Week two where I attempt to answer the big questions about what I do...
Tag: writing
Interview – Steven Soderbergh
It's unfortunate that we don't live in a time now where a polarizing film is a positive. Like in the '70s, if you made a film like Straw Dogs, and half the people hate it and half the people think it's a masterpiece, that's viewed as cool. Now it's not. Now if you don't get unified … Continue reading Interview – Steven Soderbergh
Interview – E.B. White
I revise a great deal. I know when something is right because bells begin ringing and lights flash. I’m not at all sure what the “necessary equipment” is for a writer—it seems to vary greatly with the individual. Some writers are equipped with extrasensory perception. Some have a good ear, like O’Hara. Some are equipped … Continue reading Interview – E.B. White
Interview – Ray Bradbury
You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you do—and they don’t. They have prejudices. They may like Henry James, but what if you don’t want to write like Henry James? They may like John Irving, for instance, who’s the … Continue reading Interview – Ray Bradbury
Interview – Jorge Luis Borges
When I began writing, I thought that everything should be defined by the writer. For example, to say “the moon” was strictly forbidden; that one had to find an adjective, an epithet for the moon. (Of course, I'm simplifying things. I know it because many times I have written “la luna,” but this is a … Continue reading Interview – Jorge Luis Borges
Two Rules for Storytelling
Working principles. A story, whether it is screenplay, novel or something I am whispering in your ear should satisfy one or both of the following conditions. They are listed in order of importance. 1) The story should entertain/titillate/engage the reader/listener/viewer. 2) The story should teach/inform/educate the reader/listener/viewer. I am sure I have stolen this almost directly from … Continue reading Two Rules for Storytelling
Epics
5-9-08 It is not surprising that when you come across a tidbit someone said or wrote that is in complete agreement with what you already think, that this discovery fills you with a small amount of joy. Over the past few days I have been rereading a series of speeches that Jorge Luis Borges made … Continue reading Epics
Halloween
10-31-06 It is an odd thing to celebrate Halloween as an adult. I do not yet have a child to celebrate the holiday with. My wife is fiendishly imbued with the spirit of the day and her enthusiasm, regardless of our limited roles as candy dispensers, is certainly infectious. Each year our hopes soar as … Continue reading Halloween
John August – Workspaces
John August has a very nice site. There is a new section on his site called Workspace. Screenwriters give provide answers to questions concerning where they write and what they use to write. It is interesting and provides what I am always looking for online, whether it is about writing, filmmaking or how to change … Continue reading John August – Workspaces
