#45 The lowdown…such as it is

With Lori gone, Sandy sizes me up. He starts with, “I heard you wrote some episodes of The Littles.” I smile slightly, giving him the titles. He says “Word is Judy Price liked them.” I agree that that’s accurate, not adding that’s probably the reason I got the job as assistant story editor because it’s obvious that’s probably the reason I got the job as assistant story editor even though I still don’t know what the job entails.

Then, thankfully, Sandy forges head about the job. “It’s not complicated. Writers bring me maybe half dozen story springboards at a time. I submit the ones I like to Lori who, I assume, submits the one’s she likes to Jean, who decides which ones would make good episodes.”

I note Sandy’s omitted Andy from this process, but I’m pretty sure that’s because Andy focuses primarily on business while Jean’s primarily on creative. Fair enough.

Sandy explains, “When I get an approval from Jean I assign the scripts to the writers. They write the scripts and deliver them to me. I edit the scripts and pass them to Lori. That’s all there is to it.”

I get a feeling that’s not all there is to it. “Seems like you skipped over what’s involved with the editing part.”

He arches an eyebrow in question. “What do you mean?”

I answer, “Well, for a story editor isn’t editing the biggest part of the process?”

His eyebrow’s still raised as he tilts back in his chair, quiet again.

#44 Out of Place Out of Time

Lori and I neared the far corner of the first floor, Sandy Fries at his desk, papers scattered. Seeing us coming, he impressed me as intelligent, but unfocused.

Lori said, “Sandy, you know Jack Olesker.” He nodded. “Jack’s going to be the assistant story editor for Care Bears. Give him an idea of where you’re at and where he can help you.”

Sandy said, “Sure.”

Lori pointed to a desk butted up to Sandy’s desk and told me, “That’s your desk.”

I was caught off guard but didn’t show it. For a few nanoseconds I thought about how Andy hadn’t actually offered me the position. He decreed I would be an assistant story editor, just like Lori was telling me it was time for me to start working. No warning, no working up to it. Just “That’s your desk.”

Of course Jean and Andy had discussed everything with Lori. In a way I thought they were paying me a compliment, it being obvious I’d accept the assistant story editor position and that if I had any reluctance it would dissolve when I heard the starting salary.

So seeing no benefit in wasting valuable time, Andy had just told me I was going to be an associate story editor and Lori had just pointed to my desk. As Lori walked away, I sat at my new desk, opposite Sandy’s, ready to work.

The problem was I still didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing. And just as importantly, in my mind, I didn’t know if writing Care Bears scripts was going to be a part of the job…and whether on to I’d get paid for doing it now that I was on staff.

#43 Into the deep end

Lori was waiting for me to say something more than “So what am I supposed to be doing?” I didn’t have anything. It was a straightforward question and I’m a straightforward guy.

There’s an old joke in the entertainment industry – actually, only half-a-joke. As two executives walk toward each other in the corridors of power at Twentieth Century Fox, one says “Good morning” and the other thinks “I wonder what he means by that.” It’s an L.A. thing but it was never my thing.

When I didn’t add anything, Lori stood and said, “Let’s take a walk.”

As we walked past cubicles she made small talk, asking what it was like living in the same building as Jean. I told her it made getting scripts back and forth to each other easier. She laughed. But it wasn’t a ha-ha laugh. Things were changing. Jean had fewer revision notes on my scripts. I was getting better at writing for television.

Lori was in charge of writers, so I knew she’d be telling me to deliver my scripts directly to her from now on...if being an assistant story editor meant I’d be writing scripts.

Finally, Lori said, “Sandy will tell you what you do as assistant story editor.” She reminded, “He’s the story editor for Care Bears.” She was quiet for a long moment as we walked. Then her voice lowered and she said, “While you’re at it, keep your eyes open about what he does.”

I looked sideways at Lori but she didn’t look back at me as we walked. I wondered what she meant by that…