Expansion

There's something I've only just noticed about my writing goals — and see if you share any of this — which is that I'm driven to a ridiculous extent to always expand my horizons, in terms of what I'm comfortable working on and developing.

For instance I've just come out of the third draft of an ambitious gothic horror feature that took me roughly 15 months almost full-time to write, the plotting of which nearly broke my brain permanently, and yet before I've even found representation for it, let-alone sold it or recovered from writing it, I'm already well into development on a sprawling and complex time-travel film which has already spawned (in my mind) an epic and potentially long-running TV series.

Sure part of me is focusing on other things and allowing this idea to simmer away quietly at the back of my mind, but it's surprising how often and loudly the pan-lid rattles when I sit down with a notebook and pen. Much more loudly than the projects I "should" be doing.

I've many other things to write — things which, with my producing partner, I have made my priorities for the year ahead — but I just can't help it; I'm inexorably drawn to the most complicated and brain-twisting writing projects on the roster.

Do you experience this? What's going on? Why do I want to leapfrog projects that I could write relatively easily (famous last words) and which could (it has been decreed!) generate an income relatively soon? Is it self-sabotage? Or is it just our natural human curiosity, the need to explore the unknown? I guess it's simply the notion of not being able to pass up a challenge.

So I'll let it simmer a while longer, maybe chuck in a few more ingredients and top up with stock now and again, because however loudly it rattles I know it can't possibly be ready yet, and there are several tasty things bubbling on the table in front of me now. Patience is a virtue, and the unconscious part of my mind can be getting on with this insanely grand endeavour while "I'm" focusing on making a living.

But by god it's going to taste good when it's ready.

The Understory

This really impressed me today, from Steven Pressfield's blog:

http://www.stevenpressfield.com/2013/02/the-understory/

The first Hangover ... is another great understory story. When the buddy-characters ... wake up in their Vegas suite with no memory of the night before but with a live tiger in the house, Stu missing a front tooth, and their friend Doug ... missing entirely, we know that the whole movie will be about uncovering the understory. 

The concept of The Understory, as opposed to the Surface Story, won't be new to you, but the clarity with which he resolves it is excellent, and you won't forget how to mentally separate the two... probably ever.

(By the way if you haven't clicked the link because you're worried it's all writing tips about The Hangover, I can assure you it's not. Quite a lot of it's about Chinatown. So there.)

This Understory stuff is incredibly important because any time there's a process of discovery in a film you're writing, you'll be able to easily hold the two stories in separate parts of your mind simultaneously. You'll also be able to go through your mental database of stories and identify one with a close match for your Understory, which could be helpful in seeing how some master storytellers have dealt with your kind of story in the past.

(Working out the best use and integration of the Understory is really hard — so study the greats and let someone who came before you do all the heavy lifting.)

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Incidentally if you don't recognise the name Steven Pressfield he's the author of two of my all-time favorite non-fiction books: The War of Art on overcoming resistance and its follow-up Turning Pro which applies the same ideas to helping you see yourself as a money-earning professional and lock that mindset in place once and for all. Links to both those are on the right of his blog.

He also wrote the novel The Legend of Bagger Vance which became a little-known movie directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. If you get a chance check it out, it really is quite something.

Happy writing, all. As usual comments very welcome.

Screenwriters Roundtable

There's this really excellent series of posts happening over at Go Into the Story right now:

http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/2013/02/screenwriters-roundtable-chris-borrelli-f-scott-frazier-chris-mccoy-justin-rhodes-greg-russo-john-swetnam.html

This week we were fortunate to feature a screenwriter’s roundtable I did with a group of talented Hollywood screenwriters: Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Chris McCoy, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, and John Swetnam. How good are they? Between them, they have sold more than a dozen spec scripts and have multiple original screenplays on the Black List. Here are links to all six installments of the interview

They're chatting about their process, how there's no one right way to write, and much more besides.

Very interesting.

Your Life Plan...

I don't recall where I found this, so if it's yours contact me for attribution.