I'm finally going to do it. I'm going to start writing at least a page a day. Doesn't matter what it is or whether I got a plan going for it. I want to have a script done by the end of next year.
What I've realized is this: you can either wait, or you can write. Doesn't matter how bad or good an idea is, the point of this is to get the creative part of your brain running so that when you DO get that golden idea, you have some kind of confidence you can nurture it into a cohesive and hopefully compelling story.
Of course, I'm not abandoning the blogging. I'm still going to do the "at least one post a week" thing. Mostly just random thoughts I have maybe a short story. Whatever the case, I'm writing.
Peace til later yo.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
New Toy Story Trailer
I just have to say, this looks awesome. It's a little heartwrenching to see how Andy grows up in the first few moments of the trailer which inevitably means that Woody and the gang will soon be replaced by other more grown up things. Pixar never dissapoints on the storytelling.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Disney Movies
One of the best things about childhood that comes to my mind is simply the movies Disney managed to produce in the 90's. I was very lucky to be a child around that time and it has shaped the essence of my childhood. Here, we have these movies that appeal to kids first and foremost, but also has the ability to lure in the parents too. This is just plainly and bluntly classical storytelling, something that is unfortunately scarce in Hollywood these days and in the past decade for Disney too (with some exceptions). They aren't taking enough risks but let's face it, kids are smarter than you think and they enjoy movies the same if not more than adults. One of the things I detest about children movies is when they are children movies. There's little to no effort to make it any deeper than what it could be. The only studio around currently that still tries to make it appealing to all is Pixar. These guys really get what a good film is.
I can still remember the first time I went to watch The Lion King with my mom, and how shocked I was when Scar let Mufasa fall to his death. The second time I watched it, I had to cover both mine and my mother's eyes just because it was such a shocking moment (First movie I've seen in a theatre by the way). But of course, leave it to Timon and Pumba to make things ok again for Simba
Storytelling is a combination of high and low moments. There needs to be an emotional connection to the story and characters in order for the film to be appealing. Just because you have a bunch of cute looking characters and colourful animation doesn't mean kids will automatically like it. Beauty and The Beast wouldn't be as fulfilling of a story if the love between Belle and the Beast was simply two characters falling in love at first glance. In one of the more poignant moments of the film, the Beast finally gives Belle the chance to be with her father instead of fulfilling his own desires to be human. He readily sacrificed his life for love. Here we finally see the theme of the film, that love is transformative, both figuratively and literally.
The good news is that Disney is trying to go back to Classic Disney with their new films "The Princess and The Frog" as well as a CG "Rapunzel" movie instead of looking at CG animation as an easy way out. Whether the story is presented in 2d or 3d, there's always one thing that's certain. It took a lot of hard work and energy for Disney to get where it was 10 years ago. Hopefully, they'll get back to this work ethic and give kids movies they would be proud to watch with their future children.
If Enchanted and the first 5 min. of Princess and the Frog was any indication, I'd say they're ready to get back in the game.
And yes, this is just a lame post to keep me at one update a week. But I love me my Disney movies. I'll probably write more in the future.
I can still remember the first time I went to watch The Lion King with my mom, and how shocked I was when Scar let Mufasa fall to his death. The second time I watched it, I had to cover both mine and my mother's eyes just because it was such a shocking moment (First movie I've seen in a theatre by the way). But of course, leave it to Timon and Pumba to make things ok again for Simba
Storytelling is a combination of high and low moments. There needs to be an emotional connection to the story and characters in order for the film to be appealing. Just because you have a bunch of cute looking characters and colourful animation doesn't mean kids will automatically like it. Beauty and The Beast wouldn't be as fulfilling of a story if the love between Belle and the Beast was simply two characters falling in love at first glance. In one of the more poignant moments of the film, the Beast finally gives Belle the chance to be with her father instead of fulfilling his own desires to be human. He readily sacrificed his life for love. Here we finally see the theme of the film, that love is transformative, both figuratively and literally.
The good news is that Disney is trying to go back to Classic Disney with their new films "The Princess and The Frog" as well as a CG "Rapunzel" movie instead of looking at CG animation as an easy way out. Whether the story is presented in 2d or 3d, there's always one thing that's certain. It took a lot of hard work and energy for Disney to get where it was 10 years ago. Hopefully, they'll get back to this work ethic and give kids movies they would be proud to watch with their future children.
If Enchanted and the first 5 min. of Princess and the Frog was any indication, I'd say they're ready to get back in the game.
And yes, this is just a lame post to keep me at one update a week. But I love me my Disney movies. I'll probably write more in the future.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Music by the Lake
Intro:
It's kinda cheating in term of posts, this is a story I did for my script and storyboarding class not too long ago where the idea was to construct a story with these elements: one location, and two characters who are very different from one another. We basically wrote down the premise and characters and switch the ideas with a partner and construct a story out it. My partner gave me this for the premise.
Characters: Punk rocker man and a small baby doll like girl who likes to wear frilly things. They sitting on a bench by the lake. (Yikes for finding conflict)
Music By The Lake
Harley, like the bike. That’s his name. He sat on a bench with his guitar at his side and a writing pad sitting at the corner of his lap as if he was hiding it from view. Harley had a lot of ink, not just in his little writing pad. The man was built like a Porsche, lean but tough, the kind of guy who could get away with wearing skin tight jeans and a leather coat at his age.
His pen touches upon the pad as he busily scribbles something down, music notes and lyrics. A look of frustration, he quickly tears off the page and stuffs the wrinkled paper in his coat pockets, which falls out without him noticing. “Just one song, let me write just one song,” he says to himself.
A bright red ball bounces down the trail and rests at the bench corner, chased by a little girl, no more than ten. She wore glasses but otherwise looked like a spitting image of a porcelain doll except for the dress. She instead wore a frilly shirt and a pair of nondescript jeans that looked older than her age, probably hand me downs. She wanders over to the bench to pick up her ball and notices Harley. “I like the drawings on your skin” she remarks.
Harley looks at her. “They’re tattoos”. The conversation dies rather quickly as Harley goes back to his writing. Dolly can’t help but talk.
“Some kids think I’m a little weird because of my glasses. Do some people find you weird with those tattoos?” She waits, no reply from Harley. “I’m Dolly” she bursts.
“I thought little kids were warned not to talk to strangers?”
“How can you make friends if you can’t talk to strangers?”
“Go back to your playing kid.”
Harley sits and ponders, Dolly standing there as if waiting for him to say something. A long moment passes by before Harley submits. “Okay! I’m Harley.” He tries to shoo her off.
“You’re writing an awful lot Harley.”
“It never seems enough.”
Dolly picks up the wrinkled piece of paper that Harley trashed earlier and un-crumples it
“What’s this?" She takes a look at the song, music notes and lyrics and all,
“What’s the song about?”
“Nothing, it’s not my style. See this?” He shows her his tattoos, a beautiful collection of hellish images. “That’s me.” He snatches the paper from her hands and stuffs it back in his pockets, in its proper place.
“I wrote a story once for school,” begins Dolly. “I heard how much Mrs. Wilson loved Lizzy’s stories about unicorns and princesses and how she gave her stories an extra stamp in our journals. I tried making a story about something like that, but I got stuck. I asked my mom for help writing it because I didn’t know what to do… I didn’t get that extra stamp. Sometimes it’s better to do your own thing.”
Harley looks at Dolly with a newfound respect in those words.
“Thanks kid.”
Dolly smiles and picks up her red ball to leave, while Harley picks up his guitar and begins strumming a tune. Harley un-crumples the piece of paper and reads it over, a grin.
“Hey, Dolly!” he shouts, she looks back in surprise, “Wanna hear my song?”
It's kinda cheating in term of posts, this is a story I did for my script and storyboarding class not too long ago where the idea was to construct a story with these elements: one location, and two characters who are very different from one another. We basically wrote down the premise and characters and switch the ideas with a partner and construct a story out it. My partner gave me this for the premise.
Characters: Punk rocker man and a small baby doll like girl who likes to wear frilly things. They sitting on a bench by the lake. (Yikes for finding conflict)
Music By The Lake
Harley, like the bike. That’s his name. He sat on a bench with his guitar at his side and a writing pad sitting at the corner of his lap as if he was hiding it from view. Harley had a lot of ink, not just in his little writing pad. The man was built like a Porsche, lean but tough, the kind of guy who could get away with wearing skin tight jeans and a leather coat at his age.
His pen touches upon the pad as he busily scribbles something down, music notes and lyrics. A look of frustration, he quickly tears off the page and stuffs the wrinkled paper in his coat pockets, which falls out without him noticing. “Just one song, let me write just one song,” he says to himself.
A bright red ball bounces down the trail and rests at the bench corner, chased by a little girl, no more than ten. She wore glasses but otherwise looked like a spitting image of a porcelain doll except for the dress. She instead wore a frilly shirt and a pair of nondescript jeans that looked older than her age, probably hand me downs. She wanders over to the bench to pick up her ball and notices Harley. “I like the drawings on your skin” she remarks.
Harley looks at her. “They’re tattoos”. The conversation dies rather quickly as Harley goes back to his writing. Dolly can’t help but talk.
“Some kids think I’m a little weird because of my glasses. Do some people find you weird with those tattoos?” She waits, no reply from Harley. “I’m Dolly” she bursts.
“I thought little kids were warned not to talk to strangers?”
“How can you make friends if you can’t talk to strangers?”
“Go back to your playing kid.”
Harley sits and ponders, Dolly standing there as if waiting for him to say something. A long moment passes by before Harley submits. “Okay! I’m Harley.” He tries to shoo her off.
“You’re writing an awful lot Harley.”
“It never seems enough.”
Dolly picks up the wrinkled piece of paper that Harley trashed earlier and un-crumples it
“What’s this?" She takes a look at the song, music notes and lyrics and all,
“What’s the song about?”
“Nothing, it’s not my style. See this?” He shows her his tattoos, a beautiful collection of hellish images. “That’s me.” He snatches the paper from her hands and stuffs it back in his pockets, in its proper place.
“I wrote a story once for school,” begins Dolly. “I heard how much Mrs. Wilson loved Lizzy’s stories about unicorns and princesses and how she gave her stories an extra stamp in our journals. I tried making a story about something like that, but I got stuck. I asked my mom for help writing it because I didn’t know what to do… I didn’t get that extra stamp. Sometimes it’s better to do your own thing.”
Harley looks at Dolly with a newfound respect in those words.
“Thanks kid.”
Dolly smiles and picks up her red ball to leave, while Harley picks up his guitar and begins strumming a tune. Harley un-crumples the piece of paper and reads it over, a grin.
“Hey, Dolly!” he shouts, she looks back in surprise, “Wanna hear my song?”
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Short Story Outline
Well. Since I made a promise to myself to start writing more and posting more things on my blog, I figured this could be a good place to upload my step outline for my script and storyboarding class. Before you judge, I promised quantity, not quality. It's a horror outline for my ten page script I'm going to write (hopefully). Here it is:
1.Pickup truck with a trailer crawls to the shore of the lake. Mark Glen and Ellen are setting up for camp during the long weekend
2. Mark goes out to collect firewood for their campfire. A creature is watching Mark, hidden from view.
3.The three friends cook dinner and have a good time.
4. Glen goes out to take a piss in the middle of the night where a creature attacks Glen
5. Mark and Ellen comments on how long mark has been missing and head back to the trailer. The creature attacks the trailer, Mark and Ellen freak out.
6. Mark tries to start the car but faces the creature instead. Creature smashes through the window.
7. Ellen grabs a knife and stab’s the creature’s hands. She keeps the knife in her hands.
8. Mark is wounded badly, they try to run out but the creature is close on their trail. He realizes he can’t go on anymore and begs Ellen to leave him there.
9. Ellen attempts to flee out of the forest by herself. She’s getting tired. She realizes the only way out is by running back to the truck.
10. The creature smells her scent and runs for her
11. Ellen is sees the mangled corpse of Glen and tries to stifle her shocked reaction since the creature is near by. She has to navigate quietly but injures her foot.
12. She makes a last run for the truck and gets in only to realize the keys are missing, Mark was holding it last.
13. She runs back to mark’s body but the creature is there. She hides from view until it nears and stabs it in the chest with the knife.
14. This buys her enough time to grab the keys but she is injured and the creature isn’t far behind.
15. She gets in the car but the creature attacks the door, teeth and claws snarling. She guns it and drives off into the night crying to herself.
I know, this falls into the horror convention of lone woman against the evil monster, but hey, I'm a beginner so let me follow the rules before I break them huh?
1.Pickup truck with a trailer crawls to the shore of the lake. Mark Glen and Ellen are setting up for camp during the long weekend
2. Mark goes out to collect firewood for their campfire. A creature is watching Mark, hidden from view.
3.The three friends cook dinner and have a good time.
4. Glen goes out to take a piss in the middle of the night where a creature attacks Glen
5. Mark and Ellen comments on how long mark has been missing and head back to the trailer. The creature attacks the trailer, Mark and Ellen freak out.
6. Mark tries to start the car but faces the creature instead. Creature smashes through the window.
7. Ellen grabs a knife and stab’s the creature’s hands. She keeps the knife in her hands.
8. Mark is wounded badly, they try to run out but the creature is close on their trail. He realizes he can’t go on anymore and begs Ellen to leave him there.
9. Ellen attempts to flee out of the forest by herself. She’s getting tired. She realizes the only way out is by running back to the truck.
10. The creature smells her scent and runs for her
11. Ellen is sees the mangled corpse of Glen and tries to stifle her shocked reaction since the creature is near by. She has to navigate quietly but injures her foot.
12. She makes a last run for the truck and gets in only to realize the keys are missing, Mark was holding it last.
13. She runs back to mark’s body but the creature is there. She hides from view until it nears and stabs it in the chest with the knife.
14. This buys her enough time to grab the keys but she is injured and the creature isn’t far behind.
15. She gets in the car but the creature attacks the door, teeth and claws snarling. She guns it and drives off into the night crying to herself.
I know, this falls into the horror convention of lone woman against the evil monster, but hey, I'm a beginner so let me follow the rules before I break them huh?
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Setting Some Goals
Alright. First thing's first is to address the idea of discipline. I've been slacking off, ok not really. You can't be slacking off if you weren't working hard in the first place. Since I've started the blog, it was under the impression that writing would become a larger part of my life and it has if only by a significantly small amount. I haven't really written anything I felt was really decent but that's not the problem.
The problem is I haven't gotten around to writing any pieces of fiction. Plenty of Brainstorming but not enough with completing things. So from here on out, I'm going to be writing on this blog at least once a week. Sometimes it'll be a short story, sometimes a movie review. Mostly just random ramblings of an internet nerd.
Once a week...
Let's see how easy it is to break that promise.
The problem is I haven't gotten around to writing any pieces of fiction. Plenty of Brainstorming but not enough with completing things. So from here on out, I'm going to be writing on this blog at least once a week. Sometimes it'll be a short story, sometimes a movie review. Mostly just random ramblings of an internet nerd.
Once a week...
Let's see how easy it is to break that promise.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Words To Live By From Steve Jobs
I recently came upon this quote while, as per usual, I was wasting time away on the internet looking for writing tips, movies, Hollywood and the like and it is something that I think is exceptionally profound.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.
The quote came from the Whole Earth catalogue, and was made famous by Steve Jobs in his 2005 commencement speech for Stanford Graduates,; advice that could never be more true. I like the simple four words and the message it evokes and it is something that I fear many of us will never truly understand or are too afraid to live by. We are arguably, animals of instinct, and as such have our minds set on just one goal: safety; or security, both are loosely the same thing in modern terms.
Here I dissected the words to what it means to me:
Stay Hungry
Never become too complacent, always be curious and never settle for just what you have. Look for more to learn, more to be, educate and be educated. Never believe you have quenched your thirst for knowledge and never think that you have learned all there is to learn.
Stay Foolish
Be foolish enough to pursue those crazy ideas that everyone else is too afraid to chase. Hell Steve Jobs did it, Bill Gates did it, and even George Lucas did it. Without these guys to take that foolish leap of faith to pursue thier passions, our world would have been a completely different place. Don't look at the odds and be defeated, dream to become the exception and work towards becoming it. Don't allow fear and logic control your actions, sometimes you just have to follow your gut and your heart.
We are led to believe that success is determined by the size of your paycheck and the prestige of the job, but that's no way to live. Life is too short and too important to follow the sheep and do the things everyone else is doing or are striving for. Why not venture out of the group a little and discover things most miss out on? Even if the grass isn't greener on the otherside, you at least know first hand that is isn't. I guess the underlying theme of those words is "know what you want", discover your passion and pursue it, whatever it may be and however crazy it sounds because life is never steady and same, it ebbs and flows and the things you least expected to happen may just happen, you just won't know until you try.
I'm reminded of another quote though I'm not particularly sure where it came from: Nothing worth doing is ever easy. So to those in college who think that it is THE door towards finding a good job and an easy life, think about this. People don't go to college to find financial security though it is part of the equation, they do it to learn and follow their passions but especially to follow the passion. They take that foolish leap of faith, sometimes dropping out in order to chase a dream like Jobs or Gates, but they have the stuff that I fear few too many don't. The ability to take risks. Be willing to grow some thick skin when the shit hits the fan and all you have are the clothes on your back. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.
Remember, you don't have to be an Ivy League graduate to change the world, you just have to believe in yourself. Don't live to dream, dream to live. Those are my words, and to whomever took their time to read this only to find out what a waste it was, that's four minutes you won't get back anyways so stop complaining. Don't dwell on it, you got more important things to do.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.
The quote came from the Whole Earth catalogue, and was made famous by Steve Jobs in his 2005 commencement speech for Stanford Graduates,; advice that could never be more true. I like the simple four words and the message it evokes and it is something that I fear many of us will never truly understand or are too afraid to live by. We are arguably, animals of instinct, and as such have our minds set on just one goal: safety; or security, both are loosely the same thing in modern terms.
Here I dissected the words to what it means to me:
Stay Hungry
Never become too complacent, always be curious and never settle for just what you have. Look for more to learn, more to be, educate and be educated. Never believe you have quenched your thirst for knowledge and never think that you have learned all there is to learn.
Stay Foolish
Be foolish enough to pursue those crazy ideas that everyone else is too afraid to chase. Hell Steve Jobs did it, Bill Gates did it, and even George Lucas did it. Without these guys to take that foolish leap of faith to pursue thier passions, our world would have been a completely different place. Don't look at the odds and be defeated, dream to become the exception and work towards becoming it. Don't allow fear and logic control your actions, sometimes you just have to follow your gut and your heart.
We are led to believe that success is determined by the size of your paycheck and the prestige of the job, but that's no way to live. Life is too short and too important to follow the sheep and do the things everyone else is doing or are striving for. Why not venture out of the group a little and discover things most miss out on? Even if the grass isn't greener on the otherside, you at least know first hand that is isn't. I guess the underlying theme of those words is "know what you want", discover your passion and pursue it, whatever it may be and however crazy it sounds because life is never steady and same, it ebbs and flows and the things you least expected to happen may just happen, you just won't know until you try.
I'm reminded of another quote though I'm not particularly sure where it came from: Nothing worth doing is ever easy. So to those in college who think that it is THE door towards finding a good job and an easy life, think about this. People don't go to college to find financial security though it is part of the equation, they do it to learn and follow their passions but especially to follow the passion. They take that foolish leap of faith, sometimes dropping out in order to chase a dream like Jobs or Gates, but they have the stuff that I fear few too many don't. The ability to take risks. Be willing to grow some thick skin when the shit hits the fan and all you have are the clothes on your back. Nothing worth doing is ever easy.
Remember, you don't have to be an Ivy League graduate to change the world, you just have to believe in yourself. Don't live to dream, dream to live. Those are my words, and to whomever took their time to read this only to find out what a waste it was, that's four minutes you won't get back anyways so stop complaining. Don't dwell on it, you got more important things to do.
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