Category Archives: IN THE TRENCHES

[IN THE TRENCHES] Adapt or Die

Posted on December 31, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

During an email discussion a few weeks ago, regarding some form of chaos or another, my mom remarked about her and my dad that, “We adapt.” In a year where nothing is the same as it was before, this ability … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] False Endings

Posted on November 30, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

False endings come in many shapes and sizes. They’re in songs, like Helter Skelter, All by Myself, and Sabotage. They’re in movies – mostly horror – often to elicit a last-minute jump scare. Although they can provide a bit of … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] What’s in a Name?

Posted on August 31, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

What’s in a name? A whole lot, it turns out. Maybe even too much. From the front cover of a spec script to a marquee on a movie theater, the title has been, and always will be, a critical task … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] The Day Job and DreamWorks “Wizards”

Posted on July 31, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

Like a lot of screenwriters, my freelance gigs have infrequently provided enough income to make a living. To be able to do fun things like eat and pay health insurance, requires one to have an additional source of income… aka … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Chris Cluess – A Man for All Formats

Posted on April 30, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

Emmy-winning screenwriter, Chris Cluess, is not easily pigeonholed. Does he do sketches? Sitcoms? Hour-long? Features? How about animation? Novels? Yes. Yes, he does. If a format exists, Chris has more than likely written for it at one point or another. … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Tech vs. Spec

Posted on February 29, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

In the never-ending war of tech vs. spec, tech wins almost every time. Not too long ago, a production company liked a script Rhonda Smiley and I wrote, but the scale was a little too small for them. They asked … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] The End of the Road

Posted on January 31, 2020 by [TEXTSMITH]

Writing is hard. Making a living writing, is almost impossible. So, have you imagined a time when you’d stop? Stop writing. Stop trying to get discovered. Stop trying to get hired, produced, or published. Have you imagined a scenario where … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] That First Gig

Posted on September 30, 2019 by [TEXTSMITH]

I think the primary question for most impending college graduates is: What now? That was in the forefront of my mind as a senior in the film and television department at NYU. I had a couple of thoughts. There was … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] Tortured Running Analogies

Posted on April 30, 2019 by [TEXTSMITH]

As the oft-repeated saying goes, a career is a Marathon, not a sprint. But really, pretty much everything – other than a sprint – isn’t a sprint. In the same vein, the most obvious marathon is an actual 26.2 mile … Continue reading →

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[IN THE TRENCHES] 2020 Vision

Posted on January 31, 2019 by [TEXTSMITH]

It’s still January. If barely. What are you gonna do about it? The New Year traditionally brings with it high hopes and bold resolutions (some that might border on the delusional). I’m not really the resolutions type, personally (just ask … Continue reading →

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