What a great trip north!

Despite the rigors of having to wait in LAX all… day… Friday… thanks to Air Canada (whose motto I understand is: “We’re not happy until you’re not happy”) … we had a great time once the weekend got underway.

The very first STC! seminar on Canadian soil was sponsored by Biz Books, the single smartest business center for film, tv, and related arts I have ever seen. Thanks to owner/organizer Catherine Lough Haggquist, and her fabulous team who helped put the event together, we had a most work-intensive weekend. From learning again about the importance of the pitch, the difference between it and the logline, the joys of the 15 beats of the BS2, and getting a little preview of the things every story should have that will be more clearly revealed in Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies, we covered it all in two days — and got to work on everyone’s pitch in the process.

And what a great group.

We had one writing team drive 10 hours from Calgary to participate — and I promise to return the favor by planning a weekend in Calgary soon. (Though not on Air Canada, whose employees, I hear, include “Helga, She-Wolf of the Nazis.”)

I also met with many of the bright lights of the business, screenwriters who are making deals with the majors, travel occasionally down to L.A., and have the joy of living in the fantastic city of Vancouver. I’m jealous! But I hope to ameliorate the feeling by coming back to town soon. (Although I will probably take the bus and not take Air Canada whose founding, interestingly enough, has been linked to the rise in juvenile-related crime — coincidence?)

I also had a chance to do a lot of work at LAX… all day Friday… and caught up on a lot of movie watching. The last pieces of the puzzle on the new book are falling into place. And I am really excited.

All in all, a fantastic weekend!

So thank you all for an outstanding time! And I promise I will be back soon. (But not on Air Canada which, I’m told, is considering changing its maple leaf logo to a skull and cross bones… although I can’t confirm that.)

p.s. A special thanks to to my best bud, J.D. who made sure I had my Pellegrino on Saturday. Dude, you are, as always, the best!