Advice For Starting Your Screenplay

Starting your screenplay is difficult. There are so many reasons not to. You need to check Facebook, you need to convince yourself you have a lung disease on WEB M.D, you need to eat a sandwich, you need to think about the sandwich you've eaten, you need to make phone calls.

Beginning the process of writing is hard, it really is. And there are many tools and tricks you can try, in the hope they'll spur you into action. But for me, there is only one way of really starting. And you can use this phrase as a mantra. I promise you, if you use it, it will work every time.

SIT DOWN

SHUT UP

WRITE

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It Comes In Threes - Mourning The Loss Of Hollywood Legends

I was in a car last night with my parents and my Brother, when I read about the sad passing of Arthur Penn who directed 'Bonnie & Clyde,' an iconic and important film in the history of cinema. This, of course, coming straight off the back of the unexpected death of film editor Sally Menke.

As I read out the article about Arthur Penn, I said to my family - "I wonder who's next, this always happens in threes."

And then this morning I read that actor Tony Curtis had died, aged 85. The death of Curtis being even more moving for me because he starred in one of my all time favorite films, 'Some Like It Hot,' and was one of the few remaining men from an era I long for.

The natural thing on news websites, blogs and social networks is to mourn the loss of the people who created things we loved - often forgetting that the real loss is for the friends and families of these people. So on the crazy off chance a relative of Sally, Arthur or Tony should ever read this blog - we are all immensely sorry for your loss -- from what we could tell, they were all wonderful people.

But what we know is their art - and for these three individuals, their contributions were immense. 'Bonnie & Clyde' is a landmark in the history of cinema, and has influenced thousands of films since, 'Some Like It Hot' managed something that only about three films in the history of cinema have; it warmed, inspired and excited every generation that came after it, and remains today as the greatest comedy film of all time. And then there's Sally Menke, a name that perhaps is only getting the recognition she deserves after death. Tarantino always knew how important she was, as did Tarantino's die-hard fans -- but now she's getting the praise she no doubt deserves. Tarantino is a once in a generation master -- but now it's become very apparent;underneath all the bloodshed and violence, was a woman steering the ship home, with an editing style that not only helped shape Tarantino's style; it really defined it.

Despite the very very very sad loss of these three amazing people - I feel inspired. Inspired by what a life can be, by what a person can do in the world and what they can leave behind. These are three names that nobody is going to forget.

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We Love You Sally - A Poignant Video About SALLY MENKE

From behind the scenes of Quentin Tarantino's 'Death Proof,' is this video about Sally Menke. When I first saw this, it was funny and amusing. Upon watching it now, it's strangely relevant and moving.

RIP

SALLY MENKE

1953-2010

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A 30 Sentence Kid In The Front Row Story, by 28 Authors.

Here's the deal; I'm going to write part 1 and part 30 of a story. Parts 2 through 29 will be written by other bloggers. I'm nominating the wonderful Manda at Memoirs Of A Word Nerd to write part 2, and then she will nominate someone else to write part 3, and so on, until the 29th person links back to me for the end of the story.

So here's the story so far:

1. Jane never expected to visit Belarus, but it was the only possible solution after what had happened.

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30. The three of them left as quickly as they could and vowed never to return again, especially if Jane was in town.

Keep an eye out for part 2, over at Memoirs Of A Word Nerd. And expect the full story back here soon!

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No Movie Kid

I'm not really watching any films at the moment. It's not like I don't have the time, I do, but with that time - the things I am doing are not watching movies. I don't even have an interest in going to the cinema.

I think I'm different to most of my film-obsessed friends in this way. I am able to let go of it sometimes. Not just let go, sometimes I'm not interested. I guess I need a break; sometimes when you watch six films when you have a free day, that can't be totally good for you!

What's happening more as I get older (wow, I've started saying 'as I get older.' Don't expect wisdom) is that I don't identify with my interests so much. Sure, I love Charlie Chaplin, but I can not react when somebody says something incorrect about him, I can listen and enjoy that someone thinks 'Mamma Mia' is amazing without needing to rip it to pieces. I am able to have people say "You are not a real film fan if you don't watch movies every day!" They could be wrong, they could be right -- it doesn't really matter. I'm just living and breathing and creating and watching movies and not creating and not watching movies. Definitions like film geek, film fan, film snob, etc, they're just labels right?

Sometimes it's really freeing. I remember when I was younger, and there was a film I hadn't seen -- someone would say, "have you seen Léon?" and if I hadn't, I'd feel like a failure, like I didn't know films, like they'd think less of me if I hadn't. I still sometimes feel that impulse now when someone says "Did you love Inception? Did you? Did you understand it?" - I could feel completely diminished by their superiority. Except, they don't have any superiority. It's just a movie. Maybe you got it. Maybe you didn't. It doesn't matter.

The term 'Kid In The Front Row' was, I figured, just a cool term about being like a kid who loves movies. But the more I grow into the blog, the more I feel like it's about an attitude, a way of approaching films. And it's about doing it on your own terms. About how you really feel. On a simple level, it's about watching 'Mamma Mia' nine times in four days if you want to, it's about watching Jimmy Stewart with a loved one at 2am and feeling the world is fucking fantastic. But it's also about not watching movies. It's about loving movies, not about loving that you love movies, or loving that people think you love movies.

Essentially, movies are just movies. They're things that capture life, and inspire life, but they aren't life. And if they are, they're one minuscule part of it. Right now, I have nothing to say about movies and I'm loving every second of it.

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