Inside Tribeca All Access - Beyond the Mat

Time

ERIK MARTINEZ - SCREENWRITER

I read somewhere that all people really have together is time. Time has a way of slipping past you if you’re not careful, especially with cross country time changes. It seems relevant considering that I’m currently somewhere over Pennsylvania, in the middle of my first plane trip ever, going to the Tribeca Film Festival to pitch my team’s project, “Beyond the Mat” to a myriad of people.

I’ve been napping a good deal of the time on the flight, opening my eyes due to the occasion jolt of turbulence or people walking through the aisle. Most of the time has been spent in my thoughts, thinking of my parents, back in Bakersfield, California, proud of their youngest child. They saw me off on Sunday, along with my best friend of 16 years, Rocio – the archetypical girl next door. It was nice.

There hasn’t been much to do except listen to music and run around in my head. I’ve read over my part in our pitch a few times, Kase (our producer) stole my copy of “American Born Chinese” a graphic novel by (name), making his way to another seat to read it in between bursts of watching TV; and I haven’t spoken to Van (our director) since he was picked for the random bag check as we walked through the terminal into the plane. He’s here though a few aisles back, as is Henry, our co-producer and wrestling liaison. Our little boy’s club is missing its den mother, Teresa (our other co-producer) as she’s taking another flight to New York.

I’m anxious and a bit jittery; my body acting as it normally does in a nervous state – drowsy, calm and seemingly collected. It feels good though, like the first of many trips that are sure to follow for all of us involved. I can’t help but feel like this is really the beginning of things, for all of our careers. It’s been a long haul since Van and I started on the project, two years to the day since he called me and told me had a project he wanted me to potentially write for him. So, here we are about to touch down at J.F.K, me and my first big trip, it’s all a bit overwhelming but reassuring all the same. To say the least, we’re about to make things happen.

posted by The "Beyond the Mat" team @ 4:00 PM