Chasing The George

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog. I took the week off, and I am excited to get back to it with you all. I have received my marching orders from a couple of people and have been moving along with them. The first set of marching orders came from Richard Lawson, and the second from my Slamdance Screenplay Clinic reader.

On July 23rd, I held a table read in class at the Richard Lawson Studios for the first ten pages of a screenplay that I recently resurrected and dusted off. It felt wonderful to hear my words read out loud by the talented actors I selected. I received a great assessment from Richard that covered the artistic and business aspects of my script. At the end of his assessment, he gave me an assignment to complete in the next three weeks, and I have since made wonderful progress with it:

1) He wanted me to get clear on the casting for these characters. (If you can see people playing these characters, then you can understand how to write them better.) This assignment came about because Richard asked me who I saw playing these Latino characters, and I couldn’t name any actors. I said that while it’s easy for me to envision white actors in specific roles when I write, I struggle to do the same with Latino actors. I said, “I need to find my people because they are out there.” So, I researched different Latino actors that I could see playing the protagonist and antagonist. I then created a folder on my Google Drive to house some of their photos and links to interviews that capture the essence of these characters. I will continue this process for two more Latino characters in the script. I will also watch more films featuring Latino actors and creatives to continue expanding my awareness. The other reason he wanted me to identify actors for these roles is so I can pitch the script to them and obtain LOIs (letters of intent). These letters are important and valuable because they prove a project’s marketability and they help to secure funding from investors.

2) Get more specific with the type of dance and music that exists in this world. (When you write, play the music of the world because it will help the rhythm, feelings, emotions, and passion of how you write. It will inform your protagonist. It will irritate your antagonist.) I became more specific with the type of dance and music that exists in this world. I always heard the music and had a sense of the dance style that existed in this world; it was just about including it more specifically into the script. I reached out to a friend for help on a scene that I wanted to make more specific in terms of the dance steps that the protagonist executes. She offered great suggestions, and as I read through them, I realized that they were more for ballet, whereas I wanted jazz funk dance moves. I did additional research to include these specific steps within this particular scene. In terms of the music, I created a playlist of the songs that exist in this world, and I played that music when doing a few rewrites.

3) Raise the stakes a little more in those first ten pages. (We’re looking for the hook. What hooks us and makes us lean forward? What’s the hook, and is it strong enough to pull us forward with this journey?) I raised the stakes within the first ten pages of the script by setting up the impending peril a little more clearly. I also raised the stakes on page 11 where the inciting incident occurs.

4) Finally, he wanted me to keep putting myself out there and meeting people so that I didn’t stay out of sight and out of mind. (Find those Latino filmmaker groups and Latino writer groups. Get out of the comfort of your bubble and get out there.) I did a quick and simple Google search on Latino writer and filmmaker groups in LA. I plan to review each suggestion to see what each group offers. I also receive emails from NALIP (National Association of Latino Independent Producers), and I will be more diligent about exploring the various events that they host. The Black List (while not Latino-specific) hosts a writers’ happy hour once a month that I would like to look into as well. Also, in my last blog entry, I mentioned settling on a writers’ group that is currently on summer hiatus. I look forward to sitting in as a guest when they resume sessions in September.

The second set of marching orders came from my Slamdance Screenplay Clinic reader. In my last blog entry, I mentioned pulling the trigger and paying for a consultation on my latest feature film script. Within six days of making payment, I received six pages of wonderful coverage from my reader. They feel that my script is a good and important piece. They provided macro and micro notes to add more layers, conflicts, and struggles, as well as to clarify a few story and character logistics. We are meeting on August 17th via Zoom to go over their notes and any questions I have. To prepare for this meeting, I have been reading through their notes over and over again, organizing them, and highlighting and bolding sections so I know what I want to address. I am excited for our Zoom meeting. I know that this investment I made will be so worth it! And…their notes feel doable!

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog.

Last week, I filled out the online form to get the ball rolling for a Slamdance Screenplay Clinic consultation—and today, we’re talking about putting my money where my mouth is to make it officially happen. That’s right. It’s official. I pulled the trigger and secured my spot! I am so excited. This consultation aligns perfectly with my mid-year audit and my directive of “closing the deal” to secure top-tier literary representation. It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk to the exact reader who gave me the initial feedback on my latest feature film script, expand on their notes in real time, and brainstorm ideas on how to tackle the next draft. Having that professional, outside perspective will be invaluable, helping to move my script—and my career—forward exponentially.

The process has been quick and pretty straightforward, from filling out the online form, to receiving a response from my reader, to making the payment. My reader aims to have full coverage ready for me by August 6th. At that time, we will coordinate to meet over Zoom for an hour. I look forward to it, particularly because my reader assured me that the consultation will be constructive, positive, and empowering. Keep reading below 🙂

I also mentioned last week that I settled on one writers’ group and will be sitting in soon as a guest. Unfortunately, they are on summer hiatus and will return in September. In the meantime, I am exploring another writers’ group to see if I can fit them into my schedule. Keep reading below 🙂

See you next week!

Above photo from: https://www.pngkey.com/maxpic/u2e6e6r5w7q8w7i1/

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog.

Last week, I mentioned that I performed a mid-year audit of my DOIN (Declaration of Independence, aka business plan), and the review boiled down to one simple question: “Okay, now what?” The answer? Finish it. Close the deal on my 2026 sub-goals. These sub-goals—both long-term and short-term—will get me closer to achieving my primary goal of securing top-tier literary representation, and I’ve already continued the journey of moving them forward. Keep reading below 🙂

For example, during the mid-year audit, I noted: “Sub-goal: Research different writers’ groups. Build communities with them. Great. I’ve done the research. Now, I just need to join one.” I have since settled on one writers’ group and will be sitting in soon as a guest.

Another area I focused on was connection: “Sub-goal: Support and build my relationship map. While I have done that in the first half of the year, I now see that I need to make more of an effort in terms of in-person connection.” To put this into action, I’ve already reached out to a few people and mentioned that I would love to catch up with them.

And here is something really cool: Just two days after completing my mid-year audit, I received written feedback from a professional script reader. I had entered my latest feature film script into the Slamdance Screenplay Competition, and the submission included short coverage. Even though it was labeled as “short coverage,” it was incredibly comprehensive, positive, encouraging, and—most importantly—doable.

Reading their notes made me instinctively feel compelled to take advantage of their Screenplay Clinic. which offers a one-on-one consultation with one of their readers:

“The Slamdance Screenplay Clinic offers writers the opportunity to develop and discuss their work at length with industry experts who are committed to helping storytellers grow. We offer a range of services, including expanded coverage, polish editing, structural analysis, and good old-fashioned brainstorming.”

I’ve already filled out their online form to get the ball rolling. This consultation aligns perfectly with my mid-year audit and my directive of “closing the deal” to secure top-tier literary representation. It’s a wonderful opportunity to talk to the exact reader who gave me the initial feedback, expand on their notes in real time, and brainstorm ideas on how to tackle the next draft. Having that professional, outside perspective will be invaluable, helping to move my script—and my career—forward exponentially. Keep reading below 🙂

It feels great to take more actions on these sub-goals and continue closing the deal.

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog.

We are officially at the halfway mark of the year! I celebrated last week by immersing myself in Madonna’s new album, Confessions II. By the way, it’s an amazing album—exhilarating, pulsating, boundary-pushing, personal, and emotional. Forty-plus years in the game and she still has IT.

As I promised last week, I performed another audit of my DOIN after I celebrated. With this mid-year review, I looked at the goals I accomplished in the first half of the year, as well as the ones that need to be recalibrated or completely thrown out for Q3 and Q4.

In a previous blog post, I introduced the The Multi-Hyphenate’s Dictionary. In it, definition number 8 stated: Audit [aw-dit] (noun) A new addition to my vocabulary defined as the act of honestly assessing my progress each quarter, which actually means peeking through my fingers in absolute terror as I scroll through my DOIN. Just kidding.

Just kidding indeed, as I objectively went through my business plan. Keep reading below 🙂

I read my raison d’être (reason for existence, purpose) and it still resonates deeply. I read my postulates, and they still ring true and excite me. My primary goal for 2026 remains intact and is still my target (which is to secure top-tier literary representation.) I also read through my sub-goals and the separate administration plans under each one. These sub-goals—both long-term and short-term—are exactly what will get me closer to achieving that primary target.

I was incredibly happy to see how many action items I’ve already checked off in my administration plans. Seeing that progress brought a tremendous sense of satisfaction and pride. However, the biggest takeaway from this audit, and my core focus for the rest of 2026, is the need to “close the deal” on these sub-goals. I have checked off a lot of individual action items, but there is now a collective sense of, “Okay, now what? Finish it.” Let’s look at a few examples below:

Sub-goal: Research different writers’ groups. Build communities with them. Great. I’ve done the research. Now, I just need to join one.

Sub-goal: Build a website to promote my talents as an artist. Great. I’ve built the website. Now, I need to drive traffic to it.

Sub-goal: Create a writer’s reel to highlight the evidence. Great. I’ve done that. I’ve put together a reel of some of my past writing works. Now, I need to write and shoot new evidence of my current writing abilities.

Sub-goal: Support and build my relationship map. While I have done that in the first half of the year, I now see that I need to make more of an effort in terms of in-person connection. I recently told my career administration partner that one of the things I most admire about him is his ability to build and nourish his relationship map with in-person lunch and coffee meetings. He excels in the valuable face-to-face arena, and those connections continue to provide him with wonderful opportunities.

Then there are the goals that require a shift in strategy.

One sub-goal that needs to be recalibrated is: Finish the second draft of “The Third Act” feature film script with Kelly Tighe. Check. After its successful pitch at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and the enthusiastic “goldmine” response it received, the team is pivoting to making “The Third Act” a TV series. The goal is to sell the series to a major streaming company and go into production.

Another sub-goal that needs to be recalibrated, but not quite thrown out yet, is: Use social media to gain traction and attention from top-tier literary agents. In a recent assessment in class and a conversation with my career administration partner, using social media boiled down to a simple question, “To what purpose?” I haven’t figured out a compelling purpose or reason yet to use social media on a consistent, daily basis to share my voice as a writer. What’s my way in? What’s my angle?

Looking at this directive of “closing the deal” in order to complete a sub-goal and put a confident, solid check mark next to it, I added some new action items and highlighted them in bright green so they stand out as a reminder within my DOIN document. As the days progress, I will continue adding more targeted action items to finish what I started. Keep reading below 🙂

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog. We are officially at the halfway mark of the year! Now is a good time to go over my DOIN (Declaration of Independence, aka business plan) and perform another audit. With this mid-year review, I can look at the goals I accomplished in the first half of the year, and the ones that need to be recalibrated or completely thrown out for Q3 and Q4. But we will save that for next week!

In the spirit of the holiday weekend here in the U.S., I wanted to use this opportunity to celebrate the wins I’ve had in the first six months of 2026. And I can’t think of no better way to celebrate during this weekend, and into the week ahead, than with MADONNA. I mean, she’s my favorite musical artist of all time. She’s simply the best. THE BEST. Her new album, Confessions II, came out on July 3rd. Not only will I stream her album and take the incredible musical journey from start to finish in my office, but I also purchased various editions of Confessions II in both vinyl and CD formats. Plus, my awesome partner bought me the Pride edition vinyl! “Come on, meet me on the dance floor,” indeed! Swipe across the photos below to see the physical formats in my possession.

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog. We have reached the end of the second quarter, and I would like to take this opportunity to recap some of my wins. Reflecting upon these accomplishments helps to put things into perspective in terms of my progress. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the things I have accomplished so far on my 2026 artistic journey. So join me as I recap some of my second-quarter wins.

I submitted my newest feature film script, “Invincible Try,” to more industry writing competitions.

Kelly Tighe and I put up a successful and funny scene from “The English Teacher” at the Richard Lawson Studios.

I cleaned out my office!

Our feature film script, “The Third Act,” was selected as one of only 20 global finalists for the prestigious Largo.ai pitch competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival Marché du Film. (The pitch was successful, the project hailed as a “goldmine,” and it is now in active development to become a TV series.)

I presented an extensive follow-up administration plan for my writing journey in class.

“Invincible Try” was selected as a quarter finalist at the 2026 Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards.

I tightened up another feature film and pilot that I wrote.

A respected literary agency that represents TV and feature film writers responded to my query and asked me to submit my feature film script, “Invincible Try,” to them.

My career administration partner and I celebrated one year of accountability and support on June 23rd, 2026. Here’s to another year of career growth and support!

I also did lots of relationship map outflow.

What are some of your Q2 wins? I would love to read them in the comments section below!

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog. I wanted to use this opportunity to celebrate my awesome career administration partner. On June 23rd, we will be marking our first anniversary of weekly accountability and support. Wow, where does the time go?!

Career administration groups are a vital part of an artist’s journey, and I have been fortunate to be part of a few incredible ones in my time. My current administration partner and I have met every single week since June 23rd, 2025. In that time, we have set and achieved several goals—advancing different aspects of our careers while hosting Zoom writing sessions and table reads of our scripts. We have also provided support with auditions and class assignments, in addition to providing each other with different industry resources and tips. By constantly asking the next question, we challenge each other at each meeting and check in throughout the week to offer extra boosts of support. In fact, when he was working on a feature film set late last year, we famously pivoted our entire schedule just to ensure we never missed a meeting. At the end of the day, I can confidently say that we have created a space where art and administration can occur free of judgment and criticism. Keep reading below 🙂

When I went searching for a new career administration partner last year, I knew I wanted a one-on-one situation. I also knew I wanted someone who I could trust and be open with—a person who was an artistic force and also possessed a wonderful sense of integrity and ethics. When I landed on this particular person, it felt right. He was someone I had admired for a while and knew he would be a great fit. I approached him at a mutual friend’s wedding and asked if we could set up a meeting. He agreed, and we set up a time. We met, I pitched my idea, and he was immediately down for creating an admin group. The rest, as they say, is history. Keep reading below 🙂

I am excited to see what year two brings as we continue moving forward and supporting each other’s careers. Keep reading below 🙂

By the way, I’ve never revealed who my career administration partner is. Without further delay, here he is!

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog. In my last blog entry, I presented The Multi-Hyphenate’s Dictionary. It was a fun, behind-the-scenes look and a reality check at what a multi-hyphenate’s work actually means.

One of the definitions I provided was for my Powerbase (aka office):

Powerbase [pou-er-beys] (noun) The official command center where big Hollywood career moves are strategically engineered and executed. Though known more commonly—and less excitingly—as “an office,” it is a sacred space where the magic occurs and where I occasionally stare at the computer wondering whether my Madonna hat is channeling the right executive energy today. Keep reading below 🙂

My office is a command center, and to survive the rigors and demands of daily career administration, you need the right gear. With that said, I thought it would be fun to share my “survival kit”—those items that keep my momentum alive and functioning at the highest level possible. Keep reading below 🙂

1. Wardrobe. It sets the tone and vibe. Whenever I am in my command center, I usually rock a t-shirt, shorts, and my Madonna Celebration Tour hat. This wardrobe combination makes me feel relaxed, free-flowing, and comfortable—perfect for being in the zone with my career administration. Also, for that added touch of comfort and to draw out my inner Vassar nerd, I wear prescription glasses instead of my contact lenses. Keep reading below 🙂

2. Hardware. The laptop is my favorite technological device, and I can’t live without it. In my case, I utilize a MacBook Pro. I feel so powerful and intentional whenever I work on my laptop. It’s like my partner in crime because it does so much of the heavy lifting with me. From research and outreach to tackling weekly goals and writing scripts on the latest version of Final Draft, I love my laptop so much.

3. Fuel & Liquid Focus. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I love milk chocolate protein shakes. I drink two protein shakes in the morning when I’m in the command center. Whether it’s the BOOST High Protein with Fiber Ready to Drink Complete Nutritional Drink or the Carnation Breakfast Essentials High Protein with Fiber Ready-to-Drink, they make me feel good and energized to tackle my day. And I don’t have a favorite mug—I just drink them right from the bottle.

4. Musical Playlists. These are a must. These are essential whenever I am working in my command center. Music moves me, and I feel a powerful connection to it. I like to create upbeat, inspiring playlists on a daily basis (usually Madonna-focused ones, though other artists certainly make their way into the mix!) The reason why I lean so heavily on Madonna’s music is because it puts me in the zone. Her music reflects strength, power, resilience, and boss energy. It is like a call to battle. Put simply, her music makes me feel c*nt—as the kids say—so it’s the perfect energy and mindset I need.

5. Office Supplies & Stationery. As much as I love my laptop, there is something equally powerful, tangible, and satisfying about putting pen to paper. I love pens, particularly the ones that have an ultra-fine point (.05 mm or less) and gel ink. I love the way they feel as they write and glide across the paper. I also love fancy executive ballpoint pens; I feel like a boss, a CEO, whenever I write with them. In terms of stationery, I have been using the same planner for the past few years. Again, I love the tangibility of holding this powerful book in my hands. I love writing my to-do lists in it and then crossing them off. I usually have my planner right next to my laptop, working in perfect harmony.

6. Framed Artwork. I have framed artwork on the walls and on my desk. Originally acquired as ways to celebrate various wins, these creative works of art from Milton Katselas, Braxton J. Fuller, and Manuel Acevedo provide that additional artistic fuel and motivation to keep going. They remind me not only of my past accomplishments, but of where I am headed next.

It’s your turn now! What items are keeping your daily hustle alive this year? Let me know in the comments below!

See you next week!

Good morning, fellow artists! Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you already know these terms. We talk about the DOIN, career administration, career administration meetings, and Zoom writing sessions all the time, and usually, we take them seriously.

While these words sound lofty and powerful on paper, the reality of executing them is sometimes less glamorous and a little more chaotic than I sometimes let on. Keep reading below 🙂

Since we are flying through 2026, I thought it would be fun to take a step back and give my regular vocabulary a much-needed reality check. For everyone who has been following my journey, here is what the work actually means when you pull back the curtain. Welcome to the Multi-Hyphenate’s Dictionary. 10 definitions below.

1. DOIN [doo-in] (noun) The powerful, strategic business plan for my career that keeps me on track by essentially yelling at me through a megaphone whenever I veer off course. Love you. Mean it.

2. Career Administration [kuh-reer ad-min-uh-strey-shuhn] (noun) The highly disciplined, consistent actions I take to achieve my short-term and long-term goals, which actually looks like multitasking with eight arms across three screens, drowning in open tabs, and aggressively managing documents while wearing the exact same shorts, shirt, and Madonna Celebration Tour hat in my office.

3. Career Administration Meetings [kuh-reer ad-min-uh-strey-shuhn mee-tings] (noun) Weekly career accountability meetings with your awesome partner, which consist of 2% troubleshooting tech issues, 2% trying to remember where you saved that to-do list from last week, and 96% mutually agreeing that you both are stars.

4. Zoom Writing Sessions [zoom rahy-ting sesh-uhns] (noun) 5% troubleshooting tech issues, 15% checking in on each other’s sanity, and 80% pure creative magic.

5. Multi-Hyphenate [muhl-tee hahy-fuh-nit] (noun) A Hollywood professional who seamlessly operates as an actor, writer, and executive producer, resulting in a permanent state of professional split-personality disorder—where actor-me begs writer-me to write a project for them, and then writer-me pitches producer-me to fund the whole damn thing.

6. Solo Preparation [soh-loh prep-uh-rey-shuhn] (noun) The grueling, hours-long process of research, writing, scene analysis, and rewrites that in reality looks like pacing around your office for seven straight hours passionately acting out your scenes until your neighbors start to look at you differently.

7. Postulate [pos-chuh-leyt] (verb) The “Top of Mount Everest” of your business plan; a powerful prediction of where your career is ultimately headed, fully understanding that the path to industry success is never a straight line, but a chaotic series of wild zig-zags, sudden detours and pivots, unexpected stops, and complete resets. Buckle up!

8. Audit [aw-dit] (noun) A new addition to my vocabulary defined as the act of honestly assessing my progress each quarter, which actually means peeking through my fingers in absolute terror as I scroll through my DOIN. Just kidding.

9. Powerbase [pou-er-beys] (noun) The official command center where big Hollywood career moves are strategically engineered and executed. Though known more commonly—and less excitingly—as “an office,” it is a sacred space where the magic occurs and where I occasionally stare at the computer wondering whether my Madonna hat is channeling the right executive energy today.

10. Welcome to another exciting edition of my weekly Hollywood blog (a complete sentence of relief)—which is actually code language for: “Holy amazeballs! After 10-plus years of blogging, I was still able to generate and publish another entry!”, all while doing cartwheels down the hallway.

See you next week!