So I've officially begun the festivities. I'm in NYC and just finished the first day of a three-day seminar (to be immediately followed by a one-day seminar) on screenwriting, given by the world's most famous screenwriting teacher, Robert McKee. Long, LONG day--9 am to 8 pm with an hour's break for lunch and three 20-minute breaks--10 hours a day, IOW. I've heard it said it's like a full year of college in three days, and that's what it amounts to. I have 19 pages of notes, just from today. Many of his students have won Oscars and Emmys, and tons more have been nominated. The successful ones come back for refreshers. He's an AMAZING person to listen to, and very entertaining. The one-day seminar after this main one is specifically on TV drama, and focuses on my all-time favorite show, Breaking Bad. And of course he's full of great stories about famous writers, actors, and directors.
I'm also staying at my first AirBnB, the home of an amazing artist, whose apartment is like a quirky art gallery, with antiques and mosaics and mirrors and decorations EVERYWHERE. My host is quite a character, too, but she has been very friendly and pleasant. Her house is a block from the subway that takes me a block from the seminar, so it's been easy to get around. Wish I had more time to explore NYC, but my time is pretty much spoken for on this trip. It's been a while since I've been just exploring here--I'll need to plan a visit just to do that one of these days.
Whether I ever get anywhere with my writing or not, I'm learning a lot that will enhance my appreciation of movies and TV. I'm feeling a lot younger just being here!
