Breaking Down a Script

I would say that the scripts for our 12 episodes are approximately 92% complete/finished/edited. And we're about 85% cast for our 60+ roles. Call backs next week! Woot woot! We've also registered the series with the Writer's Guild of America and have applied to be a SAG/AFTRA union production. Sounds fancy, right? This is neither as fancy nor as glamorous as it sounds. It is a lot of paperwork with the primary goal of covering everyone's asses. This in itself is a ridiculous accomplishment. I have no idea how we've done it, especially when you take into account all the other stuff we have going on in our lives.


So I've taken off my writer's hat and my casting hat, for now, and I'm moving on to breaking down the script. So I've donned my scripty/production coordinator/line producer hat.
The combined scripts are over 100 pages and some have as many as 12 scenes. Granted some only last an 1/8th of a page but it still requires a location and a shotlist. Note: the industry standards are that script pages are broken down by 1/8ths of a page. So it's not 1.5 pages it's 12/8s or 1 4/8s. This helps with scheduling later. Breaking down the script means you are searching for the nuts and bolts. The scenes, the locations, the time of day, the characters, the page lengths, the props, wardrobe, sound effects.....

Basically, I read the scripts 6 or 7 times, each time focusing on something different in order to make sure every detail is accounted for and nothing is missed. I make copious notes in the margins of the script and translate that into reports for different department heads: 1st AD, Wardrobe, Set decoration, Props etc. The more diligent you are in breaking down the script, the better chance you have of being fully prepared on set. I'm super OCD so I love this. I even have to read/act out the script (somewhere quiet and secluded so people don't think I've cracked from the pressure) and time the duration of the script. This is most important for moments with Voice Over dialogue because you have to make sure you shoot enough footage to cover how long the lines will last. Think about it. Most VO will be recorded in a studio of some kind (professional or otherwise) and it probably won't happen for weeks after the shooting is over. How terrible would it be if it turns out the dialogue lasted 90 seconds and you only have 37 seconds of footage? What a waste of time and effort to do a reshoot, when you could've spent the time timing it months before!

If you look at my binder right now you will see colored pencil marks, arrows, circles, highlights, underlines... Everything has a meaning. Most of the time the notations are just to call attention to a particular part of the script. I circle the names of characters that appear so that we make sure to schedule them for those shooting days. Other times, they're more detailed. If a prop shows up in the last line of the scene, then I make a note of it in the beginning to make sure it is either placed in the setting by set decoration, given to the actor responsible for it to bring into the scene, or given to wardrobe to make sure the character is wearing it throughout the scene. You can't just have a prop appear out of nowhere at the end of the scene, cause you forgot. That's shoddy.

I worked on a movie where the actor's wrist watch was an integral part of the story's plot line. I needed to write on every scene where the watch was found, if he's wearing it or not, and what time the watch was supposed to read. Fun fact: most of the time the only reference to the watch is "ACTOR looks at watch". So I have to make it up using context clues. Is the character lefty or righty? Does this scene happen in the morning, evening, night? Are their other scenes that happen before or after? Did we already set the watch to a particular time in an earlier or later scene?
So when I break down the script I will sometimes make up arbitrary times in the margins of the scene. We may never refer to the time at all. But if there's a clock anywhere in the scene, it has to be correct. Note: clocks and time are the #1 screw up in rookie filmmaking, mostly because they don't hire scripties. Just saying.

It's a labor of love. I'll eventually circle back to editing the scripts with all the typos, formatting errors and continuity issues I find but right now I can't allow myself to get distracted by story arcs, through-lines and dialogue. Once I have all my reports written, I can start to combine scenes with similar characters and locations to create a shooting schedule. That's a whole other can of worms... I'll tell you about it next time. For now I have to get back to my 4th time through the scripts... Only three left! (Or six if I'm being super OCD.)

Everyone Has Problems

The world is full of problems. Everyone has them and it's incredibly easy to point them out, explain how they became problems and why you can't do something because of the problem. I've decided to see things a little differently. Search for solutions. I sounds cliched, I know. But if you see a problem as an end point rather than a conquerable obstacle then you're done. Game over.

I'm convinced that there is a gang of Hollywood ninjas who's job it is to make crazy shit happen to productions to see if they can handle it. Those who overcome, succeed. Those who fall prey are doomed. The list of crazy things that have happened on the sets I've been on is unfathomable. If most people were to look upon this list, I guarantee most people would throw up their hands and give up before they try.  You're location fell through day of a shoot, your DP got heat exhaustion and had to go to the hospital, an airport is 2 miles away and an airplane flies overhead every 45 seconds blowing your sound on any take longer than 35 seconds, it starts to rain in the middle of a pyrotechnics stunt. Not joking. Real life.


When I worked for the Discovery Channel and the Weather Channel we frequently laughed and said, "When reality gets in the way of reality TV..."

People are always looking for the answer to "Why?". Why me? Why now? Why is this happening? No answer will ever be satisfactory, except maybe "It's the Hollywood ninjas f***ing with us." I got to the point where I stopped searching for the answer and started looking for the solution. The fact is whatever happened, happened. The next step is not to investigate why it happened, (unless it can somehow be prevented in the future - Side bar: rain cannot be prevented, I have looked into this.), rather take the time to figure out a solution. One line of dialogue can be added to rectify an overnight blizzard that will screw up your continuity. Maybe it can be changed in post. (Note: do NOT, I repeat, do NOT rely on post, the editors and the budget will hate you.)


I have taken this approach in my every day life as well. Things happen. React appropriately. Don't take it personally. Also, get creative. Yes, you can make lemonade out of lemons, but what about limoncello? A lemon drop? A classic James Bond martini with a lemon twist? (It must be nearing 5 o'clock).

This is my current mantra, and I think it has been the key to getting my life in balance. At the risk of sounding like I'm auditioning to be a life coach, here's some advice. Stop getting in your way and seeing the problems. After college everything was a problem. I can't get a job. My friends moved away. I can't do this. I can't afford that. Blah blah blah. I did a lot of bitching. And I hear other people do it too.

24 hours in a day isn't a problem. Distance isn't a problem. Money isn't a problem (Pride is a problem, if you don't want to work a job that pays you money because you think it's beneath you, then you are not making limoncello. You have decided you can and will only make lemonade. Good luck with that.)
When I left the film industry originally, I needed money to pay for my loans and expenses, so I got a job. I was cutting open boxes in the basement of Macy's and peeling plastic off the new merchandise. I swallowed my pride and fixed the problem and eventually it led to another job, then another, etc.

I wanted to afford to go out, go to concerts, travel. Solution: Second job. I also get a free gym membership with it so saving money and staying healthy. Double whammy. 

I'm never around when the shows I want to watch are on. Solution: Netflix, DVR and OnDemand.

I like to read and never have time. Solution: I listen to audiobooks while I work, drive, shower and eat. 

I need to stay healthy. Solution: I'm active in my jobs, and stay after work to swim. Save myself the trip. I also eat well and sleep. (Yes, I do actually sleep. I make it a priority because without it nothing else gets done.)

My advice, find solutions, kill as many birds as you can with one stone and multitask where necessary. 

I've never been more happy because I'm overcoming obstacles and making myself happy. No one else is going to make you happy. Fight for it. Writing/producing/acting makes me happy. So I'm fighting for it.

The Agony and the Ecstasy (of Auditions)

If you've ever been to any kind of audition, or even a job interview, you know how stressful the whole process is. Well, try being the person who has to make the casting decision, the one who has to make dreams crumble. Not fun. I mean, it is because you're finally seeing your characters come alive and the production come together but sometimes you have to tell people they just aren't the right fit. And sometimes it's for really crappy reasons. (Disclaimer: We have not actually cast anyone yet, and these are not the real reasons for us casting or not casting a particular person. I'm making this up to show how completely ridiculous the process can be. Please don't hate me).


"I don't like their eyebrows."
OR
"They're not as tall as I expected that character to be."
OR
"Would this character really date this person?"
OR
"They're too perfect."


That's right. You can be black, white, brown, red-headed, blonde, brunette, skinny, fat, average.... and too perfect.


Have you ever read a book and pictured the characters, then when they made a tv/movie version you hated it purely because of casting? Now imagine you wrote the book and you can't find the character you pictured in real life. The struggle is real. Production has to start, you have to pick someone, and somehow you will always be disappointing someone. The fact that this is a no-pay project also cuts down on the candidates so you may find the absolute perfect person and they might not want to do it.


Bonus!! The union. Let's take an already staggeringly difficult process and add a union. I understand the benefits for all involved. I do. I, myself, looked into getting into IATSE for script supervision back in the day. The problem I have is the incredible complexities involved in the paperwork! Do I submit it now before I cast in order to get SAG/AFTRA performers to audition? Or do I wait, see if I need anyone from the union and do it later? Well, when you submit, they ask for a cast list, so that's confusing. And the help line doesn't specify when to do it. They're just generally vague and only slightly helpful. Holy misnomer Batman. How bout "The-only-slightly-helpful-desk"?

This part is not fun!! I just magically want the perfect people to sign on and be done with it! Is that so much to ask?


We started our casting by reaching out to friends and connections from previous work. Thank you social media. And we got some really strong responses. But this is a number's game; the more you have the better the options, right? Actually sometimes more is just more. Like in this case. We posted on two sites last Friday. Two. That's it. Number of responses as of this morning? Over 2,000. Not. Even. Exaggerating.


For someone who loves to swim and to teach swimming, it is weird to feel like you're drowning. The only thing you can do is start cutting. It's pretty obvious when someone is not the right fit, so they're gone. Ruthlessness is tough, but at this point it's survival. All those feelings of guilt and just feelings in general are now a liability. You have to cut until it's merely manageable. And it's all based on headshots at first. I have never felt so superficial. I get why Hollywood and casting directors get a bad rep for being cold and heartless. That's how I feel. The worst part? As I cull through all the photos, I'm starting not to feel. Like these are just photos and not photos of people anymore. And this is just from 3 days!! As I sit here writing this, I now feel guilty about not feeling guilty. So many feels and yet, not enough.


I'm starting to compartmentalize my different roles. You have to in order to maintain sanity and perform each role properly. Producer Trish is cold-hearted, slightly Scrooge-like and level-headed. The stakes are highest here. Production decisions must be made and schedules need to start being created. Writer Trish is much more emotional. She gets all warm and fuzzy when a casting tape comes in with someone doing justice to the dialogue she wrote. Scripty Trish is where I'm most comfortable. There's logic and fact involved. This is not about making decisions, it's about stating fact. And we haven't even gotten to Actor Trish. Yes, I'm acting. Luckily, I play me and I'm doing pretty well at that, given I have 27 years to draw on. I'm also pretty glad that Actor Trish doesn't have to audition for Producer Trish cause she can be mean and I might cut me.


I'm so conflicted. Excuse me while I return to my real job and focus on something so wholly unrelated to this struggle. There are mindless crafts to be created.