Creator/EP of WORKSHOP (Hulu); BRIEFCASE (Netflix); MY SYNTHESIZED LIFE. Author of JOURNEY OF SELF: SIX MONTHS IN THE JAPANESE COUNTRYSIDE. Upcoming in link ↙️
The wildest thing about writing is being on set looking around at all the cast and crew that exist in that space at that moment and they’re there because you had an idea at some point that you wrote down
Rest in Peace actor M. Emmet Walsh. I met him a few years ago and he gave me this baseball card sized pic with stills from his greatest roles and a printed out resume
I created a 6 minute short film years ago. I knew it was good. Instead of festivals, I spent 2 months researching film sites, big & small, & asked if I could send the film when it premiered online. 75 write-ups later, Netflix saw a review & licensed the film for 4 years
@chelseabwrites
When I was first starting out as a writer, I met Henry Winkler at a Starbucks. I asked him if he wanted to do a guest spot in the show I was writing. He asked if I had a card. I gave him my cheapo VistaPrint card with my headshot on it. He called me a few days later. Class act
Years ago, my first comedy series WORKSHOP got picked up by Hulu. The next morning I got a phone call. It was a TV agent at one of the big agencies. He asked me what else I had. Nothing. That was it. The agent said congrats on the deal & hung up. Be prepared when success comes
I got a Hulu deal for my series thanks to a guy sitting next to me on a panel. I got a Netflix deal for my film thanks to a photographer. I’m getting lots of meetings for my Japanese memoir thanks to a well known actor I met at a premiere. You never know how it’s going to happen
I love living in LA because of the palpable creative energy. People are working hard to accomplish their dreams and you feel it everywhere. People writing in coffee shops, people rehearsing scenes in class, people meeting, collaborating, filming - it pushes you to achieve more
The first few years in LA, I made hundreds (maybe thousands?) of actor & actress friends from acting classes, casting director workshops, side jobs, wherever. 4 “made it.”
There were 3 actors who I considered the most naturally gifted. All 3 gave up. It’s a marathon not a sprint
One of my core memories my first year living in LA was a co-worker at my restaurant job finding out he booked a series regular on a new series. He quit on the spot and the entire staff doused him with cans of whipped cream while he raised his arms in triumph like Andy Dufresne
Met with a producer’s assistant yesterday and she was telling me the way they decide on what scripts to pursue is to run them through an AI program that reads the script and projects how much money it will make in each country. And no comedies. Too volatile
Last night I had a phone conversation with a director who just directed a 16 million dollar feature packaged by CAA. She’s up for a studio film but also likes a feature film of mine that she read in December. Her moving forward with my film would probably be a game changer for me
The craziest thing about the entertainment industry is the feeling of being right on the verge of something amazing happening, then a million miles away from it, then being on the verge again. Not for the faint of heart. And so satisfying when the yes happens
@TelvinGriffin
This election has been a real eye opener to me how the elites completely control the narrative of what the media says. The last few weeks have been like living in the upside down, with nothing but hit pieces against Biden and a weird over inflation of Trump. Stay focused
@MattBaume
When Robin Williams died, I cried. He’s the only celebrity that I felt an emotional loss to. He was my childhood. He was brilliant. He was kind. He was like a real life Peter Pan in some ways, with that certain spark. Bangarang
Putting your creative work out there for the world to see is scary, but even scarier is growing old and dying without having been brave enough to put it out there at all
Thing I’ve seen time & time again since moving to LA is people give up pursuing an artistic career because they realize they don’t love it as much as they thought they would. They love the IDEA of it. But they’re not truly passionate about doing the work. The work is everything
When we were shooting my Hulu series WORKSHOP, one of the leads had a 93 yr old dad. She lived & took of him, & some days he needed to come with her to set. So we had him as background in many scenes. A classroom of college students, & tucked in the back was her 93 year old dad
Pretty much every person I’ve known who has succeeded since I’ve moved to LA is a dual threat. An actor/singer, or actor/writer, or writer/director, or writer/producer, etc. It’s competitive enough as it is out here, the odds are bound to increase the more roles you can excel in
I cast an actor who was a series regular on a long-running popular show. He said all those years, he only once offered a creative suggestion to a scene, & was immediately shot down. So he now loved indie projects because he was given creative flexibility & money didn’t matter
Actresses in my Hulu series had scene at a car show. Fancy dresses. Car showroom booked. 3 co-stars. Day before, showroom cancelled. Now what? Shot scene in a parking garage “right before” car show. Worked great. Learned sometimes you can shoot the “moment before” a $$$ location
Great part living in LA is that entertainment folks are everywhere. We were shooting a scene for season 2 of my Hulu series, & actor Josh Meyers was getting his moped fixed in a shop next door. I asked if he wanted to do a cameo. His scene (took an hour) turned out hilarious
An enticing way to get well-known actors to do guest appearances in your indie projects is to have their scenes all be in one contained location, preferably all in one day. A one day commitment with a little character arc in a safe space. Worked for me many times
One way to entice an actor to do a guest star in your indie project is by offering a role outside his or her usual casting. A well known actor friend who typically gets cast as romantic leads got to play a total scumbag, committed to it 100% and promoted the hell out of the film
When I was writing my first project at a Starbucks in Brentwood, Henry Winkler came in. I asked him if he’d be interested in guest starring in the new indie show I was writing. He asked if I had a business card. Called me a few days later. Nicest guy ever. The GOAT
Henry Winkler appreciation tweet! GIF your favorite Henry character, gosh there are so many! I served him one time as a teenager and he tipped me enough to buy groceries for a month, he is the GOAT
@TheNormanLear
I saw you speak at an event several years ago, and it was apparent that you were the sharpest and most quick-witted person in the room. Congrats on a well-lived, long life and thank you for speaking up for fellow writers
Entertainment industry can be “death from a thousand cuts.” Endless rejection leads to a trauma response where you’re preparing yourself for the worst in even the most positive of situations. Awareness of your cycle of fear-based negative thoughts and changing your mindset is key
My 70-something year old mother-in-law Cindy Pickett (Ferris Bueller’s mom) had a 6 page audition for a recurring guest star on a series. Helped her with the self tape last night. She was completely off book. Didn’t drop a word of dialogue. Insanely good. Some people just have it
This are what actor submissions look like when you post for a project:
18 to play younger: 250 submissions
18 - 28: 5,000,000 submissions
29 - 40: 2,,000 submissions
40 - 60: 500 submissions
60 - 75: 100 submissions
75 +: 10 submissions
Hang in there.
A successful writer gave me a good piece of advice a few years ago: Don’t track your career over the span of one year. Take a 5 year approach. Look at what you’ve accomplished in the past 5 years. You’ll see how much you’re achieving, even if it doesn’t always feel that way
Got hired to write an hour “based on” pilot for a scripted series about the rise and fall of a famous entrepreneur. The team of producers guiding me through notes are so talented. Grateful for the job
One of the most depressed times I’ve had living in LA was after my show finished releasing new episodes on Hulu. Why? Because the excitement of writing, casting, filming, getting the deal, publicity & releasing it was over. Now what? It’s the journey, not the destination
“Everything in LA is set up to distract you - the parties, the beach, the side jobs, the women, the traffic, everything. If you can block it all out and just focus, you’re already ahead of 99% of people out here.”
~ advice I got the first week I moved to LA
I’ve known thousands of actors, writers, directors and other creatives during my time living in LA. The ability to sustain your passion is what separates those who keep at it and those who don’t. Without passion, it’s just a grind, and there are plenty of other paths to grind in
I’m going through a lot of very time consuming and difficult days dealing with aging parents. I keep trying to tell myself “this too shall pass.” Society really doesn’t prepare you for this
Writers, what is your writing process like?
I have an hour & a half of concentrated writing in me every day. If I push beyond that, my brain starts to feel like it’s overheating. Peak brain time is 12pm - 3pm. Any exercise must come after writing, not before, or I’m overly tired
A trap that some actors fall into is becoming career students. LA is full of rejection or no feedback at all. In acting class, the teacher gives instant feedback. Actors ride the wave of good feedback one week and bad the next. Years go by. Class is more prioritized than career
You can’t control how other people are going to respond to your creative project. You can only do your best and put your art out there for the world to see. If it succeeds, enjoy and soak in every second. If it doesn’t, be brave enough to ask for feedback and on to the next one
None of my big successes in the entertainment industry have been through traditional means. They’ve all been through personal connections I’ve made. My series on Hulu, my film w/ Netflix, my first book getting optioned & and now the biggest win to date. Crazy
#WritingCommunity
When I get broad notes on a script, I go through these stages:
1. Read notes. Frustratingly disagree. Keep grouchiness to myself of course
2. Re-read notes a few days later: Sounds exhausting. No way
3. Read notes a week later:
Damn these are great notes, let’s do this
A friend asked for help with script. Sent me 158 page version. I went through, cut & condensed action lines. Barely changed dialogue. Script now 108 pages. The reader will get the point if story is there. No need to hold reader’s hand describing every little detail and feeling
Be proud that you did your part. You walked in solidarity or supported those who did. You didn’t scab. You helped obtain a better deal for all. The future beyond that - for you, for me, for everyone - has yet to be written
#WritingCommunity
#wgastrong
If you’re thinking of making the big move to LA, know that a lot of people move home during the first year. It’s a huge city, it can be overwhelming, you don’t have your friend circle yet, and it’s expensive. But like many before you, you’ll find your way - if you stick it out
A lot of success in the entertainment biz just comes down to sticking it out, continuing to create things, & meeting new people. Even when things you make seemingly go nowhere. In my least “successful” project I directed, I met my future mother in law & two of my closest friends
If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be to stop once a day, take a look around, really soak it in, and be conscious and grateful for that moment in time. A lot of happy memories being made that I didn’t appreciate because I was always moving too fast
I’ve seen so many aspiring artists in LA get derailed by partying too much. They spend too much money going out all the time, which means working even more shifts at their side jobs to pay for going out, which means little to no time focusing on career. Years go by
Since March 2020, I’ve written 2 books, 2 features, 2 half-hour comedy pilots & 3 one-hour pilots. I directed 2 high concept trailers for those projects, have a pitch out to networks, & a former book got optioned. Ready to achieve my goals in 2023
#WritingCommunity
#screenwriting
“Burn the boats.” Best advice I’ve ever gotten. It means: you’ve landed on the shore where your goals and dreams reside. It will seem many times like an impossible task. But you burned your boats upon landing. There is no turning back. No plan B. The only direction is forward
No one will ever be as passionate about your creative projects as you are. The sooner you come to peace with that, the sooner you can devote more of your time and energy marketing them
The creative work is everything. The work will sustain you. The work will bring you joy. The work will keep you focused in this city that has a million distractions. The work will find its way in front of others. And the more you keep creating, the better your work will be
If you still have the belief that your vote doesn’t matter, just take a look at the Georgia race between Warnock and Herschel Walker. Less than 1,000 votes separate them out of 3.7 million. Your vote matters!
#ElectionNight
I guess if I could impart one thing, it’s that no one is ever going to be as passionate about your work as you are. So find any and every way to share it, promote it, bring attention to it, make trailers for it, whatever it takes! It’s your career
#scriptchat
Stopped tweeting for a month so I could focus on writing a script. Fell out of writing Twitter’s algorithm. But on the much more plus side, finished the script
@all_the_birds_
Thank you! The template was something like “Hi (try to find name of person running site/doing reviews), I love (name of site)! I am about to release (genre/name of film/logline) and was hoping you can review/tweet about it! Here’s the link. Thanks! Sincerely, (your name/contact)”
A really well known 12 year old actor’s mom just read my feature script 130 Million Breaths and wants him attached to play the 10 and 13 year old version of the main character as he grows up. Don’t know how much value that has but it’s one more step on the journey
There was a period of my life where I was so burnt out & creatively depleted that I left LA & taught English in rural Japan. I had time for introspection, & it was only when I realized that the work itself was most fulfilling, not the results, that I was creatively reignited
Paying a script consultant to go over an important script is like paying a private acting coach when you have a huge audition. The price vs potential payoff is a no brainer. Even if you have a solid script, it could be the difference between a pass and a life changing sale
A lesser spoken about part of acting, writing & filmmaking is understanding your own behavior when a project comes to an end. There is a huge sense of loss. Fear creeps in about the future. It’s very easy to self-destruct. Being aware of this & finding healthy outlets is key
A good end of the year writing challenge is spending a few weeks jotting down as many loglines for new concepts that pop in your head. Last time I did this, I came up with 20+ loglines, three which later became a feature, a half hour pilot, and a pitch that went out to networks
Eddie Murphy: “I think you know what you’re supposed to do. I think deep down everybody does. A lot of people just don’t go after it. Most people start out, they say, ‘I wanna be this, but I’m gonna get that to make sure I have something to fall back on.’ What you’re doing is…
The most successful actors and writers I came up with were also the most business savvy. None of them were pie in the sky dreamers. They all had a plan and went after it
Met with an accomplished older writer friend yesterday. Told her about the ups and downs of getting a feature film of mine made, with me attached to direct. She said, “In five years’ time, you’ll be reminiscing about that feature film and how much bigger your projects are now.”
A month ago I realized that a lot of entertainment industry experiences I take for granted might be helpful or relatable to others. I’m glad some of my tweets have caught on. Nice to feel like I’m contributing on here in some small way and not just existing
‘Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Not a laptop was open
Not a click of a mouse
The scripts were all polished
New loglines for days
Tonight it’s forgotten
As Netflix plays
2024 approaches
We hope it rings true
That sales will flourish
For me and for you
Big shout out to
@tschrack
, who is the nicest, most supportive guy going, and my closest confidant in the Twitter writing community. I really appreciate you Tom! Tom’s comedy feature NATTY LIGHT is a great read!
Had a meeting a few months ago w/ writer w/ a development deal at Netflix. Pitched a few projects. Didn’t go anywhere. BUT he gave me the advice to write as many new loglines as possible. Those loglines led to a pitch out at networks & a new 1/2 hr comedy pilot
#WritingCommunity
Every project you make, try to make the next one bigger. If you start with a low budget short, next make a low budget feature. Then work to get a recognizable actor in your next one with more of a budget. Keep pushing upward. Most filmmakers plateau at the first or second stage
If you’re shooting a super indie project, you don’t necessarily need a production truck & 20 crew. Many times I’ve seen filmmakers with a very limited budget feel they need everything to seem like a studio set, then have no money left for post & try to crowdfund. Keep it simple
On Wednesday I got a tarot reading and he said I’d be signing contracts soon. On Thursday I got unexpected good news about a project and signed contracts. Checkmate non-believers 🔮
The first year living in LA is the hardest because the city is massive and unfamiliar. You’re trying to find a steady side gig to pay the bills while finding your way creatively. It’s also when lots of random opportunities happen because you’re wide-eyed & open to anything
This is my favorite picture I took while living in small town Japan. I walked out on this suspension bridge outside the tiny mountain town of Shimizu in Wakayama Prefecture and started to laugh and cry at the same time. To this day it’s the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen
I have amazing writing things happening. I hung out w/ a very successful writer & asked him how he handles anticipation. He said, “I celebrate & count my chickens before they’ve hatched! I can be depressed later if doesn’t work out. Don’t waste the anticipatory phase worrying.”
Thinking, speaking or writing anything negative about yourself with the mistaken notion that maybe the universe will take pity on you with your humility and throw you some scraps of success doesn’t help you in any way. Attract positive results by projecting positivity
Today was a crazy day. Our apartment complex in Marina del Rey caught fire, with something like 30 units affected, 75 residents displaced and the entire complex evacuated. Big thanks to
@LACoFDPIO
, there were 100 fire trucks (some are still here). That building on fire collapsed
My post about my short film BRIEFCASE got so much attention & positive feedback that I decided to finally start developing it into a feature film. I’m already through the opening & know the overall structure of it. Now it’s about just writing the darn thing
#thriller
#horror
I created a 6 minute short film years ago. I knew it was good. Instead of festivals, I spent 2 months researching film sites, big & small, & asked if I could send the film when it premiered online. 75 write-ups later, Netflix saw a review & licensed the film for 4 years
Many of my close friends stopped drinking the last few years. I stopped drinking 6 years ago, not for any reason other than I was bored of it. I met my wife a month later, and started writing in earnest a year later. Here’s to a lifetime of good health, happiness and creativity
Shōgun is one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Everything - the writing, the cast, the sets, the costumes, the production value - is incredible. Top tier storytelling
In February an elderly family member of mine was scammed into oblivion. From that day forward I’ve been dealing with it daily. So many things. Yesterday I finished the last of it. 2 1/2 months straight. Today I’m writing again. Feels almost blissful
Meeting with a very well known Japanese American actor on Thursday about my memoir Journey of Self: Six Months in the Japanese Countryside. It’s like Eat, Pray, Love for men, set in Japan. He read it and is perfect for one of the lead roles