Sunday, March 04, 2007

Took a bit of time to check out the partial lunar eclipse last night. Not as spectacular as some I've seen, but there's something about appreciating celestial matters that makes me pause and renew my perspective on life.

Some Bison Motion Pictures folks met this week to talk about a local showing of "Sixes and the One Eyed King." I got an update on where things are at for distribution (keep your fingers crossed for some good news on the horizon), and we discussed fund-raising ideas for the next film. It makes me feel good to think that people are actually interested in filming something I've written, but it would make me feel even better if we had the money for it! Actor Scott Ford headed off for Miami on Friday and will represent us at the festival. Disney World will have to wait awhile longer for my visit, but I will make it some day. Hopefully before I'm too arthritic for the rides.

Thoughts on my opportunity experiment: Sometimes taking advantage of opportunity is simply a matter of saying "yes" when you might otherwise not make the effort. I went to see "As You Like It" at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival last weekend. I didn't have anyone to go with, but I decided to go simply because one of my goals is to do more of the things I enjoy, such as theater and concerts, and a ticket was available. (On a side note, I went to see The Greencards with some friends this week. Glad I went, of course. I probably wouldn't have taken the opportunity if it wasn't for my experiment.) Anyway, back to the play. I took myself out to lunch beforehand and ended up having the time to finally write down an outline of a sports screenplay I've been talking about writing for a long time now. I was surprised by how easily the plot points came. If I'd gone to the play with someone, I would have been talking and not alone and, thus, bored enough to finally get the outline down. I'm excited about starting to write it. It'll be a relief to have something that comes relatively easily, I think. I've been laboring over a horror script for a couple of months now, trying to resolve a connection between violence and motivation. I didn't have this problem while I was working on the supernatural horror that didn't end up being shot this last fall. It was easier to see the motivation. I have difficulty writing violence without that.

I wrote more on "The Unintended Mongrel," but I've found myself thinking about the last chapter, and I may end up scrapping it and taking that part in a different direction. Again, it goes back to motivation. That pesky motivation stuff.