Catch 22

OK, so this post will be a personal one attempting to, perhaps in vain, try and understand the world of screenwriting, or at least call some attention to my self, or the problems I see in the industry. As someone who is aspiring to be a screenwriter I have found that entering the business is by far the hardest thing to do. Clearly with the amount of crap spewed out by Hollywood these days, talent doesn't always seem like a prerequisite. The people you know and what you can do for them have always played an important role in any facet of human life, and this is no different. If you have an in, you're set. So, forgive me if this sounds contrived or bitter, since I don't have an in, but this line of selection certainly hasn't lead to success at every turn. However, the biggest catch 22 I see is the agent. You see, agents don't want to take on just anybody as they are, apparently, very busy people who don't want to waste other busy people's time with some piece of garbage that some kid off the street just handed to them smiling politely and expecting to be an instant star. I am not naive enough to just expect to be snapped up right away by an agent, or make mega bucks right from the start, (...one can dream) but the problem is, if you want to get yourself out there, you need an agent. But if you can't get published without an agent, and agents only want published writers, just how in the hell are you to go about doing this. Well, your guess is as good as mine. The only wisdom I have heard is go where the industry is, knock on doors, pester people till they would be willing to throw you onto the freeway, but you have to keep at it. I fully intended to do this at some point, being in Canada it's a little more difficult but the point is, this system keeps creative people who are small timers out of an industry that desperately needs a shake up. Not that there are no talented people in Hollywood, but this seems to limit the number of people who have access to money, which is needed to make a decent film. It is a business, I can't deny that, and as such money and what you can make form the company is the bottom line. So if you have any advice or are looking for writing talent, please don't be shy. I'm not.

Interest and Omissions

OK, so here is a video I promised my buddy Yaseen I'd post a link to. It is a sorta artsy piece, well, actually that's all it is, but it's pretty cool, and the video is actually linked on the website of Anne Brune who sang the song you hear in the video, which I think says a lot. He filmed it with a mac, and I gotta say the quality isn't bad considering the hardware...Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYGdw6KEcpU

Now, for the Omissions part. I wrote a post a little while ago about threequals this summer. I have seen two of them, Spiderman and Pirates, and enjoyed both. I forgot to include Ocean's Thirteen and the Bourne Ultimatum in that post, which bring the total of threequals due out this year to no less than six. Now, we could be negative, and callus and point out the lack of creativity or originality in the mainstream movie industry and the countless number of terrible movies that are spewed at us like sharp pieces of vomit, but instead we should look at the success of these franchises and realize that movie execs realize when they have a winner, and something that can make a profit for them, and squeeze it for every last thin dime, like a fat kid licking his plate. Point being, these franchises are for the most part entertaining, if not though provoking or artistic, and that is what popcorn is all about.

TV on DVD

The other day I bought season five of Scrubs on DVD, which took a hell of a long time in coming out, but to me it is worth it. Not only do you get all the episodes in a season when you buy a TV show on DVD, but there is so much more. Every popular show, and even some not so popular ones, are all being released on DVD now, and allowing fans even more access to the show. Behind the scenes, the writers and directors - without which any show would suck, no matter how good the acting - finally get to speak up, and tell you how the show works, or came to be in the first place. You can see how much fun it would be, as well as how demanding to film a TV series. There is usually extra footage, and a whole host of other options, depending of course on the show. It truly is a dream for fans that the advent of this technology has so readily made this available to us, and while studios are now pumping out more and more of these series because of their popularity with fans, and monetary benefit to them, it actually offers more then just the show to you which is great. Shows like Scrubs who do huge amounts of blogging and behind the scenes features are allowing more inside looks into TV production than ever before. Enjoy.

SENSational

OK hockey fans, the final is set, and Monday night the Stanley Cup Playoffs final round begins. The Ottawa Senators will face the Anaheim Ducks - the dropped the mighty, though the team still is - to decide who wins hockey's ultimate prize. I am a Sens fan so I am biased, but the way they have been playing it will be a challenge for Anaheim to defeat the deepest, fastest and most potent offensive team they have face so far this playoff. As for Ottawa, Anaheim is a very aggressive team and a bigger team then they have faced so far, and JS Gigure is playing phenomenal hockey, so it shapes up to be a very even, and very interesting series. The long lay off until the start is for...well, I'm not sure why, but I can't wait for it. I predict Ottawa will win in what should be a physical series, and one that should go more then five games, though that's what everyone has said about Ottawa's series so far...The Pronger Neidermayer factor for the ducks will be huge, but they have logged a lot of minutes and have to be getting tired, or will after a few games against Ottawa's speedy forecheck. Anaheim has also travelled a great deal and will benefit from a few days rest and starting the series at home. Should be a beauty!

EXemplary or EXcrament?

I was leafing through various papers and online websites the other day, and noticed the reviews for the new movie, The EX. I had seen the trailer and it looked pretty fun, maybe not a classic but could be worthwhile. Well, no I don't know what to think. This film has received more mixed reviews than almost any other I have ever come across. People seem to love it or hate it. No middle ground. It was said to work, or to not work. Not come across OK, or had its moments. No, it was liked or disliked. Plain and simple. Black or White. This intrigued me, as not many movies today seem to inspire this kind of mixed reaction. Most are widely hated, or widely loved, not somewhere in between. Most films appeal or try to to a wide audience leading to lots of so so reviews. Now, I love Scrubs and Zach Braff does a great job in it, and Jason Bateman is great in Arrested Development. And Amanda Peet....well, she's just hot. Nough said. Anyway, this possibility could work. Or so I though, but now, I am not sure, guess I'll just have to go see it and find out. If you have, let me know what you think.

The Summer of Three

Forget the summer of George, the Summer/Spring of 2007 will forever be known as the summer of three. Why you may ask, well there are no less than four threequals coming out this summer. Spiderman 3 was released the other week, and is breaking box office records all over the world. While this movie is receiving luke warm reviews from critics, there is no denying it is a solid edition to a solid franchise. Speaking of solid franchises the third Pirates of the Caribbean film is going to be released later this month. While I enjoy these movies, there is an awful lot of hype over them, which I consider to be unnecessary. Not that I don't like them, but they are so easily marketable which has attributed to their huge success, I guess...anyway, hopefully the third installment will entertain, but regardless of its quality it will undoubtedly make more money than even Keith Richards could spend on booze. After this there is Shrek the third. This is another successful franchise that is hoping to kick it up a notch, though that may be hard to do after the last one was so good, possible the best of the three...much like X2, but that's for another day. The giant green ogre and friends will be certain to entertain, and provide something for everyone. The last installment is the long awaited, yes i like the first two, Rush Hour 3. While the first two are certainly goofy and not fine artistic film making, they are entertaining, and worth a few good laughs, and the third looks like it should have more of the same. So, look forward to these and the many blockbusters coming out this summer, this the most wonderful time of the year...for film geeks. Guilty as charged...

Vindication

Shane Doan was in the middle of a controversy created by people with a lack of both common sense, and apparently better things to do. So what did he do amid all these complaints? Fold, complain or get flustered? No. He simply lead Canada to a 9-0 record and another gold medal. Enough said. This is the kind of person that Canada needs on their roster, and is a guy who is respected by all teammates, French or English. This kind of character guy is exactly the kind of guy that has lead Canada to its stellar record in international play, and is the reason we will continue to have success in international hockey. So, to Hockey Canada I say bravo, and maybe we should get a few of those guys to run this country.

Spiderman 3 - To Much of a Good Thing

So, I saw Spiderman 3 the other day, and though I really enjoyed the movie, it was not without it's faults. The main on being, they crammed way to much into such a constrained time period. The advent of several villains and the relationship with Peter, Mary Jane, Harry and Gwen - played by Bryce Dallas Howard are all very important to the story and should have been allowed more time on screen and allowed more time to develop. Like the first two movies did. They focused on particular villains and story lines rather than trying to cram to much in. Granted there is so much material to work with in the Spiderman universe, but they are doing more movies, why try to rush through them. The film had the big budget special effects and first rate cast, including Topher Grace, who all did a great job, and the story was solid, but almost overwhelming because of the amount of material included. This takes away from the movie and makes it difficult to follow, and leaves people wondering about the characters themselves and how they came to be, though they clearly show what motivates them. Many fans will point out they stray very far from the comic books in this film, and I would have liked to have seen them do a whole movie with the Venom story, as it is one of the better ones to work with. However, the movie was still enjoyable, and had some rather funny parts, more so than the first two. So all in all I say enjoy true believers, and there's more to come.

Round 3

Round 3 of the playoffs kicked off last night, and Buffalo was dealt a solid defeat by the visiting Senators who totally outplayed Buffalo. The danger of Buffalo was that they hung around long enough to make the game interesting and Sens fans, such as myself, very nervous. This was a great hockey game that featured some of everything for the true hockey fan, and promises to be a great series. I predict Ottawa comes out on top. The West kicks off tonight, and I see Anaheim taking Detroit out, Detroit has a lot of injury problems, and are going to get worn down by the younger, more aggressive more Canadian Ducks. They are a team that has everything, and has looked good thus far. Ottawa Anaheim final, should be interesting. To quote a great Canadian Keep your stick on the ice.

Captain my Captain

So, the spring session of Parliament in now back in session, and the chosen leaders of our country are there, working for us, the politics and ideologies of this nation are constantly being debated to better our country and the lives of those who put them in power, right? Well, today those select few we choose to run the country are not debating health care, gun control, the economy, same sex marriage, or even foreign relations, no these brilliant, well educated few are putting a hockey player on trial. Not for violent or disturbing behaviour, and not for any wrong doing off the ice, but because he allegedly made an ethnic comment. Now, perhaps he condemned a whole race and people were hurt..wait, no, he was found innocent, there was no proof of his crime, no punishment, no witnesses. The incident was investigated, and nothing came of it. This was nearly two years ago. TWO YEARS. So, why now is Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes being questioned as Canada's captain at the world championships in Moscow and why is hockey Canada's head Bob Nicholson in front of the government defending their choice and wondering why they are wasting our tax dollars on this foolishness. Shane Doan's exact words were "there were four French Officials, you figure it out"....allegedly, and this isn't even slander against them, perhaps he accused them of playing favorites, so what? He didn't say anything derogatory about them, and yet it was said that his being chosen as Captain casts a shadow over the team. No, Jack Layton it doesn't, the other political parties cast a shadow over your hippy wanna be, powerless back bench party and you are tyring to stir the pot, get some attention for the upcoming election. Are you telling me that worse hasn't been uttered in parliament about the Bloq Quebecois under people's breath. This is an absolute disgrace and I feel sorry for those involved, and that I pay taxes to people like this who have nothing better to do than makes fools of themselves for political means. I'm all for respect but this is ridiculous. If you want to win an election, give the people what they want, not this nonsense.

HD - The way to be...

Cheesy title, I know...but that doesn't change the fact that it's true now does it. I recently hung out at a buddies house and watched a bunch of BlueRay movies and played some X-box 360 on his HD projection TV. While I know that this set up is not affordable for all, even a run of the mill HD set up is far superior to the analog or even regular digital cable. The picture, sound, everything is incredible and totally brings you in to what you're watching. Planet Earth, the BBC series is spectacular in it - to quote Aaron - HD glory. Weather in 720, or 1080, it looks incredible, near sensory overload at times, and is well worth the investment. While not that many films are yet available on HD or BluRay format, it will be worth the wait for those wanting to purchase them. So, to my buddy Casey I say thanks for the good times, and to those wondering what it's like, I urge you to find out for yourself.