Area 52 - Southland Tales Reviews: 5 of 52... I Love To Write...

The reason I started this website is that I love to write. I mean I really love it. If I had the finances and knowledge that my writing would be produced I would be perfectly content locking myself in this apartment and write until my fingers fell off. Then I would take a break to learn to type with my feet.

I’d also take breaks here and there to hang out with my friends who recharge me whenever I am down. These friends would race to make fun of me for not thinking of using some kind of voice transcription software instead of having to learn this new foot typing skill, and I’d love them for that.

The reason I created this project is that I’m bipolar and am at my happiest when I write.  I figure this will be a good way to keep me from those months of depression while waiting for the idea for my next screenplay to strike. Luckily one doctor diagnosed me as Bipolar II B (the B standing for beneficial which means I can get hyper-productivity during the peaks.)

Those of you who know me probably think of me for my infectious laugh, or are super annoyed by me thanks to my nonstop nervous giggle fits. I’m often accused of and guilty of chuckling at inappropriate moments. All the while I’m living out a “Tears of a Clown” scenario at home.

I normally hit a low at the completion of each script. I write without any preplanning and love to get to know the characters as I let them tell me what they want to see and do. Whether it’s happy or sad they choose to make the sacrifice to go through it for the better of the story. Though I’m happy that I’m done, I quickly begin to miss my new friends. Looking around at an empty apartment doesn’t always help. In fact… this is what inspired my short film 487 that is currently in preproduction.

​This latest script is hitting me very hard. I’ve never been happier with a piece of my own work, and can’t wait for these characters to get to play together on the screen, but I literally put everything I have into this one, and am exhausted from it, but in an amazing way that I can't even begin to explain. 

I was almost going to skip this week’s viewing and maybe give up this whole project and possibly the whole website, or at least putting less effort into it. I just feel more comfortable working within the framing of a screenplay.

In 15 years I’ve written 21 feature-length scripts, about 10 false starts to scripts that are 60 pages in and waiting for my return, and a bunch of shorts. I’m not all that comfortable writing in any other format. I feel I know my screenwriter’s voice and am confident, but I’m still trying to figure out this whole blogging voice, and trying to figure it out on the fly and in front of a studio audience.

​ I’m also slightly dyslexic, and though I’m very comfortable sharing my work, my biggest fear is not being taken seriously because of all the typos. I’m sure if you follow this site at all you’ve seen your fair share of them. I appreciate those who continue to stick it out while I continue to try and work through this.

What does this have to do with Southland Tales?

Everything and nothing.​..

I've pointed out many times that I never expected this to be a traditional movie review and this is the perfect nontraditional movie to write a review like this for.​

You've got both the Rock and Seann William Scott both dealing with the duality of their time traveling selves, which ties in pretty well with the bipolar feelings that I am going through and the Rock finding out he is a character in his own screenplay, which is a feeling I'm sure many writers go through. How could you not? Here you are controlling people and their world, who's to say that no one's controlling you?​

There have been a lot of weird instances of timing with me lately. I don’t think I’ve had a conversation or email that hasn’t had the phrase, “That’s weird I was just… lately," or, "It funny you bring that up.” Are these signs?  Who knows?

Here’s an example of something weird, granted there is A LOT of me piecing these signs together, but it’s still fun. The other day a friend was talking about Beyond the Mat. I’d seen the documentary years ago and wanted to watch it again. I completely forgot that the Rock was in that movie. Crazy right?

Alright, that part’s not that crazy, but I did find it interesting that here these people were destroying themselves for their art, while I laid there, dizzy from the beating from this script. Meanwhile, I watched, surprised to see the Rock. This was just an interview for the documentary, and not him hyping a fight, just him talking. His voice was very soft and kind of timid as he kind of looked at the floor as he gave his answer.

There I was worried because I haven’t found my blogging voice yet, and here’s this guy, who can now fire up an entire stadium with one phrase, timidly describing his beginnings.

Whether or not it was a true sign I took it as one.

So at 2:44 in the am on Monday 3/18/2013 I fired up this week’s viewing of Southland Tales!

Though I didn’t get anything new out of the movie this week, I did gain the above insight, and some new friends to hang out with for the rest of the year.