I was lucky enough to take part in several South East European Film Festival (SEEfest) programs this past year.
What is this and what does it entail? I’m glad you asked.

There are hundreds of film festivals around the globe. Many are showcases for independent films, others are venues to shop movies without distribution deals. There’s even a long running one in my backyard. But what most of these do not have is educational and development opportunities for up and coming writers. Enter SEEfest.

I applied to their Writer’s Lab back in Fall 2023.
The requirements:

• At least one completed script (feature or tv)
• An outline for the project you want to write (time was allowed for revisions after feedback on this)
• A brief resume
• 5 page sample from a completed script
• A zoom interview

I appreciated all of this because it precludes true beginners who may just need practice, while ensuring we are moderately prepared and serious to write this script. I submitted a relatively fresh outline I had for an action/comedy tv pilot (which was an adaptation of a feature script I wrote that was wayyyy too long).

The long and short? It was amazing.
I have never been part of a writing group before. But in recent years I’ve come around to the idea that most things I write can’t get close to “done” without extensive perspective from others. And that’s what this provided. Split into American/European cohorts, we met every other week with deadlines for pages (and notes on everyone else’s writing) each time. It provided a great motivator to get your work done, reading experience on other first drafts, and invaluable feedback on our own pages.

Each of us in the American cohort completed our scripts. And for us tv folks, we even got a few revisions in as well.

This lead seamlessly into an intensive 2 week accelerator program. We met with writers, directors, lawyers and other industry vets. Gaining important knowledge and practicing for the big finale: pitching our idea to a team of producers.

Can you summarize your idea in 3 minutes? Without sounding like you’re reading it? With a good hook? That conveys the “why now”? With enough modern comps? That emphasizes repeatability (for tv)? With character motivation we can easily understand?

I’m a writer, not a salesman. But a screenwriter must be both. You have to get someone else as excited about your project as you are.
I think mine ended up timing out around 3:40. I could have (and should have) gone even longer. My script has a lot of “wait, how did they even get themselves into this situation” questions that were a fun tease for everybody who listened to my pitch (I think I gave it 10 times total).

The Writer’s Lab itself culminated in a showcase (as part of the film festival). The rules: Find a 3 page scene in your script with minimal action, 4 or fewer characters, and that accurately represents the tone of your piece. You’re then teamed with a director and you go through the process of casting, scoring, rehearsals, filming, etc. until time runs out and you go with what you have. I was paired with a great director who found the actors, producer and more as we went about making this work. If you’re interested in the final product, drop me a line.

I highly recommend the whole thing. Everyone was so supportive and the structure they crafted for the writer’s lab really worked. My biggest life lesson takeaway is that I can’t wait to get into another writer’s group. Having those deadlines and that additional perspective feels like an integral part of my writing process now. And I’m quite thankful to SEEfest and the people involved for opening my eyes.

The post Growing as a Writer: SEEfest Writer’s Lab & Accelerator appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Recap:

Data is too good at solving Sherlock-esque mysteries, so Geordi makes a wish on a holodeck star and almost kills everyone.

Memory Hole:

Moriarty calling the arch was a genuine surprise. Along with the wonderfully sexist “Mister Computer” when he talks to the ship (that speaks back in a female voice, but whatever).

The Quote:

Why would you even suggest that?!

After Geordi suggests using a particle beam to destroy Moriarty and all the human flesh in the holodeck too (which includes the new doctor).

Wife’s Favorite Moment:

Moriarty’s request to keep existing.

Wife’s Verdict:

“I hope I’m not just a hologram traveling on someone else’s spaceship.”

What’s this About?

The definition of life. It’s no coincidence that Data is the lead in this mystery. Himself struggling with the meaning of life and sentience. A theme we’ll encounter again later this season.

And let’s not forget that this starts the “you have to tell the computer exactly what you mean” otherwise it’ll create something that might destroy the ship trend that permeates the series.

The post Star Trek TNG: S2 – Elementary, Dear Data appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Recap:

Immaculate conception! Facial hair! Racist doctor! Space Whoopi!

Memory Hole:

Pulaski starts in on her Data hatred right off the bat. She wears her bigotry on her sleeve. If Twitter were still around in the 24th century, she’d be trolling him pretty hard.

Ten Forward is a great set. They really needed a big open space for people to converge.
And since when does the Enterprise have a puppy room?!

The Quote:

Tinkerbell!

Wife’s Favorite Moments:

Wes and Guinan have a heart to heart.
Troi saying goodbye to her son/alien.

Wife’s Verdict:

“Life began before conception!”

What’s this About?

Growing up, letting go, and making tough (unexpected choices). They spend a lot of time with Wesley’s B story about whether or not to stay on the Enterprise or go out into the world, cutting short Troi’s exploration of her unexpected child.

The writers were clearly still figuring things out, and giving Troi a baby opened up more possibilities for her character, who didn’t have much to do in season one. But don’t worry, that lesson will be forgotten shortly.

The post Star Trek TNG: S2 – The Child appeared first on Mind The Ink.

A new doctor! Riker’s beard! Guinan! The introduction of the Borg!

TNG’s second season starts to pick up steam. With so many important introductions and two or three great episodes, the show really starts to hit its stride. It’s not perfect (the season ends in a clip show due to the writer’s strike), but it’s a strong lead into character arcs and storylines we’ll be following for the rest of the series.

What makes it required?
Character introductions, strong character development, intriguing science fiction concepts, etc.
Continuity (C) – All episodes marked as C are not necessarily great. Or maybe even good. But they are required to make sense of things, even if it’s for a payoff seasons later.
Silliness (S) – These episodes are ridiculous. But I’m looking forward to the “WTF just happened?” bonding time on the couch with my wife.

Season Two
Originally aired 1988-89
(all episode guides contain spoilers)

It’s a good plan. And you can follow along! As we watch each episode, I’ll post a brief entry with my scientific findings. Do I regret including an episode? Was it as bad/good/cheesy/erotic as I remember? What did the wife think of the whole thing? How often do they change uniform designs on this damned show anyway? Stay tuned.

The post Star Trek TNG: Season 2 Episode Guide appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Data saves some human relics of the 20th century while the Enterprise plays hide & seek with a Romulan ship.

Memory Hole:

Nobody gives a damn about the capsule except for Data. It ends up having three humans on board, but the rest of the crew treats it like a big inconvenience.

Also, their story has nothing to do with the Romulans (the supposed A storyline). It’s like they had two half storylines and said “Fuck it. The 20th century dude can spin some wisdom at a key moment. Makes total sense.”

The Quote:

She’s a fucking necromancer.

-Fiancé about Doctor Crusher’s ability to bring the 3 capsule jockeys back to life.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Beverly’s casual miracle of bringing three people cryogenically frozen for 350 years back to life. NBD.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

The lesson from the B story: The focus of life is to improve one self, not collect wealth.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – The Neutral Zone appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Federation bigwigs are behaving strangely, and only Picard, with the help of his Scooby gang, can unmask the evil doers.

Memory Hole:
(forgotten gems)

There’s so much:

Picard’s shiny hotel room sheets.

Nobody ever beams down with cold/hot weather gear.

The final bad guy dies in a really really gruesome way.

The Quote:

Right in the kidneys!

-The fiancé during one of the many fight sequences.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Admiral Roundhouse

Fiancé’s Verdict:

They could have drawn out this conspiracy over even more episodes. It felt like a season finale.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Conspiracy appeared first on Mind The Ink.

A low budget Swamp Thing kills a member of the main cast and is a real jerk about it.

Memory Hole:

Yar bites it really early on in the episode. They use the drama of getting past those emotions to try to drive the remaining 30 minutes.

Also, how the hell did Tasha create HoloYar? Does everyone have one of these?

The Quote:

Very good tin man.

The evil monster taunting Data. He even fucks with a blind man!

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Worf betting on Tasha in the upcoming Enterprise MMA competition.

Runner up: Troi getting a few good scenes trying to talk sense to the swamp creature.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Yar was kind of annoying as portrayed, but her sexy playfulness will be missed.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Skin of Evil appeared first on Mind The Ink.

The crew gets embroiled in a property dispute between drug addled space hillbillies and aryan miami vice extras.

Memory Hole:

They weren’t getting the best extras this season.

The Quote:

Drugs can make you feel good.

Yar giving Wes a 5 minute long “don’t do drugs” lecture.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Riker getting freeze tagged.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Drugs are bad. Don’t do drugs kids.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Symbiosis appeared first on Mind The Ink.

The Enterprise tracks some missing Federation crew down to Target Practice Planet. Crusher breaks a leg, Geordi takes control, and Picard has to sit through a presentation about a timeshare.

Memory Hole:

The underutilization of Troi creeps in. She gives meaningful looks for like 10 minutes before she has a line. Some episodes she’s mysteriously “away at a conference”. She must have an awesome lanyard collection to go with her scarves.

The Quote:

What’s the armament on the Lollipop?

Don’t fuck with the Candyland Crew.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

The cavern sequence with Picard and Crusher. Some of the best acting in the series so far.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Some good life lessons for being a good person/leader.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Arsenal of Freedom appeared first on Mind The Ink.

A klash of kultures as two klingons with K names make fun of Worf, scream to the heavens, and ask innocent questions about ship security protocols.

Memory Hole:

Seeing Geordi vision for the first time was fun. It didn’t actually fit into the episode at all, but it was entertaining time filler.

The Quote:

I’m dying, can you just leave me alone and not mess with my eyes?

Fiancé’s Favorite Moments:

Picard being distractingly interested in Geordi’s visor.

And Worf making new friends. And then killing them.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

The true battle is within.

Wait what?

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Heart of Glory appeared first on Mind The Ink.

The Enterprise gets a surprise white glove inspection while Wesley makes friends with a space bro that vapes.

Memory Hole:

The episode should be titled “Everyone hates Remmick”. He turns the dickishness up to 11, which does not help him in his task to get to the bottom of “troubles on the Enterprise”.

The Quote:

Acceptable or not, it is the truth.

Data lays down the law right in Remmick’s face.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Wesley going aggro.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Nice to see them as a family. And now she actually likes Picard for the first time.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Coming of Age appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Data’s unstable twin brother has daddy issues, wants to kill everyone.

Memory Hole:

Everyone on the ship is way too trusting. An evil version of the smartest and most powerful crew member is onboard? Let’s have Wesley follow him around to ensure he stays out of trouble.

The Quote:

The Westworld theme song just popped into my head.

When we’re in the laboratory down on the planet.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

The crew asking, in front of Data, if his twin has “all the same parts”. Subtle guys.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Why is Picard so caring about everyone but Wesley?

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Datalore appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Recap:

Q shows up to fuck with the crew, look fabulous in more costumes, and have a Shakespeare-off with Picard.

Memory Hole:

Our first real visit to Styrofoam Planet 1. It’s pretty bad.

The Quote:

A marshall of France? Ridiculous.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Q’s crazy punishment for losing yet another bet with Picard. This is why Picard isn’t invited to poker nights.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Fun because she likes Q. Although this one was extra silly. The Q episodes are self gratifying to the human species, pumping up our uniqueness in the absence of absolute power.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Hide & Q appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Space hippies love skimpy clothing, prancing, and the death penalty. And Wesley isn’t getting a football scholarship to Starfleet anytime soon.

Memory Hole:

No really, these outfits must have scandalized my young brain. If this show existed in the days of TiVo/DVR, it would have been the most rewound and rewatched in slow motion.

The Quote:

Why isn’t Data down there? He likes to fuck.

2nd place: “Oh my god” X 5 as we see what the entire planet is wearing.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Tasha is DTF, but also discovering info undercover-like.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

Stay off the lawn meets the prime directive. Also, she finds Wesley kind of endearing.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Justice appeared first on Mind The Ink.

The Enterprise lets an asshole and an alien with dinosaur hands play around with their warpcore.

Memory Hole:

Wes the fashion forward youth.

The Quote:

The boy?

Everyone is super condescending to Wes, even though he’s had the right solution in roughly 100% of the episodes thus far.

Bonus:

I don’t know if I’d ever forgive Riker for interrupting a conversation with my dead mama.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moments:

Tie between the 2nd galaxy they’re thrown to –

And all the interactions between the Traveler and Wesley. It’s refreshing to have an adult not be a total dick to him and finally realize his potential.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

“Creative adventuring in space with friends!” She’s enjoying seeing the crew become more of a family.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Where No One Has Gone Before appeared first on Mind The Ink.

The Enterprise crew gets hammered and behaves like what a 14 year old thinks being drunk is.

Memory Hole:

Geordi doesn’t want to give into the “wild things” that are popping into his head. I don’t remember him being a sexual creature at all, so this surprised me.

Also, how the hell is Riker immune for almost the entire episode? Does he have a base layer of bourbon and horniness at all times?

The Quote:

What the fuck was that noise?

I still can’t believe it. A close second is how he says “Beverly” when he enters the sick bay later.

A distant third is how, each time someone was infected, there was a harp-like sound effect.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Tasha’s outfit and putting the moves on a fully functional Data.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

“Silly.”

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – The Naked Now appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Q, an all powerful being with the hubris of a trust fund real estate magnate, puts the crew (and humanity) on trial. They just have to solve a puzzle to prove they’re not the same murderous maniacs they were in the 21st century.

Memory Hole:

I could have sworn they get to Farpoint in the start of this episode. Nope. Q taunts them for half an hour before we even see the station.
All of these actors are still figuring out their characters, so I can forgive some of the overacting on display.

The Quote:

Nice sweater.

With a close 2nd being “He just asked to fuck right now, right?” The fiancé wasn’t buying Riker’s innocent intentions when he asked Beverly “for a stroll”. Everything surrounding Riker in this episode is dripping with innuendo. From Troi’s looks of longing (with awkwardly soaring music), to an officer staring at his ass after helping him find the holodeck, it’s bonetown for number one.

Fiancé’s Favorite Moment:

Q and his transformations. A playful and creative adversary.

Fiancé’s Verdict:

“It’s Star Trek.” By which she means do-gooders in space. So it lives up to the expectations set by the original series.

Also, Picard is an awkward dick.

The post Star Trek TNG: S1 – Encounter at Farpoint appeared first on Mind The Ink.

Calling TNG’s first season spotty is generous. I was never going to convince her to plop down for 26 episodes of a show I haven’t watched since it premiered almost 30 years ago. I’m not expecting her to learn Klingon or beat Wil Wheaton at bar trivia night. I mean, this season doesn’t even have the sex appeal of Riker’s beard. So I did what many have done before me: narrowed down the episodes to what I thought was required based on my hazy recollection. Plus a little help from listening to a Star Trek Podcast (I told you I was a nerd. Stop acting surprised.).

What makes it required?
Character introductions, strong character development, intriguing science fiction concepts, etc. Some guides pare this season down to 5 episodes. I don’t think you can get to know these characters in 5 episodes. Especially in a first season that’s light on characterization and arcs.
Continuity (C) – All episodes marked as C are not necessarily great. Or maybe even good. But they are required to make sense of things, even if it’s for a payoff seasons later.
Silliness (S) – These episodes are ridiculous. But I’m looking forward to the “WTF just happened?” bonding time on the couch with my fiancé.

Season One
Originally aired 1987-88

Encounter at Farpoint – Watch
The Naked Now – Watch (S,C)
Code of Honor
The Last Outpost
Where No One Has Gone Before – Watch (C)
Lonely Among Us
Justice – Watch (S)
The Battle
Hide and Q*
Haven
The Big Goodbye
Data lore – Watch
Angel One
11001001
Too Short a Season
When the Bough Breaks
Home Soil
Coming of Age  – Watch
Heart of Glory – Watch
The Arsenal of Freedom – Watch
Symbiosis – Watch
Skin of Evil – Watch (C)
We’ll Always Have Paris
Conspiracy – Watch
The Neutral Zone – Watch
 
Final count – Watch 13 (Encounter at Farpoint is a 2 parter), Skip 13

It’s a good plan. And you can follow along! As we watch each episode, I’ll post a brief entry with my scientific findings. Do I regret including an episode? Was it as bad/good/cheesy/erotic as I remember? What did the fiancé think of the whole thing? How many times did Picard adjust his jumpsuit? Stay tuned.

*We already went through a similar experiment with Star Trek TOS and those 6 films. No, I didn’t make her watch The Final Frontier. I’m no monster.

The post Star Trek TNG: Season 1 Episode Guide appeared first on Mind The Ink.

My Arbitrary Criteria: No spinoffs.  The Alien movies are out because we’d have to include the Alien v Predator movies to get to 7. X-Men also doesn’t count, as two of the films were mostly Wolverine-only affairs. As much as I’d love to include Land Before Time (13?! films), we’re strictly live action for this list (which still includes muppets, strangely). No complete reboots (Sorry Batman). Also, English only (Sayonara Godzilla).

In chronological order:

Bond – Diamonds are Forever

9 years after the original (1962-1971)
IMDB Users – 6.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 65%

What was it?
Connery, Blofeld, a woman named Tiffany Case (Jewelry Handbag? Moxie Manpurse?), classic Bond. Also known as “Hey, isn’t that the one after George whatshisface was bond for like half a minute?” Not be confused with “The one where Sean Connery comes back, but he’s significantly older” (Never Say Never Again).

How’d it go?
Domestic Adjusted Gross: $43,819,500 – 18th in the series. Not bad considering there are 25 of these things (and the series will continue on long past we’re all dust). Adjust for ticket price and it’s actually #9 out of the bunch. Either way you cut it, it’s firmly a middle of the road bond film that people generally enjoy.

The Pink Panther – Curse of the Pink Panther

20 years after the original (1963-1983)
IMDB User Rating – 4.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 29%

What was it?
A film centered on trying to find your star would be an anomaly in any other franchise. But for The Pink Panther, this was actually the second such attempt. The previous year’s Trail of the Pink Panther pulled a similar stunt, but cut together the film with unused footage of Peter Sellers (who died in 1980). Curse’s plot revolves around another bungling detective following the trail of Inspector Clouseau. Which, knowing the star died 3 years prior, is actually a bit sad, now that I think about it. Thanks a lot Pink Panther.

How’d it go?
Domestic Adjusted Gross: $11,351,200 – 9th in the series (out of 10). Only Son of the Pink Panther did worse. The Inspector was rebooted into real-life cartoon Roberto Benigni, who couldn’t resist hamming it up so much that you can feel it IN THE POSTER.

The failure of that shrug led to the series being rebooted with Steve Martin in 2006.

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood

8 years after the original (1980-1988)
IMDB Users – 5.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 28%

What was it?
You’ll see a lot of horror/slasher/torture films on this list. They’re cheap to produce (this 7th installment was just 8 years after the original), have a rabid following, and generally turn a tidy profit.
The 7th outing’s claim to fame was Jason battling a telekinetic girl at Camp Crystal. Because all of those non-supernatural teenagers were getting boring to massacre. We also see behind the hockey mask for an extended period of time, which someone thought the audience wanted. Sorry Mr.Vorhees, we didn’t come to the theater to see what someone’s face looks like after sitting at the bottom of a lake for 8 years.

How’d it go?
Domestic Adjusted Gross: $19,170,000 – 9th in the series. Not well. Critics and fans weren’t too enthusiastic about it either. The franchise still had some blood in it, as there were 4 more films before the series was inevitably rebooted. Since supernatural opponents didn’t get the crowds going, instead Jason went to Manhattan (too expensive), Hell (too humid), Space (too dry), and then crossed over with another horror icon…

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

10 years after the original (1984-1994)
IMDB Users – 6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 77%

What was it?
Probably the most unusual sequel on this list. A meta movie about an evil force that likes the fictional Freddy’s work and decides to take his form. A clever concept that infused new blood (ha!) into the franchise. Wes Craven and Robert Englund play cowardly versions of themselves, unable to deal with this new reality. It was a bold move and I recommend the film for any fans of the series or the slasher/horror genre as a whole.

How’d it go?
Worldwide Gross: $19,721,741 – 9th in the series (dead last). Meta horror wasn’t really a sub-genre yet and audiences might have been confused by yet another level of separation between reality and the horrors depicted on the screen. The trailer starts off as a kind of behind the scenes documentary before transitioning into…what, I’m not sure (and I’ve seen the movie).
The sequel, Freddy vs Jason, roared back and earned the most of any of Nightmare film. A pretty early example of a crossover/shared-universe working out well for all parties.

Police Academy: Mission to Moscow

10 years after the original (1984-1994)
IMDB Users – 3.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 0%

What was it?
Gutenberg checked out after the 4th film. Apparently he didn’t want to see how the old gang faired on the other side of the iron curtain. {Checks IMDB} Christopher Lee is in this?! If you’re as confused as I am, this trailer should give you a good idea of what you’re missing:

Ron Perlman, bad Russian accents and hilarious references to reigniting the cold war.

How’d it go?
Domestic Adjusted Gross: $126,200. That isn’t a typo. It’s not missing a decimal place. Each Police Academy movie earned less than its predecessor. The five year gap between #6 and #7 probably didn’t help matters. The writing was already on the wall for this rather dated series.

Star Trek – Generations

15 years after the original (1979-1994)
IMDB Users – 6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 48%

What was it?
A bridge movie to transition from Kirk to Picard and his generation (the first of 4 with the crew of TNG). It was an odd numbered film back when that shorthand still worked. Compelling on paper, it never quite lived up to expectations. Wouldn’t be retimelined for another 15 years.

How’d it go?
Worldwide Gross: $118,071,125 – 8th out of 12. And 2 out of 4 involving the next gen crew (only First Contact earned more). Audiences might have also been experiencing a bit of Star Trek fatigue. The film was written at the same time as the series finale for the next generation. It premiered the same year that show ended, which also happened to be DS9’s second season (and Voyager began the year after).

Halloween: H20

20 years after the original (1968-1998. Yup, precisely 20 years later)
IMDB Users – 5.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 51% 

What was it?
Much like Saw (see below), brings back some of the original crew (Jamie Lee Curtis in particular) to continue the story of the original. Several of the movies between are retconned so this one will make sense. It gets one more film (which, in itself, retcons parts of this film) and then is rebooted (surprise!). Confused?

How’d it go?
Dom Adjusted Gross: $55,041,700 – 2nd (behind the reboot). Which might make you assume that the real appeal of this isn’t Michael Myers, but Jamie Lee Curtis. She also starred in the 8th film, which was critically panned, but still did modest business in theaters.

Saw 3D – The Final Chapter

6 years after the original (2004-2010. one a year each October like clockwork)
IMDB Users 5.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 9%

What was it?
Rides the wave of the 3d craze, brings back surviving characters, and kills people off like an All-Star Hunger Games (or when they brought together the worst people from MTV’s Road Rules and Real World and had them fight to the death).

How’d it go?
Worldwide Gross: $136,150,434 – 6th out of 7. Still quite a respectable haul for a $20 million budget horror film. But even grading it on the “horror film curve”, it didn’t seem to really connect with audiences. Hasn’t been rebooted yet because they’re probably waiting for VR torture porn movies to become a thing first.

Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 1

9 years after the original (2001-2010)
IMDB Users – 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 78%

What was it?
A bit of a cheat. Planned from the start, supported by the astronomically popular book series, this movie was always going to happen.

How’d it go?
Worldwide Gross: $960,283,305 – 7th (only beating Azkaban). Audiences enjoyed it but felt a little itchy for the final showdown. Started the modern trend of splitting the finale of these young adult epics into two films.

The Muppets

32 years after the original (1979-2011)
IMDB Users – 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 96%

What was it?
There’s no continuity and no real consequences from movie to movie. But I’m including Bond, so the muppets stay. Jason Segel wanted to write and star in a Muppets movie, so they let him. Easy. Turns out the characters were still loved and the movie was very well received. Everyone wins.

How’d it go?
Worldwide Gross: $165,184,237 – 1st by a lot. The world can’t get enough of an abusive relationship between a slightly neurotic frog and a vain pig.

The Fast & Furious – Furious 7

14 years after the original (2001-2015)
IMDB Users – 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 81%

What was it?
Paul Walker’s untimely passing during the shooting caused some early concern for this growing series. But few franchises know their audience (as diverse as the cast) and genre like this one does.

How’d it go?
Worldwide Unadjusted: $1,514,800,000 – 1st in the series. The rare franchise that keeps getting more and more popular with each movie (with Tokyo Drift being the bastard middle child no one wants to take responsibility for).

Rocky – Creed

39 years after the original (1976-2015)
IMDB Users – 8.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes – 93%

What was it?
Rocky is clearly too old to be fighting professionally, so moving the focus to the son of Apollo Creed is a smart move. For a fleeting moment I thought this would be a revenge tale of the son seeking revenge on Ivan Drago in a small mountain town somewhere in Siberia (where they clearly sent Drago for failing to win in Rocky IV).

How’d it go?
Worldwide Gross (so far): $84,621,018 (7th in the series adjusted for ticket price inflation, which is important when we’re going back to 1976). It looks to easily beat Rocky 5 and 6 given a few more weeks in theaters. The real story is how critically acclaimed it is. Rather than be an empty passing of the torch story, critics and fans alike love this entry. Stallone was even nominated for a Golden Globe for the first time since the original Rocky.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

38 years after the original (1977-2015)

What is it?
You know what it is.

How’s it gonna go?
For perspective, Episode IV (the original) had a Worldwide Adjusted Gross: $1,310,412,745 (which is double most of the other films). It helps that it was in theaters for years (counting special editions, re-releases, etc.). The pre-sale for tickets to this one broken fandango and movietickets.com, so I don’t think Disney is going to be hurting, financially, after this film has its run.

What’s it all mean?
Star Wars is, amazingly, the 3rd 7th installment in a film franchise THIS YEAR. If you look above, you’ll see the same thing happened in 1994 (and two of those franchises are still around).
Everything works in cycles. Westerns are hot one decade, cold the next two. 20 years later we’ve got studios revisiting movies that molded them as children. Either through sequels, reboots or tv series. They’re continuing characters, styles, or even just tropes that we have grown accustomed to over time. It’s a really long and slow TV show. Serialized content has become the new normal. A soap opera where we only peek in for the most interesting bits every few years.

Of course, the 7th movie doesn’t have any secret mojo to it. It’s not cursed or blessed. It boils down to whether or not the filmmakers still have something to say. They all play on recognition. Either for the villain (Michael Meyers, Freddie Krueger, Jason Vorhees), the hero (Inspector Clouseau, James Bond, Captain Kirk, Harry Potter, Kermit the Frog, Rocky), or just a familiar universe that we’d love to see more of (Saw, Star Wars, Fast & Furious). The audience already knows the rules of the world, the genre. While the filmmakers have the added difficulty of meeting expectations while still being surprising and original. A tricky prospect in a hypercritical world where Twitter users lambaste tv showrunners for not having their favorite characters get together. How do you find that balance between respect for your audience and pandering?

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The Habit

The most important part of establishing a habit is repetition. It’s not a habit if you’re not consistent. If you only do it once a week, it’s going to take a lot longer to cement itself (if it ever does). It’s got to be a routine, like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or yelling at your coffee machine to work faster.

I write first thing in the morning. I write at other times too, but this is the one I don’t miss (I even coach other people on it). I sacrifice 45-60 minutes of time I would have otherwise been sleeping to do this. So I have incentive to use my time well. I also try to make it easy on myself. When I walk into the living room in the morning, the computer is waiting for me, the tea kettle is full of water, and all I need to do is press a button and sit down to write. Preparing these small things the night before can make a big difference. Remove any small obstacles that might make you consider doing another task first. Don’t check your email. Don’t look at your snapchats. Don’t start your workday. Not yet. This comes first.

The Content

The other secret to a good habit is momentum. To this end, I start off each morning by writing about whatever bizarre dream I was just having. I don’t especially care about recording these for posterity. Yes, it’s interesting that I dreamt about Luke Skywalker straight up murdering a tattooed villain by force-lightning him in a bear hug, but that’s not the point. The point is to get your fingers moving. Once you’re typing (or writing), it’s easier to keep going. Objects in motion tend to stay in motion. The same is true of your mind.

“I’m writing. This feels good, let’s keep going.”

Here, have some numbers:

550 – my average word count each morning
3 – tv shows
1 – short film
1 – play
12 – features (one of which is a public domain book adaptation)

I bounce back and forth between these each morning. Brainstorming characters, stringing together storylines, creating worlds, and exploring all the different paths an idea could take (which is freewriting, essentially).

I am not wont for ideas. I have 10x this many that I jot down and disregard because it’s more of a skit, cartoon strip or joke, than an idea worthy of a tv show or feature film. Other common reasons: derivative, boring, not something I would write (a genre I’m not interested in, probably), or it’s good but my other ideas are better.
Of the 17 different ideas above, this is how I currently divide my time:

• 80% brainstorming – characters, plot, world, story, dialogue
• 10% pages – actual script pages
• 10% process – figuring out how to approach a topic

Not ideal, which leads us to…

The Future

Over the past year, I’ve accumulated a massive amount of ideas, characters, and potentials for worlds I’d like to write. But I’ve come to realize that while creating worlds is satisfying, I need to expand them. I’ve placed a moratorium on new ideas. Nothing can be added to the pile of 17 until I’ve “finished” at least 5 of them. As Chuck Wendig would say, I’ve got to Finish. My. Shit.

I recognize that many of those 5 will be terrible. That’s the point. I can’t really get better at the whole screenwriting thing until I’ve repeated things.
Idea —> Brainstorm -> Outline -> First Draft —> X Draft —> Done.
Until I do that 5, 10, 15 times, I’m not going to markedly improve. Your mileage may vary, but that’s my game plan.

These last 365 days have shown me a lot about myself. That I love writing more than I love sleep (gasp!). That I can establish a new habit that at first feels daunting. That I have at least some talent for world building. That I have too many ideas and need to focus on seeing them through, one at a time. That practice doesn’t make perfect, but it makes you better. And who wouldn’t choose better over the alternative?

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