Happy Saturday!
Author: Claire
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Schooled.
This is one of those random stories I was talking about…
I was about 34 and in his office.
He, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more than 27.
This wasn’t the only time this would happen to me. Chastized, scolded, treated as an underling, when in fact, I was someone’s elder.
To what did I owe this encounter?
Somehow, it had gotten out that I had called Mrs. Smith–the teacher I had been summoned to replace. The subject? French.
Years ago, I’d known it well enough to have kept a drunken Quebecois man at bay. Yet to contend with a room full of teenagers…?
Something in the day’s instructions had given me pause.
So I picked up the phone.
Our exchange had been light, airy–even sunshiny.
“Have a lovely time with my kids!”
“Thanks!”
“Let me know if you need anything else!”
But here I was, sitting on the opposite side of the vice principal’s desk.
For some reason, the fact that I’d dared to call a colleague was alarming.
I was being reprimanded. I was there without cause, and I was in shock.
I held my tongue. For a second, I considered the expression on my face. Did I look afraid? I was.
Any misstep with these people could mean the end of my career.
All the while, I had wanted to defend myself…
Did you know that I used to go here? If you look closely enough at the photos of the alumni in the hallway upstairs, you’ll find me. (I’d wanted to add “…before you were born….” to my imaginary rant. I’d wanted the VP to feel the weight that the phrase could bring, even though it wasn’t accurate.)
Did you know that some of the teachers and staff who knew me still work here?
This school was every bit my turf as it was his.
And then there was the question that I wanted to ask most of all…Why are you talking to me like I’m 12? I’M A PROFESSIONAL!! I hadn’t called Mrs. Smith so I could ask her how to bake a pie. I know how to speak to my colleagues. I may be sweet, but I am not a fool.
There are a few things that I reckon I will miss about my non-career as a teacher. The rudeness of some of my coworkers is NOT one of them.
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Tell your tales.
If you haven’t watched this video, please do.
Chimamanda inspires me. She and I are around the same age. More importably, she’s had the courage to tell her stories, while I have not.
Over the time I’ve had this blog, I’ve wrestled with the idea of telling every random story that’s on my mind. Some of them seem like a departure from the pop culture/TV/spirituality paradigm that I’ve set up. Yet I know that silence has done me a disservice. There are too many singular stories floating around. By speaking, I know that I have the power to offer a new level of reality to the limited narratives that exist.
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“Talk Dino to me.”
Once again, Hollywood has been rifling through my childhood.
For those of you who are suspicious, no. Andre’s not kidding.
I don’t know what to say. I crossed myself when he mentioned CGI. I saw a clip of the original Flinstones series a few days ago. I was a child all over again.
What do you think? Is a new Flinstones film a good idea? Or are production companies getting desperate?
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Well played.
If you can’t take the heat
get out of the kitchen.get a lightweight suit and a room full of fans.via J. Crew‘s window at The Eaton Centre.
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Broadbent Sisters – Poolside: Clearing Spaces
The Broadbent Sisters are an artistic duo who are, truly, sisters.
Since last year, Rose and Joy have been hosting shows at Toronto’s Huntclub Studio. I had the privilege of attending their most recent exhibit, held Thursday night.
Dressed in identical blue outfits, the ladies even gave guests hand massages.
Overall, the mood in the room was joyful. And I’ll admit it. I remained shy about taking photographs. Nevertheless, I had a lovely time.
Here’s to more urban adventures!
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You can run all you like.
You can hide all you want. Your dreams, left unaddressed, will haunt you until you face them.
My advice?
Tend to them. NOW.
Do them justice.
Recognize that their realization requires the very work that you have been avoiding. Don’t be scared. Embrace the toil. They say that nothing worth having comes easily, and it’s true. Your dreamwork–whether you use teamwork, or go it alone–will be worth it in the end.
Believe it.
Then take steps to achieve it.
– Random Note to Self
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So long, #TVschool!
You were good to me. Sort of.
What have I learned? What can I share?
I drafted this post last night, and my sense of pride has overtaken any fears I may have had about posting it. I’m a total n00b, but I know what I’m made of.Ultimately, success in television writing, as with any field, is up to you. You get what you give. And if I want to have the career I dream of, it’s become more than apparent to me that I’ve got to work my ass off.
But what about you? What if you don’t want to go school for television or film writing but want to get into the business? Do I have any practical tips?
As a matter of fact, I do.
Among other things, I suggest you…
1. Get a life. The best writing comes from living. I’m a firm believer in making changes to make yourself happy. And I’ll tell you the truth, Dear Reader. A good 90% of the reason I wound up in TV school is because it was in Toronto. As sweet as my hometown is, my quality of life is different when I’m in an urban environment. Even when I’m doing next to nothing, I love the sights and sounds of the city. Overall, I know the type of stimulation that I need in order to stay inspired. As do you, hopefully. Don’t be afraid to do what it takes–go where you need to go, see what you must, just LIVE, dammit!!–in order to keep your motor running.
2. Read. Writers are literate people who possess sharp minds. Books and various herds of words keep our brains trained.
3. Get your formatting game tight. The structure people use to write scripts is different from what you’ve been using since 9th Grade English. Even before last fall, I knew that if a script reader so much as smells that your work isn’t set up correctly, it’ll wind up in the trash. Font matters. So do margins and rules on things like capitalization. Thankfully, script formatting software exists.
They say that Final Draft is the one to beat.
I also suggest books such as The Hollywood Standard. (There’s a pic of the cover above.) It explains certain things that Final Draft can’t teach, like how to handle quirky transitions and use foreign languages in your dialogue.
Of course if all else fails, there’s always Google. 😉
4. Consider more than just how your work looks on the page. Beware of other things, like how to pace your story. I once bought a copy of Your Screenplay Sucks. It’s a decent read—rife with common-sense advice on things to avoid when you write. Long ago I also picked up a copy of Lew Hunter’s Screenwriting 434, and one of my instructors swears by Save the Cat.
Mind you…
As often as I wanted to kill the cat…There are certain storytelling conventions that need to be followed for a successful script. Knowing what they are can only help you.
5. Learn about pitching and other demonic rituals. Do you know what a log line is? Do you know how to write a script outline? What’s a beat sheet? And what, pray tell, is a series bible? Know the answers to these questions. As a writer, I realize that sales might not be your thing. But if you want to see your stories on the big screen, you’ve got to be ready to hustle. Dare to tell the world about your work!
*stepping away from the podium*
What was my greatest lesson? Well…Professionally speaking…I am done with school. At this point I have no intention of buying another book on writing unless said purchase includes a guaranteed salary and writing contract.
I’ve known all along what I needed to do. The time has come to go and make it happen!
