Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

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  • Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

    A sobering account...

    This is a Hollywood story. It's not glamorous as Hollywood stories often are. Many won't like it. Many won't like that it can even happen in today's Hollywood. Some people prefer their Hollywood rolled up in a big giant flaming Oz head. But this story is a reality and my guess is, it's likely more common than any of us might want to admit.
    http://badassdigest.com/2015/03/02/f...ry-on-screenw/

  • #2
    Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

    Beautiful, powerful piece. Thanks for sharing.
    "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.-- Peter De Vries

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    • #3
      Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

      This is one of the most powerful stories I've ever read. I'm rooting for this guy. And he gives us all hope.

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      • #4
        Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

        Glad he's doing better now, that was an unpleasant deep slump experience.

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        • #5
          Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

          tragic uplifting rendition but the only thing I recall clearly is that at his darkest hour, he had a therapist. Different strokes I guess
          I heard the starting gun


          sigpic

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          • #6
            Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

            Originally posted by Southern_land View Post
            tragic uplifting rendition but the only thing I recall clearly is that at his darkest hour, he had a therapist. Different strokes I guess
            In L.A., therapy is considered a necessary, basic expense, much like food
            "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.-- Peter De Vries

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            • #7
              Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

              He wrote crap movies that bombed. What's the lesson we're supposed to learn? Don't suck?

              Also, his wife and partner both ditched him. The whole thing makes him sound like he's the problem.

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              • #8
                Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                This is a movie, for sure.
                Advice from writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick. "Try this: if you can replace your female character with a sexy lamp and the story still basically works, maybe you need another draft.-

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                • #9
                  Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                  Originally posted by BillWilliams12345 View Post
                  He wrote crap movies that bombed. What's the lesson we're supposed to learn? Don't suck?

                  Also, his wife and partner both ditched him. The whole thing makes him sound like he's the problem.
                  I think the lesson to be learned here is that he doesn't think he writes crap movies. Just like none of us think we write crap movies.

                  Not to get all meta, but until we actually have produced credits that can be judged on a scale from Jason X to Birdman, we're all just Schrodinger's Cat. You could be the next Terry Rossio, or you could be the next Todd Farmer (not that this man is any standard for failure or bad writing - just speaking in context of this discussion). I don't know if you personally have written professionally, but the vast majority of this board has not been verified in any way as a success or a failure, so they'll go on thinking they're the next Oscar winner, when the real possibility is that they'll be the next Razzie winner.

                  It's easy to say "That'll never be me," and then wake up twenty years from now in your car to a police officer telling you to move along.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                    What Eric said.

                    I continue to be amazed at our capacity to denigrate a human being for no other reason than not meeting our so-called expectations.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                      Originally posted by Eric Boellner View Post
                      I think the lesson to be learned here is that he doesn't think he writes crap movies. Just like none of us think we write crap movies.

                      Not to get all meta, but until we actually have produced credits that can be judged on a scale from Jason X to Birdman, we're all just Schrodinger's Cat. You could be the next Terry Rossio, or you could be the next Todd Farmer (not that this man is any standard for failure or bad writing - just speaking in context of this discussion). I don't know if you personally have written professionally, but the vast majority of this board has not been verified in any way as a success or a failure, so they'll go on thinking they're the next Oscar winner, when the real possibility is that they'll be the next Razzie winner.

                      It's easy to say "That'll never be me," and then wake up twenty years from now in your car to a police officer telling you to move along.
                      I know this will never be me.

                      Not because of the quality of his writing (which I have never read, and thus cannot judge) but because I won't put my aspirations ahead of my child's welfare.

                      To this man's credit, he did provide some level of financial support. But the fact that he had a spouse (ex spouse?) available to provide a stable environment and assume physical care of his child while he stayed in LA and pursued the dream is, frankly, a luxury.

                      I don't have that luxury, and even if I did, I would rather live with my children than be a successful screenwriter. Maybe that means I don't want it badly enough. I'm okay with that.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                        I was expecting to feel sorry for him but the dude should have made some cutbacks. Lose the gym membership, therapist, and stop driving the leased Prius everywhere. Am I insane? Most homeless people I've met don't get to go to lavish birthday parties. Cut the expenses and visit your daughter. Jackass.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                          Originally posted by TheConnorNoden View Post
                          I was expecting to feel sorry for him but the dude should have made some cutbacks. Lose the gym membership, therapist, and stop driving the leased Prius everywhere. Am I insane? Most homeless people I've met don't get to go to lavish birthday parties. Cut the expenses and visit your daughter. Jackass.
                          That whole account is so LA. Living for the car lease, friends who are geographically undesirable, the indispensable therapist and gym membership and probably Starbucks card. Probably having to buy cheap weed. Everyone pretending to be "in the business." Feeling entitled to a job in film/tv. He showed more gratitude to the Toyota dealership than anything about his ex-wife and kid for putting up with him. Well, I'm glad his dark night of the soul was spent in a working car parked in a leafy suburb. "Drive Angry in a Prius"?

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                          • #14
                            Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                            Originally posted by bmcthomas View Post
                            I know this will never be me.

                            Not because of the quality of his writing (which I have never read, and thus cannot judge) but because I won't put my aspirations ahead of my child's welfare.

                            To this man's credit, he did provide some level of financial support. But the fact that he had a spouse (ex spouse?) available to provide a stable environment and assume physical care of his child while he stayed in LA and pursued the dream is, frankly, a luxury.

                            I don't have that luxury, and even if I did, I would rather live with my children than be a successful screenwriter. Maybe that means I don't want it badly enough. I'm okay with that.
                            Originally posted by TheConnorNoden View Post
                            I was expecting to feel sorry for him but the dude should have made some cutbacks. Lose the gym membership, therapist, and stop driving the leased Prius everywhere. Am I insane? Most homeless people I've met don't get to go to lavish birthday parties. Cut the expenses and visit your daughter. Jackass.
                            Originally posted by canela View Post
                            That whole account is so LA. Living for the car lease, friends who are geographically undesirable, the indispensable therapist and gym membership and probably Starbucks card. Probably having to buy cheap weed. Everyone pretending to be "in the business." Feeling entitled to a job in film/tv. He showed more gratitude to the Toyota dealership than anything about his ex-wife and kid for putting up with him. Well, I'm glad his dark night of the soul was spent in a working car parked in a leafy suburb. "Drive Angry in a Prius"?
                            I keep trying to find a way to address the comments section here, but I'm realizing that this is just what this forum has devolved into. Or maybe it was always this and I was just naive.

                            In any case, I'm glad to know that when the pressure is on to get a real job and quit chasing your dreams, you'll all just be sensible and give up. I'm glad to know that's what we encourage here.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Todd Farmer: From Hollywood To Homeless

                              The guy has a child. I'm all for supporting dreams but I'm not for supporting bad parents.

                              He can write in Tennessee.

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