my script out to the ocean of hungry Hollywood sharks, they would all be clambering over each other for obtaining the rights. It is a great fantasy, imagining that your work is in such high demand as to inspire ruthless bidding wars among the film industry elite. A screenwriter will quickly learn that this notion of immediate success and recognition couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is, even having written an amazing and inspired work, it could take years to get an option deal. The reality, is you might never get an offer.

I have learned to be patient, to wait...to keep trying. I have relaxed on the notion that Hollywood will be breaking down my door. I have come to the realization that I may never see a dime for my efforts. But we keep on trying don't we? We continue to come up with creative ideas to get our work out there. We continue to cast our nets. We sift through all those emails related to pitching and selling your script in the hopes of discovering that one magic door to riches and fame. And we all know that most of these companies have little success rate, given the mounds of desperate clients, all convinced that they've just penned the next Hollywood blockbuster. We know they too are in the business of making a buck. So we learn to wait... we console ourselves with the idea that we only need one person who is crazy about our script idea, who also has the means to get our project developed and made.

I know that Jack London's works are very popular in European markets. This will be my next focus. So you people in the UK, Germany and Russia who are reading this blog, look out 'cause here we come!

One good blog deserves another!

Well Happy Birthday to us!  This brings to mind something I've been trying to put into words and just haven't been able to get write..(Get it?).  Leave it to my fellow cohort, Jim, to create a path for me to do it! (I think I might have to nickname him bushwacker as he seems to start me on most of my good/enriching paths)

I've been thinking about presents.  Those delightfully bright packages with beautiful ribbons and funny cards attached.  Thoughtful presents given to you by people who know you well, "walgreens" presents for people who want to mark an occasion they had forgotten until the moment they saw you, and obligation presents -the ones you really don't want to accept but do so now both you and the giver share in the gift of resentment....  I think back to all the presents I have received over my life and for some reason it hit me hard...the best presents I have ever received is the present of friendship.  I am proud to say that I have the most unique and varied gifts in this respect.  I have people that even I have a hard time being around for any length of time, people who make me laugh so hard I almost pee, people who make me cry (in a good way), people who nurture me (thank goodness as  there are some who suck the nurture right out of me!).  I am very grateful for all these gifts of friendship.  Opening my heart like the revolving door at the train station has brought me some amazing insight and knowledge that I would never have received had I kept to my own kind (whatever that is!).

So, on this, the birthday of our "baby", I want to express my gratitude for all the good friendships I've been fortunate to have and most especially for my cohort in practical jokes, solving the worlds problems and train wine - my fellow contributor Jim.  Jim has given me a unique perspective that I was lucky enough to pay attention to.  His writing skills, pursuit of his dreams and infinite love for his family have been an example that I can truly say changed this here Zep's life.  So here's to you Jim, me and the Whine Press!!

Happy Birthday Blog!

It has been a year ago that I published my first blog post to the Whine Press. I just felt as though I needed to somehow acknowledge the one year birthday (anniversary?) of this blog. The Whine Press was actually created last summer, but it sat latent for some months as Zep, the blogs other regular contributor, and I decided what it was going to be. Like so many with the intention of starting a blog, we weren't sure exactly what our focus was going to be. It seems after an entire year, that this still seems to be the case.

One thing I can say is that we've been rather consistent in providing fresh content, albeit a rather disjointed and unconnected smattering of topics, personal observations and  life experiences, we do bring it. Still, I feel our content is pretty timely and real, for the most part. Like life itself, much of it is fun, some of it is a little sad, there are some shameful and embarrassing moments. A little bitterness is felt at times (hence the "whine"). You will find some spiritual reflection, family situations and tender moments. Over the past year you will also find a good number of "aha !" and "why?" moments woven throughout.

My first post, last October 13th, involved a wedding of a mutual friend that Zep and I both attended as guests. This particular wedding involved a road trip, an overnight stay in the dairy capitol of the nation. In this particular wedding there also happened to be a pig (Moo) in the ceremony, who acted as ring-bearer during the ceremony. After that post we came out of the gate strong and posted regular in the weeks that followed. We lost much of our initial momentum toward the onset of the holiday season, but again found our stride once again during the early months of 2012 and beyond.

I know that thousands of blogs are launched daily and a large percentage of these are not maintained, become neglected and forgotten over time and many fizzle out completely. I feel like a year of loyal commitment and and dedication deserves a little recognition, even it if it is only from me. Thank you Zep for your thoughtful and often amusing contributions - you are also the one who got this off the ground and provided the look and feel of our baby. Now that it has legs...Happy Birthday Whine Press!

This is Really the Most Roundabout Way...

Am I really the only one who has problems navigating through those roundabouts? I'm seeing more and more of these frustrating circuitous road  labyrinths that are designed to improve traffic flow, while presumably eliminating the need for signal lights.

There must have been studies done with convincing data that somehow proves these to be a more efficient means of moving traffic from to any given compass point without the use of stop signs, long waits for light signals to change or any sense of any definitive intersections.

I hate these roundabouts and I would really feel much better about hating them if I knew that I wasn't alone in this. Every time I approach these crazy car-ousels, I immediately experience a mild anxiety and a feeling of dread. I really don't like them. There is a Wisconsin cheese and sausage shop that we love, but it requires exiting from the Interstate and immediately navigating through three of these roundabouts consecutively to get to the destination. Now I must say that the very first time I did this I was completely baffled as to which lane I was to be in - the inside lane or the outer, who had the right of way - it seems everybody has a"Yield" sign. some drivers take a partial spin around the loop before catapulting off to their intended trajectory. Others drive almost completely around the circle to proceed in the opposite direction where they'd originally come. This would have been previously known as a simple U-turn.

Wherever it is people are going when looping through these roundabouts, they seem to do it purposefully and deliberately. I on the other hand feel apprehensive, tentative and rely heavily on my wife as a co-pilot: do I stop...should I let them go...is this the right lane to get over there? Even she acts as though I am severely, mentally challenged. I don't like those things! I must say that it helps having been through the same one a few times as I think it becomes easier when you know exactly where you need to end up. I think that's why most people appear to be very confident and assured while going through the roundabouts...it is familiar to most of  them. These people are so familiar with the course that they race through it like a silver ball in a pinball machine, while at the same time looking at me like I'm a problem, or worse, hazard to be avoided (which I probably am). I don't like them at all.

 I want to see more data on the effectiveness of these stupid things. I find it hard to believe that there are any less accidents since implementing these traffic circles then there were when there was simply a plain old fashioned intersection with traffic signals. Or maybe it is just me. I also feel overwhelmed when ordering from a drive-thru window at a fast food restaurant. Again, for most this is an efficiency, to me it is generally an anxiety-ridden means to getting something I'm not sure I really wanted in the first place.