Filmmaker found ingenious way to finish her script — by writing a $1000 check she couldn't afford

Procrastination is the art of delaying something intentionally, and most of us are PhD-level experts in finding excuses to not execute what actually matters. Alice Wu, a film director and screenwriter, was also a graduate of the University of "I’ll Do It Later," until she learned to fight procrastination. When Wu realized she had to set some serious deadlines to complete writing the script of "The Half of It," she gave her friend a check and asked her to donate it to the National Rifle Association (NRA) if she didn't produce the first draft in a few weeks. Frameline (@framelinefest) posted her video on Instagram, where viewers found themselves pleasantly surprised by her trick. 

Wu wrote a check of $1,000 to the NRA that she didn't support and gave it to her friend, CJ. Her best friend, a firefighter, kept the check on one condition — if Wu didn't come up with a complete draft of the script within five to six weeks, CJ would mail the check to the NRA. "I have two people who read it and confirm this is full. It can be terrible, but it's fully complete, and if that's not the case, then you are sending that check in," Wu explained. Her dire need to complete the script, coupled with the apprehension of her hard-earned money going to support a cause she didn't like, yielded great results.

She informed everybody about it, and consequently, all her friends reached out to her, motivating her to complete her script. "That's how I got it (the script) done," Wu recalled. Notably, she recounted the whole experience in an in-depth conversation with 4 Star Theater during a sold-out screening of her movie. For those who aren't aware, "The Half of It" was released worldwide on Netflix on May 1, 2020, and it follows the journey of a student helping a classmate woo a girl whom, secretly, they both love.

Be it students, homemakers, or working professionals, procrastination has become a habit for most. In fact, a study, "Tomorrow Never Comes: The Risks of Procrastination for Adolescent Health," mentions that nearly 20-25% of the general population procrastinates. Moreover, they also found that procrastination is much more common among students. Now, in teenagers, the figure can go as high as 98%. So, the next time you find yourself pushing important tasks, try to practice the effective method tried and tested by Wu. 

Meanwhile, reacting to Wu's advice, @thejoshuamaxwell commented, "This is such a beautifully diabolical way of motivating yourself to write!" Similarly, @michaelqutierrez shared, "This is called a 'commitment device,' and implementing one in your life is one of the best ways to take action on something you've convinced yourself you want to do but aren’t doing. (Read Atomic Habits)." @earthbound_films shared, "I did once think about a clock with a snooze button that sends a small amount of money to diabolical charities every time you hit it."

@bombusername joked, "I'm trying to figure out how to use this method to keep myself alive." @agooseincharmcity recalled, "I did this! Venmoed my friend $200 and told her to donate it to the athletic department at my alma mater’s rival college if I didn’t finish my book proposal within the month. I’ve never worked so fast in my life." Meanwhile, @tia_vanessa_, who has watched her 2020 comedy-drama, shared, "This movie is beautiful! I’ve seen it 10x on Netflix. I love each time more and more. This story makes it even more perfect."

You can follow Frameline (@framelinefest) on Instagram for more motivational content.

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