I was going to give out my own WGC awards, but...

So, today I’m sporting a vicious hangover courtesy of the Writer’s Guild of Canada. I have always heard that the WGC Award evening is the 'Spring Break' of the Canadian film circuit, and now I can verify that this is in fact so. Only with less sex (I think). Mark it in pen. No, Sharpie.

After being disappointed by the WGC Christmas…ahem, sorry…Non-Denominational Holiday Celebration, my future guild’s reputation as the hard-drinking, wise-cracking, gut-busting party people (NOT the description usually tacked on to writers) is reaffirmed. People got sloppy - and if I'm saying that, then its worth mentioning.

Hosted by the always racy Scott Thompson, the ratio of insider humor to gay jokes was about 1:1. I was impressed that he kept such a careful balance. Also was impressed by the lovely polka-dotted young actress from Degrassi, but completely different reasons. As the remarkably tiny awards were handed out, I couldn’t help but wonder what the heck I’d say if I ever won something. Whatever it is, it would definitely start with ‘Fuck yeah!’

I joined up with 5/8ths of my CFC Writers crew (2 out of town, one conveniently omitted…oops) for a drink beforehand. This was our plan to combat the Zero Factor. For those of you who aren’t familiar, the Zero Factor is when you walk into a party, funeral, or conference and it takes only 18.4 seconds to realize you don’t know ANYONE. And it seems like everyone else has been best friends since diapers. Awkward. You proceed to stare at the door, hoping to find that familiar face. Unfortunately, the only face you recognize is that of your watch - which you then stare at, waiting for the event to begin so you don’t stick out as that guy/girl with no friends.

I was pleasantly surprised to realize that I knew many more people than expected. What a good feeling. I actually felt welcome (until the conversation came around to ‘So, what have you done?’). And, there was no Unproduced-Writers-In-One-Corner action either, so that was good. My people, both Jews and scribes, HATE being put in ghettos.

Met some new people, made some contacts, but most importantly, I had a rip-roaring good time with those I consider friends. (BTW, my ‘Are they a friend or a colleague?’ litmus test is measuring the percentage of the conversation that is work related). The lamb was delicious, I was briefed on the very restrictive ‘detox’ diet of a development exec and tried to keep up with a VERY fast, close-talking screenwriter. And, I got to see the CFC gals Stephanie and Jessica, who I really enjoy. The hangover was worth it. And, I finally had an excuse to buy those neat new Tylenol gelcaps on the commercial. You know, the ones with the ‘rapid-release’ holes. I’m a sucker for holes.

Ahhh. Good times. It was great to see every one of you. Even those I don't like, I enjoyed not liking. I hope I’m there next year. And I hope that Scott Thompson leaves his weird paper mache dildo at home.

A final note: If those horrible pictures of Paul, Patrick, Karen, and I ever surface…I hate fake smiling. That’s why I look weird. And, I was drunk. So there’s that too.

The Result? B+

I’ve read it twice. The script, tentatively called Chub (any thoughts on this, some dig it, others - like myself - are still not sold) is readable. I’ve verified that with a small group of readers, who were kind enough to give me notes in the face of my obnoxious hounding.

The biggest question I wanted to know, something the future of this script/story hinged on, was whether the story’s interesting to anyone other than me. We’ve all been there: Gotten super-excited about a pitch or an idea, having it come to life in your head, and then making the mistake of sharing it for the first time.

I’m glad to say, the consensus has been positive. I’m told that it is a smooth, entertaining read, and (something that makes me really happy) that it doesn’t read any more first draft-y than something written over a longer period of time.

The foundation is laid, but that’s not to say there aren’t problems. Fairly substantial ones, although I don’t find this daunting. More on this later.

I continually underestimate the familiarity non-writers (and audiences as a whole) have with the concept of ‘story’. Because we as a society are so well versed in story and have come to expect certain things from it, when there are holes/missteps in a script, they seem to stick out as if they were written in 24 point bold. The holes in Chub are minor, but they stem from more significant decisions I made in order to get the draft on paper.

(The following is a mish-mash of notes given to me, as well as some issues I’ve declared troublesome).

“I’m promising myself (in the sake of efficiency – only time will tell whether this was a good decision) not to pay too much attention to ‘traditional structure’ – instead to follow my own story beats”

So, as quoted above, I didn’t spend much time worrying about structure. After reading it, this is painfully obvious. The first act/second act bridge is unsatisfying, largely because the protagonist’s actions aren’t properly motivated. I did follow my own story beats, but in doing so I only skimmed the surface of the conflicts and relationships I’ve set up. The potential, as echoed by my readers, is great, interesting, and emotionally resonating…I just need to get there.

It amazes me how predictable I am. I have a horrible habit, evidenced in all my scripts, of writing in a second act love-interest that turns out to be a catty, one-dimensional vagina and vanishes off the earth just before Act 3. This time around, her name is Marcie. And, as usual, this character gets cut from draft 2. In this case, she’s becoming a ‘he’ (As the Dude says, ‘it will really tie the room together’ - it motivates the actions of other characters, cleans up the backstory…wish I thought of it earlier)

I think that many of the major issues are already solved on my head, and are just not on the page. This makes me feel much more secure than if I was faced with multiple unknowns. There are some things I’m not sure of - but the pieces will fall into place as decisions are made and answers are found. Most of the clarifications fall into the WHY category, which is to say my characters do things and act certain ways, but the driving forces that make them HAVE to do and say and think the way that they do aren’t in this draft.

I’m going to start this weekend on revisions. I have no formal re-writing structure that I adhere to, and always think that I’ve weakened what I had before (I still maintain that Marigold Moon was a better script after draft 2 than it is now, despite hearing the contrary). I hate re-writing, because it always feels forced. With this script, I don’t feel that way. It’s much more organic and natural than I’ve found with other stories. Not sure why this is - but it’s definitely a distinct feeling I have. I can't take credit for the changes I'm about to make - they are actually making themselves as I discuss the script with people. Logic and the inherent story sense I mentioned earlier don’t exist solely within the audience. They exist within the story itself. And that’s another wonderful thing about writing: creating something that takes on a life and direction all its own. And we get to sit back and watch it tell US what to write.

Hope to have draft 2 (and it’ll likely be a fairly significant ‘draft’, rather than a ‘polish’ or a ‘pass’, or whatever cutesy terms we use) done for next weekend… I’m going to the cottage tomorrow with my lady and look forward to writing in the quiet, breathing the fresh air. For me, it’s a much more productive environment than being bunkered down in Second Cup in the dead of winter.

Overall, I’m happy with the draft. There are a lot of positives (which needn’t be mentioned here) and it really provoked dialogue, which would make any writer happy. I’ve heard that being a ‘writer’ is really being a ‘re-writer’. This used to terrify me, I think because I had to labor over what to cut, where to tweak, and what to completely overhaul. With Chub, things seem to be sunnier right out of the gate. Here’s hoping…

The 4-Day Feature

Not to keep postponing the love-fest…but as things pop up, I want to share. I’ve neglected everything else in my life (Brent/Chris/Scott: I’m sorry –getting to it!) since last Saturday. Other than pausing to meet with Karen, Michael, and Billy (with a welcome Chubb sighting!), the following is a Coles notes version of my past week: Wake up, work. Home quickly to shower, off to Second Cup. Get a green tea latte. Write until it closes. Watch the Daily Show. Rinse and repeat.

Those close to me know that I’ve been super busy – embarrassingly, too busy to explain why. I’ve been vague on the details. I assured you, I’m not trying to shroud myself in mystery.

I’ll explain the reason behind all this madness after, but I wanted to first describe the actual ‘act’ of putting your rambunctious imagination on paper under a less than pregnant deadline without years of writing-under-the-gun experience.

I wrote a feature script in 4 days. From scratch. Assembled a potpourri of ideas and details into 94 pages. I must admit, I’m pretty proud. Despite not actually reading it or knowing if its anything more than words on a page, I’m proud that I did it. (This ties into the Love-Fest that I’m neglecting…more on that in the future). I wrote notes at the end of each day, in order to better figure out my process and to share it with others. Here it is, a day by day breakdown of the script - that currently has three working titles.

Dear Diary:

Day 0 (I don't count this day because I didn't technically write anything):
VA leaves the coffee shop. Great meeting. Suggests strongly (asked me) that I write a feature for the upcoming Friday. With a smile on her face. Take my regular seat amongst the armchair in the back of the Second Cup at St. Clair and Bathurst. Having trouble breathing. What the fuck am I going to do? Do I go through my past outlines and see if I can get something to work? Or do I start fresh? What I did is a combination of both. Went through my detail/idea files, and extracted some pieces I wanted to explore and hoped would be complimentary. But, I won’t know until I try..

Day 1:
Took about an hour to mute the ‘Wow, it’s sunny outside!’ recording looped inside my brain. Began to sketch an outline together. I have a document from Noel Baker – sort of a cheat sheet, made from notes from a famous Hollywood script doctor. As Noel said, it’s to be used not as a template or bible, but as a reference tool. I find it helps to get out of the gates. Put the pieces together, tried (unsuccessfully) to write a traditional outline. Came up with what I thought would be a cool beginning, and wrote it out. Paid attention to setting the stage quickly. Jump right into it. I think I’ve done an ok job of that.

I suffer from the tendency to want to ‘do it all’ on the first go round. I know others who hand me a first draft that (I think) isn’t very good, but I know the reason is because they just focused on the protagonist/structure/tone.
Page Count: 18

Day 2:
Sat down, looked at where I left off. After recently reading John August’s March 27 post, I didn’t re-write myself. It’s a habit I got into with Marigold Moon, and I have not been able to shake it since. I’d begin each new writing day with a polish of everything that’s come before it. I don’t have the luxury of time this week, so I fought the urge and pushed ahead. Forward into nothing. There was nothing in my head, just characters standing in a field, staring at each other.

I skipped ahead to the ending. Laid the groundwork. Having the beginning and end somewhat in place, I tried to follow the organic spine inherent in what I’ve set up. (Side note: I don’t’ think you can teach this. Some people just have good story instinct – they can create drama and conflict without thinking about it. Some are better than others – PG comes to mind) I hope the drama is building – I have a vague sense of my character’s arc to this point. I am trying to ensure each relationship is complex and engaging. As usual, I love my secondary characters. Fun to write. I think I’ve found their voices. And, as usual, I feel that my protagonist is still the weakest character. I have to make sure he is active. I still think the atmosphere, the world of the script, isn’t getting enough attention. I know it in my head; it’s just not on the page. Will work on that later.

On a stylistic note, I can’t wait to think in fragments. Scott does this well. I’m prone to using flowery words in an effort to entertain, although I know the primary goal of screenwriting is to tell the story in as few words as possible. Tomorrow, I’m going to tackle the many beats of the second half of the Act 2. I’m promising myself (in the sake of efficiency – only time will tell whether this was a good decision) not to pay too much attention to ‘traditional structure’ – instead to follow my own story beats. Focus on the Action/Reaction/Action/Reaction chain of events and emotions.
Page Count: 48

Day 3:
Again, began without reading it through. I find it takes me a few minutes longer to actually get into ‘writing mode’, but still saves a few hours of fine-tuning. I’ll do that all at once when I’m done the draft. I referred to my end of day notes from yesterday. Trudged forward. Got through most of the second act. I must admit, I can’t completely tell where each act breaks – will undoubtedly have to polish and clarify later.

Relationships growing on their own. Little holes are filling themselves – a great feeling, fills you with confidence. The protagonist is gaining personality. Must go back once I’m done and make sure it’s consistent. Made small changes to the story (mostly subplot changes), so I went back to the beginning just to plant the seeds. Discovering I’m not a lawyer – will have to do some legal research on restraining orders, custody, and wills. The end is in sight. I’ve got the major scenes outlined. All I have to do is fill them in.
Page Count: 70

Day 4:
DONE. D-O-N-E. Can only be described as ‘pounding it’. I think I may have rushed it. Again, I didn’t read – just trusted the notes I made in my exhausted delirium last night. Gotta ensure everything ties together; that there are no loose ends. What’s weird is that it’s the tightest 1st draft I’ve even done in terms of page count – but the whole time I was writing WAY too much dialogue, thinking to myself that I have to go back and sift through the chunks of unnecessary dialogue. After my polish, I could end up with an 80 page draft. I guess worse things have happened.
Final Page Count: 94

Some questions I have about it (by no means ALL the questions I have, but because some of you will be reading it, I don’t want to plant too many seeds of doubt):
- The story is good. This I believe. But, does it move at a cinematic pace? Or did I write About Schmidt?
- Are the arcs, motivations, conflicts clear and logical?
- Am I hitting the same emotional beat or does it build?

Day 5 (today):
Walked to work with my iPod on shuffle. The first song that came on was U2’s “Beautiful Day’. My own disgustingly cheesy movie moment, but despite the rain, it did feel like a beautiful day.

Let it be said here first – I have not read the script as yet. I cannot yet discuss the quality, largely because I cannot determine it. Writing under the most luxurious circumstances, it’s still awfully difficult for me to distance myself right away and make an unbiased decision. I’m going to read it tonight, as well as send it off to some trusted friends for feedback. If it still needs a bunch of work (read: NOT GOOD), I’ll chalk this all up to a good experience and send off a sample.

An explanation of exactly why I put myself through this intensely scary but ultimately satisfying experience will come (if) the script is good enough to send out. If it’s not, well, then you needn't know anything.

BTW, tried a new green tea ‘chiller’. Fucking revolting. Tastes like someone already drank it, let it mix with their stomach acids, and then spit it into a clear Second Cup (cup) and handed me a straw. The warm one, delicious. The cold? Not so much.

Nervously anxious to read it…jb