Keep in touch with those contacts

So you know how you meet people that work in the industry?  Maybe through a friend. Maybe at a networking event. Maybe you email them and hear from then once, or meet them again and then not much happens except an email back. So you think, well, this really isn't going anywhere. Well, guess what? Keep in touch with them! Let them know every little thing you're doing. Because you never know what will come of it. Here's why:

So I met this really big producer through my step-dad years ago. They played golf together, as big producers do. I asked my step-dad to ask him if someone in his office could read a script of mine. A guy this big, I'd never ask to read it. But he insisted he'd read it. OMG! Okay,  if you insist. So he read it, liked it, but nothing came of it. So that started a friendship/mentorship. We'd keep in touch, me doing the reaching out. Him always responding and happy to read stuff. He even offered to meet for breakfast one time when I was visiting my parents. He was super nice and we talked about our love of movies. But I thought okay, this guy is just a mentor of sorts and that's cool. But I always let him know new scripts I was working on, always let him know new producers I was working with. He pretty much always wrote back, but not even always.

So fast forward to a book I wanted to option. I wasn't sure if the price would be too steep for me. So a friend at ICM said, email producers and tell them what you want to do with the story and you want to partner with them to produce it. Okay sounds easy enough. So I reached out to this producer and told him that. He said yeah, send me the book. Hmmm...okay, still didn't think much about it since nothing really came of it over the years. But lo and behold, he starts emailing me several times a week saying how much he loves it! I couldn't believe it! And then he asks, can I bring in my Academy Award winning producer friend. Uh...gee, let me think about it! You know what my answer was! Uh, yes! So next thing I know, his producer friend is in town and he suggests we meet for lunch to discuss the project. Wow, is this really happening? So we set up a date and place to meet, and we do! It really happens! They ask me my take on this story and next thing I know, we've decided to produce this thing, together! I still can't believe it.

Of course there are many steps before this becomes a movie. But it just goes to show, keep in touch with your contacts! You just never know where it will lead. You just never know!

Who reads the rewrite?

So I mentioned at some point that I was doing a  huge page 1 rewrite for a big production company. It's very exciting and with their ability to get it to anyone, this could be a great opportunity to see something produced with big names staring in it. So when I finished the rewrite, I was very happy with it. But then I realized, wait, no one else has seen it! So how do I know the producers will agree? I emailed my agent friend at ICM and said, what do I do? If I send it to writers for notes, they'll give me notes that could be completely opposite of what the producers want! That would be so counterproductive. He agreed with me and said only send it to someone that's checking to see if you missed anything and to give you an idea of the read. No notes! So that's what I did. I have two writer friends that I know can read it constructively but also are not looking to rip apart every thing I created. So if you have someone like that too, cherish them!

So I got my script to these two friends. They gave me raving thumbs ups, and then off to the producers it went. Now for the hard part, waiting! And here I thought the writing it would be the hard part! Guess it's good that I'm finishing up a rewrite with a writing partner to keep me busy!