I’m hoping by now some people do understand that the script I’m writing has been in my mind for a long time. I’m not really disclosing the title, but its really the title that spearheaded everything originally. I’ve probably had this name in my head for a few years now (I think its safe to say Junior year of college) and I’ve been toying with ideas for it for a long time now. If I repeat anything here, sorry to those who already know or read in prior blog entries, but I did start writing a script for this twice before. Both times I got to a point where I just couldn’t write anymore. For one reason or another. Probably mostly time. But now I’m, more than ever, fully intent on finishing this thing by the end of the week in order for me to re-write.

The last thing I want is to be this cartoon. Giving up on what I really want to do because of my job. Passion drives you, it really does. I call myself a writer and this is the first time that I’ve written in a long time. Not for any other reason but because I just don’t have the energy to do so. I used to stay up and write till two or three in the morning (and if I wake up at 5:45 every morning that just wouldn’t settle right with me) so now I’m taking a momentary break in writing my script and lets see. I closed yesterday with 106 pages (that’s right, I went from 50 pages on Monday to 84 and from 84 pages yesterday to 106). Yesterday I had a slow start, I kind of lounged around the apartment for a little bit before I started writing at 1 in the afternoon. I knew that was garbage, but between 1 and 4 I was able to pump out pages. Right now, its not even noon yet and I’m on 117 pages.

Again, let me state that page number does not equal quality. And like I’ve probably stated many times a film script should be between 90 to 120 pages. The mentality is a page per minute, even if some pages could go as fast as thirty seconds because of a back and forth bantering between characters or a page could go for five minutes because its mostly action. The common standard is a page per minute. Now, I’m at 117 pages and I’m not even remotely near the end of my dramedy (yes, that is a term by the way, I didn’t make it up, comedy and drama put together is dramedy–I don’t find myself to be that very funny of a person, most people (if they don’t know me) don’t get my very dry sarcasm and I even think as the years go by I can be very cynical and matter of fact, though I try very hard not to be). I will say that I’m two thirds of the way through this beast. I am nearing an end and god dammit I’m pushing through it.

Right now I’m at a point where I’m entering uncharted territory…of sorts. My last attempt at writing this I got to the point where I am currently and I stopped because it just seemed so daunting. I have the rest of the script in my mind and I have written timelines (though those timelines do date about two years ago and have since changed in my mind). But I find myself feeling very fortunate. I didn’t think I would have gotten as far as I did thinking that I would just lounge around this week only to pick up the script, maybe, on Friday and then go back to work on Monday kicking myself and wishing that I had actually done something with my week. Right now I’m feeling really good about myself. I feel like I deserve my momentary break to write on the blog.

Now comes the biggest task is just creating and writing, which takes a hell of a toll on the mind, hands and back.

Is my script perfect? Nowhere near it. Will it ever be? Not even once it becomes part of the filming process is it even perfected. But I am getting the animal out of me and slowly taming it down. I predict that I’ll have at least 160-180 pages worth of a script that will need to be trimmed down to about 120 pages. Which in itself is a task alone, but I have ideas of how to trim the fat on it.

I’ll leave you with this, I like this pic of Snoopy, he looks very pensive as he looks as if he’s thinking before he writes. That’s me, no not a Beagle, but in heavy thought. Thinking before I write.

Hopefully you don’t find me tonight howling at the moon.

–Cos