Life

[Codicier]

Today is my birthday,

I could go off about how I'm another year older (although not much wiser), but instead I want to say a quick thanks.

Having somewhere on the internet where I can have a reasonably intelligent adult conversation about games and life in general, while not having to put up with people pedantically correcting every little grammar or spelling mistake I make is a pretty damn nice thing to have as a dyslexic.

So thank you fellow readers and the thumbs crew, a big birthday baboo/thank you from me to you.

[Ucantalas]

HAPPY PROOF-YOUR-PARENTS-HAD-SEX DAY!

[miffy495]

Happy birthday, dude!

[Frenetic Pony]

It's a YES! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS YES YES YES YES YES YES! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

For the past year, over a year, I've been trying to get people to look at my screenplay. It's awesome, I'm obsessed with movies, I've seen more than two new movies a months every year for years now, I've seen just about every movie on IMDB's top 250, yes all of them. And more than then some. I've been told by professional authors and other movie lovers that my script would make a great movie.

 

And then I went to try to get people in Hollywood to look at it. I sent out letters, I sent out emails, I telephoned. Again and again and again. Every week I would read about how to sell my script, every week I would re-write how I was selling it, week after week. The most I ever achieved was a bit of unique wording in my curt and blank faced rejection.

 

Finally, a few weeks ago, I just though "hey, I can't find any examples of successful query letters, but maybe I can find a synopsis (the main pitch of the query letter/email) that's been written by a pro." So lo and behold I found a synopsis, perfect style and length, written by Universal on IMDB about Fast Five. I copied the form, the grammar, etc. I waited a while to send it out, I mean it was Christmas/New Years right? So finally, this last week I did.

 

Yes, send me the script to....

 

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I've tried harder on this than anything in my life, being a successful write in Hollywood is one of the best jobs in the world, you get paid more per hour to do less than any pro sports player out there, and you can do it from anywhere. Maybe, definitely, I'm still a ways away from that. But the first, actual, tangible step towards that in forever is just AWWWWWWWWWWWESOME! :tup: :tup:

[Merus]

Congratulations!

 

I understand being a writer in Hollywood is not as rosy as you maybe think but that might just be because you want it badly enough, which is an excellent sign.

 

Have you shown your script to other screenwriters?

[Frenetic Pony]

Congratulations!

 

I understand being a writer in Hollywood is not as rosy as you maybe think but that might just be because you want it badly enough, which is an excellent sign.

 

Have you shown your script to other screenwriters?

 

Yep, they loved it.

 

And like I said, it's only that rosy if you're pretty successful. Like if you're an A list guy that's your thing, seven figures upfront for each greenlit screenplay and seven figures (or more) for royalties if it's a success, and that's for working in a coffee shop or a five star hotel room anywhere in the world. Not that all your screenplays are going to make it necessarily. And those that do you'll probably have to deal with a director and/or producer wanting his stupid idea to be re-written in or this or that, or blah blah blah. And there are certainly, for each A lister like Bob Orci or (now) Aaron Sorkin, there's a dozen or more B guys grunting out contract re-writes for Jerry Bruckheimer or etc. Or even C guys working TV. Those A guys are a rare breed. But it's still a nice dream to have.

 

Thanks!

[jmbossy]

Wow man, that's fantastic

Good luck!

[Roderick]

Congratulations, Frenetic Pony. In my time in Hollywood I saw a lot of hustling done by many talented writers, and it's indeed not all rosy. I don't know if you've written screenplays before or if this is your first. Famous scribes Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio say that it takes about thirteen screenplays before you have honed your craft such that you've produced an actual good script. Prepare for a long struggle, but don't give up. This is a good place to start, enjoy it.

[tegan]

I just checked my bank account. I'm even broker than I thought. OnO

[dibs]

Is that a sad face or is it shorthand for oh no. Or both?

Super lame Tegan. Make those print people give you am advance.

[tegan]

It's a sad face.

[jmbossy]

I have a job interview tomorrow

I'm.. excited? I generally do my best to have reasonable expectations, and it seems 'reasonable' that i'll get hired (based on factors and such) but I have trouble accepting that.

I can never tell if this feeling is justified or if i'm accidentally being optimistic.

 

Either way, it's my first job interview in a while, and I kind of want it (it's bearable and pays, so it meets my extremely high expectations).

[Joewintergreen]

I'm in Seattle! Who wants to Seattle with me?

Grats on your positive developments jmbossy and FM.

[Dewar]

I'm working in Seattle right now. What brings you to our fair state?

[Joewintergreen]

Steam Dev Days! I should probably venture out for breakfast soon

[Squid Division]

I live here, and a friend and I were thinking of going into downtown for drinks tonight. If we don't, consider walking to Capitol Hill for good bars and nightlife.

[Dewar]

Got any places on Capitol Hill you recommend? I have a birthday coming up and we were planning on starting at Tavern Law and just walking around seeing what we find from there.

[Joewintergreen]

Cool cool cool. Post up in here if you guys are doing a thing and don't mind it being invaded by Australians

[Squid Division]

I haven't been there, but I've heard that the Pine Box is a great place, and walking distance from the convention center. It's apparently an old mortuary, hence the name. There's also a cider bar that I've been to that's pretty good if you really like hard ciders - Capitol Cider. Looking on GoogleMaps just now, it looks like the Elysian Brewery is not too far from those two, and people speak very, very highly of their beers.

[jmbossy]

So I was dooped. Job was a scam.
It's always nice to have your cynicism reassured.

[Joewintergreen]

oh balls, dude, that sucks. why do people do that shit.

 

I'm just sitting bored in my rented room in Seattle. There are devs meeting up in places I could walk to but I don't know 'em well enough to be invited and just showin' up seems rude

[Dewar]

I'm going out with a few friends at work to a fancy smancy place under the Seattle Art Museum called "The Taste." Not sure how long we'll be there or what the mood is going to be, but I'd be happy to either have you swing by now or head off somewhere after. I know some good places around Pike Place Market.

 

No pressure to stick around or anything if things (or I) don't turn out to be your style.

 

Edit: My super secret real life actual name is Derek btw. I will be wearing gray slacks, a white shirt, and perhaps a gray jacket.

[Dewar]

I haven't been there, but I've heard that the Pine Box is a great place, and walking distance from the convention center. It's apparently an old mortuary, hence the name. There's also a cider bar that I've been to that's pretty good if you really like hard ciders - Capitol Cider. Looking on GoogleMaps just now, it looks like the Elysian Brewery is not too far from those two, and people speak very, very highly of their beers.

 

The Elysian beers are pretty good, but the actual bar isn't all that hot. I'll check out the Pine Box, that sounds awesome.

[Dewar]

The taste was closed, I'm half a block south at the diller room.

[jmbossy]

Sorry to repost something, but I'm still curious;

 

Would anyone recommend joining a Game Jam if you have little/no experience?

I want to join to visit their workshops, but i don't want to hinder my team.

 

Should I go in with more experience next year, or is it safe to join with relatively low experience?