Sgt Spanky
My name is Capt. Jack Zodiac...and I am a screenwriter.
The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Okay, maybe screenwriting isn't that bad but, damn, there should be a pill to help ya cope with the stress. I'm gonna do a little Spring cleaning of my emotional baggage here so indulge me a little.
I took up screenwriting on a lark about 12 years ago and found I had a pretty good knack for it. I've written a half dozen scripts and, of those, the two screenplays I aggresively marketed both got great reviews from industry pros: agents, readers, etc... and, long story short, I got an agent and eventually a signed contract for $100,000 payable upon commencement of principal photography for one of my scripts. I was dating another talented screenwriter at the time (she was sexy too) and I was a professional freelance reader for the American Film Institute. It was my job to read screenplays from writers who'd paid for the critiquing service and write up a comprehensive critique of their submitted scripts. It wasn't bad work and it provided extra money on the side.
Today, I'm unagented, unproduced and I haven't written a screenplay in 5 years.
Why?
Burnout! Major burnout with the standard crapola of dealing with the Hollywood machine. My agent wasn't working nearly as hard to sell my work as I was working to write it so we parted, the people who'd optioned my script decided they knew better how to write my movie than I did and their suggestions, at first, were reasonable but then grew progressively more stupid and inane until the deal imploded, my screenwriter girlfriend dumped me for her ex, and I got so tired of reading so many awful screenplays for the AFI that I resigned. At least that one was by choice.
It took me a hundred tries to land an agent and a option. I loved my girlfriend and then to have everything go kablooie overnight, well, I decided "screw this" and I went into the graphic arts instead. It's been a comfortable and easy life without any of the Hollywood crap making me old before my time so I set screenwriting aside.
But, now, after 5 years, the urge to re-enter the ring and try again is getting pretty overwhelming so, that's partially why I'm now seeking out the company of other writers online - to draw from your strength and enthusiasm to re-energize my own.
None of this means crap on a cracker to anyone but I've found it to be therapeutic to vent. If you've read all this, Bless you. You are truly a patient soul.
At any rate, I'm now actively preparing to send my work out again and developing my first new screenwriting project in 5 years. Take a lesson from my experience and try not to let it get to you.
It feels good to be back.
(((Group Hug)))
The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.
Okay, maybe screenwriting isn't that bad but, damn, there should be a pill to help ya cope with the stress. I'm gonna do a little Spring cleaning of my emotional baggage here so indulge me a little.
I took up screenwriting on a lark about 12 years ago and found I had a pretty good knack for it. I've written a half dozen scripts and, of those, the two screenplays I aggresively marketed both got great reviews from industry pros: agents, readers, etc... and, long story short, I got an agent and eventually a signed contract for $100,000 payable upon commencement of principal photography for one of my scripts. I was dating another talented screenwriter at the time (she was sexy too) and I was a professional freelance reader for the American Film Institute. It was my job to read screenplays from writers who'd paid for the critiquing service and write up a comprehensive critique of their submitted scripts. It wasn't bad work and it provided extra money on the side.
Today, I'm unagented, unproduced and I haven't written a screenplay in 5 years.
Why?
Burnout! Major burnout with the standard crapola of dealing with the Hollywood machine. My agent wasn't working nearly as hard to sell my work as I was working to write it so we parted, the people who'd optioned my script decided they knew better how to write my movie than I did and their suggestions, at first, were reasonable but then grew progressively more stupid and inane until the deal imploded, my screenwriter girlfriend dumped me for her ex, and I got so tired of reading so many awful screenplays for the AFI that I resigned. At least that one was by choice.
It took me a hundred tries to land an agent and a option. I loved my girlfriend and then to have everything go kablooie overnight, well, I decided "screw this" and I went into the graphic arts instead. It's been a comfortable and easy life without any of the Hollywood crap making me old before my time so I set screenwriting aside.
But, now, after 5 years, the urge to re-enter the ring and try again is getting pretty overwhelming so, that's partially why I'm now seeking out the company of other writers online - to draw from your strength and enthusiasm to re-energize my own.
None of this means crap on a cracker to anyone but I've found it to be therapeutic to vent. If you've read all this, Bless you. You are truly a patient soul.
At any rate, I'm now actively preparing to send my work out again and developing my first new screenwriting project in 5 years. Take a lesson from my experience and try not to let it get to you.
It feels good to be back.
(((Group Hug)))