Screenwriting : Uncertainty by Alexandria Smith

Search for Indie film-makers on the Internet, and contact them. Your first film has to be a freeby. That is how actors get experience, and they must have experience before they can get an agent. Screenwriters are the same. You have to network and connect with Independent film makers, and offer up your first film for FREE. Many indie films don't pay anybody. It is a "way" to get experience, and then a real agent.

Two things I find all people have to do in this industry.

Separate themselves from their work. If someone hates your work. They do not hate you.

Second, realise that success is rare and comes in all shapes and sizes.

Hi, Alexandria Smith. It's easy to get discouraged while pitching scripts and trying to find the right producers and companies for them. You said your work makes you happy, so I wouldn't want to see you give it up. You also said, "If someone doesn't respond to my creativity or even if it gets rejected. I feel sadness and anger all over again." One thing that could help is to remember that when someone doesn't respond to you or when they reject your work, a lot of time it's not personal. Sometimes the person is just busy, and sometimes your project just isn't the right fit for them. When you're feeling sad or angry, just remember those things.

I looked at the loglines on your profile, and I think they need some work. They're ideas instead of loglines. This logline template can help you with your loglines.

“After ______ (the inciting incident/the event that sets the plot in motion), a _______ (the protagonist with an adjective) tries to _______ (goal of story) so ________ (stakes).”

Loglines are one or two sentences (a one-sentence logline sounds better and it takes less time for a producer, director, etc. to read it). You can add the antagonist in the logline. The inciting incident can also be at the end of the logline.

Avoid using “must” in loglines because “must” sounds like the main character is forced to do whatever the goal of the story is (instead of the main character doing it willingly), and “must” doesn’t sound active. Audrey Knox (a TV literary manager) also said this during a logline review webinar on Stage 32 (https://www.stage32.com/webinars/The-Write-Now-Challenge-The-Logline-Rev...). Instead of using “must,” use “attempts to,” “fights to,” “struggles to,” “strives to,” “sets out to,” “fights,” “battles,” “engages in,” “participates,” “competes,” etc.

Example #1:

“After a group of dog criminals arrives in a small town, an impulsive dog sheriff defends a dog treat factory so they won’t steal food that’s meant for hungry dog families.”

Example #2:

“A dysfunctional couple works together to survive against bears after they crash on an abandoned road miles from help.”

NOTE: Not all stories will follow this logline template. Biopics and documentaries might not follow this template. The overall logline for a TV show might not follow this template, but the logline for an episode in the show could.

Hope what I said helps. :)

It looks like you have very particular interests, maybe try finding a niche of people also interested in your style of storytelling and your cartoons, If I were you I would draw your short stories out, something as small as 30 sec to 1 min pieces and record voice over of the story that goes along with the images. Create a youtube page or get someone who is good at making youtube pages and define the page in a way that attracts likeminded individuals and post your stories there. If you are a part of any communities you can share your stories with invite them to join your page.

That way you can get real feedback from the audience. I would do it though with the attitude that you are looking to grow, not to be validated, because sometimes people can be hurtful. However, if you practice taking the feedback in stride and also have trusted friends as feedback you will start to learn how to take criticism or ignore criticism and that is an important skill to have in order to grow. Creating movies of any type is a process that involves constant rewriting and rethinking. Knowing that that is the way to grow and not anything scary or bad is a good goal to achieve. So I think making your goal of learning to take criticism be number one. Know that you will be sad and that's okay. Even make a point of paying attention to your emotions. See if your sad days decrease as you get more and more feedback. That is a good barometer to see your improvement. You got this! Also know that everyone has insecurities to one level or another, and that doesn't mean your stuck, you can always challenge yourself to grow.

Alexandria Smith hey, Alexandria. When I started out, I was very defensive about my work. The biggest disappointment for me would be to still have that mode of ‘protecting’ my work, but if I was going to make something of this skill of mine I had to develop a different mind-set.

Here are a few things to think about:

1. One No doesn’t mean anything definitive about your work.

2. the person you showed your work to, may not be the right person to advance the project to production.

3. Putting your work out there is the first step in a long process, not the end of it.

4. It may also mean that the person you showed it to, just doesn’t get it!

5. When you get ‘notes’ from a Producer, don’t take them as Law. It’s an opinion, not one of the 10 commandments. You can sift through the notes, reject the ones that or off theme, accept the ones which will actually elevate your story.

6. Check out the Animation Lounge on Stage32. You may find people who can help you progress in your career.

Don’t give up. We can all change. If the cells of my body are renewed every seven years, then the whole ‘being you’ can do the same. Change is in your DNA!

Maybe you could write down a list of actions you can take to help you when you are feeling triggered or emotional. Such as taking a walk or talking to a supportive friend. Then after taking a break, proceeding onward.. Just an idea.

change the story youre telling yourself in your head. Every rejection is just a signal. This is like when youre testing a product with focus groups. The focus group provides feedback so you can improve your product. Then you make changes to your product and test it again. It is a constant process of improving your own skills, improving your product. This has nothing to do with how good you are as a person. This is a business you are engaging in. Of course we put our emotional energy into this work, but by no means does not getting a product accepted mean you're personally being rejected. The producers or whoever youre seding your stuff to dont know who you are as a person.

Also if you suffer from anxiety, get triggered alot, have emotional issues, take that seriously and find a counselor, or a wise friend or family member who maybe can help counsel you through those emotions. Often times the way we frame things is all we need to change. Or sometimes we're just projecting something from the past onto what we are doing now, and we need to separate the two.

Beyond pain is growth. So grow your way through this.

It seems to me that there are two entirely separate issues here: first, the rational reaction (grr, these people don't like my work, that sucks! <-- entirely normal and natural reaction to have!!!), and second, the emotional 'overreaction' (I am angry/sad/triggered by rejection/watching other people's work). The two seem to be tangled because I would guess that right now you're struggling to separate those two sides of yourself and probably accept them, too. And I feel that so, so deeply, because that's where I was 2 and a bit years ago.

My advice would be to first continue writing, but do it FOR YOURSELF. Don't see it as a means to make money, or as a marker of success/failure (depending on rejection etc) right now. Do it because you like to do it. Do it because creating those worlds/characters/plots. Do it because you enjoy it. Forget a career in it FOR NOW - because there are other things you need to work on before you can consider that (but there is no reason at all that you should stop writing!!!). I'm not saying your writing can never make you money, or that you'll never be animated, but it seems right now there are things within you that you need to focus on a bit more, and so take that pressure off yourself for a bit. Not forever - just for a bit. Even if you take a step back to remind yourself why you started writing in the first place! It shouldn't be a chore. If it is a chore, there's something you need to remind yourself of, and reassess.

Second, absolutely seek out a therapist if you're able to do so, or if you can't, then try to do some 'behind the scenes of Alexandria' work. It seems to me that you need to figure out where those feelings of crisis/anger come from when you see other people's work or get a rejection, because you need to consume content to be able to create content. Get ready to get real with yourself - why does other people's work on TV trigger you so badly that you can't bear to watch? Why do you attach a lot of importance to a rejection? Why are you 'overreacting' (I'm putting that in quotes because I know there's a better word out there, but I'm tired and I can't quite think about it). While it's normal to feel bummed out about a rejection (it's never pleasant), and normal to be jealous that someone else's work got made and yours didn't, going to an extreme and blowing up about it (as you said) isn't normal o healthy in the long-run - and you fully deserve to find out why that is, and ultimately feel good about yourself and your work regardless of what other people think. You deserve to feel good <3 Therapy or self-work can really help you to handle those kinds of situations going ahead in the future, and it's amazing what you can find out about yourself just by speaking with someone about YOU. Because those feelings will come from somewhere.

My inbox is always open if you ever need a vent or whatever. As someone who's currently on a therapy journey, it's hard, it sucks, but boy does it help so much!!

Great advice, everyone!

To all: Thank you all so much for being so encouraging! :) It's not easy being autistic and very super sensitive about a lot of things. I will still continue to work on my screenplays and story work. I get upset and discouraged very easily. But I will for sure work on not taking things personally. It's easy to say but not so easy to do. I can take things personally very easily especially when I don't know someone. I will also enhance my loglines as well! :)

You're welcome, Alexandria Smith. That sounds great. The community is here for you. :)

Also... therapy. This feels like something that talking to a professional might help with.

Alexandria Smith I'm so excited to see you succeed, my friend! You deserve to feel good! <3

Triggers are good, not pleasant not enjoyable but they reveal things we might not otherwise know are there. A dentist cures a bad tooth before it becomes an abscess. If you can put up with the pain then, over time, you will keep getting better. Once you are confident that you have expressed yourself well, the rejections cease to be taken personally and criticism is accepted as a lesson.

Hi Alexandria Smith - I give you so much respect to be self-aware and vulnerable to share this topic! You have a whole group of people here cheering you on and wishing you success. Anytime you need it, reach out!

Alexandria Smith welcome and wishing you a satisfying approach to your success.

It can be a unique adventure for everyone, and there is no hurry, if you enjoy the creative side simply do your best to focus your energy and build your own pathway.

Well said, Daniel.

Alexandria Smith I'm glad you feel encouraged by the responses to your post.

It sounds like you'd be the perfect fit to have a writing partner. The two of you could do the writing, but your partner could do the pitching. You're right though. Critics of your works can feel personal, but finding the reality that it's nothing personal, it's just business, is essential. That goes for life in general though. Don't get so far down the rabbit hole of despare that it becomes crippling. Find a good source to help you work through it. Good luck to you.

That's a great idea, Ron.

Dear Alexandria, there are so many great comments here! Many of us know what it's like to have a parent(s) giving you advice and it's important to listen. You need to find out in your heart how much you want to keep working on this. What you're doing now is finding that out, it's always good to ask questions, maybe you can find a compromise and work a different job while you keep working on this. Like anything it takes time and a lot of it, slowly you'll build the skills you need. You will find a way if a life of creativity is what motivates you, and it sounds like it does

Maurice Vaughan thanks Maurice - NOTE: "Not all stories will follow this logline template. Biopics and documentaries might not follow this template. The overall logline for a TV show might not follow this template, but the logline for an episode in the show could."

And as for following the logline, yes, I would now include the Experimental Genre.

You're welcome, Geoff Hall. You're right ("I would now include the Experimental Genre"). Thanks. I'll include that in the "NOTE."