In Conclusion

Today is my last blog post! I had acting class today and performed my chosen scene from my screenplay. My acting coach has reviewed my screenplay and signed off on it! After all of this hard work, it is nice to feel like I have actually accomplished something. Now is time for me to create my presentation. Hope you enjoy!!

Senior Project- Day 5

It is done!!!!!! It's only 51 pages, which puts it in between a one hour drama and a lifetime film but it is done! Of course, I am going to go through it after my mentor looks over it, and then I am going to do a scene Sunday but the actual script is done! I can't say it enough! I honestly can't believe it. I worked another solid six hours on it today at least- I just wanted to crank out the rest. I feel like I have kind of gotten the rhythm in writing a screenplay now. Am I a master? no, far from. But at least I produced a decent screenplay. For my first screenplay ever, I can say that I am quite proud. Will it be selling anytime soon? Haha doubtful. But I am so happy that I stuck with it and actually have something to show for it. I feel exhausted. My brain is completely fried. But I did it!!!! After my presentation, I will post it:) Copyrighted of course! A little nervous about everyone seeing it, but that's part of the whole experience! Post more tomorrow and then Sunday!

Senior Project- Day 4

I see the light at the end of the tunnel!! Woohoo! Today I, once again, locked my self up with my computer and successfully got a lot of work done. It's amazing how fast you write for scenes you have gone through- break ups, awkward phone calls, etc. Today I also had an audition for a film called 'The Loft" which was a very popular movie in Belgium being recreated for America. I am very close to the casting director because he is the one that got me my role in "So Undercover". It would be filming in Belgium, so fingers crossed for an over-seas summer! It's a very small role, but I would still love to play it of course. Well, back to my script. I now truly have a great appreciation for all the hard work that goes into a script. I can now see that trying to write a script in a week was an INSANE idea but I think I rallied and have a presentable piece. Tomorrow I will continue to finish my piece then it is time for the red pen editing and revisions. Saturday, my acting coach and mentor will have finished reading it and given me some advice on it. Then Sunday, I will have acting class were I will perform a scene from my script on tape and then Voila! I will be done. I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but I am now treading water and not drowning anymore. I really can't  wait to take screenwriting in college and learn how to do all the ins and outs!  My blog has a few more days ahead of me so I will keep you posted!

Senior Project- day 3

Well at least I had some better success today. I have successfully introduced all of my characters that relate key plot points. But at around noon after a few hours of writing, I tearfully had to delete a scene. Yes, I am a perfectionist and when I read it out loud it just didn't seem right. This ment that five pages (of which about two hours went into) disapeared into cyber space. To think of all the hours I have spent on the deleted scenes! So, realistically, this screenplay will end out being a short lifetime movie closer to 60 pages than a feature's 90-130. To be a one hour drama- which it could still become based on my work pace and inability to put my name to anything I don't like- would be nearer to 40 pages. Sitcom, which this is definitely not, 30. It's the narration that keeps getting me. When I read scripts as an actress, I see the story from my character's perspective. But as a screenwriter, I have to think for all characters, for the voice overs, the third person narration or even the apostrophes (When the audience is aware of a situation a character is not). All of this technique I kind of plunged into and I am sure that after a few courses on screenwriting in college, will be a lot more systematic and thus easier to control and move at a faster pace. Honsetly, writing a book is easier because the narration can be more controlled and the setting laid into the narration (like "she set down the glass thoughtfully") instead of imposed in the speech or in placed setting. As it is, It seems that though I have the full story in my head, I am writing at a snail's pace. Sitting in front of a computer is very frustrating and and added to my writers block, so I decided to go to the gym to get my brain out of its stupture and to get the creative energy juices flowing. Well, I think it worked. I got to a good stopping point right about now and tomorrow I am going to get to the climax then start the downfall so help me God. I will be really proud of myself when I am done with this- this was way more than I bargained for that's for sure! I'll keep you posted! Wish me luck!

Senior Project- Day 2

Ok. What a day. So After a few more drafts, I have my rough outline of a story. It is no longer about me, but a broader picture of what can happen if you get caught up in LA life, loose focus, and not have a backup plan. Being my first screenplay, I found it very difficult to write about me and tap into my own emotions without sounding jilted or scattered. I had heard once that writing a story down is the hardest part, for things sound great in your head but can die on paper only after a few scenes. It was very frusterating to write an outline, and do the first few scenes to realize the story died and press delete. After four hours and a blank screen, I learned that the only way to solve this problem of my tragic death cycle was to take a little break and talk to my parents about my problems. My mom asked me a simple question- What do you want to convey? And if you can't write about you yet, why not have a fictional character with this theme? Light bulb. As an actress, I already appreicate the effectivness or ineffectiveness of the written word and so I am trying to sound real and not contrived. So far, by reading the script outloud after I write a scene like I am preparing an auditon seems to be the best idea. It really goes to show that you only know how something sounds when it is read outloud with all the inflections and punctuation. Tomorrow I will delve deeper and, God willing, make a bigger dent on this story. I'll keep you posted!

Senior Project week- Day 1

Monday 16- Having spent much time in LA, this week I am going to do the artistic endeavour of writing a screenplay based on my experiences in LA this year during pilot season. This is very ambitious but having read many screenplays of movies (most of which aren't even in theaters yet), I am aware of what a cutting edge screenplay looks like. I am going to double major in Loyola Marymount University in LA with screenwriting (as well as European History) so hopefully my passion for writing and acting shines through. Having flown in this morning from my brother's college graduation from Duke, I have spent the day writing rough draft after rough draft for an (as of yet) untitled work. Starting the story is the hardest. A story follows one thread that is either woven into other threads (Like "Love Actually"), tied in a circular necklace-like knot (like "Titanic"), or is a clothesline that gets from point A to point B (think "127 hours" or book adaptations). Of course, some of the best break all these "rules" (Inception, La Vie en Rose, etc.) Yet as the famous saying goes, you must learn the rules to break them. My experiences in LA have so many threads of thoughts and experiences that in my mind form one story but on paper form a clumpy knot. By this end of the week, through sweat and tears, I will have a complete feature length screenplay. I have my thread: Identity.

The Month of March!!!!

5-26: On the fifth, I started filming my second short film- "Wonderland"! On the 6th, I had a meeting for eith Clear Talent that does a lot of commercials and I worked on perfected my commercial technique. On the 9th I had a meeting with Becky Silverman who casts Without a trace. On the 12, i had ameeting with Bailey Thomas casting, and sunday the 13 with Ani Avetyan for Hellcats! She really liked me and would like to see me again for episodic!!! On the 16, I met with Jeffrey Gelber a head executive producer at Universal and it went very well! On saturday the 19, I met with Janelle Scuderi who casts house! Another success! Then sunday with Scott David, the head casting director for Criminal Minds! As my LA adventure was winding down, I had a lot of packing and school work to finish up! Let alone having memorable moments with friends! An impromptu trip to universal, in and out burger, the city walk, and manhattan beach to name a few!!!! This was a fantastic experiance and great precurser to going to college in LA and pursuing my career in acting as well!!;)