What do you do when you're waiting

A non-writer brought up something the other day that warrants mentioning. What exactly do we do while we wait for answers from the investors, potential investors and everybody else I have contacted who take their time getting back to me.

It's an awkward time as some days, in fact most, I really don't have much to do as there's only so much to do at this stage. This is one of the most important lessons I've learned in the film business and it's simply this:

Don't ever count on one thing.

You're always waiting in this business, and the more you need it, the longer it seems to take. You wait for someone to read your screenplay, you wait for the notes, you wait for the contract and you wait for the money.

So what do I do?

For one thing I have at a couple of other projects with serious interest. They are:

•  Emperor of Mars has been optioned at least 6 times, of which I can actually show you the option. But right now, isn't. So I wait for that one. If you want, you can see the book I wrote. Actually I wrote the book after the 6 other options. I also get a note or two from the producers who still want to make it. Never say no.  The closest it came to was back around 2004, to be shot in Canada. I was director also and was suddenly off because two money people argued and one left. No more money.

• Chaser also is still on an aption now. It was also optioned 3 times and again, occasionally call me. It's a script to be shot in France. They've had it for 6 years.

• Side by Side is a screenplay that has been read a lot of times and has had one director who wants to make it and keeps looking for the money people. Had them almost once.

  And I still have at least 20 screenplays I wrote that remain on my shelf, unproduced, waiting for someone. 

Sounds like a lot, right? Some writers I know, even experienced ones have one screenplay. And they are totally depending on that one script to make them a career.

It could happen. Maybe.

But the one consistent lesson I learned is to never count on just one thing.  Because sure as hell, your project is going to fall through and there you are... lost and adrift. There's nothing worse than pinning your hopes on that one big thing and then it falls through.

This has happened to me more than I care to remember, probably 75% of the time. I've done 18 movies but have seen at least 50 projects fall through in the last 30 years, probably more. Everything from small no-budget movies to bigger ones and TV series and documentaries. 

And as my friend Paul Lynch says, I'm in the top 10% of writers who have had projects made. Some get lucky with one movie and then struggle to get another one and never get another shot.

So even as I work on my new screenplay, I have a handful of other projects that I show around, like the four I mentioned above and a few others. And I get feel-good emails fromm the horror cult film that took only 35 years to be "culted".  I also have that distributor who took Ghoskeeper and created a 30th year DVD copy with extras. And I forgot, but I also have a Ghostkeeper screenplay also floating around the world.

I guess if you wait long enough, someone will say something nice about you.

A lot of writers don't have an interest in every element of filmmaking, they're happy with writing the script and taking the money and leave. I started in TV news and went on to work in every aspect of the business and thus often surprise myself at what I know.

And of course at what I don't know.

In spite of what anyone might think, the business hasn't changed that much since it started way back in the 1900's. Kids still come to Hollywood to be stars, dreams are realized and dreams are lost. There hasn't been a year that's gone by when someone hasn't said  "this is the worst year ever".

And while I have several projects turning around in mid-air I realize the difference between writers and everyone else.

They all have to wait to get a job.

I don't. 

Why? Because I can always write a screenplay.  In fact well over 50 if you count the TV pilots and animation and episodic shows.  Everyone else, actors, directors, crew, caterers, teamsters, everyone has to be hired before they can work.

And that's the beauty of writing. Writers can produce a product without anyone else helping, there's no factory, no tools to buy (well, a computer but everyone has that), no licenses, no displays.  No employees. Not even travel time to work. It takes me a dozen steps to go to work.

But not all writers are like that.

A lot of them couldn't write a spec screenplay without being hired. Mostly TV writers, but some feature writers also. I was always surprised by this, but a lot of them have to wait with the other crew to be hired.

What's the difference?

Motivation. Some writers are motivated more than others. That goes for everyone, not just film people. I'm motivated most of the time,  I get at least 2 or 3 ideas a day, ideas that usually fade by evening. Some of them stick around.

So what's the catch? 

I haven't made a dollar from any of the above. Well, not really, because I got options for all of those above. Emperor of Mars gave me around $8,000 from options. 

But there was something else I had, particularly in Canada. Canada gives writers grants. Both novels or books and screenplays. You wanna know how much I got in the last 20 years? Emperor of Mars gave me around $13,000. But that's Canada.

So I can write, but I might not sell my idea or script. In fact I can almost guarantee I won't sell it. But someone might just get interested. It happened with Travel Day, where this blog of the same name, can happen with something else.

 This is what you have to do to get funding from Canada.  Just kidding, they've helped me and other writers alive during the hard times.