And then this happened....

Long drive... But arrived in one piece.

Hit the road early - as you saw yesterday. Pretty uneventful drive. On the Ohio turnpike - I must have seen about 25 cops - all waiting for people... But by the time I hit Pennsylvania - I don't think anyone cared. People were driving fast!

The good news is I made it here relatively safe with no speeding tickets.

The great news is - I got a lot of work done on my story.

Being trapped in a car in your own head for 14 hours can really work!

I took my Mapquest directions - flipped them over - and wrote notes all over them. I finally feels as if I have the beginning of the story down - and exactly how the end will play out.

It is so funny how you can look at something over and over and even when you know what is going to happen - you can't make things make sense. I have been working on breaking this story for a couple weeks - but I just couldn't get it to break where I wanted it.

Not that I have solved that yet - but I have gone a long way. On Saturday - I spent a good part of the day mowing grass. Mine with a push mower - 1.5 hours - and my dad's with his riding mower - 2 hours. During that time I had a huge breakthrough.

Tone.

What is the tone of the film.

Comedy is easy. You know exactly where you are going and what you need to achieve in each scene. But drama, horror, suspense - thrillers... They can be a bit more tricky. How do the characters interact and what kind of trip are you taking the audience on?

Are they supposed to be laughing here? And then the killer comes out? How are they supposed to feel as an audience? You flip things around too much and you make them uncomfortable and they won't wanna follow you anywhere.

Ever see Punch Drunk Love?

If you haven't - go get it.

Genius.

But hated by many.

My wife and I had a date - unbelievable - and went to see it here in Virginia Beach when it came out. There were only 27 people in the theater on opening night. Out of those 27 - 12 walked out.

Here is the crazy thing - 2 walked out WITH ONLY 10 MINUTES LEFT.

This was Adam Sandler - but not at all an Adam Sandler movie.

When people order Steak - they damn well want steak. Heck - the box office proved it. X3 came out with horrible reviews. Yet it make a buttload of money. People want what they want. If they wanted great burgers - they wouldn't go to McDonalds - but they sure as hell know what they are getting when they go.

So finding a good and consistent tone is very important.

And taking the audience on a ride with you is as well. So don't bore them. Don't give them everything they want. But do set them up for what is coming.

I plan on attacking this story with glee during the week before my family arrives.

Didn't sleep a whole hell of a lot last night. Must be the energy drinks I pounded to get me here.

I am a little worried about my new job. I start today with my art director Bill. The art department works harder than any department on the set. I was lead man on a film once - my shortest day was 14 hours - my longest - a couple 20 hour plus days - and Blair and I slept in the truck...

Bill laughs at those hours.

The reasons I hire him is he kills himself to make the project great.

This is the same reason I fear working for him.

I start work today at 8. I reminded him that today is a holiday.

He said:

That's great! Less traffic on the roads!

Sigh. Hi Ho!