So I'm reading over the interview I just typed up and I'm like, I think I did the whole exercise wrong. I don't know. Character work is so hard. I thought my guy was going to start telling me the story so I would know what to write. Instead he's like telling me that in reality, his father did die but he thinks that if I tell his story over, then his story will change as well. God, maybe I've been watching too many twilight zone episodes, outer limits or even amazing stories.

I'm thinking right now that I need a new character. I like the old Jim Reilly from my first draft better. This new Jim Reilly is bitter, too bitter. I mean, you're supposed to care about your movie character, not think he's the biggest jerk in the world. I thought I wanted my baseball character to be more like a lost soul looking for hit father. Instead he's turned out to be some hustling scumbag in the game for the chicks and the jack. I want him to be different. I want him to rediscover his love for the game of baseball through his interaction with his father, but I don't know how to get him there.

I heard on NPR today that the movie Animal House took 7 drafts before it was complete. And Animal House turned out to be such a great movie. I guess I shouldn't be complaining. I'm only on my second draft. I definitely need more character work though on Jim and the rest of the cast. It will be interesting to hear what his father, his mother, his wife, his brother, his son, his sister in law and all their kids have to say about Jim and what's going on. Especially the dad. Was the dad as mean as Jim says, or is he just looking at life through his 9 year old eyes still at age 38. He wouldn't be the first if he was.