Jordan, ‘10

I don’t know if you ever forget the first time you set out to accomplish some big thing and then see it through.  I haven’t.  I remember writing my first script when I was eleven.  I still have that yellow single-subject notebook.  I filled every page and when I finished my parents told me to take my neon-white butt outside.  Sound advice, since I might have turned into a blind fish if I had stayed underground in my dark basement any longer.  Yes, in nearly seasonal fashion I turn into a cave-dwelling creature.  My olive skin turns pale, my eyes function better in the dark, I think positive thoughts to repel carpal tunnel syndrome, and I write.  Or I type.  Usually I do both.  It isn’t that the invention of the incredible portable paper notebook and even more magical laptop hasn’t made it easier to take my obsession outside.  I just tend to do most of my writing in the dank, nondescript room at the bottom of the stairs–or more recently in my dorm room, with the blinds closed. 

 On Friday, I accomplished another goal.  I’ve talked on and off over the past few months about a woman named Megan Holley who wrote the script for Sunshine Cleaning, a movie starring Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, and Steve Zahn that opened in Richmond theaters on Friday.  I wanted to meet her and I did.  She agreed to meet with me over coffee. 

Laid back and unaffected, Megan was everything I hoped she would be.  She even brought a special second guest–her infant son, Sam.  In the course of forty-five minutes, Megan gave me a list of resources for screenwriters in the Richmond area as well as agreed to read my script.  Then, as I was about to leave, she mentioned that her family was throwing a celebration for the opening of Sunshine Cleaning that night and she invited me to go. 

The party was held at a gorgeous house on Monument Avenue and Megan introduced me to an Art Director who worked on the movie Cry Wolf, which was filmed on the UR campus.  He gave me great advice too. 

 I, unfortunately, had to leave early to go to work.  I filmed the Tuesday Verses SLAM poetry event on campus, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday, go figure, but had to be rescheduled for Friday.  Chickengrease, the local band, performed the whole evening.  There were singers and feature poets as well as several poets from the SLAM team that my documentary class is covering.  A few UR students also read their poetry.

The evening–the whole day–was a reminder that I just have to think and act positively and I’ll see myself to where I want to be.

Go see Sunshine Cleaning,

Jordan

Megan Holley, photo courtesy of imdb.com

Quote of the week:

“Ideas come from everywhere.  It’s such a commitment.  It’s not hard to come up with ideas–it’s hard to settle on one.” - Megan Holley

“If you have determination, diligence, and are willing to go the mile–Hollywood’s movie industry has the swiftest upward [climb professionally].” - Megan Holley