The Feedback Friend

AMY
I have a problem with the dialogue, it doesn't flow.

RAY
To where?

AMY
It doesn't make any sense.

RAY
Of course.

AMY
What?

RAY
What?

AMY
I'm trying to give you feedback on the script.

RAY
I like it.

AMY
Your script?

RAY
Your feedback.

AMY
Can we review your script before we review my review?

RAY
Yeah.

AMY
The dialogue is like, well, not real.

RAY
In what way is it not real?

AMY
People don't talk like that.

RAY
Why not?

AMY
Because they speak in other ways.

RAY
There's always someone who talks differently, and that's how my characters speak.

AMY
No.

RAY
I once knew a man who started every sentence with the phrase "Oh my jolly lord."

AMY
Really?

RAY
No I made that up. My point is people talk in all different ways, just like in my script.

AMY
Nobody actually speaks that badly.

RAY
Only politicians.

AMY
Your jokes don't work either, they're very badly executed.

RAY
Is there anything you like?

AMY
Jewelry.

RAY
Amy.

AMY
Yes.

RAY
Is there anything you like about the script?

AMY
I thought the ending was contrived.

RAY
And you liked that?

AMY
Yes, I was happy that it ended.

RAY
You liked the ending?

AMY
I think endings should always be abrupt.

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Any Any Everything

They bolted out of town on a train hurtling towards anywhere, like it was their last chance to finally be young and free. They took off determined to get to anyplace, all rushed to get there knowing this was the last time they'd truly live.

Life had been dying slowly for years, meetings and schedules and places to be all set up and ready like clockwork. They were gone and the train whizzed past everywhere and was headed to the specific place they needed to be: anywhere!

To be young and free and alive with no plans, that was the plan. All laughing, fighting, dreaming, smiling! Like the last hooray of childhood and teendom all wild and crazy in anywhere just North of everywhere.

They hit the platform and the train waved goodbye so they rushed to the hills all wet with rain and sprinted forever and never slowed down. Life was here and life is here and they were so happy to be anywhere. Their phone signals said "no" so they danced a happy dance and fled to the trees all giggling and free and excited by being nowhere and nothing yet somehow precisely EVERYTHING they could ever be.

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Word Of Mouth

It's the only currency that sells in the modern era. Used to be that you could put an A-Lister on a poster and it was guaranteed, but things are different now, we have the internet.

It's being sold as a great opportunity, that everyone can get their work seen. Truth is it's mostly a way to get NOT seen, because nobody cares about your work. If you look at the statistics, you see how little people are interested. I have 1,000 people on the Facebook fan page for this site. But when I post something new, only 21 follow through (on average).

It's not the fan pages or the tweets that do the work, its actually the precious few who follow through. If what they read/watch isn't great, then it won't get passed on and shared.

And that's what this is really all about, word of mouth. You have to be GREAT in this day and age. You can't cheat it. Even if you pay thousands of people to tweet your project, NOBODY CARES! Nobody is committed.

Facebook pages, Twitter, etc, they're great tools but they're not the answer. The answer is better material. I watched a TED talk the other day, and the guy was talking about viral comedy, and how we CAN'T WAIT to share a funny joke. You see it on YouTube, you see it from that friend who always texts you offensive jokes.

It's not just comedy, it's anything that reaches the heart, we can't help but share it.

A strong recommendation from someone who is personally trusted is worth more than a thousand random impressions. I was having a meal with friends on Monday night and I said "Oh my God, 'Chronicle' is so awesome, I had so much fun watching it!" My friend John immediately turned to his wife and said "we're definitely seeing it now!". They're going this weekend. We talked about heaps of new movies, and I mostly said "yeah it's alright", and they weren't sold. But my energy regarding 'Chronicle' sparked them into action.

You can repost your article or short film a hundred times but it doesn't mean anything. If the juice is there, people will connect. And if they do, they'll bring an audience to you!

We are in an age where greatness sells. It's just that no-one believes it, they think we still need to try and appeal to the masses. Do the best you can do, your personal vision, put your whole heart into it and people will respond, but only if it's GREAT.

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!@?!**?

I have an idea, let's pay money to go see a movie. While we're there, let's open up BlackBerry messenger on our phones. The little light will sparkle like magic.

Let's repeat this action every 19 seconds. We can BBM Barry about football and Sarah about her boobs. Let's do it again and again and again. Let's glance up at the screen only when there's a really loud noise.

And let's whisper things to each other. Or at least, let's do it in a whisper style but with the loudness of a drum kit. Let's giggle. Let's kick the seat in front.

Let's become a whole generation of people who sit in the cinema turning on phone screens. Let's check our Facebook. Let's pay the big cinema ticket fee and sit in the comfy chairs just so we can read "Thomas Milpert is bored lol" as we scroll the news feed. Let's tweet that the movie sucks, which we know because there hasn't been a loud sound effect in 4 minutes.

Let's wake up them boring weirdos who sit in the cinemas quietly. What is wrong with them?

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The Artist's Voice - Free E-Book

In case you missed this the first time around.... a few months ago I created an e-book, based mostly on articles from this site, called 'The Artist's Voice'. It's a free e-book, aimed at getting you off your ass and back into creative mode!

We all need help, we all need a push, we all need a reminder. That's what this book is about. It's totally free, and you can download it HERE.

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