In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d pay tribute to a film that I’ve fallen unabashedly in love with recently: THE ARTIST.  I know this movie has a lot of hype swirling around it, which is usually a deterrent for me since I don’t like bandwagon hopping…or at least the perception of it.  (But who am I kidding?  While I may have waited for the dust to settle, I’ve hopped on plenty of bandwagons this year, including MAD MEN, BREAKING BAD, and HOMELAND.  And I’ve already got DOWNTON ABBEY lined up in the queue!)  Yes, bloggy readers, THE ARTIST had me from scene-stealing Uggie the dog…and it never released its hold on me.

Best Supporting Canine

As you probably know by now, THE ARTIST tells the story of silent film actor George Valentin (ah, more holiday parallels!) and his resistance to the new world of talking pictures.  He dismisses the state-of-the-art technology as a fad, but eventually realizes that his stubborn ego will leave him abandoned in the oblivion of whatever-happened-to-him?  Meanwhile, a gorgeous young actress named Peppy Miller, who beguiled George during a pre-talkie film shoot, embraces the world of sound and her star rises.

The film is shot in black and white and there’s <gasp!> no dialogue in it.  Some may claim it’s a gimmick, but I think it’s a risky choice.  Much like the first twenty minutes of WALL-E, here’s a film that relies solely on story…and music…and faces.  Beautiful faces. (Did I mention the two leads are French?  And have beautiful, camera-loving, photogenic faces?  Oh la la!)  Granted, the tale of George Valentin isn’t revolutionary – in fact, it’s kinda the love child of SUNSET BOULEVARD and A STAR IS BORN, but with a happier ending.  Yet director Michel Hazanavicius makes all the right choices in capturing the humor, romance, heartbreak, and joy to be found in the film.

One sequence that really “wowed” me is when George and Peppy are first working together on a film.  He’s the lead and she’s an extra.  In the amusing scene being shot, George plays a spy on a mission who has to make his way through a crowded dance floor.  Along the way, he has to dance a bit with Peppy before handing her off and moving onto the next dancer.  The problem is, when George starts dancing with Peppy he becomes so entranced with her that he forgets to move on to the next dancer.  It happens a few times, requiring retake after retake.  Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo play the scene perfectly, showcasing a lovely mix of attraction and embarrassment.  (Did I mention that they’re BEAUTIFUL?)  And the other “extras” dancing around them are also pitch perfect as they crack up at the entranced couple.  Also, like so many other early moments in the movie, the dance scene ends up playing a critical part later on.  Hazanavicius aptly pays off all he sets up, which is a screenplay structure lesson in itself.

But I guess why I am particularly fond of this film is because of my experience seeing it.  It was back in October when I attended the Austin Film Festival; THE ARTIST was one of the movies being screened.  I was curious to check it out since it was generating a lot of buzz on the festival circuit.  I went with my friend Mindy to Austin’s historic Paramount Theater – a huge space complete with a mezzanine and two balconies.  The place was packed for THE ARTIST.

As the movie unfurled, you could sense an energy throughout the crowd as we absorbed the images in front of us.  It was that wonderful, unique feeling of sharing an experience with a group of strangers that is both thrilling and unifying.  The audience laughed and sniffled and gasped in all the right places – and at the end of the screening you could feel the collective warmth and enthusiasm for this film.  I was reminded of why I love movies so much and, more importantly, the magic of the movie-going experience.  Like an amazing concert or a heart-stopping sports event, cinema does have the ability to bring human beings together.  And I think that’s a gift to celebrate on Valentine’s Day.

XOXOXO

The month ahead involves NO travel for DLB, a welcome development after regular visits to the American Airlines Admiral’s Club at the end of 2011.  As I reacquaint myself with friends/pets/neighbors/noisy parrots, I am also revisiting an unfinished script that has been sitting neglected in my computer for a while now.  MALFUNCTION is a supernatural thriller that has me flexing some new muscles, particularly when it comes to writing action sequences.  I love an exciting action film that’s rooted in believable characters (DIE HARD and TERMINATOR 1 & 2 come to mind), so I think it’s a constructive exercise for me to tackle.

Yippie-Ki-Yay!

Usually when I begin a script I work off of a one-to-two page outline and write in sequential order from start to finish.  When I started MALFUNCTION back in 2007 (yes, it’s been around that long), I had a story map in place, but certain scenes were clearer to me than others so I decided to just hop around as I wrote.  While it may seem efficient to focus on the easy/fun/straightforward scenes first, after completing seventy-one pages I then found myself faced with the difficult/intense/complicated scenes.  I ran out of steam, which allowed me to become easily distracted by other projects.  I figured I could implement the bells & whistles later.

Not as simple as you'd think...

Well, it’s “later” NOW and as I dive back into MALFUNCTION I am confronting many of the sequences I avoided due to laziness and/or intimidation.  I get daunted by the gaps that have yet to be filled, but I keep reminding myself of the importance of plowing ahead and just getting it done. The challenge of the first draft is that you’re constantly tempted to revise what you’ve already written rather than purge out new material.  But I don’t want to get caught in the vortex of endless noodling that translates to no forward movement.  I like this story and I need to finally rescue this script from my computer.

And then I can rewrite the hell out of it.

As we all know, the counterpart to the thrill of victory is the agony of defeat.  Which is my overdramatic opener to deliver the news that AUNT MOLLY’S MELTDOWN did not advance to the finals in the Vail Film Festival Screenplay Competition. (Cue the classic Wide World of Sports shot of that skier wiping out at the bottom of a ski jump – a singularly appropriate visual since the contest is happening in snowy Vail, Colorado, after all.)

OUCH!

Of course, I am disappointed that I didn’t make it to the coveted final five, but I’m happy that I was in the hunt at all.  And speaking of hunts, there’s still the Screenplay Festival contest for which my script THE HUNT is a semi-finalist. (See how I’m trying to stay focused on the positive?!?)  Perhaps I’ll experience the sweet thrill of victory (or at least advancement) there?

And, in the meantime, I am contemplating the idea of going to Vail anyway.  The word from fellow scribes is that it’s a great, writer-friendly festival, and I always welcome the possibility of meeting like-minded (i.e. crazy) souls who are also attempting to build a career in this business of show.  Of course, I may need to consult with Deliberate’s CFO John to see if the corporate travel account can take such a hit.  And when he says that I probably shouldn’t go, I’ll just tune him out like I do the din of parrots who squawk outside my South Pasadena window at sunrise and sunset.

What's that you're all blathering about?

(KIDDING, CFO John!  Kidding!  I value your opinion very much.)

I couldn’t get too bummed out about Vail, though, because a) it’s not a terribly constructive mental space to wallow in and b) the news came on the heels of a fantastic trip to New York City.  Not only did I get ample doses of food, wine, and culture during my visit, but I also got to reconnect with some former Nickelodeon colleagues as well as a few dear longtime friends AND a couple of new friends I met at the Austin Film Festival.  It was especially enriching to get together with the latter pair because we could relive our respective highlights (and lowlights) of AFF while also comparing notes on current writing projects, frustrating obstacles, and future goals.  I find these Algonquin-esque consortiums good for the spirit because they remind me that I’m not alone in this formidable process.

Creativity Confabs...with Cocktails!

And a special thanks to Cousin Chris for putting me up and putting up with me!

Yes, I’m off to a late start with my blogging duties of 2012 – and one of my New Year’s resolutions is to stay more current with these updates. <SIGH>  Perhaps the fried cheese curds of Wisconsin clog not only my arteries but my brainwaves because it was hard for me to concentrate on bloggy while I was home – yet not due to lack of new developments.  There was a lot of activity on both the family and Deliberate front.  I got to spend time with my handsome new nephew as well as meet with a number of engaging prospective investors (and people who can help lead me to prospective investors).  It was gratifying to talk with highly successful people who are also compassionate, decent individuals.  These are the kind of Executive Producers I want supporting Deliberate Productions.

And did I mention how handsome my new nephew is?

Mr. Nephew pow-wows with Deliberate's Executive Producer

There’s been some forward movement on the script front, too.  Thanks to the boost from the Austin Film Festival, I have started entering my screenplays into various writing contests.  Some competitions offer cash prizes, others offer writing labs and mentorships, and a few offer both!  I believe I’ve already mentioned the website Without A Box, but it deserves another commendation (and link): https://www.withoutabox.com/.  The WAB database is a place where filmmakers and writers can upload their work for free and from which they can then submit it to various film festivals and competitions throughout the U.S. and world.  It serves as a convenient one-stop shop so you don’t have to keep filling out the same information on applications – and WAB let’s you know what’s out there.  Who knew there’s a Nantucket Film Festival that sponsors a month-long, all-expenses-paid Screenwriters Colony?  A month in Nantucket where all you’re expected to do is write?  Sign me up!

I LIKE this workspace!

One of the contests I submitted to via Without A Box was the Vail Film Festival Screenplay Competition.  I was attracted to this festival because it’s going into its 9th year and it’s run by the Colorado Film Institute.  The fest also lures a fair amount of “industry” people (hey, those LA people can’t lay on a beach all of the time), so it offers some great networking possibilities for writer-producers like myself.   Anyway, I was honored to learn that my romantic comedy AUNT MOLLY’S MELTDOWN is one of fifteen semi-finalists in the screenplay competition.  I’m so grateful to be in the running and I’ll keep my fingers crossed that I may have an excuse to visit Vail at the end of March.  The finalists are announced next week, so I’ll keep you posted.

I also found out that my coming-of-age monster movie THE HUNT (which I’ve subsequently re-titled HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF) is a semi-finalist in the Screenplay Festival competition, under the Horror/Thriller category.  I believe I learned about this contest thanks to Moviebytes.com (http://www.moviebytes.com/), another great resource for writers.  The Screenplay Festival is a contest sponsored by top production and management companies and it received good reviews from fellow writers on the Moviebytes message board.  I’m not sure when the winners get announced, but I promise to share the good, the bad, or the ugly results with you.

All I know is that the saying is true: it is an honor to be nominated!

Will DLB finally learn how to ski?

I admit to feeling weird about mentioning these current accomplishments, though – I’m proud of my writing, but wading in the self-congratulatory pool isn’t really my style…unless the collaboration is a shared group experience, like the shows I worked on at Disney and Nickelodeon.  Yet, self-promotion is one of the main reasons I was encouraged to jump on the social media bandwagon, right?  If I’m not getting the word out, who will?  And, believe me, the past year has been filled with plenty of rejection, snubs, and generally being ignored, which seems to be part of the deal when you’re forging any type of creative career.  So I guess these small, encouraging victories help me stay focused, motivated, and moving forward.

And it’s also good to know that my bloggy readers are there to keep me honest! (Please continue to do so.)

Here’s hoping this momentum continues.

I just perused the titles of my 2011 blog posts to reflect on all of the happenings in my life, and the life of Deliberate Productions, over the past twelve months.  Made slow but steady inroads with potential investors?  Check.  Sold condo?  Check.  Attended four film festivals?  Check.  Expanded new friend/contact list exponentially?  Check.  Embarked on lots of travel that’s enabled me to bond further with my nieces while alienating my pets?  Check.

Yes, it’s been an eventful year with it’s share of ups and downs.  But on this New Year’s Eve I find myself feeling hopeful about what’s to come in 2012.  And grateful for those of you who continue to support me through your words of advice, supplies of laughter, and shakers of potent martinis.  So while I’ll offer deeper and (hopefully) more pithy reflections in my first blog post of 2012, for now I just want to wish you all a very genuine and heartfelt HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2012 Sydney Style!

Let’s make our dreams come true!

THE FIRST TEN PAGES WITH LINDSAY DORAN was one of the last panels I attended at the Austin Film Festival’s writers conference and it was certainly one of the most valuable ones in terms of practical insider information.  It was held in a small, intimate room and if I were to offer any suggestions to the AFF organizers (okay, okay, I already did make this suggestion) it would be to house the panel in a much larger space because it deserves to reach a larger audience of writers trying to strengthen their scripts.  Producer Lindsay Doran was the sole facilitator of the discussion and she boasts an impressive list of credits that include THIS IS SPINAL TAP, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, DEAD AGAIN, and STRANGER THAN FICTION.

Your script should be an ELEVEN!

In a nutshell, the first ten pages are all about first impressions.  I know for myself that when I see a film I can usually tell in the first five to ten minutes whether or not I’m on board with the characters and the story.  For a producer or executive sifting through piles of screenplays, they, too, form decisive opinions in those early pages.  As Doran posed to the writers in the room, you have to ask yourself if your script maintains SUSPENSE and SURPRISE throughout?  For those are the key elements in keeping a reader reading.

The ten-page exercise came about back when Doran’s frequent collaborators Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson were still married and looking for their next project.  Each actor was on the rise professionally – he had just come off of HENRY V and she was receiving accolades for her work in Merchant-Ivory films – and they knew they wanted to work together on their next film.  However, the act of reading scripts was proving to be daunting as they tried to squeeze it in between stage work and other commitments.  So one afternoon, Thompson suggested that she and Branagh take their piles of scripts and start reading the first ten pages of each of them out loud – he’d take the male roles and she’d take all the female ones.  If they found something that truly engaged them, then they would keep reading.  It was an efficient and effective way to weed out the mediocrity and it ultimately resulted in the discovery of DEAD AGAIN.  According to Lindsay Doran, Branagh exclaimed that the script captured him with a “white-heat enthusiasm”.

What I appreciated about Doran’s panel was that she actually took nine scripts that had placed in the top 10% of the AFF competition and analyzed the first ten pages of each of them.  The scripts were made available to those of us attending the conference, so it was interesting to see what work sparked with her and how it correlated to my own opinions.

Here are some highlights (re-purposed DLB-style) of the insight she extended throughout her analysis:

• The TITLE of your script matters.  Verbs help because they connote action and the idea that something is happening.
• Be clear early on about what your main character wants.  Doran evoked the late, great Sydney Pollack: “Nothing can happen until somebody wants something.”
• Be aware of characters having conversations they would have already had.  Otherwise, they become discussions simply for exposition’s sake.  Relaying information in a unique yet realistic way is key to solid screenwriting.  Doran mentioned that Stanley Kubrick was known for writing with a prosecuting attorney from time to time.  Sydney Pollack once asked him why he did this and Kubrick replied, “Because he knows how to give evidence.”  Effective writing is all about revealing information and, again, sustaining SUSPENSE and SURPRISE in doing so.
• It’s good to open with action and heightened stakes.  Or you could start with a secret or a lie.  You want to keep your reader actively interested – establishing conflict from page one does that.
• Be conscious about setting the tone from the beginning.  Let your audience know what type of film they’re in for or else they might feel duped later.
• Specificity enhances a script.  One writer described his main character’s car as “a gentle Prius” and Lindsay appreciated that singular attention to detail.
• There’s a difference between what’s true and what’s believable.  Manage your readers’ expectations and knowledge about a subject – you don’t want them confused over the logic of your story.
• When setting up a character, don’t be observational about it – be ELECTRIFYING!
• Typos count.  People will judge and dismiss new writers based on misspellings, sloppy formatting, etc.  Proofread your script.  And then proof it again.

Doran also shared a great piece of advice from the spy novelist John le Carre that perfectly sums up effective storytelling.  He advises, “The cat sat on a mat’ is not a story.  The cat sat on the dog’s mat is a story.”  For Doran when it comes to screenwriting, the cat should be sitting on the dog’s mat in every scene.

Oh no she didn’t!

And THAT’S IT for my round-up of the Austin Film Festival.  I hope I’ve convinced some of my writer friends to attend it next year – I know I’m already looking forward to it!

I guess the universe decided to make my return to reality as challenging as possible.  I came back to Los Angeles earlier this week and in addition to the expected jetlag and a newly acquired cold, I also encountered a blistery round of Santa Ana winds that decided to wreak havoc on the trees and power lines in my beloved Pasadena.  I have not had electricity or hot water for the past three days.  In other words, save for my power-sucking smart phone, I have not had TECHNOLOGY readily available to me for the past three days!  How am I supposed to get caught up on HOMELAND, people?!?  Yes, it is a heavy cross I have to bear.

Fortunately, I have set up a new branch of Deliberate Productions at a nearby Panera Bread Company.  Not only does Panera offer free wireless, but they serve a mean protein breakfast sandwich, too!  And have I mentioned the excellent coffee?  Yes, when life hands me lemons I try to make a lemon martini.

I WILL Survive!

I do want to finish up my recount of the Austin Film Festival for the last couple of panels I attended were some of my favorites.  One panel I knew I had to see was with screenwriter Michael Arndt (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, TOY STORY 3).  Arndt’s panel was called Endings: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great and it was one he offered last year and was asked to share again due to its enthusiastic reception.

In his presentation, Arndt analyzes three very different films, STAR WARS, THE GRADUATE, and LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, and posits why their endings can be considered insanely great. (Granted, his discussion on LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE was lined with humility since he’s a genuinely sweet and humble guy.)  He touches on a lot of vernacular familiar to writers, namely the idea of external and internal stakes for your main character.  For example, in ROCKY the external goal for Rocky Balboa is to go the distance with Apollo Creed.  His internal goal in accomplishing this is to prove that he’s not a bum.  But Arndt also introduces the idea of philosophical stakes, which speak to the larger themes of a film.  Rocky versus Apollo Creed is the universal David versus Goliath story to which we can all relate; by fighting Creed through all twelve rounds, Rocky is reaffirming for the audience that we, too, have the power to “go the distance” despite all of the obstacles in front of us.

Yes We Can!

And in Arndt’s point of view, it is when the external/internal/philosophical stakes have all failed – creating the hopeless feeling that there is no possibility of a positive outcome – that you are poised for an insanely great ending.  For out of that moment of despair comes the main character’s DECISIVE ACT: Luke forgoes the technology available to him and uses “the force” to land that final bulls-eye in the Death Star, Benjamin Braddock pounds on the glass at the church during Elaine Robinson’s wedding, Olive Hoover elects to perform in the beauty pagent’s talent show even though she knows she won’t win.  And through these decisive acts comes an ending that has three essential attributes – it’s POSITIVE, SURPRISING, and MEANINGFUL.  And it overturns all three stakes in a short amount of time.

Arndt also recommends that you give a lot of thought to the location of the climax and how it represents the initial order of the universe that must be overturned.  In STAR WARS, the climax is centered around the Death Star which represents the terrifying oligarchy of the Empire.  In THE GRADUATE, the climax happens at a church wedding filled with people who have conformed to societal conventions.  LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE  presents its ending at a beauty pageant where young Olive is going to challenge the warped standards of “beauty” propagated by these bizarre contests.  All of these films show their main characters going head-to-head with the “universe” that must be overturned.  And overturning the moral order of the main character’s universe is the key to an insanely great ending.

Insane!

Okay, I still have one more AFF panel to discuss – the one that resonated most deeply for me – but I’ll save it for the next entry. (How’s that for a tease?)  I do want to mention that you can now submit your script(s) to next year’s AFF Screenplay & Teleplay competition.  I think I’ve provided some good reasons why it’s worth the price of submission, right?  Check out the details here: http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/screenplay

In the meantime, I’d better stock up on more batteries for my flashlight.

I am a traveling fool once again.  After a whirlwind weekend in Chicago to celebrate my niece’s 10th birthday at the American Girl restaurant (yes, fine dining at its girly best), I continued on to London with VP Babs where I’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving with her and her husband, CFO John.  I did manage to sneak away to Paris for a couple of days last week with my friend and occasional co-writer, Jill – what a luxury that was.  I continue to be amazed by the overwhelming beauty of Paris; if I were smart, I’d set my next script there so I could go back for more “research”.  I feel very lucky to have these opportunities to see remarkable places with remarkable people – and the change of scenery always brings me new reservoirs of creative fuel.  Or is that just the good wine?

In any case, it’s hard to believe that I was just in Austin a month ago.  Alas, it feels like much longer and I realize that’s the challenge when attending invigorating conferences like that one.  It’s up to me to keep the momentum going well after the last film has screened and the final party has ended.  So, I continue sending out my queries and touching base with the potential connections out there.

And, of course, dear olde bloggy is providing me with a good excuse to revisit my notes from the AFF conference.  So I thought I’d use this entry to touch on the bits of wisdom I gleaned from the variety of panelists present at the festival.  In most cases, I’m paraphrasing the general insight expressed because my notes may as well be hieroglyphics, but I think/hope the spirit of the advice remains intact.

LAWRENCE KASDAN (screenwriter of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BODY HEAT, THE BIG CHILL, need I continue?…)

What a treat to share the same space as this screenwriting heavyweight.  His panel was about creating complex characters.  My main takeaway from this discussion was to remember to reveal character through behavior.  He referenced William Hurt at the beginning of BODY HEAT.  As small-town lawyer Ned Racine, Hurt is first seen jogging along the Florida boardwalk, sweating up a storm, clearly at his physical peak.  His run comes to an end and he stops to catch his breath.  And then he pulls out a cigarette and lights it up.  Right away, we know we’re dealing with an unconventional man who doesn’t necessarily follow all of the rules.  What an effective way to set the stage.

See? I'm even smoking on the DVD cover!

Other Kasdan tidbits:

• Your character should be going on a journey of self-discovery and LIBERATION.
• When you reach the end of the second act, you should feel like the situation is unresolvable.
• If you don’t have a metaphor that is driving you, then you’re probably on the wrong track.
• Look at characters like colors.  The color of your main character is revealed when it encounters those of other characters.
• “You’re waging a war and the war is to interest people for a hundred pages.”
• He thinks scripts that are 120 pages are too long.  He thinks RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK was at its most muscular when the draft was 103 pages.
• Highly recommends the Kurosawa film SEVEN SAMURI as an expert example of powerful character-building and storytelling. (Note to self: add it SEVEN SAMURI to my Netflix queue!)

JON COHEN (VP Development at 1821 Pictures) and JULIET SNOWDEN (screenwriter of POLTERGIEST remake, KNOWING, BOOGEYMAN)

I sat in on a panel where Jon and Juliet listened to a group of writers each give a 90-second pitch of their movie.  For those of you writers out there, think about how you would consolidate your 110 pages of cinematic brilliance into a mere 90 seconds.  No easy feat, huh?  And yet it’s a necessary evil in the world of Hollywood where the pitch is everything.  The panel was an extremely useful exercise in mastering how to tell your story quickly, concisely, and entertainingly enough so as to leave an executive wanting to hear more…or, better yet, to read your script!  Here are some of their suggestions and a few of my own interpretations based on what I witnessed:

• Mention a movie that might be similar to yours so to give the genre and tone of your film a recognizable and immediate frame of reference.
• Focus on the arc of your main character and target the conflict.
• If a story feels somewhat derivative, then focus on the specifics of the universe and the character relationships.
• One person pitching used the phrase, “Now his goal is…”  I think this was helpful in keeping the momentum on point.
• Try to throw in a couple of distinct visual references so that the person listening to the pitch can really envision a moment or image as it might unfold on screen.
• In a couple of the more successful pitches, I noticed that the writers employed a final summation sentence that indicated the end of the pitch while also articulating the themes of the script.  I think it’s helpful to know that the fat lady has sung and the pitch is finished.

One Way to Pitch

NICK KAZAN (screenwriter of AT CLOSE RANGE  and REVERSAL OF FORTUNE)

I saw Nick twice, first at a panel entitled Based on a True Story where writers like Nick, Scott Silver (THE FIGHTER) and Pamela Gray (CONVICTION) talked about tackling real-life subjects, and later at a smaller roundtable where a small group of us got a more intimate audience with a few writers.  One of the things Nick said at the panel that stayed with me was, “The truth is your friend.”  I think that’s a great attitude to have when approaching the sometimes tumultuous waters of bringing a real person’s experience to the page.  The audience at this panel also seemed to agree that if someone relays a great story to you and then tells you it’s actually based on a true story, then for whatever reason it becomes that much more captivating.  I take comfort in this as Jill and I continue to peddle the amazing story of real-life lady Marolen Mullinax around town.

At the roundtable event, I believe it was Nick who also talked about his process and offered one invaluable piece of wisdom that I know I will utilize in the future. (However, I look to my AFF friends Bill and Mindy to correct me if I’m wrong in attributing this advice to Nick since they were at the roundtable with me.)  He said that when he’s on a roll with writing he always stops his session right before he gets to the very end of whatever scene or sequence he’s working on.  That way, he can start the next day picking up where he left off and knowing he has somewhere to go versus starting with a blank page and an unclear direction.  I know that will be key for me because, like exercise, it’s the jump start that’s essential to launch me into a writing session…but once I’m going, I’m off!  So the fewer blank-paged obstacles there are standing in my way, the better.

Even creepy socialites need a good kick in the pants!

You think that’s it for AFF?  Oh no…I’m telling you, this conference was overflowing with info!  I will be back with more tales from the frontline.

In the meantime, here’s wishing you all a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  As I approach the end of my first year of self-employment (why does “living dangerously” suddenly come to mind?), I remain extremely thankful for all of the people in my life who continue to support this unpredictable journey of mine.  And I am also grateful for the wonderful new friends I’m picking up along the way.  Cheers to you all!

I recently told someone that the Austin Film Festival was like a wonderful, supportive summer camp that, sadly, came to an inevitable end.  And now it’s back to reality.  I think what makes the 18-year-old festival so special is that it is truly focused on writers and writing; the actual tagline for AFF is “the writer’s festival” and after attending it I can understand why.  I cannot emphasize enough how valuable it was, and I’m still stunned that I only just learned about the annual writer’s conference this year.  (Guess I have to thank the social networking Gods for putting it on my radar.)  I’ve been singing its praises to every writer I know – if you love movies, television, and the writing that goes with them, then you should attend AFF at least once in your life.  You will come away from it feeling inspired and energized.

John Lasseter, Johnny Depp, and I were there!

The panels I sat in on offered a wide variety of insight and information.  The very first one I went to was called “How to Work the Festival” and it featured two AFF alums, producer Richard Bever and screenwriter Tom O’Connor.  Both offered advice on how to get the most out of the festival experience.  The key takeway from this panel was “Don’t be shy.”  You don’t get a lot of opportunities to be in a relaxed (i.e. non-LA) environment that is swarming with working and aspiring writers, so make the most of these potential connections.  I’ve always considered myself to be fairly social (anyone who has partied with the Brenner family knows we can be a lively, outgoing bunch), but it’s still good to remember that you should take advantage of the common ground you share with your peers and simply strike up a conversation.  You never know where that discussion could lead.

The Importance of Talking Heads

And Richard Bever said something that really struck a chord with me: “No one will work as hard for you as YOU.”  Amen to that.   I find myself repeating that mantra every day as I tackle another e-mail or craft another query letter.  There wasn’t anyone I talked to at AFF who was rude or off-putting – after all, we’re each chasing the same dream.  And, in fact, I feel like I established some wonderful new friendships thanks to AFF.

I also appreciated Tom O’Connor’s reminder that being at AFF isn’t just about newtorking “up” with the Lawrence Kasdans and John Lasseters who might be milling about.  (Although did I mention how cool it was to have a brief exhcange with Lawrence Kasdan at a party?  I’m not worthy!)  Taking part in the conference is also about networking laterally.  Get to know your fellow writers.  These are the people who will be future showrunners and producers some day and we all should be looking out for one another.

Let's Conquer it Already!

I’m realizing that my AFF experience will probably require two or three entries on ye olde bloggy, so strap yourselves in, dear readers.  Yep, it was just that significant!

I realize I owe a post about my incredible time at the Austin Film Festival and, trust me, it’s in the works and it WAS incredible.  But it’s Halloween.  And that makes me think of scary movies.  And that makes me think of my all-time favorite scary movie: THE SHINING.

The film was released in 1980 when I was a young lass of eleven. (Go ahead…do the math.)  Of course, I would never be allowed to see the film in a movie theater at that tender, impressionable age, but my super-cool, horror-movie-loving babysitter Lisa Hanson got to see it.  And I will never forget sitting at the counter in my family’s kitchen after my younger brother and sisters had gone to bed and listening to Lisa recount scene-by-scene the terror that was Jack Torrance’s descent into madness.   By the time she was describing the heart-clenching climax of young Danny trying to retrace his steps in the snow while being chased by his monster of a father, I was assured a near future of nightmares and hiding under pillow forts.

Yes, that’s why she was the best babysitter on the planet.

So when I finally saw the film as a still-impressionable teen years later, it was as if a gorgeous, terrifying dream was unfolding before my eyes.  The weird opening music, the ominous hotel hallways, a river of blood gushing out of the elevator, THOSE CREEPY TWINS! (“Come and play with us, Danny.  For-evah…and ev-ah…and ev-ah.”)  GAH!

Almost as frightening as the Olsens!

Kubrick is such a master at establishing tension.  I like that he takes his time developing scenes and setting a mood.  From the precise, symmetrical art direction to the sound design (love Danny riding the big wheel through the hallways, the wheels echoing on the hardwood floors and then falling mute when rolling on carpet) to the camera work, Kubrick’s unparalleled technical proficiency creates a gradual dread that settles deep inside you.  You really don’t want to go into room 237.  Really.

Of course, Jack Nicholson is terrific as the unhinged everyman – some may feel his performance is over-the-top, but I appreciate the menace he slowly unveils as all work and no play makes Jack a dull – and totally demented – boy.  And while I think Shelly Duvall is one of the strangest actresses to ever hit the screen, her natural gawkiness brings an unsettling fragility to Wendy.  How will this gangly, petrified woman be able to save herself and her son?  And then there’s Danny.  Apparently, Danny Lloyd was only six-years-old when he made the film and I’ve read that he was shielded from the fact that he was making a horror movie.  Wow.  I’m not sure how the imaginary friend “Tony” was explained to him or “redrum” or the whole idea of “shining”, but that kid did a remarkable job.

DON'T STOP! Keep on rollin', kid!

So cuddle up with a loved one and give THE SHINING another looksie.  You may find yourself hiding in a pillow fort afterwards, though.