Pay It Forward

A year or so back I was having a conversation with a reader, discussing scripts we had read and loved. I remembered a script I reviewed on Tiggerstreet.com, a fantastic monster feature with great characters, a fast unrelenting pace, and an outstanding plot.

Let me get this straight from the start, I hate horror and monster movies. I don't understand why anyone would like watching a film where stoopid students get hacked to pieces, or some monster is on the loose and a couple who were once romantically involved have to hunt it down and save the world. In other words I find these types of films dull, boring and a waste of my time.

So it was a surprise for me to read this script and find that not only did I love it, but I wanted to see it made. So I went back through seven years of emails hoping to find an email from the writer, as luck would have it I still had his address. We got chatting and it ended up with me agreeing to help with a rewrite and to find the script a home. A year later I may well have just done that. An Australian film production company of some renown have shown an interest in the script and the writer is waiting to hear from them.

If I hadn't bothered that script might have found itself on a shelf covered in dust and ignored. I used the few contacts I have to get people to look at the script and it seems to have paid off.

I know so many people, writers especially, who are so precious over their industry contacts. Why should we be? We're writers, all with the same agenda, so why not give someone a leg up by recommending a friend's script you're really passionate about. You don't have to give out those contact's details, just forward the script. You never know this act of kindness might pay off in later years and help you get something of your own made. Of course I'm not asking you to send scripts to you contacts that you don't believe in, because that would just be silly and would do your reputation no good at all.

Come on writers if there's someone out there you admire as a writer, or even better a script you think rocks, or could rock with a little close attention, then give that person a friendly hand up the writing career ladder. Be kind, pay it forward.

Back With A Bang

Back after a week off and I did some writing last night. I felt fresh and well up for it, so I shall be cracking on again tonight.

Two of my short films have been picked up by Celtic Storm Films for shooting later this year. Jump will be the first to shoot sometime in the summer. Ooh, I'm so excited I could poop my pants...no really, I could.

Moods

I play a little online poker now and again, just for a bit of fun and beer money, and I recently brought a book on the subject. The author very interestingly talked about moods and how different ones affect your game. The basis of it was, never play in a bad mood as you won't be able to concentrate and you'll loose money. Always play when you are happy, calm and relaxed. This got me thinking.

How do our moods affect our writing? If we're writing a comedy should we only write when we're in a happy mood? Should we write horror when we're in a bad mood, and we're mad at the world or people and we want to get back at them? Would a happy mood make a comedy more funny and would a dark mood make a horror more scary?

I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on this because it's something I've never thought about before, but is perhaps something I should consider in the future.

What do you think? Does your mood change the way you write, and do you have to be in a certain mood to write a certain genre?

Mr. Slackness

I have just realised that to enter competitions you need scripts that are a) complete and b) you're happy with. Better get to it then.

I'm also thinking of filming one of my shorts. I nearly did last year, but dropped the idea to lack of time and not really knowing what I was doing. But as everyone else seems to be making one I don't want to be the one left out. Beware, I might be calling on you for some help very soon.