Enter the Writer’s Room
Thoughts on Yesterday's writer's room (and I checked IMDB--the announcement hasn't been made yet, so I still can't tell you, darn it!. Soon, I hope.)
We took a SERIOUS Covid test on Tuesday, and will be rapid testing daily.
We're a hybrid room. One writer has Covid and is Zooming in. Another is Zooming from England, where its midnight by the time we stop!
The room runs from 11am to 3pm, with a lunch break. This is uncommon, but not unknown. Our show-runner wants us 100% alert and focused…but also to have lives. Bless them!
Yesterday before leaving I meditated, Tai Chi (Morning Ritual), T5T, Kettlebell Intervals (10 minutes) and 15 minutes of Ashtanga yoga.
You need to learn the body language of the others in the room. When the Show-runner gives the signal that "no, that idea doesn't mesh" they can be very polite about explaining why, but you need to move on and not argue once they've made a decision, EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T SAID IT DIRECTLY. Don't mistake courtesy for weakness of intent.
Everyone at that table is smart and accomplished. EVERY ONE OF THEM has a special area of deep knowledge. But they also have broad general knowledge. Learn to identify when the subject has moved to their area, and then, especially, listen more than you talk.
You are not there to be clever. You are there to help the room shine.
The quietest person might have the most brilliant insight. Learn to ask excellent questions. This can be more important than what you consider a brilliant answer.
BRING ENERGY TO THE ROOM. Be fun and easy to be with.
Be VERY careful about HR concerns. Bullying, inappropriate sexual innuendo, discourtesy and attacking people verbally is totally inappropriate. We are organs in a larger body. Surrender to this.
I think the Three Gates works beautifully here. As do the Three Centers.
Tell the truth. If you can relate a character moment to your personal experience, this is excellent. Bring your real self to that room. Leave your ego outside.
Be kind. Everyone is vulnerable, if they are speaking truth. A SINCERE complement can make a real difference. One lady said something just brilliant and perceptive about a mother's emotions, and I went out of my way to tell her that on a break. She bubbled. Ther eare assistants in the room taking notes and providing support services. THESE PEOPLE WANT TO BE WHERE YOU ARE. Be kind to them. See yourself in them. And always remember that one of them might be your boss one day, and will remember how you treated them
Be useful. Remember that you are there to contribute to a whole. As in a war, the squad wins when the soldiers work together as a family. And make no mistake: this is VERY rarefied territory. You are, at this moment, assumed to be one of the best of the best. And you will be competing with dozens of channels and streaming services with hundreds of shows for a limited audience. MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS are at stake. It sometimes seems that everyone in the world wants to write, and this is where the "mountaintop" begins. You've come a long way…be grateful. Bring your very best.
BODY. Come to the room with maximum but leashed energy. Take care of your health. YOU ARE UNDER STRESS. If you can breathe through it, that stress becomes power and brilliance. Exercise, eat well, rest deeply.
HEART. This is the sandbox. Everyone here has sacrificed and struggled, and followed their dreams when everyone around them quit. Every one of them is both wounded and magnificent. For just a little while, you are family together. Be a pod of dolphins, not a frenzy of sharks.
HEAD. Bring every brain cell you have. You will need them all. FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS. Stop looking at your phone (I confess that I did this. Not today). Caffeine is about the only drug you want in your system. Do what you need to center yourself, and DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Right now, movies have been suggested that have the right tone. And we have characters to think about, and plot points to consider. LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF STORY. Our show runner is using specialized vocabulary. Learn the meaning of the words. They are the guru. You are the pupil. EMPTY YOUR CUP of everything except who you really are.
There is not enough room in that room for both you AND your ego.
Pick one.
More tomorrow….
Namaste
Steve
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