Saturday, October 15, 2005

Got an email from Julie Goes to Hollywood, who seems like a fascinating person who's had a charming life, unless it's the other way around. After chucking what some might consider a glamorous career as a foreign correspondent, she's got another blog about being a peon in Hollywood.

And with all the flood of blogs, I'm wondering why we're all doing it.

Okay, I'm doing it to (a) crystallize my own thinking about how TV works, which then (b) goes into my book (c) which the blog also promotes. And I get to (d) meet fascinating people over the net. And I get to (e) give something back. I mean, I wish I'd had all those blogs in my sidebar to read when I was first getting into the biz. All there was, was Adventures in the Screen Trade, from William Goldman who, let's face it, did not have a tough time breaking in.

One of the frustrations of blogging is meeting all these fascinating people who do not live close enough to invite to a dinner party or a poker game. After five years in Montreal, I still know more people I'd like to eat food with outside Quebec than inside it. I wonder to what degree our virtual lives get in the way of our physical ones.

On the other hand, without the blogs, without email and cheap long distance phone calls, I might simply not know anyone anywhere.

At least I'm writing TV -- a job in which you work with the production people and get to snoop around the set. If all I did was write film scripts and occasionally meet with directors, it would be a lonely, lonely career.

4:30 PM

6 Comments:

Hmmm...
Why does Billy Blog?

- To get a few things off my chest and brain about the D2DVD industry. Thus the title of my blog is Disc/ontent.

- To create a storehouse of ideas, notions, and resources. The kind of "How-to" things I would have found useful when I was starting out back in SC.

- To let people know that if a shmoe like me can survive in the trenches of the movie business, they can do it too.

- shameless self promotion. I've met a lot of people and have attended events because people have read my blog. I've even had job referrals.

By  Cunningham, at 10:01 PM  

Joel Jots (on his blog) for three main reasons:

1. Self-promotion
2. Work out ideas that filter into articles, eventual book(s) I hope, and improves my writing.
3. Help those who are earlier in their careers than I am. Hopefully my experiences can help them.

By  Fun Joel, at 12:00 AM  

1. To express all the stuff I think I know to someone who might appreciate it instead of being frustrated and alone in my flat.

2. To provide a realistic view of the UK script market (TV, film & radio) which is significantly different to the American system. In other words, how & where to get work.

3. Self promotion. I've been too shy up until now.

By  Danny Stack, at 6:21 AM  

I wouldn't even have a career in the industry if it hadn't been for the Internet.

Many years ago, after I'd just completed the bible for my proposed TV series, I found the official website for an LA-based film and television star who was the inspiration for one of my main characters. Just for the hell of it, I emailed him asking if he would be interested in taking a look at my bible. A few hours later he emailed back saying he wanted to read it, thus launching my screenwriting career (such as it is). If he hadn't responded to my email, I was just going to chuck the bible in the garbage and go back to being a janitor.

Months later, I stumbled upon the website of famed Hollywood writer-producer Larry Brody. As I learned more about the inner workings of the industry through him, we developed a close friendship and I eventually became the publicist for his entire organization (books, websites, TV shows, seminars, newspaper columns etc.) , thus launching my P.R. career.

Then, last year, I found the website of Jon Cooksey, the co-creator of one of my favourite occult fantasy series, called The Collector. I emailed him to gush about how much I loved his show and, soon after, we became Internet buddies. I also befriended the cast of his series, one of them being the wife of the president & CEO of CHUM. I took on the role of unofficial liaison between the show's producers/cast and its worldwide fan base, answering fan mail, helping with interviews and other promotions. Meanwhile, Jon became my mentor, helped me tweak my bible and find writers, actors, directors and other folks to hire for my series, while the actress became my cheerleader over at CHUM.

Then, of course, there's the happy accident of finding Alex's website while searching ravenously for info about Charlie Jade, another favourite TV show. That lead me to the ever-witty Denis McG, followed by a hook-up by email with one of the show's cast-members, the sensuous Ty Benskin, whom I adore and hope to have star in a recurring role on my show.

All I can say is thank GOD for the Internet!

KJC (who has a pitch meeting with CHUM next month)

By  Kelly J. Crawford, at 10:18 AM  

Great stories, Kelly!

By  Fun Joel, at 1:24 PM  

My blog is to promote a product, which is myself, starring a make-believe character which is the cooler and funnier version of my real-life self. Since I have gotten work from having the blog I will keep cooking along with it for a while. A cool side benefit has been conversing with tons of people who would not waste a stamp on you in the old paper and envelope days. I posted some thoughts about an essay Michael Tolkin wrote that I re-read when I have writer's block, and then the real-life Michael Tolkin wrote me an email about it. How cool is the blogosphere?

John

By  John Oak Dalton, at 12:44 PM  

Post a Comment

Back to Complications Ensue main blog page.