Screenwriter John August writes why it’s important to have a general education before a specialized one and why Ron Weasley is more than likely illiterate.

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(I hope I can get through this without falling asleep, I’m starting to get blurred vision.  Though FINALLY a semi-valid excuse for typos)

So, what did I do to occupy my time?  Mostly, peed a lot ¹ and watched movies.  The movie selection wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.  I ended up seeing a couple semi-new-ish movies that I had been curious about and a couple I didn’t really have an opinion on one way or the other (until now).

My List (in viewing order, may contain spoilers)

1. The Joneses
2. Precious
3. The Bounty Hunter
4. Babies
5. Just Wright

The Joneses

I like clever plays on popular memes and Demi Moore, so this wasn’t a bad pick for my first choice.  If I only knew it was setting the tone for the mediocrity for my following inflight experience.

“Stealth Marketing” is the name of the game where Demi Moore and David Duchonvy along with two teens form a fake family who are paid to move into a neighborhood and advertise various trends by being really really cool.  Look at my sweet Audi and new phone and awesome clothes, you should buy them too, look how happy they make us, we’re the perfect family. Etcetera.

It was a decent premise and a good enough story that was actually a lot more dramatic than I would have pegged, however, it copped out in the end by taking the easy ‘romance triumphs’ subplot.  I have no problems with such subplots, but it wasn’t really the dramatic question of the movie so I felt it inappropriate.  It wasn’t “Will Mulder get with Ashton’s wife” but “can the rookie perform and the fake family achieve the status that they all so desperately want?”  Or something to that effect.   It’s fine that Mr. Jones realizes in the end that this isn’t the life that he wanted to lead, but him wooing the ice cold Missus with him was a bit lame.  But otherwise enjoyable.

I rank this as ’3′ of the night.  Day.  Something.

Precious

Wow, just wow.  It was as heartbreaking and as beautiful as it promised to be.  The supporting cast was brilliant and Monique played a terrific monster.  It hammered away at my soul for two straight hours, but it was well worth it.

All I have to say is, fine, make her a rape/incest victim, give her two children by her own father, one of which has Downs Syndrome, let her mother physically and verbally abuse her and her children, ² make her illiterate, but then to make her HIV positive to boot?  Wow, movie-makers are jerks.

My favorite of the flight, but only by a hair.

The Bounty Hunter

Whoever would have thought that the movie entitled “The Bounty Hunter” would be romance comedy (and I do use the word “comedy” loosely).

Let’s be frank, this movie was shit.

It went exactly where you would expect it to, just the way you guessed it would – which I’m not necessarily opposed to on principle, but it tried so hard to be funny and wasn’t and the characters were downright unlikeable.  Gerard Butler wins the award for being the silver-screen’s largest douchebag.

Two characters who hate each other and have no chemistry end up together, and for what reason?  Hell if I know.  Butler’s character is clearly a moron.  The couple supposedly got married after six months of dating and they fought the whole time and then got divorced.  There was a reason for that last part.  They were terrible together and though I certainly didn’t know it by watching it, apparently they spent the hour and a half growing reluctantly fond of each other.  You could have fooled me, the only reason I know that is because they kissed in the end.

To make things worse they had a slapstick caricature stalker of Jennifer Aniston’s character and they threw in a ‘dirty cop cover-up scandal’ action subplot to pad out the ninety minutes.

This was the most perfunctory writing and storytelling I have witnessed in a long time, and I have a high tolerance for that sort of thing.

Least favorite of the night.  And I’m Team Aniston.

Babies

Babies! What can I say? This was adorable.  A beautiful documentary that I highly recommend.  It follows for infants (one from Mongolia, Africa, Japan and the USA) for the first year (ish) of their lives.  It has no dialogue and focuses entirely on the babies.  We hardly get glimpses of the parents’ faces at all, it’s all about how the infants interact with their surroundings/world/situation.  Brilliant storytelling and really gripping for two hours worth of babies wallering on the ground.  Everyone go rent it.

This came very close to being my favorite for the night.

Just Wright

Another default Rom Com.  Rich basketball player is injured and unwittingly falls for the tomboy, die-hard fan, who is his physical therapist.  Unoffensive and watchable, plus Queen Latifah.   Though, I could only guess that they got together in the end, we landed right in the middle of Prince Charming’s big speech, so I don’t know Latifah’s answer.  Maybe there was a twist that I didn’t see coming.

Side note, this was the second movie during this marathon that co-starred Paula Patton.  In this film she played Queen Latifah’s sexy gets-all-the-boys cousin and in Precious she played the eponymous characters’ role model and teacher.  God she is hot.

This movie slots happily into number ’4.’

I’m not foreseeing the domestic legs having my own personal television sets, so who knows what I’m in store for on the next leg.

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It was a pretty tough call for me.  On one hand, I’m in no position in my career to be turning down a credit, especially on a feature film.  I have nothing against the film and I wish it success, but it was a small, fairly new company trying to get a low budget comedy up and running.  The likelihood of it turning much profit was slim.  (Maybe it wasn’t, maybe it will go one to rake in oodles.)  Unfortunately, the other hand is that I need to pay rent now, this month, and I can’t take weeks/months of unpaid time because I have enough trouble paying the bills and my credit card off as it is.

It would have been nice to have a credit on that film.  I have a fairly anemic resume at the moment and another feature film could have helped me a lot in getting my next (paid) gig.

So this is what it means to be an adult then; making decisions based on being able to eat opposed to “pursuing a dream.”

Hopefully, next time this sort of thing comes up I will have the cash saved away that I will be able to take the time off, but unfortunately now, my car insurance needs me.

I’ll give it credit, it actually wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.   I can definitely see why people enjoy it.  The average girl gets the adonis forever-young boyfriend.  We get to feel like it is happening to us, or something similar.

The first half of the book was  a decent read.  I have seen the movie (though it was certainly not my favorite of the year) and the first ten chapters or so are a blow by blow of movie, but with more character/relationship development.  The movie had a tendancy to have things occur with very little explanation, if you ask me. It was nice to see that the book could explain most of the decision it made, opposed to leaving the audience guessing. I almost even bought the sparkle part.  (You know the part– that major criticism of the series where the vampires aren’t killed in sunlight so much as they twinkle, like diamonds.)  I’ll give Meyer the benefit of the doubt.  She needed a reason to have the vamps walking around in the day without them going up into smoke.  Something to do with their skin is a logical angle to take, however I can’t help but think that maybe she missed the mark a bit.  Anyway, I digress.

After the heroine Bella and Edward decide that they like each other, they proceed to have the same three conversations for the rest of the book.  They love each other, but he might eat her, he should leave, no he should stay.  Not to mention, for a good five chapters we get nothing but conversations about Edwards backstory.  It was like Meyer thought “oh, we’re half way through the book, when things really should start to move forward– I know, I’ll give eighty pages of exposition!”  That did get almost unbearable.  

I soldiered on and finished though, and I’ll say it’s not the worst book I have ever read in my life, which is something every author wants to hear.  Honestly I think the problem  mostly was that I am not the target audience.  There were hints of cleverness and forethought peppered into the inevitable cliches that I did enjoy, but high school love is not something I’m into.  I don’t know about anyone else, but two teens walking around declaring that they will love each other for all eternity just makes my eyes roll back so hard I can see my brain.

I guess it didn’t hurt that the movie was already out and I knew that I was allowed to imagine RPattz as the leading man.  Despite that he’s a bit squinty for my tastes, he really seems to stir the ladies, which is the whole point of the Edward character’s existance.  I think.

Overall, I don’t understand the phenomenon of the book.  But, I guess that’s what makes it phenomenon, ay? However, the outcome could have been a lot worse.  I see myself completing the series, just to see how it turns out. Since the series is written for the average high school cheerleader, I think that it won’t take me long to get through them.  I’m lucky that the books already exist, because I don’t think I would have to patience and followthrough to wait for the next installment to be published.  Team RPattz for the win.

A side note.  I also just finished  The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs.  It was an entirely delightful read about a man who decides he is going to take everything in the bible literally for a year.  One can imagine the hijinks that ensue.  His poor wife… I know that you would never know by the proportion of my comments of this book to the former, but if you have to choose a book to pick up, pick up this one.

Yes, folks, you remember that depressing play about the angsty Scandanavian and his ill-fated family?  There is now a sequel, thanks to the outer dregs high school drama teacher, Dana Marschz.

Okay, so not really.  It’s a movie, but not the actual sequel to the famous Shakespeare tragedy.  Marschz, as portrayed by Steve Coogan, is a failed actor turned high school drama teacher, who lives to aspire to inspire hoodlums into loving drama — and fails horribly.  In order to save the schools drama program, Marschz decides to write and produce an original play, the musical sequel to Hamlet that will right the sad wrongs of the original work.

To be honest, I liked the movie more in theory than in practice.  The trailer looks absolutely hilarious and after all the controversy of “will it or won’t it be released”  I was expecting much more.  Granted, it did have it’s moments, and there were times that I did make out-loud chuckling sounds in the general direction of the TV screen.  I think it’s main problem was that it was pulling into too many directions at once, leaving random stand-alone gags, opposed to fulfilling, paid off humor.  Much like the main character, it was trying just a little to hard.

However, and this is a BIG however, I still recommend you to go see it.  After an hour and a half-funny, half-not, film, we finally get to see the stage production of Hamlet 2, complete with musical numbers.  The payoff of the last ten minutes is so utterly hilarious and enjoyable that it is worth watching the entire movie for.  I can’t say more than that, because I think you shouldn’t have any expectations of what you’re about to see.  However, I will leave you with this; Elizabeth Shue in nurse’s outfit and Sexy Sexy Jesus.

And scene.

Fandango describes it briefly, and not by doing it any favors, like this:

Writer/director John August ponders the metaphysical aspects of life and art in an episodic allegory that follows three artists as they embark on a soul searching journey of fate versus free will. When a troubled actor is placed under house arrest in “The Prisoner,” his imagination begins to run wild due to the fact that his spirited publicist and cynical neighbor provide his only link to the outside world. Later, after the planes of reality fold in on themselves during the production of a Project Greenlight-style show which documents the filming of a popular sitcom in “Reality Television,” “Knowing” follows a successful video game designer and his family as they become stranded in the middle of nowhere due to automotive issues. Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, and Melissa McCarthy star in a drama that peels back the layers of reality to ask whether or not mankind really has any control over his ultimate fate. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

 The movie is broken down into three completely different parts, requiring the three stars to play completely different roles.  This is where the movie surprised me.  I’m going to have to give props to Ryan Reynolds and Melissa McCarthy. ² Ryan Reynolds has become known for his comedic rom-coms and fluffy comedies and Mellissa McCarthy isn’t even on many people’s radars to be cast as a leading lady.   Both of these actors I have seen in various movies and television shows where I was never unimpressed by them but never really gave them a second thought afterwards either, however in this movie I was actively impressed by both of their acting chops.  

It wasn’t hard to get lost in their performances and forget that it’s the same people playing entirely different roles.  Ryan Reynolds goes from playing a shallow, dense, actor in the first part to giving a layered portrayal of a gay showrunner in the second part and then a completely different performance as a nurturing father in the third.  My words do it no justice, I promise.  There is no way that I can describe Ryan Reynolds change in inflection from character to character or how Melissa McCarthy is able to play herself in one segment without looking like a self-aware tool.    This of course has a lot to do with the script’s characterization and John August’s direction, but there was definitely a reason he cast the way he did.

Though the plot of the film is good, it might not be for everyone, however, it is not difficult to give a solid recommendation on performance alone.  Next time you’re in Blockbuster, rent The Nines.

And we got him.  Cue stunningly artistic shot of Obama-look-alike on the podium.

I can’t wait to see the sequel.

When writing a movie, I think writer’s are often out to create a script that “changes people’s lives forever.”  I guess this is either because they want an Oscar or they are just blinded by their own pretension.  It can go either way really. I agree with Mr. August that there are many profoundly inspiring movies, but I don’t think that’s necessarily because the writer started out with that goal in mind.

I think that it is very easy to forget about the story we want to tell.  We spend so much time toiling over the bureaucracy of structure, ¹ the turmoil of the craft and the creation of the subtle, yet well-honed message that we forget about making a good story.  I vote that here and now is the perfect oppurtunity to knock down the walls of pretension and just let ourselves be swept away by the utter enjoyment of being completely entertained by story.

I’m not saying that all movies have to become fluff or lack substance (or subtext).  SciFi movies are known for being  commentary on our actual society, but you don’t feel like there’s propaganda being hammered into your skull for two hours straight. It’s just that, without story there is no film.  Period.

Story is good.

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Math class is boring as hell.  There are only 10 different numbers that you can put together in various combinations, but there are 26 letters that you can assemble to make much more interesting ones.  You fall asleep in History class because, frankly, the stories in your head are a lot more interesting then the one you’re reading about in a textbook.  Something deep inside of you tells you that you are destined for something else, but common sense says “shut the hell up.”   So, after scratching a many idea onto diner napkins, a few people that hold a certain amount of sway in your book say “Hey, you can write!”  To which you reply with a grunt of some sort, nah, but then for some reason you find yourself enrolled in a Screenwriting course of some fashion.

The man lecturing you is a burly man, with mucho body hair, and has a down to earth yet holier than thou aura about him.  You feel the need to both reject every thing he says to you while simultaneously soaking it up.  He prattles on about the elusive “Three Act Structure.”  This is something you must know if you are to ever write a successful screenplay and as he continues on about innercaves and midpoints and elixirs, you think obviously, this does not apply to me, for I am a natural talent not bound by silly mortal rules.

Then you find yourself stuck on page thirty two.  So fine, you pick up a book on screenwriting and once again this three act structure dealio comes up.  It’s worded slightly different, but you aren’t fooled, you’re a cunning one you are, and it’s most certainly another theory on the the Three Act Structure and to be perfectly honest, it makes no more sense to you than when your writing guru was trying to explain it to you a week ago. Being the persistant hero that you are, you continue reading various books and watching “Hero Journey” movie examples like Star Wars and The Matrix.

Just before you are about to give up and go back to your old ways of writing in circles, this structure stuff clicks.  You’re not sure why, but it does.  You suddenly understand what that Vogler guy mean by “elixir” and what “Saving the Cat” is all about.  You can’t explain it, but now you have all this power floating around in your head, and you are going to use it for good.

ACT II

For all your hard work, you finally get to coast.  Planning out stories has never been easier.  You know where the story starts and where it has to end up.  It’s awesome.  It’s like a weight has been lifted off of you.  As you flex your muscles, you are able to see the Hero’s Journey in every movie you watch. ¹  You can now construct and deconstruct at the same time!  Life was never better and you start to think wow, I’m really going to make it as a screenwriter.

Then one day, this three acts thing hit you like a ton of bricks and you can’t get out from underneath it.  You start to ask why did you bring this curse upon yourself?  You start to long for the days where you could just write a script — or at least watch a movie — without having to think about what step you’re at.  You have an awesome first act written but for some reason you can’t figure out how to set up Act II so that you can go into the innermost of the innermost caves. ²What will be the sword?  What will be the ultimate Elixir? You don’t know, and honestly, you have no idea how caves and boons have to do with your romance comedy.  

You go back to your burly lecturer and ask him to solve your problems.  Well, he can’t.  Only you can.  He says you must learn and then you must forget.  What the…  He’s cryptic and annoying.  So you take your stack of paper and go back to your laptop.

But you plow through. Then the next three attempts at story you’ve hand in are rigid and formulaic.  Just like you expected.

What is a screenwriter to do?  You win some, and you lose some.  You may be able to write a text book satisfactory story but you seem to have lost all sense of originality.

So you say, screw you three act structure! You betrayed me with your false promises and now I’m going back to how I was.  But you can’t. Something is missing.  You try to write but there’s always a sense of longing that you can’t get past.  And the montage music just won’t shut up.

But then a glimmer of hope…

Act III

You pick up one of the screenwriting books that you have been using as a table leveler for the last several weeks.  It brings back good memories of discipline and structure.  You smile to yourself as you flip through the pages.  And realize, Three Act Structure is not the enemy, neither is the Hero’s Journey.

As it turns out you had the message all wrong. Three Act Structure is a only a tool.  When examining a draft (or writing one) you look at it and think hm, something is missing and that’s where the Structure is comes in.  Allow me to explain.  It dawns on you that in the middle of your script, there needs to be a change of some sort.  A big kick in the nuts.  Otherwise what are you building too?  You always want your story to be taking new and unexpected turns, and halfway through seems to be a good a place as any.  So what’s the best middle of your story?  Take a step back.  Look at your story as a whole.  Where is the story most likely to end up?  Take your cue from there, because as Michael Hauge asked in his Screenplay Mastery seminar, “How do you know if you’re halfway done with a marathon if you don’t even know where the finish line is?”

Story structure isn’t a template, it’s a guide.  Use it as a tool to help you when you’re stuck or to get the ball rolling, but don’t rely on it solely to tell your story.  Ultimately your instinct is what’s going to make the best story possible, but there’s nothing wrong with asking for help along the way.

So there, you return to your world, having it changed forever… and hopefully for the better.

The End. Roll Credits.

If you are interested in learning a bit more about the Three Act Structure and/or The Hero’s Journey, there are so many talented people with their own takes on the idea(s).  Browse and see which one is most accessible to you.  And if you don’t like any of them 100%, that’s fine, do what I do, and mix and match.  ³

Joseph Campbell started it all with his book Hero with a Thousand Faces.  Though, when he wrote this, cinema wasn’t around yet, but it’s where most of the other story-tellers get their ideas from.

Chris Vogler took Cambell’s book an rand with it and adapted the Hero’s Journey in The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers.

Syd Field has THE go-to book on screenwriting.  Screenplay is one of the first and still most widely used book on the craft.

Blake Campbell has an interesting and accessible take on the Hero’s Journey in his book Save the Cat (and followup book Save the Cat Goes to the Movies).  This book takes out a lot of pretension and puts the How-To book in Laymen’s terms, which I find helpful to newcomers.

These days good advice isn’t just limited to the dead tree variety.   John August and Alex Epstein both have incredibly helpful and informative blogs about screenwriting, most of which are inspired by reader’s personal questions.  Epstein has also written two books Crafty Screenwriting and Crafty TV Writing.

Last but not least, Michael Hauge is worth checking out if he is ever conducting a seminar near you.  He also has authored a couple books and has videos of his presentations available at his website.

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