Moving forward is the way to go. Obvious statement, right? Not really. It is an obvious notion, sure, in the grand scheme of things. But we forget to move forward sometimes, don’t we. We get stuck, static, stagnant. Sometimes we reverse a little bit. Our ceasing to move forward might be deliberate, might not. Sometimes I bust my gut to write on this very site, write my screenplays. And still I can find I am not moving forward with the site or my movies – or indeed their progression and success. Okay, sure, at times I turn off the gas and only have myself to blame for sluggish movements. But even on top of recent wobbly events in my own life moving forward is the way to go.
The very site you are reading now has recently gone through a partial refurbishment (be careful, there are still some loose wires and wet paint). That means physically the site now looks different (and better I hope), but I am also referring to the effort into the quality and quantity of the posts, and bringing the whole site into a greater realm of excellence. Some great contributions from others out there have really made a difference – great work to you all – and I am looking at three or four regular contributors. The site is getting a huge push, and am investing a ridiculous amount of time and effort in making it a success. As the screenwriting takes a backseat just for the time-being, that does mean that my dedication to work elsewhere comes with a certain amount of sacrifice (and guilt). Screenwriting will never be put on hold too long, nor will it be something I even stop doing. Never.
So Write out of LA the site, the blog. Where to now (in that forward direction)? As well as the regular film writing that is sporadically pulled from my own head and splattered onto the page (especially during awards season when we all find some extra energy), I am also looking at various regular elements to keep the wheels turning. But also make the site a little more diverse and varied, to publish material we don’t see enough of out there already. The recent Films of the Year So Far and Performances of 2015 with guest writers is absolutely something I want to continue doing. As well as writing up my year-by-year Film Honors (that’s 30-plus pieces – gulp).
The subjects this can cover are pretty endless – currently building a huge piece on Female Directed Movies You Might Not Have Seen (working title) – but off the top of my head would like to do a review of the Summer Movie Sleepers, the Foreign Language Films you might not have seen yet, or even Great Female characters of cinema. Like I said, could be endless. There’ll also be contributions from those reviewing / shouting out to Classic Films they loved. Never want to be Buzzfeed, but there are many, many lists out that can provide compelling write-ups. On the Oscar theme, would like to write pieces on those who were nominated but did not win, perhaps we forgot about them but should not have – could call it And The Nominee Is? A few of us have also discussed live group-watching a movie, and even live Tweet events. As we speak I have a dear London-Film-Comic-Con-goer writing an event coverage piece for the site, and am about to interview one of the most dominant female voices in the awards season blogosphere. Oh, and a podcast is on the cards.
I’m exhausted just writing all this. In the meantime, those that keep coming back I thank continuously in my own way, and hope that the site’s audience grows as I move forward. Watch this space. As always please Like the Facebook page, Follow on Twitter (and other social media platforms) – there is also a subscription box where you enter your email and get a nudge when something new is posted. You know the drill, off you go.
