It's working, I'm working.
In the spring, I launched this Substack and started writing. I did it because I struggle to stay focused on one big idea at a time. My ADHD brain tends to drift, often toward new projects that feel easier or more exciting than the one I’m supposed to be working on.
In fall 2024, I finished the first draft of The Mississippi Muck, a 60-minute pilot about a monster catfish that wrecks a small river town (based in Cape Girardeau, Missouri). I was lucky enough to have a live table read with Voices on Paper, followed by some really strong feedback.
Then I lost steam.
Every time I sat down to begin that rewrite, I’d close the document and open a new outline instead. I kept chasing new concepts instead of refining one I actually loved. The Mississippi Muck remains one of my favorite stories. I’ll return to it eventually.
For now, my brain has moved on… so I followed it.
On June 3rd, the state of Wisconsin approved the 2026–27 budget, which includes something we haven’t seen in over a decade: film incentives. The last time the state offered them, productions like Public Enemies (2009), Bridesmaids (2011), and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) came through town.
I’m not entirely sure how these incentives will impact my lane, but I am hopeful. I work “full-time” as a freelance art and production assistant, mostly in commercial work. But I’m itching to pivot that momentum into narrative film, ideally my own.
So how do I capitalize on this? How do I actually get in on the action?
I prepare myself for the best case scenario which is, “yes, we’re interested. Please send over that script.” I write, I produce, I direct. I keep talking about that first big feature, so I finally complete one.
On July 30, around 2 A.M., I typed the words “THE END.” And, that closed out the final scene of my first (completed) feature screenplay: Wild Horses. A western, monster horror.
The story follows four teenage rodeo riders after a buzzy Friday night event, in rural Wisconsin. On their way home, they come across a wrecked truck and horse trailer—five horses lost in the woods. What starts as a simple search spirals into a nightmare as the teens are hunted by a local legend.
The rewrite is coming soon, pending feedback and notes. My plan is to host and submit the script (for feedback) on The Black List by the end of September.
Why then? I want it in the queue during fall because Halloween season is the perfect atmosphere for this story. It’s as simple as that.
Also in July, I reworked and finished the four-page script for The “United” States of America after hosting the short story on LinkedIn. It got a surprising amount of interest, and now there’s some early momentum behind it. Production is in the works.
The edit for Aroma-Vision is coming along beautifully. Producer, Max Hauser, is doing some inspiring work to bring the project together. Also, the short I co-wrote with Jocelyne Berumen for Team Chameleon (originally created for the Wisconsin 48-Hour Film Project), will screen at the MKE Short Film Fest on September 5. Tickets available here.
So now what? While I sit on feedback for Wild Horses, I’m forcing myself not to look at it for a couple of weeks. In the meantime, I’m starting something new.
I’ve realized I love writing ensemble pieces and I keep leaning into comedy, even when I don’t mean to. I want to try my hand at a proper comedy series, so here’s what’s brewing:
IDEA 1: “The Main Event”
A washed-up pro wrestler gets a shot at redemption when new owners book him in a feud with a humanoid bot in a rigged sports betting scheme.
Sports Comedy. 30-minute episodic. Inspired by “Eastbound & Down” and “GLOW.”
IDEA 2: “The Dailies”
A ragtag film crew awakens to find their b-list celebrity host dead on location. With no budget, no script, and everything riding on this comeback, they decide to keep filming.
Black Comedy. 30-minute episodic. Inspired by “The White Lotus.”
Until then, I’ll keep you posted.