Lords Of Brooklyn

Update on my pilot Land Lord, there’s a title change, it’s now “Lords of Brooklyn”.

New Title…who this?

To refresh the story I submitted a real estate pilot to a long time film friend whom I’ve known for 15 years, he was so intrigued with the story he sent it to a New York based 30 year tv and film veteran actor. In that time the Actor has branched out to writing and producing.

And also real estate, we spoke recently and he wanted to express how the pilot was right on time. He has been like a lot of actors expanding his sphere of influence and reach. Plus real estate gives him a power base to leverage against the fickle nature of show business.

He also wanted to say how I gave good bones for the story.

I agreed at the start of the spring the we can become writing partners. He’s doing a polish now flushing out things from the eye of an actor who has been at it for a long time.

The key point he stressed was how good my writing was although I’ve never been on a real set.

I’ve been on super low budget joints, grad student films, a slew of corporate productions. And of course a plethora of hideous music video shoots. But I never have been anywhere on set close enough to the inner circle, like in video village.

Knee Deep in PA grunt phase!

As a PA these bad boys are your MAIN focus b! Know where them C-stands are like you know where you phone is.

I was a grunt, drove the old 15 pass box vans before the Sprinters, I did Swing G&E, PA before that. I haven’t officially been “through the process”. It’s like sure I’ve played lots of football-but not in the NFL. Nothing I’ve written had ever been bought and then rewrote, then shot.

Aforementioned hideous video shoot. This is as HIGH UP as I ever got-dude on the right pic was the ONLY DP I ever paid for, till then there was never a need to do that. Budget was about $6000, but there was of course the usual BS & as a result instead of this shoot launching my career, the video died in the water and my career stalled out.

However from what he can see I’ve got the goods, I’m close, I can play “in the league”.

This is huge. He pointed out that as an actor some of the things he’d like to see in a script that I failed to include due to my inexperience. He mentioned on a film he worked on, how a hole in the story made it all the way to the day he was set to work on that scene.

No one knew in detail what the stage directions implied, the key is be very specific, so it’s something to look out for as I write my next pilot (which is already complete).

NYU TSOA Grad film I was a apart of, no not mine I wasnt a Tisch student but I did got to SCPS(wtf is that?) in NYU, lol.

I told him the secret was a ton of research, I asked a lot of questions, I listened. And of course my job as fire life safety director (a very “New York job” there’s one for every tour- every day-365 in every hotel and commercial building including stadiums and studios in New York), puts me in the nexus of real estate ecosystem -the city and it’s regulations-the tenants, brokers and contractors.

The key is google everything. Follow up, people think I’m a broker or someone in the actual role of constructing buildings. That’s what you want, remember the phrase “are you writing a book”? .

Like David Simon said about his style of research-look dumb, have them talk to you like you’re a 7 year old.

Whats dumb is aspiring tv writers not reading this show bible, at least skim it!

Keep an ongoing journal put everything in there and actually refer to it when writing. That’s how I got the voices of my characters.

Last, he spoke on wanting to self finance the joint through his vast array of real estate partners and mentors, and shoot the pilot ourselves. All of this is news to me as this was not the expected outcome-not now at least maybe say at some point in 2023 or 2024.

Cash Rules Everything Around Me!

At this point I am here to follow his lead.

As a writer I’ve waited for this moment. Kobe needed Phil Jackson. Yankees hired Joe Torre then went on to win 5 World Series in 7 years. “Bill and Tom” won 6 in 20 years.

Never be the smartest person in your circle

I want a coach, a veteran whose been there and and back, to school me.

Again my athletic background is driving me here. Tom Brady has a personal coach.

I’ve heard writers get funny about this. They get so precious. I find that odd. A professional athlete has lived with their talent since their early childhood-some maybe the adolescent years. But it’s been their thing for years before they meet these coaches. I doubt many writers were writing scripts in the 6th grade.

Yet these athletes seek out professional tutelage as a direct way to perfect their craft.

And many years after they have established themselves, they keep these coaches around.

This was what I needed now. I’ve done MasterClass, read all of the books a dozen times. Broke down pilot after, pilot (35 scenes was the average btw). I need someone from the frontlines to guide me for the next journey.

Time to see Yoda bro.

The Actor wouldn’t have asked to be my writing partner if the work was mediocre .

I know the touches he added are improving the story and in turn improves my writing. I steal from everyone and everything.

Rappers, journalists, the man and woman on the street. Kids, old folks, animals -yea that’s right hey it’s great for non verbal communication cues.

Every day Joe, the cop, the crook. Old movies, books, tv shows- current and old. I’m all in.

Now it’s time I dig in to the legalese off all of this. I’ve already started looking at some courses on Stage 32 that are all about the legal aspects of screenwriting. Time to take courses on financing, the role of a producer. Time to find out what studio produces the type of show Lords Of Brooklyn will become?

I’ve always paid attention to the business part. Never was intimidated or dismissive about it. No artist should be blind or naive about the business part of this. It’s a tough enough business as it is. Don’t compound the problem, as usual stay tuned.

Now go read Engulfed…Down and Dirty Pictures and anything William Goldman writes!