Monday, May 24, 2010

The #1 show you haven't heard of(yet) - Front Page

I'll be short and sweet...this is the treatment of a television drama for which I already have the show bible and the pilot script for. The one thing that I'm working to get for it is the production company.

Front Page

A television treatment by Garrett Rogers

WGA registration #1418846


Downtown at The Chicago Post news building, the word of the day is pressure. There is the owner of the Post, Stephen A. Garrison, a wealthy billionaire who sometimes feels the pressure of trying to keep a newspaper solvent let alone lucrative in an internet based world. His editor-in-chief, Barbara Jacobs, is a stern, headstrong woman who feels the pressure from Stephen to make the paper successful and the pressure to maintain leadership over her staff without establishing a tyrannical approach, all the while feeling the self-inflicted pressure to accomplish her own personal goals.

Every person inside The Chicago Post building contributes to the success or failure of the newspaper and to that end, everyone feels the anxiety and pressure of working at a newspaper in their own different way. There’s the accountant, Dac Kien Trần, a man who prides himself on his impeccable knowledge of the financial sector all the while thinking himself faultless. Tara Fedorov, is the director of human resources and the first and usually last face that a potential Post employee sees. She is notorious for her abrasive demeanor and harsh mouth that many feel only masks past pain. Fernando Guzmán is a sports reporter and a sloven, tactless male chauvinist who isn’t really a sports fan and lacks the passion of one, but has a limitless knowledge of sports facts and is one of the Post’s best writers.

Craig Jennings is a clean cut and passionate man who seems too good to be true and is applying for a sports reporter position on the pilot of the show. The editorial writer, Anthony Pleasant, is an idealistic, liberal democrat who despises anyone who would claim to be a republican yet struggles not to make the paper his own personal soapbox. Mickey Hughes is a cartoonist for the paper and a man that everyone else would love to have a beer with. The only problem for Mickey is that he has a personal issue which he wrestles to come to terms with and has a hard time making any true social connection because of it.

The news reporters are an intelligent albeit occasionally egocentric lot. Ronald Paulsen has aspirations of being the next Walter Cronkite so he is constantly in search of the next big story which could help him launch his name into super stardom. He often attempts this feat regardless of who his exploits might offend or harm. Kristin Lawrence is a Rutgers educated reporter who is dedicated to the facts yet abhors the fact that she lives in a male driven society and refuses to adhere to any female archetype that men envision for her. While she refuses to be stereotyped, she isn’t above using her feminine wiles to manipulate someone else for her own benefit. Terrence Edwards is an aspiring rock star with a troubled past who sees his job as a reporter as a paying gig until his band's big break while Abd-Al-Malik Kassab is a proud Middle Eastern man who has lived in the U.S. the majority of his life yet is consistently profiled by ignorant and pretentious xenophobes which tends to drive Kassab to occasional fits of anger or depression.

Emmett Schroeder is an old and haggard photographer who is distrusting towards strangers and all managerial personnel, and harbors numerous conspiracy theories. Madeline Barbosa is the perfect antithesis to Emerson because she is a young woman who believes in the inherent good of men and sees her position as a starting point to do great things. The janitor of The Chicago Post is Solomon Morgan, and Solomon is the man that knows a little bit about everyone who works at the Post since from his position, he is usually in the background of every conversation and any dealing that happens in the building. He is a proud man who enjoys his work and not only demands respect but gives it to those who he feels deserves it. Yazmin Ramirez is the resident advice columnist and Post sex kitten who shares her intuitive advice with everyone while her sexual innuendo keeps every man interested.

Pierre Fournier is the newspaper’s food critic and a pompous, pretentious connoisseur of extravagant food and fine wine who not only expects everyone to hang onto his every word, but keeps every restaurant he visits on “pins and needles” anytime he visits. Matt Thompson is the tech writer who is not only obsessed with science fiction and anything modern, but maintains a quiet humility even though he is the smartest person at the Post. Thompson spends most of his time online, reading a magazine, or daydreaming about future possibilities.

The possibility for drama, tension, passion, and humor at the newspaper is limitless due to the number of possible interactions while involved in a strenuous work environment. Television dramas thrive on the personal connections that are made and destroyed based on unfolding events, and at the newspaper, the events are twofold based on what everyone is going through and the current events that are taking place which can turn the newspaper on its ear at a moment’s notice. With this in mind, the show can be driven not only by the creative element of the writers involved, but by current events ripped from the news as well.

Every day, news happens and every day, our lives are somehow changed because of the events that unfold around us. Whether it is in the political or financial sector, whether it concerns religious beliefs, or even if it pertains to the criminal element, the public is affected. Because of these numerous events, we rely on news reporters, gossip columnists, and people paid to give their opinions to tell us about these daily happenings. The people at the Chicago Post aren't always involved in what happens in the world, but they are deeply entrenched in the business of relaying to the rest of the world what's happening in their backyard and everyone else's. This isn't the front line, but this is the front page!

The sad state of affairs in Hollywood and how I'm going to change it


I know that with the ending of Lost, Hollywood is desperate to find the show that could possibly be Lost part 2. I have one thing to say about that...

STOP DOING THAT!

Whether you liked it or not, Lost drew in tens of millions of viewers every week just to see some characters trying to deal with being on a deserted island. There will NEVER be another show like that, yet Hollywood producers and mogul types are trying to do that, but it's not going to work.

I used to be embarrassed to say that I am a t.v. addict, but my very existence is to be a writer, and as a writer I love seeing and reading other writer's creations. So as a lifelong t.v. addict I have some room to say what can and can't work right now. Flashforward being canned is proof that a Lost type show won't be well received and with the cancellation of Numbers and Miami Medical, we the people are saying we're tired of seeing 20 new medical and/or police dramas every television season.

Apparently Hollywood isn't getting this message so I'm going to do the one thing I can. I alone(at least for now) am coming for Hollywood and I am armed to the teeth with television treatments, show bibles, and scripts for shows that have never been put on television, but need to be seen. Honestly, I do want to see my name on the screen as executive producer, but more importantly, I want to keep the line of GOOD television going. Shows like Burn Notice, Grey's Anatomy, Fringe, and even Glee won't be around forever so I'm going to put my ideas and my work into enough people's hands until I get to the right hands that will work with me and put these shows on the t.v. So if you're reading this and you know somebody who just happens to work with or know one of these Hollywood types...you let them know that I'm coming for them and this determined man will not be stopped.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

How to get ANY man you want

Ladies, I'm no dating or relationship expert, but I just learned something startling and quite possibly earth shattering, that you all need to know. But first, a little disclaimer...

To my fellow brothers in arms...I am not about to break any part of the man code, but what I am doing is revealing truth to bring about understanding. The more understanding there is between men and women, the chance for drama becomes less likely.

With that said, ladies there is but one rule and one rule only that you need to know and use in order to get any and I mean ANY man that you want:

SET STANDARDS AND LIVE BY THEM!

Wait, now sit down...breathe, and take a minute to let that sink in. This is the great "secret" in order to get the man of your dreams. When I say standards, I'm talking about your rules, your principles, and everything you will accept and the things you refuse to live without. Now for the single women who say that they already do this yet are still "man-less", there's one of two reasons why.

The first reason you'd still be "man-less" is because you concede your standards. For the women who want a man to open doors for them, pull out their chair for them, and pay for at least the first real date(and bowling and McDonald's isn't really a date), then you have every right to demand these as standards for yourself. So the first thing you need to do with your standard is tell your girlfriend. Once you do that, tell your men friends, and then tell the next guy you meet, and then the next guy, and tell everyone that you know until you've told everyone your standards. But if you go out with a man that doesn't pay for the date, you've yielded one of your standards. If you go out with a man that walks out in front of you and then lets the door almost hit you because he's not holding it for you, then you're not living up to your own standards. STOP IT!

I'll be honest ladies...I'm writing this for one reason and one reason alone. I called a woman who has a standard that she doesn't accept calls from men after dark, and here's the kicker...I respect her wishes because it's the standard that she set from the beginning. Now I don't expect anything from this woman except conversation and maybe an option for a future date, but she has a personal rule that any man she talks to has to follow or else she doesn't talk to him. Ladies, it's that simple! If you want a man to treat you a certain way, then accept nothing less than that treatment and you will get it! Don't bend, don't give in, and don't break because when you do, you will be treated however the man chooses to treat you. Not only this, but I can honestly say that if you allow a man to break your rules, the man will lose a little bit of respect for you and won't respect any future rules you try to make.

This is the way to get any man that you want ladies, but there's one other reason that you might be "man-less". The more specific you are with your standards, the more unspecified the time will be before you get what you want. In other words, if you want a tall, light skinned man with six pack abs, and a six figure savings account who drives a BMW 745 and has at least one vacation home, you can get this man. The only thing is that you'll have to be willing to take the time for a man like this to be available to come to you. That's the last thing I want to say ladies. Don't chase us, we'll chase you because if you're chasing us and we're not stopping...it's either because we're not interested or you're breaking your standards. Either way, stop hunting and just become the hunted, but be the hunted that keeps standards.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

My life as a spy - January 2006

Just how long does it take to forget having a gun drawn on you? Apparently somewhere between a day and 4 months, because by January some guy named Tomás who got the jump on me when I wasn't ready was a forgotten memory. That is until he got the jump on me again at my gym. I hadn't ask anyone for a spot on the bench, but Tomás took it upon himself to be helpful that day. After I got up, my first instinct was to punch him, but after thinking about what happened last time, I decided I'd hear him out one last time.

Once we got in the steam room, he started going on about this matter of "national security" that his "company" needed my help with. He kept blabbering, but the more he talked, the more he sounded like a cheap remake of some spy movie. I told him that I had enough, and got up to leave. Before my right hand completely wrapped around the door handle, he said 4 simple words, "Think about the money." My right hand dropped to my side as I turned and faced my would be employer. So how much money does it take for a person to want to risk their life for an unknown reason...somewhere around $100,000, because when Tomás said that number, the only thing I could say was, "When do we leave?" A hundred grand may not sound worth risking your neck for, but when you're 19 years old, $100,000 is a key to cars, clothes, and girls.

The next day, I met Tomás at noon at Peachtree Plaza and we took off in a black Lexus. Tomás offered me a glass of champagne to "celebrate" as he put it, but sometime later, he was waking me up. The funniest part about it was that we were in another gym. Not like the one I went to, but about the same kind of set up. I joked with him by asking if this was where I'd learn kung fu and all of that, but he just smiled and said kung fu was for Hollywood. The next thing I know, this tall, lanky middle eastern guy comes out. He said his name was Amzi and then he started talking about something called Krav Maga. When I asked him if was lethal, he smiled, and then took me down with one kick and a punch. He said he could teach it to me, so I asked him when we would get started. "Right now." he replied.

If you like what you're reading and want me to keep telling my story, just type yes in the comments...if you don't want to read anymore...forget what you've already read

Thursday, May 20, 2010

My life as a spy - September 2005


I haven't always been a writer, but ever since I was a little boy, there's always been a part of me that's wanted to save the world. I didn't get that opportunity to try until I was 18 years old. To this day, there's still some things that my company won't let me talk about, then there are things that I've forgotten as they've become jumbled thoughts in my head, but for everything that I can talk about and remember, I will.

I remember it was a cloudy morning on campus at Morehouse that September day, and for some reason I felt a chill in the air. I couldn't quite place my finger on why it was cold and what was weirder was the fact that I felt like I was being watched. My dad always used to call me paranoid so I tried to shrug off the feeling, but it just kept nagging at me. Around 3 o'clock, I promised myself that I would never ignore my gut again because that's when I met him.

He approached me as I was coming out of the library and told me that he needed to have a word with me. At first, I protested, but the black Beretta 92FS he flashed under his jacket quickly changed my mind about a quick getaway. Once we got to a secluded area, the man with the gun became Mr. Chatty Cathy. He called himself Tomás and told me that the people he represented had work for me. I told him I already had a job, and that's when he sucker punched me, and whipped out his gun.

Fancy parlor tricks or not, I told him I don't work for guys like him, and that's when he gave me a bio of my life. He started naming off the charges for pickpocketing, aiding and abetting, grand theft auto, and resisting arrest that I racked up from 11-17. I told him that wasn't my life anymore and he blabbered off my new life and how my 3.5 GPA, 1450 SAT score and a little computer hacking got me into Morehouse in the first place. This guy was really starting to piss me off, but it's hard to argue with a man holding a gun. I asked him what he wanted and he threw a card at me and said he'll be in touch.

If you like what you're reading and want me to keep telling my story, just type yes in the comments...if you don't want to read anymore...forget what you've already read

I can't STAND dopeheads!



dopehead(n.) - A drug ADDICT.

No, I can't stand dopeheads and no matter how anyone will ever try to justify things, there are dopeheads in baseball, dopeheads on the track, and from what I've heard today, dopeheads are riding bikes and catching balls too. I can't stand the lot of you! I'm not jealous because of what you have, but my anger towards you is based on what you're screwing up.

First off, 90% of the athletes that take to the field and take to the court have been blessed with a particular talent that not everyone has. It is this talent that gives you the ability to play the game, but if you want to win on a consistent basis, you have to train, practice, and in sports like football, you have to study! Raw talent is nothing without work and effort. You dopeheads feel that you can get away with doing things halfway if you take a little HGH. You are robbing yourself of the chance to see if you can actually hang with those who are younger and/or hungrier than you are. If the guy on the opposite team isn't juicing, then what gives you the right to have an unfair advantage? Work like your teammates do!

Now dopehead, think about the health risks. Yes male dopeheads, we know that steroids will shrink your balls, make you more aggressive, and could give you breasts. I'm not going to google what HGH does for you female dopeheads because I know about the unmentioned health risks. All those times when you bang your fist on the table and you scream, "I have NEVER used steroids and I don't appreciate being accused of it either.", you're lying to yourself and us, plus you're taking years off your life. All that anxiety, tension, and nervousness that you feel as people investigate whether you're telling the truth or not...it's unnecessary. The truth will come out...the truth always comes out. Save yourself the headache and the possible ulcer and just be honest. On top of that, think about your family dopehead. They don't need the headache of watching the family name being dragged over the coals while you keep pretending you didn't shoot up.

There are so many more reasons I can give for stomaching what you're doing dopeheads, but I want to call out one of you right now. FLOYD LANDIS! It's not bad enough that you vehemently denied using only to have to swallow your lie, but now you want to be a rat too?! You want to say that Lance Armstrong is a dopehead too? There's a problem with your accusation Floyd. First, I know I'm not the only one who doesn't believe that Armstrong used, but if he did, I would think lesser of you than I would of him because you're only telling on someone else because you got caught? Are you 5?!

Even if Armstrong used, he's a source of inspiration that you'll never be. We all know that Armstrong had stage 3 testicular cancer that spread to his lungs and brain, but by the grace of God, some skilled surgeons, and a kind of testicular fortitude you could only hope to have, he not only went back to racing, but he won 7 back to back tours. Floyd, you have been accused and proven to be a dopehead, so accept your status and your consequence, but don't try to take someone else down with you as well.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

6 rules of living given by an old head

I never know where my next lesson is coming from, but this one came from an old head this morning.

6) Don't jump at the first person that says they like you. Be picky until you find what you want.
5) Don't start mess, but if it starts, end it.
4) Your parents are important examples of how to live your life. They either show you what you're supposed to do or what you never should do.
3) Don't be an a**. Nobody likes an a**.
2) Life is short, but it's long if you make stupid mistakes, so watch what you do.
1) Be respectful

Friday, May 14, 2010

Second life


My name is Garrett Rogers, and I've already died once. I have lied, cheated, and misused people. I've burned almost as many bridges as I've made, and some of those bridges will never be under construction again. I was told by my doctor that I have a big heart, and in this case, I'm not talking about the giving kind of heart. My doctor told me I had an enlarged heart, but it wasn't because of genetics; it was because I ate cake, burgers, pizza, and drank Dr. Pepper like the government was going to ban junk food the next day. Yet, in spite of giving in to my vices, my fears, and my prejudices...I still live.

I don't live because of my sin or bad habits, but I live in spite of them for two reasons...grace and choices. I'm saying that God has been graceful to give me a chance to see the sun rise for 33 years, and even if you don't share my belief, you have to know that your alarm clock isn't the only reason you wake up. My choices also keep me alive because rather than live the same life I have lived, I've chosen to change all that was negative and wrong with me. So that meant cutting out the Dr. Pepper, and eating a salad every now and then, but I didn't give up all of my junk food though. I also had to walk away from the people or things from my past life of wrong. It's not that they were wrong and everything I used to do wasn't bad, but I make the choices I make to make sure that I don't go back to a life that would entice me to do wrong or is wrong for me.

I don't write these words for condemnation, sympathy or even understanding, but I write these words to be an example and a voice. I want others to see the life that I used to live and then see the consequences I faced for living that life, and once you see the before, pay attention to the after. I'll tell you what I did and then you can see what I'm doing. Every day I strive to find a way to improve my life and to improve the lives of others because I am given a second life and I want to live this life for good.

The bottom line is that if you are alive to read this right now, do right by your self and do right by others. Trust me when I say that the rewards will be 1,000 times better than if you chose to do wrong.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Your self-image is all you have


OTHERS CAN ONLY SEE YOU AS YOU SEE YOURSELF

That's the main point of this blog and I want you to think about it for a minute. Our "self-image" is how we see ourselves and it's this idea of ourselves that other people base their opinions of us on. Some of you may say that other people will base their opinions of us based on their friend's opinion or from gossip. Even then, their friends are judging us by our self-image above anything else. Plus, no matter what rumors are spread about us, if we aren't doing the things or acting in the way that we're rumored to, then the rumors cease to exist as the truth comes out.

I'd like to explain this in the simplest terms possible. If you see yourself as a smart person then you will act the way smart people do, you will do the things smart people do, and you will say the things smart people would say. When other people see you, observe you, and listen to what you say, they will feel you are a smart person. It's not about just "thinking" you're a certain type of person, but once you think on it, you will say you're this type, you will act like this type and you will live like the type of person you think you are. If I sound like I'm repeating myself, I am. I'm repeating myself because we have to keep repeating the same behavior, first to ourselves, and then to others and that's the only way we are who we think we are.

I remember my mom saying, "You are what you answer to." and mom couldn't be any more right. So think carefully about who you want to be and then be that person no matter who says otherwise because the proof of who you really are is in your self-image and your actions.