Archive for the ‘FAQ’ Category

Recently I’ve been giving my whole GB3 obsession a lot of thought.

I guess you could say I’ve been fixating on my fixation.

Having reviewed some sections of my site I read over my FAQ #4 and realized I needed to explain myself a little better…. Because to be honest, I sounded like a complete dick back then.

Why write a GB screenplay? Why write something that you don’t own the rights to?

I guess like many fans I just got tired of waiting and tired of the false starts for a viable GB3. I had my idea back in University but never pursued it then for the obvious reason that I didn’t own the rights and furthermore – had never written a screenplay before.

So when I got wind that Dan’s screenplay seemed to be in oblivion – I was arrogant enough to think, hey, what the heck? And gave it a stab.

Naive me. That stab took 3 years.

At first the writing was innocent. It was simply a self-imposed ‘course’ to teach myself to screenwrite. I figured if I could master the skill to write a convincing sequel – surely then I’d have the chops to write my own stuff.

But the more I wrote, the more I realized how much I loved writing. Something in me was born or awoken on those days – and I couldn’t, wouldn’t – stop.

For me, there’s a sweet pleasure in the anguish of finding words – and it’s in those moments I found myself truly alive.

Increasingly cognizant that the writing was taking a huge amount of time, I remember coyly daring the universe to free my packed schedule. And it did.

Usually rational, I was floored by the succession of eerie coincidences too blunt to be ignored:

• The money and time I needed to write full-time presented themselves.
• On a New Years out with friends at the strike of midnight Ghostbusters played on the radio instead of auld lang syne.
• Ernie Hudson stayed at the hotel across the street from my apartment – just as I was working on my first draft.

Emboldened by these coincidences and others, I persevered, and on Halloween 2004 I finished my first draft. Proud of my work I showed it around and was euphoric when offers came in.

I simply lost site of the very obvious fact that I didn’t own the rights. It was easy to do this.

I felt that the errie concidences would continue unabated and riding on a divine wave of lady luck I’d storm the beach of the Powers that Be and woo them with my great screenplay.

This of course hasn’t happened and my rationale reality has returned in full force.

But somehow, I just can’t stop believing.

I know. Crazy.

But what is a writer without belief in themselves?

So while the PTB may never read my screenplay, you of course can.

Hopefully, you’ll see for yourself some of the magic I experienced writing it.

And heck, who knows?

What other stuff have you written, done?

TV/FILM: Most recently, I completed a television bible for a sci-fi series that a Director was to pitch to Dreamworks (back when they were still contemplating TV). I’ve got 11 other ideas in various stages of completion and work on them as frequently as I can (when I’m not busy with our consulting company).

I’m also honing my skills in VFX and NLE and working on a few personal projects (more on that as they develop). So if you’re a benevolent patron, feel free to be my Medici and I will strive to be your Leonardo.

Advertising: With a background in advertising, I have a wealth of experience writing for projects and companies large and small. Cossette, Google, Nokia, Business Objects, Savvion, Postini, Maximizer, Intrawest and VANOC are a few of the clients I’ve been privledged to serve as a writer, trainer and consultant.

The bottom line is this. I love to write. I’d do it for free. I DO do it for free (if this site and screenplay are any indication!). And for the most part I make a decent living at it. Is writing advertising the same as screenwriting? Not really. But IMHO there’s no better place to start cutting your teeth. Not only do you get the benefit of writing to a deadline, you learn how to write for a target audience and how to please a client (or, at least develop a thick skin).

Why did you decide to write an unsolicited Ghostbusters 3 fanfiction/spec screenplay? Isn’t that risky?

Well it’s not for the obvious reason…. That I’m some weird Ghostbuster fetishist (though I can now say for the record that girls in zipped down Ghostbusters uniforms are frigg’n hot).

I wrote it because I believed I had an idea that would complete the franchise right.

I wrote it because I felt I had an idea that would not be a sequel ‘let-down’ (as many sequels have been) but an amazing story in its own right. Like a reboot – but with the original cast still figuring prominently as opposed to being on the periphery or only in a bit cameo…

Heck, If I knew Bill Murray was only going to be in a film long enough to miss the train, I’d be asking for my money back.

And I’m pretty sure the fans feel that way, too. After all, you don’t chase champagne with ginger ale. No matter how young and pretty that ginger ale is.

I wrote it because I wanted to see a story where my favourite 80′s heroes could be heroes once more and believably so. We owe them that. And they are more than capable of hitting that ball out of the park if -

- the script is right.

These are FAQs that my reader(s) have been begging to be answered. In the event there is no begging, I shall channel an ancient spirit who will ask questions that sound alarmingly like I had simply asked them myself.

How long did it take you to write your screenplay?

From germination to completion 4 years. The first 2 years were filled with doubts, false starts and procrastination. The last 2 year were filled with tears, laughter and incredible joy.

(I don’t have anything funny to add, because that’s the truth.)

These are FAQs that my readers have been begging to be answered. In the event there is no begging, I shall channel an ancient spirit who will ask questions that sound alarmingly like I had simply asked them myself.

Why did you create this site?

To leave no stone unturned. My screenplay deserves a look – I just don’t have the connections to make that happen. So after trying rational approaches through an agent, lawyer, etc. all with no response (or outright ignoring) I decided to dig deeper.

Digging deeper, I realized I had 2, 3, 4 special skills:

1. I can write pretty good.
2. I can Ukrainian Dance like a god.
3. I make Canada’s best Caesar cocktail.

While #1 seemed immediately applicable, #2, my split jumping ability seemed to be a bit dated …

and #3, well, while having analgesic benefits – seemed to get me known for the wrong reasons…

Alas, digging deeper I remembered – oh yes, when not making great Caesars I have been known to:

#4 build web sites.

…Bingo. That’s the ticket.

So after mixing yet another award winning Caesar I set out to build the world’s greatest website “promoting a fan fiction screenplay written specifically by Boyan Blocka.” (top that)

And voila, one completed Caesar one site for blatant self promotion.

- If per chance the only interesting part of this diatribe is the bit about my Caesar, I’d be happy to tell you the recipe – all you have to do is sign my petition and become a Facebook fan of MyGB3.com.