ANDRE BEGIN

Upon retiring from my career and pivoting to freelance writing, I quickly discovered a love for the process of taking a seedling of an idea and trying to turn it into a TV or movie script.

Whenever I finish a script, I can’t help but wonder if this might be the one that will get chosen to be produced. Will this be the one that will bring to life characters that will serve as role models to viewers who might not see themselves represented on screen? Could this be a story to make a difference?

And when I dream, I sometimes go all in and wonder if this might be the one to get nominated for an award of some kind.

That is when my apprehension of writing for the entertainment industry kicks in.

It’s not about the script itself. It’s not about the critics. It isn’t about the fact that I don’t own a tux. It’s about running into an actor or actress whose work I have appreciated for many years, whose name I should know right off the top of my head, and drawing a complete blank.

Since I’ve started working on scripts for film and TV, I feel like I am part of the community, even though I haven’t sold a project yet. For that reason, because I feel like an insider and consider the production team my peers, I don’t think I’d get all “fan boy” in front of someone famous, although that theory remains to be a proven. Just the same though, I am human. In an adrenaline rush moment of butterflies in the stomach, who can say for sure what will happen to the “IMDB” part of my brain.

On the one hand, my apprehension stems from a fear of embarrassment. But more than that, I wouldn’t want it to appear like a lack of respect or reverence for an inspiring member of the creative world. How horrible I would feel to be face-to-face with a celebrity, shaking hands and unable to draw from my thousands of viewing hours to come up with a name and a specific title to offer my compliments on their work.

After three decades in the business world, I realize that first impressions are very important. For my mind to go blank might be forgivable and humourous, but it may not lend itself to getting off on the right foot with someone who might be interested in my work.

Have I forgotten names before? Yes. Who hasn’t? But to do so in a once-in-a-lifetime moment is a possibility that makes me cringe a little about my chosen craft, given the sheer number of names and titles I feel I should have accessible in the speed dial of my mind.

Solutions?… Celebrity flash cards? Study the entire contents of IMDB before an event? Not really practical, is it?

I realize I shouldn’t worry about it until it happens and I shouldn’t put quite so much pressure on myself. I should just hope for the best possible outcome should I come face to face with the entertainment community.

In sharing this concern with my partner, he offered me a reassuring smile and offered me some great advice. Should my mind ever go blank in that situation, a simple and respectful, “Pleased to meet you” should do just fine. I could even say “I’m a big fan of your work” without going into specifics. They probably don’t have time anyway for me to gush further.

There is also a trick I learned in the business world, I could introduce myself first (especially if we’ve never met before) and hope that they reciprocate with their name.

The self-deprecating approach is another possibility whether saying something like “I love your work, it’s just that I’m not great with names” or a very honest “I hope you’ll forgive my nervousness”. I’m sure it must happen all the time and I’d rather admit it than to fake it and come up with the wrong name.

Either way, as much as this fear (admittedly, a slightly irrational one) does haunt me from time to time, it isn’t holding me back from pouring heart and soul onto the page, and enjoying the creative process immensely.

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Sincere thanks for reading!
Have a great day,
André