BENEATH BUDDHA’S EYES—THE MOVIE

When I wrote Beneath Buddha’s Eyes for the first time, I wrote it as a screenplay. My late father, along with several family friends who had heard my story, often encouraged me to put it down on paper. Usually people who heard the story would say, "what a great movie that would make!" So, my Dad, a true man of action, gave me the Bob McKee screenwriting course as a birthday present.

I knew that I could get people to say "wow!" when I TOLD them the story but my problem was, I wasn’t sure I could WRITE it. I could TELL it, but putting it down on paper was a whole other thing.

So I took the next step which was simple: All I had to do was to show up for the course that was being held over a weekend at Hunter College in New York City.

When I arrived I could feel the electricity in the air—more than I would’ve probably expected, had I expected anything. I really had no expectations at all, not knowing, really, exactly what I was getting into.

The course, of course for those who’ve sat through it, was most incredible. Bob McKee, for the uninitiated, was the Bob McKee portrayed in the movie "Adaptation." And, even in life, he was bigger than life.

From the moment we were all seated in the packed auditorium, he talked non-stop about every aspect of story-telling. The course, I found was really about how to tell a story in 90 minutes. Although it covered many aspects of movie making, as asides and off-handed comments, McKee’s point was that the story was everything. And the most important part of the story—I think he said 75% of it—was the ending.

I knew I had an incredible story. I’d been told that a hundred times. And as I began to write, the characters began to spring to life again, to talk, to think—to act! I was on my way. Being the practical person I am, I used the notebook I’d brought to take notes in, for another purpose, to write my screenplay.

As Bob talked about structure, I put it to use, The inciting incident? I had one, and wrote it. Once I’d begun, it was easy because I’d been through the story so many times before in my mind. I had lived much of it and I could actually SEE it as it happened.

When the three days were up, I had hardly noticed what had gone on around me. There were several celebrities who had been sitting in the same auditorium but I’d been so focused I hadn’t noticed them. Hey, they were only celebrities for the moment…but who cared! I was to be the next bright star shining in Hollywood. I’d written my first screenplay.

(to be continued)