Really?

Since I started filmmaking, I’ve gone in full-bore, non-stop. I don’t want to half-ass it and I try to do the best I can with what I have.

With regards to writing, when I get the genesis of an idea, I cultivate it immediately. In certain circles, it’s recommended you let the idea similar a while before fleshing it out. Not me. I dive in, starting with research. If I hit a wall in fleshing it out, then I let it simmer. If I hit the wall two more times after that, then I abandon it.

I almost did this with my current spec script. It’s an episode of the smash Canadian hit Republic of Doyle. I caught this show last summer on vacation in Canada and I was hooked. I watched the rest of Season One online (and I watched all of Season Two online as well). It’s about a father-son detective team, in the vein of Columbo, Rockford Files and Magnum, PI. I liken the dad in the show to Higgins. It takes place (and produced) in St. John’s Newfoundland. While some of the humor is over my head (I’m not Canadian, after all), it’s a show with a nice mix of comedy and drama.

So, anyway, I’m working on a spec for this show that could take place after episode 12 of season 2. Tonight they aired the season finale, episode 13. Like all good shows do, the season finale turned the lives of the characters upside down.

While that’s great for storytelling, it sucks for my spec. I’m not sure whether I should start from scratch with this new info, or continue on the course I’ve laid out, letting those I know who read it that I wrote it before the finale aired. I’ve posted this conundrum on the Artful Writer forums (a website run by Hollywood screenwriter Craig Mazin).

It figures. Once I work out the plot and start writing the actual script, everything changes.

Story of my life.

Just a reminder, you can catch the WORLD PREMIERE of Old Scratch and HvX at the 2011 Lancaster Area Film Festival this Saturday at Penn Cinemas in Lititz, PA.