Wednesday, July 29, 2009

New Job

I got a new job. Yeah, finally, I know.

I wasn't quite sure I was going to get it when I went in for the second interview, nor was I sure that I even wanted it if I did get it. But it seems to be working out alright so far. It's not my dream job, but the past four months have just taught me that my dream job ain't hiring.

So I can keep this up while writing specs, and remember that I came out here to be a writer. I won't be distracted from that by faux creative opportunities like my last job where I did my bosses' jobs for them and didn't get paid for it.

These people seem like good employers, so we'll see how it goes. For now, expect fewer updates between 9am and 7pm, unless they come during my lunch break from my crackberry.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Away we go

Just saw Sam Mendes' Away We Go last night at a free screening on the Paramount Lot (Thanks Writress). It's the story of a couple in search of a new home in anticipation of their first child being born. As they travel around the country, there are great cameos throughout by people like Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

It was interesting because it showed new and different ways for people to be terrible parents in film. We're beyond the days of distant 1950's fathers who are never around, or the overbearingly strict parents. These were bad hippie parents who don't believe in things like Strollers and breast feed their kids past the point when they're talking.

I'm sure that there were weird parents during the 70's and 80's too. They just weren't on my radar as much. Plus I find myself watching these kinds of stories now and identifying more with the parents than the kids, which is something I'm still a bit freaked by. I mean, I'm someone who likes to act childish from time to time, so it's strange for me when I find myself not getting what kids are doing.

After the movie Writress and I took her mom to a crepe place in Hollywood that was really good. There was a family sitting at another table, and one toddler kid was roaming around exploring the restaurant. His mother was keeping a close eye on him but letting him explore, and I found that I couldn't help but be concerned for the kid. All I could see were the various ways he could smack his head or something.

It made me wonder if when I eventually have kids I'll be that crazy constantly worrying parent instead of the silly and fun parent I always assumed I'd be someday.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Lots of books

I just got a shipment from UPS of six boxes full of books from my parents. For the most part they're ones from college that I never had a chance to bring out here. I now have stacks of books throughout my room and I'm in desperate need of some bookshelves. May have to hit IKEA soon.

It's nice though. Having most of my education on display reminds me that I did actually accomplish something in college and that I'm qualified to to a lot of things despite the fact that I'm struggling to get a job answering someone's phone right now.

Now I just need to find the time to read the books I never finished, and to read some that I never even got a chance to start. Maybe I'll be able to trick my book club into picking one of those.

I also want to look through some of my old anthologies of early American and British literature. Something in there might work great for a modern adaptation.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Still waiting

I'm still waiting for a lot of things.

The first is any word on this Office P.A. job I interviewed for a couple weeks ago. They said that they'd be able to get back to me around the 15th, so I'm hoping I hear something soon, preferably that I got the job. I think I'd be good at it, and I really want it. It just sucks that I may not get a shot because I'm not the nephew of some studio exec.

I'm also waiting on notes from the other people in my writer's group. I've given them notes, and two sessions in a row I've been left with nothing but half assed notes from one person almost a week late. I'm trying to hone this thing because I want to send it to some people who asked about it, including a LOST writer and people who work at two different management companies. This is the first big thing I've written entirely by myself that wasn't a spec of an existing show for a while, so I want it to be the best it can be. I don't expect much from it beyond working as a writing sample, but who knows, I could get lucky and someone at SyFy (still not a great network name) could be interested in it.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Back in LA

Back in LA now after a nice trip back east. I mailed out my WB program application today, so hopefully that will arrive by tomorrow. And then the waiting begins.

Probably what will happen is I'll just forget. If I hear something, I'm sure it will be a surprise. More likely I won't hear anything this time, and I'll just have to reapply next year.

In the meantime I need to write up notes for the other people in my spec pilot writing group, revise my own script, and get cracking on the outline for my new pilot.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

"Apply Online" should let you apply online

The Warner Bros TV Writer's Workshop is taking submissions for their 2009 program this month. Since it's the only one that isn't a "Diversity Program" it's also pretty much the only one I can apply to since I'm an Ivy League educated white male from the Northeast. It's a great opportunity to grow as a writer and get noticed by people who could hire me as a staff writer on one of their shows, so I really hope I get in. If not, I'll keep applying every year unless I get staffed on my own in the meantime.

Here's the snag though: the application process is proving to be more problematic than it should be. It used to be a mail-only process. A friend of mine at Warners assured me that they were changing it to online submissions this year, which is great since I don't own a printer, and I'm in Massachusetts this week and don't really want to mail a script across the country. This morning I put the final touches on my application letter, and clicked "Apply Now."

It took me through various windows like any online form does. When I came to the "payment" page, which was strangely before any chance for me to upload a script, the only options for payment were check and money order. I had to ask my roommate to look at my checkbook back in LA and give me a check number. I figured it was similar to a "check by phone" situation. I enter the info, and click "Next" to find that I've now submitted my application, and have been brought to a page that says, "Review, Print & Mail In with your Script, Resume, Composition, Payment & Submission Agreement."

Basically, the "Apply Online" function was just a way to fill out the form on the computer before printing it, and then mailing it in just like the old system. And they don't mention this in the form, it just surprises you saying that you need to print. Since I didn't have a printer, I was kind of mad. Luckily I was able to bring my laptop to my family's printer. If this had happened when I was back in LA I would have been screwed.

So Warner Brothers, thank you for continuing your program to help young writers start their careers, but please don't say that you can apply online when the process still involves printing 60 pages and driving to the post office.