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If you have ever been mocked for your VHS collection, you are not alone. My cupboard of antiquated technology is small but mighty. While I’m not hoarding Molly Ringwald films or anything, I do have a sizable stash of my performances pre-2006, that are unfortunately on VHS. The good news: I found a great way to turn VHS into digital video that I highly recommend. It’s called the iGrabber. (Not as rapey as it sounds.)

It’s a little device that allows you to literally click one button to digitize media from any RCA input and create an mov file. And well priced, too. Less than $40. I captured a DVD for a friend of her performance and a VHS tape of one of my old movies. My first movie actually, called Long Away. I was prepared to post it online until I actually watched it. (Read: More embarrassing than being pantsed.) It is from 1986. Please enjoy some screenshots…

You know a movie is good when it’s “Based on a Story”

Opening Credits. (Not pictured: Director Dad)

Method Acting.

Spoiler Alert: My character survives the over-sized phone attack

Hopefully this is just the start of more embarrassment to come.

On Saturday, when walking off a heavy brunch of Frittata and Fried Potatoes from the Tavern, I discovered there’s a library in my neighborhood that has books! Sure I’ve been there before, but only for the air conditioning and free wi-fi. And as luck would have it, they offer free reading materials as well! So on a lark, I checked out a book called Writing Televeision Sitcoms by Evan S. Smith. It’s got some solid tips. I actually do recommend it if, like me, you are fumbling around with a Pilot concept. Plus it seemed more relevant than another TV writing book that was Dewey Decimal adjacent. Flipping through this other book, twice it mentioned: “It’s not 1995 anymore! The industry has changed!” That one was published in 1998. The only thing the same about the industry since 1995 and now is that Shane Black still uses a typewriter. And to be fair, that’s probably old info, too. 2002 might be the last I was in touch with him… It appears my own stories need to come out with a more updated edition as well.

On a side note, I’m pretty sure I spotted Donal Logue at a Starbucks near Beverly Hills this weekend. (Two name drops, one post!) I may’ve stared a bit but only because I vaguely remember doing extra work on a show he starred in. I still can’t think of the name. Looking on iMDB would be cheating. I did the job to get my SAG card back in the day (which I never did get). Grounded For Life! That’s what it was. At some point maybe I’ll post this footage since I recently picked up a (drum-roll please) VHS digitizing device. More on that delightfully antiquated technology later…

Tonight I went to celebrate with my writing instructor and friend, Pilar Alessandra, her new book The Coffee Break Screenwriter. If you’re looking to start or finish a screenplay, I highly recommend it. She knows her stuff.

Yesterday I met with folks from Adobe to go over their answer to screenwriting software: Adobe Story. FIve guys who worked on it were in town from India. And to only further stereotype myself as an LA writer, I asked them to meet me at Literati to discuss. The product is pretty cool, though. I’m already a fan of most things Adobe. The first Little CEO was cut on Adobe Premiere, even though the projects that followed were done on Final Cut. I’m also a fan of Photoshop, After Effects (which I’m slowly learning), Flash, Flex, and Soundbooth is pretty badass. Anywho, from what I saw of Adobe Story, it’s a faster, simpler version of Final Draft that lets you easily collaborate with other writers. Worth a look-see if you don’t want to drop the cash like I did on Final Draft. It lets you import Final Draft files too, so no one has to know….