The Kid Who Couldn't Miss

It's Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. and I wanted to post something relevant. So what could be better than a movie? Yesterday I found this wonderful docudrama THE KID WHO COULDN'T MISS by Canadian producer/director Paul Cowan.

Cowan made this film in 1982, using a combination of archival footage, clips from the wildly popular 1978 Canadian musical Billy Bishop Goes to War and interviews with some of the men who knew the unlikely, rebellious kid who became a legendary flying ace.

The reason this succeeds so well as a concept is that Billy is NOT your model, self-sacrificing recruit. In fact, he's reluctant to do anything that doesn't net him some kind of immediate reward. We like him though because he has such a zest for life and a healthy disrespect for rules. These are the very things that finally make Billy a hero.

It is interesting that just four years after this was made, producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer released TOP GUN, the tale of a reckless pilot who loses his wing man due to his own disregard for the rules. The kid, (played by Tom Cruise and very much like Billy Bishop) wins over his superiors, tames his wildness and becomes the best.

Did Simpson & Bruckheimer see THE KID WHO COULDN'T MISS? Who knows. We can be fairly certain they saw the musical because it toured in the U.S. and was such a hit it was adapted for television. The moral to this story is a compelling concept is likely to take many forms but is nearly always rich inspirational material for a screenplay.

Windows of Opportunity

It's a no-brainer now that we're almost all online. Short films are a fantastic way for new writers and filmmakers to showcase their talent and start a lucrative career. Here's a haunting short that just won best animated short at the Cannes Film Festival.

Sebastian's Voodoo was created by Annie Award nominated writer/director Joaquin Baldwin, a young animator from Paraguay who won Aniboom's top award in 2008, a long list of other nominations and awards and a Fox development deal.





Just a few days ago, Aniboom (Fox Studio's virtual animation studio, which actively trolls the web for new toon talent) announced its next short animated film competition. Some of the top development executive eyeballs in Hollywood will be watching.

The End of An Era?

Union contracts are a hot topic in Hollywood right now and have been for the past year with all the big film and TV unions fighting for fair pay including writers, directors, I.A.T.S.E. and now actors. Make up your own mind.

The last contract I was offered at MGM last spring was really no contract at all. They would pay me my rate but not go through my union - which amounts to no credit towards health and retirement benefits. I declined. At the time I took it as a personal affront - especially after having driven halfway across the country to accept the job. But now it's easy to see the bigger picture.

It may just be the end of an era. New media has changed the game. Interestingly, if you go to the Screen Actors Guild site they're tauting an overwhelming YES! vote but that's misleading. The membership ratified the commercials contract, not theatrical TV and film.

The World Cinema Foundation's first films

Reposted with better production quality interview clip.

While news swirls around what's playing and who's winning prizes at the Cannes Film Festival this month, May 2009 also marks the first month that The World Cinema Foundation unveils its first round of restored films. Did someone say timing is everything?

The WCF is film director Martin Scorsese's baby which he's forged out of an international brain trust that reads like a Who's Who of foreign and art house filmmakers. You can screen the first WCF restoration films at another of Scorsese's virtual venues, The Auteurs, an exclusive online movie theatre for serious students and filmmakers.

For a limited time, you can watch these very rare films for free on The Auteurs site. You will need to become a member but if you love independent film and documentaries, it may become a new fave. It's not just the first "legit" cyberspace cinema, it's a forum for discussion about the past, present and future of cinema.

Here's an interview with Martin Scorsese on the documentary film and narrative (dramatic) fiction, which gives insight into his work with neorealism.

Writing movies that matter

One of the quickest ways to get a handle on your screenplay is to purchase scriptwriting software. The Writers Guild Foundation is hosting a screenwriting workshop on June 6 at The Writers Guild, West in Hollywood. It's called WRITING MOVIES THAT MATTER and there will be lots of opportunity to purchase scriptwriting software.

Here's a clip from a similar WGA/WGF event (an annual affair called BEYOND WORDS) where writers take the stage and talk about what they know...





Writing Movies That Matter is all about thematic issues - something you don't automatically get in a software package (unless you're just incredibly astute). The cost is $150 to the public, $125 for WGA members and $110 to full-time students with I.D. This gets you in and includes a light breakfast, lunch and a wine and cheese mixer in the evening. Sounds like a wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

There will be several top screenwriters and producers on the panel including Paul Haggis, Tom Shulman and Nathan Kahane. The Writers Guild Foundation is a non-profit so the money goes to support the foundation and pay for the cost of putting on the program.

Of course, there IS a commercial counterpart...The Writers Guild Foundation has partnered with Write Brothers Inc (the company that produces and sells the best script writing software currently on the market). They're a little pricey at around $250 but well worth it. It's not just a template anymore. Now there is a built-in "mentor" (aka StoryGuide) that guides your through the writing process.

Sound hokey? Think again. This may be the ultimate in formula but it's giving the reigning mammalian story gurus like John Truby and Robert McKee a run for their money. Here are a couple of clips from McKee's story seminar to give you an idea of what to expect there.






Oops, Bob that was the Bible not Shakespeare. Anyway, when I was at Disney, the company paid for the three of us in story development to take Robert McKee's class. It was terrific. There's a reason he's got a rep for being the best. Fortunately, you don't have to choose. You can avail yourself of everybody's ideas. For a taste of how Dramatica Pro works, click here for free tutorials.

The tutorials are a great way to see how the software helps writers think through their ideas from concept to finished screenplay. It's amazingly well done. And no, I'm not affiliated with anybody involved in the moneymaking end of the equation. It's just a cool event that will be fun and the software is brilliant.

Dialogue as music

Just came across this while researching the creative forces behind my favorite TV show, HOUSE, and couldn't resist sharing it.

Hugh Laurie is great but I'm most mesmerized by the script. So here is a blurb from an interview with one of the original writer/producers Paul Attanasio.

You can get the full story at The Dialogue Series.





The Writers Guild Foundation is hosting an event you may enjoy. It's called An Evening with Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (writers of Star Trek, Transformers)with Paul Attanasio moderating.

WHERE/WHEN: Tuesday, May 26 - 7:30 - at Writers Guild Theater.
TICKETS: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/63483

P.S. USA Network is hosting a House marathon today. Yippee...

Kira the flying cat

My Himalayan kitten Kira is growing in leaps and bounds. She leaps and bounds around a lot too. I call her Kira the flying cat. She flys across the bed and touches down on my prone, unsuspecting body.

The flying bed pounce is a standard kitty prank. It's hot-wired into their brains while they're still in the womb. Experienced cat owners are not surprised but still run the risk of sudden heart failure. Her timing is impeccable.

At 4 months old, Kira is cuddly, playful, bitey (she's teething) and eager to learn. Her baby meow is a tiny squeak. Very endearing. Here she is getting her first taste of wind. Oh my gosh, what was THAT?






P.S. Yes, she's sitting on my car but the car ISN'T moving. Kira doesn't set a paw outdoors without a bodyguard. We were just looking for a better "table top" when a sudden gust changed her cameo from one of sweet kitty pose to abject terror. Cute huh?

Besides, the garden was way to interesting to give us a good shot. Kira kept sticking her nose in the potted plants and showing us her derriere. To get your own Himalayan kitty, check out Kitty Babies.

If Billy Elliot then Roland Petit?

On Tuesday the big news came out that the Broadway adaptation of Billy Elliot (first a Universal Pictures release in 2000) is set to sweep The 63rd Tony Awards. It took 15 Tony nominations.




So what has that got to do with writing scripts for Hollywood? Well, there's a long history between the great white way and tinsel town - a reciprocal one. Even if you aren't a theatre buff, it pays to keep tabs on what's hot on, and off, Broadway.

While noodling around this morning I came across a gorgeous Parisian site that represents the incomparable ballet shop Repetto. It turns out that it was started by the famous male ballet dancer Roland Petit's mother (by his request) shortly before World War II.

Petit blossomed into a choreographer in the 40s, got involved in theatre for a while and choreographed the movie Hans Christian Andersen before returning to ballet. He distinguished himself with angular movements that lend themselves particularly well to theatre, mime and props.

Here's a clip featuring Luigi Bonino performing Charlot (one of Petit's signature dance hall routines), for the Ballet National de Marseilles.



Maybe it's just me but I smell a story...a period drama based on the life of a real man who didn't just beat the odds but is, now, the most influential choreographer of our time. If Billy Elliot can be a hit, then why not the tale of Roland Petit?

Tips from a working writer

You may have heard of him. John August has written a number of top Hollywood films (and is scheduled to write the reboot of my favorite vampire franchise, Dark Shadows). He's also in the midst of giving away tips on how to improve your screenplay.

Here are few clips to whet your whistle. There's more great stuff on John's website. Few screenwriters are so generous with these kinds of details. So settle in and enjoy.





Here's another...





...and one more for the road.





P.S. Avoid dependent clauses. Stay in the active tense and use descriptive verbs. For a top notch taste of evocative screenwriting, read Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

P.P.S. Click on the title (above), which will take you to a cover page. Then click on that title for a brief bit of backstory on the film by writers Terry Rossio & Ted Elliot. At the end of that you can read the script or download it in various formats.

P.P.P.S. You don't even need a secret handshake to gain access.

Star Trek interviews and reviews

The new, rebooted version of Star Trek opens wide in the U.S. this weekend. The Daily Beast recommended this video today so, of course, I had to check it out. Here's a quick clip.




To see the whole 30 minute interview click here. Of course, if your mind goes more toward the comically absurd, here's an early bird review from The Onion.


Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Meet Dug - talking Pixar pooch

This looks like fun. Writer/director Pete Docter, co-director/writer/narrator Bob Peterson, et al, reveal how they conceived of Pixar's talking dog (Dug)in their up-coming release, UP (in theatres May 29).

Doc Horrible and friends

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog (created by the evil genius of Joss Whedon) was a major hit on the Internet, iTunes and Billboard last summer. The story/concept is equal parts weird, campy, silly and sweet.

Kind of reminds me of Little Shop of Horrors which started out as a schlocky Roger Corman horror musical (if you haven't seen any Corman movies then you must treat yourself), then went on Broadway and finally made it to a full-blown Hollywood production in 1986. History DOES repeat itself.

You've gotta love the goggles. Could there be a Broadway production in the future? It's Joss Whedon. They'll probably just go right to film. Then again, the path from Internet hit to the more traditional media is still a relative unknown. Dr. Horrible does seem to need some doctoring here and there to transition to the mainstream.

One thing's certain though, the creatives at the studios will have plans for Doc Horrible (even if they don't know it yet). It'll be interesting to see how they blaze the trail to mega dollars. Whedon is very good at reading trends and putting new twists on ideas that are proven to work. The studios love that kind of thinking.




Here's what Joss Whedon has to say about his own work...

More Webby Nominees

Here are a few more webby nominees worth watching. The first two I only have links for but they're pretty cool.

Actor Ian Mckellen's interactive site is wonderful! Click here.

Radio Head's 12 camera concert shot in Japan last year is pretty cool too. Click here to make your own edit from whatever camera you choose, whenever you choose.

Here's a trailer/promo from the interview show The Write Environment. You can purchase entire hour long interviews with various working writers by visiting The Write Environment site.





Isabella Rossellini goes for it in Green Porno from Sundance Channel.





The other piece is called The Tehuacan Project - executive produced by Brad Pitt and narrated by Adrien Brody. It's about Casa del Nino Sordo - a unique school in Mexico for deaf and hearing impaired children. This one is particularly close to my heart because of my late mother's deafness. It's a terrible handicap most don't understand.




I miss you mom. I lit a new candle for you today.

StrikeTV

Strike.tv has just announced that it has garnered 12 nominations for this year's Webby Awards.

In case you didn't know, Strike.tv was born during the WGA strike last year by a consortium of out-of-work member writers (and some wannabes) who wanted to send a message to the Producers that they could create and produce their own content for the Internet, without studio backing.

The Webby Award winners will be announced in just a few days, on May 5. In the meantime, here are a few of my faves.

The Confessional is like a snapshot version of IN TREATMENT - one of the best scripted shows on cable.

I think the crisp, close and fast-paced writing on HOLD PLEASE is exceptional for new media. I also love the drama series WITH THE ANGELS - a show that dares to take a Christian view and juxtaposes it with life in Hollywood. Fresh and wonderful.

You can find a lot more stuff on Strike.tv, including Anyone but me (by the writer/producer of The L Word) and Life in General an Internet soap about life behind the scenes on a hit network soap.

Speedie Date




The Confessional




Hold Please




With the Angels





Happy viewing and remember, all proceeds for the first few months go to support The Actor's Fund.