Blog From The Bench

For years, I've wanted to write a screenplay. I've read tons of books on the process, read screenplays of my favorite movies, even got as far as writing a couple pages of a treatment (but that was waiting in line for Spider-Man, to tell you how long ago it was). I've had a few good ideas -- nothing earth shattering or even all that original, but a few that would've made good flicks ("Escape from Alcatraz" in space, a romantic comedy that I described to myself as a cross between Woody Allen and David Lynch). But as time wears on, I find myself less and less interested. Maybe that's part of growing older and more responsible -- I have a son now, and essentially work two jobs (my real job that pays the bills, and working on this site) -- but not long ago it dawned on me why I didn't feel the urge to create:

Charlie Kaufman

Every time I see one of his movies, I'm shocked that anyone's brain could crap out something so unique, so interesting, so unlike anything you've ever seen or heard or read before. It should inspire me to want to do that myself, but all it really does is dis-inspire me -- I could never be that creative, so why should I even try?

Then again, Akiva Goldsman won an Oscar, so maybe there's hope for me after all...