1st - I've been decided what I really want to do in life. That's a pretty big step for most people. It's something we have been asked since we were kids. I remember back in kindergarten, the teacher had us draw a picture of what we wanted to be when 'we grew up' (though I will be the first to admit, I don't think we ever really grow up, we just let society control our freedom with something called a 'career'). I watched as kids showed their paintings of astronauts, firemen, policemen and I'm pretty sure Louis, the kid who ate toothpaste, wanted to be a cowboy. I however wanted to be an artist, and sadly my capabilities in the art department haven't changed much more than that drawing I did of me, as an artist.
Those things changed as I changed. I next wanted to be an Author, I even presented that in a career fair in Tupelo, Oklahoma. After that I was told by a computer program that I would be suited to be a Landscape Architect. (Now I do need to interject a warning here. This is to all teachers, government leaders and educators of all kinds: Aptitude tests work. But they only work according to the students state of mind at the time. As my mindset changes, my aptitude tests change, I'll even show you my test results in my Student Success class from last summer) I ran with that, heck $70,000 is a lot of money for someone in a small town in the sticks of the O-K state. I accepted that as my desired career choice until I was graduated from high school. Heck, I'd even done all the extra curriculars I needed to! I worked at a Lawn care company, I was Vice President of my FFA chapter, I took architecture classes, the whole thing. Then I read a book called Rich Dad Poor Dad. Wow! That changed my mind in the six hours it took me to scan it's 200 odd pages. After reading that book, I can honestly say $70,000 looked like chump change to what could be acheived. And after five years of desire to be in business, I've changed my mind again.
What is it? What could I possibly want to do now? If the prospect of making more than $70,000 could change my mind after years of study and work, what could pull me away from the world of business? Well the fact that a normal job would probably kill me might help you understand my desire to do what I WANT. AND I WANT TO WRITE! I love it! I always have! Since I wrote my first book in 5th grade, past the four 'novels' I wrote between 6th and 8th grade, on to the three part story I outlined before my mission, I HAVE LOVED WRITING!
I also love movies! So what do you get when you mix movies and writing? SCREENWRITING! I want to be a screenwriter. There, I said it. I want to write movies that I want to see. I want to write award winning comedies, mind blowing psychological thrillers, franchised science fiction stories and yeah, even chick flicks. I love movies! I love writing! I want to do it!
Now I guess that leads me to my ultimate goal, the Oscar. I want to win an Academy Award. I want to direct my own work, heck I may not be the prettiest thing ever, but the world need overweight balding actors! And that's me!
So that is what I have been doing the last few months. I stopped by Barnes and Noble and I bought a wonderful book by Skip Press, it's called The Complete Idiots Guide to Screenwriting, and it's been the most influential book I have read in the last year www.skippress.com . I also followed his advice and checked out an amazing website, www.wordplayer.com . Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio have been personally teaching me, a lowly Okie, how to write professional screenplays, sell them and make a dent in one of the largest and most influential industries in the world: Hollywood (Now when I say personally, I hope you understand they have written over 50 posts covering every aspect of screenwriting, and it's directed toward new screenwriters). Yeah, that's right! The guys who wrote Aladdin, Pirates of the Carribean, National Treasure and Shrek are willing to teach anyone and everyone what they know about screenwriting. And they make you feel like you can do it too!
Another achei
vment I have made is the accomplishment of Scriptfrenzy! www.scriptfrenzy.org In the month of April I wrote over 100 pages in screenplay format for my first attempt, Do Us a Favor and Kill Yourself. It's the story of a social outcast who runs away from home and finds himself while defying social norms. I'm very excited for that, and guess what... I finished it yesterday. Sure, there is a lot of work that needs to be done. I still have to rewrite it a few times and edit the crap out of it, but the fact that I accomplished it makes me happy.I hope to submit it to several competitions over the summer and I feel I will do well, either way that will give me something to shoot for as I continue my desire... no, my lust to be a professional screenwriter.
Thank you for reading, and please send me anytips or comments. I'm always looking for connections or people with an inside hand into the world that is Hollywoodland. Give me a shoutout and I'll be happy to submit examples of my writing to anyone interested. Have a great day!
