Three O'clock this morning I got up with the intention of writing. The time is now 5:19 and all I've managed to do is monkey around with Photoshop and that little Amelia Earhart quote widgety thing you see on the right of the screen. I did finally dig out the children's story my dad wrote eons ago; I plan to adapt it for another short film.I wrote a couple of starting lines of the outline. It shouldn't be so hard since the story is right here, and yet, as I look it over the original story I can see that, as is often the case, it will take some work and planning. It was written for children; the tone is juvenile and innocent. I cannot write a film like that, simply because that world just doesn't exist anymore, if it ever did. I like the juxtaposition of a child's innocence and the darkness of the knowing world. I guess this means I'll keep the lightness that my father wrote about, while adding the dark elements that I spend time pondering and fuming about. Yeah -- I guess that means it needs conflict throughout, (duh).
Although, I am practicing a renewed attitude with intentional thanksgiving to God and by excising politics, family wars and Talk Radio from my repertoire of bad habits. Still, I know the darkness exists. My stories, I hope, are about finding the way out, or maybe the good within the bad -- I dunno. Discussing my why for doing something was not the purpose of this morning. The purpose set aside for this morning was to Do the Thing; adapt the story into a doable script.
Speaking of darkness and light, the sun is just beginning to lighten the sky. I crave moving from here and back to the sofa. You know, just for a few minutes.
Later:
I am awake now. I am sipping my micro waved coffee and the sun is up full bore. Nick (my oldest son) is mad at me for kicking him off the computer, and the other kids are fighting over the usual who has and who does not. Yes. Conflict.
Childhood is replete with conflict; an endless supply of unfulfilled wants, needs, and desires often combined with unreasonable expectations and exaggerated emotions. I now understand my reasoning for procrastination. Writing a short film in which children are the lead characters does not seem like much of a step away from my current world. I do like, and often prefer, fantasy.What's the adage? Write what you know.
