Pitching National Geographic Channel

Revealing document find from 2003. Back then, I was trying to hone my studio pitches to a science. I found a notebook I'd kept on how much time and effort were going into each pitch, from studying materials, to rehearsal, to writing, to the actual meeting. Here's an example of a pitch I did for the National Geographic Channel.

They wanted an animated show. They had a few ideas and wanted original ones as well. Materials arrived for me on Aug. 5. I read pages and watched a video. Spent 6 hours writing ideas for what they thought they wanted, plus original material, plus several additional hours rehearsing.

Worked on my attitude and talked to a friend of mine in real estate. She suggested I stand when I pitched because my energy would be better.

August 14th was meeting day. I hardly got a word in edgewise. The junior exec. did most of the talking, but was clearly impressed with my ability to sit silently and smile. Another meeting was set with the senior exec. I was given character sketches for two ideas they liked and invited to supply said ideas with story, motivation, supporting characters and villains.

More hours spent thinking, writing, rehearsing.

On September 16, I got off the elevator and there was the senior exec. I was supposed to meet. She was backing up while talking to me and accidentally walked into a large floor plant, almost knocking it over. I said something like, "A close brush, yes?" That probably finished me.

In the meeting, the senior exec. was mostly interested in the idea I cared for least. Out of nowhere, she called the artist, put me on speaker phone with him, and listened as we swapped ideas on what a show with this character might be like. Very awkward. In the end, senior and junior execs. were polite and noncommittal, but I got the sense they weren't all that interested in my take.

Later, my agent called to say they weren't all that interested in my take.

I added up all the hours. They totaled 23; almost a day.

Two months later, I was hired to story edit a show without any interviews or meetings or execs. falling into plants.

So I figure it evened out.

Post So Cal Deluge

A dry, chilly day. A friend up in La Canada was evacuated for three days and just returned home. And while the street was muddy, her home didn't undergo a moving experience. Back to sunny and dry with blue skies for another year.

Well-Armed

Visited my old doctor, re. a shoulder pain. He's a distance runner and we talked the Honolulu Marathon and running form. He was down with my plan of: 1. Acquire proficiency in chi walking. 2. Lose 20 pounds. 3. Slowly integrate chi running into chi walking. 4. Continue strengthening my quads and glutes. 5. Perhaps work my way up to running 3 miles by this fall. (Guided, as always, by how well my knee holds up.) This I shall do. In fact, here it is: I will run the Chapman University 5K in October. Not only is it a fall race, but you get a tech tee-shirt, medal, and timing chip - a veritable BMW of 5Ks. My doc hadn't a clue about my shoulder, so it's back to physical therapy. But they all remember me there, so it'll be a small homecoming.

Keep Transcribing

Keeper does works of note re. Animaniacs.

Rules of the Beast

In two of my last three short stories, I have unique creatures, humorous and sinister by turns. Now I must define their powers and limitations. Even if that information doesn't show up in the story, it will inform my choices as I move into subsequent drafts. I'm starting to wear down in the home stretch. It's getting harder to crank out pages. But, I'm always reminded of the words of St. Augustine who once said, "Oh, stop crying and write something. Honestly, I wish an angel would come down from Heaven and beat you up." (I'm quoting from memory here.)

Link to Warner Bros. Art

Scroll down on CalArt student Sam's page for her rendering of the Warner Bros.

Hail, Donner and Blitzen

That would describe the weather during today's walk. With uncanny timing, I started exercise just as hail fell, followed by a downpour plus the above-named thunder and lightning. You can only be so wet at any one time, so I pressed on and finished. It was, however, the fastest walk I've done to date.

Rejection Bouquet

Two short stories rejected this morning, both with personal notes. One note contained a rather arch tone I haven't encountered outside TV animation; the other note was pleasant, the editor enjoyed the read but passed on the piece. I'll send both stories out again this evening as I'm busy now writing the first draft of story ten, from my Ten-in-Six.

Emptying out more boxes. If I desired, I could recreate my last year at Warner Bros., from January to my lay-off August 11, 2000. But I'll pitch most of stuff. (I've lived a rich life without it for almost ten years.) Various notes and memos from Lobo on-line, winning the Emmy for Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain in May, and the Cambodia trip in July. Back then, I was parked on the 14th floor, around the corner from Brad Bird's office, and around several corners from the offices of Hanna and Barbera. I recall the day the tech guy cleaned out my hard drive. CD drives were just becoming popular and he loaded seven and a half years of writing onto one CD. I remember thinking, "That's it?"

Plus two-weeks severance.

And lots of good memories.

And a ventriloquist dummy of Moe Howard.

I think I had a sign on it that read, 'WB Executive.'

Link to Leno Hating Article

Having bailed on late night comedy some years ago, I find the vitriol directed at Leno rather fascinating.

Pressing Business

Friend Ken found this photo of the original Iron Man.

Phoenix Rises Again

Rouman, Liz, Karla, and other Team in Training folk are in the Valley of the Sun for the Phoenix Marathon. Three years ago, I ran that course in temperatures under 30 degrees. (It maybe warmed up to the high 40s.) But a successful run and one I cherish. Go Team!

Walked today for 35 minutes; a little over two miles. No pain or soreness. I'll keep adding minutes and distance as I drop pounds. (Eventually.)

I took crackers from the restaurant tonight, but not packets of sugar. I'm getting better.