effects of marination

After I've had time to marinate on what the agent said, I've decided that he is full of shit. If he was so keen to work with me and my project, then last week I would've been signing contracts and toasting bubbly instead of taking more useless notes. That being said, I've decided to continue marketing "Mixtape" as I had in the past. Don't get me wrong- I'm still massaging that new draft but not specifically for that prodco. Cards on the table: I'm gonna be thirty-three next year, so I don't have time to sit around and play "who dat say who dat when I say who dat" with some gaggle of third tier wannabes.

notes from an L.A. producer's waiting room part deux

10 Dec 2008- Later.

Okay, so it's after the meeting and the agent guy said that he's keen to work with me, but that I should do another draft of the script and hopefully, it'll be (A-list actress) ready. This draft has to be perfect, man! totally perfect. I really want a movie theatre premiere. Even what's-his-nuts talked about how he could totally see my movie in the theaters. I can't start thinking about long red carpets and little gold statues. Gotta churn out that draft.

notes from an L.A. producer's waiting room

10 Dec. 2008 (written while in the waiting room)

Wow! I cannot believe this dude is yelling at his secretary in front of me! How unprofessional. Plus, their offices are in the freaking barrio. Hey, I dunno how to even spell "barrio", but hopefully I won't have to spell it again.

There's one guy that seems like he's pretty cool. He's brown, sort of a Ramses-type, but nice enough. But that other joker? Sheesh almighty! Never wanna run into him on a bad day.

What's-his-nuts is running late, so I'm cold chillin' in their waiting room. A REAL LIVE MOVIE PRODUCER'S waiting room!!! I know I'm sounding mad goober, but it's just too exciting for words. Hopefully, this'll all be over soon and I can get back to the business at hand- writing.

Side note: I bought this notebook because I didn't bring a small, purse-sized one for the meeting. I dunno if I'm supposed to be taking notes or not but I figure showing up with pen and paper is always a plus.

Okay, so home skillet is now a good twenty minutes late. I'm starting to have my doubts. I mean, really? With the barrio digs and the angry "bosses" running around? You'd think with all the loot they made from (really popular movie franchise), they'd have a clock up in this piece. Still, I am digging the exposed brick, Ikea furniture of it all.

Ramses just poked his head out and offered me water, Oreo snacks and/or trail mix. What a considerate pharaoh! I took the water (just like the "taking a meeting" chapter of the book said to), but truth be told, I'm not all that thirsty.

Dude is SO not respecting my time. Katmandu has somewhere to go- I can't be sitting here jacking around. This just shows me that there's probably no money for me today *sigh*. Twenty more minutes and then my chocolate ass is bouncing.

hotel california

Fast forward a few days (and more than a few missing blogs): I'm writing this from my hotel room in Los Angeles waiting for Katmandu to finish with school so she can drive my nervous ass down to give my spiel. I wonder what's gonna happen? I have a sneaking suspicion that they're not going to just buy the script, but it'll be awesome practice for me to pitch. I wonder how many people will be in the room? There's no point thinking about those things, though. I mean, I can't very well call ahead and be like "Yeah, you better not have a whole lot of punk suckers in the room trying to intimidate me and shit. Mama don't play that", can I? There's not much else for me to do but finish this blog and dance along to the "Thriller" video. Do you know how hard it is to pull off a zombie-shuffle/ overhead-combo while typing?

Anyway, I've gotta go to Ralphs for some foodstuffs. Catch you on the flip side.

full steam ahead

I received an email from the production company- they're all for meeting on 10 December at 1:00pm. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it, but I've got to try. I mean, this could be my first and last chance to make that impression! Gotta get to practicing my pitch, man. It's all about the pitch.

Unfortunately, all is not as it seems. I've fallen off the wagon and am now 112 pounds and swelling. I need a new fat blocker, but I'm so over the whole "better living through Hydroxycut", you know? I'm 32 years old and in need of measures more drastic. For instance, I was looking in the mirror today before my shower and noticed that my tuchas has taken to sliding down the backs of my thighs. That's right- deflated, pancake booty and trust me when I say that it is not cute. I asked my husband if he could see what was happening and he was all "Yeah. Do you want a gym membership"? What??? That's the last time I ask his yellow ass anything. Resolved: when I start making serious writing money, it's all about the butt lift. And a boob job. And maybe a nose job...

OMG! OMG! OMG!

Here's the minor news- the producer is moving full steam ahead with Holiday Plans, with shooting set to begin on 6 December. I can't believe that these guys are so serious. I mean, after being burned by the "Pusherman" (i.e, rewrites of rewrites of rewrites only to end up as a big fat MAYBE), I figured this one wouldn't go anywhere, either. But here I am smack in the middle of a no-shit production schedule. The character's audition videos really got me hyped, though. The kids they cast are too cute.

And the major news is...I have a meeting!!! That's right! I got an email from a prodco today asking me if I was in the Los Angeles area and, if so, they'd like to set up a meeting with me. This was based on a script they'd read several months ago. Meetings are second only to two picture deals and paydays when it comes to the Holy Grail of writing. Meetings are the stuff nocturnal emissions are made of. Well, that and random proteins but you see my point. So, anyway, after I finished jumping around and screaming, I emailed them back and told them that I wasn't in the area, but I could be there by Tuesday and did they still want to meet? When I get an answer, I'll let you know...

the fastest pre-production in the history of mankind

So, I spoke with the director of my Christmas short. Although it was difficult to tell, what with all the ego coming through the phone and all, I believe he liked the script. I'm not 100% because he was careful not to say that he liked it, only that my script was "the one that stuck out the most out of all we read". Whatever, Slick. I'll take my compliments when I can get 'em. Anyway, he also said that they have been location scouting and-get this!- they already have the main house and the other locations! They have also started accepting applications for the main characters (three kids- Jordan, Gracie and Theo). All in all, the director made it clear that he and his crew plan to have a finished product between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Wow. And to think I just finished the script yesterday!