Back inventory: One Less Monkey
I think I've been blogging a little more personably these days, and those of you with access to where I post that stuff seem to be responding. I guess there are times I take on more magazine-y or soap box-y aspects and the conversation level drops. I haven't even posted a movie review in awhile, and I've been to two (Black Snake Moan and 300, both of which I have sufficient things to say about).
This could be graduate-level narcissism but I'm constantly taking stock of what I'm writing and in what amounts. I like to think that it's a study geared towards better harnessing my productivity. I'm more accepting now that there will be streaks where I go four or five days with no bigger private accomplishment than clearing some more Expert-level songs on Guitar Hero II. I won't say that's admirable but mental decompression is inevitable in any life, and those days are handy for the little essentials like laundry and homework and vaccuuming out my filthy car (oh, Samwise, I've been neglectful. We'll get to do some real driving tomorrow.)
But I have devoted a lot of headspace for the past two weeks to the re-write on my screenplay, which is now finished. The draft has gone from 115 pages to 111. Since I wrote probably four pages' worth of new material, it means I cut a total of eight, which pleases me. Once you embrace it, cutting feels really good, like a ritual sweat. Not a major re-write as these things go, but the feedback I've received so far has generally agreed that the first draft was damned solid for a first draft.
Now we get to start the machinery. This isn't one of those high-concept specs you just fling out to the studios and wait for the millions to roll in. This will take some TLC, some packaging. This will take my agent and I marrying our Rolodexes and doing a little fantasy casting. I don't know if I'll make money from this script (always my first rule of Hollywood: nothing is real until the check clears), but as of today I get to move one step closer towards finding out.
And, my projects list has one big item off it for the time being. Back to that treatment.
This could be graduate-level narcissism but I'm constantly taking stock of what I'm writing and in what amounts. I like to think that it's a study geared towards better harnessing my productivity. I'm more accepting now that there will be streaks where I go four or five days with no bigger private accomplishment than clearing some more Expert-level songs on Guitar Hero II. I won't say that's admirable but mental decompression is inevitable in any life, and those days are handy for the little essentials like laundry and homework and vaccuuming out my filthy car (oh, Samwise, I've been neglectful. We'll get to do some real driving tomorrow.)
But I have devoted a lot of headspace for the past two weeks to the re-write on my screenplay, which is now finished. The draft has gone from 115 pages to 111. Since I wrote probably four pages' worth of new material, it means I cut a total of eight, which pleases me. Once you embrace it, cutting feels really good, like a ritual sweat. Not a major re-write as these things go, but the feedback I've received so far has generally agreed that the first draft was damned solid for a first draft.
Now we get to start the machinery. This isn't one of those high-concept specs you just fling out to the studios and wait for the millions to roll in. This will take some TLC, some packaging. This will take my agent and I marrying our Rolodexes and doing a little fantasy casting. I don't know if I'll make money from this script (always my first rule of Hollywood: nothing is real until the check clears), but as of today I get to move one step closer towards finding out.
And, my projects list has one big item off it for the time being. Back to that treatment.
posted by Nicholas Thurkettle at
5:17 PM
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