Keep Writing Anyway

Genius writing advice gem from my alma mater --

Comedy in a Dark Room

One of the most exciting things about being an artist is seeing your friends succeed.

That's right, showbiz isn't always the dog-eat-dog world you see in bad movies. For me, there's nothing more inspiring and joy-filled than seeing my contemporaries rise in their careers.

I had the opportunity to celebrate some friends last week when the Asian Pacific American Friends of the Theatre (APAFT) held an event called "Honoring Comedy" to celebrate the seriously funny careers of actors Deborah S. Craig and Aaron Takahashi and playwrights Prince Gomolvilas and Paul Kikuchi.

NOTE - The restaurant where the event was held was lit for romantic dining, not picture taking, so these images are terrible! But they capture what was a thoroughly enjoyable celebration.

The evening started with host Helen Ota, Cold Tofu founder and a successful comedienne in her own right, performing "Taylor the Latte Boy" --

Then playwright/storyteller/honoreee Prince Gomolvilas shared a hilarious story he recently told at TEDx --

Finally, the irrepressible Deborah S. Craig sang a song from Adam Gwon's Ordinary Days - this girl has crazy talent --

Panel time! Helen moderated a discussion with the four honorees --

Then came the presentation of the awards. Group shot!

I can't remember where I met Deborah S. Craig, but I've loved loved loved her fearless comedic style since then --

I've known Aaron since we did the East West Players' theater for young audiences tour back in 2004. Seeing him get recognized for the comedy career he's built since then was such a thrill.

If you don't know who these funny people are, here's some of my favorite videos from each --





And this is the exact story that Prince Gomolvilas told that night - so fantastic --

The Writing Flood Gates Are Open

I love the expression "When it rains, it pours." It speaks to effortless abundance and I believe that the universe is filled with plenty.

Case in point - my writing has been flowing like crazy! A welcome change for me, because if you remember from Crawling Past the Finish Line post, my last pilot took me several months to write. Correction - several months of beating my head against a series proposal before moving to the writing phase for several painful months.

After finishing that script, I became a pilot reading machine through staffing season and focused on acting and Early Retirement stuff, and before I knew it, it was mid-May and I still needed to write a spec script of an existing show for the ABC, NBC, and Warner Bros. writing programs. Darn you, ticking hand of time!

What's a writer on a deadline to do? Bear down and get to work! 14 days to a completed script. I gave myself 7 days to beat out the story and outline and 7 days to write and revise.

And you guys -- I did it. I wrote a script in two weeks.

Don't know if it's any good, and at this point the applications are in, so it's doesn't matter. The important thing is that I did it. It makes me particularly proud because that's what writers on staff have to do - turn around scripts quickly - often in two weeks or less. And I did it.

And a wonderful thing happened --

My writing hasn't stopped flowing.

Since sending in my applications, I've revised and finished a short film script I haven't touched since last September. I developed and wrote a first draft of another short film script. I wrote another chapter of my sci-fi romance novel. I did a revision pass on a short story after getting notes from my editor. And I developed a nine-page series proposal for a whole new pilot for a producer I'm collaborating with - premise, characters, the pilot story, and an outline of season one.

And it's only Wednesday.

I hope I can keep this going, because this is how I want it to be all the time. I open the flood gates and words come out. And I go to sleep feeling like a writer. Awesome.

Erin Quill Tells it Like it T-I-IS!

That moment when that actress you know speaks more eloquently and comprehensively on issues of diversity for performers than anyone ever in the history of speaking...



Broadway actress and self-proclaimed "Tiger Blogger" Erin Quill gave this passionate speech at LA STAGE Day, sponsored by the LA STAGE Alliance.

Whatever the color of your skin may be, if you love the theater, you MUST watch this!

(FYI - the title of this blog post refers to one of my favorite B-52 songs...)

Writing Deadline Video Distractions

When I'm cramming to finish a script by a deadline, I always balance my writing intervals with a little YouTube watching. Okay, more than a little. Here are my favorites this month --

A gem from Louis C.K.'s newest comedy special "Oh My God." I love him, of course...



Also in love with this piece of comedy gold - a completely improved, unedited take from Patton Oswalt's guest appearance on Parks and Recreation --



Since I'm swimming in TV right now - finales, upfronts, staffing season, etc. - I've been revisiting this oldie but goodie from College Humor --

My favorite new jam from Clara C - a delicious cover of Phillip Phillips' "Home" --



And even though I'm not on the Zach Braff-shouldn't-be-using-Kickstarter bandwagon, I found this fake Kickstarter video from SketchZord pretty hilarious --



Okay, back to writing...

The Hump Day Update: Pre-Birthday Edition

Dear Fairy Godmother,

This year for my birthday, I want to get staffed on a network television drama. It would be really neat if the Early Retirement Kickstarter got fully funded too.

Thanks Fairy Godmother. Have I mentioned you have amazing skin?

Sincerely,
Teresa

Now that that's done, here's what I've been up to lately --

• Shot my last episode of the season for Grey's Anatomy - what a fantastic year it's been on the show! So grateful for each and every opportunity to play with them. Finally snagged a picture with Sandra Oh, who in my opinion is the most lovely person on that set.



• Played a medical examiner in Criminal Minds season finale. Props to any actor who has ever played a dead body - those autopsy tables are not comfortable!



• Volunteered for the 10th time (I think) at the annual East West Players Visionary Awards. The last hurrah for my long hair! Always love seeing my friends in black tie --



• Shot a USC class exercise film -- one hotel room + four hours to shoot = stressed out film students! I had a great time with my amazing co-star Alina Chorna - plus it's not every day I'm cast as a hotel maid.





• Attempted to attend a CAPE event in the Warner Bros. lot, but it was way oversold, so I was turned away. Couldn't leave without at least snapping a few pics on the backlot for posterity.



• Booked and shot an indie film project in a Long Beach church filled with owls, i.e. - the halls and youth area were completely owl-themed. I think the idea was that they were teaching them to be wise...







• Booked and shot another AFI cycle film, playing a doctor. No spaceship this time...





The production designer MacGuyver'ed this medical ID from my headshot - awesome!



Phew! Another beautifully busy update - looking forward to working on Early Retirement next. Oh wait, we need to get funded first! Contribute today!

A True Hollywood Hustler

The number stares at me in its 48 pt font boldness -- "3 days to go"


Only 3 days left to hit our $15,000 fundraising goal on Kickstarter for Early Retirement, the short film I'm co-producing and starring in. If the campaign doesn't get funded, the film doesn't happen.

The panic has officially set in.

This is the first Kickstarter campaign I've been personally involved in. I've given to friends' Kickstarters in the past, sending them financial love as I watched them frantically email, Tweet, and plead for contributors.

Some seemed to hit their goals easily - my friends Helen and Mike reached their goal without posting anything more than a picture of their smiling faces - now that's star power. Other friends fought long and hard for their Kickstarter wins, like my friends Joyce and David who raised $50,000 for their feature after weeks of hustling.

Now I know how they feel. Because I have become a hustler!

A day hasn't gone by that I haven't tweeted at least twice about Early Retirement. I've been talking about it nonstop. I made a Facebook invite, I sent two rounds of emails to everyone in my address book, and I've tagged people on Facebook in various targeted pleas. I did a special photo shoot with Toshikophoto after cutting my hair to prove I can play a badass assassin.



I hosted an assassin-themed birthday party to say thank you to backers and generate more support --





I asked illustrator friend Henry Liao to draw some original concept art to help sell the idea of the film. We're offering exclusive prints as a new reward --



All of this hustling is normal, of course. That's what independent filmmakers do every day to get their passion projects made. I'm not complaining at all. I'm accustomed to hard work - built for it actually - and fighting for this project is just in a day's work.

But if Friday night comes and we don't get funded, I might just cry.

So please, help a sister out. Contribute to the Early Retirement Kickstarter NOW and help us reach our goal!