Wednesday, April 8th, 20092009-04-08T14:37:00Zl, F jS, Y
About a week or 10 days ago, I found the Robotard 8000 online. At first, I thought it was a joke. But the reviews of this script are by some pretty well known people. The site streaked around the intertubes with comments like – Have you SEEN this? Is this for real? ROFL what is this??
Is it a hoax? Is it a stunt? Is this by some unknown writer from Nebraska, desperate for attention? And if so – is this a genius move or is it the move of a, well, robotard?
I am told that this script is actually written by an A-lister associated with Will Ferrell. I have also been told this script was written by a collective of A-listers. I don’t think anybody knows for sure but I’ll tell you this – the script is hilarious. Not the most brilliant script I’ve ever read but what I like about it is that it is totally in keeping with the title of the script – BALLS OUT. Any script that starts with “fade the f*ck in” has my attention. The script is playful and ridiculous and offensive. And it’s a quick, funny read.
Publicity stunt by a collective of A-listers or a hoax, you really should read the script for a sense of what “having fun on the page” looks like. The premise may not be the most original, but it’s evident on page one and every page thereafter. The action lines are pithy, yes there are a few typos here and there, but it moves quickly and it’s just so entertaining that you can’t put it down. I read the first 30 pages while I was supposed to be doing something else. I just couldn’t stop.
And that, Wavers, is how you want people to feel about your script. They just can’t put it down.
So for a quick, fun, totally offensive read, stop by the Robotard 8000 and check out the script. The loglines on the very last page are the comedy topper of toppers.
Wednesday, March 11th, 20092009-03-11T16:17:00Zl, F jS, Y
Like most of you, I have seen jillions of movies. During different phases of my life, I focused my interest on particular movies: foreign, indy, documentaries, particular directors, etc. During a huge chunk of the ’80s I was an art house junkie – it’s German cinema week at the Old Vic! Thus, I eschewed mainstream movies like say, TOP GUN. It was just so bourgeois! Some movies, like say AMADEUS, I skipped because they were so ubiquitous and popular – and therefore far, far beneath my snobby little self. How silly, right?
Well, now I am making things right. I have a little notebook that I carry with me everywhere I go and every time I hear about a movie I should see – whether it dates back to my snobby days, or whether it’s just something that for whatever set of reasons I missed, it goes on the list. And I’m having a lot of fun working my way through it. Some of the movies on my list I am frankly horrified and embarrassed that I didn’t watch. Just so embarrassed. AMADEUS? Being that I am a screenwriter and own a business that advises other screenwriters…? That’s just lame. So it’s on the list.
My personal list also includes movies that I am not in the least bit embarrassed that I missed – I just missed the movie and I’d like to see it. Some of those movies are: 21 GRAMS, THE ROAD TO PERDITION, MATCHSTICK MEN, GANGS OF NEW YORK, etc.
Have you ever talked to a fellow screenwriter and they mention a movie they never saw and your eyes widen in absolute horror – NO. WAY! A friend told me the other day he’d never seen CHINATOWN and that was my reaction. Are you kidding? And you write scripts? Of course, then that person said but wait – you never saw GOONIES and a lively argument ensued as to the relative merits of a cute but forgettable ’80s movie that has no must-see merits when it comes to screenwriters. You can see my prejudices all over the place on that one, right?
For a movie to make my personal list, it has to have three qualities: It will enrich my personal life because it’s a beloved movie, it will enrich my professional understanding of film or I’m just plain curious about it. So one example from each category: THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE (documentary about Robert Evans, how did I miss this? Personal enrichment.). TOP GUN (I know why I missed it, I am not embarrassed, but it is oft referred to in screenwriting circles. Professional enrichment.). GALLIPOLI (directed by Peter Weir, with Mel Gibson, supposed to be really great. Curiosity factor.).
A friend and I were discussing this very topic yesterday evening and we made a list of movies that screenwriters really should be embarrassed if they have not seen. Now, of course this list is subjective and I have not seen every single one of these movies (we’ll count up the exact number) but here’s the scenario: You walk into a screenwriting writers’ group and you are asked if you’ve seen one of these movies and you haven’t – and you turn beet red. Because the movies on this list are accessible and available. Because they are often discussed. Because they feature unforgettable, iconic performances or were in some way seminal, instructive or innovative. Because they are part of the history and trajectory of film (say noir or screwball).
I could blanch that someone has not seen, say, HAROLD AND MAUDE, but it doesn’t make this list because it’s a cult movie and because while it is amazing and excellent and one of my top movies, it isn’t an embarrassing hole in your movie viewing history. I would just say wow you should go see it. Or another example: SILKWOOD. I love it, it’s great, but I wouldn’t look askance if you hadn’t seen it.
So here is the list we came up with, that if you walked into a screenwriting group and hadn’t seen this movie, you would be stared daggers at and you should indeed feel a little embarrassed:
AMADEUS* CASABLANCA KARATE KID* BLUE VELVET CHINATOWN CITIZEN KANE STAR WARS ET INDIANA JONES CHARLIE CHAPLIN (any or all) FATAL ATTRACTION SUNSET BOULEVARD PSYCHO REAR WINDOW MALTESE FALCON BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS WALL STREET SCARFACE THE GODFATHER WHEN HARRY MET SALLY ANNIE HALL SCHINDLER’S LIST* THE WIZARD OF OZ ROCKY THE SIXTH SENSE THE MATRIX DIE HARD THE PRINCESS BRIDE HIGH NOON TAXI DRIVER THE BREAKFAST CLUB TOOTSIE RISKY BUSINESS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY BRINGING UP BABY DOUBLE INDEMNITY CHARIOTS OF FIRE* MOONSTRUCK FARGO MEMENTO IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE THE USUAL SUSPECTS JAWS THE EXORCIST GOODFELLAS* THE SHINING BIG SILENCE OF THE LAMBS ALIEN ANIMAL HOUSE* ON THE WATERFRONT NETWORK THE FRENCH CONNECTION APOCALYPSE NOW DELIVERANCE PRETTY WOMAN ARTHUR BACK TO THE FUTURE GONE WITH THE WIND PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE ROSEMARY’S BABY PATTON THE GRADUATE RAGING BULL FORREST GUMP SOME LIKE IT HOT TOY STORY THELMA AND LOUISE A CLOCKWORK ORANGE* FINDING NEMO ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST AMERICAN BEAUTY THE PLAYER ALL ABOUT EVE TERMS OF ENDEARMENT ADAM’S RIB REBECCA MILDRED PIERCE HARVEY FROM HERE TO ETERNITY LAWRENCE OF ARABIA GLADIATOR
Okay there are seven movies on this list that I have not seen and they are all on my Hall of Shame List: AMADEUS, KARATE KID, GOODFELLAS, SCHINDLER’S LIST, ANIMAL HOUSE, CHARIOTS OF FIRE, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. And here’s why I didn’t see them: 1) Ubiquity/snobbyness. 2. Same. 3. Aversion to mob violence in movies 4. Tried but it upset me very much. 5. I was too young and frat life had no relevance in my life. 6. Ubiquitous soundtrack annoyed me out of it. 7) I have seen clips and it looks really upsetting. Don’t worry. I’ll man up.
So what would you add to this list? Remember the criteria for being on this list:
It’s easily accessible: it can be found at any video store.
It is reasonable that a person younger than 40 would, could or should have seen this. This is an important criterion to remember. Should GRAND HOTEL or GILDA be on this list? Yeah, maybe. But for most younger screenwriters today who aren’t enrolled in a film studies program, movies like that are reaching back into the dust bin a little bit.
It is frequently discussed in screenwriting circles. Not cinephile, snobby circles (you know who you are, person about to jot down LA DOLCE VITA). Regular circles.
It has a seminal or iconic performance (You talkin’ to me?) .
The embarrassment barometer: If you haven’t seen it, you often pretend you have. (Aren’t you proud of me, Wavers, for being totally honest about my missing movies?)
It is not a cult movie, it is fairly mainstream (So hesitate before you list anything, Lynch-lovers. I threw BLUE VELVET on the list, because I do think it was stylistically innovative but…).
It is part of the history and trajectory of film; it fills in the holes of your film history.
It is instructive for screenwriters: It has amazing dialogue or crazy structure, it broke with convention in some way. It innovated storytelling (THE MATRIX).
Okay, ready, set…what are your hall of shame movies? How many movies on this starter list have you not seen? Paying careful attention to the list of criteria and setting your snobbi-tude aside, which movies are missing? Are you sure you aren’t listing REVENGE OF THE NERDS because it lit you up when you were 12? Does it really fit the criteria?
**** Added because I’ve already gotten a couple of outraged – how could you forget THIS? This is a starter list. That is the point. Look over the criteria and make suggestions. What is missing that fits the criteria?
Wednesday, March 4th, 20092009-03-04T16:58:00Zl, F jS, Y
Many blogs are quite personal. Which is why, for a long time, blogs did not interest me whatsoever. Even though I am a people person and a writer, I really am quite honestly not interested in the details of the lives of random bloggers. You know, the early days of blogging were very belly-button gazey so you’d have these blogs (and you still do) in which bloggers rant about everything from movies they like to how much they love their kids or hate their in-laws or when they tried a new recipe. I found (and find) those types of blogs stultifying. If a reader has no investment in who this person IS, then it’s tough to be entertained by unqualified rants. However, a good blogger, one who develops a persona, is one who can attract a following that becomes invested. Or is that who becomes invested, Chaia? (Did Wavers know that my adorable-but-could-totally-kick-your-ass assistant, Chaia, edits TRW daily because of course yours truly, who espouses good grammar and language usage, is eminently fallible and doesn’t always have time to make corrections?) [LOL. --Ed.]
I have thus far fairly successfully avoided making The Rouge Wave about me. Rather, I really do try to make it about YOU. I already know about me. But I gather that you guys enjoy having a reasonably entertaining place to go where you might pick up some inspiration or tips about screenwriting while avoiding work and other temporarily avoidable duties. I am a procrastinator helper and I’m happy to be your Florence Nightingale.
So every day I try to come up with something for The Rouge Wave that contains valuable information for you. Some days it’s easy, other days I stare at the screen and then go look at my Facebook, check the weather, get more coffee and return to the blank screen. Some days I’m cranky about something and so I blog about that. Other days I figure, well, we haven’t talked about X subject for awhile, I guess it’s my duty to return to that subject. The truth is, in the two+ years I’ve been writing The Rouge Wave, I think we’ve covered pretty much every subject related to screenwriting.
If you’ve ever wondered, yes, I do have to approve comments so if your comment shows up – yes, I read it. You might have a question in your comment and if I have the time and the desire, I answer it. If I don’t have the time, I’m sorry, I skip answering the question. I do my best. I actually would MUCH prefer if you sent questions or topic suggestions HERE.
I have received zero flaming bags of poop since I changed the “anonymous” comment posting setting. It seems when one’s real name is involved, people are a little more thoughtful in their comments. Fancy that.
As you can imagine, while I love The Rouge Wave, it is only one of 10,000 other daily duties, what with running a script coverage company in the throes of tremendous growth and a screenwriting competition – which – wow, you’d be surprised how much behind the scenes work THAT is. I had to have two training sessions on how to operate the Without A Box submission system. Color me not so techno-savvy. I manage several readers, a new creative director (hi, wonderful Keith I cannot do without), business partners and new investors. And then I try to find time to write.
The blur between my personal and professional lives is profound. Some stuff comes up and I try to repurpose it to make it relevant to writers and writing. Like being at the hospital all last weekend. Or the interest and attachment my partner and I have in and to our thriller. Or the arrival of Ray the Chihuahua a few months ago. He’s up to a mighty five pounds, by the way. So – you might want to watch your fingertips and valuables around him. How so much attitude can be packed into five pounds is a mystery to me. Then there’s Maddy the Shih-Tzu, or as we affectionately call her, The Glacier. She doesn’t move around a whole lot. Except right around midnight when she and Ray do their nightly Indy 500 around my apartment. The other night, Maddy leaned from the couch to the coffee table and one by one nicked tangerines and brought them to her lair. She was lying on a pile of like 10 tangerines when I figured this out.
But mostly, I figure Wavers really don’t want to know about what I get up to on a daily basis. But maybe I am wrong. Which is why today is an experiment in how long I can hold your attention. Don’t worry, I have no intentions of changing up the content of TRW. It’s just for today.
I practice what I preach in terms of joyfulness and balance in my life. I take long walks most every day. And on those long walks I decompress and explore my colorful neighborhood. Which is probably 80% Orthodox Jewish so that’s interesting. I live quite close to CBS Television City and am treated to bursts of audience applause several days a week which is surreal. Can you imagine? My home is an informal salon for creatives – people knock on my door and show up at all hours, seven days a week. I guess it’s comfy here and I always have good food and wine. Steve Faber is my neighbor and dear friend and so we have a lot of late night chats about what he’s doing. He is one of the smartest, most intellectually curious people I have ever met and we love to discuss politics, history and literature. Give Steve a good cigar and a glass of wine or Belgian beer and you’ve got yourself one amazing conversation. Plus Steve has taught me what courage, humor and tenacity look like.
I am thinking of getting an office so that I no longer work at home. I am looking at an office on The Lot which is a historic studio lot here in LA. Mary Pickford, Douglass Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin had their offices there. It is a storied studio lot and currently has offices rented to everyone from Alan Ball, Sacha Baron Cohen, Fuse Entertainment, Pachew Productions*, Heroes and Villains and too many others to list. True Blood is filmed there and there is a great commissary and courtyard. I’m excited to move my offices there and will be doing so in about a month. I feel like an 18-year-old getting her first apartment – I’m already thinking about how to decorate! I have been enjoying working at cafes lately but to have an actual office – that sounds like heaven to me. Then my home can again be just my home.
*Pachew Productions is a yet-to-exist production company that my friend Mike and I are noodling around with starting. Mike’s offices are currently at The Lot.
So there you have it: today’s Rouge Wave. Forgive me if I have bored you, thank you very much if I have entertained you. Either way – get back to work.
Sunday, February 1st, 20092009-02-01T18:29:00Zl, F jS, Y
Rouge Waver Steve Axelrod sent me this me the other day and since it’s a nice, mellow SuperBowl Sunday I thought I’d share. Please note: I didn’t bother to correct any lack of punctuation or inconsistent capitalization. What are you – some cranky-ass reader? What – are you gonna PASS on this list? Don’t cause an imbroglio or be jejune.
It would warm my cockles and be quite scintillating if Wavers – especially those with Facebook – would adroitly conflate some of these words into conversation this week. It’s no panacea but it would be most felicitous. Oh, halcyon days, here we come…
The 100 Most Beautiful words in the English Language
1 adroit Dexterous, agile. 2 adumbrate To very gently suggest. 3 aestivate To summer, to spend the summer. 4 ailurophile A cat-lover. 5 beatific Befitting an angel or saint. 6 beleaguer To exhaust with attacks. 7 blandiloquent Beautiful and flattering. 8 caliginous Dark and misty. 9 champagne An effervescent wine. 10 chatoyant Like a cat’s eye. 11 chiaroscuro The arrangement of dark and light elements in a picture. 12 cockle A heart-shaped bivalve or a garden flower. 13 colporteur A book peddlar. 14 conflate To blend together, to combine different things. 15 cynosure A focal point of admiration. 16 desuetude Disuse. 17 diaphanous Filmy. 18 diffuse Spread out, not focused or concentrated. 19 dulcet Sweet, sugary. 20 ebullient Bubbling with enthusiasm. 21 effervescent Bubbly. 22 efflorescence Flowering, the opening of buds or a bloom. 23 elixir A good potion. 24 emollient A softener. 25 encomium A spoken or written work in praise of someone. 26 ephemeral Short-lived. 27 epicure A person who enjoys fine living, especially food and drink. 28 epiphany A sudden revelation. 29 erstwhile At one time, for a time. 30 eschew To reject or avoid. 31 esculent Edible. 32 esoteric Understood only by a small group of specialists. 33 ethereal Gaseous, invisible but detectable. 34 etiolate White from no contact with light. 35 evanescent Vanishing quickly, lasting a very short time. 36 exuberant Enthusiastic, excited. 37 felicitous Pleasing. 38 fescue A variety of grass favored for pastures. 39 foudroyant Dazzling. 40 fragile Very, very delicate. 41 fugacioius Running, escaping. 42 gambol To skip or leap about joyfully. 43 glamour Beauty. 44 gossamer The finest piece of thread, a spider’s silk. 45 halcyon Happy, sunny, care-free. 46 hymeneal Having to do with a wedding. 47 imbricate To overlap to form a regular pattern. 48 imbroglio An altercation or complicated situation. 49 imbue To infuse, instill. 50 incipient Beginning, in an early stage. 51 ingenue A naïve young woman. 52 inglenook The place beside the fireplace. 53 inspissate To thicken. 54 inure To jade. 55 jejune Dull; childish. 56 lagniappe A gift given to a customer for their patronage. 57 lagoon A small gulf or inlet in the sea. 58 languor Listlessness, inactivity. 59 lassitude Weariness, listlessness. 60 laughter The response to something funny. 61 lilt To move musically or lively, to have a lively sound. 62 lithe Slender and flexible. 63 loquacious Talkative. 64 luxuriant Thick, lavish. 65 mellifluous Sweet-sounding. 66 missive A message or letter. 67 moiety One of two equal parts, a half. 68 mondegreen A misanalyzed phrase. 69 nebulous Foggy. 70 niveous Snowy, snow-like. 71 obsequious Fawning, subservience. 72 odalisque A concubine in a harem. 73 oeuvre A work. 74 offing That part of the sea between the horizon and the offshore. 75 onomatopoeia The creation of words by imitating sound. 76 paean A formal expression of praise. 77 palimpsest A manuscript written over one or more earlier ones. 78 panacea A complete solution for all problems. 79 panoply A complete set. 80 pastiche A mixture of art work (art or music) from various sources. 81 peccadillo A peculiarity. 82 pelagic Related to the sea or ocean. 83 penumbra A half-shadow, the edge of a shadow. 84 peregrination Wandering, travels. 85 petrichor The smell of earth after a rain. 86 plethora A great excess, overabundance. 87 porcelain A fine white clay pottery. 88 potamophilous Loving rivers. 89 propinquity An inclination or preference. 90 Pyrrhic Victorious despite heavy losses. 91 quintessential The ultimate, the essence of the essence. 92 redolent Sweet-smelling. 93 rhapsody A beautiful musical piece. 94 riparian Having to do with the bank of a river or other body of water. 95 ripple A small, circular wave emanating from a central point. 96 scintillate To sparkle with brilliant light. 97 sempiternal Forever and ever. 98 seraglio Housing for a harem. 99 serendipity Finding something while looking for something else. 100 surreptitious Sneaky.
Wednesday, November 26th, 20082008-11-26T16:37:00Zl, F jS, Y
The Mini-W and I like movies. We like them a lot. We go to the video store and just about sweep our arms over shelves and take anything and everything. We figure we saw about 30 movies last summer. And those are just video rentals. We lost count of those we saw at the theaters. Some of the movies below, you’re going to say HELLO oh my god, I saw that thirteen years ago! Well, yeah, but that’s the point of our video store pillaging – if we haven’t seen it, we see it. We are voracious movie omnivores and we bet that if you went to the video store and looked at every shelf we could probably go toe-to-toe with the greatest of cinefiles when it comes to classics. So we’re playing catch up on other stuff and we love it. If we hate the movie, who cares, we order in Chinese and go to the next one.
Last weekend, we managed to see:
Artificial Intelligence AI: Wow. Fascinating premise. We were glued to the screen. Very cool and touching and then – geez – a sex robot combined with a fairy tale motif? Wha-? What a red hot mess it devolved into. Too bad. Very disappointing.
12 Monkeys: Wow! We loved it! Why is Brad Pitt so good at playing lunatics? Others said it was convoluted and confusing but we found it relatively easy to follow. We *heart* Bruce Willis and Madeline Stowe was okay too. Fun discussion about the nature of reality afterwards.
The Strangers: GREAT horror flick; scared us to pieces even though Mom had read the script about three years ago and knew what was going to happen. A knock on the door was never so terrifying. Simple, frightening, memorable. Mini-W and Mom have canceled vacation at cabin by lake. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay: Oh, lord. Funny moments but not as funny as the first installment of H & K. Gross-out factor: High. Intelligence and wit: Also high. Strange combination. Best moment: when Neil Patrick Harris sees the unicorn in the background as a policeman is interrogating him. But drugs are bad. Just say no.
Journey to the Center of the Earth: Uh – well – we do like Brendan Fraser and there were some pretty cinematic moments. Too bad we didn’t have 3-D glasses but we got the gist. Seems like this could have been GREAT when it was only okay. This movie is aimed at fourth graders – which is fine by us but we’re too old. Mom remembers when she was working at Walden Media and they were casting for the kid. A SEA of young boys around age 12 were crowding the lobby with their moms in tow. Mini-W unimpressed by this remembrance.
Role Models: Saw this in the theater. The Mini-W thought it was funny and cute, Mom sat in silence, anticipating a big laugh but never getting it. I thought it was under-cooked, trite and obvious and am surprised at the “hilarious” reviews I have heard from my friends who have seen it. Not that funny, not that cute. Could have been so much better. Disagreement solved by going out to a delicious lunch and putting the experience behind us.
Slumdog Millionaire: Wow! Dark! Dark and wow! Epic! Colorful! Unforgettable. The Mini-W and I are big Danny Boyle fans and love how he genre hops. Not exactly a feel-good movie and yet ultimately a totally feel-good movie. We give the Bollywood ending five out of five jelly beans.
Movies Mom is looking forward to: MILK and AUSTRALIA (five words: Hugh with his shirt off). Movies the Mini-W is looking forward to seeing: SAW V (video rental from which mom will be conspicuously absent) and UNBORN.
So there’s a holiday weekend coming up, Wavers. You don’t have to hit the theaters if you don’t want to – it’s going to be crazy-crowded. But hit the video store and load up. Particularly load up on movies in the genre you love best and make sure to see any and all movies that bear any resemblance whatsoever to what you’re writing right now. If you haven’t seen the classics, stoop down low on the shelf, toward the bottom, and load up on those. If you want to be a screenwriter, you have no excuse if you don’t see a lot of movies on an ongoing basis.
Monday, November 10th, 20082008-11-10T16:58:00Zl, F jS, Y
I saw The Changeling this weekend (don’t worry, no spoilers) and Jolie really ruined it for me. Don’t get me wrong, the girl can emote and also roller skate (nice little period detail). But she does not look like an ordinary person and I just couldn’t detach enough from her freakish beauty to lose myself in her story. There’s a lot more going on in The Changeling than Jolie (a LOT more, and it doesn’t work out well) and I appreciate that Jolie, being a mother herself, took on the role with much gnashing of the teeth and pouting of those crazy lips.
I just wish I could believe, for one red hot second that a woman with that face would be a single mother working at the phone company rather than a starlet or exotic dancer. This was LA in 1928, after all, and the moving pictures were already big business. Amy Ryan, who has a small but memorable part – now that is an actress I would have bought as Christine Collins – not only can she act circles around Jolie, she looks like a regular person. Because I am a regular person I need to identify with movie characters.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, most actors are extraordinary good looking people – that’s the point, right? They are more handsome, glamorous and have better cheekbones than most of us out here in the unwashed masses. But in some movies, they are supposed to BE the unwashed masses, someone like us who also can’t decide between love and career or who struggles with dating or paying taxes or whether to murder our abusive boss. And if all we can think when we look at them is – that is FREAKISH beauty, it distracts from the normalcy and identification that we crave. So I’m asking Angelina nicely to please retire from acting and raise her 16 children and continue her work for the global good and let other less stunning actors play us so we can focus on the story. Thanks Ang, you’re a peach.
In other news I went to a meeting last evening that I can’t really talk about but if I could you would be HIGHLY entertained – and I mean HIGHLY – to talk about the need for good writers and good scripts. We know by now that having a fan in the business can transform your life as a writer. And you never know who is looking for content in all genres. All I can say is – keep writing Wavers, and know that you are being sought after. Yes, sure, as a cog in the money-making wheel but that’s what writing is, for better or worse and it could be YOUR script that is plucked from obscurity and pushed into development by someone who believes in you and in your story. At this mysterious meeting I pitched a particular script and all agreed the concept was great. But. How is the script itself? How is the execution? That is up to the writers. I can work with the writers (and I am and you know who you are) but it all depends on what’s on the page. If this script is executed with elan and professionalism, these two writers (now you really know who you are) are going to make a sale and maybe a career. Only time will tell and I’m counting on these guys. And if they don’t pull it off, I have other writers who may beat them across the finish line.
Having a great idea is one thing – great execution of that idea, great enough to get several people excited enough to get the script in front of buyers – that is the key. Suffice to say that there are people having meetings in Hollywood every day discussing the need for good scripts. And they come from you. No meeting, no fancy house, no Cuban Cigars, no fine wine and genial conversation about your script is going to go anywhere unless you deliver great page work. Crisp, clean, compelling pages that captivate. Say that three times fast. So go, writers, go! You are needed. Content does not write itself. No matter how crazy the odds may seem, no matter how much competition there is, no matter what you read in the papers about Hollywood – people are looking for content. Lives are built on good content. Theaters are filled when there’s good content. Help us help you.
Thursday, November 6th, 20082008-11-06T15:47:00Zl, F jS, Y
I always swore that I would never write a navel-gazing blog because I honestly find blogs about what random people are doing and thinking vis a vis their lives really boring. Every day I try valiantly to have something on the Rouge Wave that pertains to screenwriting, writing or entertainment. And as I approach the two year anniversary of the Rouge Wave (December-somethingth) I think I’ve done a fairly good job of maintaining a focus. Even on those days when it’s tough to find something to say – anything – that is of entertaining value. But today you’ll have to forgive me, Wavers. Because today I am particularly tired.
Because of Ray.
I have said here on the Rouge Wave that I keep crazy hours – often up until 2am and not really functional before 9:30am. But that was before Ray. You see, Ray arrived unexpectedly yesterday evening wearing a hooded black sweatshirt and little else. And, as it turns out, he’s an early riser.
Ray is a 12-week old, chocolate brown Chihuahua puppy. He’s been very busy having to go potty and laying claim to all corners of the house. My Shih Tzu, the one that everybody is always talking about dognapping because she’s so cute is quite confused by this new, animated toy who ferociously guards his lair, his one little stuffed toy and his dignity.
I grew up with a lot of animals; chickens, pigs, horses and rabbits. For real. I grew up in the country and my dad was very into animal husbandry. I was a proud member of the 4-H when I was in elementary school. Do they have that anymore? Our dogs were always big, tough and definitely outdoor dogs. They killed stuff and got into porcupines and skunks. Games like “fetch” and “catch-the-frisbee” were unknown to our family dogs whereas “terrify-the-chickens” was a big favorite. Our dogs never slept inside, much less on a bed. They ate food that came in 50 pound bags, served up with the rattle and clank of an old coffee can.
Not Ray. Ray is a purebred puppy that somebody bought, along with all the most expensive accessories, including, I am told, a $60 collar. But then Ray’s previous owner decided he was too much work. Since he’s a puppy and all. So yours truly is the beneficiary. Having to get up so early, I sleepily took Ray with me to the couch where we curled up and read a script first thing this morning. Ray is a good note-encourager, as he curls up in a tight little ball tight up against me while I turn pages. At first that sound startled him but he’ll soon get used to that.
I was never the type to dress up my dog in clothes but thank god Ray came with his sweatshirt since the evenings have grown chilly and he has nary an extra ounce of fat or fur. My other dog is…zaftig, I think the word is. And furry. But not Ray – he’s 2 pounds of short-haired joie de vivre in need of an extra layer. When he barks, his whole body thrusts forward with the effort. Right now he’s unsure of every sound – is it a threat? An intruder? Noooo…that would be a door closing, Ray.
Ray has no problem asserting his boundaries – that’s HIS tiny stuffed turtle toy, thank you very much. A guy’s gotta stand up for what’s his. Even to another dog who weighs 13 pounds more. Thank you, thank you, Ray’ll be back every Thursday night through February and then Wednesdays at the Laugh Factory. That is, if Ray doesn’t suddenly collapse into a comatose nap which he does just about once an hour, from the sheer exhaustion of being a two-pound canine with no chickens to terrify or skunks to have unfortunate run-ins with. It’s a tough life.
Friday, October 17th, 20082008-10-17T16:16:00Zl, F jS, Y
Well Wavers, I’m sorry but I’ve got too much on my plate to spend much time on a fascinating, educational and/or opinionated blog post so I’m simply going to share a joke version of the UTA job list. Go ahead, have a read – the humor is a bit dry and you have to work to suss it out but check this out.
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