1001 Positively True Stories of An Indie Filmmaker

FEAR OF THE KNOWN

Have you ever decided to do something that excited you — perhaps even inspired you — but then when it all sunk into your big head you realized it was pretty scary? Then you thought, maybe you got a little scared –scared to the point where you wondered if should actually do it at all?

TOUGH DECISIONS

I had to make a tough decision not long ago. In fact it was just minutes ago. Oddly enough, as soon as I made the decision an alternate plan came to mind that wasn’t so drastic and final.

I’d gotten requests to submit two scripts. But both need revamping, re-editing, polishing, etc. One needs it more than the other…maybe. The script I am most interested in writing was written in a modern day feel with a surreal supernatural storyline. The other script, although cool, was very “Hallmark Channel.” Needless to say, one excited me tons more than the other, so I decided to nix the Hallmark one altogether and not submit it. That would give me ample time to focus on the script that excites me.

Then I thought about the connection I’d be missing out on with the person who wanted the Hallmark Channel-type script. Why not try to cross the bridge before burning it?

So I decided to do a “zoom polish” on my exiting MIDWEST FAMILY SCRIPT – that’s a 12-hour marathon of editing and polishing and spell-checking my script. When I’m done, it’s done and it gets sent off. No laboring over details or story lines, just get rid of the dated dialog and events, update it, toss in some spontaneous irreverence, sarcasm and wit and then, DONE DEAL!!

The ZOOM POLISH would leave me a week to complete my surrealist script, which isn’t bad timing because the story is written, it just needs expounding. So let’s see if we can spread the net far, wide and deep, and make this work.

RECENT WORK

Here’s a list of the recent work I’ve completed…

THE WALL - feature film; a supernatural thriller
THE RENASCENCE ODYSSEY – TV pilot & feature film; futuristic sci-fi adventure
THE ESCAPISTS – feature; action comedy (think BAD BOYS meets THE FUGITIVE)

I’m making alternate versions of some of the story too, for example, I’m relocating “The Renascence Odyssey” from outer space to NY and changing the name to “The Rebirth Chronicles” , taking away the sci-fi and added a surrealism element. I’m also revamping an old family script I wrote. I’m still keeping it in the midwest — a small city/town — but I removing the action drama an making it more heartfelt.

By the way, I sent my script off to Cubevision.

**SIGNAL RUN 88**

I just saw a movie from ‘88 that reminded me of something.
It was a time when I was bright-eyed and full of hope about writing for the big screen
And love.

It was a corny little flick.
Didn’t catch the attention of too many folks
But for me it was life changing.

See, I’m an emotional guy
And I love the feeling of love
And I always wanted to convey that emotion
In my writing.

I learned as much as I could.
I became pretty good at it
although some of my stories were lacking in other areas.
But the emotion was always there.
Always.

Funny how 2 minutes of a 2-hour film can set your life
on a new course.
Funny how it can define what’s been undefineable
The mystery of the unknown fades.
Replaced by the excitement of the expected.

A man, waiting for love,
A woman yearning for love,
words on a page conveying in detail
the chaos in their hearts
so perfectly.

I remember when I saw it,
tears came to my eyes.
My heart lifted and shouted
“That’s it!”
And I was able to exhale…
Finally.

Funny how simple things
are really complex.
And complex things
are the wrong things.
They give the wrong signal.

And you can’t stop the signal, Mal.
You can’t stop the signal.

New York City.
The West Side of Central Park.
A man on his journey.
Leaving forever.
Forever leaving the woman of his dreams.

A woman running.
Running wildly and without fear.
Without fear of consequence.
Without fear of rejection.
Running to the man she wants to call, “Hers.”

As I watched, my heart raced.
I believe a tear rolled down my cheek.
I made a lifelong decision.
I was 23.

This is what I want.
This is what I need.
This is what was missing,
on the page in the words, and in the heart.

She runs.
He knows not that she’s coming.
But perhaps his heart is aware.
I don’t know for sure.

She runs.
Red dress. Colorful scarf. Black pumps.
She runs.
Fast.

She’s got but one chance
to find the love that has eluded her
For so long.
One chance.
One.

She runs.
Red dress. Black pumps.
Shoes echoing hard against the concrete.
She runs.

They slow her down — the shoes.
She slows just enough to slide one off.
Then the other.
She never breaks stride.

She runs.
Red dress. Colorful scarf
And french pink toenails.

Now she runs faster.
So much faster.
Her face full of determination.
Full of hope.

Back home awaits a ring and an offer of a lifetime commitment.
A wonderful offer.
But it’s not true love.
So
She runs.
She runs towards true love.

I watch it unfold.
Heart racing. Lips quivering.
Emotions welling up like
A Volcano.

I watch. I listen.

The pitter-patter of bare feet on the sidewalk.
A New York sidewalk.
Bare feet.
Pitter-patter.
She runs.

My heart runs.
My heart hopes.
I run with her.
It’s an out-of-body experience for me.
I want what she’s running towards.

Don’t we all want what she’s running towards?

I am energized by her passion,
Enamored by her bare feet,
Inspired by her race.

Funny how two minutes
Can change your life.

Yes. It can.
Because life never ceases.
It moves.
It never stops.
You can’t stop life, Mal.
You just can’t stop it.

It’s like a drum beat played on and on.
Forever.
A drum beat played vigorously
Until the player rests in peace.

You can’t stop life.
It goes on and on.
Beating like a drum.
Beating like a signal.
You can’t stop the signal, Mal.
You can’t stop life, Mal.

So WE run now.
Her on the screen,
I, in my heart
And we reach it

We reach life.
And life will never be the same.
Because those two minutes
define my life

For ever more.

Run. Run towards it. Don’t walk. Run. Run. Run.