Everything is better when the sun goes down. Everybody's starry eyed.
So, I have been pretty MIA for the past week because I was finishing up my last school assignment for Columbia. My script was due Friday morning, and I actually worked on it all week, staking out a table in the Burbank Public Library for three days while I finished. I eventually completed the first draft by, I think, around 8:30 on Thursday night, which is amazing for me - the outline was finished at 11:30 the night before it was due. Maybe I'm growing in my ability to finish scripts quicker? Or maybe the fact that I only had that one assignment meant I only had to focus on it. Either way, my script was a little funnier than I thought (I'm always worried it's terrible, though I mask it with fake bravado at the table), though not perfect. Dean Batali, writer on The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and That '70s Show, to name a few (most of) his shows (and currently working on a show for Disney XD, meaning he's currently working for Disney, I'm just saying) was our guest "show-runner" for Friday, and he gave some notes about changing the story, but did say that he thought my dialogue was really good (which, in my opinion, is what I'm best at, so it's nice that other people think that too) and even commended me for the neatness of my script, with some pages that just consisted of dialogue.
After class, one of our teachers took us out to eat, and we all got margaritas and chatted, and those of us who are graduating/walking next Sunday (which, btw, !!!!!), decided that we're gonna sit together/maybe write something on our caps? And out of the 13 of us in the class, at least 12 are staying out here/planning to come out here after they graduate in a year/semester, and we did mention that we should all keep in touch, maybe create a little writer's group, get together every month or so. Which, is PERFECT, because I don't know any other writers out here, and just having people to help critique my spec scripts is, well, helpful.
The day didn't stop there! We all met at Tyler/Ashley/Jake/Kevin's apt later that night, where I took a spot on the couch and stayed all night, letting people and conversations filter around me. I managed to talk to everyone that way, and though I'm usually nervous right before I head out to a party where I'm not exactly best friends with anyone and don't really know anyone as well as they seem to know each other, people did talk to me and seemed to enjoy my conversation.
Of course, when I left, I managed to catch my car right before it was towed from a church parking lot that had been filled two hours earlier but was then empty. Welcome to adulthood? I did only have to pay half of what they usually require, probably because I'm so nice (it really, really feels douchy to say that) and seemed so apologetic.
Anyway.
1 - Leave a comment, saying you want to be interviewed.
2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.
3 - You'll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.
4 - You'll include this explanation.
5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.
cashewdani gave me some of the toughest questions I've ever been asked, no lie.
1. You have been brought in to revamp a canceled TV series. What series would you like to resurrect and what changes would you make?
This is the hardest question I've ever been asked. I even asked it on facebook, haha. All of those suggestions were Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks, or Pushing Daisies, "but I wouldn't change a thing." So, after a lot of thought, I came up with Joan of Arcadia. I lied, I picked The Class. I liked the idea of all these characters coming back into each other's lives after 25 years, but it never really seemed to find its footing. Also, it paired up everyone but gave them significant others as obstacle to get over. I wish we'd seen more interacting as friends, and maybe some more reminiscing of 3rd grade (and an explanation why they all didn't seem to see each other, say, in 4th grade). A lot of the charm of that show did come from the cast, most of whom moved on to bigger or better things (Andrea Anders from Better Off Ted, Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Party Down's Lizzy Caplan, all around adorable guy Jason Ritter, the guy who played Manny in the first 2 eps of The Pacific) but in this fantasy world, they all come back and I restart the whole thing, keeping only the original pilot.
Alternatively, Teen Angel. New cast, no big head, same concept - kid's best friend ate a 6 month old burger on a dare, died, came back as kid's guardian angel. Also, he says, "Teeen Aaaangel" just like the original show. PS: I would probably kill to see this get a DVD release.
2. Given a choice would you prefer the ability to teleport or freeze time?
!! This is probably the greatest question I've ever been asked. As I've actually voiced my desire to teleport numerous times lately (mainly when moving) I'm gonna have to say that. But if I did freeze time, I would only do it if every time I did that the (imaginary) camera would swing around me 360 degrees, 'cause that's my fave part of that.
3. You've won a contest to take a vacation with a celeb. Who would you take and where would you go?
My knee-jerk reaction is Mindy Kaling and Ellie Kemper, and we go on a road trip where we just sing pop hits with the windows down and dance all the time. So I'm going with that.
4. Who would you cast as The Mother on HIMYM?
I am TERRIBLE at casting people, especially someone we've never met before. I like the idea of casting an unknown, some crazy pretty brunette, but if I HAVE to choose an existing actress? Um...I sort of like Shiri Appleby. Rachel Bilson! Cobie Smulders! This is really hard.
5. What was the first movie you saw in theaters?
The Little Mermaid! I...think. That movie came out in '89, so I would have been between a year or two. My mom once told me that she and my dad went to see The Breakfast Club when she was pregnant with me, but she's a liar because that movie came out in '85. My little brother's first movie was The Rugrats Movie, and my sister's first movie was Rugrats in Paris, that I know for sure.
To-do list:
- call the Burbank theater yet again to try and get a job
- buy some new jeans
- maybe finish a book for once
- get quarters for laundry before flying home back to Chicago
- finish Laura's graduation-present quilt!!!
- pack
- outline pilot spec story
- get ideas for HIMYM spec
- get ideas for Wizards spec
- apply for WB, Disney, et al. writer's workshops
and, just for the next week or so, until next Tuesday, when I come back here for good:
- drink, a lot.
I seriously can't wait for Chicago, where I'm going to be drunk pretty much the entire time I'm there (I might sober up for my family/graduation, but only a little) because I always feel like I can't really drink here, as I'm always driving. However, no one ever drives in Chicago!
Also: THE JONAS BROTHERS ARE GIVING A FREE CONCERT ON SATURDAY, LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE I GRADUATE 2000 MILES AWAY. They are the worst.
ETA: I almost forgot! I'm on tumblr now, so, feel free to follow me/tell me who to follow!
After class, one of our teachers took us out to eat, and we all got margaritas and chatted, and those of us who are graduating/walking next Sunday (which, btw, !!!!!), decided that we're gonna sit together/maybe write something on our caps? And out of the 13 of us in the class, at least 12 are staying out here/planning to come out here after they graduate in a year/semester, and we did mention that we should all keep in touch, maybe create a little writer's group, get together every month or so. Which, is PERFECT, because I don't know any other writers out here, and just having people to help critique my spec scripts is, well, helpful.
The day didn't stop there! We all met at Tyler/Ashley/Jake/Kevin's apt later that night, where I took a spot on the couch and stayed all night, letting people and conversations filter around me. I managed to talk to everyone that way, and though I'm usually nervous right before I head out to a party where I'm not exactly best friends with anyone and don't really know anyone as well as they seem to know each other, people did talk to me and seemed to enjoy my conversation.
Of course, when I left, I managed to catch my car right before it was towed from a church parking lot that had been filled two hours earlier but was then empty. Welcome to adulthood? I did only have to pay half of what they usually require, probably because I'm so nice (it really, really feels douchy to say that) and seemed so apologetic.
Anyway.
1 - Leave a comment, saying you want to be interviewed.
2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.
3 - You'll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.
4 - You'll include this explanation.
5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.
cashewdani gave me some of the toughest questions I've ever been asked, no lie.
1. You have been brought in to revamp a canceled TV series. What series would you like to resurrect and what changes would you make?
This is the hardest question I've ever been asked. I even asked it on facebook, haha. All of those suggestions were Arrested Development, Freaks and Geeks, or Pushing Daisies, "but I wouldn't change a thing." So, after a lot of thought, I came up with Joan of Arcadia. I lied, I picked The Class. I liked the idea of all these characters coming back into each other's lives after 25 years, but it never really seemed to find its footing. Also, it paired up everyone but gave them significant others as obstacle to get over. I wish we'd seen more interacting as friends, and maybe some more reminiscing of 3rd grade (and an explanation why they all didn't seem to see each other, say, in 4th grade). A lot of the charm of that show did come from the cast, most of whom moved on to bigger or better things (Andrea Anders from Better Off Ted, Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Party Down's Lizzy Caplan, all around adorable guy Jason Ritter, the guy who played Manny in the first 2 eps of The Pacific) but in this fantasy world, they all come back and I restart the whole thing, keeping only the original pilot.
Alternatively, Teen Angel. New cast, no big head, same concept - kid's best friend ate a 6 month old burger on a dare, died, came back as kid's guardian angel. Also, he says, "Teeen Aaaangel" just like the original show. PS: I would probably kill to see this get a DVD release.
2. Given a choice would you prefer the ability to teleport or freeze time?
!! This is probably the greatest question I've ever been asked. As I've actually voiced my desire to teleport numerous times lately (mainly when moving) I'm gonna have to say that. But if I did freeze time, I would only do it if every time I did that the (imaginary) camera would swing around me 360 degrees, 'cause that's my fave part of that.
3. You've won a contest to take a vacation with a celeb. Who would you take and where would you go?
My knee-jerk reaction is Mindy Kaling and Ellie Kemper, and we go on a road trip where we just sing pop hits with the windows down and dance all the time. So I'm going with that.
4. Who would you cast as The Mother on HIMYM?
I am TERRIBLE at casting people, especially someone we've never met before. I like the idea of casting an unknown, some crazy pretty brunette, but if I HAVE to choose an existing actress? Um...I sort of like Shiri Appleby. Rachel Bilson! Cobie Smulders! This is really hard.
5. What was the first movie you saw in theaters?
The Little Mermaid! I...think. That movie came out in '89, so I would have been between a year or two. My mom once told me that she and my dad went to see The Breakfast Club when she was pregnant with me, but she's a liar because that movie came out in '85. My little brother's first movie was The Rugrats Movie, and my sister's first movie was Rugrats in Paris, that I know for sure.
To-do list:
- call the Burbank theater yet again to try and get a job
- buy some new jeans
- maybe finish a book for once
- get quarters for laundry before flying home back to Chicago
- finish Laura's graduation-present quilt!!!
- pack
- outline pilot spec story
- get ideas for HIMYM spec
- get ideas for Wizards spec
- apply for WB, Disney, et al. writer's workshops
and, just for the next week or so, until next Tuesday, when I come back here for good:
- drink, a lot.
I seriously can't wait for Chicago, where I'm going to be drunk pretty much the entire time I'm there (I might sober up for my family/graduation, but only a little) because I always feel like I can't really drink here, as I'm always driving. However, no one ever drives in Chicago!
Also: THE JONAS BROTHERS ARE GIVING A FREE CONCERT ON SATURDAY, LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE I GRADUATE 2000 MILES AWAY. They are the worst.
ETA: I almost forgot! I'm on tumblr now, so, feel free to follow me/tell me who to follow!