Only in LA

A few weeks ago I went to the Writers Store in Westwood looking for a few books on legal forms and legal advice for writers. I was in the process of doing contracts with a producer and I just felt like I needed to know more.

I walked up to the register and I tell the very outgoing clerk the books I needed and that I was looking for contracts. He points out the two books I wanted and recommended me a couple more. (I already had them, one was in purse at that very moment)

I started to explain to him that I needed to look at something fairly specific and I just wanted to make sure the books would have the type of contract I needed. I even said: “Who knew you had to become an amateur lawyer to be a screenwriter.” Which I thought was very clever and cute, but did not get the reaction I expected.

And the guy tells me I shouldn’t be doing all this heavy lifting myself and that I should let my agent to the negotiating for me. Haha, I thought. What I said was: “I don’t have an agent. I’m an unproduced writer.” And he looks at me and says: “Me too, but I have an agent and a manager.” Oh, did that hurt… And he says that I really need to send out query letters, call people, network, you know, get an agent first.

I took a deep breath and said I had done all that and most agents and managers wouldn’t read my letters or take my calls. A few had requested a screenplay and politely declined. I finally stumbled upon a producer who was interested in one of my scripts and… here I am, in need of legal information.

The clerk was very animated in enthusiastic, and he insisted I call around and maybe I could find someone to represent me just for this one project. He also suggested I get legal counsel, which I did. It was worth every penny.

As I walked back to my car it hit me that in a city where the bookstore clerk has an agent and manager, yours truly couldn’t get arrested. But instead of going into a deep depression I convinced myself an agent is supposed to get you meetings with producers. Well, I’ve been doing that myself, so I don’t need one right now. Sure I’d love to have one but I’ve been making lemonade with the lemons life’s been giving me for a quite a while. I had to remind myself that filmmaking is 90% problem solving and creative thinking. I’ve done a decent job so far on my own. Agents will come eventually. Like one of my instructors said: “At the end of the day, the only thing you can control is your craft, so keep writing and the deals will come.”