I don’t believe in the word “can’t” I am so sick of people saying that after a certain age it is impossible to break into TV writing. Yes I know it is uphill and harder for people in the 30s and 40s, but look, we can’t change our age, so why worry about it? It is stupid.
A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to meet some writers and get some brief work on a TV show, I got paid, no credit, but they liked me. I have been told that I will get in and getting great feedback, but am not in my 20s.
That said, yes TV is young and film and novels don’t seem to focus on age as much, so whatever, this way it will be more of a challenge. I will go in the side door instead of the front door. I have worked in entertainment my whole life and “can’t” is not something I listen to.
When I started in animation I was told it would be impossible for me due to my NO ART TRAINING, but w/in a year I got into Disney, because I never even for a second thought that I wouldn’t make it. Failure was not an option for me.
I wrote a screenplay and it is seriously being looked at, in fact bidding is a word my agent is using, but he is making sure it not only gets sold, but gets made, so that is huge and never did any of the companies, studios, directors or anyone ask my age. So maybe I have to sell a screenplay or two and get noticed for the TV studios to pull their heads out and realize that age ain’t nothing but a number, and it does not matter.
Last year they/Hollywood/Whomever were saying that actresses 40 and over couldn’t pull in box office or even get work, using Jennifer Aniston (turning 41 in Feb) as example because Marley and Me didn’t make a ton of money, and also using Julia Roberts (42) as someone who wasn’t being cast-not that she took time off to raise her kids or anything. So what happened this year? Sandy Bullock-45 wins the SAG Award and a Golden Globe and she had 3 top films out this year and is now the highest paid actress in the world.
A 45 year old Sandy is laughing all the way to the bank. That is the point.
*Since I wrote this blog, she also took home an Academy Award*
Yes it may be harder, but that will make the reward so much sweeter, or something else will work out.
