MEETINGS WITH MAJOR TV COMPANIES & THE EMMYS

Hey all,

I've been to LA from 8-23-06 to 8-28-06. Now I'm resting and getting back into the groove.

I gained a lot of good info about filmmaking in July and now the TV biz in August. But the organization and professionalism (or lack thereof) of the Sherwood Oaks Experiemental College that offered the meetings leaves a lot to be desired. Speaking for myself, I won't contract Sherwood Oaks' services again.

Day 1
I arrived in LA and explored Little Tokyo for a bit before bunking down in my cousins' place in Van Nuys.

Day 2
I met with my group in the Cyber Cafe in Hollywood at 9:30 A. It was a mix of ScriptForSale and Sherwood Oaks people: a range of serious writers and raw newbies.

At 10 A, we met with a manager at the Wilshire Screening Room, who told us her take on dealing with film & TV clients. Nice person.

From 11 A to 5 P, we were at Fox Studios, where a bunch of execs talked about everything from show development to staffing season. Very enlightening. A random person snagged into speaking to us was Hugh Laurie of HOUSE. Funny guy. I'll have to watch his show some time.

We ate for a bit at the Kate Mantilini Restaurant before going to the WGA Primetime Emmys at the WGA Theater. It went from 7 to 9:30 P or so. Dennis Miller moderated the writers' panel. He was a pistol.

Day 3
My group went to Universal Studios, where we met with writers from a few shows. Michael Reaves was supposed to come, but he didn't.
:-(

Bradley Thompson and David Weddle from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA were great. If there was one show that would tempt me to enter TV, that would be it. But I'm sticking with fiction and feature film.

It was a short day from 10 to 4 P. :-)

I invited a few people to join me in a salsa club, but they wanted to stay in their hotel rooms and write. I went alone and learned some steps with a couple of partners before calling it a night. Ole!

Day 4
Before heading off to my meetings, my cousin unexpectedly gave me 2-3 copies each of the June 26, 2006, Hollywood Reporter and July 7, 2006, Variety Entertainment magazine editions. She got 'em through her Universal Studio events planning office becuz they both contained press releases announcing the results of this year's UCLA screenwriting contest in which my Chinese Joan of Arc script was a winner. Nice doesn't begin to describe my cousin.

After I picked up some people, who needed a ride, we joined the rest of the group at the Four Seasons Hotel, where we met with agents and managers, who gave us more of the same information. I saw Marshall Flinckman of ALIAS chatting in a lounge. The actor didn't seem as interesting as the character.

Some people were crashing from information overload and/or jet lag. But I was OK.

Things lasted from 10 to 6 P. We could've gotten out earlier, but Gary Shusett, the Sherwood Oaks organizer, was obsessed with cramming as many people into the meetings as he could. He also tried selling tickets to an HBO Emmys party on the spot, asking for $300 and then $250 in cold cash.

No one had the extra money to spend.

Day 5
Several, but not all of my group gathered in the hotel lobby to go to the Emmys via limo. Other people showed up, who were there just to go to the Emmys.

Two limos came, but one was a humvee model that was too big to enter the drive thru of the theater hosting the Emmys. Gary asked some people to forfeit a spot on a limo to ride in a person's car because there wasn't enough space. Eventually, some one day people volunteered.

Most of us who'd gone to the conferences got into the regular-sized limo and were driven to the Emmys. The rest went into the humvee and were stopped 4-5 blocks away at which point they walked the rest of the way to the theater.

As my group entered the theater, we went by crowds of fans who were screaming everytime they saw an actor or other celeb. Entertainment Tonight and E reporters were about with their mikes and camera crews. I can't say I was caught up in all the celebrity worship.

We made our way to our seats high up in the theater. Conan O'Brian started things off with a skit going through LOST, THE OFFICE, 24, SOUTH PARK, and some other shows, topping it off with a vaudeville dance routine.

Things dragged from there for the next 3 hours.

The award presentations were stretched out with commercial breaks for TV. People stepped out to buy food and drinks and/or gaze at any stars walking about randomly.

From what I learned afterwards, hardly anyone watched the Emmys on TV. I can't blame 'em. It's an event for TV insiders being foisted on the general public.

When the Emmys finally wound down at about 9 P, most of my group reassembled outside and called up the limo driver to pick us up. Gary found us, though, and had us cool our heels outside the theater for another hour while he went into a party to give us the opportunity to chat for a few seconds with some stars. About 2-3 came out eventually, and a few rushed to have their pictures taken with 'em before they hurried away. Gary finally said it'd be OK for us to leave. It was after 10 P by then.

A person in our limo, who had the driver's cell phone number, organized the limo recall. We went in the regular-sized limo to where the humvee limo was waiting, then piled into that and went back to the hotel. The regular-sized limo went to retrieve the rest at the theater.

After snacking at the hotel, I went back to my cousin's at 11 P to pack up and catch a lil' shut eye for my flight back.

The Emmys was certainly an experience. Just not the kind I'd expected and will not repeat.

Anyhow, I'm back and wiser.

A tout a l'heure as they say par francais.

MEETINGS WITH HEADS OF MOVIE PRODUCTION COMPANIES

I'm back.

Where to begin...?

I meant to blog while meeting with producers, managers, etc. in LA from July 12-15, 2006, but I've been busy.

The long and the short of it was: I met. I saw. I learned.
LA's also still expensive and has lots of traffic--except on Sundays.
And I didn't notice till the first day how many songs there are with the word "California" in it when I played my rental car radio.

July 11.
I checked into my room at the Orchid Suites in Hollywood and saw my cousin who works as an events planner at Universal Studios. We caught up and she generously offered to contact an assistant she knows--sort of--at Focus Features Productions, which is co-headed by James Schmaus, who co-wrote and produced "Crouching Tiger." He also collaborates with Ang Lee. Hope he likes my Chinese Joan of Arc script.

I plan on pitching it to Focus Features after I get some distance from my script and then rewrite/revise it for the Chesterfield, Scriptapalooza, Austin, and Nichols contests next year.

July 12.
I met the people in my ScriptForSale group for the first time. They were OK. A whole mix of personalities and talent. We then met with independent producers, managers, etc. Very interesting. Lots of good stuff. They work with lower budgets and want good stories, but not necessarily high-priced A-list talent. Meetings went from 10 A - 5:30 P. Whew!

On my own, I went to L'Ermitage Hotel in Beverly Hills to meet with an entertainment attorney from a top talent firm. She'd contacted me on the same day the UCLA professional programs office put out a
press release in the Hollywood Reporter about the UCLA contest winners this year.

Following mapquest (ugh) I got lost a few times on the side streets, but got directions here and there and still showed up 20 minutes early for my 7:30 P appointment. I asked a few women if they were the attorney, but no dice. I had some nice conversations, though.

At 7:40 P, I called the attorney on her cell. She said she saw me then and we started talking.

Very personable.

I'd say it was a promising start and I look forward to working with her. Just have to find a manager/agent to help submit stuff.

July 13.
My ScriptForSale group and I went to Sony, where we got the big studio perspective. Big budgets, franchise movies, and big name talent and directors. If one has a period (that is, historical) or SF/Fantasy story, the odds're uphill, but ya gotta find the producer who's into that kind of genre. It'll just take longer, but it'll be worth it. James Schmaus is at the top of my list for my Chinese Joan of Arc script.

Going on 50 minutes of sleep on July 11 caught up with me. I kinda crashed midway through the meetings. I stayed awake just enough and the Sony people didn't notice. :-)

The marathon lasted from 10 A - 5 P. We were invited to watch the screening of an indie film, forgot title. I bowed out. A few later said they liked it, but more said they didn't. I didn't miss out on anything, I'd say.

July 14.
I went to another round of meetings with my associates. We saw more indies and heard more of the same.

July 15.
My final round of meetings.

My group went to the Burbank Hilton. There we attended a nice lil' memorabilia show where we chatted with actors who worked in old and recent TV shows and films. The meetings with the guests were great, too. We got the low down on the writing and directing side this time around. I also met a script consultant/agent broker. Very personable. I think I'll like working with her.

I learned from some "V" actors that the series could be coming back in the next year or so. The lizards are as bad as ever--and hungry for human munchies. And there may be other aliens who aren't too fond of 'em or us.

And I had a nice chat with Ray "Darth Maul" Parks. He shared some bits about his wushu training and what it was like on the Star Wars and X-Men sets. He says he has some upcoming projects that I'll look forward to seeing. When I told him about my Chinese Joan of Arc script, he said I should try Quentin Tarantino's production company also. Doh! I should've known since he released "Hero" in the US a few years back.

I also got 4 signed pictures from Ray and one from Marc Singer of "Mike Donovan" fame on "V" (plus another for free which Marc signed, but didn't like). All nice shots.

After our event ended at 4:30 P, the ScriptForSale group scattered to the winds. I'd followed some people to the Burbank Hilton hotel, but they didn't wait for me to follow 'em back.

Nichevo. Or c'est le vie.

I made my way to Universal Studios, where I met with my awesome cousin. She got me into the press junket for the upcoming "Miami Vice" flick. Saw where the reporters got some snacks and where Jamie Foxx, Colin Farrell, and Gong Li were being interviewed. Gong Li's English has an interesting accent.

I also saw a bit of Wisteria Lane, the crashed 747 from "War of the Worlds," and other sets that showed up in umpteen some films and TV shows.

July 16.
Went home and am getting back into the groove--till I meet with TV execs and attend the Emmys in August.

Must take care of some fiction now.