Month: November 2012
We were talking last week about thinking in terms of multiple drafts. The corollary is to concentrate on only one objective per draft — e.g., stakes, rhythm, theme, length, and so forth. Another one I like is Major Key and Minor Key. I’ll go over a manuscript or screenplay, for example, looking only for these. I’ll ask myself, How much of this piece is in a major key? Are there moments in a minor key, and, if so, where are they and why are they there? What do I mean by “major key” and “minor key?” Action movies are major…
Read MoreTwo weeks ago I watched a work-in-progress version of Josh Hanagarne’s book trailer. It’s one of the best I’ve viewed. Why? It tells a story—and left me with something I wanted to share. That thing that stuck with me the most? His mentions of those people who wouldn’t let him fail—those friends and family members who encouraged him to move into today. AND: the images of him bending nails. In the June 2011 post “Do Book Videos Work?” I wrote: We don’t need videos—but they do help. If I was writing the post today, I would amend that line: Book…
Read More[Quick note: if you’re interested in the videos we started here last Wednesday (“A Long Tail Business“), they continue this week—and for the next month—on Mondays. Click here or on “The Series” drop-down menu above to view the other videos.] I imbibed this piece of screenwriting wisdom from Jack Epps (“Top Gun,” “Dick Tracy”) a few years ago: “You can’t do everything in one draft.” Hollywood is like major league baseball. The manager doesn’t hesitate to bring in a reliever. Writer #1 originates the script. He gets fired. Writer #2 is brought in to solidify the structure. She gets yanked.…
Read MoreI’m aware that there’s an official definition of narcissism in the Psychiatric Handbook. The following is my unofficial definition—and a theory of how narcissism comes about in the first place. Narcissism is self-iconization. To control our internal terror, insecurity, etc., one mode of coping is to erect an icon in our minds. This icon might be a mentor, a role model, a guru. It might be a lover or a parent, a teacher, a coach. I’ve done it. We’ve all done it. Sometimes it’s healthy. It’s a stage in the progression toward independence and self-command. When we set someone up…
Read MoreTo learn more about the individuals being featured in this series, visit Outreach, Part I: The Introduction. “What’s your home base?” is the question that follows “What-do-you-want-to-accomplish?” Where are people going to learn about you? While the answer is Facebook for some, my preference is a blog. In this case, I’m a pessimist. We saw what happened to MySpace. Don’t rely on Facebook’s existence to share your work. Set up a blog. Own it.
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