We hate to get all touchy-feely here at CineStory (okay, that’s a total lie), but the warmth and deep emotion in the room at the closing session of the retreat were nothing short of amazing.  First, the mentors each spoke about what the time meant for them.

Jonathan Fernandez felt that he learned as much as anybody up here, like it’s made him a better writer.  This is the most unbelievable education on screenwriting you will get anywhere.

Lisa Callamaro noted that she and the other mentors get beaten down by the day to day, and to come up here for this pure experience, just talking about story, plot, character, it’s rejuvenating.  It’s a way to remember, “That’s why we’re doing this, that’s why we love movies.”

Michael Salort has spent so much time in his writing career learning about financing and business that it’s easy for him to forget that it’s all about the writing, so for him, it’s kind of frightening to come up here and be with all the writers and remember what it’s all about.

Nana Greenwald has ADD when in LA.  For her, it was amazing to spend such focused, deep, collaborative time just concentrating on story, which she doesn’t get to do very often.

Joe Forte appreciated the environment of openness that everyone brought.  The mentors worry about how people are going to react, but the time spent in the beginning of the retreat (the pre-session) working to manage expectations seems to have paid off, and he appreciates everyone’s spirit of creating that space so we all can learn.

Mark Fergus said, “What they said.”  Then he added that whatever the mentors were putting out, they were totally getting back.  He talked about keeping the dreams alive while treading the really practical path of mastering story.  A writing career is hard but it’s not just some crazy dream, there is a brick by brick approach, it’s entirely possible if you are ready to work hard enough — it’s not just being hit by lightning.

Meg LeFauve commented that the mentors had asked the writers to stay open, lean into sharp points, be brave, be open — and they all did it.  There was amazing energy, openness, moments of true bravery and heroism — she personally smoked a few brains — but the writers hung in down that road.  For her, this was also one of the most open years in terms of people jumping in to pitch.  She was impressed by the chutzpah.  She comes here to teach, and she felt that this year she learned also, both in terms of how to teach and in terms of her own writing.

Michelle Sy said that CineStory is a really special thing.  Initially it was a way to give back, but she gets so much out of it and it’s a way of being a better producer.  It’s easy to forget all the good parts, this is a great reminder.

Amy Salko-Robertson then put in, “Ditto.”  To her, this was the best year of CineStory in that expectations were in the right place, allowing everyone to have good discourse in terms of “going there.”  She was blown away by everyone’s braveness.  Each writer might not have had exactly the right answer in every session, but hopefully, it’s given everyone a road to keep on thinking about their projects.  There’s something liberating about CineStory, it’s such a unique program, and liberating for a city girl like her, too, to let down her hair and enjoy all this nature.

Regina Lee came here to learn from the writers and her fellow mentors.  It was a great novelty to her to have everyone bringing a different perspective — studio notes are a more singular voice, but here, mentors have completely different viewpoints, something you don’t typically get a chance to hear.

Barri Evins came for the food.  (Our wonderful Aroma Café!)  She’s been to CineStory second only in amount of times to Meg, and she’s so excited to see it grow.  This has been an extraordinary year in growth, innovation, re-thinking it in terms of making it bigger and better.  She really pushes people to get to their gut, to get to what they wanted to say and what was the most important thing to say, what was the story’s most ultimate potential.  For her, it’s sheer joy to talk story — much of her day is spent pushing a giant, jagged boulder uphill, and to spend a few days only focusing on story, makes her walk on air.  Then she sees how incredibly smart the other mentors are and how much she’s going to learn, and she’s humbled.

Phil Eisner, being a really selfish person, wishes he was up here to give back, but he gets so much out of . . . stealing your ideas . . . did you register that, Nino? . . .  As a working writer, the process is great for him, giving other people notes — it gives him a window on his own work.  At the point he’s at in his career, it may be easier to get in the room, but he still goes through the same process with his own scripts, he still can learn to make them better, so he comes back from others’ scripts to see own with a critical eye.  When a movie gets made, there is a certain moment where this is the perfect draft, as good as the story will ever be — that is the most satisfying moment.  Then come casting decisions and other practical considerations that change the draft and it will never be perfect again.  It’s brutal to make films, the joy of coming up here is to look at the absolute best version of that film.

Then Amy puts that we are also here to honor Pam Pierce, who gives so ridiculously wholly of herself.  The mentors love Pam, and it’s really her who’s giving the gift.

Then a bunch of the writers spoke up, and things got really mushy.

Meg wrapped up by stating that it’s her goal for each of the writers not to go down the mountain unless they are inspired, and anyone who doesn’t feel that way should come talk to her to let her know what didn’t work, what can be made better.  (She also took the opportunity to plug Screenwriting Summer Camp, which, she says, is the “grad school” of CineStory, where you actually write your script with development help from a mentor.)

Pam closes by mentioning the staff, who read scripts, gave notes, baked scones, helped with accommodations, scheduled rides, schlepped cases of water, and, in Clea’s case, “saved her life” — that would be Clea, Willie, Lisanne, Kevin, Chandus (who had to go back to his day job), Melissa, Ivan (who doubled as our hard working Aroma Café guy), and myself, your intrepid blogger.