More Than Meets The Eye

I'd like to think I'm a triple threat.

Of course, I'd also like to think I'm devilishly handsome and flawlessly witty, but anyone who knows me will assure you I'm neither!

So what is my definition of a triple threat? Well, it's not the traditional one of acting, singing, and dancing! (Although I can belt out a wicked 80s rock ballad when forced.) But I'm talking about writing, speaking, and marketing. Yep, along with being a blossoming writer, I'm also a functional interview (more on that below) and a top notch student of the world of marketing! And I'm hoping that some studio out there finds that combo reassuring and makes it that much easier to entrust one of their projects to my care and abilities.

For viewers of this blog that don't already know this (although I'm fairly certain my Mom and Grandma do already know this, but I'll say it anyway) I have my Major in Business with concentrations in Marketing and Management, and a Minor in Economics. And while I don't say that to toot my own horn, I do say it to draw a parallel between the worlds of business and Hollywood. I have spent many years focused on creating a product the market wants and then promoting it to them when it's ready. And in the time I've spent writing scripts, I find the similarities between the two worlds striking.

Instead of Marketing's 4 P's, Hollywood has its 4 Q's. The 4 Quadrants - Men, Women, Old, Young. And the goal is to craft a masterpiece that can hit the bulls eye in the center of the 4 Q's and make as large an audience turn out to watch your story as possible. The favorable byproduct, of course, is making a bunch of people a bunch of money...not to mention influencing a lot of people with an original story.

Now I know the studios have their own marketing people and all that, and I'd definitely never step on any toes there (read: I'm the consummate team player!), but wouldn't you think it would help me just a little, teeny bit to have that capability built in, that in the back of my mind I'm always considering my audience and giving foresight to how my movie would be potentially marketed? Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think that would be an asset.

So, what did I mean by functional interview? Mostly, just that given the opportunity to do it, I do a decent job of getting up in front of whomever and telling them whatever. I've seen how many writers are extreme introverts that would rather get a root canal than meet with studio execs or worse, the media! And granted, I've got my own issues with public speaking and all that. I've posted before that my closest demons are deeply rooted in the realms of social anxiety. But that doesn't mean that with a few Zanax and the prayers of loved ones I can't stand up in front of whomever and speak intelligently about whatever needs to be heard to keep the train moving forward. Right? Well, at least good enough to be "functional."

So there you have it! A young writer, who's mindful while he works of what the overall goals really are, who can do the things that need to be done when it comes time to hit the stage and sing and dance.

Now if I could just be funny too!