Yesterday I attended my first LASFS meeting. LASFS is the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society and has been around since 1934, making it one of the oldest (if not oldest) science fiction clubs in america. (More here at Wikipedia).
The picture above is LASFS’ awesome collection of sci-fi literature in a library made public to all LASFS members. Totally geeked about their large and impressive collection of not only books, but DVDs as well. Next week I plan to peruse more.
The group has a variety of odd eccentrics, so naturally I am drawn to the crowd. I could not be happier with my first tour of LASFS and really couldn’t be happier that I live in such a cool place, where sci-fi is so celebrated and appreciated. LA- my city soul mate, how did I ever find you?
I met many wonderful people last night, including a DGA director who did give me interesting advice. One- never talk creative talk with a producer. If you do, they always interfere and screw things up. Seems like sound advice. He also told me to find the story’s theme, its heart if you will, because that is what makes a story relevant to an audience. It can be hard to short through your ideas and come up with the essence, the pure form of the story told in one sentence, but this purified essence is what we relate to an audience. And a theme is not enough. This theme must take a stance, make a statement about the condition of the world or characters, and must connect to people. So bear your heart, lay yourself on their line, be totally open and exposed, and you will then find out if this story matters to people. If it does not resonate, move on.
I like that. It can be hard as a writer to boil a story down to its essence, but as a director, no one knows this core but yourself. This wisdom was also related to me by this director.
I had a sad conversation with a WGA writer about how Hollywood’s movies are made for children, but we did discuss the promising state of television. And for the first time in my life, I am considering exploring that world. Could I be a show runner rather than a director? And what a different picture that paints for me. It is so much more of a collaboration. But in a way, this television has become more free. Television these days, rather than movies, is made for adults. Sad. But really, I think my place is in movies. And hopefully the time for a Hollywood revolution is ripe.
If you are at all interested in sci-fi and live in the area (which fortunately I do) join me at LASFS. It’s every geeks dream.
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