Yeah, I understand how you feel. I made my choice to pursue this after a bitter divorce. A good friend asked me when I was at my lowest to channel my grief over a failed marriage and loss of my children into something productive. He asked me what I would do if I could do anything. I answered "Write movies and TV shows". At the time I lived in Maryland and was as far away from the business as one could be. My journey from sleeping in my car for months to collecting garbage on movie sets at the end of shoot days to consulting on a major summer movie (which I did today) was a difficult one, but one that saved my life. I get asked alot about "how to break in",or "can you hook me up" and I shake my head. I believe success in hollywood is possible for many, but there aren't many willing to pay the price of success. Hollywood has rules, rules that can be bent but not broken. If you take the time to learn them and are willing to make the sacrifice...it is possible. When I was leaving MD, I thought everybody in Hollywood must be a genius. I've been in this since '92 and I've yet to find one. But what I have found are people to greater and lesser degrees that are willing to work hard and put their best foot forward, some are talented, some aren't but all pay the toll of working in this chaotic circus called hollywood.EXACTLY.
You feel it inside, so much in fact - that you could not even think of doing something else. I know that feeling. I'm working outside the field, supporting the family and IT IS KILLING ME. I'm writing around my day - at inhuman hours of the night and staggering to the office every morning. Literally, my gig is consuming ten to twelve hours of my day, six days a week and I hate it. I hate working for the man. I hate everything I do. We're having a dozen or so episodes of some sort atleast everyday. Shit, I was on watch detail myself and I ain't even violent.
Sad thing is, I've been close to Hollywood's doorstep years ago and fell back for stable money. Now I got it and I don't want it anymore. Uncle Sam got their hooks in my pockets and I'm looking for a way out. This is it.
This what I... we all need tho. The struggle is what makes it count... right?
oNE
pleae explain to me my brotha,
how a man writing in hollywood goes from making a million in 8 days,
to asking to borrow 2Gs from u?
..and did u give it to him?
Like Rick Fox in He Got Game....Much Love Much Love....
Thank you for the thoughts. First let me say that nine months into my move to LA, my ex sent my 11 year old son to stay with me. I was forced to build more stability for him, but it didn't stop me from what I believe I was put here to do. My family never suffered during my pursuit because I never allowed it. I worked two and three shows at a time, hustled extra's vouchers, did security between gigs, whatever but I never allowed myself to make my family pay for my dreams. That said, I do believe you can make yourself a better writer from afar, but I think its difficult to make it as screenwriter unless you are in the place where they buy,produce and finance screenplays. That being said, can you sell a screenplay from afar? Yes. But this usually the place where people argue with me. Of course there are exceptions to the rule. I'm sure there is someone out there who was "discovered" for there writing ability. I have never met this person, although I have heard stories. I do know far more people who came out here with nothing and built careers, so I guess that is what influences my point of view.
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dont forget about a brutha.
