Funny story:
So I'm writing my speech for Columbia College film school in Chicago and Eastern Michigan University where in February I’ll be a keynote speaker for both schools --
-- when the first two things that immediately came to mind were --
-- over ten years ago I was called into a producer's office at Paramount Pictures. The two producers were as charming as they were successful. They had done movies like 'Runaway Bride' and 'The Associate’ to name a few.
Anywayzzz -- they told me that they were working on a movie concept and they were not talking to any other writers. They wanted me to develop with them. I was deeply flattered. They told me the idea and for some reason it did not click. I was having a really bad brain cell day. They asked me to come back in when I was ready. I returned with nothing. I told them I wasn't sure if they were doing 'Fame' or ‘Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.'
So politely, I passed on the project.
Months later, I stopped looking at the box office totals for 'Save the Last Dance' (somewhere around 150 million dollars domestically) and it took several more months to stop crying.
Through the subsequent years, I have had a number of meetings with one of the above-mentioned producers, and he became one of my favorite people in Hollywood. I may be reading into it, but he always seems to have a small, coy smile, when I’m in his office.
The second story was even worse.
I was called into a Disney division to discuss a movie concept they had bought. I was confused because it was a comedy and I am not a comedy writer. I sat down with a producer who was even smarter than she was fetching. I found myself thinking more in terms of setting her up on a blind date with my friend than I was hearing the concept.
It was told to me like this, ‘there is going to be a wedding and the groom is going to Vegas with his buddies. The only catch is the groom cannot drink because he has a horrible reaction to alcohol and it literally turns him into the devil.'
Indeed I came back, but with only half an effort of story, and predictably the producer passed on me.
Now that 'Hangover' has made a gazillion dollars I’m back into therapy – it makes sense to me to seek out therapy in lieu of yet another crying jag.
Obviously the concept was better developed by more adept comedy writers.
I’m thinking of sharing these two stories on my trip to the Midwest, because of all the things I have to say to them, the students will forever imprint me in their heads as 'the dumbest writer of all time.' and they will never forget me.
Who said the expression 'bad publicity… is still publicity!!!'
All in all, I have few regrets in my career. I have sold screenplays, worked with Academy Award winning actors and actresses, Emmy and Academy Award winning producers, and a Pulitzer Prize winning writer.
I have helped foster the careers of now noted writers. As the adage goes, when you take the elevator to the top floor, you must always send it back down.
After sitting in Coretta Scott King's kitchen listening to her regale me with what courage it took to change civil rights in America, I can't complain at all.
Sterling Anderson
http://www.blackbeltscreenwriting.com/
