LIFT out Loud – Private Eyes
Last night, something magical happened. My words lept off the page and into the air off the tongues off ten actors and breathed life into my script, my story and created a new world of possibilities.
The LIFT out Loud script reading was last night at Xpace and I was trying to enter it without expectation, but after the first script was read and the feedback delivered, I grew anxious. Sometimes readings can be harsh, fall flat, not show the true value of the story without the visuals, but I was instantly reassured the moment I was approached by two actors who both shared how much they loved the script. This was BEFORE the reading.
The narrator started with the title: PRIVATE EYES “Back-to-Back” Pilot episode…the room settled in silence and the opening scene unfolded:
EXT. PIER – DAY – 1985
Abandoned warehouse nestled in fog.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Where we last left off, Amanda Jenkins and Chuck Carter
were investigating a west coast drug smuggling ring
headed up by the wealthy Ralston family.
In heels and polyester, ex-model AMANDA JENKINS (25) marches ahead of rugged executive CHUCK CARTER (27).
CHUCK
Amanda, you can’t just storm into a billionaire’s
warehouse and accuse him of drug smuggling.
AMANDA
Watch me, Chuck.
The audience erupted into laughter and I knew I had something. It was that quick.
They laughed all the way through it, even in places I didn’t think were funny. Some of it was due to the actor’s interpretation and I have to say the actors were incredible.
I’ve held many readings and attended many more and it’s rare for them to go this well. It’s one thing to have people smile or chuckle but to elicit genuine laughter from the gut all the way through a script is rare and it’s hard.
Some say comedy is the hardest thing to write because everyone has a different sense of humour, but I just write to make myself laugh. If I can laugh at it even after I’ve read it over fifty to a hundred times, I know it’s got to be funny.
Here are some of the comments from the audience, actors, and the moderator Ken Finkleman:
“Vivid, distinct characters” “Your script rocked!” “Very witty. I enjoyed reading it.”
“I loved it” “You certainly know your craft” “Intricate story lines”
“I read a lot of scripts from new writers and they’re rarely as polished as this”
“Entertaining” “I loved your other script, after this, I’m impresssed”
“Magical” “Not many readings go as well as yours, you should be proud”
“The actors came alive, you could see they were having a good time.”
It’s great to have a reading go well, but what’s important is what happens now…so stay tuned!
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