Way back in the early 80s, my Creative Writing college class was taught by a local author, Elmore Leonard, whom I had had never heard of at the time.
The required text book was Syd Field’s ‘Screenplay.’ It was a small class and ‘Dutch,’ (he allowed or preferred that we call him that), brought in a dozen printed screenplays to read. Some were his movies: Mr. Majestyk, 3:10 to Yuma, and Hombre; the others that I recall were Superman, Coal Miner’s Daughter, and American Gigalo. (I devoured all of them.) After several lectures, the final assignment was to write the first 10-pages of an original screenplay, and ‘hook’ him.
Fast forward 20+ years. While cleaning out the rafters of our garage, I found that writing assignment, ‘The Home Boys,’ in a box full of childhood stuff. I remembered writing it on an IBM Selectric with a Courier ball.
The story was still in my head; ’Two widowers with polar-opposite personalities and severe health issues help each other reconnect with their estranged children.’ It was just waiting to be transcribed, so I purchased an early version Final Draft. (I’m not sure which version, but it came on a floppy with a key card.)
I finished writing ‘The Home Boys’ within a few months, and realized I had much to learn. (It’s back in the box.) I enrolled in several online Master Classes, and attended Dave Trottier’s Writers Retreat at Sundance. Since then, I’ve completed seven original screenplays, two adapted screenplays, and even had one shopped around by ‘Good Fear.’ Some people my age play guitar or pickle ball for fun; I write stories. It’s my Quan. (It completes me.)
Currently, I’m writing my 10th screenplay, a low-budget modern take of Don Quixote. Obviously I’m biased, but I believe it’s my best story...so far.
My wife and I moved to Southern California a few years ago, lived on a boat in San Diego Bay, then bought a ‘fixer-upper’ to flip that we call ‘The Old Haney Place.’ If you’re old like me, you’ll get the reference.
