Screenwriting Serendipity

Serendipity = a happy accident.

I like the word serendipity, always have. It's tossed around in library school as a known phenomenon. You enter a library (or bookstore), wander the stacks, and something draws you to a specific shelf. Or perhaps a pile of books tumble to your feet. Or an angry library biffs Volume 5 of the Encyclopedia Britannica at your head, ninja star style. Either way - magically - by the will of the fates - by serendipity / happy accident - THERE IT IS! The book you didn't even know you were looking for.

Well, serendipity struck yesterday and once again, I'm thankful. Instead of using my prize money from the wonderful Alberta Screenwriters Initiative award (and hawking a guitar)  for my writing partner and I to buy (and split) a pass to the Banff Media Festival - I'm suddenly sponsored to attend. Turns out a pass was part of the prize.

Go figure.

Now we can pitch our TV series pilots with impunity! All willy nilly and confident, because it didn't break the bank to get us there.

What a lovely, happy accident. I wish many such occurrences for all my writerly friends.

Here's a short / silly / homemade film from my old band, Rustic Charm, featuring our tune - you guessed it - Serendipity: