I am a pitcher, not a belly itcher. Who is that adorable guy pictured above? Me, back in the day, with butterflies in my stomach because I knew everyone was better than me. Taller. Faster. More confident.
Well, the butterflies are back. I'll be pitching on Saturday. Not a four-seam fastball, but a screenplay that I've recently written. And I don't care about everyone else this time.
I'm attending the InkTip Pitch Summit in Burbank on the 20th. It's like speed-dating for writers. Who will I be pitching? Producers, managers and agents. Oh my.
So I'm flying out tomorrow four days before the actual event to immerse myself in my dream. Prepare, relax, stare at the sign on the hills. Luckily alumni from Screenwriting U's Pro Series (an intense eight-month program I recently completed) are doing a bootcamp on Friday - practice, practice, practice. Then drink.
And I'm meeting up with people I've only known via Twitter, Skype, Facebook. People who have helped me over the last three years get this far.
I went to LA in December 2010 to attend a wonderful comedy writing seminar offered by Steve Kaplan. When I returned I was so energized I was preparing to move. But I hadn't written a thing, other than blogs and freelance articles. So I decided, instead, I would come back when I had actually written. And I have!
I've written a TV spec. I entered several fellowships last year but I've heard it takes time so fingers-crossed. ;-)
I've written with three other incredible writers for Click! the web series. It's not out yet, but there are some great promos. And Alexis Barone, the actress who plays Rose in my episode, is starring in the TV show Forbidden as Lisette Lee (the Gangster Princess) on Discovery ID! this week (Thursday Night at 9 ET).
I also have a TV sit com pilot I'm currently writing, but that's not ready yet.
This week I'm pitching Inside Out, a comedy feature about a guy who loves prison.
Even if this week results in nothing more than a vacation in LA and some new contacts, I am meeting friends, celebrating a birthday and talking about something I've written, instead of talking about writing something. And I can't fucking wait.
More to come.
~Mike
