I was working on an interview for the CanvasRebel website this week, and the question of resilience came up.
Never mind the odds
Resilience is a key personality trait if you want to be a working screenwriter. A writer at all, actually.
If you try to do creative things professionally, there are going to be quite a few obstacles in your path.
To begin with, a lot of other people want to do the same thing, and the sad truth is that there are only so many jobs. It’s probably not quite as competitive as trying to be an actor or a rock star, but I bet it’s close.
I’ve been called stubborn. Like it’s a bad thing (okay, it can be a bad thing). But in this business, stubbornness, or tenacity, is a key characteristic that will give you your best chance for success.
There are going to be times when you get ghosted, when you get passed over, when you get rejected. These are unfortunate, but common experiences.
My most simplistic advice (and yet simultaneously super wise) is to just keep going.
Run, writer, run
If you take a really big hit, you shouldn’t pretend it didn’t happen and pop right back up. You can stay down for a little while, maybe even wallow for a bit. Eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. It might even be a good idea to take some time away from writing so you can clear your head.
But before too long, you’ll need to pull yourself up by your bootstraps (or if you’re not wearing boots, then straps for whatever footwear you happen to be in). And then…
Just. Keep. Going.
I’ve said this before, but the amount of times you get knocked down doesn’t matter, as long as you keep getting up. You can’t have failed if you’re still trying.
Anyway, just wanted to encourage you and say you’re not alone in experiencing roadblocks and letdowns. I’ve experienced plenty myself. And will no doubt experience more. But that’s okay.
Just talking about this has been good for me personally. I feel just a bit invigorated. Hopefully you do as well.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel and winner of Fan Favorite Villain at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
When you first start out in the entertainment industry, you quickly discover that the most prevalent entry-level opportunities are as an Assistant or Production Assistant (aka P.A.).
Both of these guys rode shotgun in my Mazda Protegé
If you’re a P.A. on lower-budgeted projects, like I was, you’re more than likely to find yourself with responsibilities that far outweigh your position. Or salary.
One of those is driving name-brand actors from one place to another.
I don’t know what compels producers and production managers to have the twenty-something kids on the crew with the least experience (and probably the crappiest cars) chauffeur the onscreen talent. But that’s exactly what happens.
Maybe in the era of Uber and Lyft, it doesn’t seem so odd to have a celebrity plop themselves down in some rando’s car, but it sure felt that way when I was behind the wheel.
If you’re a P.A. picking up an actor for the first time, my simplest advice is to not be star struck. You’re supposed to treat these people with respect, but also like a fellow crew member. Be professional. Don’t ask for an autograph, or request a selfie, or take them to your high school reunion (as legendary as that might be).
Other than that, just “read the room,” and let them set the tone with conversation or silence.
Here are a few of the notable riders from my first couple of years in town…
THE LAST OF HIS TRIBE
This TV movie was a historical drama for HBO.
When films were actually film
I started out as an Office P.A. This meant working out of the production office, as opposed to on set. Which was useful in this case as I lived in Los Angeles and the set was up north in Sonora.
Part of my job was to actually pick up the film shot that day from the airport and drive it to the lab, CFI, where it was processed and transferred to tape dailies overnight.
When production moved down to Los Angeles, I became a set P.A. (Key Set P.A., according to the Crew List, thank you very much.). This is when I started getting driving assignments for something other than celluloid.
For a few weeks, I picked up Graham Greene from the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Hollywood and drove him to wherever the set was that day. I had first seen him just a few years earlier in Dances With Wolves, where he nabbed an Academy Award nomination, so I was rather intimidated.
When we met, my first impression was that he was gruff and standoffish. But after getting to know him better, I realized he was just kind of a quiet, nice guy. A particularly bad day for me in the very near future illustrated just how nice.
That morning, I got lost on the way to set. We were going to the same location we had for several days, so I was mentally on autopilot. But something threw me slightly off track and before I knew it, I took the wrong exit and headed on a loop of confusion trying to get myself back on course.
Revised Call Sheet means 20 more minutes of sleep
In the meantime, Graham’s call time came and went. As I panicked, palms sweating, and explained what what happening, Graham took it all in stride. He calmly talked me off the ledge and said that if anyone got upset, he’d tell them we were late because he made me stop for a latte.
A small gesture of grace that I’ll never forget.
In addition to my regular drives for Graham, I also piloted a one-off trip for Graham’s co-star, Jon Voight, and that Midnight Cowboy ended up generating a bit of a hard-rocking vignette.
Jon was also an Academy Award nominee, not to mention winner, so his resume was as imposing as his frame. As with other high profile passengers, I typically kept the radio off, but I did have an ejected cassette sticking out of the tape deck.
Jon Voight’s Favorite
During the ride – which I think consisted of going from one airport to another – Jon noticed the tape and asked what it was. I told him it was Use Your Illusion from Guns N’ Roses that had just come out. I tried to explain that they were kind of intense and I didn’t think he’d really like it too mu– CLICK.
Mid-explanation, he pushed the tape into the deck and it started to play.
I don’t know that it was necessarily a full minute of Axl Rose loudly screeching obscenities, but it sure felt like it in my head. After what seemed like an eternity, Jon hit the eject button and said, “I think that’s enough of that.”
Not sure if the rest of the ride was in silence, but I can’t remember another thing that happened. Perhaps this was the moment that drove him to become a hard right lunatic.
FIRE IN THE DARK
This was another TV Movie, though for CBS.
What I remember most about driving Jean Stapleton is that she lived in a gorgeous house in lush, hilly Bel Air.
She also used my cupholder for her morning tea.
Some more of the Mazda passenger posse
On one ride to set, the subject of All in the Family residuals came up. How this happened, I can’t even remember. Regardless, what does stick in my head all these years later was that she said she took a buyout instead, but had no regrets.
With a house like that, what was there to regret?
Another charming senior I chauffeured was character actress, Amzie Strickland (far right in the picture above). She was the sweetest and even gifted me a basket of tomatoes she’d picked from her yard.
Perhaps something to consider next time, Jon Voight?
My shortest drive may have been for former Bionic Woman, Lindsay Wagner. Her route from one set to another couldn’t have been more than a few blocks.
For some reason, the fact that she lived in Oregon at some point in her life came up. I mentioned that one of my college roommates was from Grant’s Pass, so I think we made a real connection.
The last actor I remember driving was Edward Herrmann. One of two Lost Boys vampires I’ve now met in real life.
Featuring the dads of Laura Palmer and the Lost Boys
Oh, sorry. Spoiler alert if you haven’t gotten around to seeing that movie from 1987.
Anyway, Edward had wrapped shooting, but the production didn’t want to officially release him until they checked the dailies from the day before. Nevertheless, I was tasked with driving him to the airport, but would turn around if he was needed for reshoots.
To let me know this in 1991, the Production Coordinator would give me a hit on my beeper (like a doctor… or drug dealer).
During the ride, I explained how this was all going to work. Edward seemed very interested in the process and even asked to see my beeper. When I handed it to him, though, he rolled down the passenger window and pretended to throw it out onto the street.
Seems he was looking forward to going home.
Anyway, happy endings for all involved as the dailies were good and there was no 911 to head back to set. Edward was released on his own recognizance.
Anyway, if you’re thinking of moving to Los Angeles and getting started in the business, make sure your license is up-to-date and all the Taco Bell wrappers have been cleaned off the car floor.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel and winner of Fan Favorite Villain at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
There’s the old adage that you should “write what you know.”
While there’s plenty to be said for that, there are also plenty of instances when you should write what you have.
When it comes to production – especially your own production – how can you make the most of what’s around?
Instead of just writing without restraint, consider channeling your creativity to maximize production value and make your project stand out from the rest.
STUDENT LIFE
As a film student, this perspective is essential. There are no big budgets. There are no big stars. You aren’t likely to pull off a story set in the rings of Jupiter or a shire in Middle Earth. So you’re forced to consider what you have on hand.
Brainstorm the project from that perspective. Do you have access to a cool apartment with a fire escape? A rooftop overlooking the city? An abandoned movie theater?
These simple things can elevate your project and make it special.
One of the earliest projects I worked on at school was essentially a chase through New York City. Led by director, Mark Brian Smith, we thought about what places we knew of that looked cool. Like bridges, outdoor markets, and unique architecture. We roamed the city, shooting in front of one graphic background after another, and making a simple concept into something a little more.
In another film, a friend’s pet iguana was written into the story as a rare poisonous reptile. He made for an unexpected murder weapon and didn’t even demand his own dressing room.
SHORT CIRCUIT
This isn’t limited to students, of course. The same applies to any project.
Who needs a helicopter when you’ve got a professional-grade drone?
It was conceived to take advantage of both the cross-country locations and the drone’s capabilities. This allowed the creative team to design a film that would highlight these special elements, as opposed to just trying to incorporate them into an unrelated idea after the fact.
Identify the unique, special things that can enhance your production and integrate them from the start.
LIMITED LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
In the golden age of the limited location feature, you want to focus on your assets, not your shortcomings.
Robert Rodriguez is the patron saint, and El Mariachi the poster child, for making the most of what you’ve got. As legend has it, Rodriguez wrote the script for that movie knowing he had access to a ranch, two bars, and a bus. And although it was critical to write a compelling narrative and shoot and edit with a creative eye, those little extras raised the bar.
My director friend, Charles Unger, took that recipe to heart for his own indie. With access to the DGA Building in Hollywood, a fashion company in Downtown LA, and a Buick Skylark convertible, he wrote and directed his feature debut, Mr. Lucke.
GETTING SERIES-OUS
This perspective can serve as a valuable asset while writing for a series as well. You can take some pressure off a producer (and their budget) by gauging what kinds of special things are already at the production’s disposal.
Our home base and primary shooting location for Mowgli: The New Adventures of the Jungle Book, was a former coffee plantation. While we had built recurring sets, the property had a lot more places to find inspiration. And at little to no extra cost.
Walking the grounds revealed many great opportunities to bring something special to our show. There were picturesque cliffs, valleys, abandoned buildings, and even a garbage dump.
Episode ideas were inspired by those untapped locations and features, making the most of what was available at the earliest stage and boosting their potential.
ANIMATION MAXIMIZATION
I’ve talked about this before, but when you’re working on an animated show, you can’t just write anything that comes to mind.
Kuu Kuu Harajuku’s season 1 video game monster returns in season 3 to wreak havoc in the “real world”
I mean, you can of course, but even if fantastical locations and wall-to-wall special effects are cheaper in animation than in live action, that doesn’t mean they’re actually cheap.
It pays to look through the show’s previous episodes and reach out to the production to find out what existing sets and characters have already been designed, but potentially underutilized.
Let your scripts spring from there, focusing your creativity on those assets and elevating what the production has.
This can make you an extremely valuable part of the team and maybe a more desirable hire in future productions.
BIG FINISH
Ultimately, I encourage creatives to take inventory – literally – and channel their imaginations through their existing resources.
While some might believe that art can’t be restrained, writing with intention and purpose is critical if you want to be a professional. Use everything you have to make your projects memorable.
This is another place where the craft of writing comes in. And craft is every bit as valuable as art. Practice it. Develop it. And then make the most of what you’ve got.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel and winner of Fan Favorite Villain at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
I’ve known Tim Bogart for a long time. We met as Freshmen at NYU‘s Tisch School of the Arts. Possibly the first day, but definitely the first week.
We were part of a group of like-minded friends and when we weren’t talking about movies over pitchers at Bella’s Pizzeria, we were all working on each other’s projects.
If there was one person in our crew who I thought would be a surefire success, it was Tim.
It turns out that surefire doesn’t necessarily happen as easily or in as straight a line as one would expect.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t still pursue it. You keep working, persevering, and someday, that zigzagging, forward-and-backward path might lead you to the destination you were driving for the whole time.
This week, Tim’s passion project, Spinning Gold, has finally hit theaters. Written and directed by Tim, the biopic chronicles the outrageous life and career of his father, Neil Bogart, founder of Casablanca Records.
A Home for Creatives
The head of an iconic label in the 1970’s with Donna Summer, Kiss, Parliament-Funkadelic, and the Village People, Neil was an unstoppable force of nature, much like his kids are today.
I got Tim to sit down for Pipeline Artists and talk to me about his career, his writing, and how Spinning Gold came to be.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel and winner of Fan Favorite Villain at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
2022 wrapped up with the release of the final article in my series for Pipeline Artists, Adapting a Screenplay Into a Graphic Novel.
The Full Boxed Set
As I mentioned when I first got the green light, I’d been looking forward to writing about the experience of putting together Blowback, but it seemed far too involved for a single post.
But through Pipeline, I finally got to break it down into the major steps and elaborate to my heart’s content.
Have you ever thought about adapting one of your scripts to a graphic novel? Maybe writing a comic or graphic novel from scratch? Or perhaps you were just curious to learn how the sausage is generally made.
Well, this is your lucky day.
While there’s no one single way to do this, you might find it interesting to see how Rhonda Smiley and I went about making ours.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel and winner of Fan Favorite Villain at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
As part of the promotion for our graphic novel, Blowback, we rallied on social media to get voting support for the Ringo Awards.
Our efforts were a success as Blowback was ultimately nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel. One of just five and the only self-published book in the category. An honor indeed.
The awards themselves are held annually as part of the Baltimore Comic-Con, which made attending even more of a draw. Unfortunately, living in Los Angeles meant I’d have to fly all the way across the country to Maryland if I wanted to be there in person.
Conundrum.
After much debating, I decided it’d be worth the cost and time to be there to soak it all in. As an indie, I didn’t think we had much of a chance to win, but the opportunity to even hear our book announced alongside all the other amazing nominees was too much to pass up.
You like us. Right now, you like us.
I might never get the chance again, after all.
With work and family responsibilities to juggle, the trip was a bit of a whirlwind, flying from LA to Baltimore on Friday morning and back again on Sunday afternoon.
It was also my first trip since the start of the pandemic so stress levels were a bit elevated, shall we say. Not liking to fly in the first place didn’t help either. But I pushed through.
A comped weekend pass to the Con was an excellent perk, and made exploring the aisles just a little more special. I spotted fellow Ringo nominees, Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavy at their booth and stopped by to introduce myself.
I’ve talked about Fred’s comic scripting style being a model for our book in my Pipeline Artists graphic novel series, so it was cool to get to thank him in person.
Later, I took in the Breaking Into Comics panel, led by yet more Ringo nominees, and crashed the group photo afterwards.
That night were the Awards themselves, which were held as a dinner, like the Golden Globes. Following a cocktail party, I was seated at a table and got to meet and dine with a bunch of industry vets, like Jim Calafiore, Dirk Wood, and Afua Richardson. Also got a swag bag packed to the rim with books.
Just a couple of random Mets fans
But it got even better than that.
About halfway through the night, Blowback actually won Fan Favorite Villain and I got to go up to the podium and make a speech! Short and sweet, of course. You don’t want to get played off, after all.
As predicted, Blowback didn’t win Best Original Graphic Novel. On the bright side, however, the category was announced by John Leguizamo, so everybody got to hear him name our book among the nominees.
I also made sure to grab a quick selfie with him afterwards, so it’s properly captured for historical purposes. For science!
All in all, a fine weekend indeed. And I didn’t even have to pay an additional bag charge for the brand new hardware.
THE VOICE ARTS AWARDS
December had me unexpectedly at my next awards show.
My brother-in-law, Dave Kozlowski, is an attorney on the Board of the Society of Voice Arts and Sciences, and was tabbed to present at their annual event.
This year it was being held at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank, and Dave invited me to join him as a guest.
The location added a touch of nostalgia as one of my very first jobs in town was on the lot as a P.A. on Night Court.
Backstage in the green room, I was introduced to the gracious and friendly SOVAS principals, Rudy Gaskins and Joan Baker.
Whoomp There They Are
After watching Dave navigate the flash bulb storm of the red carpet, we got to enjoy several cocktail party chats, including with Dave’s co-presenter, DC Glenn of Tag Team fame (not to mention the fantastic Scoop There it Is Geico Commercial).
You know, like you do.
The award show itself was held in a theatre, similar to the Academy Awards format.
Obviously, a lot of preparation and effort goes into each and every one of these ceremonies to make them special and unique. But cooperation from the attendees seems to be a common need.
Before both of the ones I was at, the attendees were told which side of the stage to approach if they were named a winner, as well as which side to exit.
At the Voice Arts Awards, timing was also crucial, including duration of acceptance speeches (a common award show struggle), and at what point winners should head on down to collect their trophies.
With the Ringos, winners were also instructed to pause after exiting with their awards so that they could have their picture taken by the official photographer. Couldn’t see what happened offstage in the Voice Arts Awards, but I would think something similar.
If you ever get a chance to attend an industry awards show and you can make it happen without breaking the bank, take that leap. It’s something everyone should experience.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel and winner of Fan Favorite Villain at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
In related news, I just got back from the East Coast and the Baltimore Comic-Con.
Blowback was up for Best Original Graphic Novel at the 2022 Ringo Awards, and I was fortunate enough to attend the Awards dinner in person. As promised, there were genuine Maryland crab cakes.
And also John Leguizamo.
It was definitely a whirlwind of a weekend. More on that later.
Jim Hereth‘s latest project is his debut action/adventure graphic novel, Blowback, nominated for Best Original Graphic Novel at the Ringo Awards. Available now in digital and paperback editions at Amazon.
To give that a little perspective, Blowback was the only self-published book in our category, and just one of three on the entire ballot.
Voting in the Final Round is only open to Comic Creative Professionals, and the winners will be announced in a ceremony at The Baltimore Comic-Con on Saturday, October 29th.
Meanwhile, my second article for Pipeline Artists was posted earlier this month.
In a series of articles for Pipeline over the course of the next few months, I’ll go into depth about suggested steps, along with my specific experiences.
My first piece just went live a couple of weeks ago.
When you’re starting out in the entertainment industry (or perhaps navigating a dry spell), you may just find yourself doing a few odd jobs here and there. Something to bridge the gaps and pay the bills.
This is about as odd as it gets
Nothing illegal, of course.
Probably.
Then again, this is Hollywood we’re talking about.
Don’t do anything illegal, people!
PA, or Production Assistant – one of the most common first jobs in the business – is almost entirely composed of odd jobs. But it can get subdivided into even odder specifics.
Some friends of mine spent a summer being “Parking PA’s.” That gig is primarily about keeping streets clear overnight so that production vehicles have space to park the next day.
I believe one of the highlights for them was watching over character Billy Batts‘ shallow grave for Goodfellas.
That right there goes to show you that odd jobs can create lifelong memories. And a fine collection of good stories.
Here are a few of mine…
Dangerous
Looking for work early in my industry tenure, I got a short term gig on a behind-the-scenes shoot for Propaganda Films.
I don’t really remember how it came about, but I think I temporarily filled in for a PA and mostly worked at the Propaganda offices. Mostly.
A made man
One day I got to be at the rehearsal stage in the middle of Hollywood somewhere.
Which is when Michael Jackson walked through the lobby with a couple members of Another Bad Creation.
The video was Black or White and Jackson was kind of at the height of his career, so it was a pretty cool moment. At the time, anyway. Definitely lost some of that sheen since.
One of the things that video is famous for is the morphing faces at the end, which was something no one had really seen used so effectively before.
Which is a prefect segue to yet another kind of “Morphin….”
Rangers, Mighty Morphin Power
At one point while at NYU, I filled in on sound for a student film. Not because it was something I was interested in, but because so few students seemed to want the gig in general. But it still had to get done.
This led to other student directors hearing about it and asking me to do audio for their projects. Thankfully, not too many.
Anyway, I guess this ended up being a skill set I sort of reluctantly backed into.
Cut to years later and I’m looking for work. A friend of a friend was doing audio for the Power Rangers – Lightspeed Rescue edition – and needed a boom operator to fill in for a day.
Before I could come to my senses, I was in a parking structure in downtown Los Angeles. Sort of near where the locals serve Jury Duty (also reluctantly).
Anyway, it was stressful as I hadn’t done it professionally before and a boom mic in the shot was not a good thing to let happen. After a few set-ups, though, it didn’t even matter anymore.
The production realized they didn’t need sync sound for the action scenes they were doing, so I was sent home. Still, I got paid for a full day with both time-and-a-half and double time because it was a weekend.
And I got to be a (very) a small part of an iconic franchise. Win win.
The King
A man and his Lucille
Speaking of icons, while working at Wolfcrest Entertainment, we got subcontracted to write an interactive digital biography of B.B. King.
In addition to lots of research, we were flown to Las Vegas to see B.B. in concert, and then interview him in his trailer afterwards.
It was an amazing experience, especially when he referred to me as a “rebel.” I had long hair at the time, so I suppose it was pretty obvious that convention wasn’t for me. B.B. got it.
Ultimately, the company we were working with lost the gig and On the Road with B.B. Kingwas finished without us. Nevertheless, the audio from our talk was used in the final product, including some laughing from we interviewers.
Connected with a blues guitar legend for all of eternity? Check.
Authors Authors
The Rock Bottom Remainders were a garage band made up primarily of authors. An amateur supergroup that would perform at certain book-related functions with proceeds going to charities. Members included Stephen King, Amy Tan, Dave Barry, and Matt Groening.
A made-for-video documentary of the band was conceived and produced, and I was right in the thick of it.
I put that mic on his collar
Returning yet again to my dubious audio skills, I ended up recording most of the interviews, in addition to possibly pushing the dolly during the concert taping.
My credit reads, “Video / Audio Engineer,” which seems like a very generous description of my contribution.
Actually, working on interviews might just be my odd job forte…
Rock and Roll Tape
My very first job after college was working at the syndicated series, Night Flight. One of the Segment Producers there was particularly interested in music and managed to arrange a few interviews with touring bands when they were in town.
Someone had to shoot them, of course, so this is where I came in. I can’t remember all the artists, but I think I shot Drivin’ ‘N’ Cryin‘, and I definitely did The Godfathers and Sisters of Mercy, since I still have the invoices.
No one ever tells you, but the most important part of blogging is a bulletproof filing system.
In the end, even the most unusual jobs can still lead to a paycheck, network connection, or your own grab bag of memories. So keep your mind open and ear to the ground and one day you too can share your tales with the world.
Actually, why wait? Ever have any interesting or bizarre industry jobs? Dry cleaning, perhaps? Babysitting? Body disposal?
