Hey gang, been a while since I updated this. So what have I been doing with my time? Writing, of course!
Thought I’d tell you about my latest spec script…
SPLENDORA.
Here’s the logline: For her 18th birthday, a sheltered teen just wants to kiss a boy. Instead, she gets supernatural powers, a kidnapped mom, five deadly sisters to battle, and the disturbing news that her dad is the Prince of Darkness.
The script was recently in the Top 15 Uploaded Scripts at The Black List and it’s enjoyed a lot of attention as a result.
What people have been saying:
“One of the best un-repped scripts I’ve ever read.”
- PDFScreenplays.com
“The script is a fun blend between action, fantasy, and comedy and has a very original premise. A consistent string of comic and thrilling sequences, Splendora is a well-written script that isn’t too far from being production ready.” - Blcklst.com
“[The] writing style is already industry standard. Confident and strong. Not too many Black List finalists give a reader this much old-timey rollicking good fun.”
- 10ptt.com
If you’re an agent, manager, producer, or executive and would like to give it a read, shoot me an email HERE.
So you’ve finished your first draft. You probably started with an outline, but found that your characters took you to new places and new discoveries. How can you tell if it all fits together coherently?
Try writing a trailer for your script.
I adore movie trailers. I probably watch at least one a day. Either new movies coming out, or revisiting old ones. The great thing about trailers is they get to the heart of the film. From a good trailer you get an idea of tone, theme, characters, and story.
And while it might be hard to pick these things up from a 120 page screenplay, where the scale makes it all a little fuzzy, a trailer helps you focus in on those important moments.
So figure out those character introductions, those key scenes of dialogue, those big set pieces. Put on your editors cap. Figure out what beats are most important. And write it all down in a three or four page document. Pick out a few songs to set the tone. Play it over in your head.
It’s a great way to figure out what beats you’re missing and/or what scenes need more clarity. And if you can’t find those scenes or bits of dialogue that sum up your character journeys and themes, maybe that’s a good place to start on your rewrite.
Here’s a few of my favorite trailers to inspire you:
Part nine in a series where I lazily ask the same five questions of professionals in the fields of comics, film, music, and more in order to get an idea of what success looks like (or doesn’t look like) in creative industries.
Josh Parkinson is a screenwriter and all-around amazing dude living in Los Angeles. His screenplay Free Country made the Black List (of best unproduced screenplays) in 2010 and led to jobs at Warner Brothers, Paramount, Mandate and Media Rights Capital. He most recently wrote on the third season of HBO’s Eastbound & Down. I will be forever grateful to Josh for his kindess and for turning me on to Korean BBQ.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
Depends on what you mean by success. If you mean paying off 90% of my debt and not feeling guilty about eating out more than once a week, then I’d say maybe two years ago.
If you mean being rich and famous and showered with gimme-work, you’re talking to the wrong guy.
How long did it take you to get there?
See above. I know a few dudes I’d call established but for the most part it’s a freelance hustle which means never really feeling like you’re “there.” It’s more like lots of competition in a jittery, screwy market that’s often–if not always–impossible to read. The dudes I know who are established would probably even tell you they’re not, and they’ve been doing it over a decade.
Who do you look at in the film industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
There’s not nearly as many hookers as I expected. Just kiddin.
I don’t know really. I wrote fiction for years before screenplays and that’ll breed in you a pretty good habit of never forming expectations of any kind, especially around recognition or compensation for your work. I guess the fact that there’s an industry in America that does compensate appropriately (or at all) for creative work is still the biggest life surprise for me before and after my change in focus.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to screenwriting?
This’ll sound like a broken record to people who know me but my biggest piece of advice is always to have something ready. You can’t control when an opportunity is gonna come up but you sure as shit can control having a piece of product ready when one does.
Josh has a minimal (non-existent) internet presence, but you can keep up with his work via imdb.
Part 8 in the continuing saga where I ask the same five awesome questions of awesome people who do awesome things awesomely!
John Crist is a very funny and award-winning comedian from Denver, CO. He’s remarkably successful, having performed all around the U.S. including an opening stint for Louie Anderson in Vegas. John and I used to play in a band together, back when he was 15 and I was 19. One time, after playing out of town, we ended up staying with this stranger who proceeded to show us his knife collection right before we fell asleep. This is the kind of adolescence that leads to stand-up comedy.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
I think there are moments along the journey that are milestone’s of sort that help point you in the direction of success. For example, the first time we won a contest I felt very successful. The first time we received a check from a comedy club I felt successful. If you’re going to pursue your dream, YOU have to decide what success is and go after that. People will try to judge your career based on their idea of success and that can be frustrating if you’re not focused.
How long did it take you to get there?
Years in the profession is one way to gauge it, but standup comedy, in many ways, is like skiing. When you ask someone how long they’ve been a skier, they could say 3 years. But if they’ve only skied three times in three years, they’re not technically lying to you, but its not the truth either. An actor could have an agent for three years but only done one job. Technically, they’ve been an ‘actor’ for three years, but they’re an amateur. I’ve taken the stage as a standup comedian 298 times.
Who do you look at in the comedy industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
Oh man, that depends on the perspective. I’ve always said my favorite comic is Katt Williams. He’s had some personal troubles and his act is crass at times but he speaks from the heart and I admire that a lot. I look up to Adam Carolla a lot too. Again, he can be very unsettling and dirty at times but he speaks from a place of passion and I love that. There’s a comic named Tim Hawkins that I really really like too. I also really respect the work of some of my fellow Denver comics: Sam Tallent, Ben Roy and Matt Baca.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
Great question. I have a quote from best selling author Jon Acuff on my wall. It reads
“Pursuing your dream is a grand insult to those who haven’t pursued theirs.”
I thought everyone would be supportive of my taking a risk and pursuing my dream. Turns out, not at all. When I left my job, one co-worker said, “I bet you’ll be begging for your job back in two months.” Every time I hear something like that, I write it down and use it at motivation. Whenever someone makes a choice to pursue greatness, it calls average people’s lives into question. I watch this short YouTube clip every Monday morning:
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to stand-up comedy?
Just do it. Over and over and over and over again. Just do it.
Part 7 in a continuing series (inspired by THIS POST) where I ask the same five questions of different creative professionals with the goal of forming a better idea of what success looks like at various rungs on the ladder in industries such as film, comics, music, and more.
Jacob York is an incredibly gifted theatre and film actor living in Atlanta, GA (with less desirable Kentucky roots). He’s been in like a bazillion plays, but I had the pleasure of working with him as the star of our short film, Rooney’s World. Jacob is also a talented writer and has that rare star quality that almost guarantees that he’ll get me into an exclusive club one day… as long as I can still get him to return my calls.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
Hmm. I honestly don’t know that I consider myself a success yet. I’m a success in that I am paying all of my bills by people giving me money for saying things with my mouth, which is awesome, but I’m still not at the level that I’d like to be. For instance, I’m a fairly successful theatre actor in Atlanta, working pretty consistently, However, I’ve had virtually no success on camera, with Rooney’s World being the only film I’ve been paid to be in.
It’s all in the eye of the beholder, though, and I do recognize that I’m incredibly fortunate to be working as much as I am, which is quite a bit.
How long did it take you to get there?
I got started late and milled around Western Kentucky for much longer than I should have. I got started on my professional acting career, in earnest, when I was… what, 24? 25? Thereabouts. But, once I got started, “success”, so to speak, came reasonably quickly. It was just a matter of getting out there and doing the work.
Who do you look at in the film and/or theater industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
Personally, my buddy Nick Arapoglou is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, doing it right. He’s a super successful theatre actor, and is constantly booking things on camera. Examples of him doing it right are easy. He’s a hard worker, a nice guy, a talented actor, he knows how to take advantage of his opportunities without screwing people over. He’s top notch, and is going to work forever.
Also, in a general sense, anyone who is doing their own work, obstacles be damned, is doing it right.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
I feel like these questions are presuming that I’m a lot more successful than I am. I’ll be honest, I didn’t anticipate that I’d ever be able to make a living through acting. I always assumed I’d end up being a teacher of some sort. So, frankly, the surprise is that I can actually do it. I expected my life to be different because I wouldn’t have this life. I have it! How exciting!
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to acting?
A quote from Aziz Ansari -
“Never stop hustlin’. When you feel like quitting the hustle, start hustling harder. When you’ve hustled harder and you’re like, “Ok, I can take a break from hustling.” Then.. YOU HUSTLE EVEN HARDER.”
If you want it, go get it. Because no one is going to give you anything.
So, here’s the deal. Starting the second week of a series of interviews where I ask the same five questions of friends that I respect in different industries such as film, comics, music, and more. The goal is to get a more realistic idea of what it looks like to “climb the ladder” of success and whether or not there is such a thing as “breaking in.”
Shane Houghton is the incredibly nice, clever, and funny writer behind the fantastic all-ages comic series, Reed Gunther, drawn by his equally nice and talented brother, Chris, and published by Image Comics. He’s also written comics for licensed properties such as The Simpsons, Peanuts, and Casper. If that wasn’t enough (for a 26 year old!), he’s also a talented filmmaker.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
I don’t think I have considered myself a success yet! I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given, but I still have a lot of goals to accomplish. Personally, I feel like I’ve just now began to scratch the beginning of what I’ve always wanted to do. I really enjoy working with my brother, Chris (artist and co-creator of REED GUNTHER), and I hope we can continue making our bear-riding cowboy comic, REED GUNTHER, come up with more creator-owned comics, and even run an animated TV show together.
How long did it take you to get there?
I’ve been writing comics for about 4 years. But really, that was when the first issue of REED GUNTHER came out. When my brother and I first started self-publishing REED GUNTHER, we were releasing about two issues a year, which means I only wrote 64 pages a year for two years. While we were working on Reed, I wrote a few other short comics (2, 6, and 8 pagers) so my brother and I could flex some different creative muscles.
After about 2 years of self-publishing REED GUNTHER in black and white, we started getting some attention from publishers. Dark Horse asked us to pitch some stories for STAR WARS ADVENTURES, a digest sized self contained story. I wrote 10 pages of outline for three different stories (which I thought were pretty awesome) but Dark Horse ended up turning them down. The one-page version of those pitches and some artwork are posted on a blog we like to call: Rejected Comics by Shane and Chris Houghton. You can see all of our failed pitches there including lots of submissions to MAD MAGAZINE, KUNG FU PANDA, and Dark Horse’s CREEPY.
Around this same time, Image Comics became interested in re-releasing REED GUNTHER and having us continue the series. We finally came out nationally thanks to Image, in color, in June of 2011. Now it’s been one full year and we have 10 issues of REED GUNTHER and two trade paperbacks.
Because of Reed, I also have had the opportunity to write for a few other books including CASPER’S SCARE SCHOOL, PEANUTS, and THE SIMPSONS’ TREEHOUSE OF HORROR. But there have been plenty of failed pitches for lots of other properties.
Who do you look at in the comics industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
As a writer, Sam Humphries (writer of OUR LOVE IS REAL, HIGHER EARTH, and Marvel’s ULTIMATES) is doing it best. Sam has been hovering around the comic creating business for years. He created MySpace Comics when that was a thing. He knows everyone in comics and has been attending San Diego for like a billion years. Sam and I have been friends way before either of us was anything in the comics industry– before he wrote the FRAGGLE ROCK story that put him on the map and before REED GUNTHER was at Image.
I’ve seen Sam work at San Diego for the last three years and he is doing it right. Sam is there not to sell his book(s), but to sell himself. He doesn’t have a table, but floats from signing to signing at BOOM!, Archaia, Marvel… And meets and parties with editors constantly. He gets a hotel real close so he can take naps during the middle of the day. Something I couldn’t ever do because I have a table to cover. Sam also knows a lot of press folks and comes up with new and innovating ways to promote his new books. Press guys love that so they’re helping each other out. Sam knows his jam.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
That’s tough. I never really knew what life was going to be like after college. Up until you graduate from college, everything is set up and pre-planned. In school you always know you’ll move up to the next grade, then high school, then college. But after, everything is up to you. I got a boring day job for a while, but it took me a few years before I could freelance and transition into writing comics full time.
By the way, I only started writing comics full time this year, around April. So I haven’t been doing it long and I could totally crash and burn. Plus I’m getting married this year, which is pretty crazy. So those are both things that are surprises to me the year… sort of. Both writing full time and getting married are things I’ve been working at and developing for years! So it’s cool they’re both happening around the same time.
I’m 26, and if you ask me what my 5-year plan is, I’ll laugh in your face. Well, probably not because that seems mean, but what I’m saying is that I have no idea what I’m doing 5 months from now. Hopefully still working and married. Those are my goals into my very limited near future.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to the comics industry?
DO IT! If you want to get in, start working. Don’t wait until someone gives you an opportunity because they won’t until you have shown them what you can do. My brother and I self-published for two years before we got a chance at Image. Check out our failed pitches site and you can see a ton of work we did that never went anywhere. And there’s a lot more stuff that isn’t on that site. But hopefully you’re doing what you do because you love doing it. And that is the reward right there. No one gets into comics for the money, because you can make a lot more of it doing a lot less work. Enjoy what you do and then don’t stop doing it.
You can keep up with Shane and Chris and their bear-riding cowboy at reedgunther.com or buy the first two volumes of the comic here and here.
Last one this week in the continuing series of interviews with creative professionals in fields such as music, film, and comics to get a better understanding of how success is interpreted at different levels. Coming up next week, I’ve got more interviews with an actor, a comedian, a screenwriter, a cartoonist, and a couple of comic book writers.
Adam WarRock is a remarkably hard working and talented musician who makes “nerdcore pop cultural emo hip hop.” And in an environment where the music industry is scrambling to find a successful model, Adam has it figured out. He releases free singles and mix tapes, tours regularly and sells some killer merch. He’s received a lot of press coverage for his Parks & Rec EP, his Browncoats MIxtape, and a track dedicated to Downton Abbey. I first discovered Adam as a result of his free Oni Press Mix Tape, had the pleasure of meeting him at HeroesCon in Charlotte last year, and previously commented on his inspirational writings here. I’m a huge fan of his music and an even bigger fan of him as a human being.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
After I was an opener on the mc chris tour in Fall of 2011. 44 dates in two months, it was the first time I ever got comfortable telling strangers that I was a “professional musician” without adding a question mark to the end of my own statement, reflexively.
How long did it take you to get there?
1 year full-time, plus 2 years part time, plus 8 years of making music on the side, plus another 15 years of being an obsessive music freak and hip hop head. Those first 5 years of my life, I was pretty lazy about it, I guess.
Who do you look at in the music industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
Jonathan Coulton. He started out making music completely free, and sticking to a song a week and doing all kinds of weird, bizarre songs in unexpected places (book readings, conferences, etc.). He toured and performed constantly. He released an album with a band and a producer, and still managed to grow meaningfully as a musician. He started a cruise. He takes chances, and none of those chances ever affected his art.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
I think you have to have a certain amount of delusion into thinking you can succeed, break big, or else you wouldn’t do it. But the biggest surprise is finding out how much of doing creative work, music specifically, is really all about customer service and reaching out to people, staying engaged. I’m blown away by the personal connections people have in the emails I get. Most of my day is spent trying to engage people, and then responding to them with something that I hope has some added value to the music I make.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to the music industry?
Don’t bother with trying to make the perfect song. Post up imperfect art, and grow in public. People will enjoy either seeing you succeed wildly, or seeing you fail. Avoid the latter, if at all possible.
You can find more about Adam WarRock, download some free music, and purchase his albums at adamwarrock.com. He’s also touring now so check him out when he gets to your town!
As the readers of this site continue to grow (hi everybody!) I want to make sure I never allow you guys to turn into numbers. My goal has always been to build relationships, not to collect readers.
With that in mind, I’d love to get to know you a bit! Whether you’re an old friend or a new reader, take a look at the questions below and respond in the comments.
1. What’s a favorite non-social network website that you visit daily?
2. If you had to be stuck in a fallout shelter with one person (alive or dead, famous or friend) for a year, who would you choose?
3. What’s your favorite super hero movie?
4. Name one song I should go download right now.
5. What types of posts would you like to see more of on here? Essays? Original comics? Best of lists? Interviews? More opinions on comics, film, or writing? Inspirational type stuff? Practical, “breaking-in” type stuff?
This is part four in the Views from the Middle series wherein I post the same five questions to friends who are professionals in different creative industries (comics, film, music, art). Inspired by this post, the series is an attempt to get an honest look at how different people define at success at different points in their career, hopefully encouraging young creatives to find their own definition in the process.
Katie Rodgers recently left her apparel design job at Reebok to pursue freelance illustration full time. Her unique style has garnered clients such as Kate Spade, Coach, and Target and her work has been published in Lucky Magazine, ElleGirl, and The Great Big Book of Fashion Illustration. Katie’s highly influential blog, paperfashion.net is a how-to of modern self-promotion and she is a master of social media with over 400,000 followers on Pinterest. Phew! Success is a mouth-full. Even though we went to the same high school, Katie and I didn’t actually meet until years later and she continuously blows me away with her brilliance, talent, unwavering positive attitude, and willingness to hang out with me until the wee hours of the morning whenever she’s in town.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
I don’t think there’s any one point that I considered myself a success. Throughout my career (and life) I tend to think smaller events are what make me successful. Looking back, I see small steps clear as day (much like your post on different paths). Success isn’t one giant leap, it’s the little steps that get you there (insert mountain climbing analogy here). Looking back, I would have considered making it out to working on my own a huge success. Now that I’m here, I see it’s only one tiny step on my path. It’s one thing to start your own business, but there are a million other steps to create a truly successful business. Something I’m passionate about slowly building over time.
How long did it take you to get there?
Like I said above, each step and each success is different. I don’t think I’m even there yet (wherever there may be). It’s a constant journey, and one that’s always changing. Even just four or five years ago (heck even one year ago!)–my goals were completely different. I thought I was going to design products for X company… then I signed on to move to Barcelona with Reebok as an apparel designer just last year (and then ended up turning it down)… and now here I am, a full time illustrator. What’s important, is that you keep moving and striving for success in whichever direction life takes you… and to ALWAYS trust your gut.
Who do you look at in the illustration and/or fashion industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
This is a tough question. There are so many people “doing it right” in completely different ways… but here’s one example. I love how quirky Marc Johns work is. He’s got his style down to a tee and consistently brings something fun, simple, and fresh to the world. That’s one thing I admire about certain people; the ability to be creative and fresh, in the most simplistic way. When I think of Marc Johns, I can instantly see his style in my head. That’s what I call “doing it right”.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
Well for one, I didn’t think I’d be my own boss by 26 years old. I expected to be working for someone, and not always getting to do what I wanted to do. Now, I get to do exactly what I want to do (shout out to the internet for allowing me to do this) which is a pretty incredible feeling. Now that I’m working on my own, there’s a lot more business that needs to be accomplished than just illustrating. I’d say I only illustrate 40-50% of the time. The businessside of things consumes a good chunk of my time. The amount of time it takes up was a big surprise at first… and one I’m still getting accustomed to. Fortunately, I enjoy it almost as much as I enjoy illustrating!
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break into illustration?
I remember being pretty insecure about my work in college just a few years ago, as are lots of people… simply because I hadn’t found my ‘thing’ yet. Actually, I had found my thing (fashion illustration) then, but I didn’t think it could be a career for me… so I always thought of it as a hobby. Looking back, I remember getting so nervous thinking about going on interviews, starting new jobs, etc. I still get a little jittery when meeting with a client for the first time (it’s sort of like an interview, right?), but I’m obviously much more confident about it now. It’s important to remember that people are just people, and to be confident in your work. Confidence in what you do, or what you want to do, is just as important as the work itself.
Also, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to put yourself out there. With the internet, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t have a website. If you don’t, you’re probably not going anywhere too fast. The world wide web is great at spreading things like wildfire… so if you’re not using pinterest, twitter, facebook, etc… why not? So many people are in shock when I tell them I’ve gotten some of my largest commissions and jobs via twitter or pinterest. Crazy, right? I was also given the incredible opportunity of sitting down with Alicia Keys not too long ago–all because of a tweet she posted. The internet makes the world a whole lot smaller, and much more approachable. Get online, find your niche, and start the conversation.
Well, this is awkward. Two interviews back to back from guys with extraordinarily similar names. This is the 3rd part in a series where I interview my friends who are professionals in creative industries – what that might look like, and how it might be different than what you assume.
Kevin Mellon is the talented and unique artist behind the comics American Muscle (written by Steve Niles as part of Creator Owned Heroes), Heart (written by Blair Butler), and LoveStruck (written by Dennis Hopeless) all published by Image Comics. He’s also a storyboard artist for the animated show Archer airing on FX. Kevin is a new transplant to Atlanta from Kansas City – which he’ll continue to regret until we get an Alamo Drafthouse. And after you take a look at his books (and the following interview), you’ll realize why I respect him so much.
At what point did you consider yourself a success? How long did it take you to get there?
These first 2 questions imply a definition of success and an awareness of it as a concept that I am unsure I have.
When you set out to do a thing, you tend to have a list of “goals” / things you want to accomplish in doing said thing, and that might be a definition of success.
The problem with that is, your goals and list of things to accomplish changes as you get farther along the path, and as is often the case, you surpass your earlier goals and “definition of success” without realizing it, because you’ve long since added new/different goals and things to the list. Often times, your whole priority in life and work can change, taking all those goals out of the equation. Making success an unattainable thing that you will never see when you’ve “made it” because you’re often looking and working so far above it to notice.
Success, for me personally, is defined less by goals and some outside-world definition of it, and more-so by “did I do good work today? Did I learn something today? Is this project something I can bring myself into and have it be better for it? Will doing this project make me better at my craft and as a person? Will this be fun?”
Those are some of the things I set out to do in life and with everything I take on. Doesn’t always work out, and doesn’t always end up that way, but by asking those questions I find that I’m less disappointed by a false set of expectations (internal and external) I thought I wanted to accomplish, and more satisfied in knowing that I’ve done the best I can in the time I had with the tools/knowledge at my disposal. If I’m not satisfied, then I do better tomorrow.
I always want to do better tomorrow.
That’s about as successful as I can be.
Who do you look at in the comics industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
I think everyone has their own path, so you have to look at and inspect people who’s paths you admire. More and more, I find that with twitter and facebook, you can find out so much about another person and their way of doing things as to go from respecting it in an abstract way, to loathing it in a “fuck, I wish I didn’t know this about you” way.
The people I admire currently are excited about what they do and bring the best they can to it and “success/failure” aside, their enthusiasm for throwing everything they can into it never wanes.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
Not sure what level I’m at. I don’t have anything else to reference in order to make any sort of comparison.
Life is good. Shit, life is great. Everything in my life changed this year, and that’s been a sum of the last few years leading up to it and will be a precursor to the years after it.
Can’t really ask for much more, wouldn’t know what more to ask for.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to the comics industry?
There’s nothing to break into anymore.
Do your thing, put it out there in the best way you can, do it all over again the next morning.
Ask yourself if you want an audience or attention. If it’s the former, you’re well on your way. If it’s the latter, nothing anyone can say will help you.
You can find more about Kevin and keep up with his various social media personalities at about.me/kevinmellon.
Memories and anecdotes from my last long-term relationship. Presented here out of context and out of order. Updated every Wednesday.
This is probably the last one of these that I’ll do for a while. There is more to this story (wait, this is a story?) that I want to tell, but I’d like to play around with some other art things that I’ll be testing out here in the near future. But if you enjoy these dumb little comics and wanna see more, please let me know!
This is the second part in an interview series I’m doing asking the same five questions of creative professionals. The goal is hopefully to give young writers, filmmakers, artists, and musicians a more realistic view of what success (or ‘breaking in’) looks like in each of these industries.
Kevin Miller is a screenwriter and filmmaker from Abbotsford, BC. His many credits include the feature films No Saints for Sinners and After… as well as the documentaries spOILed and Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. Kevin’s latest film is also his directorial debut, a feature-length documentary called Hellbound?, which takes on the traditional doctrine of hell. He also teaches screenwriting at film schools and conferences around the world. I’m privileged to call such a smart and talented guy my friend. Even if he is Canadian.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
I still haven’t reached that point, to be honest. I saw an interview with Conan O’Brien the other night where he admitted that even after nearly two decades on TV, he still worries it’s all going to end 30 minutes from now. I can certainly identify with that. I think every creative person’s deepest fear is that one day they will be revealed as a fraud.
Even though I’ve worked on a number of films, some of which have been well received and earned millions of dollars, I always feel like I have to put a footnote beneath each one explaining the parts that make me cringe.
On another level, with my current film, Hellbound?, I feel a huge step closer to feeling a bit more secure about my abilities. That’s because on this film, I have a much fuller sense of authorship than on any other. Typically, I’ve been a screenwriter, co-writer and/or associate producer. On this film, I raised the money, put the team together, wrote, directed and assisted in the editing of the film. And now I am helping to manage marketing and distribution as well. So while it’s far too early to tell if this film is a success, it is a tremendously satisfying creative experience. And the fact that our film has already earned the approval of so many of my friends and mentors helps me sleep a little better at night.
How long did it take you to get there?
Not sure if this question is relevant in light of my previous response. I’ll let you know when/if it happens. However, I can say there have been brief moments going all the way back to the first line of poetry I wrote in grade 5 where I’ve had a flash of insight that says, “Hey, I think I might be onto something here.”
There’s always this gap between what you envision and what you finally create in the end. I can say I think that gap is closing steadily. But I think it’ll always be there.
Who do you look at in the movie industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
I’m a big fan of two types of filmmakers. The first are writer-directors like Paul Thomas Anderson, the Coen brothers and Darren Aronofsky who manage to retain their artistic integrity while employing the entire myth-making machinery of Hollywood to their advantage. These guys consistently produce beautiful, insightful and important films. I’m truly in awe of their work.
The other type of filmmaker I admire is exemplified by people like George Lucas and James Cameron. These guys aren’t content to simply make movies. They see so far beyond the curve that before they can even make their movies, they have to change the way movie-making is done. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of every film they’ve created. But I have a deep appreciation for their commitment to innovation and excellence. It’s also humbling to be reminded constantly of how small my mind is in comparison.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
The money! (Or lack thereof.) I think everyone enters this business thinking/hoping that one day they’ll win the lottery, so to speak. Not true. At least not in my case. I can’t complain–I live in a relatively new house on the edge of town, I’m able to treat my kids to nice presents at Christmas and so on. But I’ve been a freelancer for 12 years, and that doesn’t always equate to financial security. We have had many highs and lows over the years.
People also expect this line of work to be somewhat glamorous. I know I certainly did. However, you quickly learn that the glamorous moments–if they even happen–are fleeting at best. Most of the time I’m in the field, on a plane or in my office at home. I jokingly tell people that making movies is about long hours of self-torture and self-doubt punctuated by brief moments of elation. So celebrate those moments when you can.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to screenwriting or filmmaking?
Two things:
1. There is no substitute for learning your craft. A few lucky people can fake it for a while. But if you want to have a long, fruitful career in this industry, you need to work, work, work. Educate yourself. If you’re a writer, write. If you’re a filmmaker, make films. I’ve learned more about making spoof movie trailers with my kids than I have on actual film sets.
2. You’re only as good as your network. Like any business, film making is based primarily on relationships. I’ve gotten most of my jobs through connections from previous projects. What you know–and are able to do–is important. But who you know is vital. The thing I would warn against is using networking as a form of procrastination. I know people who feel like they’re filmmakers or screenwriters just because they’re able to score meetings or because they’ve met someone famous. The only thing that makes you a screenwriter or a filmmaker is the credit on the screen.
You can keep up with Kevin and his new film Hellbound? at hellboundthemovie.com. And you can now view the trailer on iTunes!
I’ve interviewed a number of friends, who are professionals in different creative industries (comics, music, film), asking them the same five questions that explore “life in the middle.” That is, they’ve found some success, but haven’t yet reached their ultimate goals. The idea was first brought up in this post exposing the myth of a lottery-style “breaking in” to these creative industries. Here’s the first of those interviews:
Van Jensen is the writer of the Pinocchio, Vampire Slayerseries of graphic novels published by Slave Labor Graphics. The first volume was named to American Library Association’s Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens. In addition to living in the great city of Atlanta, GA, Van is also an amazingly smart and hard-working dude. Be sure to look for him and his life-sized wooden Pinocchio (not a euphemism) at a convention near you.
At what point did you consider yourself a success?
I think I’ve enjoyed a decent amount of success at the different things I’ve done. I was the editor of my college paper, I was the lead crime reporter at a major metro daily paper, I’m the editor of a magazine that just went through a widely praised redesign, I’ll have my fourth graphic novel out this month, and they’ve done well for indie comics. But I won’t think of myself as a success until I’m one of the top writers in comics/prose, which depends more on how others view me and my work than on my opinion of myself.
I tend to be really self-critical, so I have to remind myself from time to time that I’m not a complete failure.
How long did it take you to get there?
I always wanted to be a published author by 25, but it took till I was 27 for my first book to come out. I’m 30 now, and I’m guessing it’ll take another four to five years at least before I start to really gain any traction as a writer in comics. You never know. A lot of it is luck. You just grind away and try to keep getting better, day after day. Sometimes I hope that I never consider myself a success, that on my death bed I’m still fighting to improve.
Who do you look at in the comics industry as someone you respect, that is “doing it right?”
I’m fortunate to have a lot of good friends in comics who are good people. Matt Kindt is a brilliant artist and writer, and he’s ridiculously nice and funny. Andy Runton is a comics genius, and he turns out perfect story after perfect story. Rob Venditti has long been someone I’ve regarded as the smartest writer in comics, and he’s in the past year really been gaining widespread recognition for his excellent work.
All of those guys are nice, honest and above all hard-working. That’s a trait I respect above any other.
What’s the biggest surprise for how you expected life to be at your level vs. how it actually is?
Money is probably the obvious answer. I thought that the amount of success I’ve had would translate to something nearing a living wage. It has not, to put it mildly. I still work full time and have no plans to leave my job. For one, I really like my job. But there’s also not a lot of money in comics until you start to have big mainstream success.
On a slightly more positive note, I’m frankly just surprised by how well the books have done so far. I didn’t expect them to gain much of an audience, and it’s really been a pleasant surprise to actually have a fan base and to get to meet so many of them. That’s by far the best part of working in comics.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to break in to the comics industry?
Work hard. Go to conventions. Meet people. Ask questions. Be nice. Don’t ask favors. Buy lots of books. Know the industry. Work some more. Study your craft. Ask for critiques. Take the criticism to heart. Don’t be a jerk about it. Be patient. Have faith. Most importantly, just make comics.
Be sure to keep up with Van and his future successes on twitter and tumblr.
I attended Chris’s panel on “Pitching a Graphic Novel” at this year’s HeroesCon in Charlotte, NC. And it was really refreshing to hear from someone like Chris, a professional who has been through the process, share a lot of his wisdom. He walked us through the process of pitching original graphic novels to publishers. What follows is based on my notes from the talk, not direct quotes from Chris.
STEP 1: DO YOUR RESEARCH
The first thing you have to figure out is which publisher is right for your project. There are a lot of publishers out there. Each one has a specialty. The key is to read a lot of comics. If you don’t have the cash, your local library is a great place to start. Which publisher has similar books to yours thematically, aesthetically, and/or tonally?
STEP 2: GET YOUR FEET WET
A great place to start is with short stories or mini-comics. 8-20 page comics, self-contained. If you’re not an artist, get creative – use stick figures or partner with an artist – but just concentrate on telling the best story possible.
These quick reads are easy, non-threatening ways to introduce people to your work.
STEP 3: MEET PEOPLE
Go to conventions. Meet editors at publisher booths. Approach when they are slow. Introduce yourself. BUY THEIR BOOKS. Hand them your mini-comics. Be nice and professional. Think of it like a first date, don’t try to sell them on marriage, just make a friend.
A great way to get noticed is to just do it yourself. If you have a story to tell, don’t wait for anyone’s permission. Put it up on the web. Build your own audience. Make the publishers come to you.
STEP 5: THE PITCH
First check with each publisher to see if they accept unsolicited submissions. Some companies do (and you can find this info on their websites) but a lot don’t. That is, if they didn’t ask for it, you can’t send it. That’s why the networking portion of this is so important. You can get to know these editors so that when you have a pitch ready, it’s a matter of asking a friend if they’d like to read it.
Once you do have permission from the editor, send them an email with a LINK to your pitch. Attachments often get bogged down in SPAM or overload mailbox size limits.
WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR PITCH:
1. Cover Letter (1 page) -
Your relationship with the editor – Have you met before? Where at? What books of theirs do you connect with?
Thank them for requesting.
“Back of the DVD” description – A brief synopsis of your story dwindled down to a few sentences. Think of it as leaving a movie and someone asking you what it was about.
Why the book exists – Why is it important to you? Why is it personal? What’s your emotional connection to the material?
Your plans for the book – Page count, color or bw, time frame, series or stand alone, other companies that might have requested your pitch, reviews if you have them.
2. Finished sample pages (3-5 pages) – Sequential pages, in order, but can be from any spot in the book.
3. Outline (5-15 pages). A tight story outline walking through all the beats of your story including the ending. Don’t just describe the world, but focus on the character arc. Hit the emotional beats.
4. Character descriptions (if needed) – If your story has a lot of characters that you think are difficult to keep separated, a character description sheet might be helpful.
For the past ten years, I’ve started every day off by reading aintitcool.com. So it brings me the greatest of pleasure to have them link to and review our short film, Rooney’s World.
Hudson Phillips has a kickass short here for us with a style I’m head over heels for.
Read the entire article and view other great short films here.
So, I live in Roswell, GA. It’s a suburb of Atlanta. And as much as I love living in Atlanta, the big thing we’re missing is a body of water. The closest beach is about a 5-hour drive. (Unless you count the local lake… which, I mean, come on). We do have a perfectly good river though, and thanks to that river, we in Roswell have a waterfall.
Roswell has a lot of history to it. The town was built around an old cotton mill – a mill that was once used to make Confederate uniforms for the Civil War (before it was burned to the ground). And to power this mill, they built a 30 ft. dam.
The ruins of this mill and the dam are now one of the most beautiful areas in the Atlanta area. It looks like this:
Today, while exploring the falls, I was trying to navigate my way up a rocky path. As I looked up, it was clear there was only one way up. Every other possible path was either too dangerous or blocked by thick brush.
So I followed this one and only path to the top and looked back down. What I discovered was this:
The brush wasn’t as thick as I assumed. The dangerous rocks were safe and level. There were many paths to the top. I just couldn’t see them because of my limited view.
And as I stood at the top, looking back down, it occurred to me… this is a great cheesy metaphor!
But that’s what life is like, right? Especially for creatives. We may be paralyzed by fear of the unknown. We may be convinced that the path we want to go down is blocked or that the journey to the top is too risky. It’s only when we make it to our destination and look back down that we see how clear the path really was.
I met a guy the other day who referred to himself as “an unsuccessful writer.” When I told him that “success is just a mindset,” he replied “that’s something only successful writers say.”
My first thought was “He’s somehow been fooled into thinking I’m a successful writer! What a sucker!” But I suppose it’s true, I have found a little success in writing. I’m still not doing it full time, but I do have a body of work to show for the past 8 years. I’ve sold screenplays. I’ve made a well-received short film. I’ve had comics published on websites that I respect. I’ve spoken at a conference on storytelling. But it’s only looking back on these accomplishments that I feel anything resembling success. While in the middle of the journey, these are very small steps surrounded by ten times that many disappointments and failures.
The only difference between me and this “unsuccessful writer” was that he just couldn’t yet see his path. The further you climb, the clearer the path becomes. You just have to keep moving forward.
Success is just a combination of time and consistency. To constantly be producing over a long period of time. Focus on the good, not the bad. Overcome your fears. Put your head down and keep climbing. You’ll have plenty of time to figure out the path when you get to the top.
Got back from San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday so I should be fully adjusted back to normal life… sometime next year.
What an amazing experience! For those of you who haven’t been, the best way to describe it is MASSIVE. So like picture in your head what you think ComicCon is like and multiply that times a thousand. 130,000 people, a GIANT convention floor with thousands of booths and exhibitors, barely able to move through the crowd, and literally 100 things to do every hour – most of which sound awesome.
There’s something for everyone – video games, animation, comic books, role-playing games, cosplay, movies, television, toys, visual arts, books, anime, manga, and every mixture in between. I mean, you’d really have to be a douche-bag to not be into at least one of those things, right?
And there’s something about being surrounded by so many like-minded people…
I’m now having withdrawals.
We were invited to take part this year by screening the short film I wrote, Rooney’s World, at the convention and therefore got free professional badges, which was totally rad. The screening was a lot of fun. We had a decent turn-out and got to do a Q&A following.
My favorite part of the week was (arguably) the meet and greet time we had with other filmmakers. It’s an odd thing, making movies. You put SO much time and effort into this creative outlet and put it out there, hoping it finds an audience. It can be very nerve-wracking when this product, which is a huge part of you, is rejected. It can be soul-crushing. For example, we were turned down for ten festivals before Comic-Con accepted. So it was nice to discuss with these other filmmakers the ups and downs of the process… to know that we weren’t the only ones going through it.
And that in a nutshell is what Comic-Con is all about:130,000 people getting together and validating each other – learning that our passions (whether that be film or cosplay or toys) are worthy passions. Isn’t this what we all want from life? To be understood? To connect with other human beings?
I encourage you to find your own group of encouragement – a small group of people in your area that share in your passions – to be your light through the darker periods of your creative endeavors.
Putting ourselves out like this is a risk. We’re not always going to get that validation we’re looking for. We all need to be reminded during those times… WE ARE NOT ALONE.
Hey gang, been a while since I updated this. So what have I been doing with my time? Writing, of course!
