The 'Thinking' Stage
It's the one I'm in at the moment. I tend to be at my most prolific when I'm like this--- there's a constant stream of ideas bustling forth impatiently. I don't sleep very much and I can't really relax. I'm not really entering my imagination much-- the ideas just seem to be there, popping into my brain. It's as if my subconscious has been working on some ideas and proposals and now it's just printing them out, one after the other, and I have plenty of things to choose from.
The things I write/create in this state tend to be pretty good quality, but not my best; and often just a rehash of something I've done previously.
'The Dreaming Stage'
This is wonderful, when I can access it. When it's turned on I can just drift off into thought and imagine a new world. It can be a dream where I let go and am taken on a surprising journey by my mind, or it can be a purposeful journey I take; but I see it so vividly. When I imagine something in this state, I can see and feel everything and everyone in it. I write at my best in this state-- whether it's a screenplay or story or blog. But I have to be quick to capture it, because it soon fades.
'The Instant Flash Stage'
I'll just be walking down the road, and it's like a voice suddenly goes BOOM and says "Film idea! A murderer is proven innocent due to clocks going back an hour, meaning he was arrested thirty minutes before he committed the crime," or whatever, and I'll just KNOW I have to write it.
It might seem similar to the thinking stage-- but the thinking stage is more of a stream of so-so ideas. This stage, it's just a flash of something distinct and certain, and it is always something I find to be appealing to write. I think it's normally random and comedic when this happens, too. I'm not totally sure where the flashes come from but, I don't need to know. But they NEVER come when I'm thinking of writing or of ideas.
---There are other stages, I'll try and capture them and explain them when I experience them, if you find this interesting? Let me know!
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
SUBMARINE With My Friend PETE
So, we sat in our seats. Okay, they're not our seats, they belong to the cinema. I knew this because, when I own a seat, it doesn't smell of piss and popcorn. Anyway;
The trailers are on. We're watching. But the projection is awful. Look at the diagram. Not good right? At least, I didn't think so. Look at the blue rectangle in my image; awful. What the hell?
So I go outside to talk to the helpful cinema dude.
THE KID
The projection is fucked up. It's all kind of pushed to the right, it's a mess.
HELPFUL DUDE
Huh?
THE KID
It don't look right.
HELPFUL DUDE
Okay.
At this point he just kind of stares.
THE KID
Can you do something?
HELPFUL DUDE
I'll have a look.
He comes in, he takes a look. He sees it sucks.
HELPFUL DUDE
Okay, I'll let them know.
THE KID
Thanks.
So the movie starts. And it's still messed up. But everyone else is munching on popcorn, sitting in their piss seats, and texting their mistresses. Nobody gives a damn. Even my friend Pete is sitting there happily. I stormed out into the place where the helpful dude was standing around waiting to tear small pieces of paper in half.
THE KID
What's happening with the thing?
HELPFUL DUDE
Is it not fixed?
THE KID
No.
HELPFUL DUDE
I told them.
THE KID
Great, but could something be done?
HELPFUL DUDE
I'll have another look.
He comes into the screen again. He looks at it. He has a weird, bland, spaced out look that I can't fully describe.
HELPFUL DUDE
Is it not meant to be like that?
THE KID
Maybe. It is an arthouse flick.
HELPFUL DUDE
Oh okay.
THE KID
I'm joking; look--- can't you just get the projectionist to move the image or something?
HELPFUL DUDE
Apparently this film isn't full screen so it's okay.
THE KID
(defeated)
Okay, whatever.
Your Big Break In The Industry
"There's people around who tell you that they know
The places where they send you, and it's easy to go
They'll zip you up and dress you down
Stand you in a row
But you know you don't have to
You can just say no"
-Big Star
The minute you have talent, they tell you what to do with it, where to go. They say "you could make a living directing commercials," they tell you "you should get your breasts out on screen, that's how you make it", they tell you "you have to give us your script because we're the only people who will make it."
But you get to choose. When you're starting out, you're at your strongest, because you're you. You're doing your thing. And the minute you have something they can strip down and turn into profit, they'll be onto you. And they'll call it your big break.
The big break isn't what you think it is. You shouldn't try to skip the journey you're on. It's like blogging. You guys come here because you like what I do. But the minute I have a sponsored article saying that I love 7-Up, you'll know I've lost that one thing I have going for me. Right now, this blog could end up being anything. Five years from now it could be the best film blog out there, or it could be a specialist blog focusing only on The Apartment, who knows! It's exciting. But if I did a deal with Suite101.com to post their content in exchange for $0.06 per word, you'd all see me differently. And I'd lose the unique thing this blog has, just like yours does. We have ourselves, and who we are, and it's the strongest thing we own. But when you give it away, it's gone.
I'm not talking about taking jobs for the pay cheque. I'm realistic enough to realise that none of us have any money and we need to get paid. But I'm saying, don't give up your dreams, don't sell your babies, just because you're worried about dying. Some idiot producer who wants to give you $50 to buy your screenplay because "it'll get you recognized" is not your journey, neither is starring in some softcore porn film because the director says he has "contacts." You all know this, it's obvious, but I think sometimes we need to remind each other. Commit to doing the work that you're proud of; the work that made you want to do this in the first place. It's hard -- and fifteen years after starting acting you're still playing to tiny theaters in front of nobody and you're still getting rejection letters from production companies. But that's the price your pay for staying true to yourself. A 'big break' lasts for fifteen minutes and a sex tape, but if you create art, it'll live forever.
"We don't know what it can be, we don't know what it will be, we just know that it is cool."
-Mark Zuckerberg in 'The Social Network'
AARON SORKIN + GREG MOTTOLA = HEAVEN
Aaron Sorkin, my favourite working TV/Film writer, who penned The West Wing, which is the greatest show of all time, as well as the superb film The Social Network; is teaming up with director Greg Mottola, who wrote and directed Adventureland, which most of you know I am completely obsessed with - for the new TV series "More As The Story Develops".
Plus they're on HBO. The one network that stands up for good content.
And it stars Jeff Daniels.
This is going to be perfect.
Plus they're on HBO. The one network that stands up for good content.
And it stars Jeff Daniels.
This is going to be perfect.
AARON SORKIN On 30 ROCK Video
For Sorkin/West Wing fans, this'll be the most enjoyable minute you've had in ages. For everyone else, I'll post something else soon!
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