Who said the end of the Writers’ Strike would solve our woes?
This letter from Union President Patric Verrone to WGA membership sends an upbeat message about the future but man … so far 2008 has been a personal bust!
I’ve been writing like a madman over the past 6 months with the realization that the arrival of my second daughter (due April 1st but ready to pop any day now) would severely curtail my writing career.
Sadly, my wife’s mother has landed in a hospice with terminal lung cancer – which has made my wife’s blood pressure balloon and turned a normal pregnancy into high risk. This week the 2nd boot dropped with the news that a person in my immediate family also has cancer. I fear 2008 will not be the healthiest year for the Heskes but keep my chin up nonetheless.
On the writing front, I continue to make progress with a comic book series that is scheduled to be released this summer. With any luck (which I’ve had NONE of lately), I’ll be able to turn the comic book/graphic novel into a film script paycheck. Fingers crossed.
I’ve also spent @ 100 hours doing two rewrites of a suspense thriller which is now called DISTORTIA. It’s a strong script with deeper characters, smoother plot points, and less special effects ensuring it falls into the “low budget indie” category. One prodco has been taking a close look – we’ll see what happens with this one. The script has been “almost” optioned 5 times now – so maybe the number 6 will be a charm.
I’ve also entered far less contests lately – mostly thanks to the added expense of day care and gas prices. However, I did enter one contest called SCRIPT SAVVY and even ponied up for a script review. I was pleased to get a RECOMMEND (with some reservations, of course) for my quirky comedy called RICK HEAD. I even got a better logline and synopsis out of the deal for a cost that was just shy of $100. But alas, my two entries (MIGHTY LEMMING and RICK HEAD) did not crack the top 6*.
On a lark, I emailed the contest administrator (a very responsive woman named Donna White) who informed me that:
Actually both of your scripts were very close to the top this month. This was the most competitive contest we’ve had, so please know that both of your scripts are very much above average and might’ve won under slightly different circumstances.
Try, try again dammit!!
Enough pissing and moaning. At least I have a few pans in the fire. And – with God’s blessing – another screaming infant to keep me company late into the night. As for my mother-in-law and my other family member with the big “C” – ah, let’s just say I write now with a candle lit … to keep their fire burning beside me.
Regards,
Bob Heske
*Holy Hell Fire! This is the third time I’ve mentioned “6” in this posting. 666 … Bad karma! Speaking of Hell, as a tormented Vista customer, I can see why many believe Bill Gates is the Devil.
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