Sit Rep (New handle I'm trying out)

Let's see...

Screenwritingwise, on Friday, 9-22-06, I made calls to some film companies and managers that requested to read my Chinese Joan of Arc script in June or July.

One person who I've been in touch with at Jerry Weintraub productions has said that she's waiting for the comments of a reader who has the script and asked if it was available as in not optioned or sold. I answered in the affirmative.

Regarding the others, I've been leaving messages on office voice mail. So we'll see.

I also called up on my own Focus Features and Rogue Films since they're both co-headed by James Schmaus ("Crouching Tiger" producer & writer plus long-time Ang Lee collaborator).

The person who took my call at Focus gave me the rote "We do not take unsolicited material" answer. No problem.

At Rogue, which released "Fearless" on 9-22-06 and which I'm planning on writing up a review, I reached the office of Adrienne Biddle, who was named the senior vp production in January 2006.

I queried his office about my script. There was enthusiasm. Then I was asked if I was the writer, which I admitted. I was told very nicely that Rogue can't get the script directly from the writer, but they can take it from any representation I obtain. I thanked him for his time and left messages on the voice mails of the managers who have my script on the following Monday of 9-25-06. I'll see what comes of this.

I have other strategems in mind, though.

On the fiction front, I mailed off some stories for Pocket Book's Star Trek Strange New Worlds 10 (SNW) contest. Very excited. I sent all my tales via priority mail. They're supposed to arrive sometime in the afternoon on Friday 9-30-06. Well before the Monday 10-2-06 deadline.

Now I'll have to wait till late December 2006/early January 2007 for the results. I think I've got a shot this time.

Tempus omnia relevant.

Time reveals all.

Now I'm going to smooth out some Writers of the Future (WOTF) contest subs before I get cracking on my screenplay contest tales.

Now I'm gonna prepare 3 stories for this year's Star Trek Strange New Worlds (SNW) fiction contest and then another 3 stories for the Writers of the Future SF/Fantasy fiction contest.

Once I take care of those, I'll prep 3 scripts for all of next year's major screenplay contests.

Hmmm...

3 stories each for 3 contests. I wonder what the odds are? Is there some hidden meaning here with 3 three's?

If the gods're with me, I'll get some of my first fiction sales in the next year and I'll be in LA again (not relishing that 100%) to see my cousin, receive some film script contest awards, and build on the connections I've made so far this year.

Later