One Of The Best Meetings I Didn’t Win.

Chasing The George

On Friday, February 24th, 2023, I locked myself in my office to get through another exciting list of career administration: Continue edits on my TV series bible, submit my half-hour pilot and feature film scripts to the Script Pipeline competition, look up classes on Casting Access, identify potential scenes I want to do in Scene Study, write my new blog entry, etc. I was firing on all cylinders.

As I recommit to my weekly blog, which chronicles the journey to build the career I want for myself, I couldn’t help but remember a recent meeting I had with a commercial agent. It was one of the best meetings I didn’t win.

I submitted to this particular agency because I resonated with its mission statement. I got a meeting with them immediately, and we met over Zoom. My virtual set-up was tight, from the lighting to the close-up framing to the background curtain behind me. I was ready to share what I was looking for in an agent and prepared to answer any potential questions they would ask me.

The meeting could not have been more excellent. We were on the same page. We were moment to moment. We were easy and comfortable with each other. I shared what I was looking for in an agency and what I wanted to create with them. I answered all their questions with confidence. They could see my professionalism and training on full display. They were everything I was looking for in an agency. The meeting ended, and they told me they would get back to me in a few days because they still had to interview a couple more actors. A few days later, they told me they decided to go in another direction. I was disappointed for a moment, but I realized that this is the nature of the entertainment industry. At least I knew I booked the room! I could go to sleep at night because I booked the room. So, I still won.

As 2023 continues to unfold, and I see what’s on the horizon for me this year, I remember various meetings I had or projects that I targeted that I didn’t win or land but won and landed in my heart because I failed forward. I risked and put myself out there. I made a valiant effort. I booked the room. So here’s to booking more rooms this year. KEEP READING BELOW…THERE’S MORE!

And just for fun, let’s stroll down memory lane of some past meetings or target projects that I didn’t win, but I did because I booked the room:

Lost: I targeted the hell out of this show. Eventually, I got a meeting with the casting director in Hawaii, and I was able to pitch a character I envisioned for myself for the next season. Ultimately, the character didn’t fit the story arc the creators had in mind for their next season, but it was a meeting I’ll never forget. And I got to celebrate afterward in Hawaii!

Martin Scorsese: He was attached to produce a movie musical that Madonna was to star in called “Hello Suckers.” His production company was notorious for keeping their address private. After searching high and low, I found an address. I mailed my materials to the company, but a week later, it was back in my mailbox. The post office placed a stamp on the envelope that said the company was no longer at this address, but they were at this address instead. What?! I couldn’t believe it. The post office provided their actual address. I booked a flight to NYC, walked into their office, and pitched myself and my materials to the front desk staff. Their face, their subtext: “How did you find us?” LOL. I think they low-key loved that I found them. Unfortunately, the movie never got made.

My TV series: Pitch meetings to CBS, Showtime, Youtube, a network in the U.K., and a network in Latin America. Each one passed, but I booked every single room.

Looking: I wanted to be on this HBO series so badly. I targeted this series for one year, building relationships, and expressing my love and passion for this show before I threw my hat into the ring to pitch myself for their next season. I reached out to the lead executive producer and lead director’s agent, and they were more than happy and willing to submit all of my materials to their client. Unfortunately, HBO cancelled the series shortly afterward.

OMG! I just remembered another show called Pretty that I also targeted. I utilized my relationship map to shoot a cool music video at a mansion in Brentwood…and the best part was that it rained that day, so we took full advantage of it…do you know how much it costs to rent a rain machine?!?! Anyway, I found the email I sent to my agent about my efforts: “Hi Sharon. I created and starred in a music video. I was targeting a show that I really wanted to be on called Pretty. It’s a web series entering its 3rd season in the near future. And one of the story lines they revealed was that the lead character flashes back to his old days as the leader of a boy band. So, I created a boy band-type video to get myself on the show. I just sent the video recently to the powers that be. They loved it, but they are reaching out to their celebrity friends to play the other boy band members. But, if circumstances change, they will bring me in for an audition. The video is funny, sensual, plays with sexuality…all the elements of a typical boy band video LOL.”

Onwards! Like Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense, for the inmost in due time becomes the outmost, and our first thought is rendered back to us by the trumpets of the Last Judgment.”

Advice From My Celebrity Friends.

Chasing The George

After dealing with the effects of a global pandemic for two years, I finally had the pleasure and experience of attending many screenings and Q&As in 2022. I love immersing myself in my career, and this was an exciting way to put myself out there again and be surrounded by my fellow actors, colleagues, and peers. What was equally exciting was learning and absorbing the various pieces of knowledge and advice from my fellow actors on stage. Each Q&A provided wonderful opportunities to learn something new, or in some cases, to confirm what I already knew. One beautiful example was that I belong. The distance between myself and the actors on stage is not that huge. There is no huge difference between the actors on stage and myself sitting in that audience. Like Jessica Chastain beautifully said in her 2022 SAG Awards acceptance speech for Female Actor in a Leading Role (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”), “Keep going cause you’re one job away. I promise.” She also told me the same thing in person after the screening and Q&A for “George and Tammy” because I told her how much her speech impacted me.

The other confirmation of what I already knew came from what I kept hearing from one Q&A to the next. And although each panel of actors said it differently, the consensus was: DON’T BE A FUCKING ASSHOLE IN THIS INDUSTRY. I can’t tell you how many times I heard different panels of actors say that they love working with people who make the set a joy. They love working with people who make the filming experience a positive one. They want to work with people that they like. One famous actress and executive producer said they can spot crazy a mile away, and when they see it approaching, they run the other way. They refuse to work with crazy. Another famous actress said that she loves working with people she likes because she knows the experience will be positive, and that they will deliver on a professional level every single time on set. The creators of a hit series said they cast their friends as guest stars, recurring guest stars, and series regulars because they know the set will be fun and drama free. The cast of another hit series said that they cultivated an incredible family culture on their set where both actors and crew respect and elevate each other. This family culture is so important and beautiful that they don’t allow anyone to come in and fuck with it. When I attended that particular show’s Q&A, the actors acknowledged the NUMEROUS crew members who showed up to support them. I have never seen so many crew members attend a Q&A panel for their fellow actors…and you could see the LOVE and ADMIRATION that the cast and crew had for each other that night. KEEP READING BELOW…THERE’S MORE!

Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be difficult. Don’t be hostile. Don’t be a pain in the ass. Don’t be dark energy. Hollywood is a small business, and word travels quickly. I’ve had friends share stories about actors who were up for a series or feature film, but then lose the opportunity because the production was made aware of their past difficult behavior on sets. I commit to being professional, kind, and respectful on set because 1) It’s human decency and 2) What comes around, goes around. Every person on set deserves respect because the creation of art is a communal one. Each department works together to create a work of art. What does being an asshole accomplish? Absolutely nothing.

So there you have it. Simple, direct, and important advice from my celebrity friends. Okay, okay, we’re not like friends (only in my mind and heart LOL.) In all seriousness, I was so immersed and invested during these Q&As that I felt like they were my friends.

P.S. Just for fun, and going back to the confirmation that I belong and that the distance between us isn’t that huge, I wanted to share some pictures I took with my friends (in my mind and heart LOL) whose work impacted me either in that screening, in the past, or both. It was important for me to go up to them, as a colleague, to share what I felt about their work.

Elisabeth Moss:

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez:

James Corden:

Adam Scott:

Jessica Chastain:

The Journey Continues…

Chasing The George

I envisioned an EPIC return to my blog. Epic like Sam Smith’s and Kim Petras’ recent performance of “Unholy” at the 2023 Grammys (Or “satanic” as right-wing Republicans called it and how their performance was another reason why they need to eradicate the queer community asap….I’m digressing.)

Then, I ran across a tweet from Grammy and Emmy winner Lizzo that Steven Canals re-tweeted. Steven Canals is the creator of the ground-breaking Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series, “Pose.” I follow him, and the timing of what they both wrote could not have been more perfect. Lizzo tweeted:

Steven responded with:

Their messages were so simple. Just keep showing up. Keep doing the work. Keep getting better. Keep getting better for yourself. The journey continues. That simple. I don’t need fireworks or the trumpets of the last judgement to herald my return to blogging. Just get back in and share my journey again.

My journey continues like it always has. It has continued even while my blog went dormant. It has continued during a global pandemic. It has continued during worldwide protests for racial equality and justice. It has continued during threats to our democracy and the voting process in the United States.

At the beginning of every year, I create a Declaration Of Independence (aka a business plan) in terms of my focus for the year. And each time, I realize that the journey continues. I’m always seeking to learn, grow, and get better.

It’s why I knew I had to come back to Scene Study class at the Richard Lawson Studios.

It’s why I knew I had to resurrect my blog. Chasing The George highlights the journey I am on to have the artistic career I want. I also share lessons I have learned along the way, plus advice that has helped me and countless others. Knowledge is wonderful, and I love giving it away.

Thank you to my teacher and mentor, Richard Lawson, for encouraging me to create this blog in 2015 because I am an example of “walking the walk.” You have taught me that the journey continues as well.

Thank you to my wonderful friend, Lindsay Hopper, for always asking me when I would return to Scene Study. You have taught me that the journey continues as well.

Thank you to my incredible partner, Chris Beber, for always asking me when I would return to Chasing The George. You have taught me that the journey continues as well.

So, I’m back! This blog is about my artistic journey and I want to continue chronicling it. This blog is part of my accountability. This blog is part of my inspiration.

Welcome aboard, and see you every Sunday morning!

A Sampling Of My 2021 Wins!

Chasing The George

Happy Holidays! As we near the end of 2021, I wanted to share a SAMPLING of the wins (both professional and personal) that I’ve had this year. I study and teach at the Richard Lawson Studios, and one of the concepts at this studio is the tracking of wins and the corresponding celebrations for those wins.

I like this definition of “win” from dictionary.com: “To succeed by striving or effort. To succeed in reaching (a place, condition, etc.), especially by great effort.” In my classes, I also add this point of view: A win is anything that has moved you at least one step forward. And as an example, one of my students shared in class on December 14th that she accumulated 321 wins in 2021!

Tracking wins and celebrating them maintains the journey we are on to have the careers that we want. Tracking wins and celebrating them helps us stay in a state of gratitude and claiming for oneself. At the RLS, a few of the classes were assigned to do a “Wins Film” to take stock of their 2021 wins in 3 minutes or less.

So join me! What wins have you collected in 2021? Take stock of them and you’ll be shocked and amazed at how many wins you have. Large, small, everything in between. A win is a win. It all counts towards the journey.

Enjoy my Wins Film below!

Why My Artistic Anniversary Was So Special!

Chasing The George

On August 26th, 2021, I celebrated 19 years of living in Los Angeles. And what made my anniversary so special, what made it a full circle moment, was that I shot a role on an Amazon Prime feature film that day!

19 years ago, I flew out to LA on a one-way flight from NYC, armed with one suitcase, my leather CD book, and a resolution to pursue my artistic dreams full-time. I had no job lined up. I had no apartment lined up. I had no car lined up. I just had my dreams that out-created what I temporarily lacked. When I landed in LAX, I got into a taxi and immediately quoted Madonna when she landed in NYC in 1977 and got into a taxi as well: “Take me to the center of everything.” Madonna’s taxi driver took her to Times Square and my taxi driver took me to Beverly Hills LOL. The rest, as they say, is history.

As I sat in my trailer on August 26th, 2021, I was filled with so much gratitude. Shooting a role on my 19th anniversary of living in LA was not lost on me. But beyond the role, I was filled with so much gratitude because I am still doing what I love to do. 19 years later and I am still actively involved as an artist. 19 years later and I am still going. 19 years later and I am still standing. And it’s such a testament to my raison d’être, my career bus that contains a community of persons, places, and things that keep me going. My community. My DOIN (Declaration of Independence aka business plan that we learn to create and build at the Richard Lawson Studios.) My DOIN is so important and I literally pulled it up two days before I booked this role to add and edit some things within it.

I am grateful to still be on this journey when a lot of people have stopped their own artistic journeys to pursue other endeavors (no judgement by the way!)

I am grateful that since I landed in LA 19 years ago, I have become a more causative, 360-degree artist. To know that 19 years later, I have weathered the highs and lows, the ups and downs. I mean, come on: The Covid-19 pandemic could have destroyed and obliterated me, but I found myself so creatively plugged in during 2020 by attending classes over Zoom, by working on my writing, by building my own rocking self-tape station and being able to film self-tape auditions, by submitting filmed monologues and scenes to various casting director open calls, by teaching classes over Zoom, by researching various industry topics, by attending artistic panels over Zoom, etc.

2021 has also been filled with artistic excitement. Some highlights:

**Self-tape auditions for TV series on Hulu, Netflix, Fox, HBO, ABC, etc.

**My feature film script placed as a semi-finalist in a big industry writing competition (Scriptapalooza) and it will be promoted to a network of 125 producers for one whole year.

**The same feature film script film script also placed in the top 15% of discoverable projects on Coverfly.

**I placed as a semi-finalist (in the top 6% of applicants) for a program with the Writers Guild Foundation.

**I’m waiting to hear back from other established industry writing competitions and programs.

**I revisited and rewrote a TV pilot script and I am now revisiting and rewriting another feature film script.

**Weekly career administration group meetings where we hold each other accountable to our artistic goals.

**Attending weekly classes.

**Writing meetings with the PDP 3.0 collective.

**I bought printer ink so that I can print up my sides (yes, even buying printer ink is a big win!)

**Relationship map building and outflow.

**In the 36 hours leading up to my film shoot, I had to complete two Covid tests, I had wardrobe fittings, I taught class, and I had to film two self-tape auditions for two different primetime TV series on ABC (one of which was due in six hours!)

So, as I sat in my trailer, the last 36 hours was not lost on me. 2021 was not lost on me. 2020 was not lost on me. My 19-year anniversary in LA was not lost on me.

Happy Anniversary!

Featured photo courtesy of: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/champagne-glasses-happy-anniversary-card/5051937310033.html

Why My Anniversary Was So Special!

Chasing The George

On August 26th, 2021, I celebrated 19 years of living in Los Angeles. And what made my anniversary so special, what made it a full circle moment, was that I shot a role on an Amazon Prime feature film that day!

19 years ago, I flew out to LA on a one-way flight from NYC, armed with one suitcase, my leather CD book, and a resolution to pursue my artistic dreams full-time. I had no job lined up. I had no apartment lined up. I had no car lined up. I just had my dreams that out-created what I temporarily lacked. When I landed in LAX, I got into a taxi and immediately quoted Madonna when she landed in NYC in 1977 and got into a taxi as well: “Take me to the center of everything.” Madonna’s taxi driver took her to Times Square and my taxi driver took me to Beverly Hills LOL. The rest, as they say, is history.

As I sat in my trailer on August 26th, 2021, I was filled with so much gratitude. Shooting a role on my 19th anniversary of living in LA was not lost on me. But beyond the role, I was filled with so much gratitude because I am still doing what I love to do. 19 years later and I am still actively involved as an artist. 19 years later and I am still going. 19 years later and I am still standing. And it’s such a testament to my raison d’être, my career bus that contains a community of persons, places, and things that keep me going. My community. My DOIN (Declaration of Independence aka business plan that we learn to create and build at the Richard Lawson Studios.) My DOIN is so important and I literally pulled it up two days before I booked this role to add and edit some things within it.

I am grateful to still be on this journey when a lot of people have stopped their own artistic journeys to pursue other endeavors (no judgement by the way!)

I am grateful that since I landed in LA 19 years ago, I have become a more causative, 360-degree artist. To know that 19 years later, I have weathered the highs and lows, the ups and downs. I mean, come on: The Covid-19 pandemic could have destroyed and obliterated me, but I found myself so creatively plugged in during 2020 by attending classes over Zoom, by working on my writing, by building my own rocking self-tape station and being able to film self-tape auditions, by submitting filmed monologues and scenes to various casting director open calls, by teaching classes over Zoom, by researching various industry topics, by attending artistic panels over Zoom, etc.

2021 has also been filled with artistic excitement. Some highlights:

**Self-tape auditions for TV series on Hulu, Netflix, Fox, HBO, ABC, etc.

**My feature film script placed as a semi-finalist in a big industry writing competition (Scriptapalooza) and it will be promoted to a network of 125 producers for one whole year.

**The same feature film script film script also placed in the top 15% of discoverable projects on Coverfly.

**I placed as a semi-finalist (in the top 6% of applicants) for a program with the Writers Guild Foundation.

**I’m waiting to hear back from other established industry writing competitions and programs.

**I revisited and rewrote a TV pilot script and I am now revisiting and rewriting another feature film script.

**Weekly career administration group meetings where we hold each other accountable to our artistic goals.

**Attending weekly classes.

**Writing meetings with the PDP 3.0 collective.

**I bought printer ink so that I can print up my sides (yes, even buying printer ink is a big win!)

**Relationship map building and outflow.

**In the 36 hours leading up to my film shoot, I had to complete two Covid tests, I had wardrobe fittings, I taught class, and I had to film two self-tape auditions for two different primetime TV series on ABC (one of which was due in six hours!)

So, as I sat in my trailer, the last 36 hours was not lost on me. 2021 was not lost on me. 2020 was not lost on me. My 19-year anniversary in LA was not lost on me.

Happy Anniversary!

Featured photo courtesy of: https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/champagne-glasses-happy-anniversary-card/5051937310033.html

I. Am. Superman.

Chasing The George

Hello fellow actors, writers, producers, and other fabulous artists! You’ve heard me say this before and I’ll say it one more time: Superman is the reason why I wanted to become an actor. I too wanted to save the world and possess super powers!

Looking back at my life, I see how I have become my own version of Superman and how that has manifested itself in different ways: As an actor, a writer, a producer, a family member, a friend, a partner, a teacher, a student, a human rights and political activist, a HUMAN FUCKING BEING. I have truly demonstrated the qualities I see in Superman: strength, resolve, positive change, give, protection, and yes, fun times. Yes, fun times (Superman can have fun too!)

Being Superman is part of my raison d’être. It’s what keeps me going in my career because in everything that I do, “the world will see that Superman can also be brown and queer because I AM THAT.” Always have. Always will. It’s always been there and I’m utilizing it. I remember being told at a young age that I could never be Superman because I have brown skin. And I made a commitment to myself to become my own Superman. To not limit myself.

Superman can exist in all forms, and throughout my artistic journey, I keep affirming to myself that I am Superman. And hopefully, others around the world will be inspired to become their own Superman (or Batman or Wonder Woman or Spider Man or whatever you want!) Don’t limit yourself!

So who is your own personal superhero that inspires you? Which superhero are you, if any?

Thanks for reading!

Fun fact: I decorate my daily planner (no pun intended with The Daily Planet!) with Superman stickers! It helps to reaffirm my artistic administration.

***Clip of Superman is property of D.C. Comics and I pulled the video from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0D7ovW5_nM

Spending My Summer With Ryan Murphy, et al!

Chasing The George

Hello artists! As we quickly approach the beginning of summer, I decided to pull out an exciting blog entry from the vault and share it with all of you again. Below, I shared how I was preparing to spend my summer with the likes of Ryan Murphy, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Steven Canals, Tanya Saracho, etc. to discover the shows and movies I would have killed to write on. And as I sit here today, I celebrate how far I’ve come since the original blog posting. It’s happening, folks, it’s happening! And I hope that my journey below helps you in formulating the kind of shows and movies you want to write, plus the literary reps and production companies to target.

Original post below:

On June 15th, 2019, I met with a mentor of mine for coffee in the Hollywood Hills. As countless luxury vehicles pulled in and out of the parking lot, I told him that I needed some help and direction in the TV literary world. A fellow Vassar graduate, I’ve known him for several years now. The writers retreat he hosted at the Sturtevant Camp in Sierra Madre, CA, is still one of my fondest memories.

I told him that I needed to navigate the TV literary world with more focus and clarity because I was a little bit all over the place. I also asked him how to obtain a literary manager. We spoke for a while and he gave me a lot of homework that would help me get more focused in this area, more focused on which literary managers would be best for my writing voice, and to discover opportunities for myself as a minority writer.

After taking pages of notes, I was excited to tackle the homework he gave me. One of the homework assignments was to identify 25 TV shows/movies that I would have killed to work on as a writer. He told me to create a spreadsheet and to include different columns of information for this particular homework assignment (e.g. the production company behind each show, the literary reps behind all the writers, etc.)

Side note: At the time of our meeting, I could only identify two TV shows that I would have killed to work on as a writer LOL.

After our meeting, I immediately got to work. I started watching lots of TV shows and movies to find my voice in them. Does this TV show or movie sound like my voice? Does this TV show or movie sound like what I’m interested in writing? I would watch at least two episodes of each TV show to see if I would add it to the list or not. I typed in specific genres that I was interested in. I looked at recommendations from Netflix, Hulu, and IMDB (i.e. “If you liked Black Mirror, then check out…”) Next thing I knew, my list of shows started to grow.

When my list grew to 15 shows, I hit a wall. I was like, “There is no way I’m going to find 25 TV shows/movies.” I emailed my mentor and asked, “Is 25 a hard number? Or can I have less than that?” I asked him this question knowing fully well what his answer would be. I knew that 25 was a hard number. And that he gave me 25 TV shows/movies to push myself, to explore, and to think outside of the box. He emailed me back and he confirmed everything I already knew. So, I recommitted to reaching the magic number of 25. And I’m glad I did because I didn’t want to take any shortcuts. I wanted to fully comply.

On July 27th, I reached the magic number! When I found my 25th show, I cheered! I was so happy and ecstatic. It took me almost a month and a half, but I got to spend my summer with Ryan Murphy, Ava DuVernay, Steven Canals, Tanya Saracho, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Ryan O’Connell, and so many other amazing creators! And, I was also able to identify the literary reps behind them and behind all of their staff writers. These literary reps represented writers who represented my voice. Plus, I identified production companies that produce the kind of work I want to create as a writer.

I discovered/reconfirmed a few things with this assignment:

*I am interested in the following areas for TV: urban dramedies; stand alone sci-fi episodes; comedies where the lead character is truly an outcast.

*My writing heart resonates with half-hour TV shows.

*When it came to identifying movies, urban dramas made the list. Although, I also love comedic apocalyptic films like Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End (both written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg)

*ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! When I saw the amount of creativity in each show, the storylines, the kind of different and dynamic leading characters, etc., I realized that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! There is an audience out there for any show and storyline. There is no way that my own TV series can’t be picked up. All of the shows I watched (whether they made the list or not) reconfirmed that my series has a place on TV. No one can ever tell me that there isn’t an audience for my work after all of the TV shows and movies I’ve seen.

So, ladies and gentleman, here are the 25 TV shows and movies that I would have killed to work on as a writer because they resonate with my writing voice. In no particular order:

  1. Pose
  2. Black Mirror
  3. Pen15
  4. Room 104
  5. Electric Dreams
  6. Weird City
  7. The Twilight Zone (the reboot)
  8. Special
  9. Bonding
  10. Shrill
  11. Difficult People
  12. Schitt’s Creek
  13. Ramy
  14. Barry
  15. Atlanta
  16. Fleabag
  17. Vida
  18. When They See Us
  19. Tales of the City (the reboot)
  20. Looking
  21. Moonlight
  22. Gun Hill Road
  23. Quinceanera
  24. Roxanne, Roxanne
  25. Culture Shock (part of the Into The Dark series on Hulu)

Header picture by Anete Lusina: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-person-standing-near-fence-and-old-tv-5721863/

Writing Competitions: Where To Start????

Chasing The George

Hello my fellow artists! If you’re in the United States, I hope you are having a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend. For my fellow screenwriters and TV writers out there who are interested in submitting content to writing competitions, but don’t know where to start, I hope that my quick blog entry will help.

As with film festivals, there are a PLETHORA of writing competitions. It can seem and feel daunting when looking at the myriad of choices out there. For example, when I recently logged into my Coverfly account, the dashboard revealed 154 writing competitions available for submissions. 154?! What?!

And if you don’t know what Coverly is, here is some info about this platform: https://www.coverfly.com/brief-introduction-coverfly-writers/#:~:text=Coverfly%20is%20an%20opportunity%20for,your%20competition%20successes%20to%20work.

Submitting to writing competitions (and film festivals) as a way to get your work out there, to get noticed, to receive feedback or coverage, can become a very expensive endeavor. Don’t just submit blindly. The best advice I can give to you before you begin your journey is to do your homework. Research. When I started submitting my films to film festivals, yes, I submitted to some of the big ones (Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca, New York Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival, etc.) cause why not? However, once I got the big festivals out of the way, I also did further research to find the festivals that would be tailor-made for my films. For example, if my film featured a Latinx cast and storyline, then I knew that I should find film festivals that were geared towards Latinx-based projects. If my film was directed by a woman, then I found film festivals that celebrated and encouraged films directed by women. If my film was sci-fi, then I found film festivals that focused on this particular genre.

As a result, my submissions became more targeted. More focused. My films fell within the zip code of those particular film festivals because I was speaking their language. Writing competitions are no different. Do the research. Aim for the big ones (cause why not?) and aim for the ones that are targeted to the type of script you have for a more specific, bullseye approach. Not all competitions are equal and built the same way. Some have been around for a while and are highly-regarded and respected. Others are brand new and have only been in the game for one year. Some competitions come and go.

Some factors to consider: how long the competition has been in existence for, its mission statement, its end goals for the writers who enter and win, the judges involved in the competition, the sponsors behind the competition, etc. By the way, I’m not here to say which ones to submit to and which ones to avoid. It’s up to you to do the research and decide for yourself. Listen to your instincts and use your common sense.

Below, I have listed a few established, industry-recognized writing competitions. I found these writing competitions based upon industry colleague recommendations and through my own research. There may be a lot more established, industry-recognized writing competitions, but at least this list will get your wheels going (If you know of other established writing competitions, please leave a comment below so I can add them to the list.) And with the exception of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships which only focuses on screenplays, the other competitions listed below accept both screenplays and TV scripts.

Academy Nicholl Fellowships: https://www.oscars.org/nicholl

Austin Film Festival: https://austinfilmfestival.com/submit/screenplay-and-teleplay-submissions-2/

Final Draft Big Break: https://www.finaldraft.com/big-break-screenwriting-contest/

Page Awards: https://pageawards.com/

ScreenCraft: https://screencraft.org/screenwriting-contests/

Scriptapalooza: https://scriptapalooza.com/

Script Pipeline: https://scriptpipeline.com

Shore Scripts: https://www.shorescripts.com

The Black List: https://blcklst.com/

Tracking Board Launch Pad: https://tblaunchpad.com/

Featured image courtesy of Suzy Hazelwood: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-red-typewriter-1995842/

How To Respond To Your Friends’ Successes

Chasing The George

HELLO! HELLO! HELLO! (as RuPaul says!)

It’s so nice to be back. I hope everyone is thriving both personally and professionally. I have been missing in action because I have been focused on both the acting and writing sides of my career from self-tape auditions for co-star and series regular roles to submitting my writing content to various competitions and writing programs to just being fabulous 🙂 I am grateful that I was able to stay connected and grounded with everything that occurred in 2020.

I hope to continue blogging on a more consistent basis so that I can include all of you on the journey I’m on to have the career I want, while also sharing the lessons and advice I am learning along the way.

The major catalyst that brought me out of blog hibernation was a friend and colleague of mine who I had the pleasure of talking to over the phone recently. A powerhouse of a person and artist, we caught up and by the end of our conversation, she asked, “What happened to your blog?” She proceeded to tell me that my blog was a way for her to stay connected and in the loop.

And so here we are. Do it now! And because we both had a synchronistic week that helped us to reconnect, I knew what I wanted this blog entry to be about. You see, before we called each other and caught up, I had been wanting to write a blog entry about how to respond or react when your friends are winning and succeeding. So, here is my take, my advice, on that. Because the way I responded over the phone when hearing my friend’s successes is a way you should respond as well.

When your friends are winning, be happy for them! Celebrate with them! Cheer them on! Because what goes around, comes around. If I react with a sense of jealousy or resentment, then I’m just putting out a negative energy that A) They feel and B) The universe feels. And I’ve just cut myself off from any abundant, wonderful inflow that can come back my way.

Be happy for your friends! Today it’s them. Tomorrow it’s you. We are coming up together. They are not better than me. I am not better than them. We are in this together. And so when my friend shared her wins, I was truly enthusiastic and proud of her.

I remember attending an alumni panel in LA. The panel was made up of industry types from actors to TV executive producers. I saw some friends of mine in the audience and this was the first time we had seen each other since graduation. Afterwards, we caught up during the reception portion of the event and we got to the famous question, “So, what have you been up to? What have you been working on?” When it was my turn to share, I did so with enthusiasm, excitement, and a real sense of wanting to share. When I was done sharing my recent wins and successes, there was a silence in the air before they said, “Well. What have you been working on?” and they proceeded to the next person. I didn’t receive any acknowledgement. They were filled with jealousy, envy, and resentment. As if I had done something wrong. It feels shitty when you feel people resenting you for the hard work you’ve done. Needless to say, I kicked them off of my career bus with the quickness.

If you’re struck with jealousy, ask yourself why. There are plenty of opportunities out there. There are plenty of jobs out there. There are plenty of doors that can open. There are a myriad of ways to create for yourself and get yourself noticed. Stay the course. It takes work. A sustained effort. Keep track of your journey so that you know where you started, where you are now, and where you are headed next.

So when your friends are winning, respond like Queen Meryl Streep below:

Featured image courtesy of cottonbro at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-toasting-wine-glasses-3171837/