I walking with another playwright/tv writer in LA a few days ago. They were lamenting about all the incompetent ppl they've worked with in TV. The one defining trait is that all of the bosses have been able to sell themselves to executives..even when they don't know what they're doing. Even when they're lost, they project confidence. An older writer told me a story about working with David Milch at his peak. This scribe would attend meetings with Milch as his 'hype man' pumping up the project, assuring the producers that the script is looking great when...there was no script. They would be talking about the project like it was CASABLANCA when Milch hadn't written one single word. He was projecting this aura...and it staved off the questions and bought Milch more time to actually write the script.
I told my friend that I LOVE studying ppl like that. It's helpful to me b/c I am not that extroverted salesman. Writers are a mercurial lot. Most are self-deprecating, neurotic, constantly questioning ourselves b/c...it's a necessary part of re-examining our work. Doubt is what keeps us up at night. Doubt is what forces me back to the screen at 2am b/c 'it's not good enough' or 'OMG they're going to hate this.' Doubt is what drives late sessions, extra rehearsal, not wanting to be embarrassed. But while doubt is a helpful tool in being an artist, it is a TERRIBLE trait for being a presenter, producer, director, showrunner, MC, salesman.
I am fascinated by those ppl who project confidence, especially ppl I label as 'overconfident.' My middle-class voice is always in my ear 'who the fuck do you think you are? How DARE you? Don't be arrogant! Don't be greedy! Where do you get off thinking that you're the shit? This isn't good enough!' While I need that voice in the privacy of my writing cave to push me further in my craft, I need another voice out in the world.
I told my friend that I LOVE studying ppl like that. It's helpful to me b/c I am not that extroverted salesman. Writers are a mercurial lot. Most are self-deprecating, neurotic, constantly questioning ourselves b/c...it's a necessary part of re-examining our work. Doubt is what keeps us up at night. Doubt is what forces me back to the screen at 2am b/c 'it's not good enough' or 'OMG they're going to hate this.' Doubt is what drives late sessions, extra rehearsal, not wanting to be embarrassed. But while doubt is a helpful tool in being an artist, it is a TERRIBLE trait for being a presenter, producer, director, showrunner, MC, salesman.
I am fascinated by those ppl who project confidence, especially ppl I label as 'overconfident.' My middle-class voice is always in my ear 'who the fuck do you think you are? How DARE you? Don't be arrogant! Don't be greedy! Where do you get off thinking that you're the shit? This isn't good enough!' While I need that voice in the privacy of my writing cave to push me further in my craft, I need another voice out in the world.
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