Lisa Franek
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Choices, Part 2

5/8/2013

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Picture
Not too long ago, I started talking about how I make certain choices when I program movies. It has to do with the actors, and it has to do with the photography.

And it has to do with the writing. Sometimes I watch movies and think that the writer is some sort of evil genius because they seem to be inside my head, writing exactly what I want to hear, even though I don't know I wanted to hear it. The first season of Dexter did that. Mad Men does that.

Then there's the other kind of movie. The kind that has half-formed characters reciting ridiculousness that has you rolling your eyes so often you think you might have seen your brain at one point. Transformers gave me lots of glances at my own grey matter. So did Avatar.

Most stuff lies right in the middle. The stuff at the ends is easier to spot. But the thing about writing is that it's not what is written that is genius. It's the stuff that isn't written. The stuff that characters say without talking: the subtext. Good subtext makes a move great. It can also be very difficult to write, because oftentimes, people write their own lines in those pregnant pauses, and that's not always that the original writer intended. But in a way, that's okay. If someone is willing to invest enough in a character to imagine what's going on in their head, then the writer has accomplished something.

And yet, it's not all about the writer. What's written isn't always what you see. As writing guru Robert McKee says, "Don't mistake words for writing..." (see video here) Actors take what writers write, then make it real. Good actors make it better than it was before. So in the end, what you see on the screen is really just the essence of what was written.

Lastly, writing screenplays is now turning a corner that doesn't really bode well for some. As with most industries, the powers that be are always looking for 'the sure thing' (no one told them that doesn't really exist). In order to find that sure thing, many in Hollywood have turned to fancy analysts, who comb through scripts (at a mighty hefty price, I might add) and suggest changes to the story that will make it more marketable, popular, or whatever it is that makes it the most money possible.

So, you can listen to the analysts, but there are also numerous gurus and experts that have about a bazillion tips and tricks for writing the best script possible. I'm guessing that the real thing is having a great idea, but being able to express it and tell a great story definitely has to happen. Here's guru John Truby with lots to say.

What is the best writing you remember in a movie? How about the worst?

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Comic-Con 2011

7/24/2011

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So yesterday I decided to have a little fun and roll on down to Comic-con. I've never been, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Whatever I expected, it was a whole lot to take in. First off, it's true: there are tons of people dressed up in elaborate costumes that you know they didn't just throw together the night before. The two below were my favorites:
There are also a ton of panels, discussions, and sneak peaks. In truth, it's nearly impossible to make any sort of battle plan for what you want to see and do because there's just too much. It's overwhelming. At any given time of day, there's at least 10 different things you could go to, if you can get in, that is. I guess if there's a down side to the whole thing, that would be it. Aside from being a convention for comics (and movies), it's a convention of lines. Lines everywhere. Lines that are so long, they have special volunteers to tell you where the end is, where it continues (across the hall, outside, etc), and when to stop to let other traffic through. Lines that are so long, you might not even get to the end of it. But fear not, there's always something else if you can't get in to what you wanted.

I happened to see Francis Ford Coppola unveil what he's thinking with his new movie "Twixt". I'm not sure what to think of the movie, but I do know that this man's enthusiasm for his work is practically palpable, and definitely contagious. I walked out of there thinking about my own work and it's possibilities.

Also saw a couple of TV pilots that are coming this year. It will be interesting to see how they do. One is a JJ Abrams project, so we'll see where it goes. It seems like everything that guy does turns to gold, or at least silver. I think my takeaway from watching these pilots is that it seems like they're trying to mix comedy and horror, which is an uneasy match at best. Not that the shows aren't interesting. It just seems odd to go from cracking jokes to killing from one sentence to the next.

Lastly, I saw some famous people. I'm not one for chasing people down for autographs or pictures, mostly because I can be very lazy and very shy when it comes to stuff like that. However, I did run into a couple of my favorite Fringe characters: Walter (played by John Noble) and Olivia (played by Anna Torv). They were nice enough to let me have a photo.

So that's about it. The last thing, is that during the whole time I was there, I kept thinking that maybe next year I'll be able to come back with my film. Magicians and Comic-con go together like cookies and milk.

By the way, we only have a few weeks left for our fundraising campaign, so please help us in any way you can.
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Photos used under Creative Commons from GotCredit, Thomas Leth-Olsen, Celestine Chua, Found Animals, procsilas, numberstumper, George Vnoucek, Leyram Odacrem, One Way Stock, hardi_wb, Rennett Stowe, quinet, rashanahb, rich701, mayrpamintuan, Gavin St. Ours, Aimee Custis, ilovememphis, ikewinski, Môsieur J. [version 8.0], Darwin Bell, Ack Ook