The Count Down Begins For Reals!

The real count down for my last day has now begain. Last Class is on the 17th of this month and I can't be any more ready for it to be done. As excited as Iam for the real world, Im still scared shitless. There will be no more excusses that can be blamed on anyone else for. Its not up to me to make my career happen. No one else but me. Really scary when you think about it. But Im ready for a change and know that I can do what I have dreamed about doing since high school.

I got the volunteer position at the Sundance Film festival and am ready to work long hours and see as many movies as I can. The people that I have talked to all say that whenever they go it is always a great experience. Im glade that I will have a friend that will be there with me to experience it. Plus it will give us a chance to catch up since it has been so long since we have really seen each other. Not to mention that she is doing what I would like to do and will be nice to get some advice from someone who is going through the same things as Iam.

Even though it is still over a month till the festival there is still so much that I want to do before then, including finishing school. Since I am going to be networking alot there it would be nice to have a few treatments to take with me so that if asked I have something to talk about. I think through this I will be able to get enough contacts that it will help me point me in the right direction in finding a job in LA or whereever else this career will take me. With all of the possiblities out there it is overwhelming at times since I want to do it all. Just have to take things one at a time.

First thing first. Finish a first draft of my script so that I can make it better and hope to get it sold or maybe the attention of someone who would be willing to represent me. I may have big dreams, but I do know the reality of the world that is out there and will not let that pull me down. There will be no success overnight, but as long as I can pay my bills doing what I love is all the success that I need.

Any ways, I better get back to work and I will have to post more often as school comes to an end and the real adventures begin. Watch out world cause Im ready for you.

Next Idea...

So I have decided what idea that Im going to be developing more for the next screenplay. As of right now its only an idea, but Im hoping to have a treatment to take with me in January to the Sundance Film Festival. Its going to be fun since Im going to be involving my two roommates in to the writing process more then I have before, since I am going to be basing the three main characters after the three of us. Its going to be a romantic comedy, which should be fun to write, since it will be my first time writing something that doesn't have any typer of supernatural aspect in to it. So what is the story idea you ask? Well it is three friends who all own a bookstore and are trying to get one of the group out of her lonely little world of the shop. It is there goal to find her Mr. Right without her knowing, since she will automatically pull away from everyone and hide her real feelings again.

I know its a story that has been done many times before, but Im going to be doing it a little bit differently. How? I don't know yet, but I think that it is a good idea so far and is defiantly in the beginning stages. Still haven't decided on the names of the three girlfriends yet.

But first things first getting my other script farther along then it already is. Oh I wish I had more time in the day to work on all of it. Not to mention that my attention span hasn't be all that great. I mean when its good its really good, but lately it really has been really shitty. I mean I can read a book I like for three hours straight, but homework or getting some other stuff done, not so much. Oh well back to the Salt Mine. lol.

Midterms got pushed back so now that means I really have no excuse to not do well on them. Study time. Ok Ok not going to study, more like try to get some more writing done.

Days go by.....

So my first super stressful week has now gone by. Paper written on time, film treatment written on time, paper proposal turned in, and then the evil DVD project that has been haunting me for the past year was thought to be done. So what is this evil DVD project you ask? Well let me tell you about it. I have been working for my sisters boyfriend to edit a project for him. Mostly its just me typing in text titles, but the Spanish version has been a pain in the butt. First off I do not read or speak Spanish. I mean I can guess some of the basics and say a few words, but that is pretty much it. So there were some typos that I was going back to fix. Easy fix right? Not! It seems that everything that can go wrong has gone wrong on this project. At some point the bouncing between different computers the text and the video combined in to one master clip so I had to go through the whole thing and retype it. Fine so just a little more work. Well thinking that I have it all fixed I burn it and give him the final copy days before he is leaving the country to show the video. Fine and dandy now right? NOPE! Their are more typos and he watched it the day before he left. I have no clue what to do since I don't have the program on my computer and have to use the schools, which limits my time and what I can do. So it totally blows, he seems fine with it and just was going to talk through the text instead of having people read it. Fine with me I really am not happy with the quality of the video anyways and really never want to see it again. HA right never going to see it again. After getting an angry call from my sister saying how bad my work is I have to get him the hard copy of all the basics and are going to her friend who has the program on his computer. Fine by me, I really wish the went to him the first place since as they said to me "he gets paid to do this type of work.". Let me just say it is one thing knowing that the quality of something isn't great, but when someone that is family says everything that you are saying just doesn't make you feel any better about it.

Any ways tried to get it on an external drive and of course the first one we bought was only PC compatible, well we need both PC and MAC. Great back to the store to get another. Well lets just put it this way, we are both at the point of annoyance that we aren't paying 100% attention and end up having to go back three time and still get it Wong. Now we both are wanting to hurt something. It took me a while to just convince him to take my external harddrive and leave. Haven't heard back from him about how it went, but Im really hoping to never hear about this project again.

Oh what a student would do for family and the potential recommendation. Now I don't want his recommendation, and even if I did dont think I would get it. Never fun to have something done that doesnt have my best in to it. Oh well thats life, you gotta f**ck up sometimes and so shitty work to learn from it. Now I know never to do a project for free while in school and for a family friend. It just doesn't work out in the end, especially when they don't seem to be on the same page as you or listen to what you are saying.

Any ways its back to school getting ready for midterms in my Eastern European Art Film and Black List classes. Not to mention the ever workings of the writing process for my screenplay. It seems that all we do is extra writing preps and will never actually get to the writing of it. In due time it will all come about.

Just have to keep my head up and my eye at the light at the end of the tunnel. Plus the count down of going to Sundance as a college grad. Can't wait for January to come.

Always busy

Now that school is back it has now back to full blown busy work. Not only do I have a 5 page treatment, a 5 page paper on the movie 'Gun Crazy', and a paper proposal, but I have to fix up a project for the Association of Professional Piercers. Not super happy about having to fix the editing that I already did, since if I had a chance I would redo the whole thing. Not only was it filmed on different types of cameras, but there was even a camera phone used. That is not the quality that I would really like to use. But having to do this on top of school hasn't been the most joyful project ever. But I did tell my sister's boyfriend that I would do it, and when I say that I will do something I do it. No matter how much I wanted to not do it since it overlapped with work and school. So I will be happy once it is done and over with.

I've also been planning for going to the Sundance Film Festival this January. Can't wait to go. Going to be expensive but if I am able to get to volunteer it is so going to be worth it. As long as I can get one good lead on a job or a future contact, then it is going to be all worth it in the end. Trying to not stress out too much, but with the festival being three months out I still have some time.

Any whoo back to work. Lots to do in a little amount of time.

More and More Writing

So in my screenwriting class not only do I have to do my individual script but also a group script. Though for the group project we are only taking to the treatment stage I still find it in a ways annoying. I know that the working in the group is good for the future when we are working with others on projects that we are getting paid to do, but this right now is a bit annoying, since its a group of 6 people who can't seem to find time to meet other then an hour before the class starts. And let me just tell you that I don't like not being properly prepared when it comes to presenting something. I mean on my individual pitch I must have rewritten it about a thousand different times and still feel that it needs some work. I do admit that there are times when working in a group does help the creativity with having different peoples input, but it doesn't help if you cant get together to do it. I know that my group will be fine in the end. I just would like it if we could make sure that we get the work done more then an hour before class.

Any ways I have just sent out my application to work at the Sundance Film Festival that happens this January. Dont think that I will get hired for the positions that I applied for, but I figure that it doesn't hurt to try. And if I don't get it then Im just going to volunteer full time so that I am still able to go network and maybe end up getting a job from one of the many filmmakers that will be there. I would be amazing if that would happen. Plus my friend who is now in LA trying to get her foot in to the industry is attempting to be a creative assistant to some German producer. Im really hoping that she gets the job since it would be a great experience. Not to mention that she would be able to travel to Europe all the time. That is like my dream job right now. And who knows if she is able to get it and they need another person and she could just happen to drop my name. lol. I can dream. I know that it is going to be a long track in to the film industry and one of the hardest parts is to just get your foot in the door. It is going to be really nice to have a friend who is going through the same things as I will. Even if she will end up having about 7 more months of a head start then I will.

I just have to make it down to LA to really have more opportunities, but it seems now days that everyone and there mother is going there to try to make there big break. But I don't want to limit myself to just having to go to LA. At this point in my life I have nothing holding me back to letting me travel and move every couple of months. I guess that is one of the benefits of being single and having friends only be a phone call away.

Up wards and onwards. There is no reason why my dreams can't come true. Just have to keep my sights on them and not get discouraged by all the failures before that one success story.

Script Changes

Whoo the pitch is done and now its time for the changes to be made. It was nerve racking but the questions that I was asked are going to help the script in the long run, but it does mean that it is going to change alot of what I had already done. Its hard to let go of some stuff when Im so attached. One of the main things that was pointed out was that I dont know the world that the story takes place as well as I had once thought. There are still rules that I need to figure out and why I ended up putting certain aspects in to the world. All in all it was good and enlightening. Still a bunch of work to be done on it before it is better.

Back to the salt mines, doing homework and readings for school.

Log lines from hell

I have been trying to come up with a log line for my screenplay for the past two weeks or so. One sentence should not be that hard to write. Or atleast that is what I thought. But I think I now have narrowed it down to two different choices. And it only took me sitting at work looking at my paragraph discription to be able to narrow it down. I know I know I should have been working on accounting since that is what I do, but what else am I supposed to do when there is nothing in my inbox. lol. Any ways, I didn't get the nerve to give my pitch last week in class and will have to give it tomorrow. Kind of freaking out about it, since Im not the best public speaker. I mean Im not the worst, but I do have a tendency to talk fast and as I have reciently learned, when talking about my ideas in class, I get nice and splotchy. Not fun. Its not that fact that Im scared to get the constructive critisizm, but the fact that no one will understand my idea. I have talked it through with the roomies and they have been a great help to clean up my ideas, which I really dont think I would be able to get through my class with out them. Crazy I know, but its nice to be able to have some one actually interested in what Im doing and not have them just saying it.

So what is my log lines that I have now narrowed down from a paragraph to two different one or two sentences you ask? Well I guess I will be nice and put them up. Here they are:

1. Drew has her life after high school planned out, but that all changes when aked to join a secret council to help find a powerful amulet that she had once owned in a past life.

and...

2. Drew is asked to join a secret council when she starts to have flashbacks of past lives, only to find that the invite was a ploy to help find a powerful artifact that she had once hidden from those who seek it now.

Im thinking that Im going to pitch the second one to my class. I think that it covers more of the story then the other one. Ahh Im so nervous. Time to not think about it for a while.

Work is a calling me back to the salt mines. Till a later date.

The New Semester

The Fall Semester is now here and it is the last semester that I will ever have to go to college. Or at the very least that is the plan. You never know I might end up going back to get my masters, but Im really not wanting to spend the money on it, and I really hope that I can find a job with it.

So since I didn't write this summer this is what I pretty much did.

1. Worked as many hours as my office would let me. Can't do too much or else they just might have to give me benefits and we just cant have that.

2. Read more novels in a three month period then I did in the last year. Yup I know I have no life, but at the very least I can say that I have done something with my time other then just sitting on my ass doing absolutely nothing. Plus they did help me get some new ideas for future writing idea.

3. Started writing an idea for a novel. Got about 40 pages, don't know how great they are but at least I got some stuff down.

4.Didn't touch my screenplay in hopes to be renewed in my screenwriting class now sot that Im not so annoyed with it that I will never touch it again.

Yup that is pretty much it. Really needing a change in pace and hoping that after this semester that I can find a production job in SF so that I have something other to do then being an accounting clerk for a construction company. Plus it would really be nice to have my shit together when May comes around for when I have to move. OK not going to freak out now about going in to the real world and having to go in debt before I start making real money. Just keeping my fingers crossed that all will end up right in the. Im defiantly not going to win an oscar my first time out in the film industry. Woot there is always a dream.

Any who back to working on some homework... Time to start my beat sheet.

Done with the crap

In the last week I have had it with people only calling me to ask me to do things for them. I don't mind helping people or family out, but if that is all you do when you call me then I rather you not call me at all. Im done having people trying to take advantage of me. So Im no longer going to go out of my way to help people. I don't mean to sound mean or anything but if I have to end up changing everything that I had planned to do then sorry its just not going to happen. Don't get me wrong Im still going to help out if I can but if you are keep trying to use me then Im sorry, go to someone else who will do everything you want.

Ok Im done with my rant for the moment. On to the weekend ahead of me, which Iam determined to get some writing done and relax. I have some errands and house hold crap that needs to be taken care of, but Im going to have a nice relaxing time where I feel like I have gotten some stuff done. After working for 34 hours this week ( when I should have only done 28) Im going to try to hang out with the roomie for a bit and really get some writing done. Im done with having this writers block, so Im going to force myself to sit down at my computer and atleast get some pages done. There are a few ideas that I have that I want to see how it looks on the page. There are also a few other character changes that I think will end up helping the story in the end. Not to mention add another small story to the greater plot. So all in all Im hoping that it will turn out better then I expect.

Also Im thinking more and more of what Iam going to be doing once I graduate from college in December. One of the many things on my list to todos is go back to Europe for atleast a few weeks, and while Im there attempt to get a few job interviews in there along with the touristy stuff. Im really hoping that I can find something that will help me get to where I want to go in life. And well the main thing is that I do what I love and am able to make enough doing so. Thinking about that I have a feeling that working at a major or decient production company for a few years will definately help me learn the ropes and get good contacts to help me get some of my own projects off the ground. Oh to dream. I know that things don't always come easy and Im more then willing to do the work. Now the real hard part, getting my foot in to that first door. Once I have that then there will be no stoping me.

Oh there is just so much to say for what I want to happen in the next few years, but there in no controlling what might or will happen. You just have to roll with what is given to you and do what you will with it. When life gives you shit its up to you to make the better out of it or just sit there pitting yourself. I am determined to make the best out of things even if I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. hahaha so many little sayings that make you cringe when you hear them, but they are so true on so many different levels. Anyways I better get back to work.

Roomies back

So for the past week and a half I have had the apt to myself. While most people would be super happy to have the roommates gone and have the place to themselves, I wasn't so happy. I get along great with my roommates and we are all good friends. With everyone gone it sucked. The house was way too quite. Going to work and coming home to nothingness wasn't so fun. But now one of the two roommates is back. SWEET! Now I have someone to bug. lol

Anyways, summer has been so far trying to get over my writers block for my script, working as much as I can and finally being able to read novels that have been on my list to read. So other then working lots summer hasn't been that bad. I have been bouncing around between SF and the Oakland office which sucks since they wont give us clerks a door key so I have to bug the admin people whenever I need to come in. Kind of annoying but whatever. That is the life of being the low man in the office. Oh and on the good news I have passed all my classes and only have three more classes to take before I am done with school forever. Im super happy about that and can't wait to see what is ahead of me. Really nervous about being stuck at my job right now forever, but I am determined to find a job out there and make my way in the world.

Here is hoping that in the next year and a half you will be able to see my name on the big screen. Wish me luck.....Now time to catch up with my roommate.

Summer Time!

It is now official summer is here. School is done, projects are in and the wait for grades is now here. To celebrate the end of school for the next three months the roomies and I are off to go shopping downtown. We all hardly go shopping and with some some sweet sales going on right now, we are ready to shop till we drop. Not to mention that we have been trying to get out to the Cheese Cake Factory for a while now, and we are finally going.  Its going to be a great day to spend with the girls before they head home and I stay to work nonstop. 

So what exactly am I going to do this summer? I mean other then work? Work on my script and do some research. Oh and did I mention that I finally get to catch up on all of the books that I have been meaning to read. I know Im such a dork, but I love it. Its fun since the roommates and I have our own little unofficial book club since in the end we all read the same books at some point. Then we end up talking about them whenever the last person reads it. I have also learned that my roommates know my taste in books better then I do sometimes and I just can't question there opinions and read the book that they are handing to me. There have been several books that they have told me to read and I have rejected before even giving them a chance. The finally I gave in and did. And like they said I would, I loved it. Damn them for being right. 

Any ways its time to get ready for the girls say out.

Pretty Much Done

As of right now Iam sitting here in the computer lab waiting for my final editing project to burn on to a DVD and as soon as that is done it means that Im pretty much done with school. All I have to do tomorrow is show up to class and watch it on the big screen with the class. Woot it is so good to be done with all of my exams. Now the not so fun part of waiting for final grades to be posted in the next few weeks. Anyways I will be distracted with work and hanging out with the few friends who will be staying in the city for a while. I will now attempt to add my editing project up here. So Wish me luck. So its taking for ever and doesnt seem it will work. Will have to try again later.

So close to being done with school

So, I have now finished two finals, turned in my screenplay, and seen Erica graduate. I only have a final later today I have my last exam, and will later finish my edit by the end of the week. It good to be back in SF after a long weekend in Burque. It was good to see my sister, but you can never have a family event with out Drama. And drama there was. Yet for all of the drama, it was still good to see my sister. Plus lack of sleep is always a plus. So as soon as I got back Ooohhh did I catch up on my sleep. It was so good to actually sleep in my own bed again. Though I do miss the kitten. Damn roommate that is allergic to cats. Oh well, seeing as the living situation that I have right now is pretty good, so I can't complain too much.

I can't wait till Friday and I get to show my video to my class and my friends. Then it is freedom from school till fall. Wooo. It has been a long three months and I am ready for the break.  Any whoo I should head back to studying for my exam.

2 Finals Down

So I am now done with two finals, with one more to go. Along with going over my screenplay and finishing my editing project. Since I have jury duty on tuesday, a day that I have my last final, I get to go and take it a day early. Im just glad that my professor is letting me take it early. Now I get to take it pretty much as soon as I get off the plane from Erica's graduation. It seems like there is so much to do and not enough time to do it, but there is no not getting it done. And I just remembered that I have to send one of my professors a short response paper. Eeekk. Gotta love the end of the semester and finals. Off to be a good student. Woot!

School School Oh Wait More School

So we are having some problems with the school, since I live in the off campus housing. We had gotten a noise complaint last month, while we were having a rugby party. Which will never happen again. They had called us in to talk to us that we could be kicked out if we had more complaints. The retarded thing is that they said that they recognize our house number since it keeps poping up. Which is so not true since when he tried to look us up there wasn't anything there. Yes we have had a noise complaint in the past but never have been called in like this. So dealing with the school sucks. Any ways Im done complaining about the school. 

Im about to head out to the computer lab and edit the rugby documentary that I have been working on. Iam hoping that it will turn out great, but I also have to start studying for my finals on thursday. God I can't wait till school is over and am able to work on my own projects. Like finishing my screenplay so that I can have someone edit it and then who knows where I could go from there.  The real dream is to get it made or at the very least have it optioned. 

Any ways Im off to the lab and hope to get alot done before my next class.

The end of the semester

So it is the last two weeks of the schools semester and the craziness is just starting. I have a total of three final exams, one editing project and the first act of a screenplay that has to be done by the end of school. Im super excited about finishing my editing project, which is a small documentary on the girls rugby team, and my first act of the screenplay. I am so excited about getting my first act done, although my professor has asked for 30 pages I have about 56. So I am needing to go through it and see what I can do to condense some parts to make it a little more manageable. 

With the end of the semester comes the fact that one of the great sibbies of mine is getting her Masters. So I will be flying out to Albuquerque to see her graduate and skate in a bout. Super excited but a little stressed since I have two finals the day before I leave and more when I get back. But it is well worth it. It has been too long since I have seen my sister last. 

So what will I do once school is out for the summer? Work, work, do some research for writing some more, and attempt to try to find time to see family and friends.  Not to mention its time to get my resume together and out there for when I graduate in December. Can't believe it is that close. I can almost see the light of the real world at the end of the tunnel. 

I should get back to studying and getting ready for finals coming up. Will have to try to find more time to blog later on.