The Hungry Hungry Writer

Yes… I use to tap dance. And that’s way past tense. More on that after the good stuff…

I’m a Triathlete (my training log blog), former closeup magician (my kinda-magic website), retired hockey goalie, financial analyst, a retired paintballer (my paintball blog), little league coach, XBox gamer (my gamespot blog), blogger, DVD addict, black belt in Okinawa Te Karate, comic book collector, full time husband, dad, brother, friend and a HUNGRY HUNGRY WRITER!

AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SCREENWRITING
·2003 Fade In Awards - Quarter Finalist - “Zen and the Way of the Space Dog
·2003 Hollywood Symposium - Finalist - “The Way of the Space Dog”
·2002 Scriptapalooza - Quarter Finalist - “Sushi A Go-Go”
·2002 Scriptapalooza - Quarter Finalist - “Zen and the Way of the Space Dog”
·1998 Chesterfield Screenwriting Fellowship - Finalist - “Blind Love”

FILMS
“TAG“ - Credited Writer/Producer |imdb.com|
·2005 Los Angeles International Short Film Festival - Short Film Accpetance
·2005 Los Angeles Visual Communications Film Festival - Short Film Accpetance

“FIRST TIME“ - Credited Writer/Producer |imdb.com|
·2003 Asian Cinevision National Tour - Short Film acceptance
·2003 NYC Asian American International Film Festival - Short Film Acceptance
·2003 San Diego Asian Film Festival - Short Film acceptance
·2003 Los Angeles Visual Communications Film Festival - Short Film Acceptance
·2003 Method Fest - Short Film Acceptance
       -Best Short Film Nomination
       -Marc Overholt - Best Actor Award
       -Victoria Collier- Nomination for Best Actress Award

SCREENWRITING EDUCATION
·SCREENWRITING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
       -UCLA Extension - 1998 thru 2000
·BLUE PRINTING A FEATURE FILM - Seminar on structure
       -Eric Edson - Los Angeles Writer’s Conference - 1999
·WRITER’S PROGRAM - Feature Film Writing
       -Cal State University Northridge - 1997

But back to that Tap thing.
Here’s the story. It’s never been told in detail. Some may have heard bits and pieces. Others may have even witnessed it first hand live or on video, but none have really known the mindset of my tap dancing phase. Here is where you will finally hear the story.

Just released from prison, I had to decide which of my previous professions to return to - burglar or tap dancer. I dabbled with cat burglary but found fame and fortune in tap.

No, not really. If it was that glamorous I may have reason to maybe brag about the whole ordeal. Unfortunately that’s not the case. But it is the synopsis for Gregory Hines’ (may he rest in piece) movie, “TAP” and not my movie, “Glenn’s Life” (coming soon to a blog near you).

Back in the late 80s I was suffering through an ECON major at UCLA. I knew I’d eventually finish college with a degree I really didn’t want. There goes the entertainment field, I thought. And once in my life outside of highschool, I wanted to perform on stage. I knew I wouldn’t be able to nail a lead role in a play or anything and found a small dance studio in Glendale. I decided that I could be like Gregory Hines and make it as a tap dancer. I didn’t know anything about tap dancing and soon realized classic tap is not the style Gregory Hines was doing. But I figured it was a good base as I looked for jazz tap dancing studios. At least I’d get my feet wet.

This is when I commited to a stage performance put on by the dance studio. It was to be held at the Glendale Highschool Auditorium. It sounded like fun. I’d be performing on stage! And the small group of adult beginner tap students (which included me) chose a song to perform to. Unfortunately I had no say in the costume. I figured it’d be like Gregory Hines. Casual, cool, jazzy… you know… something I could be proud of.

That wasn’t the case. It was some tight tight baby blue dance pants with a silver sequin vest over a very “Sienfeldesque” shirt. It was totally gay (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but this is not what I expected! But I sucked it up and did it anyway.

Speeding through to the performance… only a select few were invited. And they laughed their ASSES OFF as I danced on stage. Not because it was funny-funny… but because it was funny that I was up there doing what I was doing and wearing what I was wearing. I guess it was kinda funny-funny. My sister videotaped it for prosperity. I think the tape mysteriously dissapeared.

I never put on my tap shoes after that day. Not once. I was retired.

On a side note… later in life I did perform on stage once again. This time as comic relief in two different plays in Hollywood. It’s never too late no matter what profession you had to settle with.

And that, as they say is, that. And now on to my writing life…