Saturday, 2 January 2010

Everything I've ever had to say in a nutshell. Looking back at 2009.

I generally try to write positive stuff about how wonderful everything is, but it's often to mask the true pain of your creative baby slipping away. But then when someone like Michael Jackson dies and leaves an endless supply of his art behind, you get reminded of why you do what you do. And the magical thing is that, even on a bad day, if you keep your eyes open, you'll find talent everywhere. And that's when you realize you really are a writer, and you start to really define why.

And then you start to get really inspired. You see Chaplin's 'Modern Times' and you see Darabont's 'Shawshank Redemption' - and you start to wonder what impact you can have on the world. But to do that, you realize you really need to work out who you are, and the best way to do that is to explore your childhood. And if that's not enough, then you can look into the heartbreaking yet life-defining thing that being a teenager is.

Then there's the film industry itself, crazy thing that it is. Sometimes you just need to completely detach yourself from it, especially when you're surrounded by actors with inflated egos. but then you have to feel sorry for the actors, because nobody knows where their footage is.

But you can't be without those actors for too long because before you know it they'll start producing their own work especially when they find out how to make a film on a zero budget

I think we should take a few brief moments to look at hot women.

Sometimes when the filmmaking gets a bit stressful you can focus on more important things, like how you can sneak things into the cinema (albeit food, not guns or Christmas decorations. I tried to ask someone in the industry about this, but instead Jake Pushinsky just wanted an interview about film editing.

For a brief while I stopped filmmaking and then became the world's biggest expert on dream interpretation. And then, using my new therapy like skills I then taught the world about tea addiction.

Despite these distractions - eventually it came time to focus on my true love - Natalie Portman. Sorry, I mean screenwriting. But first I had to deal with that annoying lack of confidence and it made me realize than rather than writing what other people want you should just BE YOURSELF -- and if all else fails, then you can use my alternative, and dare I say original ways of overcoming writers block.

And then the year ended.

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Sunday, 20 December 2009

Brittany Murphy - and her performance in 'Spun'

Brittany Murphy really stood out for me in 'Spun' - a film I saw on a whim one night with two of my friends. I remember us getting to the cinema, having no idea what to see, and settling on Spun, knowing nothing about it. I also remember that we were alone in the cinema - and guess where we sat? You guessed it, in the front row. In fact, we sat on the floor - leaning back on the front row seats, and staring up at the screen. Murphy's performance really got me.


Murphy is great in it because she gets to be funny, attractive, unattractive, insane, silly, weird. She gets to be many things. The film was full of over-acting, but within the context of the film, it worked. Murphy was the best of the bunch (along with Mickey Rourke, one of my favourite roles of his).

I also found Brittany extremely sexy, despite her being completely fucked out of her head on drugs and looking completely rough for most of the movie. She pulled it off. Or maybe I just like them battered, rough, and high as a kite.


And it's a shame, because she never captured me in the same way again, acting-wise or sexy-wise.. and I don't really know where she's been the last few years. Whenever I did see her she looked pretty thin, unhealthily so - and I've not seen her on the screen in quite a while.

RIP Brittany Murphy.

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Friday, 18 December 2009

I Guess It's Christmas Coming Down

I'm signing off - have a bitchin' Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'll be back in 2010. I need a break from the filmmaking malarkey, film blogging malarkey, and other things, malarkey-wise.

It's been great. Last Christmas, the Kid In The Front Row didn't exist. I mean, I did exist, I don't mean I'm less than a year old. But my blog is. Yet, here you all are, readers, bloggers, filmmakers, lurkers, stalkers. Thanks for sticking around. It makes me feel loved and wanted, which is why I'm abandoning you all for the Holidays. I'm cold like that.




Have a Jimmy Stewart kind of Christmas (I don't mean suicidal, jumping off a bridge, I mean everything else.)

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Thursday, 17 December 2009

Screenwriting Festival Winner!


The Kid In The Front Row Screenwriting Festival 2009

BEST SCREENPLAY

Patrick O'Riley
'Hypo-Whatever'

Thank you to all who submitted. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of entries - each script had original ideas and distinct voices of the writers. It fills me with joy to know there is talent out there capable of doing such exciting work under such strict conditions! You should all be very proud.

Patrick's script, 'Hypo-Whatever' showed some real imagination and originality - where the idea came from, I have no idea. With his permission, I'll be posting the screenplay very soon.

Also, when I get a chance - I will talk more about the other entrants and dish out a few awards - but right now, let's all congratulate Patrick on a well-paced, funny and dramatic script.

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Tuesday, 15 December 2009

My Views On Life Expressed Through Movies #1

Scarlett Johannson - On How It Really Doesn't Matter.


JOHN
Would you-- Would you
please stop smoking?

CHARLOTTE
I like to.
I don't really smoke that much.

JOHN
It's just so bad for you,
though.

CHARLOTTE
Well, I'll stop later.

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