Week 474: Back to CO - Pre Production Status

Weekly Written Review 

Just before leaving my last trip to Colorado in May, I found out I might get an invite back in the fall. Here I am. That last trip completed shifted my creative gears. I returned a full-blown writer and I acquired two writing partners. In approximately four months, I completed two and a half screenplays. I started working on the third one upon my arrival and so far so good.  I hope to complete the first draft soon.

A new movie is being made and I heard there's a possibility of more in 2020. This what you call a working vacation. I get to relax in a new environment and play in front of the camera. I'm sure the new film is going to be great but I quickly realized there's a higher purpose for this trip. This trip reminded me of all the resources at my disposal, amazingly talented people, our common struggles and achievements.

One particular conversation with my Snake Outta Compton cast member Joston Theney assisted in redirecting my thought process. While talking about my recent scripts, he told me to shoot it myself. He's preaching to the choir because I've done that with my web series and other endeavors but after another conversation with him, a click switched. I decided I'll be making my directorial debut in 2020 with a new script. Joston encouraged me to write a contained screenplay that I can shoot and direct myself.  I didn't truly envision myself directing the scripts I recently wrote. So his words inspired me to write a new script that I can direct and produce myself next year.  That sounded like a good plan for next year but that plan changed by Saturday. On Saturday, October 19, 2019, I made the biggest decision of my quest. I decided to produce my autobiographical screenplay myself. Truthfully, it was just a matter of time before I made this decision. Adding up the Jimmy Kimmel disappointment and screenplay contest declines helped me get to this point. This is essentially an impossible mission that I have to make possible. The reality is, I've been here before. The Motown Maurice Show (2010) was impossible but I made it happen. My web series was impossible but I found away. Now I'm about to produce, act and direct in my own autobiographical screenplay. Initially, I wasn't confident about directing it has to be me.

I'm officially in pre-production of my own movie. Actually, my mindset is in pre-production. I have to finish writing my current screenplay first but I'm done wearing the screenwriting hat for a while after that. It makes sense to do it by myself. Over the years, the genesis of my biggest ideas are often dependent upon studio support. It seems impossible by myself. I did my best to attract studios and production companies. Now, I don't even want them involved anymore. I've already started recruiting. The most important puzzle pieces have been in front of my eyes all along. I just had to make the decision. I'm convicted. There's no stopping me now. I'm a new person ready to make the impossible possible.

My current state fully reminds me of my journey to my first late-night show in 2010. I didn't think I could do without sponsorship and this and that. One day something clicked and I decided to take on the "By Any Means Necessary" mentality. I made that happen and I'm going to do it again in 2020.


Sunday, October 13, 2019

* Tennis with Hugo at Rancho Cienega. I should've won the first set but I couldn't close. He beat me in a tiebreaker. The final match score was 3 to 1. I'm content with that. It should've been closer but I had a lot of good moments.

* Updating CLN and my autobio


Monday, October 14, 2019

* Road trip to Colorado. 7am departure and we arrived around 7:30pm.

* First stop Hanks, next stop Roosters. I haven't had that much chicken in a long time.

* Slept in an Air B&B for one night. The next day we moved into a cabin for the remainder of the trip.

* Someone on Inktip requested my autobio script. Probably because we're familiar with each other. I sent it to him the next day and never heard from him again.


Tuesday, October 15, 2019

* Cabin check-in

* Movie fittings, table read...

* Script sent to Tim


Wednesday, October 16, 2019

* Finally back to writing RAD

* Inspiring talk with Joston


Thursday, October 17, 2019

* JH 1st workday

* Executive producer marketing. I reached out to a high school friend. You never know.

* Writing  RAD late at night


Friday, October 18, 2019

* Writing RAD...

* A full vision of my upcoming reunion developed in my mind today. After 9 months of planning, I finally know how to make it a very special event.


Saturday, October 19, 2019

* JH 2nd workday. It was a long night. They made me arrive early and I only did one quick scene. All is good. I took my laptop with me and I completed a scene in RAD.

* I started recruiting today. I'm officially in pre-production. I've already got two potential cast members and a sound guy.


As the quest continues...

The future of Late Night

Motown Maurice

Week 473: Getting Ready for...

Weekly Written Review 

I'm supposed to be completing my third and final screenplay for the year but I honestly don't want to. I rather relax. Regardless of what I want to do, the job has to get done. I recently took it upon myself to carry most of the writing burden between my writing partner. However, I'm not ready to focus on that script yet. Hell, I deserve a break. I just finished a 111-page screenplay last month. I deserve to take it easy.  However, I have a plan to fully reemerge myself in the writing process during an upcoming adventure. Meanwhile, I enjoyed increasing my intake of sports this week. After that screenplay, I plan to return to a more frequent sports cycle for a while.


Sunday, October 6, 2019

* Hair trimming...

* Blogging...

* Reaching out to talent agencies in Tampa. It was a spontaneous idea. Meh!

* SAG Comm Screening: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood at the Beverly


Monday, October 7, 2019

* Writing...CLN updates


Tuesday, October 8, 2019

* Central Casting photo update

* Tennis with Hugo at Shatto

* My landlady gave gifted me a nice suitcase for my upcoming trip


Wednesday, October 9, 2019

* Garage cleaning, Rearranging, most of the day

* Helping Barb with some stuff


Thursday, October 10, 2019

* Basketball...

* Sent and email to someone that knows, in which I thought would help but I got the Hollywood response. No reply.


Friday, October 11, 2019

* Basketball..Since I won't be playing for a while I played twice this week. It was the first time in a while. I enjoyed it.  I want to get back to doing that soon. Lost the first and won the next 4.


Saturday, October 12, 2019

* Blogging...

* Watching Power

* Trader Joe's...followed by unnecessary drama


As the quest continues...

The future of Late Night

Motown Maurice

Week 472: Rebranding Process Initiated

Weekly Written Review

I started off this week very low spirited because of a handful of disappointing reasons. The most disappointing is not hearing back from an attorney that I was supposed to meet with on Monday. We connected on Bumble. He represents literary talent and the connection seemed promising. Plus, I'm winding down from a creative high. Between the month of May and September, I wrote two screenplays. That's a lot. I didn't crash but I sure burnt a lot of rubber. Outside of my own journey, thoughts about the Amber Geiger verdict really disturbed me. I'm not going to address it. Nonetheless, I spent most of this week relaxing and in deep thought. Sometimes I can get destructive while in this kind of state and I did, a little. On Thursday, I made a bold decision to begin a rebranding process of my image. Here's a snippet of what I shared with my agent.

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I've been in deep thought this week about my career and I've come to the conclusion that I'm no longer interested in auditioning for young aged roles. Throughout the course of my career, I've auditioned for several young aged roles and received minor success. I've been wearing a beard for most of this year and I think it's working better for me. I'm ready to take a new path and rebrand my image. 

I've already begun clearing up my profiles. I've archived all the clean-shaven photos on my three profiles (Actors Access, Casting Frontier and LA Casting). I left approximately eight or fewer photos with facial hair. I would like to start targeting roles age 27 to 35. 

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I've thought about doing this in the past. The reason I never did it is because it's easy to get high off, "You look so young" compliments. Plus, it's not an easy transition yet it had to be done. There's a common saying in this industry, "Less is more." I had way too many photos on my profiles and I had to get rid of alk the clean-shaven photos. I'm also planning a photoshoot with a friend later this month. That shoot will capture my new look with a beard. 

Sometimes you have to demolition what you got so you can rebuild from the ground up. 

Sunday, October September 29, 2019

* Dolemite screening. Hands down the best movie of the year.

* Started watching, The Boy.

* Low spirited day...


Monday, September 30, 2019 

* Was supposed to meet with an attorney about my writing career but I never heard back.

* Relaxing...low spirited day

* Script reading (DH), emails, maybe some minor writing...


Tuesday, October 1, 2019

* Relaxing/low spirited


Wednesday, October 2, 2019

* Writing...

* Finished reading DH and a cop comedy from Joss...

* CLN did not advance is a free contest...


Thursday, October 3, 2019

* Basketball...with Joss. He hurt his ankle really bad. Last game of the day I hit a long-range game-winner three-pointer and ended it.

* Rebranding confirmation


Friday, October 4, 2019

* Tennis...


Saturday, October 5, 2019

* Waves movie screening. I regret ever seeing that movie. It's full of propaganda.


As the quest continues...

The future of Late Night

Motown Maurice

Week 471: Intentionally Lazy

Weekly Written Review 

I wanted to resume writing my third screenplay but my mind needs a break. I'll try again next week.


Sunday, September 22, 2019

* CLN script editing...just a little

* Making phone calls


Monday, September 23, 2019

* Intentional lazy day...

* CLN sent to my reader Lu...


Tuesday, September 24, 2019

* Second intentional lazy day...

* When for a walk to the dollar store, post office and back...

* Signing SAG contractions for my agent

* Audition notice. Say what?


Wednesday, September 25, 2019

* Totoya audition


Thursday, September 26, 2019

* Basketball...

* Writing RAD


Friday, September 27, 2019 

* Tennis...


Saturday, September 28, 2019

* Hustlers screening...

* Joker screening at Warner Brothers Studio...


As the quest continues...

The future of Late Night

Motown Maurice