I've noticed a common problem among us artistic LA transplants. Work keeps getting in the way of the art.
Every time I work out with Trainer I ask him if he's gone on any auditions lately.
"No, it's been kind of slow," he admits. "I've just been too busy. I need to get on that."
He didn't come to LA to be a trainer, he came here to be an actor. But training is getting in the way of the whole reason he's here. Half the people I know are in the same boat.
For two months I was on vacation and I got used to having all the time I wanted to work on my script. I started a couple of projects before I found what I wanted to work on and now I'm back at work but still trying to find time to get the project done. Except I haven't done shit since I've been back at work.
I've thought a lot about my newest script but haven't actually done anything. I've been working on lesson plans and working out and going to parties where 90% of the attendees were gay men which makes my awesome new cleavage enhancing bra completely irrelevant. I've also been going to parties with Maggie which is awesome but still making my cleavage irrelevant. Then I've been going to dance clubs where some 24-year-old tried to dance with me but has never heard of The Cure before and doesn't understand its purpose. So my party hopping hasn't exactly been a boost for my industry contact situation because apparently without cleavage as my weapon I am handicapped.
I have 1,000 awesome new business cards. I've given out exactly zero.
But I digress.
I've been busy going out and working and kickboxing and I haven't written shit in two weeks. That's an eternity for me. I didn't come to LA to be a teacher. I was already teaching just fine in my little back woods land of Republicans and mule celebrations (Not kidding - they have an annual festival where they celebrate the existence of the mule) and definitely did not need to trek my ass across the country to trade my tractor driving kids for my adorable band of city folk. I came to write.
I have to get back into a routine. If I write the same time, same place every day it will get easier. Because although I like my day job, I'm not letting it get in the way of my dream job.
I guess that's the one advantage of hating my day job. Do my work, and not my job, is all I think about. And getting where I want to be seems all that much more a fire under my ass.
ReplyDeleteNot that I don't have my own problems when it comes to making sure that I'm sitting down every day and doing my work.
I didn't see you at Maggie's party. I had to leave early. Hopefully my blue snickerdoodles were edible. I'm not much of a baker. Hopefully you got some pie.
Makes sense to me.
ReplyDeleteWait, did you say cleavage? :-) Anyway, I KNOW the feeling. I actually have people who want to read scripts I can't get around to finishing.
ReplyDeleteI have decided though to take the plunge and work over-overtime to finish at least two this month. They're far enough along.
But as an aside, I know you are looking for money for movies. I came across the best thing since wheat bread. It's called Section 181 of the Jobs Creation Act of 2004.
It basically says that if a person invests in a movie they get a 100% tax write-off as soon as the money is spent. It's set to expire this year but it should get renewed.
And the great thing is that if you have one day of filming this year, you are grandfathered in for completing the movie next year.
Definitely something to look at. Especially since you can offer a percentage of the tax rebate to the investors.
Thanks Christian I'll look into that.
ReplyDeleteAnd Adam I enjoyed your blue cookies even though I was worry I missed you. I actually did not have pie because much to Maggie's shock and amazement I was forced to finally reveal the secret I've been keeping from her since we met: I do not really like pie.
I left much earlier than I would have liked to -- my Saturday was much too full.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad you liked the cookies. Or that they were edible, for that matter. And as for your not liking pie, I would have loved to have seen Maggie's reaction to that.
Irrelevant Cleavage is a good title for ... something.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'.
Danny
Not the cleavage, right? That's my job.
ReplyDeletej/k
:-)
The business cards go IN the cleavage... makes 'em stand up, nice and stiff, for easy distribution.
ReplyDeleteTwo birds, one stone.
Duh.
RP