2011 was an interesting year. i finished up the nick fellowship, which was an amazing experience. i learned a lot, met great people, and wrote a bunch of solid scripts. as great as the experience was, it didn’t lead to a job, so the end of the year after the fellowship was rather depressing. i’m hoping 2012 leads to some sort of breakthrough.
here were my top 3 goals for 2011:

  1. get staffed on a show after the fellowship.
    NO. this didn’t happen. not even close. i also didn’t get an agent, and didn’t get into another writing program (although i did make it past the first round of disney). sigh.
  2. write a pilot script.
    YES. i finally wrote my first pilot! i’m already working on my second.
  3. make a web series or short film.
    SORT OF. i didn’t shoot anything, but i did finish the script for a live action short, so i count that as half.

so out of my 3 goals, i accomplished 1.5. not so great.

here are my 3 main goals for 2012. i think i’ll want these same 3 goals every year, until at some point i stop making short films and make a feature.

  1. be a working writer, and get staffed on a show. this means i’ll need to get an agent first, so i’m lumping both of these things together for my main goal.
  2. write at least 2 new scripts, either 2 pilots, or a pilot and a spec. during my year of the nick fellowship, i wrote 6 scripts, but i was doing it full time. i’m not sure what my work situation will be, so i’m aiming for 2 minimum in case i work a full time non writing job.
  3. make a short film or web series. the script for one is completed, and i have a rough drafts for 2 more shorts. one has a psychic, one is at a restaurant, and one has a disease. i’m ready to start preproduction on the psychic one. i have to find a line producer, find a location, and start casting!
    besides my 3 main goals, i also have a few small goals that i’ll share.
  4. watch the top 100 afi movies. i’m going by the 10 year anniversary list. http://www.afi.com/100years/movies10.aspx 
i’ve already seen 50 of them, so i have 50 left to go. if you haven’t seen charlie chaplin in city lights, i would highly recommend it!
  5. i want to read more scripts, so i’m aiming for at least one a month. tv, feature, doesn’t matter. i’m really aiming for one a week, but just in case i get lazy, i’ll say one a month.

anyone want to share what they accomplished in 2011 and what they’re aiming for in 2012?

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11 Comments

  1. if i read correctly about you on the nickelson fellowship website, you didnt get in right away. but you tried again with FIRE AND FURY and made something they couldnt say no to.
    you will do it again. i know you can, i know you will. ps-dont forget your supports when you go big!!
    cheers,
    ron

  2. We have similar goals, you and I—the writing goals, and the AFI Top 100, too. I just watched All About Eve for the first time, and I can say without hesitation that it’s one of my favorite movies. Will check out Chaplin’s film next!

  3. Hello Kiyong !
    I’m glad you’re not depressed anymore, and got some energy : you seem to be a great and talented guy, so I’m sure you can do it, just keep writing ! 🙂
    About your question. Ive always been interested in writing (novels, short stories), but in 2010, I just started to be interested in script writing, but wasn’t sure I could. So it was only in 2011 that I really wrote two short script (according to the readers they was really funny, not perfect but good). So it really helped me to think “well, okay, let’s do this, you can do it!”. So I’ve read more and more screenwriting blogs (including yours! thanks for sharing your experience!), bought some books about it (Blake Snyder, John Truby), started a blog about writing, read some scripts, and inspired by all that I started to work on a feature spec in the end of 2011.
    So, in 2012, I want to finish that feature very soon (for now I’m working on the outline), and write at least 4 more scripts (feature or tv show), read more scripts, continue my blog (tough one : I’ve the bad habit to give up on my fresh blogs!), get some work as a script reader, and manage to sell a script. I hope I’ll do all that, but I’m quite confident, I think this year will be great !
    So, good luck to you, me, and all the aspiring writers 😉
    (excuse my english if it’s not perfect, I’m french!)

    1. wow esther, that’s very ambitious! i think 4 scripts is definitely doable, at least if they’re tv. i haven’t written enough features to know how long that takes, but for tv specs, we had a 6 week schedule at nickelodeon. good luck and keep me updated on your progress!

  4. I had an interview with the guy hanks and marvin miller program in dec 2011 (Cosby writing program at USC) but I didn’t make it in.
    but That’s the past.
    Now in 2012
    I will do at least two sitcom specs (finished my outline for the 1st one) and submit them to all of the fellowships (wb,NBC, CBS, nick, etc)
    and I will shoot an ultra low budget
    documentary (my first).
    Keep pursuing your destiny – wisdom for the artists.

      1. My doc will definitely be a short.
        I believe you said you have a couple of shorts that you have shot. Do you have any links to them I want to start watching shorts by indie directors. I want to immerse myself in the craft.
        Thanks kiyong

  5. BTW

    I see the link for your short films. Do you have all of your grips for your next planned short?
    I would like to grip for you (no pay needed) if our schedules match up, I need the “on set” experience.
    Thanks again kiyong

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