The Rough Draft

11/16/2008

Brick Walls and other Obstacles

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This Just In

— Steve Abbott @ 5:49 pm

Brick Wall

So I was traveling this week and finally had a chance to go through some of the saved videos on my Ipod. Most notably Randy Pausch’s, “Realizing your Childhood Dreams,” Part of Carnegie Melon’s, “Last Lecture,” Series. The series was initially formulated as a thought experiment to give academics a lessons learned to be passed on lecture, as if it was the last one they would ever give. Unfortunately this turned out to be Randy Pausch’s actual last lecture as he was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and passed away at home with his family a few months after this lecture was given. I’m embedding the video at the bottom of this post. I hope you’ll take the time to watch it.

You always know when you’re watching somebody who actually figured it out. Not in a, “This is the total secret to making it all work for everybody.” but in a way that really worked for them and made a difference. Not just in their life but for everybody around them.

One of Randy’s key insights was on, “Brick Walls.” Any writer worth his salt is well up on them. We hit them all the time, be they personal or professional. They are frustrating and at times they can seem overwhelming but I’ve got to say after watching this, “Last Lecture,” I’ll never look at them quite the same way again.

As a writer, you get to be a bit bull headed. This is a requirement for the job. Writer’s tend to be goal oriented. That means achieve the goal, no matter the cost. It also means that personal relationships will suffer. Those of us blessed with a good and understanding partner will come to an agreement, others will choose a more solitary assault. I’m lucky. My wife gets it and doesn’t begrudge me my queenier moments.

The key insight about brick walls is, “They’re there to keep out those who don’t really want it.” This statement brought me up short and I had to really think about it. Take a look around you. How many people that were there when you started out are still there? How many might still be there but have broken off into other avenues of the entertainment game? How many are gone completely? It’s like a charge on a machine gun nest. You hope you make it while the bodies hit the ground all around you.

Brick walls are there to keep out those who don’t really want it.

I always knew this game wasn’t for the faint of heart but there it is.

I hope you enjoy the video.

I hope it makes your life better.

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11/12/2008

Sitting Around

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This Just In

— Steve Abbott @ 5:21 pm

Dragon's Mouth

Yeah, not much of something I do really.

So, it’s official and I have another Associate Producer credit to my name on The Devil’s Tail. Thanks again to Chris Comrie and Samantha Swan for the honor. It was great just helping them out and the credit is just gravy. In other news, it looks like at least one of the other projects (can’t say which one yet) is marching towards a greenlight. I’m told I should know by the end of the year. Don’t worry, I’ll post up the details as soon as I can.

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