MAGICAL MICHAEL

Last night I saw "This is It" in New York City.  The audience turnout for the movie was sluggish.  I expected to have to stand in line to get a ticket or fight for a seat, but the theater was less than half filled.  The ticket taker said it was because of the World Series (with the Yankees keeping New Yorkers close to their TVs), or because the weather is still warm or because it's Halloween.  No matter what the reason he looked disappointed.  So did I.

Maybe moviegoers think it's too soon to see Michael Jackson up on the big screen rehearsing hours before his death.  Maybe we need a break from all the media coverage and hype.  Maybe we're expecting to see the worst projected up there on the screen.

It's just the opposite.

This behind-the-scenes documentary is fascinating and not what I expected to see.  I imagined the movie to be overly produced, overly edited, commercial and morbid.

It was none of that.

"This is It" shows MJ (as his collaborators called him) as the artist, not the celebrity.  We get to see the man behind the curtain and get a glimpse of his creative process, which is amazing to watch.  Jackson is decisive in details (and not just to hear himself speak.  His suggestions are on the money.) He pays close attention to everything from background video in the arena, to the lighting, to every note of music.  This isn't some drug-crazed icon who shows up to rehearsal for a sound check and leaves everything else to his promoters to figure out.  MJ is hands-on and knows everyone's job better than they do.  So don't be fooled.  He expects the best for his audience.

What I loved most is that this movie allows us to see Michael Jackson perform in full shot and without many edits.  The producers and editors didn't try to cover anything up or cut away just to distract us.  Michael Jackson commands that rehearsal stage and the screen.  He sings and moves with such grace that it's startling.  How can this be the same guy who had to be put under every night to sleep?  Here, MJ is lucid, doesn't miss a step, doesn't seem winded or tired.  He communicates directly and politely with his crew and is aware of everything around him.

We've all seen stars on drugs who can't function when performing... Britney Spears, Whitney Houston and Elvis.  They tremble, sweat, seem out of sync with their bodies and brain and talent.  Remember how Elvis looked just before he died on his concert film?  He looked like a man taking his last breathes.

Not Michael Jackson.  He seems in control.  He doesn't sweat and we see him dance without a cut away.  He never stops for water or to towel dry.  I got the impression that while most of us were jeering and sneering about him the last ten years, he was practicing and preparing for this comeback.

We see footage of the young dancers just watching him rehearse in absolute awe as he adds new moves to "Billie Jean".  They give him their full attention not because he demands it -- like a prima donna would -- but because his talent can't be ignored. It's as if he's showing these kids that, yeah, I may be 50, but this ain't gonna be your father's "Billie Jean".

One of the Jackson brothers said a while ago that Michael had studied Gene Kelly movies and lifted Kelly's idea of wearing white socks with black shoes because it brought attention to his feet.  Michael went further and added the sparkles.  We never took our eyes off those feet again.

But it wasn't only the glove, or the sparkles, or the white socks that captivated us.  It was what was inside those shoes.  His magical gift to dance like no other.  In this movie, we see how he becomes one with the music as if it's directly plugged in to him like an amp and flowing through his body.

"This is It" is not a morbid movie, or a freak show, or two hours of just watching a reason not to do drugs -- it's a glimpse at being Michael Jackson at a time when not too many people were supposed to be watching him (the rehearsal footage was shot for his personal library).

Let's face it.  We've all wanted to dance like Michael Jackson at some time in our lives, but fortunately without ever having to be in his shoes.

RIP, Michael.

CHICAGO, HERE I COME    


I was just notified that my new short play "Extreme Green" will get a public performance by the Chicago Dramatists in Chicago on November 7th.  It's the play I worked on over the summer. 

Now let me explain, I have been writing screenplays forever (since I was a teen) and it's such a hard business to crack with constant ups and downs, encouragement, then rejections, deals, then no deals, options, expired options, and on and on.  I'm still writing screenplays, but they take millions of dollars to produce so it's not easy to sell one.

Last year I decided to follow another long-time love -- writing for the theater -- for the stage.  I always enjoyed seeing plays in New York and elsewhere or reading them in school. 

My favorite cool store in Manhattan is the Drama Book Shop on W. 40th Street.  Here is their link http://www.dramabookshop.com   It's awesome!  If you love reading plays like I do or great books about theater, film and TV, visit this shop or buy from them online.  They deserve and need our support as writers.  Anyway, I wrote my first short play "NetFits" last year.  It was selected by the American Globe Theater in NYC and performed at their 15th Annual 15-Minute Play Festival.  They chose to do it on my birthday, which seemed like a really good omen to keep writing plays. The play and the night of the performance went great and it was truly one of my best birthdays ever because I was surrounded by friends and family.  It was a chance to see my efforts come to life on stage, for my written words to find a voice through the actors, and it was exciting to hear an audience react to my work.

The theater bug bit me big time.  

So I wrote my second play Extreme Green about the local food movement.  It's a comedy with some social relevance, I hope.  And this too will be performed in the great city of Chicago!  And I'll get to visit family and friends there too which will be worth the trip in itself.

I have long advised writers here to expand your sights beyond the one fixed goal you have.  If you want to write a book, write a play too.  If you write a blog, do an audio podcast or write a short article.  If you're only into screenwriting, maybe change genres or write a shorter script (for a comedy or cable show).  Stretch, reach and never give up.  Knock on all doors. 

Dreams come true when the time is right and in surprising new ways.  If you're in Chicago on Nov. 7th I hope to see you in the audience!

Until next time.

IMPROV WISDOM

I'm reading a book called Improv Wisdom by Patricia Ryan Madson.  It's an easy read that might help you as a writer.  Ms. Madson teaches improv, but says those same skills acquired for acting can also be used for all means of creativity.

Have you ever found yourself paralyzed with fear at tackling a project because you think it has to be perfect from the start?  Well, we've all been there and it's scary.  It's hard to sit down to write a new script, play or novel when we feel like it will take so much hard work and revisions just to get it correct for our own eyes, never mind for a reader's critical eyes.  

Ms. Madson recommends that we sit down to write "average" work.  Now, you may say, WHUT?  How is that going to get me closer to being produced or published if I write average work?  The point is that sitting down to write average work will free you to do your best work.  It's like in school when the teacher said "This quiz won't count against your final grade."  We generally relaxed and scored higher than if we thought it had counted.  Why?  Pressure, stress, worry and performance anxiety can kill creativity.  It's all mind games.  Use mind games to your advantage.

I also like that Ms. Madson advises to change your scenery to help motivate yourself.   Are you bored with writing in your usual work space?  When I was a teenager, I used to love to rearrange my bedroom furniture every six months.  I would clean out my closets, my dresser drawers, dust, vacuum and put my bed on a different side of the room.  It was the coolest feeling to walk into my bedroom and have it look like a new place.  Try it with writing -- if you usually write at your desk -- try writing at the kitchen table.  If you write at Starbucks, try the library in town.  Sometimes trying to create in a whole new environment will free you.

Good luck!

TECHNOLOGY

I finished my second short play over the summer.  Now I'm getting it out to theater companies and short play festivals around the country.  Most artistic directors allow for electronic submissions.  Bless their hearts.  Do you have any idea how much a struggling playwright/screenwriter saves on postage, ink, paper and shoes by being permitted to submit work electronically?  You don't want to know, but trust me, it's a lot.

I sent out six submissions within an hour with this technology.  Remember the old snail mail days?  Writing, editing, printing, copying, packaging, labeling, mailing, and waiting for the response.  My Lord, how did we ever survive that process?  I used to run to the mail box for my rejections (I didn't know at the time they were rejections.  Writers are like blind dates -- we go into it always hoping for the best -- but usually wind up disappointed.)

Anyway, hats off to all the trees we're saving too by not sending out packages of paper anymore.

Do people read these electronic submissions?  Well, that's another posting.  I think they do.  I personally prefer a hard copy of something to read.  So I just contradicted the above.  I still love books and printed screenplays when it comes to my personal reading habits... but I'm moving slowly toward changing that.

I haven't read an e-book yet, but I may in the future.  It's just that I already carry around enough gadgets with me... cell phone, iPhone, iPod... plus my laptop and desktop computer at home.  I can't keep track of much more digital reading at the moment.

But Christmas is coming.  I might ask for one of those Kindle or Sony thingies to download all my new books on for 2010. 

Or maybe not. 

Some habits die hard.

Until next time.

A SHORT LESSON FROM HEMINGWAY

We always hear to show don't tell in our screenplays and writing.  Show, don't tell.  How do we do that exactly?  One way to avoid this is not to tell us the emotion your character is feeling.  Don't write "He looked nervous when he told her he was leaving her."  Instead, write "His mouth became dry.  He fidgeted under the table,  looking everywhere but in her eyes."  This shows us how the character is acting instead of just telling us.

Hemingway advised to write to the point.  To take out all the unnecessary adverbs and adjectives.  He once told a story in six words.  FOR SALE:  BABY SHOES, NEVER WORN.  Imagine that image in a movie and what it would show us... if the shoes were up for sale at a Flea Market or at a Yard Sale at a woman's house. 

Elmore Leonard says don't spend too much time describing your characters either -- like what they're wearing down to their underwear, or what they're driving including make, model, and serial number, or every morsel of what they're eating.  You can mention some but more should be visualized by the reader.  They should be able to know what the character looks like from the dialogue, his tone of voice, from the words they choose, or a simple gesture, like "She removed her white hat." 

We can use these tips in all forms of our writing... from plays, to scripts to novels to Twitter.  Keep it simple.  Keep it visual.  Keep it active.  Keep the reader's eyes moving on the page.

Enjoy your weekend!

WHIP IT  

I really like Drew Barrymore.  Who doesn't?  She just seems like a sweet person.  I was blown away by her recent HBO performance in "Grey Gardens" co-starring the fabulous Jessica Lange.  Drew Barrymore did a fine job with a tough role -- bringing sympathy and compassion to a very eccentric character -- Little Edie.  It earned her an Emmy nomination. 

Now Drew is ready to open her first feature film as a director.  She's been brilliantly successful as a producer in Hollywood with the "Charlie's Angels" franchise and other big hits.  She went through her troubled teen days and came out on top and continues to grow as an actress and filmmaker.  (Are you listening Lindsey Lohan?  It's never too late to get your act together until it's... well, too late.)  Drew's set to make her directorial debut with the female ensemble cast of "WHIP IT".  This is a Fox Searchlight film.  It's about a young woman (Ellen Page of "Juno") who joins her local roller-derby.  It's a definite girl-power movie.  Drew packed the theaters with women for "Charlie's Angels" and intends to do it again here.

I hope it does well.  We need more movies about young women willing to take their lumps to move forward with their lives.  Drew knows something about that.  She's a survivor and a fighter.  She's also only 34 and talented.   She's a Barrymore. 

"WHIP IT" opens on October 2nd.  Get your popcorn ready and dust off your knee pads.   It's roller-derby time.

WRITING AND SERVING

Now that summer is officially over, I have to say it was a very productive one for me as a writer. 

I completed my second short play and the first draft of a book (treatment/possible screenplay down the road).  I usually only write screenplays, but I'm trying my hand at other markets and styles -- this year I wrote television news copy for New York City news anchors and for a website -- so it's been all about stretching new muscles creatively.  Stepping out of our comfort zone -- whether it's writing a novel, or non-fiction, or a play, or a script, or a short story -- all take time and courage.  It's important to try new things along the way.

The last few weeks I've visited with lots of family and friends.  When the hot weather turns cooler, everyone wants to "get together" for that last BBQ, picnic, summer movie or dinner date.  I've been so diligent about writing every day (except on weekends), that when I go into "social mode" it makes me feel a little guilty because I'm not working on my projects.

Well, this morning I attended a funeral for a lovely woman of 93.  Her name was Phoebe Fleisher and she's my second cousin's mother-in-law.  I didn't know her, but I know Phoebe's daughter Doris and she's a sweetheart of a person.  The funeral was a celebration of this woman's dynamic life.  Phoebe served for 50 years in the Salvation Army here in New York City.  She served at her church on Sundays and throughout the year for special events.  Friends spoke at the service and said Phoebe  never forgot their birthdays and always had the card in the mail early (enclosing a book of U.S. stamps as a gift).  She raised two fabulous daughters and many grandchildren.  She enjoyed life and always offered a hand to a neighbor in need.  One woman at the service had by chance moved into Phoebe's building years ago... and it was a blessing to this woman because she said she desperately needed a stranger's kindness and Phoebe offered it generously. 

As I walked home from the funeral this morning,  I thought about Phoebe.  And, I thought about my own life.  I shouldn't feel guilty if I take time away from writing to visit a friend, or attend a party, or meet a relative for a Broadway show.  That's what life is all about -- connecting, sharing and loving.  That's not to say we get to skip our work commitment, but we can't become so self-absorbed to lose precious times and days with our loved ones and friends.  Our characters are fictional -- our family and friends are real. 

I think we become better writers by being out in the world as well as parked at our desks.

Thanks, Phoebe, for that reminder.

INTERNET UNIVERSITY    


I recently purchased a new Mac computer for writing and video editing.  Is it possible to be in love with your computer?  If not, then I'm definitely infatuated.  We bonded as soon as I lifted that new computer, monitor and slim keyboard out of that pretty white Apple box.  


It was like Christmas in September! 


All the hard work is over -- the connecting of cables, installing the software and disconnecting my poor old HP Desktop that I banged on mercilessly for five years (it contacted a nasty virus this summer and never fully recovered I'm sad to report).  We had to have the old reliable lady fully erased.  She's since been donated and has found a new home.  


After getting my new computer running, I completely updated my iPod and looked into what's going on out there in the iTunes world for writers.  Wow, a lot.  There are some amazing podcasts for screenwriters (I recommend all the Creative Screenwriting Magazine podcasts, On the Page podcast, Meet the Filmmakers podcasts (these are Apple's in-store interviews done here in New York with folks like Francis Ford Coppola, Spike Lee, Sam Mendes and many others).  Today my iPod is chuck full of fresh interviews (Oh, and I also recommend Times Talks.  It's a great podcast featuring top artists of every walk interviewed by editors from the The New York Times.  The interviews with Tom Cruise, Jane Fonda and Annie Lennox were absolute gems).  


This is all for free!  It's amazing how much helpful media is out there for us writers to consume at no charge.  We can learn a great deal through the Internet now, even from YouTube (no, not about skateboarding squirrels, but those how-to videos that experts post on any subject, even writing).  


Of course, the problem I have is finding the time to listen or watch all these podcasts, plus read magazines, read the news online and see the latest movies or TV shows.  I get most of my reading and listening done on the subway commuting back and forth from Queens into Manhattan, or standing in line at the movie theater or at the post office or working out.  


Consuming free media is a lot like doing research for my projects -- it's important to do, but it's more important to get your work done for the day and not use it to simply procrastinate.    

Today, I wrote my ten pages so now I get to go play with my new Mac (toy) for a while and then maybe watch Charlie Rose that I recorded on DVR (see what I mean, it never ends!).  


Until next time.

A Q&A WITH WRITER...  
STEVEN PRESSFIELD  



Recently here I posted about how much I enjoyed reading the book "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield.  It's a cool read about working through resistance and procrastination when it comes to writing or starting any project (that small business, a new workout, the latest diet, etc).  "The War of Art" offered me some practical tools on how to push through those obstacles that can slow, and even kill, my creative ideas.  


How many unfinished manuscripts do you have in your desk or stored on your computer?  We've all been there.  So I was curious about Steven's creative process.  (He's also the author of "The Legend of Bagger Vance" and numerous other novels.)  I asked him three questions and he was kind enough to take time from his day to answer them.  Bloggers, pay attention and feel free to take notes... there will be a short quiz  on Friday.



JANET:  I liked how Robert McKee said you'll pass up on a golf invite because you're too busy "working".  Obviously, Robert knows you're a professional writer and also a paid writer. How do you advise the unpublished/unproduced/unpaid writer to find that same focus and commitment when family and friends (or perhaps even a spouse) don't consider unpaid writing "real work"?  


STEVEN:   The hardcore answer would be "Get new friends and get a new spouse."  The more realistic answer is to solidify the commitment internally and forgive the spouse and friends' understandable doubt.  It's an odd fact but true that no one resists our growth more than the people closest to us, who fear (unconsciously usually) that we will move away from them if we grow and change.  They are dealing (again unconsciously) with their own Resistance, so that our hard work becomes a silent reproach to them.  There is no substitute here for will power and true, hardball commitment.  Nobody said it was easy.

JANET:  What is your revision process like on a book?  Do you go from Chapter One right through to the end for each rewrite or polish?  And how many passes do you usually make before sending it out to your agent or publisher?

STEVEN:    I revise in a kind of scattershot way.  Sometimes I'll work on a particular section, maybe near the end of the book, then go back to the start and revise there for a while.  Whatever feels right.  I usually do 12 or 13 drafts before sending it in.  These days, I've found, editors don't have time to do the old-time work that Malcolm Cowley and the legendary editors did.  Pretty much the writer herself has to self-edit.  So I do a lot of passes.  As soon as it stops being fun, I turn it in.

JANET:   How do you celebrate upon finishing a project?  Do you have any set ritual and is it when your last draft is done or when the book is actually published?

STEVEN:   This is a really good question, Janet.  I find that one of the great perilous moments is right after a project is completed.  Post-partum depression can get to you if you're not careful and really screw you up.  Here's what I do: the instant I'm done with one project, I start another.  The next day.  In fact usually I've already started.  I'll keep working on the new one without a break (and without any celebration of completing the prior one) until I feel I've got a beachhead.  Know what I mean?  Like I've got my troops ashore and plenty of ammo and a few tanks and guns to back me up.  The main thing is having MOMENTUM on the new project.  Then and only then will I let myself celebrate completing the old.  I'm not much of a celebrator, I must confess.  Did you ever see the movie "Das Boot" about a German U-boat in WWII?  The captain's praise for his men (who had gone through hell) was, "Okay, men, half a warm beer for each of you!"  


Well, there you have it, folks.  Bottom line -- writing is friggin' hard work.  It's not for the faint of heart.  But with a set schedule and focus (and less golf) we can all make our dreams a reality.  Dig out that unfinished manuscript, blow the dust off, or jump start whatever it is you've been putting off for too long.   Write on.



Until next time.

TOUCHED BY LEGENDS

Photo:  Ken Hively, L.A. Times


Army Archerd died this past week at age 87.  


He was a reporter.  He wrote a well-known and well-regarded column for Variety (until 2005) and later continued writing his column for Variety.com.   


He was one of the original bloggers, you might say, giving us the latest news about Hollywood deals, casting and things he felt we needed to know, for better or worse.  He was the columnist that broke the news to America and the world that Rock Hudson was dying from AIDS.  Those who knew Army Archerd said his intent was never to be malicious, but to speak the truth when it needed to be told -- he also stood up against the blacklisting of the 1950s.  He served in the United States Navy during WWII.  


I grew up watching Army Archerd interview stars on the red carpet for the Oscars.  This was long before Joan Rivers and the more snarky personalities came along to do it.  He seemed to know everybody in Hollywood and they knew him.  There was a mutual respect for each other and the movie business.  


Just recently I discovered that Army Archerd was born in the Bronx, right here in NYC.  Hey, that's where I was born.  But, Mr. Archerd touched my life in a more profound way that was much more unexpected... 


Back in 1999, my original screenplay "Brutal Pattern" was optioned by a Hollywood production company and Mr. Archerd wrote the following about it in his column:

Army Archerd

Posted: Wed., Jan. 13, 1999

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Heche won't quit before shooting NYPD pic

GOOD MORNING: As for Anne Heche and Ellen DeGeneres quitting the biz, Heche called "Brutal Pattern" producers Mike Farrell and Marvin Minoff to tell them, "I didn't mean you!" Heche is set to star as an NYPD detective in their pic, in which she and her male partner (yet to be set) are tracking a serial rapist. The tough story is scripted by Janet Lawler.  The producers are enjoying the success of "Patch Adams," now over the $84.2 million gross mark. 

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The producer Marvin Minoff later sent me that original Variety magazine.  I still have it and treasure it.  The script never got made into a movie like planned, but it was still a wonderful day when my unknown name and script got a mention in Mr. Archerd's column.  My mother was thrilled.

We also lost another great writer in Hollywood -- Larry Gelbart.  He wrote gems for the screen, theatre and television.  He wrote the TV series "M*A*S*H" and "Tootsie" among other well-known projects.  I grew up watching those doctors "Hawkeye" Pierce, Trapper John and B.J. Hunnicut on CBS.  Their wisecracking dialogue sung through my TV set back in the Seventies.  I didn't always get the jokes at the time, but I knew what I was hearing belonged to a unique voice -- that voice originated with Larry Gelbart, on the blank page.  Unfortunately, I never had the honor to meet Mr. Gelbart, but B.J. Hunnicut went on to someday option my script (actor Mike Farrell).  

What is it they say about those Six Degrees of Separation?

Both of these men, Army Archerd and Larry Gelbart were giants in Hollywood.  They touched all of our lives, in one way or another.

                                                                              

Until next time.

   

Sept. 11, 2009

It's raining here in New York City today and on TV the names of the victims of 9/11 are being read aloud while family members cry and carry pictures of their loved ones protected under umbrellas.

It's eight years since this great city and country came under attack.  How has your life changed in those eight years?  Did you get married?  Have a child?  Graduate? Write a book?  Travel?

I think back on how much my own life has changed.  I can't help but wonder how the thousands of lives taken that horrible day in NYC, Washington, D.C. and PA would have changed too -- how all those men and women would be living out their lives today if things had only been different on that September morning in 2001.  Like us now, they might be bemoaning the end of another summer, seeing their kids off to the first days of school, getting ready for football season, and enjoying every day life.

We have that opportunity today on 9/11/09 to live our lives just a little better for them.  We can hug and kiss our loved ones, call someone we miss, and through our words and actions contribute to our country again to make it stronger and united (and not only through days of tears).  Eight years went by in a blink.

Life does go on for sure, and we've all changed as individuals and as a nation, but it's important every year for us to look back, to remember and to never forget .

JUNO TURNS SLASHER  

I usually digitally record a TV show on Fox Movie Channel called "Life After Film School".

It's a half hour cable program where one celebrated director, writer or producer sits down with three grad students and answers their questions about the business and art of filmmaking.  It's not the most spontaneous show in all the world, but the guests are generally interesting and offer mentoring advice to students.

This week's guest was Diablo Cody.  She is the Oscar-winning screenwriter for the movie "Juno".  She also has written the soon-to-be released movie "Jennifer's Body" (a horror movie with a vintage wink).

Diablo Cody is well-known as a writer, but said she feels more comfortable being off camera and that winning the Oscar was basically terrifying and an out of body experience.  She says an Oscar winner should have a body of great work and she feels undeserving of having won one ("I'm this buffoon").  She doesn't keep the Oscar around because it just seems weird to have one.  She's very self-deprecating and cavalier about the business because she says she never tried to get into "the business" like a gazillion writers.  She stumbled into it by writing her blog "The Pussy Ranch" when a Hollywood producer read it and called her up.  Diablo Cody (her real name is Brook Busey) says that her super fast launch in Hollywood just doesn't happen to most writers and she doesn't know why it happened to her, but it did.

But Diablo Cody was doing something important all along before being discovered and eventually writing her Oscar-winning script.  She was WRITING.  She loves to write and can't believe she's now getting paid to do it, but the point is, she did it even when she was down on her luck.  She believed in her voice and what she had to say, whether someone was going to read it or not.  The whole blog thing and Internet craze was fairly new when she first delved into it as a way to express herself.

She found an audience any way she could and now she writes movies.  Not bad.

I also liked that Diablo suggested for women writers to band together and help each other along.  She has an informal group of women screenwriters in Hollywood that she  pals out with and they give each other pep talks, notes, a shoulder to cry on and professional tips.  Find your niche and unite!

Until next time.

THE OLD SWITCHEROO

Have you ever paid for one movie but once you got inside the theater you went to see something else?

Guilty.

It happened to me today.  I plucked down my $12.50 at Regal in Union Square to see the new Sandra Bullock movie "All About Steve", but once inside the lobby, I decided to go see "Inglorious Basterds" instead.

I wasn't planning to ever seeing "IB" in theaters.  I get a kick out Quentin Tarantino's movies, but was going to skip this one for its scalping scenes.  But today, after I read the NY Times' horrible review of Sandra Bullock's new comedy -- I decided a scalping might be easier to take.  Sorry, Sandy.

"Inglorious Basters" was better than I expected.  It could stand to be edited by about twenty minutes (some scenes go way too long), but the characters were terrific and the story riveting.  I really could have done without all the scalpings, stabbings, choking and Brad Pitt's accent (I didn't buy him in this role.  He acted through the whole movie with his eyebrows like he was doing an impersonation of Rhett Butler.)  I liked his character, just not the way Brad portrayed him -- he never seemed authentic to me.  A little too clever and over the top.  But, hey, he's a A-list movie star and I still love looking at him (rope burn and all).

And for all you Sandra Bullock lovers, don't despair, my movie ticket will go toward her box-office totals instead of Quentin Tarantino's this weekend.  Will someone please write a great script for Sandra Bullock?  She needs it.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend.  Enjoy your BBQs and take a break from writing.  We all need to recharge and a three day weekend is the perfect excuse to slack a bit without guilt.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Until next time.

YOUR MUSE?

In a follow up to my last post about Steven Pressfield's terrific book "The War of Art", he writes about artists being open to a nudge from our muse or angels or some divine, subconscious inspiration that might whisper something to us in the creation process.

Do you believe in a muse of sorts in your process of creating?  Do you lose yourself in a trance-like state when you're writing?  When you've had an incredible writing session -- do you feel absolutely drained -- as if you weren't present when writing, but somewhere else for that time?

In his book, Pressfield quotes William Blake's "Eternity is in love with the creations of time."  Wow, I love this.  Does eternity care about what we're writing?

Paul McCartney says that he "woke up one morning with the tune in my head."  That tune turned out to be "Yesterday".  Where did that tune originate?  Was it a gift to us through another creative source?

This is deep stuff, I know, but I wonder.

Have you ever experienced divine intervention when writing?  Do you believe something untapped comes from a higher energy when you're writing or dreaming?  Or do you feel alone and on your own to pound out that next bad draft or masterpiece?

I've heard countless musicians, writers and painters say they awoke from a dream and had the beginnings of what later became an iconic song, book or painting.

What are your thoughts about your muse?  

Until next time.

THE WAR OF ART

So I'm reading this book I got from the library called The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and it's just what every writer needs -- a kick in the tush.

The book states how it's human nature to allow resistance to delay our dreams or to discourage us from action.  Resistance's best friend is Procrastination.  Don't we all hang out with these two more than we should?  Their like negative friends that keep a lock on our lives as artists. 

It's beyond difficult to start a novel, screenplay, play or article as a writer.  Some days it's hard for me to write this blog!  We sit around a wait for our muse or for that BIG idea or that block of time when we can do it.  Well, The War of Art says we'll never get anywhere if we allow ourselves to be talked out of working or delaying it until TOMORROW.

What Pressfield says is be a pro about your dream -- do the work.  Sit down and write.  Make it part of your day and no matter what get those pages, minutes or hours in.  If you do that every day, the pages will pile up and your book or script or play will materialize before yours eyes.  Don't be critical of yourself or foresee failure or obstacles -- just concentrate on the work of the day.

It's like working out.  If we say "I'll do it later" or "starting Monday"... we let ourselves off the hook today.  So breathe and sit down and write.  Then go celebrate by watching a movie, or spending time with your kids, or taking the dog for a walk, or whatever it is you do to reward yourself!   You deserve it.

(BTW, Steven Pressfield has written many other books like "The Legend of Bagger Vance",  ""Gates of Fire" and "Last of the Amazons.")

And special thanks to Jennifer J. Bennett who gave this blog an award for one of her recommended blogs!   Thanks, Jenn!  Check out her blog at... jenniferjbennett.blogspot.com 

Until next time.

GUEST POST

I was asked by ScriptXRay.Com to contribute something to their POV page about screenwriting. ScriptXRay is a great blog with lots of tools and helpful information. Check it out and here's a link to my piece.

http://www.scriptxray.com/2009/08/31/pov-writing-outside-the-box/

Summer is coming to an end. It was a great one and very productive. I finished the first draft of my novel and a short play.

Looking forward to autumn in New York!

Until next time.

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

You have got to check out this movie!

It's this lovely, offbeat small movie buried in a sea of big, over-hyped summer movies. It's still playing in theaters (so don't miss it) and has amazing word-of-mouth buzz, but it's cast is not A-list (but hopefully they will be someday) and there are no explosions (except for some one's heart).

(500) Days of Summer takes a quirky, refreshing look at an old subject -- love. It's creative in its execution and clever in look and dialogue. But it's not self-consciously witty -- and the soundtrack enhances an already fine film.

Zooey Deschanel captivates from the moment she appears on screen. She's like a breath of fresh air. She reminds me of a young Debra Winger. She's attractive, yet complex and a lot more is going on underneath than what she projects on the surface. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is equally charming to watch with his understated manner and genuine portrayal of someone trying to win at the game of love. Both actors do a great job.

The screenplay is by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. They also wrote "Pink Panther 2", which I didn't see, but their script for (500) Days of Summer is a gem. I hope to be able to read it soon and that they continue to write from the heart.

Director Marc Webb's film has a richness to it and doesn't look like it was shot in L.A. -- at least not anything I've seen before on screen.

The ending is warm and charming. Summer and Tom are this screen generation's Katie and Hubbell.

Until next time.

"9"

So last night I went to a screening in Manhattan for the soon-to-be released animation movie "9". It's Focus Features upcoming release http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/9

"9" is first-time feature film director Shane Acker's baby fully mature. Here Acker expands his Student Academy Award-winning 2004 short film by the same title into a full-length movie. The screenplay is by Pamela Pettler (Monster House, co-writer of Corpse Bride). The producers are heavy-hitters Tim Burton (Corpse Bride), Timur Bekmambetov (director of "Wanted" and Jim Lemley (producer of "Wanted").

This animation movie also has a diverse range of celebrity voices added to the mix including Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and others. They don't act it out in a hammy manner like some voice-overs in Hollywood but keep the dramatic, realistic element to their characters.

"9" is an action-packed adventure. It's a animated fantasy epic about what happens when the world's machines turn against mankind and result in mass destruction and a post apocalyptic world. In a last ditch effort to save humanity, the scientist who created the invention known as the Great Machine... also created 9 small creations given the spark of life. Can they save the world and salvage the best of humanity's spirit or turn evil themselves?

Jennifer Connelly plays the ass-kickin' brave warrior #7. Christopher Plummer plays the stubborn group's leader #1 with vigor. (This seasoned actor hasn't intimidated me this much since he blew that darn whistle for his kids in "The Sound of Music".) The characters in "9" are compelling, but I didn't become too emotionally attached to them like with other animation characters like in "Finding Nemo" or "Kung Fu Panda". But the mechanical number characters were interesting enough, especially surrounded by such incredible visuals, sound and action. The ending was a little "Ghost"-like in some ways but cool.

Tim Burton said of Shane Acker's original "9" short film that it "was among the most extraordinary 11 minutes of film I've ever seen. So that explains why the young director got a much bigger budget, bigger names and more toys to play with this time. He puts it to good use.

"9" opens on 09/09/09. That date should be easy to remember.

Until next time.

QUENTIN TARANTINO

Well, it looks like "Inglorious Basterds" is off to a good start at the box-office. It's the number one movie in the country and pulled in $37.6 million in tickets. It is Tarantino's best movie opening to date.

So pop the champagne for Quentin Tarantino and The Weinstein Company. I don't think the movie opened big simply because of Brad Pitt (as some media reports say) -- but more because Quentin Tarantino hasn't released a movie he directed since "Death Proof" in 2007.

Tarantino recently sat down with Charlie Rose for an hour interview. It's always fascinating to watch him be interviewed with his wealth of film knowledge and manic manner. I've seen him interviewed a lot lately and he's happiest when he's got the floor and able to rant about his passion -- filmmaking -- but when an interviewer asks a question his face freezes momentarily almost in disappointment for having to listen instead of speak. Have you ever met people like that? Who will talk and talk and talk with you giving them the floor for however long they need, but when you ask something or say something, they look impatiently perturbed? Lol. That's Quentin Tarantino.

But, I enjoy listening to his take on writing, directing, filmmaking and the business overall. I like that he primarily considers himself a writer first. He loves directing but told Charlie he will probably hang up his hat when he turns 60 and "become a man of letters" writing novels. His love for writing is paramount. And I have to say, he is one of the greatest at writing dialogue. I recently reread "Pulp Fiction" (co-written by Roger Avary) and it's gripping from the opening scene in the diner. His dialogue runs very long in all his movies, but it's so compelling, it still moves the story forward.

Tarantino said it took a long time to write "Inglorious Basterds" because he couldn't stop writing. People said he had writer's block, but he said it was just the opposite, "I couldn't shut my brain off" from writing.

I won't see his latest movie in theaters, but will eventually check it out on DVD. It's funny because my 68 year old aunt just saw it and said it was bloody but held her on the edge of her seat for 2 hours and 30 minutes. So, that's a good endorsement for me. But, a Facebook friend saw it and said it was slow and a big yawn. Who to believe? That's movies and stories -- they speak differently to all of us.

One thing is for sure. QT has a distinct voice and style. He hasn't sold out to do the big studio pictures or just script doctoring to make big paychecks. He really takes his time, obsesses over each script and delivers from his heart. What more can we ask? So hat's off to him.

Until next time.

BIG NAME STARS HURTING AT BOX-OFFICE

Do you usually go to see a movie for the premise or for the movie star in it? Think about it.

I think for most people it's both. When I see previews in theaters, I usually know right away if I'll go see that movie -- sometimes it's simply seeing a trusted face back on the screen like Jane Fonda (in "Monster-in-Law") or Meryl Streep in "Julie/Julia" or Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt". The clips are so enticing or the premise just grabs a hold of you -- a subway hijacked ("The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3), a boss marries her assistant to stay in the country ("The Proposal"), and so on.

According to today's New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/movies/21stars.html?em, A-list actors are not opening movies the way they used to -- that includes box-office slumps from everyone from Johnny Depp, to Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise, Eddie Murphy and many more. Is it the stars that are letting us down or the projects studios are putting them in? Who is to blame? Was "Funny People" a Judd Apatow trip up or Adam Sandler's? Are remakes really necessary? What do they offer the audience new except for the latest special effects, look at The Taking of Pelham 1,2,3 for example? The original is ten times better and didn't make you dizzy with effects and noise.

Hollywood will use this opportunity now to cut paychecks for stars, especially since DVD sales are down and people are staying away from theaters to explore other forms of entertainment these days. But, let's face it, there is nothing quite like going to the movies. I love it. I love seeing a really great movie with an audience (one that isn't texting or checking their phones every two seconds).

And, what about Meryl Streep? She seems to be picking good roles and successful projects. Her stock is through the roof. She's A-list for sure (in talent and receipts). Maybe stars need to be a little more demanding in the projects they accept -- even Ms. Streep recently said that she feels today's top talent are wasting their uniqueness and gifts on inferior projects.

So let's all share the blame in these bad movies coming out. It's the studios who green light these weak scripts, stars who do them for the paycheck, and moviegoers who don't vote more discriminatory with their money and expectations.

Now it's Friday which means new movies have come out. Should I go or stay home? Hmmm.

Until next time.

Photo: New York Post

THE WEINSTEINS

There is an article in the New York Times about the Weinstein brothers. You remember them, right? The article talks about how powerful these two producers were when they owned and ran Miramax, but now struggle with the Weinstein Company, having sold Miramax to Disney years ago.

Their new Brad Pitt/Quentin Tarantino movie "Inglourious Basterds" needs to be a hit. The Weinsteins are losing money and their reputations. The Times article points out that Harvey Weinstein took his eye off the ball and ventured into other markets besides the film business. Did his decision to expand the company in essence destroy their magic touch? Bob Weinstein gets a lot of credit for keeping the film business going, but yet some of the movies coming out of the Weinstein Company aren't very exciting. They seem too marketed to niche audiences and not as alluring as the old days with "The Crying Game", "The English Patient" and "Pulp Fiction".

The Weinsteins -- especially Harvey -- seem to have people wishing them to fail. Maybe it's because they made enemies or believed their own heyday publicity, but some people wouldn't mind if their company closed up shop.

I hope they refocus and get their company back on track. They made some great movies in the 90s that made Oscar night exciting. They made some quality, successful pictures.

So I'm rooting for them... but I won't go see "Inglourious Basterds". It just doesn't appeal to me in any way. I'm kinda over the Quentin Tarantino violent flick and I think Brad Pitt and The Weinsteins could do much better. All of these guys seem to be coasting into middle age and it's disappointing. I hope they get their mojo back.

So, I'll wait for their next movie to be released and keep my fingers crossed.

Until next time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/business/media/16wein.html?hpw

HEAT WAVE

It's in the 90s here in NYC today. Summer has finally arrived. Nothing like the heat coming off the sidewalks to make you sweaty.

Doing some writing today. It's always hard to pick up after a vacation break. I did some daydreaming about scenes and characters but now it's time to sit down and hammer out some actual new pages. I just revised about twenty pages to get myself up to speed and now will stare at the blank page and continue on. Don't you love being a writer? All the anxiety, procrastination and joy that comes along with it all?

Keep cool and keep writing.

BACK TO REALITY

Vacation is over.

It was terrific but went by in a blink. Vacations are a lot like summer -- we wait and anticipate them, but midway through we know they don't last long and get a little sad. Nothing like long vacations and summers. We can never get enough of either.

It was a great week spent in upstate New York in Ulster and Sullivan counties. We visited Woodstock and Bethel, NY (where the actual concert took place) for the 40th Anniversary of the music festival. It's a beautiful farm where the concert was held originally and now a new Woodstock museum is on the property. It's worth seeing if you want to experience a bit of what the Sixties and Woodstock was all about and its impact on American culture.

The personal stories are fascinating -- talk about good material for a movie. We think of the iconic images of the hippies at Woodstock... but there was so much more going on with local resistance and politics, fear for the safety of the locals and the concert goers, the lack of food, water and medicine, women giving birth, Interstate 87 being shut down from traffic jams, and mass crowds with no means of communicating like today with cell phones and e-mails. Imagine having Twitter at Woodstock. People there in the Sixties communicated by leaving notes on cars, under windshield wipers, and pinned to backpacks or blankets in hopes of being read.

A crazy, chaotic, free, yet somehow organized event that we'll probably never see again in our life times.

Just before going away, I wrote a first draft of my new play called Extreme Green. It's a short play -- 11 pages. I hope to submit it to the short play festivals around the country this fall. It's a two character play and a drama (with some amusing moments) about the local food industry craze.

Until next time.

JOHN HUGHES

This has been a tough week with losing writer/director John Hughes and screenwriter/teacher Blake Snyder. Both men who died too young and contributed a lot through their individual passion, love and work in the movies.

John Hughes' movies defined a generation and had a distinct appeal to moviegoers of a certain age. He made a huge impact and then just seemed to leave the scene and the business. Maybe he had nothing else to say, or prove, or he just decided to do something else with his life. His movies will live on and I'm sure this week alone many people are renting all those great teen movies that spoke to them not so long ago.

Enjoy your favorite John Hughes movies and take this day to really enjoy your own life -- too laugh, tell someone you love them, or just appreciate what it is you have at this moment.

In that spirit, I'm taking a little vacation for a week. Until I return --

Write and live on.

JEFF GOLDSMITH

I just want to say that if you're a screenwriter or director you seriously need to be listening to the Creative Screenwriting podcasts on iTunes. Jeff Goldsmith is the moderator and he does a great job chatting with some of the top notch people in the business -- starting with their breaking in stories, to sellling their scripts, to their daily process and to their next projects. He's a laid back cool guy, sometimes laser intense with his questions and the podcasts are useful if you're studying the business and craft of moviemaking.

So check Jeff out... he's also on Facebook and Twitter now if that's your thing.

Until next time.

THE OSCARS

It's never too late in my book to plan for the Oscars and next year's 82nd Academy Awards is worth noting.

First, it will take place in March instead of February. The reason? The Winter Olympics will be broadcast in February and would split the audience, so dates were changed, which is great. I liked when the Oscars used to air in March to spread out the award season.

Second, in 2010 the Academy of Arts and Sciences will nominate TEN best pictures instead of the usual five. Are there ten best picture out there? Hmmm... some years it seems like slim pickens and other years an abundance of outstanding work. So far for 2009...? The last time the Oscars had ten movies nominated for Best Picture was in 1943. The winner?

CASABLANCA.

So mark your calendars for March 7, 2010 and why not throw an Oscar party while you're at it. Do you like to watch the Oscars alone or with a bunch of people? I prefer to watch them with very few people only because I'm really into the show, as you can imagine. I saw it once at a gala in Manhattan but it was too noisy, with people talking, mingling, fighting over a seat in the theater, etc... it was also fun to get dressed up and watch it with a rowdy crowd... but it's too distracting to watch with others. In my house, The Oscars is an event night with lots of food and snacks -- with us planted in front of the TV in comfy clothes watching the Barbara Walters' Special, then the campy Red Carpet Show and finally the big ceremony.

Until next time.

BLAKE SNYDER

I just heard that screenwriting author/teacher Blake Snyder passed away suddenly today from cardiac arrest. I took Blake's class in NYC back in 2006. It was truly inspiring. I had taken the class soon after reading his helpful book Save the Cat. His class was fun and focused. To this day, I keep those class notes handy and refer to the information he gave to us on that day.

He truly had a love for writers. He was patient, kind and supportive.

Some screenwriting author/teachers are in it just for the money they can make off of hungry writers. I took a seminar once with one L.A. guru (who shall remain nameless) who limited our questions and berated students in a highly condescending manner (like he was doing us a favor by even talking to us, even thought we were paying him.)

Blake Snyder was never like that -- never doing this for a quick buck -- but rather he was trying to help us stay focused, enthused and in the know. He rooted for us to succeed in a very tough business.

Blake was to return to NYC this month. I saw the posting for his seminar and thought about taking it... now he's gone. A young man in his fifties. This reminds us all not to waste a single day, to keep the dream alive, and to connect with others both on and off the page.

We'll miss you, Blake.

OUTLET FOR MOVIES

How do you like to watch movies? Do you use NetFlix, go to Blockbuster, watch online, prefer to go to the movie mutilplex or wait for the DVD? It's amazing how many choices we have to see movies.

When I was a kid growing up, I had two choices -- watch it in the theater or wait for it to go on TV. It became event TV when a new movie came on ABC, NBC or CBS.

Then came the laser disks and VHS tapes. Then the DVDs and digital revolution. And now it's like movie/media overload but probably the best time to be a screenwriter or movie lover. Everything is at your fingertips.

I also love how easily we can submit our scripts these days compared to the old snail mail way. I must have paid for the retirement benefits of a few postman in my lifetime. I used to mail out so many heavy envelopes with scripts in them and became well-known to the people in my local post offices. Not to mention the copy people before I purchased a laser printer back in the day.

Now, it's either upload or attach it as a PDF and off it goes. Do executives/agents really like reading scripts on their computers? But then it's probably better than having twenty screenplays sitting on your desk, or worse, in your trash can.

Let's give a cheer for the electronic submission! I use it a lot for submitting plays to festivals around the country now. Some theaters won't accept electronic submissions and prefer hard copies. It's fun sometimes to actually print out that play and hold it... makes you realize what you labored over for months.

But, usually it's just... Click and it enters the world.

Until next time.

SLIPPING

I went to see a new play SLIPPING by Daniel Talbott last night. It's in previews at Rattlestick Theatre on Waverly Place and will open later this week. It's got a strong, young cast. The play is about a teen dealing with being gay, his father's death and moving from San Francisco to Iowa with his mother. It's amazing how well a playwright/director can tell/show a story on the confines of a stage... with just lighting, a rearranging of furniture, music and a title card.

This will be short and sweet today. I have to get writing and not on the Internet.

Until next time.

REWRITING, REVISITING

I'm working on a project from scratch and have hit a bit of a lull in energy. I'm right at the beginning of the Third Act and know exactly where I'm headed, but I took a few days to focus on some non-writing work and lost my momentum.

So I have to get back on Monday. I'll have one full week to get cracking before a week's vacation. I'm tempted to bring my laptop along to write, but won't... sometimes it's healthier to unplug and daydream about my characters, dialogue, scenes... so that when I do return I'll be eager to sit down and finish this first draft.

Then comes the rewrites... and polishing... and eventually the marketing.

BUT, as a little distraction today I revisited a screenplay I wrote two years ago. It's a crime thriller. It's a rough draft but is actually better than I thought. It's workable and the characters are solid. So, after I'm done with my summer project, it's back to work on the crime thriller. Cop stories have big appeal and I find them exciting to write because of their fast pace.

Meryl Streep is getting great press about "Julie/Julia" and the buzz on the movie. That woman is great in anything, but lately she's raking in big dough at the box-office with "The Devil Wears Prada","Mamma Mia" and "Doubt". She's just so likable a person (Did you catch her on The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien?) and she consistently chooses appealing projects to attach herself to. Whomever her agent is should get a raise. Miss Streep, who just turned 60, is a testament to fine work still coming out of Hollywood.

I hope she and Nora Ephron hit this one out of the park next month. Here is a clip from YouTube of the B-roll from "Julie/Julia" (BTW, the fruit stand shots at the end and the roof shots with Manhattan in the background were shot in my neighborhood right here in Astoria last year). http://www.youtube.com/user/L102890#play/favorites/5/e1wJIW0Le3A

Enjoy your weekend!

TAKING A BITE OUT OF APPLE

What screenwriting program do you use?

I use an old Final Draft 6 version that works just fine for what I do. Once I start writing a script, I try not to get too distracted with using all the bells and whistles on my Final Draft program (except for spellcheck, is that a whistle or a bell?).

I think we can get too distracted with some of the gadgets and new things some of these screenwriting software programs offer. I know writers who still bang out their scripts using Word and do just fine. Whatever gets your script done is the most important aspect (which is you, of course, the writer).

Do you have a favorite writing place? A desk? A coffee shop? I sometimes write on my laptop at the kitchen table or at my desk. One of my favorite places to write is at a college library in Union Square. It's a reading room so it's quiet and I usually get a lot of work done there. Writing can be lonesome -- so it's nice to get out and see other people. There are places here in NYC that provide a social, yet private work space for writers.

Do you work better alone or surrounded by others? I like to mix it up.

So, speaking of programs and technology, I'm off today to check out about buying a new Mac. My desktop PC is on its last leg. I have a Mac laptop and I like Apple a lot, so I'm biting the bullet and buying a desktop for video editing and writing. It will be cool to have a new computer (toy) to work on... all the bells and whistles galore... just wish I could find a software program that would write my darn script for me!

Until next time.

Hey Folks,

Just got word about the theatrical release of "Big Fan". This new film opens on August 28th. It's the directorial debut of Robert Siegel, the screenwriter of "The Wrestler". The film was made on a limited budget in only 23 days.

According to insiders, the script for 'Big Fan' generated a lot of buzz in Hollywood, receiving attention from director Darren Aronofsky, who ultimately declined directing 'BigFan' and instead recruited Siegel to write 'The Wrestler'. After the success of 'The Wrestler', Siegel was resolved to make the story he was passionate about into a feature film, working tirelessly to develop and produce 'Big Fan'.

Cool. Always great to see one of us get behind the camera and direct his own work. Way to go, Robert Siegel! This movie looks pretty good. Check out the trailer.

http://www.bigfanmovie.com/

Until next time.

EXPANDING

I hope to begin adding some video to my blog regarding screenwriting/playwriting. I've previously used The NY Screenwriting Life for text, but of course, content comes in all shapes and sizes now with technology at our finger tips. Since I live in NYC, I imagine there will be plenty of events or people who may be of interest to all you writers out there.

Please also leave me some comments and suggestions on what you'd like to see on the blog in the months ahead. Feel free to rant or rave or just say hi. This is a two-way street, not just a one-way. Together we can navigate the writer's journey which is definitely a trip.

Thanks, everyone, and enjoy your summer... in between hitting the keyboard.

BLANK PAGE

I'm averaging around three hours per day to write. That's not a lot when you think about it, but it's becoming more routine, which is great. Sometimes, on a good day, I'll write for four hours, then spend the other time revising or reading about writing to keep motivated. The important thing is to keep at it. If we take too long of a break, we get rusty.

There are some great books out there by the masters about writing and the tricks of the trade. I particularly recommend Stephen King's book "On Writing". It's an excellent read and he gives great insights into style and the basics of getting it done. Also worth checking out (from the library if you don't want to spend money on books) is Norman Mailer's "The Spooky Art". He tells all about his early days of writing and the skills and determination the art takes.

Hope you're enjoying July.
Until next time.