April Fool Indeed!
At the end of March, I got inspired by a film and decided to create a blog with intent to publish one post per day, and do xyz, per day/week, whatev- all geared to the greater good of helping me stay on target with my screenwriting projects.
But in the grand tradition of me being me, intent is the extent of it all.
It is now the end of April, the 27th- one day before my 31st birthday that I have finally chosen to turn back to my blog.
The good thing is, for all intents and purposes of the blog- it got me writing like crazy, not in the blog itself, but in terms of my projects.
So I guess having proposed myself with one more internal deadline (the blog) just pushed me toward working on my scripts in order to procrastinate on the blog. Whatever works.
Updates: Project Y- I am now 80 pages deep and running. I started a new romcom, 'bout 30 pages in. And last night I had a roid rage moment (I'm on steroids at the moment for lung issues) at 1am and came up with a great opening to my frenemy story.
As far as watching movies, I've been doing my part, watching an average of one new movie (unseen so new to me) per day -streaming through Netflix has made this possible.
New Approach: I'm going to be a lot less rigid with this blog and just let it lead itself. I'm not going to make it a point to dissect every movie I see, unless the timing of the narrative has taught me something, or if I really admire the work, it inspires me, or is some wild exception that can inspire us all> basically if I fucking feel like it.
Honorable Mentions: Some great movies I've seen lately- Moon, The Ghost Writer (Polanski, saw this twice in the theater).
The Wackness- MAN!!! I loved, loved, loved, loved this movie! Anyone who was in high school anywhere, in America during 93(the golden age)-95 and loved hip hop... should have no problems relating to this gem. It takes place in NY, and even though I was here I knew those boys, I knew those songs, and I made out to those boys while listening to those songs. And I wore those pants. But I didn't smoke those plants. That didn't come til later. Doesn't mean I didn't do my part by passing out a mixed tape or two. Anyway. Good times. Jean Grey's pretty hot in it and I read that Ben Kingsley's performance got him a razzie nod. The dialog was great, very quotable and Josh Peck gives an organic, heartbreakingly relate-able performance. You feel it, in that shower scene...we've all been there, and it's difficult watching it from the outside, and wanting to warn him, but you can't cuz it's a movie...but it's just that dang good.
Harold and Maude (only saw this once prior, need to read up on Hal Ashby).
Women in Trouble (wasn't into it at first, but liked the intent and the performances, need to see more Pedro Almodovar-saw Volver & Robert Altman-liked Prairie Home, slept thru Nashville, I know, I know...it was prolly the 'ludes. -as they were indeed influences, the sequel Elektra Luxx is playing at the Newport Beach Film Fest this week, hmmmmm).
The Air I Breathe (4 stories driven by the 4 basic human emotions, intertwine characters otherwise unlikely to meet, appreciate the narrative but thought it was a little too emotional for my tastes- all star cast and great performances all around, Forest Whitaker as a feeble man in this piece was painful to watch- his character was written as a punching bag, too passive- only taking the hits time and again, and there is no reaction or action until the end, one moment of glory then he is snuffed out... meh. Sarah Michelle Gellar exceeded expectations, Brendan Fraiser's portrayal of Pleasure is how I envisioned Edward Cullen, before RPattz; and Kevin Bacon as Love was absolutely sincere. As a whole, I appreciate the intent. Each short follows a basic storyline which is easy to follow and easy to connect to the rest. I was able to outline it in bed on my iPhone before I went to sleep, it took me like 15 minutes. This is something I need to keep in mind in terms of intersection- keep the stories simple, it's the execution that counts, as seen in Pulp Fiction.
It's good to be blogging again. I'll try to make it a point to do so at least weekly.
As I've said before, it's my 31st birthday tomorrow... and I'm sick. What I've learned so far in the last 31 years: set simple goals and don't smoke.
MY MESSAGE TO OUR YOUTH: Don't Fucking Smoke. Don't even try it. Why? Because smoking cigarettes is so fucking awesome which makes quitting pretty damn fucking painful.
But not impossible. My Mom quit, cold turkey, after 40 years of smoking Camel non-filters got her to respiratory failure two years ago. She did it. Why can't I?
Is it because it was literally a matter of life or death in her situation? Because I am starting to see and feel the effects and it sucks so bad because I enjoy it so much and I have integrated smoking into almost every aspect of my lifestyle.
Please bear with. It's been a little over 48 hours without a cigarette. I've quit cold turkey quite a few times. The last time was a force quit because I had bronchitis and I went a couple weeks without a cigarette. Then I consciously bought a pack and lit up. To be honest, the first two cigarettes tasted like shit. I was probably at legit quit status, but I made a choice. That was Dec of last year.
Flash forward approximately four months later and here I am, down with the Bronchitis again. The funny thing is I really just have a common cold. But I don't have a normal body anymore, or it's condition inside is no longer common, so a little thing like a cold to a non-smoker hits my decrepit ass in the form of a post nasal drip which fully blooms into beautiful bronchitis. I can feel it come on now, I went to the doctor yesterday and predicted my prescription. I had bronchitis 3 times last year- prolly just my body's way of having a cold. I'm not saying it's this way for all smokers. In fact, I envy the ones who possess the constitution to smoke to their little fucking heart's content. Aren't you lucky? Bitch. Personally, for me -whether it's my allergic/asthmatic predisposition or maybe the fact that I'm just a sensitive ass pansy...whatever the case, I don't think my relationship with cigarettes is healthy anymore and I think it's gotta be terminated.
Even my gums are exacting revenge, they are affected and infected. Oh Good God, I went to the dentist last week. All I can say is thank God I'm not a dentist and it's going to take a lot of time, effort, and money to restore the health and well being of my gums and my mouth -which is not just metaphorically but now quite literally a fucking cesspool. Judge all you want. I'm just keeping it real. Advance Periodontal Disease, look it up...I'll save you the time, it means cesspool, kids. So lemme spare you the bullshit drama of starting that torrid love affair, you'll inevitably have to quit, the time of cultivating that relationship, the hours of devotion and inseparability, the money invested on the cigarettes, the hygenic upkeep, and the depressing chantix, patchsticks, save the fucken matchstixxx... Save yourself the regret, and invest in something worthwhile, like a toothbrush.
Rawr...
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
MAR31. 500 DAYS OF BUMMER - NIGHT
Writing:
I spent the first half of my day bogged down by sinus headaches and Vertigo- I wish I were talking about my favorite Hitchcock, but I mean the real deal- so I was pretty unproductive. Then, inspiration hit and I wrote 2 new treatments and a couple of scenes for a new feature I'd like to expand on.
I edited and wrote a little more for Feature Y. So the day was not a total bust. I put on Pretty in Pink while I cleaned my room. Found some similarities to 500 Days of Summer which are worth sharing.
Most of this blog will be used for writing about the movies I've seen because it's good practice for writing for movies.
Please bear with, and keep in mind, I'm no critic. I didn't go to film school, but I tried. I don't claim to know diddly. It's just a learning exercise.
Movies:
500 Days of Summer
The title of this post stems from my feelings after having seen 500 Days in the theater.
I was totally bummed because I didn't write it! This not-a-love-story love story was so awesome in comparison to the humble piece I had written and saved on my computer.
My first feature- also an unromantic romantic comedy.
I was upset about the chalkboard wall too, because I have something similar in one of my scripts (I know- it's all been done before, but I'm a newb to the game and was disappointed). Turned out to be all set design though, in the script (first draft) he draws on the wall itself.
Every minute, was a beat of Tom's heart pushing us along for the ride til the end; the inevitable shatter, with the faint glint of hope rising from the debris, that takes us back to (1)- the end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. Brilliant.
I've literally taken notes and broken down this movie by the minute, each of which propels us forward. I'll spare you the details as you've probably already seen it, if you haven't...stop reading and 'flix that shiz right now!!!
Here are the stepping stones:
The First (10):
By the first 10 minutes, the audience learns that differences in background result in opposing attitudes toward relationships. For Tom, a romantic, his unwavering belief and hope in love were products of music and film (a total misreading of the ending of the movie, The Graduate); while Summer, learned detachment from her parents' divorce, making her wary of love's existence.
At the get, we are told this is not a love story, [there is no happy ending for these two] we know he gets dumped. By 7 minutes, Tom says he doesn't want to get over Summer, he wants to get her back. Like Kevin Spacey's monologue in American Beauty..."I have lost something, but it's never too late to get it back." In one sentence we know the entire premise of the movie.
10 minutes we're standing in the elevator with Tom and Summer as he finds a common ground between them. Holy shit! It's The Smiths!
ACT 1:
Storytelling relationships in a non-linear fashion is the way to go in art, a la Annie Hall; and in life, depending on the time/phase, a person may highlight the good things vs. the bad -amplifying importance and significance of events depending on their mood. Neustadter & Weber dissect this relationship Momento style [through selective post relationship memory].
In Act 1- the audience views a biased summary of Tom and Summer's relationship (as seen through Tom). We get an idea or their ideals, expectations, and differences. We see as seeds are planted, we see their demise.
We see that Tom feels lost about his career choice, but feels that finding love or a soul-mate will give him the validation he needs to feel successful, content, or fulfilled. First parallel to Ben in The Graduate. [Just one word. Plastics.]
(23, 24)
minutes- Summer tells him, she'd like to be friends. They go their separate ways. [She is unsure of him. Or else she would have jumped on that!]
(25)
minutes: They kiss in the copy room. She gives him a look and leaves. [Still confused.]
(26, 27, 28)
minutes: we see that the things you find cute/endearing when you first start going out with someone, can get real stale right before you stop going out.
(29, 30)
minutes: Summer tells him, "this is fun, not looking for anything serious."
ACT 2:
We watch them grow and fizzle, the ebb and flow.
(30)
minutes: they sleep together for the first time. 2nd parallel to The Graduate, an homage to the over-the-leg Benjamin shot [over Summer's body to Tom]. I'm sure there is a proper term for this, I just don't know it.
(31)
minutes: You Make My Dreams Come True!!! How awesome was that! I just let out a heart-moan for Joseph Gordon Levitt. Love how the parade made me feel Enchanted. Who hasn't felt that way in a relationship? And we really feel for him.
(45)
minutes: (catalyst- a punch for a pinch) Is this your boyfriend? A Douchebag at a bar hits a nerve with Tom. Tom hits his face.
(46)
minutes: about the middle of our story, Tom resolves to label his relationship with Summer. They get into an argument.
(48)
minutes: Summer pays Tom a visit in his dark bedroom in the middle of the night.
3rd parallel to The Graduate. Elaine comes to Ben's room asking him to kiss her, he asks her to marry him.
(60)
minutes: Summer and Tom on the same train to attend a wedding. Gives us one last speck of hope that they might get back together. They share some sweet moments, she invites him to a party at her house.
(68, 69, 70)
minutes: Reality vs. Expectations- this is the thesis of the movie. Reality aligning with expectations- and it wasn't even in the first draft! His friends end up telling him at a deli, and the scene is prefaced with a monologue from the narrator about how most days of the year are entirely unremarkable (similar to his narration on day 500).
Hero by Regina Spektor? Get outta my face! Wow. I just let out another heart-moan for JGL. As a viewer, how can you not feel his pain?
ACT 3
(72-75)
minutes: back in the boardroom, only this time Tom has a breakdown. His beliefs are challenged, at that moment he has none. Quits his job.
(76)
minutes: His sister Rachel tells him to see all the details next time he uses his relationship rear-view mirror [SATC], not just the good things.
(77)
minutes: montage [closer look] of the day it all ended, to Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel. Summer cries at the end of The Graduate probably because she did not misread the ending.
(79, 80)
minutes: Tom gains some clarity, starts to change his life/move on.
The Last (10):
(81)
minutes we are at a split to reveal Tom on one side, riding a bus alone; while on the other, a white veil is lifted to reveal Summer as a bride- their own alternate ending to The Graduate. No happy ending for them, indeed.
(82-86)
minutes: Summer/Tom confrontation in his favorite spot in the park. She gives him closure, though she may or may not be a figment of Tom's imagination. Both characters have now traded outlooks on love, fate, and destiny. She tells him things he doesn't want, but needs to hear so he can move on and understand. Apparently he was right all along, love exists, fate brings people together and when it's right, you just know...
(90)
minutes: and we're back to a new Day (1) with a girl named Autumn. [who seems sure of him as she tells him 'sure' and cancels on 'someone' who she was supposed to meet instead.]
Script:
I enjoyed reading the First Draft of the screenplay- it's a littler dirtier, and Summer is much, much more of a bitch and has a blonde pixie cut [file under Manic Pixie Dream Girl].
The script reads really fast, lots of white space and is laid out how you'd expect after having seen the film- by day number in huge font- means more white space, less words on the page... I love these guys. You could easily read it all in less than 2 hours, that's while taking notes.
After watching the commentary I learned that 75% of the script is autobiographical. The material is definitely something most people can relate to, something I like to refer to as Love's Ugly Place.
Tom's parents (Mother and Step-Dad and other family in Bat Mizvah) were written out of the movie, which I felt was justified; at 90 minutes, the story sufficiently tells itself without the complication of involving more characters- Rachel as the voice of reason representative of the family worked. There is a scene were Tom and Summer run into his Mom and StepDad at the movies, there's hugging from his parents as they think of Summer as the girlfriend, they are pressured to sit with his family and sit through a film and Summer's a total cunt to Tom- he envisions himself in Breathless- which remained in the final cut with The black and white French New Wave/Seventh Seal Montage.
She's like the Wind- was originally supposed to be Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. I don't know if it was a rights issue, but I'm glad they stuck with The Swayze (for topical reasons- it got a big laugh in the theater). Magic has been used in many films, shows, etc. She's like the Wind's mild and subtle Swayze tones give way for a good laugh when Tom's gets kicked off the bus. Yes it reminds us of Dirty Dancing- but that's so far fetched from 500 Days, that it just tacks on the hilarity, IMHO. We first hear SLTW in the I love Summer Quick Cuts series and last during the I Hate Summer Quick Cuts rebuttal, prior to Tom getting kicked off the bus. Most importantly it plays faintly in the background at the karaoke bar while Summer is explaining her views on love and relationships- subliminal, that this is the first time Tom falls in like with Summer, as he finally gets to know her as a person and not just the ideally hot chick from his work that likes The Smiths.
EDIT: Music- these guys were pretty ballsy in terms of writing their musical selections into the script. From the books I've read, I've learned that that's what music supervisors are for. But damn, the script relied heavily on the music, namely The Smiths because their music was pertinent to telling the story. But You Make My Dreams Come True! [In the script Hall and Oates join the parade] Wow. I am floored that they were able to get clearance on most of their song choices. Glad they went with the Frenchie track Quelqu'un m'a dit [Someone told me] instead of Waiting in Vain- it really fit the moment.
I spent the first half of my day bogged down by sinus headaches and Vertigo- I wish I were talking about my favorite Hitchcock, but I mean the real deal- so I was pretty unproductive. Then, inspiration hit and I wrote 2 new treatments and a couple of scenes for a new feature I'd like to expand on.
I edited and wrote a little more for Feature Y. So the day was not a total bust. I put on Pretty in Pink while I cleaned my room. Found some similarities to 500 Days of Summer which are worth sharing.
Most of this blog will be used for writing about the movies I've seen because it's good practice for writing for movies.
Please bear with, and keep in mind, I'm no critic. I didn't go to film school, but I tried. I don't claim to know diddly. It's just a learning exercise.
Movies:
500 Days of Summer
The title of this post stems from my feelings after having seen 500 Days in the theater.
I was totally bummed because I didn't write it! This not-a-love-story love story was so awesome in comparison to the humble piece I had written and saved on my computer.
My first feature- also an unromantic romantic comedy.
I was upset about the chalkboard wall too, because I have something similar in one of my scripts (I know- it's all been done before, but I'm a newb to the game and was disappointed). Turned out to be all set design though, in the script (first draft) he draws on the wall itself.
Every minute, was a beat of Tom's heart pushing us along for the ride til the end; the inevitable shatter, with the faint glint of hope rising from the debris, that takes us back to (1)- the end is the beginning and the beginning is the end. Brilliant.
I've literally taken notes and broken down this movie by the minute, each of which propels us forward. I'll spare you the details as you've probably already seen it, if you haven't...stop reading and 'flix that shiz right now!!!
Here are the stepping stones:
The First (10):
By the first 10 minutes, the audience learns that differences in background result in opposing attitudes toward relationships. For Tom, a romantic, his unwavering belief and hope in love were products of music and film (a total misreading of the ending of the movie, The Graduate); while Summer, learned detachment from her parents' divorce, making her wary of love's existence.
At the get, we are told this is not a love story, [there is no happy ending for these two] we know he gets dumped. By 7 minutes, Tom says he doesn't want to get over Summer, he wants to get her back. Like Kevin Spacey's monologue in American Beauty..."I have lost something, but it's never too late to get it back." In one sentence we know the entire premise of the movie.
10 minutes we're standing in the elevator with Tom and Summer as he finds a common ground between them. Holy shit! It's The Smiths!
ACT 1:
Storytelling relationships in a non-linear fashion is the way to go in art, a la Annie Hall; and in life, depending on the time/phase, a person may highlight the good things vs. the bad -amplifying importance and significance of events depending on their mood. Neustadter & Weber dissect this relationship Momento style [through selective post relationship memory].
In Act 1- the audience views a biased summary of Tom and Summer's relationship (as seen through Tom). We get an idea or their ideals, expectations, and differences. We see as seeds are planted, we see their demise.
We see that Tom feels lost about his career choice, but feels that finding love or a soul-mate will give him the validation he needs to feel successful, content, or fulfilled. First parallel to Ben in The Graduate. [Just one word. Plastics.]
(23, 24)
minutes- Summer tells him, she'd like to be friends. They go their separate ways. [She is unsure of him. Or else she would have jumped on that!]
(25)
minutes: They kiss in the copy room. She gives him a look and leaves. [Still confused.]
(26, 27, 28)
minutes: we see that the things you find cute/endearing when you first start going out with someone, can get real stale right before you stop going out.
(29, 30)
minutes: Summer tells him, "this is fun, not looking for anything serious."
ACT 2:
We watch them grow and fizzle, the ebb and flow.
(30)
minutes: they sleep together for the first time. 2nd parallel to The Graduate, an homage to the over-the-leg Benjamin shot [over Summer's body to Tom]. I'm sure there is a proper term for this, I just don't know it.
(31)
minutes: You Make My Dreams Come True!!! How awesome was that! I just let out a heart-moan for Joseph Gordon Levitt. Love how the parade made me feel Enchanted. Who hasn't felt that way in a relationship? And we really feel for him.
(45)
minutes: (catalyst- a punch for a pinch) Is this your boyfriend? A Douchebag at a bar hits a nerve with Tom. Tom hits his face.
(46)
minutes: about the middle of our story, Tom resolves to label his relationship with Summer. They get into an argument.
(48)
minutes: Summer pays Tom a visit in his dark bedroom in the middle of the night.
3rd parallel to The Graduate. Elaine comes to Ben's room asking him to kiss her, he asks her to marry him.
(60)
minutes: Summer and Tom on the same train to attend a wedding. Gives us one last speck of hope that they might get back together. They share some sweet moments, she invites him to a party at her house.
(68, 69, 70)
minutes: Reality vs. Expectations- this is the thesis of the movie. Reality aligning with expectations- and it wasn't even in the first draft! His friends end up telling him at a deli, and the scene is prefaced with a monologue from the narrator about how most days of the year are entirely unremarkable (similar to his narration on day 500).
Hero by Regina Spektor? Get outta my face! Wow. I just let out another heart-moan for JGL. As a viewer, how can you not feel his pain?
ACT 3
(72-75)
minutes: back in the boardroom, only this time Tom has a breakdown. His beliefs are challenged, at that moment he has none. Quits his job.
(76)
minutes: His sister Rachel tells him to see all the details next time he uses his relationship rear-view mirror [SATC], not just the good things.
(77)
minutes: montage [closer look] of the day it all ended, to Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel. Summer cries at the end of The Graduate probably because she did not misread the ending.
(79, 80)
minutes: Tom gains some clarity, starts to change his life/move on.
The Last (10):
(81)
minutes we are at a split to reveal Tom on one side, riding a bus alone; while on the other, a white veil is lifted to reveal Summer as a bride- their own alternate ending to The Graduate. No happy ending for them, indeed.
(82-86)
minutes: Summer/Tom confrontation in his favorite spot in the park. She gives him closure, though she may or may not be a figment of Tom's imagination. Both characters have now traded outlooks on love, fate, and destiny. She tells him things he doesn't want, but needs to hear so he can move on and understand. Apparently he was right all along, love exists, fate brings people together and when it's right, you just know...
(90)
minutes: and we're back to a new Day (1) with a girl named Autumn. [who seems sure of him as she tells him 'sure' and cancels on 'someone' who she was supposed to meet instead.]
Script:
I enjoyed reading the First Draft of the screenplay- it's a littler dirtier, and Summer is much, much more of a bitch and has a blonde pixie cut [file under Manic Pixie Dream Girl].
The script reads really fast, lots of white space and is laid out how you'd expect after having seen the film- by day number in huge font- means more white space, less words on the page... I love these guys. You could easily read it all in less than 2 hours, that's while taking notes.
After watching the commentary I learned that 75% of the script is autobiographical. The material is definitely something most people can relate to, something I like to refer to as Love's Ugly Place.
Tom's parents (Mother and Step-Dad and other family in Bat Mizvah) were written out of the movie, which I felt was justified; at 90 minutes, the story sufficiently tells itself without the complication of involving more characters- Rachel as the voice of reason representative of the family worked. There is a scene were Tom and Summer run into his Mom and StepDad at the movies, there's hugging from his parents as they think of Summer as the girlfriend, they are pressured to sit with his family and sit through a film and Summer's a total cunt to Tom- he envisions himself in Breathless- which remained in the final cut with The black and white French New Wave/Seventh Seal Montage.
She's like the Wind- was originally supposed to be Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. I don't know if it was a rights issue, but I'm glad they stuck with The Swayze (for topical reasons- it got a big laugh in the theater). Magic has been used in many films, shows, etc. She's like the Wind's mild and subtle Swayze tones give way for a good laugh when Tom's gets kicked off the bus. Yes it reminds us of Dirty Dancing- but that's so far fetched from 500 Days, that it just tacks on the hilarity, IMHO. We first hear SLTW in the I love Summer Quick Cuts series and last during the I Hate Summer Quick Cuts rebuttal, prior to Tom getting kicked off the bus. Most importantly it plays faintly in the background at the karaoke bar while Summer is explaining her views on love and relationships- subliminal, that this is the first time Tom falls in like with Summer, as he finally gets to know her as a person and not just the ideally hot chick from his work that likes The Smiths.
EDIT: Music- these guys were pretty ballsy in terms of writing their musical selections into the script. From the books I've read, I've learned that that's what music supervisors are for. But damn, the script relied heavily on the music, namely The Smiths because their music was pertinent to telling the story. But You Make My Dreams Come True! [In the script Hall and Oates join the parade] Wow. I am floored that they were able to get clearance on most of their song choices. Glad they went with the Frenchie track Quelqu'un m'a dit [Someone told me] instead of Waiting in Vain- it really fit the moment.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
MAR30. THE PROPOSAL - NIGHT
Writing: Over the last 2 days I have written for a total of 7hrs and 35mins. I have successfully added 10 pages to Feature Y- which is now 40pgs deep!
I'm pretty happy about this because I was challenged by a wedding scene fitting into the story and I was able to work it in. (Because it serves a purpose) I have most of the story outlined and I needed to get this in somewhere and found the perfect place most unexpectedly. After editing and re-reading some dialogue, I proposed to my protagonist. It's quick and not a big deal and it works for all the characters involved. I was able to get a few jokes in and some decent pieces of dialogue as a result.
I'm stoked because I was stuck on this detail for about a month and I didn't expect to figure it out so quickly. Not that it's set in stone or anything. What's important is, now it's included in the general framework of the story, a pearl on the string. It's there. And that makes me feel like I accomplished something.
Movies:
The Proposal
I watched The Proposal today, out of curiosity (I know it made a shit-ton of $$$ like $314mil worldwide and was #16 in the US box office last year- so I wanted to see what that looked like) and also I am a secret Ryan Reynolds, I mean Sandra Bullock fan. As a side note, I caught The Blind Side on the plane last week, and I cried- SB had some really outstanding moments, her overall work was great.
The First 10 Minutes:
1.) We find out Margaret (SB) is a total tightly wound, type-A, control freak, power bitch.
2.) Andrew (RR) is her humble, but very determined/eager assistant who values his job, wants to earn his way to the top, and most importantly that he downright loathes her.
3.) She is going to be deported back to Canada and forces her assistant to marry her because of reason 1, above. And he accepts because of reason 2, above.
Within the first minute and a half, the audience finds that Margaret is type-A, a control freak, successful/important. By 3 minutes we have established she is a power-bitch. The entire office environment is on edge, as she steps on the scene. Very Devil Wears Prada. She fires someone. Sandra Bullock as a bitch, I believed her.
Her assistant loathes her, but is eager and determined to get to the top, he is humble and willing to do anything to appease his boss. He demonstrates this by canceling on his Gammy's 90th birthday visit in Alaska; thus setting the tone to convince the viewer that he would logically accept the proposal.
Margaret's citizenship comes up at the 9 minute mark, 10 minutes deportation and possible solutions, and before 11 minutes, the solution knocks on the door, it opens to reveal Andrew. Few lines of dialogue where the word proposed is uttered by poor, unsuspecting Andrew, Margaret has a lightbulb and we have a story.
The Last 10 Minutes:
The last 9-10 minutes and we find Margaret, back in her fancy NY office with all the employees still scared as shit of her. She looks different, hair down, less tightly wound, more expressive with her face, acknowledging the presence of others. She has changed and not just because she is being deported. Andrew comes in and he makes her shut up and listen, he proposes, she's like I work well alone, blah blah blah, I'm scared, get on your knee, and we have a happy ending.
ACT 1
Great setup. Everything we need to know happens within the first half hour.
Her parents died when she was 16. They will be spending the weekend in Alaska (with his family) to get to know each other. They are being quizzed on their relationship facts by immigration. He changes the terms of the proposal. His family is rich. He has a tense relationship with his father, never visits home, she can't swim. The engagement announcement to the family launches them into ACT 2.
ACT 2:
Change, we get it, it's not mind blowing, but it's entertaining. They change, mainly toward one another and coming to terms with it within themselves. There are some fun moments with Betty White (Betty White!!!) and SB dancing in the woods. And romcom staple ludicrous pet humor (like in There's Something About Mary). Malin Akerman plays an ex-girl and it's nice to see her be nice for a change. I thought she looked very pretty in the Watchmen-she looked just like the Silk Spectre; but damn, guess they all can't be Jackie Erle Haley, and I couldn't stand her in 27 Dresses- but I think that worked better for the character and Katherine Hiegl just used it to her advantage and reacted to, and worked it.
I digress 75 minutes- Margaret has a breakdown/realization and we are launched into ACT3. It's a good moment for SB, I think she pulls it off with the help of Betty of course!
ACT 3:
The consequences of Margaret's realization, she confesses, calls off the wedding. Can't hurt the family. Deportation dude is there, takes her back to NY. She's got to go back to Canada. She leaves Andrew a note of praise and a promise to publish his book. There's also a near drowning. And Betty White fakes a heart attack to get Andrew and his father to stop fighting.
Formulaic-ly sound movie.
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
My sister is a huge David Foster Wallace fan and she has been encouraging me to read his work, I have read a story or two- but it's hard for me to get really into him, because he's just too fucking smart for me, I ain't gonna lie- I have my thesaurus.com within reach whenever I attempt to tackle his work...
I caught the movie the other night and who knew that Jim Krasinski could write, direct, play piano, and be an asshole! I kid, I kid. I'm a huge John (and Jim) fan, it's hard for me not to like everything he does.
I'm currently in the process of reading the 4 shorts from which JK adapted the story and will be able to discuss this is in more detail, once I finish. I'm also planning on watching the film again. It's non-linear and I like to watch those twice to see what I missed, because I'm that slow and it's great to highlight the subtle seeds that were planted, now that you know what to look for.
My favorite segment was the interview of a man discussing his father's career as a bathroom attendant. The every word of dialogue was gripping and the delivery from both actors was beautiful and compelling. A truly moving piece. I watched it twice. It stands out from the rest not just because of subject matter, but the tone, the fact that we move into the father's space in his office as the bathroom attendant, the place where he stands, beyond the interview room, the patrons moving in and out of the space and father and son don't look at them, don't acknowledge, don't exist until they are needed. Wow. When I see great writing on screen, it makes me happy.
Script: 500 Days of Summer:
I re-watched this on Monday afternoon since I finished reading a copy of the first draft of the script last weekend. There are some interesting differences between the first draft and the finished product; most notably, the way Tom learns of Summer's engagement. To Be Continued...I am Sleepy.
I'm pretty happy about this because I was challenged by a wedding scene fitting into the story and I was able to work it in. (Because it serves a purpose) I have most of the story outlined and I needed to get this in somewhere and found the perfect place most unexpectedly. After editing and re-reading some dialogue, I proposed to my protagonist. It's quick and not a big deal and it works for all the characters involved. I was able to get a few jokes in and some decent pieces of dialogue as a result.
I'm stoked because I was stuck on this detail for about a month and I didn't expect to figure it out so quickly. Not that it's set in stone or anything. What's important is, now it's included in the general framework of the story, a pearl on the string. It's there. And that makes me feel like I accomplished something.
Movies:
The Proposal
I watched The Proposal today, out of curiosity (I know it made a shit-ton of $$$ like $314mil worldwide and was #16 in the US box office last year- so I wanted to see what that looked like) and also I am a secret Ryan Reynolds, I mean Sandra Bullock fan. As a side note, I caught The Blind Side on the plane last week, and I cried- SB had some really outstanding moments, her overall work was great.
The First 10 Minutes:
1.) We find out Margaret (SB) is a total tightly wound, type-A, control freak, power bitch.
2.) Andrew (RR) is her humble, but very determined/eager assistant who values his job, wants to earn his way to the top, and most importantly that he downright loathes her.
3.) She is going to be deported back to Canada and forces her assistant to marry her because of reason 1, above. And he accepts because of reason 2, above.
Within the first minute and a half, the audience finds that Margaret is type-A, a control freak, successful/important. By 3 minutes we have established she is a power-bitch. The entire office environment is on edge, as she steps on the scene. Very Devil Wears Prada. She fires someone. Sandra Bullock as a bitch, I believed her.
Her assistant loathes her, but is eager and determined to get to the top, he is humble and willing to do anything to appease his boss. He demonstrates this by canceling on his Gammy's 90th birthday visit in Alaska; thus setting the tone to convince the viewer that he would logically accept the proposal.
Margaret's citizenship comes up at the 9 minute mark, 10 minutes deportation and possible solutions, and before 11 minutes, the solution knocks on the door, it opens to reveal Andrew. Few lines of dialogue where the word proposed is uttered by poor, unsuspecting Andrew, Margaret has a lightbulb and we have a story.
The Last 10 Minutes:
The last 9-10 minutes and we find Margaret, back in her fancy NY office with all the employees still scared as shit of her. She looks different, hair down, less tightly wound, more expressive with her face, acknowledging the presence of others. She has changed and not just because she is being deported. Andrew comes in and he makes her shut up and listen, he proposes, she's like I work well alone, blah blah blah, I'm scared, get on your knee, and we have a happy ending.
ACT 1
Great setup. Everything we need to know happens within the first half hour.
Her parents died when she was 16. They will be spending the weekend in Alaska (with his family) to get to know each other. They are being quizzed on their relationship facts by immigration. He changes the terms of the proposal. His family is rich. He has a tense relationship with his father, never visits home, she can't swim. The engagement announcement to the family launches them into ACT 2.
ACT 2:
Change, we get it, it's not mind blowing, but it's entertaining. They change, mainly toward one another and coming to terms with it within themselves. There are some fun moments with Betty White (Betty White!!!) and SB dancing in the woods. And romcom staple ludicrous pet humor (like in There's Something About Mary). Malin Akerman plays an ex-girl and it's nice to see her be nice for a change. I thought she looked very pretty in the Watchmen-she looked just like the Silk Spectre; but damn, guess they all can't be Jackie Erle Haley, and I couldn't stand her in 27 Dresses- but I think that worked better for the character and Katherine Hiegl just used it to her advantage and reacted to, and worked it.
I digress 75 minutes- Margaret has a breakdown/realization and we are launched into ACT3. It's a good moment for SB, I think she pulls it off with the help of Betty of course!
ACT 3:
The consequences of Margaret's realization, she confesses, calls off the wedding. Can't hurt the family. Deportation dude is there, takes her back to NY. She's got to go back to Canada. She leaves Andrew a note of praise and a promise to publish his book. There's also a near drowning. And Betty White fakes a heart attack to get Andrew and his father to stop fighting.
Formulaic-ly sound movie.
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
My sister is a huge David Foster Wallace fan and she has been encouraging me to read his work, I have read a story or two- but it's hard for me to get really into him, because he's just too fucking smart for me, I ain't gonna lie- I have my thesaurus.com within reach whenever I attempt to tackle his work...
I caught the movie the other night and who knew that Jim Krasinski could write, direct, play piano, and be an asshole! I kid, I kid. I'm a huge John (and Jim) fan, it's hard for me not to like everything he does.
I'm currently in the process of reading the 4 shorts from which JK adapted the story and will be able to discuss this is in more detail, once I finish. I'm also planning on watching the film again. It's non-linear and I like to watch those twice to see what I missed, because I'm that slow and it's great to highlight the subtle seeds that were planted, now that you know what to look for.
My favorite segment was the interview of a man discussing his father's career as a bathroom attendant. The every word of dialogue was gripping and the delivery from both actors was beautiful and compelling. A truly moving piece. I watched it twice. It stands out from the rest not just because of subject matter, but the tone, the fact that we move into the father's space in his office as the bathroom attendant, the place where he stands, beyond the interview room, the patrons moving in and out of the space and father and son don't look at them, don't acknowledge, don't exist until they are needed. Wow. When I see great writing on screen, it makes me happy.
Script: 500 Days of Summer:
I re-watched this on Monday afternoon since I finished reading a copy of the first draft of the script last weekend. There are some interesting differences between the first draft and the finished product; most notably, the way Tom learns of Summer's engagement. To Be Continued...I am Sleepy.
Monday, March 29, 2010
MAR29. LIKE JOURNALS FOR PROJECTS - DAY
I'm already the best sceenwriter I can be...now what to do about being a better screenwriter?
I think I've been heading in the direction of creating a blog to help me through this process...and after seeing Julie & Julia a couple of nights ago, I had all the motivation I needed to finally make it happen.
The movie's fun; which is what I expected, Meryl Streep movies are always a hoot, 'cept maybe Sophie's Choice.
Relating to Julie's circumstance though- that was a shock for me. And she's not even fictional! She's a real freaken person!
We have some general things in common- 30 years old, sweet cat, even sweeter boyfriend/husband- supportive, all that jazz. And we have some important things in common, 30 years old, feeling lost and insignificant, getting lapped by friends in the so called 'rat race' (I fucking hate that), knowing you're better and capable but not having the validation to do something better, having piles of unfinished projects and piles of excuses to keep them that way...
We also have some differences, the most significant was- she had a job and an un-supportive mother (perhaps not really, tho it appeared that way in the film); whereas, my mother supports me both financially and emotionally. So does my boyfriend. They support me in every possible way, so I can write . I am very lucky.
I didn't always feel that way. I actually felt pretty low about my situation, until a very good friend told me that what I was doing was brave, and that she admired me for it.
All that time I thought I was being a pussy, hiding behind the internet, my head complacently placed amidst clouds composed of iTunes, my fingertips typing away on my macbook, delaying the inevitable, postponing my run with the rats... I was being brave.
Bravery and focus are mutually exclusive when it comes to my writing, so I have created this online journal as a method of guidance.
Current Screenwriting Endeavors:
I have 12 projects total:
10 features, 2 shorts.
2/10 features, I have written 30 and 90 pages.
3/10 features, I have written treatment and some dialogue.
5/10 features, at the concept/treatment stage.
I wrote and finished one short in 3 hours, and the other is a treatment for a silent short.
I started playing with screenwriting at the end of 2008, adapted a book for fun, and made my first serious attempt at an original piece, in August 2009. In one month, I wrote about 90 pages to my first feature. I was like a crackhead during that time in my life- I didn't do anything but write. I lost track of time and would forget to eat...and shower. (ahhh...the perks of a long term relationship, love without conditions) It was as if something had taken over me.
When I faced a challenge in my story, the fire died as quickly as it came. I put the project down and haven't picked it up since.
Interesting story though, for fun I decided to apply to one of those big film schools- back in Nov/Dec, last year. One of the top 5 in America- and if you watch TCM or keep up with any film periodical, their name is mentioned time and again. I submitted 20 pages from my feature and a pretty gritty and honest narrative statement. I got a call from them in Feb for an interview. They accept under 30 students to their screenwriting program, and interview about 60 people for admission. And yes...they wanted to talk...to me!?!?
That was awesome! And it filled me up with a type of hope and motivation I had no idea existed in me. I started writing like mad. I wrote 30 pages of my second full length feature- which I have entirely fleshed out and just need to sit down and finish. I wrote my first short in 3 hours! It was such a rush.
The interview went great, I made them laugh, a lot. But I didn't get in. I honestly wasn't ready and I'm pretty sure it showed. I was pretty damn sad a few days after I heard the news. But I'm okay now. I guess the important thing to remember is that I was recognized for my first attempt at screenwriting. Someone (a very big someone- and the two faculty members I spoke to wrote big movies- and I had no idea who they were at the time, til I IMDB'd) actually took my work seriously and no matter how badly the inevitable rejection stung, that's still a pretty great feeling... I wanna keep that momentum going and I hope this blog will give me the discipline to get some work done.
The Challenge:
In one year, I will finish 5/10 features, if I can do more- great.
I plan to watch 1 film per day and read at least 2 scripts per week.
Each day I will write a blog about my experiences in this process.
I will submit my work to festivals as they are completed.
I may try to get an agent.
I will reapply to film school this year.
EDIT: Most of this blog will be used for writing about the movies I've seen because it's good practice for writing for movies.
Please bear with, and keep in mind, I'm no critic. I didn't go to film school, but I tried. I don't claim to know diddly. It's just a learning exercise.
It takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. I don't have a citation for this, and I'm not going to waste any time trying to find one. I buy it. 10,000 hrs @ 40 hrs/work week and we are looking at approximately 5 years.
Why Blog?
I am Blogging for the sake of doing something I loathe doing: Checking In
I hate checking in, I hate authority, which is probably why I don't work- at a job or at life. But at some point in time, everyone has to do it, no matter what color collar they wear. When I finally sell a script, I'll have to check in with someone. That's the reality check. I may as well get in the habit of doing it now.
I am not writing here to be discovered, though if that happens; great, but I ain't holding my breath. I'm not writing on a path to self-discovery, though I'm sure it will come as a side effect. I'm not writing to teach you anything, though if I help you discover something in yourself, or you want to accompany me on this journey and I make a new friend, that would be fantastic.
I'm writing this blog for me. To help myself through the process, to show some commitment, to track my progress. I'm putting it out here on the internets as a promise to complete my projects.
To be in a different place one year from today.
I could write in a diary and keep it private, but that would just be futile. My 30 year existence is littered with blank diaries with broken promises to complete them written on the first page.
This assignment is comparable to those daily journal entries required in elementary school; something I have to do everyday, which I won't be able to do, if I don't do my work.
There will be no saving face if I don't keep up with this. I'm exposed on the internets, for all to see.
This is something I'm not accustomed to. This is something brave.
I think I've been heading in the direction of creating a blog to help me through this process...and after seeing Julie & Julia a couple of nights ago, I had all the motivation I needed to finally make it happen.
The movie's fun; which is what I expected, Meryl Streep movies are always a hoot, 'cept maybe Sophie's Choice.
Relating to Julie's circumstance though- that was a shock for me. And she's not even fictional! She's a real freaken person!
We have some general things in common- 30 years old, sweet cat, even sweeter boyfriend/husband- supportive, all that jazz. And we have some important things in common, 30 years old, feeling lost and insignificant, getting lapped by friends in the so called 'rat race' (I fucking hate that), knowing you're better and capable but not having the validation to do something better, having piles of unfinished projects and piles of excuses to keep them that way...
We also have some differences, the most significant was- she had a job and an un-supportive mother (perhaps not really, tho it appeared that way in the film); whereas, my mother supports me both financially and emotionally. So does my boyfriend. They support me in every possible way, so I can write . I am very lucky.
I didn't always feel that way. I actually felt pretty low about my situation, until a very good friend told me that what I was doing was brave, and that she admired me for it.
All that time I thought I was being a pussy, hiding behind the internet, my head complacently placed amidst clouds composed of iTunes, my fingertips typing away on my macbook, delaying the inevitable, postponing my run with the rats... I was being brave.
Bravery and focus are mutually exclusive when it comes to my writing, so I have created this online journal as a method of guidance.
Current Screenwriting Endeavors:
I have 12 projects total:
10 features, 2 shorts.
2/10 features, I have written 30 and 90 pages.
3/10 features, I have written treatment and some dialogue.
5/10 features, at the concept/treatment stage.
I wrote and finished one short in 3 hours, and the other is a treatment for a silent short.
I started playing with screenwriting at the end of 2008, adapted a book for fun, and made my first serious attempt at an original piece, in August 2009. In one month, I wrote about 90 pages to my first feature. I was like a crackhead during that time in my life- I didn't do anything but write. I lost track of time and would forget to eat...and shower. (ahhh...the perks of a long term relationship, love without conditions) It was as if something had taken over me.
When I faced a challenge in my story, the fire died as quickly as it came. I put the project down and haven't picked it up since.
Interesting story though, for fun I decided to apply to one of those big film schools- back in Nov/Dec, last year. One of the top 5 in America- and if you watch TCM or keep up with any film periodical, their name is mentioned time and again. I submitted 20 pages from my feature and a pretty gritty and honest narrative statement. I got a call from them in Feb for an interview. They accept under 30 students to their screenwriting program, and interview about 60 people for admission. And yes...they wanted to talk...to me!?!?
That was awesome! And it filled me up with a type of hope and motivation I had no idea existed in me. I started writing like mad. I wrote 30 pages of my second full length feature- which I have entirely fleshed out and just need to sit down and finish. I wrote my first short in 3 hours! It was such a rush.
The interview went great, I made them laugh, a lot. But I didn't get in. I honestly wasn't ready and I'm pretty sure it showed. I was pretty damn sad a few days after I heard the news. But I'm okay now. I guess the important thing to remember is that I was recognized for my first attempt at screenwriting. Someone (a very big someone- and the two faculty members I spoke to wrote big movies- and I had no idea who they were at the time, til I IMDB'd) actually took my work seriously and no matter how badly the inevitable rejection stung, that's still a pretty great feeling... I wanna keep that momentum going and I hope this blog will give me the discipline to get some work done.
The Challenge:
In one year, I will finish 5/10 features, if I can do more- great.
I plan to watch 1 film per day and read at least 2 scripts per week.
Each day I will write a blog about my experiences in this process.
I will submit my work to festivals as they are completed.
I may try to get an agent.
I will reapply to film school this year.
EDIT: Most of this blog will be used for writing about the movies I've seen because it's good practice for writing for movies.
Please bear with, and keep in mind, I'm no critic. I didn't go to film school, but I tried. I don't claim to know diddly. It's just a learning exercise.
It takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. I don't have a citation for this, and I'm not going to waste any time trying to find one. I buy it. 10,000 hrs @ 40 hrs/work week and we are looking at approximately 5 years.
Why Blog?
I am Blogging for the sake of doing something I loathe doing: Checking In
I hate checking in, I hate authority, which is probably why I don't work- at a job or at life. But at some point in time, everyone has to do it, no matter what color collar they wear. When I finally sell a script, I'll have to check in with someone. That's the reality check. I may as well get in the habit of doing it now.
I am not writing here to be discovered, though if that happens; great, but I ain't holding my breath. I'm not writing on a path to self-discovery, though I'm sure it will come as a side effect. I'm not writing to teach you anything, though if I help you discover something in yourself, or you want to accompany me on this journey and I make a new friend, that would be fantastic.
I'm writing this blog for me. To help myself through the process, to show some commitment, to track my progress. I'm putting it out here on the internets as a promise to complete my projects.
To be in a different place one year from today.
I could write in a diary and keep it private, but that would just be futile. My 30 year existence is littered with blank diaries with broken promises to complete them written on the first page.
This assignment is comparable to those daily journal entries required in elementary school; something I have to do everyday, which I won't be able to do, if I don't do my work.
There will be no saving face if I don't keep up with this. I'm exposed on the internets, for all to see.
This is something I'm not accustomed to. This is something brave.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
MAR28. DISCLAIMER - NIGHT
What YOU should know:
First: I'm unemployed, but each day I work at becoming a better screenwriter. Every day starting today, that is. The best thing about not having a job is having all the free time in the world to do the things I want to do. The worst thing about having all the free time in the world is learning how to manage it.
Second: If you're looking for a 'How-To' blog, this isn't it. The most it can ever be, is a 'How-To' blog for me. Lame rhyming, unintended. I'm still learning myself. This is my journey and my need is to change by finishing something I start, for once. If I can provide mistakes from which you can learn, then I will have exceeded expectations; yours and mine, both.
Third: This is my second attempt to launch a blog today. The first proudly donned the url -and look closely for the error; or you'll miss it- http://sceenwriterwannabee.blogspot.com.
No, it's not bee; that was intentional. It was supposed to be cute. But when you realize what an idiot I was by misspelling Screenwriter ...Bee doesn't quite make the cut to compensate for such a dumb-ass mistake. I'd like to think that my brain was doing that trick where it auto-corrects misspelled words, but I'm just not that advanced, because I spell-checked it. Twice.
I took it as a bad sign and decided that mono-syllabic words for the title were the way to go. This is the result.
Enjoy.
Or not.
First: I'm unemployed, but each day I work at becoming a better screenwriter. Every day starting today, that is. The best thing about not having a job is having all the free time in the world to do the things I want to do. The worst thing about having all the free time in the world is learning how to manage it.
Second: If you're looking for a 'How-To' blog, this isn't it. The most it can ever be, is a 'How-To' blog for me. Lame rhyming, unintended. I'm still learning myself. This is my journey and my need is to change by finishing something I start, for once. If I can provide mistakes from which you can learn, then I will have exceeded expectations; yours and mine, both.
Third: This is my second attempt to launch a blog today. The first proudly donned the url -and look closely for the error; or you'll miss it- http://sceenwriterwannabee.blogspot.com.
No, it's not bee; that was intentional. It was supposed to be cute. But when you realize what an idiot I was by misspelling Screenwriter ...Bee doesn't quite make the cut to compensate for such a dumb-ass mistake. I'd like to think that my brain was doing that trick where it auto-corrects misspelled words, but I'm just not that advanced, because I spell-checked it. Twice.
I took it as a bad sign and decided that mono-syllabic words for the title were the way to go. This is the result.
Enjoy.
Or not.
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