The Writer
You need to adapt. Change. Rethink the things you do in this life. Always. You can’t allow yourself to become complacent. I’ve often said that when I feel stuck or in a rut, it’s due to the fact that I’ve become content with my life. And while the sentiment behind that statement is true, the choice of the word ‘content’ was wrong in my usage.
I am content. Complacency should never be associated with being content. Being content is a good thing. To paraphrase Jane O’Connor the writer of the popular children’s books Fancy Nancy: “Complacency is a fancy word for lazy.” And I’ve become complacent in my professional life.
Writing. Directing. Filmmaker. Producer. What exactly am I? In my situation, I don’t have the luxury of being a full-time creative. It’s a struggle to balance making a living and trying to make a living as a creative. And while this forces me to become someone who tosses out slashes between titles, (i.e. writer/director/producer), it also spreads my energy and time a little too thin.
I have countless files on my computer that are not fully complete. Scripts that end during different acts. Episodic web series that end after the first 3 or 4 episodes. I have multiple features that are unfinished, so much so that I have a folder marked: Features - Unfinished. I write treatments without endings. I have books with only five chapters.
Right now, I’ve got one project that is in an early, early stage of development. I’m excited about it. I’m optimistic that it will get going and hopefully create an opportunity for all involved to be part of something fun and mildly profitable in the sense of getting us to a next project. I have another possible pitch idea that I think is too good to be ignored. Unfortunately, it requires a lot of moving parts that are out of my control. And I’m writing. Always writing.
And that’s where this comes to a head. I want to always be writing. I want to, possibly, only be writing. Right now. The only thing I can carve out time and energy for is writing. Writing. Writing. Writing.
I like directing. I like bringing any written word to the screen. But I’m not a director. I’m a writer who directs at times. I’m not a producer. I’m just a writer who spends his own money to direct.
This new website is geared towards that. Up on the Roof is around at times and you’ll see it, but there’s a reason the website is my name. What once was a production company started by 5 guys became an LLC run by one writer.
And with the LLC taking a back seat. It’s just me. The Writer…which is fancy for Michael Field.