Introduce Yourself : Novelist & Screenwriter... new to LA by TJ Berry

TJ Berry

Novelist & Screenwriter... new to LA

Hey everyone, great to meet you!

I’m a science fiction novelist expanding into screenwriting and producing. My first two books, SPACE UNICORN BLUES and FIVE UNICORN FLUSH are sci-fi with a dash of fantasy. (Think Saga.)

I’m taking online screenwriting classes with UCLA and moved to just outside of LA a few months ago. I started meeting with locals… then the pandemic hit and everything went online. Although in some ways, I’m busier than ever with webinars, zoom calls, classes, and discord hangouts. Phew.

The first film I’m helping to finance is on pause due to the virus. Hopefully, the summer months will bring more forward motion. I’m currently working from home, churning out pages and attending as many online events as possible… how are y’all using this lockdown to hone your skills?

TJ

Christian Weiser

Hey TJ welcome to stage 32!!!!!!

TJ Berry

Nope, it's a short film being produced by a local writer/director. I'm actually writing the unicorn series as a pilot. Probably animated given the current production climate and the fact that the effects would be expensive in live action. Think BoJack Horseman... with an ex-convict unicorn... in space.

Allen Lynch

Welcome & Good Luck TJ!

TJ Berry

Wow, you're really working it!

Rutger Oosterhoff

Reading a lot of screenplays right now.

Brett Hoover

Nice to meet you TJ, wish you the best of luck at UCLA as you couldn't be at a better school for screenwriting than where you are and stay safe during this pandemic.

Simon Driscoll

Hi TJ, good to meet you! I know what mean...lockdown has meant super busy times with classes, writing scores, recording songs, online gigs/shows...it's exhausting but rewarding too. Good luck with it all :)

Karen "Kay" Ross

Hey, TJ Berry! My name is Kay, I'm the Community Manager here at Stage32. Nice to meet you! Hey, I'm new to LA, too! Man, tell me about it! Going online did not slow us writers down AT ALL!

How has your writing been progressing? I'm sure you've already discovered the Screenwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting), but feel free to reach out for guidance and insight on the Authoring & Playwriting Lounge (https://www.stage32.com/lounge/playwriting) as well!

If you'd like more information about how to explore the Lounges to meet more members and network, please enjoy my most recent blog post:

https://www.stage32.com/blog/5-Ways-to-Explore-and-Network-in-the-Stage-...

Enjoy exploring the lounges, and don't forget to comment and respond to others’ posts, too! It's the best way to really connect!

TJ Berry

Thanks, Kay! Still working slowly but steadily--I finished one novel and I'm just about to wrap up the first draft of a feature. You'd think... with all this time at home... we'd all be churning out pages and pages. Turns out it's tough to work during a global pandemic. Who knew? ;) See you around the lounges!

Karen "Kay" Ross

TJ Berry OH, yeah... our recent Q&A with Meg LeFauve, writer of Inside Out (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498834/?ref_=ttfc_fc_wr4), mentioned that it's difficult for the creative brain to operate when survival brain is demanding the attention. She said it better, though LOL! Congrats on finishing the novel!

Other topics in Introduce Yourself:

register for stage 32 Register / Log In