The Goodreads signed 1st edition giveaway of What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood ended on Tuesday May 14, 2013.  More than 800 Goodreads members signed up for the giveaway.

I spent the morning yesterday signing books and bookmarks for the 12 winners. I want to thank everyone who entered and Goodreads for running a great program over the last two months.  The 2nd edition has been a bestseller on Amazon since its release on March 7, 2013.  You can get a copy to read on your Mac, PC, Kindle, I-phone, I-Pad, Android Phone or Device here. It can be read with the free Kindle App available here.

Congratulations to the winners:

1. Amada H. of  Haddon Township, New Jersey
2. Cheryl S. of Wilmington, Delaware
3. Clare R. of University Place, WA
4. Damion D. of Starkville, MS
5. Darcee K. of McKinleyville, CA
6. Dorrian A. of Salem, IN
7. Elizabeth L. of Concord, CA
8. Jeannine C. of Nashua, NH
9. Maggie L. of Temple City, CA
10. Mai V. of Arlington, TX
11. Porcel F. of Punta Gorda, FL
12. Rebecca F. of Richmond, KY

I also want to remind members of the Organization of Black Screenwriters that I will be speaking on Saturday Morning June 1, 2013 at their monthly meeting.   I am also scheduled to speak August 3, 2013 at 10am at the Monthly Meeting of the Alameda Writer’s Group (Disney/NBC) on Saturday August 3, 2013 at 10 am.  I look forward to seeing everyone there.

Burbank–April 2, 2013–Since yesterday was April Fool’s Day, I decided to hold off on this post until today lest anyone think I was joking when I posted on Facebook yesterday that the 2nd edition of my book, “What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood” hit #1 in Hot New Releases in the Kindle store for books on the Music Business.  It is currently ranked the #6 bestseller overall in that category, climbing up from #14 last week in that same category.  For all music business books, print and electronic, it leaped 40 spots to #32 this week, from #72 last week.

The book also rose in the kindle category of Bestselling Humor and Entertainment–Movies and Video from the 90s to a solid #46–ahead of “Save the Cat Goes to the Movies” and “Script Lab’s Encyclopedia of Screenwriting.”

The strength of the book sales is buoyed by positive word of mouth and numerous 5 star reviews on Amazon and across the web. Often a book premiers and takes off within a week of release only to see sales slack off. But What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood is steadily moving up the charts as more and more people talk about it and Amazon consistently features it because of its strong sales. 

The radio interview I conducted with host Bill Thompson of The Bookcast last week, where he referred to me as “a wise Buddha” no doubt helped fuel the boost as well. The  interview is available here.  Although mostly focused on the struggle of artist dreaming of Hollywood, the interview was able to touch on the concept that achieving all dreams requires a certain singularity of focus that encounters significant resistance no matter where those dreams lead. The skill set an artist needs to overcome a negative critique or poor record sales or failed audition is similar to the skill set needed for a businessperson to overcome a failed product launch, or a difficult market. The same mental power needed to push past the negative self-talk and self-destructive behaviors that often plague artists, is needed to overcome everyday obstacles as well.  The book is invaluable for anyone looking to be an actor, singer, rapper, director or producer, but it is still very powerful for people seeking hope that dreams can and do come true.

I’m a bestselling author now. I’m living proof of the concepts that I share in the book. But don’t take it from me–take it from the Emmy and Grammy-winning artists, the platinum selling producers and TV Stars I interview who share their 100+ years of combined experiences.

On May 04, 2013,  I will be speaking at the Organization of Black Screenwriter’s (OBS) Monthly meeting. Various topics are being considered for that meeting including: “Protecting your Artistic Soul–How to Keep Hollywood from Killing your Dream,” “Novelizing Your Screenplays–Stop Waiting for Hollywood to Validate (or pay) You,” and various other topics related to issues  covered in the book. (More details to follow.)  Stop Waiting for Hollywood to Validate You is a comment from an Emmy-Winning producer I interviewed in the book.  The phase is indicative of a mindset that plagues so many artists. Artists often believe they are talented, but act as if they are helpless until someone bestows validation on them–a contest win, a contract, an agency agreement, a million-dollar paycheck–or even an unpaid internship. It’s a mindset that begs to be disrespected.

I hope to help fuel a new movement (or at start a conversation about a new movement)  in Hollywood. There are so many amazing stories out there that are sitting around waiting for some Hollywood producer or actor to shepherd them to the big screen.  But what makes it to big screen is completely controlled by mass appeal. Or better yet, by what someone believes will have mass appeal. Even better–what someone thinks has mass appeal… AND LOTS OF LUCK. I want to see writers taking control of their own destinies. Writers are the creators, and the Hollywood dragon lives on our blood. Without writers Hollywood dies. The only reason Hollywood doesn’t respect writers more is because writers don’t respect themselves more.

Writers, actors and other artists have more opportunity today than ever to reach their audience and to make a living as the professional they dream of being. What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood is a guide for helping artists take control of their power, hold it, and wield it to their benefit. It is priceless reading for those who’ve not yet arrived in Hollywood, but it has immense relevance to those here working day-by-day as well. Give your friends and family members the gift of encouragement and the key to following dreams with their eyes wide open. Check out the book today.

Every year 111,000 people move to L. A.–many of them looking for success in the entertainment industry. Tens of thousands audition for American Idol, America’s Got Talent, X-Factor and other talent shows hoping to break into an industry most only think they know. My goal is to help them know it better so that they have a better shot at their dreams.

On March 7th, I released the 2nd edition of What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood exclusively on Kindle. The new edition contains new interviews with an Emmy-winning producer and Film-festival winning screenwriter/director along with the interviews with Grammy-nominated singers, platinum-selling producers and award-winning movie and TV stars. The new edition is available for only $4.99, which is about a 1/3 the paperback price.

To help spur interest in the new edition’s release, I’m giving away 12 autographed copies of the 1st edition paperback in a contest on Goodreads (Click here to enter).  The contest runs through May.

If you know or care about anyone even thinking about a career in the entertainment business, no matter where they are in the process, get them this book. The title is What I Wish I Knew BEFORE I Moved to Hollywood, but the information is good for people already in Hollywood, too. What does it take to keep going?  How do you get seen? How do you get booked? How do you stand out?  What is your voice? Your niche? Your type?  And how do you stay encouraged in the hard times? Every year 111,000 move to L. A.  But every year 100,000 move away–many dejected, frustrated and sad. Those are the ones who didn’t read this book.

What’s it take to make it as a singer in Hollywood–read what Chante Moore had to say about it in my book. Trying to be comedian? Read what a standup comedian and writer for Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Bernie Mac says. Want to be a producer? See what the Emmy-winning producer has to say. Want a directing/screenwriting/development deal at HBO? My interviewee had one.  Want to be an actor? Find out what a star who makes $250,000 a week says about how to become one. Want to do make-up? Find out what the head make-up artist for one of Fox’s hit dramas says you should do. Want to rap or make beats? Find out what Dr. Dre and Ice Cube’s go to guy says.

Artists love to act like they have it all together–keep a smile, be positive, stay away from negative energy. That’s all great. But are you getting where you want to go? If not, it smart to get help when you need it. It’s one thing to make others think you have it all together; it’s quite another to fool yourself.

Why aren’t white people up in arms marching against filmmakers for Hollywood’s ceaseless portrayal of them as being magical? It must really be sad to be constantly portrayed as such amazing beings when real life is so mundane and nondescript.  But Hollywood appears to be in love and when Hollywood is in love, there is no stopping them.

I don’t believe a script can be greenlit in Hollywood today unless it has some magical white man with a sword, superpower, or ability to jump high or fly. It’s like every white guy all of a sudden is Chase Budinger from the Houston Rockets. (Chase on Video.)

But what’s more amazing is that, except for Storm in X-men, these superpowers are held exclusively for white people. No Latins, no Asians, no Blacks…no, no, no. Not even the original magical flying people—Arabs. What’s with the non-inclusion? Isn’t Hollywood the bastion of liberalism? Is there no room at the studios for the rest of the world to be magical, too? Don’t you think everyone would like to fly, Hollywood? Let them all in on the action.  Yes, I know that the Avengers is coming out, but that’s just one black guy—who used to be Italian by the way—and who’s played by the same guy who played the last magical black guy in Star Wars. Asians, Arabs and Latinos want in on this, too—let alone other black actors. Not spreading the super around puts too much pressure on white people to be amazing.

Add to all the magic the historical redos that turn the Dark Age days of plague into a rockin’ great time in history. Henry the 8^th looks nothing like the corpulent, dough-faced, glutton I studied as a teen—let alone that all of his self-portraits display—and his descendants evidence in their utter homeliness. Today he’s a chiseled, handsome, young playboy who spends more time in the gym than the vomitorium. From Game of Thrones to Spartacus to Abraham Lincoln vampire hunter, no more do the rotten, infected, wooden teeth of George Washington and the putrid stench of Victorian women pose an obstacle to romance—let alone superpowers. In fact, nothing seems more attractive in modern movies than a woman awash in whale blubber perfume and lacking deodorant.

I’ve taken to calling all such movies, “Magical White People (MWP)” movies—and I’ve created a sub-class “with Swords (MWP-s)”—just to keep track of them because they are a-plenty. Is there a white teen anywhere that can’t move cars with his mind, fly through the air, read someone’s mind, and cast a spell? Is there a white guy over 20 who can’t kill a murderous dragon with his bare hands, take down an army single-handedly, hunt down and kill a pack of wolves or terrorists with a cell phone and dental floss? I don’t think so. White people in movies are amazing. And they are becoming more and more amazing with every Hollywood release.

We must address this trend in filmmaking before the inevitable occurs: White people around the world, unable to live up to the expectations of superdom, face a coming epidemic of emotional breakdowns. I say this because none of my white friends, nor those I commonly experience in my day-to-day life, possess any of the exceptional qualities today’s films bestow upon them. When I ask them to reveal their superpower, they drop their heads in abject surrender to reality—not unlike my own reaction when, after a loss, I’m asked by my white teammates why I didn’t just dunk the basketball.

The pressure Hollywood places on white people therefore dooms them to repeated disappointment when called upon by humanity. Join me in calling on Hollywood to stop these wild, stereotypical portrayals of white people. White people are just like everyone else and it’s time for Hollywood to recognize this.

(The 2nd edition of  What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood available now exclusively on Kindle for only $4.99. Get yours now. Click here. Kindle e-books can be read on I-phone, I-pod, I-pad, Android, Mac and PC with the free Kindle App.)

Well, the first show is at Midnight here in L.A. I imagine it’s opening around the country at midnight as well. That would mean that, for anyone on east coast time, it will likely open just as I’m finishing this post. Twilight has become a phenomenon.  My daughter is on “Team Jacob”—the werewolf.

No we’re not going to the opening tonight, but she did insist I drive by the theater to see her comrades camped outside. They’ve been there all day (some probably all night). They must be the first in the seats to see it. She wanted to be with them—wearing her New Moon shirt, gushing over a guy who, only a few years ago, she didn’t even notice when he was in movies. Amazing to watch as new stars are born.

I want to write something that big so bad. I want to have teens and their parents and grown people who should know better camped outside the theater talking about which is their favorite character. As one now successful actor I interviewed in What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood said, “I remember, years ago, I was in Gelson’s Market with only a couple bucks in my pocket when in walked this big movie star. I said to myself, ‘That’ll be me one day.’”

There’s something much deeper about this movie phenomenon we are experiencing.  Stephanie Meyer took the traditional characters of vampires and werewolves and turned them into the Capulets and the Montagues. She then took a pale, blood-sucking, night crawling, serial killer and turned him into a diamond-skinned, superhero with a powerful love Jones for the only girl in high school whose mind he can’t read.

High school? What’s Count Dracula doing in high school? Seriously, this guy is a couple hundred years old. So what if he’s young looking? What kind of perv is that? I mean, when I was 17 I thought I was too mature to date 16 year-olds. This is a guy whose obviously never heard the words to Steely Dan’s Hey Nineteen—“We got nothing in common. No we can’t talk at all.” And that guy was only 15 years older than the young girl he was considering.

But alas… love.

But since when do werewolves actually turn into giant Wolfwolves?  What is this? Do silver bullets even work anymore? Vampires have superhero powers? They can come out in the sun? They don’t drink human blood? They don’t turn into creepy bats? They can’t be killed with crosses, holy water and garlic? They don’t have fangs? What the hell? Are they trying to put Blade out of business?

I think I understand why my daughter is on Team Jacob. I think Jacob represents, for girls, the best of both worlds. On one hand, you’ve got this cute boyfriend with a great body that everyone thinks is hot. On the other, you’ve got this big shaggy dog to protect you. Girls and their fantasies.

The point of this blog is for writers and film makers. The Twilight Saga represents the best of all worlds for the Hollywood movie machine and at the same time manages to be fresh, new and young.  Vampires are among the most produced characters in Hollywood. From the dawn of moving pictures, vampires have creeped across the walls of theaters. From Nosferatu to Dracula to Blade, the basic makeup and character of vampires has remained unchanged.

What Meyer’s did so brilliantly—and if she is to be believed from her interview on Oprah, so accidentally and luckily—is figure out how to combine genres in a commercially viable way. Romance/Horror/Fantasy/Adventure.

BUT…  Good thing she wrote it as a book. If she’d pitched it as a movie or screenplay before it was a successful book, no one in Hollywood would have touched it. How do I know? Because Nosferatu came out in 1921 and no one touched it since—not successfully anyway. I should say not seriously. There may have been comedic takes on vampires or werewolves that did pretty good, but they didn’t change the nature of those archetypes.  This is a prime example of a movie that only got made because of the book.

Hollywood will happily film a successful book, video game, TV show, stage play, fairy tale or an endless number of sequels, prequels and remakes; but when it comes to putting millions of dollars into original stories movie studios, more often than not, pass.

What’s that say to you about your new, original story that no one’s ever seen before? If no one’s ever seen it before, don’t expect Hollywood to make it.

But sell it as a book first or turn it into a successful stage play, and if you’re sales figures back it up, Hollywood will come to you.

Please tell me what you think. Do you agree? Disagree? Did I miss something? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Thanks for reading.

Good Luck,

T.R. Locke

A short time ago, the following message was sent to me via Twitter:

“@TRLocke– Morning! I need your feedback. What are your expectations and/or objectives when attending a film festival?”

With one of the world’s top four film festival, Sundance, right around the corner (January 21-31st), I thought the answer to that question would be helpful to the readers of this blog as well.

I have to admit that my initial answer to this question was less than favorable. I’ve attended about 20 film festivals in my life—only four of them intentionally.

The first film festival I attended was as a student reporter for my high school newspaper. It was a foreign film festival in Cleveland Heights at the Cedar-Lee Arts Theater. There I saw an amazing film shot in Port-Au-Prince Haiti with English subtitles. My memory of it tells me it was similar to a French version of Slumdog Millionaire without the game show device. Despite my flattering review, I doubt seriously anyone from my high school went to see it.

The other three film festivals I attended because I had a screenplay in contention (Chicago) or because a friend had a film in contention (Hollywood), or because I’d scored free tickets to the L.A. premier of an a movie that won the prize at another bigger film festival (Los Angeles—to see Hustle and Flow with Craig Brewer, John Singleton and Stephanie Allain ).

The rest were by happenstance–usually simply the result of living or working in some artsy district like River North and Wicker Park in Chicago or The Heights in Cleveland, or Burbank (and nearby NoHo—North Hollywood) now. The scenario often plays out like this—I’m walking down the street with family or friends, only vaguely aware a film festival is running, when some young filmmaker pops out of a near-empty theater and desperately begs us to come in and watch his movie for free. We look at each other, check our watches, ask what the film’s about and how long it is and then… sometimes we go. Sometimes we don’t. Suffice it to say, not all film festivals are created equal.

Although film festivals are primarily the domain of directors and producers, there are a few objectives that can be gained by anyone looking to attend. What you can gain is related to whether you’re a film director, producer, writer or actor, etc. Either way, having a plan and reasonable expectations definitely helps.

What follows is a list of what you can expect. The information is gleaned from my own experience as well as a number of other artists and books I’ve read over the years. I’m presenting this information in no particular order.

Contacts.  Regardless of what role you play in the movie business, film festivals are a place to meet people who share your interests and professional goals. These people often show up later at different places along your career path. Networking and meeting different people may help down the line. There’s no real guarantee it will help, but I’ve never seen it hurt.  You may have the opportunity to meet and befriend someone just before their film or yours blows up. Such a person could prove invaluable to helping you in your career. It would be rare—namely because people blowing up as the result of film festivals is rare, but it could happen. Actors and writers particularly stand to gain by meeting directors and producers who may be looking to hire you. The same can be said of cameramen, cinematographers, make-up artists, etc..

Parties. If you’ve been cooped up in an editing room cutting your film for the last six months, a party could do you a lot of good. When liquor’s involved anything can happen.

Education.  There are usually a lot of great panel discussions during film festivals. You can learn new ways to finance your film, new routes to submitting your screenplays to production companies, new ways filmmakers are making money through distributing their films in various markets around the world, cheaper methods of production, new insights into the latest technologies, how the business is changing, or you may even find me there talking about some topic from my book like what to expect in trying to get your film into Hollywood, etc.. Writers can learn about trends affecting the types of screenplays that are being purchased and new avenues for writing in emerging media.  According to a friend on Facebook, Nickelodeon and other studios often present discussion panels at film festivals in hopes of finding new talent for their writing programs or even to staff their shows.

See a Few Good Movies. Though you will likely see some films that make you wonder how in the world someone would put their time and energy into making it, you will probably see a few good films as well. If you’re really lucky, you might get to see the premier of a breakout film and maybe even meet the creators before they become famous and you have to go through their assistants.

Meet an Occasional Celebrity.  Most likely the ones you may meet would be of the B, C, and D-List variety. You likely don’t know their names, but you recognize them, right?  A-Listers are usually kept in a separate room/section/party—popping out to promote their pet pro-bono project (the film that will likely go on to win the top festival award) just before it premiers. But here’s a good chance to get some pics and impress some friends back home.

For those who actually get accepted into a film festival, here are some additional ways you can benefit:

Distribution. This is the grand prize of any filmmaker attending a film festival. “The winner gets a distribution deal.” That’s why most filmmakers enter. But because it’s only a prize for the winners, it’s not really something most should necessarily expect. In fact, even winners are finding the distribution channels for independent films are bottlenecking, according to the festival director at Sundance.

Get Your Movie Seen. Exhibition is another major goal for those entering film festivals. If your film is selected to be shown at a festival, you have the opportunity to be seen by industry professionals and audiences, which could end up opening doors for you. The key here, though, is that you must know that the festival itself is not going to hype and promote your movie for you. Just because your movie is showing in a festival does not mean people will see it. You have to promote it like mad. You went through all the work to make a movie and get it accepted to a festival. Don’t drop the ball now. Finish the work of packing out the house.

Prizes. You may not win the distribution deal, but if you get any kind of recognition to your film, you could use that recognition to help drive promotion later. Any type of prize at any festival looks good on the one-sheet—even if your prize was nothing more than a new Blue-Ray player.

Publicity. Local news media is sure to cover most film festivals in some form or fashion. If your film was selected for a film fest, use that opportunity to score an interview in local press or TV that might help lead to more exposure for yourself or you film.

These are all fairly reasonable goals you can have when attending or having your film in a festival. On top of these direct benefits, sometimes being in an atmosphere with other creative people can really get your juices flowing. Maybe you’ll meet someone who will become your producing or writing partner on your next film. Or maybe you’ll make a connection with someone who has equipment or an editing suite you can use on the cheap. If nothing else, perhaps you’ll meet someone who’s going through the same struggles as you and you’ll realize you’re not as alone as you may have thought.

Most importantly though, look not only for the benefit others can be to you, look for the benefit you can be to others.

Good Luck,

T. R. Locke

I received a question on my blog from a filmmaker and reader of my book. I’d like to answer his question in this post. For those who don’t know, in my book, I refer to the things I Wish I Knew before I moved to Hollywood as “WIKs”. The question is as follows:

Mr. Locke,

I just had a quick WIK question and I would be grateful if you could take a sec to answer it.  The political climate of Hollywood is far-left to left.  When I move there, will I be blacklisted or in any way discriminated against if I have a believe [sic] in or espouse in a different political ideology than from what currently dominates?

Thanks,
Charles

Excellent question, Charles. My answer is no. Here’s my thinking and belief. This business is really all about the dollars. If your idea has an audience and can make money, it really doesn’t matter what you believe.

Consider this for a minute: Hollywood can be understood to be anything that concerns the media. When you talk about celebrities of any ilk, they are represented by agents here in Hollywood. That means Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Bill Oreilly–they all have Hollywood agents. They are all TV/Radio celebrities and you can’t get much more right wing than they. But not just them, nearly everyone you see anywhere representing any view (including many politicians) have agents in Hollywood. It’s how they get their shows negotiated and their book deals, etc. If money is coming, Hollywood doesn’t care what side of the fence it comes from.

Second, consider this: Hollywood tends to make far more conservative movies than liberal ones. That might sound a bit crazy to you, but think about it. Do you see more movies about war, fighting, and getting rich or about saving the forest, everyone getting along and sharing? Liberal stuff is simply not as dramatic. That’s just a fact. Far more movies are about national pride and willingness to die or kill for country, family, or honor. You could probably pitch an idea called, “Sarah Palin Saves the World” where you have the former Alaska governor flying around in a Huey sniping terrorist and clubbing baby seals. If you can show there’s a big enough audience to make a profit doing so, someone in Hollywood would be willing to make it. Okay, maybe not with clubbing baby seals, but clubbing terrorist, sure–especially if the female lead shows a little skin. For the right price you might even get the genuine article herself—check with her agent.  Remember Hollywood was torturing terror suspects long before Gitmo.

I just saw a report on TV that talked about how militarism is still so much alive in Hollywood. It’s very true. Militarism sells tickets.

Finally, I don’t think Hollywood is really, down inside, as liberal as it’s made out to be. As I said, it’s all about the dollars. Hollywood is notorious for typecasting, stereotyping and pigeonholing anything they can’t immediately see a big market for. They make vampire and sex films, not because they believe in vampires and sex, but because there’s a huge market for it right now. If the market disappears, Hollywood will dump vampire production faster than you can vote down universal healthcare.  Tyler Perry has proven there is a market for African-American films, but judging from production, Hollywood still seems to be hesitant to trust anyone to make one except him.

So to answer your question, no I don’t think you’ll be discriminated against for espousing a different political view—namely because I’m not sure your view is different.  Remember the current governor of California is an actor—and a republican (Schwarzenegger). So was Regan before him.

I will say this though; you will have trouble getting any actual political movie made. Political movies don’t do well in general unless they are a few generations removed. But Hollywood might be happy to put your ideas on radio, TV and books, because in those media, politics sell like hotcakes.

Hope that helps.

TRL

This is the second in a series of articles about relocating to Hollywood or New York to follow dreams in the entertainment business.

Part I—Writers.

If it’s not obvious to you, let me just state this clearly up front—this is not a question a beginning writer should be asking. In my opinion, the only people who should really be asking themselves this question are writers who’ve had some success with their craft. By “success” I mean that you’ve won awards for your screenplays or teleplays, you’ve gotten some type of representation, you’ve been optioned, you’ve produced your own plays or movies and have built an audience or you’ve placed in a film festival or writing competition. At the very least you’ve finished some writing program somewhere, have gotten feedback indicating you’ve got great talent and have written, edited and rewritten multiple screenplays. If none of these have happened, you may want to consider a move to either Hollywood or New York a bit premature—unless you’re moving here to go to school.

This section should be called Screenwriters. I called it Writers because the mass of the publishing business is based in New York. There are book writers who dream of moving to New York in the same way that Screenwriters dream of moving to Hollywood.  But unless your goal is to write for TV News or to be an editor at a publishing house, there isn’t much need for you to relocate to New York. Book writing and journalism isn’t really considered part of the entertainment world even though it most definitely is—evidenced by the lines blurring more and more every day. Nonetheless, book writing can be done from anywhere and emailed to editors and publishers around the world. If you need to take a meeting as a book writer, a teleconference or a day trip will usually suffice.

Screenwriting is a bit different.

Screenwriters’ options for if and when to move depend on whether they want to write for film or TV.

TV writers pretty much need to be local to where they work. TV writing is a collaborative effort. TV is run by writers (producers in TV are also the senior writers). The rigorous schedule of putting out weekly or daily shows requires teamwork. Teamwork requires the team be together. Different teams work different ways. Usually the writing staff meets and brainstorms the direction of the show. If the show has a strict bible (show plan or series arc) then the teams determines how far the show will move this season and may assign individual writers to write specific episodes based on the input/pitches from the whole staff. Writers may then get to work on their show for the most part, but still must participate in the rest of the show writing and development as necessary.

Most TV shows don’t have that strict a bible or are episodic. Shooting schedules demand quick writing and more minds equals more ideas faster. TV writers are salaried employees that generally work 60 hour weeks and more. On top of that, they must be there even after the scripts are written to make changes even during filming.

If a show is episodic, individual ideas for shows can be pitched and planned by the show runner. In the case of episodic shows, there is more of a chance the writer will not have to be in the room every week. The main writing staff must be present, but it is possible for episodic shows to produce a screenplay by a writer who does not live in the city. It is, however, unusual and unlikely.

Finally, if you’re writing a daily show—such as a news show or Tonight Show, etc. It would be impossible to be a regular writer without being in the room. In that case, you could live elsewhere only if you serve as a writer of a special segment.

Film writers have more options. If you chose to be a spec writer (one who writes original screenplays then offers them for sale to production companies), you can do that much the same way as novel writers. You are free to live anywhere you like and send your screenplays in to agents, managers, producers or whatever contacts you might have in the industry. No one cares if you send your script from a cabin in Vermont or from Sunset and Vine.

If, however, you desire to be hired as a screenwriter—the predominate form of film screenwriting employment—you benefit from being in Hollywood because you have to take meetings to get those jobs.  Still, before Hollywood will consider you for employment as a screenwriter on a film, you will need to have an agent. To get an agent you need a spec screenplay. And spec screenplays, as I mentioned above, can be written anywhere. So unless you’ve garnered an agent from the quality of your screenplay, and your agent is ready to get you working in TV, you do not yet need to move to Hollywood. And if you have gotten an agent and he has meetings set up for you at Warner Bros tomorrow, you might still want to fly in for a week, take a bunch of meetings and see how they go before you take the plunge. It is actually easier, in many cases, to schedule meetings if you are known to only be available for a period of time.

Here’s a final thought on this. One thing I Wish I Knew (or WIK, as I call these ideas in the book) is this: WIK #20: It may well be that what inspires you to write is native to your hometown and not to Hollywood. Do you get that?

“I moved to Hollywood from Chicago. In Chicago, the change of season, the rain, the snow, the oppressive heat, the big urban jungle, the roar of the El Train—the essence of Chicago—inspired and informed the writing that landed me an agent in Hollywood. All those inspirations disappeared when I moved to L.A. The perpetual sunshine, beautiful weather, palm trees and flowers did nothing to help me conjure up the harsh images I’d penned before. That’s another thing to keep in mind before you move. If your family gatherings or your crazy neighbor helped your pen those great stories, what happens when you’re not there anymore?”   –From What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood pg. 153

On the other hand, L.A. or New York can spawn new inspiration—at least that’s what the title of my book suggests. And as the photo at the top of this article confirms, there aren’t too many other places where you can watch Inglorious Basterds with Quentin Tarantino.

Good Luck

Next article will take a look at when an actor should move to Hollywood.

TRL

Update 3/7/2013: (The 2nd edition of  What I Wish I Knew Before I Moved to Hollywood available now exclusively on Kindle for only $4.99. Get yours now. Click here. Kindle e-books can be read on I-phone, I-pod, I-pad, Android, Mac and PC with the free Kindle App.)