As a member of the media, the unstable environment we’re in right now is both exciting and pretty unnerving. How things will shake out is still to be determined, and the only certain relief I take right now is that I didn’t blow $30K on a film school education which would be irrelevant before graduation.
I first learned about the GTD system in my radio producing days, when I oversaw six TV and radio programs distributed across the South. Back then, my system revolved around a paper day planner, supported by some basic email folders.
Things changed when I went freelance. I used to commute to an office and keep regular work hours; now my office is wherever I am, and my work hours are whatever I dictate. While this has let me accomplish a lot more, it’s also poking holes in my old paper day-planner system.
The core principle of GTD is “get it out of your head.” That is, keep your information externalized so it doesn’t add to your mental stress. The paper system completely defeated me there, as it was easily misplaced, and none of it was searchable (if I have to memorize where I wrote down Mr. Johnson’s project information, I might as well just memorize it).
So, this past weekend, I made the switch to a digital organization system. Continue Reading…
Posted 1 year, 2 months ago at 4:44 am. 3 comments
It’s a commonly-held bit of wisdom that if you want to become a better screenwriter, you need to read a lot of screenplays.
Well, Don Boose over at Simply Scripts.com has made that pursuit a whole lot easier. Simply Scripts.com has compiled the WGA’s Top 101 Screenplays with links to nearly all of them (some with multiple drafts available). The list is a comprehensive blend of great writing from the last hundred years: Pulp Fiction stands shoulder-to-shoulder wth North-by-Northwest and Dr. Strangelove.
So get over there and start reading. There’s no better place to learn than the footsteps of the masters.
Most of my DayJobVu business comes from word of mouth, but as things get tighter in the economy, we all have to reach out farther for new clients. In order to be successful, you need a good demo reel.
I haven’t cut many demo reels before, but I’ve been an editor ten years, so it didn’t seem impossible to learn. So I spent a few days researching great demo reels, reading up on tips, and somewhere in there, it clicked. 48 hours later, I had this.
I sent that out to ten potential clients this morning at 5am. Today, at 2PM, I already have one contract offer and one request for more information.
I already use my iPhone a lot as a filmmaker (look for an upcoming post about creative ways use iPhone when making movies).
The iPhone 3G S looks like it’s going to expand the kinds of things I can accomplish. Here’s some of the things I’m looking forward to in the new model…
I’m on the board of directors for a non-profit org called the Layman Group. They are dedicated to expanding the opportunities for and understanding of the arts in Alabama. We had our first board meeting this weekend, and like any group of artists, we had to take pictures.
Click the picture above to see photos from that weekend.
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago at 1:18 pm. Add a comment
What if Scott Bakula Leaped into Sauron's Eye, and had to recover the One Ring and wage war over all of Middle Earth? #ziggymalfunction1 hr ago
Having spent a glorious four days with @recoveringfc watching netflix, I now leap full-footed into another week. Much to do, much to create. 21 hrs ago
