I spent five days in LA LA Land. I visited the Santa Monica Pier, Paradise Cove in Malibu, and the Griffith Observatory. I cruised Hollywood Boulevard and watched some very good indie films. The highlight of the trip was the black-tie Awards Gala. Surreal. Although I went home without an award, inspiration was my prize.
It was a great opportunity, the kind a writer dreams of, but this was well past the edge of my comfort zone. I’ve always been the guy behind the camera, not in front of it. I called my ex-wife to share the news. She was very enthusiastic. When I told her that I wasn’t sure if I could go, she said, “You’ve GOT to go!” She was right. What was I thinking? When you’ve asked the Universe to provide the opportunities to fulfill your dream, you don’t turn the other cheek when it obliges.
Since I’ve been home, I’ve balanced my novel writing with a screenwriting skills upgrade in anticipation of a summer re-write. The festival provided some serious validation as I placed in the top 10% of over 5000 screenplay submissions.
In the immortal words of Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator, 1984), “I’ll be back.”