That last paragraph feels close to home...liking historical stories, especially the Civil War period, and "the sort of material I've been attracted to as a writer" may mean what I write and like is "very hard to get a movie made" from my scrawls. Passion or paycheck? Or are they the same...eventually? Ah well, the theatre of my mind still has matinees for $5.00 ($6.50 on weekends, before five o'clock).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXunzL1hWtk The two minute mark...write what you love (passion).