After a very promising start to the year, my breakthrough into the screenwriting world is still tantalising close and as far away as ever.
I have questioned myself these last weeks as to whether to continue along this path as the ups and downs have proven emotionally elating, promising, fun, frustrating, annoying, and depressing. I lost the headspace and emotional distance necessary in this cold business of contradiction and personal opinion and lost my way.
Whilst I am not back fully, I have not walked away either and am still chasing waterfalls.
March and April, I have been focusing on my Horror/slasher screenplays and a bespoke spy genre micro budget script set in Cannes for the Film Festival.
My first Pitch for HOLMES: Revenge returned the highest consistent scores to date and yet failed to entice a screenplay request. Undeterred, I am pitching again this coming weekend and have a 30min script consultation Monday week to gain an insight on the screenplay's strengths and weaknesses before deciding whether to continue with the third and fourth features in the series.
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The Bespoke Project was challenging. Completing the first draft for a male lead, I was asked to rewrite for a female lead, which I did, but alas, the storyline failed to connect with the female actor and it was a pass.
Simon
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Simon, keep going. This is a marathon, not a sprint. And there are many roads into the promised land, but only one road out, and that's quitting. You have one of the most active screenwriting communities within the overall community right on this platform - well over 100,000 strong. Lean on them, support them, find your tribe and keep going.
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Hey Simon Hartwell - I totally agree wtih Richard "RB" Botto here. Some of the best films and series we've seen - projects that today we think, "of course this was a no brainer" took sometimes decades to make it to screen.
The one thing that each one of those writers, producers, and filmmakers had in common is that they had a sense of purpose with respect to their projects. I am sure you have that same spirit, which is why no matter how long it takes, you'll find a way.
Lean on your community here for support when you need it and use what you have to help others in the community when you're feeling like you're hitting a wall with your projects. And of course, hit me up at any point at j.mirch@stage32.com - as you know (but others may not) I am the Director of Script Services and my job is to help get you there - wherever there is.
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Thank you both. The ambition is still strong it's the strategy that needs to change. I'm going to focus on one project and pursue that, I think. Might take longer, but at least I'll stay sane. lol
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Hi, Simon. In screenwriting, you're going to run into obstacles and rejection, but keep pushing. Keep trying. You have a community here cheering you on.
You said "chasing waterfalls." Do you mean you stopped writing scripts that you're used to writing/skilled at writing (the rivers and lakes you're used to) to follow trends/write scripts you don't want to (chasing waterfalls)? Or do you mean chasing waterfalls as in trying to sell your script/trying to catch a sale?