I registered my screenplay with the new title, "Outside the Gates of Heaven" with the Writers Guild tonight. Earlier, I sent out a couple copies to a director and another to a member of the Writer's Guild.

In keeping my word, I am not naming names as I was asked to keep that between me and the people I spoke with.

Here's what they had to say. The director felt that the screenplay was full of emotion and raw energy that will impact every viewer who sees it. He said my story is quite original and the events leading up to the ending moved him in many directions and when he thought he saw the ending, he was pleasantly surprised that his expectation was shattered and if left him, I quote "stunned and speechless." He said to me the potential is huge for the film but I have to take several things into consideration. He said the easy part is over as I had written the script. Now the challenging part is getting the right cast members in their correct roles and making sure that the film is shot professionally and correctly. He said no matter how perfect the story is on paper, it dont mean squat if the viewer isnt shown the sotry in the right way. He went on to say that this could be a big time festival winner and I am guarranteed to sell but that I have to be careful because a big time studio will want their fingerprints all over it by changing some things around. He said he would be interested in directing it if his slate wasn't so full but I have a huge chance to make it big with this film which will only springboard me further into the future.

Wow.

The writer said that there was no way I did this script in over 2 days of writing. Newsflash, I did. When they finally believed this one was my first screenplay ever, they were amazed at how well thought out it was and that I must have acted each line and each scene out as I wrote it. Newflash, I did. He said the greatest tool as a writer is the ability to have your audience seen your exact vision but allow them enough ability to have it impact them in a way they see fit. He said in this one screenplay, I have captured something that has been lacking in Hollywood's offerings as of late. He did recommend that I take some creative writing classes not to improve my writing skills but to challenge me creatively. This established writer expects to see more great things for me and urged me to continue writing as I have a talent for keeping the reader enagaged and hanigng on the next sequence of events.

I ahve also had a couple members from this very forum that said they loved my script and had a lump in their throat when the red the ending.

Now, what I want to say is thank you to everyone on this forum. Thank you for pushing me and inspiriing me to accomplish this. I am shocked because I never knew I had this in me.

More importantly, I will always remember this Christmas for three things. The joy on my kids face when they opened what little presents were able to afford for them foremost. Second, for a user of this forum that has always guided me in my faith and said something that makes me realize that no matter how big this gets, I have to remain true to my faith, in God, and in myself. And last, for the vote of courage rrom two people in the industry I have grown to love and have always dreamed of one day being a part of and from the same two people that I have loved and respected their successful works for a long time.

For anyone else that struggles and thinks about giving up, please don't If I can make it this far, anyone can. Thank you again for all of your words of support during very trying times in this past year and during whining periods I allowed to get the best of me.

Man, I will say one thing. It is so great to be alive and I owe any and all glory to God.

Patrick