Empty Pockets, Full Belly: My early days in LA as an actress...

When I came out to Los Angeles from New York to pursue a career in acting, I was dirt poor. I mean, so poor that when the earthquake of 1994 hit, I couldn't buy a gallon of water. I'd been drinking it out the tap (don't look at me like that. That's how we do it in NYC!) until somebody told me that LA water was the worse there was. And LA water after an earthquake is nothing short of poison. I couldn't scrape together enough money from the couch to even buy a no-frills distilled brand of H2O, so I resigned myself to boiling a pot-full of agua on my rickety fire- hazard- of -a hot -plate, 'cause the room I was shackin' in didn't come with a kitchen. Or a closet. Or a bathtub, for that matter. But no matter. As long as I had some heat, I could burn. And burn I did. I fried chicken, stewed lentils (a bag cost a whopping .79 cents and it could feed you for a week!) Anything that required the use of an oven was not an option (I don't like what microwaves do to food). Nothing would stop me from making good food. Most meals centered around the old college staple: Ramen Noodles. Did you know that you can put almost anything in Ramen Noodles? Cut up some onions, a can of tuna and a dash of salt and pepper and you got something resembling a tuna casserole. Veggies are cheap enough (and healthy too!) and, with a few lesser cuts from the chicken (backs are cheapest), you've got just enough protein to make a full-fledged meal. When I had a little left over from paying the rent on my $314.50 apartment, I splurged and took myself out to a meal. But I couldn't go far, 'cause I didn't own a car. No sweat in any other urban metropolis, but in Los Angeles, it's virtually impossible to get from one end of town to the other without a car and not spending the whole light of day doing it. But I let nothing get in my way of my pursuit of Good Food. It's true then. It is true now. It will be true always.

ACTING IS LIKE BASEBALL

Hey, all!

Please forgive my extended absence-- I was down for the count with a bout of bronchitis, but...I'm back! Right before I found myself in the emergency room, I shot my scenes for the upcoming movie, PREDISPOSED, with Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo and Tracey Morgan. SO FUN! PREDISPOSED is the story of a musical prodigy (Jesse) whose having, uh, a very bad-good day. Won't say much more than that. You'll have to just go and see the movie!

:)

While I was flat on my back, I had a lot of time to think: about acting, specifically. The truth is, I love what I do and I marvel everyday about the fact that I'm able to make a living doing what I love. This fact is not lost on me-- not even for a second-- and I am so grateful for the opportunities that come my way. What I have noticed, though, is that work begets work and acting-- well, acting is a bit like baseball...

First, like most sports, it takes an inordinate amount of practice (in the form of acting lessons, rehearsals) to perfect your craft. Just like a baseball player (or anyone in sports for that matter), lotsa TIME is put in WELL BEFORE you see the player get up to bat. And then there's the waiting. Lotsa waiting in baseball and even more, sometimes, in the acting profession! How long do you have to wait to get your "turn"? How about when you get to bat? How many auditions (in the case of baseball, how many times do you have to swing) before your ball actually connects with the bat and you get a base hit! And you get the job! Sometimes your "hit" will land you to first base, maybe second. And sometimes-- ah, sometimes-- you hit a HOMERUN! Then it's time to run, run, run as fast as you can-- the door is open--and the opportunity for you to win (and bring all your friends who have been hanging on second and third base) to come on home, too! WOW! What a feeling!

But so much of it is waiting. Even when you book a job, you're waiting! Waiting on set. For your hair to get done. For your make-up to be applied. And, ah, yes, there are THE LIGHTS! Those little lights have to be angled just so by your friendly cinematographer so that the director can be sure to capture your performance...

Like baseball, PATIENCE is the name of the game in entertainment. But while you're waiting, make sure you're doing everything you can (practice!) so that when your time comes to hit a HOMERUN, you'll be sure to knock it out the park:)

XO Tanya :)

THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS

Today is my birthday! And what a great one it is. In exactly 5 days I will premiere the movie I worked so hard to get into the world: BUTTERFLY RISING.

I have received countless well wishes from folks I know and --wonderfully-- quite a few from folks I don't. I have had a number of people in Seattle reach out to me online and ask if I needed a hand. BUTTERFLY RISING is a VERY INDIE movie (LOL!) so there's little or no money for conventional marketing/advertising. I have been struck, though, by the number of people whom I'VE NEVER MET who have offered to spread the word and lend a hand in getting the word out about the movie.

Tomorrow, I will get on a plan and leave for Seattle. I'll spend some time at Seattle Central, visit the folks at Amazon.com and even stop at The Butterfly House at the Pacific Science Center! I have promised myself one thing: to keep my eyes WIDE OPEN and take everything in-- the smells, the colors, the people, the...everything.

THANK YOU, Seattle, for hosting me and for reaching out. I deeply appreciate it:)

XO T:)

WRIGHTING REVOLUTION: R U a WRITER who wants to make a MOVIE?

HERE's a post I wrote for SHEWRITES.COM! I wanted to be sure to share it with you guys, too. Hope you find it useful!

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Next month, I will share with the world my directorial debut, BUTTERFLY RISING! It is a hugely important moment in my life, a culmination of 7 long, hard and –at times-- excruciatingly joyful years. I made the movie BEFORE I wrote the book --a little backwards, I know, LOL-- and...

Well, lemme back-track a bit.

My name is Tanya Wright. I currently play the role of Deputy Kenya Jones on HBO's TRUE BLOOD. I have always been an actor but, what most folks don't know, I have always been a writer, too. Truth be told, I was a writer BEFORE I was an actor! I scribbled in journals on movie sets, in my dressing room, in the make-up chair-- every time I could get a chance. Slowly but surely, I amassed a stockpile of material-- screenplays, plays and all the rest. One was a semi-finalist in the Nicholl's Screenwriting Competition (AMPAS-- the folks that do the Academy Awards!) and a play was work shopped at the Mark Taper, Los Angeles' answer to Broadway. These encouraging notices in a tough, tough town gave me the confidence to go on and reassured me that I was, perhaps, not a TOTAL hack!

I wrote a screenplay based on my Nicholl's semi-script, then made the movie. Then, I waited. Something was...well, incomplete. Why wasn't I ready to throw my film out to the sea of other indie films? I couldn't put my finger on it. Then, it came to me: the creative process wasn't complete yet. Oh, no. I still had more to do. I had to write. A book.

A BOOK???? AH!!!

Alright. Truth is, I always had envisioned writing books (is that plural????) but I always thought it would be much later on in my life. Say, at age 70 when I had seceded from the Union that is Hollywood (LOL!), wearing straw hats and walking to my local farmer's market in Italy (Tuscany, specifically) trailed by dogs and butterflies. A movie AND a book! Never thought it would happen to a gal like me. It's crazy but it's true.

Someone told me how rare it was for an author to also write and direct the screenplay to the book she wrote. I can't tell you how incredibly GRATEFUL I AM for this extraordinary opportunity, and so, I thought I'd share with you writers/authors a few things I learned about turning your words into pictures!

1. Which brings me to TIP #1: WRITERS usually THINK in terms of WORDS. But SCREENWRITERS/DIRETORS need to FEEL in terms of PICTURES. Get it? The most important distinction to make is that a film is a succession of PICTURES and a novel is a succession of WORDS. Also, writers of novels and the like can really get into detail about a character's internal life whereas, in screenwriting, the internal life of the character is best left to the ACTOR to create while you want to focus on what it LOOKS LIKE. The RESULT of what the actor creates. You feel me?

2. Writing is (or can be) SOLITARY and INTERNAL; filmmakking, on the other hand, is an external art that is, like it or not, TERRIBLY, TERRIBLY COLLABORATIVE! You'll have one person for sound, another for costumes, still another who takes the pretty pictures-- it can be daunting and, when you're in the midst of it, you'll long for the quiet, solitary space you know as a writer. WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE with all these opinions and ideas? If you're smart, you'll listen to every one of them. Take what you need to make a good picture great, and leave the rest. But not before telling the folks who gave you their advice a hearty and sincere THANK YOU:)
   
   

3. If you're a writer who wants to direct what they've written, that's great! I am a firm believer in that more writers should direct their own work. Who better knows what that pillow you agonized for the words to describe than you? Also, if the movie comes out like s*(^, you've got nobody to blame but yourself. After all, you're the director--it's your vision-- and at the end of the day, you call the shots (or does your financier? Well! That's another story...). Here's the thing, though: writing and directing require VERY DIFFERENT SKILL SETS! Writing requires you to spend bouts of time alone, observing others and, well, the less talking you do, the better. I don't want to generalize, but in my experience, I find most writers to be introverts. They see the world in their own, special way and comment on it through that lens. Directing, on the other hand, requires that you not only be collaborative, but that you are expert at communicating your ideas to many different people! For example, you might need to use a different vocab for your DP (Director of Photography) than you do your actors. Are you an EXCELLENT MULTITASKER? This is essential, I think, to competent directing. While you're shooting, there are so many things going on at once it can make your head spin! Are you level-headed under pressure? If not, learn to be-- quick, fast and in a hurry-- 'cause it's YOU who'll set the tone for the entire shoot. Yes, my dear. YOU. People—well, everyone, will be looking to YOU for DIRECTION. Can you handle that?

These are the three most important tips I can give to an author/writer who has visions of seeing their words—uh, pictures! --on the big screen! Wanna know what I have in my bag o'tricks on screenwriting/making movies? Here's some “stuff” that's been helpful to me:

The Hero's Journey, by Joseph Campbell: Essential. Simply a must.

The Foundations of Screenwriting, Syd Field: Simplistic, but the title says it all: a FOUNDATION.

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting—by Robert McKee: I haven't read this one, but it's pretty much a well-regarded staple.

The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny even if you're Not! by John Vorhaus: I tell everyone who wants to write ANYTHING funny, including my corporate- executive- brother-in-law turned-stand-up-comic:)

From Real to Deal: Everything you Need to Create a Successful Independent Film by Dov S-Simens you won't need this one if your aim is to make it with a big Hollywood studio. If you're doing it the down-and-dirty-indie way, you must have this book. MUST!

Final Draft: a 'visual writer's' must-have software. Easy to install, there's a version for a MAC and one for a PC. You can write screenplays, plays, soaps, TV series, etc. Automatically comes out in the correct format! YEAH!

Here's to writing in pictures!

XO Tanya :)

Tanya Wright will premiere her movie, BUTTERFLY RISING, at the Langston Hughes African American Film Festival on Sunday, May 8 at 6PM. It's the PERFECT movie to take your mother to on her special day. ALL ARE WELCOME! For tickets and info about BUTTERFLY RISING, go to www.butterflyrisingthemovie.com

WRIGHTING REVOLUTION: GUILTY PLEASURES

So, I was at an event a week or so ago, and someone asked me what my "guilty pleasure" was. I knew what she meant but, I gotta admit, I really thought about it later. Why should I feel guilty about something that pleases me? I think what she meant, too, was what is the thing I do that I wouldn't necessarily want anyone else to know that I do?? Well, there are several, I don't feel guilty about none of them, LOL! Here are a few, in no particular order...

1. PEOPLE MAGAZINE: Yes! I just wrote a very literary book (BUTTERFLY RISING), made a movie and all that jazz. But, the truth is, I often read PEOPLE MAGAZINE just to relax my mind! Yes, I do! I even have a button where it comes up quick, fast and in a hurry on my Blackberry. Now, there's been a fair amount of coverage on Butterfly Rising book/movie, but my all-time favorite article appeared in peoplepets. com. Take a look:

http://www.peoplepets.com/news/celebrities/true-blood-s-tanya-wright-turned-personal-tragedy-around-with-help-from-her-dog/1

That's right. It was the article about my dog that warmed my heart the most. Look at my little Macarena! She's looking square into the camera (unlike me. What was I thinking, LOL!), ready for her close-up. Woof!

2. Here's the thing: I don't know what it is, but I. LOVE. INFOMERCIALS!! Yes! The folks that host them are usually so COMMITTED and so relentlessly enthusiastic about the products they're hawking, I usually peel myself away from the TV just long enough to ask myself how could I live another day without this product??? I will admit though, I have NEVER purchased anything advertised in an infomercial (I really DO want to try out that juicer and the WEN haircare system. I know a person who purchased the FLOWBEE--the hair device where you cut your hair using your vacuum cleaner?-- and it works! It really works!!) Go figure!!!

3. WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW: I LOVE this woman! Everything about her is BIG and FUN!!! She always looks like she's smiling on the inside, which is a rare and wonderful thing. I love her outfits, I love her hair. And the thing is, although she's always dishing on celebs, there isn't anything mean-spirited about her. She usually asks the things people REALLY want to know. Also, in her ASK WENDY segment, she always gives sound, sturdy, common sense advice, not at all what you'd expect form someone whose personality is so...big! Anyway, love you Wendy, and I hope to sit down on the couch and chat wit'cha one day soon:)

These are just a few of my pleasures. And I don't feel guilty about none of 'em.

XO T :)

WRIGHTING REVOLUTION

WRIGHTING REVOLUTION #3

Okay. So. You can tell A LOT about a person through their FACEBOOK activity. YOWZA!!! I'm just saying...

WRIGHTING REVOLUTION #2

I've been running on pure adrenaline the past week. I am SO EXCITED THAT the MOVIE IS FINALLY COMPLETE! I mean, of course I could nit-pick to death, but for all intents and purposes BUTTERFLY RISING THE MOVIE IS DONE! It has exceeded my expectations in every way. I realized A LOT about myself during this process-- I really feel like folks who make a movie are truly 'getting made' in the process-- there's lots you're working out externally (as it relates to the movie) but you're also working a lot out inside yourself, too. Can you find the opportunity in the 'setback'? What happens when things don't go the way you'd like-- will you keep a door open to the idea that, sometimes, what you've been presented is actually a BETTER option? I was always the slow and plodding type (definitely a late bloomer, LOL!) and I never thought I'd be the girl who wrote, directed and starred in a movie, who wrote a book and all. NEVER. Not saying that I had low expectations of myself, just that, as I kid, I mostly struggled with my confidence and my place in the world. And then, something happened—I buoyed my confidence and became less concerned with trying to be like other people and just started, well, being myself. It was lonely and scary at first, but I felt happier and lighter that way, so I did it more and more and more and then...ah. I feel good. No, GREAT!

I can't wait to share this movie with the world. Now, I'll warn you, it is a provocative film in many ways and will DEFINETELY inspire dialogue about men/women/love/loss/faith and dreams. All of the people you'll meet (Rose, Lilah, Esther, Henry, Daniel) are deeply flawed but really...perfect (there's that dual nature stuff again, LOL!). I hope you love them as much as I love sharing them with you.

XO T:)
WRIGHTING REVOLUTION