Last Thursday I took Michael to Houston’s in Santa Monica for a “last night in LA” dinner. Reggie was working the bar so we ate our dinner there, and somehow, a conversation was struck up between a guy sitting next to us. He was very nice and friendly, and what started as a conversation about The Spanish Prisoner turned into talk about LA, writing, etc. (I was particularly amused when I told him I was a writer and he asked me what I was like in high school. “A loner,” I told him. “Did you wear army pants and things like that?” “No, I didn’t dress rebellious [for god’s sake, I had a perm], but I just didn’t ever feel comfortable around people my age.”).
It turns out that he’s the founder of The Writer’s Boot Camp, a screenwriting program whose name I’ve heard of but I didn’t know much about (LA is saturated with screenwriting programs, many of which only serve to capitalize on the ridiculous amounts of money that can be made from all the desperate people in LA who want to be the next big thing). The headquarters is in the legendary Bergamot Station which is known as an oasis for artists, and he invited me to check it out.
I had lunch with him today and not only is he a very articulate, intelligent and nice person, but I was really excited about the program. It’s something that I always wished for but didn’t know existed–a writing program that is just as much educational as it is nurturing of the creative process and a writer’s focus on catharsis for growth. What I liked best was the vibe of the place and the people, and how it felt like a safe community. The program itself consists of 48 total weekly and bi-weekly sessions with about a 10 -hour weekly commitment to creative work. The objective is to teach a whole new concept in discipline and approach, and overall, I think it teaches new writers how to effectively write, and seasoned writers how to be more effecient and focused. It got me excited because I felt like this was a place I had been looking for for a long time and especially lately, with so much going on, I haven’t been as focused or disciplined, and that’s been upsetting. I’m going to sign up for it soon; I’m not sure when exactly, it depends on their schedule and I’ll probably have to do it after this lemonade thing gets off the ground and this short film is in the can.
Exciting. This reminds me of how important it is to remain open to the gentle currents of life and where it takes you. If you trust it, it leads you towards some interesting adventures and journeys through chance encounters.