They kept to themselves but my roommate worked nights; she sometimes talked to the him in he afternoons as he did yard work. Then on the hottest day of the summer with their corn still unharvested, a moving truck pulled up; they were moving. My roomie asked why and he told her a story.
His girlfriend had been a physician and from what I remember, she'd been involved with an assisted suicide--a terminally ill child. And she had lost her medical license as a result. She was in therapy and one day she happened to mention that she often thought about becoming a medical researcher. Her therapist responded, "The time is now. Next year will be too late. Go and follow your dream." And she did.
It's scary, following your dreams. I think I could study screenwriting in the safe cocoon that's school, forever. In fact this week I started paperwork to register for another course in the writing division at USC. But the reason I think I remembered the story about our old neighbors is that two semesters ago a screenwriting teacher said: "The time is now. Don't get stuck in academia. You're ready. Go for it!" But I didn't feel ready.
The last night of The Industry class before summer vacation our amazing teacher, Frank Wuliger, asked what we had liked about the class and what we thought should be changed. We stayed late into the evening talking and when it was my turn I said, "I've completed a screenwriting program and I still keep searching for classes to take. Everything you've done this semester, every decision you've made, every guest you've invited was to help keep us safe. Safe with our first impressions at production companies and with producers and directors, safe during meetings, safe after we accept projects and safe as we work on them. So I really don't feel the need to keep looking for more classes."
During The Industry class, our major assignment was to create a roadmap into the industry. We turned in a draft for the midterm and then refined it and turned it in again for the final. One student had created a notebook filled with hundreds of pages while my midterm and final were only six pages. And Frank returned them to me with the words, "Well thought through; good plan; A+." I still may frame those assignments.
One thing Frank emphasized several times during the course is that he's seen many writers finish school, accept a demanding job and then get sidetracked. They give everything to the job and never become screenwriters.
During school it was easy for me to make homework a priority, but when class was over I didn't even open the file for the screenplay I'd written, even through I'd sent a query to Gersh Agency and had gotten a "yes, send it in."
This week I remembered my untraditional neighbors' story and the simple but powerful words spoken by her therapist, echoed by USC screenwriting professor Ron Friedman last year, and wrote to my contact at Gersh.
* * *
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Dear --
Good afternoon. Wow, time is flying! I hope you're having a great pre-holiday week.
After class ended last semester I became immersed in work projects. And I have the mid-term and final papers I turned in to Frank Wuliger, assignments for The Industry course he taught at USC last semester, on the corner of my desk at work. The challenge is not to let them get buried beneath paperwork and projects! His encouraging comments have helped keep me from forgetting about my goal: screenwriting.
Frank told our class that he has seen many people give up their dream of screenwriting because they accept a demanding job...I can't let this happen. I've studied screenwriting for too long, and so many amazing mentors have patiently helped me. I can't let them down.
So I've decided to make the first small goal as much of a priority as I gave to the assignments Frank gave us last semester. I've been waking up at 4:30 a.m. and if I write the entire long 4th of July weekend, I will have the screenplay ready for you to see on Tuesday of next week. I'm determined to submit it before Frank begins teaching his second class at USC!
What is the best way for me to submit it? Hard copy (how shall I address the envelope)? Or an emailed .pdf file? I hope that you enjoy reading the story as much as I've enjoyed writing it.
You've been very kind, thank you for your willingness to review my work.
Best,
Nancy Yuen
* * *
I was afraid it was too late. But last night, at about 5:30 p.m., I received the go-ahead to submit the screenplay. So though I've been invited to a party in the mountains on the 4th: dancing in the streets and getting soaked with a fire hose, plenty of great food and fun, I'll be polishing the story inspired by my dad's childhood. And I have a rain check on the party for 2011.
