Reid Johns: Screenwriter in Frisco, Texas.

In the Writers' Room last session, time travel was the hot topic. Jason Mirch did exceptional with his breakdown and analysis of the elements surrounding a great time travel film. Really got me fired up to tackle writing a time travel screenplay of my own at some point.

What about you? Have you yet written a time travel based screenplay, or thinking of writing one?

Seven years I’ve been at this screenwriting game full time, pushing myself the hardest I’ve ever pushed to try and break in, and it’s been tough at times, real tough, and real dark too at some points. The climb up the mountain is often steep, rocky, and treacherous but those views, man, those views.

As some of you may know, 2018 has been a real turnaround year for me with my first feature option at the start of the year, my first writing assignment mid way through, and I’m proud to say it’s been book-ended with the fantastic news today that a project I’ve been involved with has gotten the green light. I’m going to help make a freaking movie.

Last year I drove a road-trip from The Grand Canyon to Vegas in a grabber blue Mustang convertible and that drive was as painful as it was beautiful. As I kept the nose pointed west with the horizon ahead, signposts to Los Angeles would swoop by in the light of a technicolor sunset pulling me to hit the gas, spool up the turbo, and outrun all the way to the coast through the dead of the night. I wanted to bypass Sin City and hit Tinsel Town so badly. It felt two parts fantasy and one part destiny. I had to tell myself those guiding words “Not yet, but soon.”.

Now here I am, still living in a rundown old mining town in the middle of England but with a trip now added to my calendar. LA next spring to be on set for this production. How does it feel? Well, when I got the phone call this morning and the producer, who’s fast becoming a dear friend, asked me which airline I’d like to fly out with, there was a mixture of feelings, some which brought tears to my eyes and a cheer to my voice. It’s been a long ride and there’s a lot of history to process.

Ultimately though, I’ve re-found belief in the dream. It’s so easy to become jaded and it’s taken most of this year to get this project off the ground. I’ve felt like life has been teasing me. But what a year it’s been. The best in my screenwriting life. I’ve loved writing this movie and learning about the process and there’s been some wonderful moments in there too, like racing down to London to hang out with RB and Amanda in Soho - one of the best nights I've had in the past decade.

Look, I know it’s so freaking hard to keep your chin up and stay motivated sometimes and, if you read up on my other posts, I’ve had my fair share of knock-backs and detractors. I’ve contemplated giving up plenty of times. Completely giving up.

Take heed of those words “Not yet, but soon” and burn them into your neural network. Stay positive. Dream big. Know you’re going to make it and let the Law of Attraction do its magic. Find patience and perseverance. Write for yourself first so the right people enter your orbit in time. Don’t just hone your craft, love your craft, unconditionally and with pride in your voice.

This is a tiny first step for me that will hopefully turn into confident strides as I build my career and have fun doing so. Hell, there’s still the possibility it can all fall apart at this stage but I don’t care. I know I can do it now and I know you can do it too - maybe not yet, but soon.

Thanks for posting this. It's got some great insights in it.

I'm still in the newbie phase where I'm mainly writing for my own amusement, but i can already tell a huge difference between the quality of screenplays 1 and 4. So, I'm a huge proponent of practice, practice, practice. I've got writing journals that I use that look like I'm channeling Jack Torrance. Eventually I'll have to burn them to keep them from being Exhibit A, but occasionally there are useful nuggets in there.

I guess my biggest question after reading through your blog has to do with networking in the industry. I live in the suburban Dallas area and wonder about the age old screenwriting question - "Do I have to move to LA to make it work?" Any tips on that?

I have a ton of DVDs that I want to rip and store on one Lacie Media drive. I have used Handbrake in the past to do that, but the latest version isn't working for me. Does anyone know of software that I can rip those DVDs with?

How many of us believe (not hope or dream) that we will be write in the studio system.

How many believe that they will be working for low budget indies.

How many think they will have to find their own products.

Honest self reflection.

I will write small indie crime/horror/drama. I know the people I will work with. Good indie people work out of New York. I also have some interest from an Aussie drama network for a four part series. I would have to fund (not impossible).

Thanks for connecting.

I'm from Frisco, Texas, part of the vast Fort Worth-Dallas metroplex. I have a journalism degree from TCU and was a pretty decent writer at that time, but life kind of got in the way. Add in an accounting degree, a CPA license and I'd probably gone as far from creative writing that you could get.

Earlier this year, I rekindled my passion for writing or, to paraphrase my wife, "you're having a mid-life crisis." Either way you look at it, I started writing again and have churned out four screenplays so far with about 10 others partially written.

My goal is to (1) try to write better each time and (2) maybe get a portfolio together and win the lottery by getting something produced. I have no illusions of being the next great film maker. My goal would be met just by having something produced somewhere down the road.

I'm just hoping to connect with some people on Stage 32 that have similar hopes and dreams and hopefully the synergy created by that will keep the fire burning in me.

Good luck to all of you and keep at it. Someone's got to hit it big and maybe that someone is you!

Posted a treatment (or at least what I'm calling a treatment) to one of my screenplays called "Torn Curtain." It's a Cold-War action film set in the final days of the Iron Curtain. Would love to get any feedback on the storyline.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Reid, thanks for the connection. I'm happy to "meet" you!

Thanks Reid!