Our journey as creatives are certainly full of highs and lows. But what I’ve learned and am still learning is the ability to enjoy the creative journey, focus on what truly matters and enjoy life.
Last month, I was given a double recommend for my scifi/steampunk family adventure, “The Jupiter Chronicles”. Side note: This is not a brag - simply an illustration. Naturally, I felt a surge of confidence about pitching. So I did my research, found a good match and did just that. Yesterday, the response was “the market is saturated with science fiction animation”.
Pass.
I’ll admit - after a surge of positive momentum, that was a huge letdown. The lesson? Hope for the best but temper your expectations. One victory does not equal a guaranteed follow up. The strategy that we employ in one area may not work in another.
Reset.
Got back up again. The learning never stops. Achieve one goal, move on to the next. Keep learning - keep growing. I pulled back, prayed and spent time with family. They’re my world.
Your turn - how did you bounce back from a disappointment?
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Great idea.
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Great points, Leonardo Ramirez 2! "The learning never stops" really stood out. It's like I'm always learning things on here. I bounced back from a disappointment by starting a new script after I didn't get any interest in a script.
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That’s a great way to get back up Maurice Vaughan. Move on to the next script. A new story can be such a great pick-me-up!
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Leonardo Ramirez 2 Great advice. I'm of the mindset that if I can't get someone else to bite, and if I really believe in the project, I will find a way to do it myself. Sometimes, it might just require a tweak of an angle to get someone to bite. At least that was my experience in traditional publishing and booking speaking gigs.
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I hear you Debbie Elicksen and I did that with books. It's a bit harder to do with an animated feature. To your second point about tweaking - yes, that makes total sense. Very good advice!
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For me, this has been a reverse process, and I am still learning from it. Leonardo Ramirez 2. As you know, I have my Soul Mated screenplay in its fourth version, so I applied and was always rejected, with the exception of one producer who wanted me to pay them to produce it. :) The response is always the same: this is an extraordinary story, but people do not come to understand the spiritual realm/real-world duality. So, my creativity led me to write a prequel as a short script, and the story evolved and opened up new plots and meanings, and now I'm rewriting the fifth version with a much more grounded character plot and action, which makes more sense to me. So, after finishing the screenplay, I had to write a short script based on the same theme but in a completely different way, and I am very happy with it. This is my take on your post. :)
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My dear friend Sandra Isabel Correia - That’s such a powerful journey—thank you for sharing it! I love how you didn’t let the rejections stop you but instead used them as fuel to refine and expand your story. I've never thought of writing a short as a prequel - I LOVE that idea! It simply adds to your world and vision. You're always wonderful about encouraging others. It's good to see how you encourage yourself by expanding on an idea.
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Thank you for that timely reminder. Although I am fresh and new at this I have already gained an appreciation for how addictive positive reactions and feedback is to my motivation to keep moving forward and conversely how debilitating 'bad news' can feel. At 56, I feel like I should have acquired this knowledge before now but I am truly absorbing the concept of 'the journey' vs. 'the destination' and having been on a world wide tour since last October my eyes (and soul) have been opened to simpler joys and appreciation for what challenges truly are. For all of my business career, challenges and obstacles were impediments to success - now challenges are the current opportunity for learning, perseverance and growth. I am still craving success (haha) but I am learning every day how to redefine that.
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Thanks for sharing in such a transparent way Darrell Pennington. And you're right - positive reactions can be a fuel to keep going and they can be addictive (no matter our age) and being human, we do fall for them. I think the secret lies in our focus on the things that are lasting. This is an industry that will love you one day and despise the next. We have to be above that but when we're not, there's room for a refocus and like you said, redefine success. If my family knows beyond a shadow of any doubt that I love them, I've succeeded in life. I get the feeling that you've already succeeded Darrell.
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Leonardo, I just got through finding out that I struck out trying to pitch "Bleeding Gums" to Michael Enright (my written pitch earned 2's and 3's from him)...so I went back and reread Nikki Bohm's notes on the "Got Any More Bullets, Sister?" pitch I gave her.
She gave me all 5's...and the only reason she gave me a pass was the script's potential budget (too expensive for her production company).
But Nikki gave me great ideas about where to pitch "Bullets, Sister..." like a prodco attached to a bigger media firm.
In the meantime, all I can do is keep writing more scripts...and keep trying to get better at written pitches so that more 5's can come this way.
Thanks so DOGGONE much for all you do here on Stage 32!
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Jim Boston - man, that means a lot to me coming from you my friend. You're a real positive presence on the platform - I hope you know that. Thanks so much for the kind words. As for the perfect score/pass - I had that happen once and the executive passed for the same reason. It's "kinda" reassuring but we press on. It's good that went back and read Nikki's notes and encouraged yourself. Wise move. Keep writing those scripts friend.
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Thank you Leonardo Ramirez 2 for your beautiful words. Yes, take that tip for you and anyone who is struggling with notes or rejection:)) I am a drone you know :D Have a great weekend <3
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You're awesome Sandra Isabel Correia - I hope you have a wonderful weekend as well my friend. Happy IYW!
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We need a healthy dose of both. Too much praise inflates the ego and separates one from reality and some of those bumps and bruises that actually make us better writers. Too many losses (criticisms) drain the spirit and the will to pour out. the stories, screaming to be told. It is a pinch of both that is something to rejoice about. Without the first, you would not know the extent of your reach and without the latter, you would not know how to refine it. and retarget it.
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Love the balance Renae M Richardson - with you on that.
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Leonardo, you're so very welcome!
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Leonardo Ramirez 2, I am sorry to hear about the pass. I understand what you mean. I am currently in early talks with an animation studio regarding my family-friendly series What the Mack? The owners are incredibly enthusiastic. However, lining up investors and so on takes time. Will they see the vision or give it a pass? Who knows.
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Wyman Brent - all is well my friend. I've received many passes in the past. We get back up and stand. Hope you're having an amazing weekend my friend.
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Leonardo Ramirez 2, thanks. I would get up and stand. However, I am sitting and trying to teach myself to create music videos. I have written at least 400 songs.I should do something with them. I hope you also have a great weekend.
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Wyman Brent - I was standing because I had to run out and chase the cat away from the bowl shelf. But I was too late - she knocked it over. I had forgotten her morning treat so that's what I get. LOL
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Leonardo Ramirez 2, catastrophe! I recently moved away from the family farm after 12 years. You want a disaster, you should see what happens when pigs get loose and start eating the laundry from the clothesline. Or, when you have to chase horses or sheep down the street. Or, when the rabbits get out and have to chase them all over the farm. The glamourous life.
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Holy smokes Wyman Brent ...Pigs eat clothes? I did not know that.
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Leonardo Ramirez 2, I found out the hard way. They ate part of a towel and part of a pair of jeans. Those little porkers are still alive and well. That was years ago. We have mini pigs and there are three of them. Yes, the three little pigs.
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Just WOW Wyman Brent!
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Leonardo Ramirez 2, think that is fun? Try chasing horses and sheep down the street. Or when a horse accidentally steps on your foot. Had that happen more than once.
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Not for me my friend Wyman Brent . Yikes!
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Leonardo Ramirez 2, chasing sheep and horses down a street is a great form of aerobic exercise. Imagine running down the street holding a rope that you can put around the horse once you catch up to it. Then leading it back to the farm when it is a lot bigger and stronger than you are. Did that more than once. Also, chasing 10 sheep at once. It looks like something out of a comedy. As for having a horse step on your feet, It doesn`t hurt for too long.
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Great to hear you got good feedback on your script! Sadly there are some occasions when you pitch a company and they have something similar, or they see too much of it in the marketplace at the moment. But trends are like tides, so if its not "in" now it will be again in the future.
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Agreed! Thanks so much Ewan Dunbar!
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Sometimes it also helps to shop around companies when you get this feedback. When one wants to back off from a certain genre for whatever reason, a competitor may want to grab that spot for themselves.
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Funny you say that Ewan Dunbar because one other person dropped that hint to me yesterday in conversation so I looked into someone else and sent him a pitch for tomorrow. Thank you for coming back and encouraging this!