I didn't know that pitching screenplays and trying to get a movie made was so time consuming, and such a stress.
After years of writing, writing and writing again I decided to focus on pitching my work a few weeks ago. I was feeling self-confident about my work and ready to show it to the world!
A lot of people ask me "how long have you been writing screenplays?" The answer is over 10 years!
I've been spending most of my teenage life writing screenplays, short stories and novels...At this time, I thought it was a good way to approach my dream of being an artist, and a good way to hide into a parallel reality as I've always have had trouble coping with what most people call "the real world".
My original screenplays (over 20) were put on hold, and only shown to potential employers as writing samples in order to get writing jobs...This indeed gained me several assignments on short movies, feature films in the thriller, fantasy and science fiction genre.
After all these years of writing and immersing myself in the fantasy world, I have decided I wanted to see these beautiful projects become a reality and started pitching, I mean really pitching my work. It takes me several hours a week! And I'm feeling exhausted most of the time.
As all of you certainly know, attaching talents is the best way to attract producers, studios and investors to a project, and this is how I approached this pitching work, by contacting talents and their reps. There are some agencies in Los Angeles, I won't cite their names there, but you all know who they are, that lock themselves in marble towers and only work with reps they know, the screenwriters they represent, the studios they have dinned with or slept with etc...Hollywood world is not something I like, and I haven't written any film for this system.I also believe that most actors should blame their dear agents, when their career go wrong! Some agents will refuse a beautiful screenplay and a chance for their actor to get a beautiful role, just because it wasn't written by a friend of them.
But fortunately, I've stumbled upon talented people who loved my work and want to get involved in my projects.
One is a fantasy/werewolf film and the other a biopic. (I'm very partial to this one)
This week, one of my favorite actresses of all times, granted me the honor to read my work and she loved the part I've offered. I have good hopes that she'll accept to play in the movie.
Magical moment of knowing that someone you've been watching dozen times when you were a teenager, has seen your work too and wants to work with you!
Another unexpected occurrence: A producer, actress and friend of mine, was seeking short screenplays last week. I haven't written short scripts in years, but I have penned about 10 shorts in the past, actually I have never really promoted them. Short films don't pay the bills and their release is always very limited. (Internet, festivals etc...)
However, I told her about my screenplays and she has requested to read them all. She actually liked most of them and has called my short script: "THE ANGEL", (actually the first short I've written) one of the most beautiful screenplay she ever read!
I also have good hopes that my shorts will become a reality in the upcoming days!
However, this week was marked by very difficult times too, as one of my relatives is extremely ill at the moment and unfortunately, very poorly treated due to his geographical location. I'm doing my best to invest my time in finding the best scientist and doctors possible. So I'm very, very tired at the moment. I apologize to all those who have received confused messages from me, and all those I haven't replied to yet.
I'll be back with updates in the upcoming days! In the meantime I keep my fingers crossed for all my projects and my relative.
Jordan.
