Kira likes Call of Duty Black Ops

Kira will be two years old on 1-01-11. Here she is warming up for her birthday presents. My nephew got an Xbox and the new Call of Duty Black Ops game from Activision. Kira thinks the box is brilliant.

Black Ops has so far smashed sales records, selling more than 7 million copies in 24 hours. According to the WSJ, $360 million in one day between the U.S. and U.K. You can be sure that Hollywood is well aware of this trend. So if you're a writer, it's time to get your game on. I'm not into shooter games but yesterday it was on the big screen all day in single player and multi-player form. The graphics are amazing and you can playback your battles from any angle. You really do feel like you've stepped into a movie.

It helps to have the Rolling Stones vintage songs "Gimme Shelter" and "Sympathy for the Devil" playing in the background. The score (by Sean Murray) is also far better than anything I've ever heard for a shooter game. That pops this up several notches on the coolness meter in my book. The voice work is no less elegant with Ed Harris, Gary Oldman and Ice Cube dubbing the vocal tracks. And it turns out that David S. Goyer (whose screenplay credits include Ghost Rider, Blade, Batman Begins and the new Superman) is/was a writing consultant. Add all this together and there can be little doubt that gaming is here to stay and it's using major artistic talent.

Coppola & the Creative Process

These days when you refer to a Coppola film, you need to distinguish between the famous director of the Godfather trilogy (and the unforgettable Apocalypse Now) Francis Ford or his daughter Sophia (director of four films including her Oscar winning debut, Lost in Translation and this year's Somewhere - which took this year's Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival).

Francis Ford, as most people know, now owns and operates the Rubicon winery and seems committed now to doing smaller, independent films like the black and white family drama Tetro and his current work-in-progress, Twist Now and Sunrise (rumored to be a thriller about a horror novelist set in Napa Valley). Here he is, speaking briefly, at the Marrakech Film Festival in Morocco about how he conceived of his latest film and his writing process.



Just a small window but I thought I'd pass it along.

A Christmas Story

...or how I discovered the meaning of Christmas. I was a young girl and living at home with my parents and brothers and sister in suburban Pennsylvania. Paoli to be exact. It's a beautiful almost sleepy town, once home to the powerful Iroquois Indians and it sits at the end of what is known in those parts as the "main line". That is to say, the main railroad line that serves commuters going into and coming out of the bustling east coast metropolis of Philadelphia. It snows a lot there in the winter so our chances of having a white Christmas was excellent.

This may not seem like a big deal to those of you who live in the northern countries but my father was a pilot in the Navy so we moved every couple of years and the last three Christmases I could remember were on the island of Oahu, the land where palm trees sway. Before that we were stationed in Ohio but I was so little all I could remember about Christmas there was laying in a snowbank in my snowsuit making snow angels. So for all intents and purposes, Christmas to me was spent on the beach with surfboards, ukuleles and color-coordinated mu mu's my mom made.

That Christmas eve in Paoli was indeed special. And snow it did - thick, wet heavy flakes that started early in the afternoon and it kept on coming down long after supper. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! This Christmas had stepped right out of my dreams. We had just finished wrapping the last present and placed it carefully under the tree. The fire in the fireplace was dying down - snapping and popping and sending sparks like fireflies up and out the flue into the silent night. Then my dad turned the lights out and the whole first floor was bathed in twinkling lights of red and green. It was magical. Being the youngest of the four children, I was wishing with all my might that this year I would catch a glimpse of Santa Claus.

I was adamant about leaving him a cup of hot cocoa in his special Santa mug and a plate of warm cookies by the chimney as a reward for his hard work and was more than a little concerned that he might burn his bottom trying to get down through the sooty opening on the roof. My parents quieted my fears and we were all eventually herded off to bed. I lay wide awake in my little rose-papered room under a canopied bed looking out the window down the hill at the snowy street. It was a gorgeous sight. This year I just might have a close encounter with jolly old St. Nick.

Hours had passed when I awoke to a bluish light from the moon shining in my window. The snow had finally stopped, leaving the houses and trees blanketed in white. It was so bright. That's when I heard the clatter of reindeer hooves on the roof. It was him! It had to be. The crunching steps moved across the ceiling and continued down the hall towards the chimney. This was the moment of truth. It was now or never. I stole out of bed in my flannel jammies, stepped into my furry slippers and snuck out the door. Excitement rippled through me like chills. I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted him to see me. After all, it might be best not to interfere.

Santa must've worked fast because by the time I got downstairs the cocoa and cookies were gone and his presents were scattered artfully among the others. I was filled with wonder. Was that one of his long white whiskers by the fire? I could barely breathe. Here, in this very room, had been the great man. He'd come all the way from the North Pole and was here and gone in the blink of an eye. But that was okay. He had come and I had been within seconds of seeing him. As I crept back upstairs I heard a faint jingle of bells. It was the reindeer stepping off the roof. Then, for one brief moment from my bedroom window, I saw a shadow streak upwards across the moon. It was the best Christmas ever. And from that day to this I have firmly believed in magic.

A Special Solstice

The coming total lunar eclipse and winter solstice coincide for the first time in 372 years. What's that got to do with screenwriting? Who knows but this is the kind of thing that's sensational enough to inspire some stories. A few weeks ago I wanted to post a piece about the persecution of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and suppressed it because it wasn't "Hollywood" news only to later learn that Zodiak Media Group will distribute the documentary Wikileaks: War, Lies and Videotape (directed by investigative reporter Luc Hermann and producer Paul Moreira) worldwide in January. Missed it by that much!

So maybe this post is more about not second guessing your instincts than it is about tonight's total lunar eclipse and the rarity of it occurring on winter solstice. That's for you to decide. First the facts, then the related mythology. NASA has dedicated a page to the event, which you can view here. The Griffith Observatory on Mount Hollywood is also hosting a special event tonight. You can learn more about that here.

This total lunar eclipse will be visible to us lucky ones in North America, Central America and South America. Parts of western Europe and the African continent will also be able to see the blood red globe. The best viewing time is about 3:00 am on Tuesday - when the eclipse will have engulfed the whole moon. Here's a viewing map.

Now for a few words about the mythic significance and story potential this may inspire. For some, it may already carry the weight of prophesy. I know for me, today marks the day of my late mother's birth and I'm glad the cosmos is making such a big deal of it this year. She left the earth plane not so long ago and I still feel the loss almost daily. Happy birthday mom. I miss you.

So many of the world's celebrations around this time of year have their genesis in the winter solstice - which the ancients found so important they built structures like Stonehenge and the Irish underground chamber at NewGrange to commemorate it. The celebrations of solar and lunar cycles around this time of year are so numerous I won't even begin to try to cover them all. Pick any culture, past or present, and you'll find legend, myth and mystery abound around mid-December. It is a time of introspection and rejoicing as soon the earth (which, in the northern hemisphere at least, is hibernating) will awaken again and hope will return along with the spring. It's a time of rebirth.

Full moons in general, like the one we have right now, are thought to be powerful times to connect with the energies of the spiritual plane. Doctors regularly deliver more babies on a full moon than any other time and every bartender knows that people tend to go a little crazy at the height of the lunar cycle. So if you put all these elements together and add in a bit of your own imagination, this may indeed be an auspicious point in time. How, for example, does all this effect Santa's delivery schedule if the elves are sneaking off to worship the sun/moon or booking it out to a fairy mound in the middle of Christmas? It could spell disaster!

The Return of the Western

UPDATE 1/5/2011: True Grit shows same at the box office taking in 86.7 million in U.S. domestic sales in 12 days. This makes it the highest grossing Coen Brothers film ever and the highest grossing western since Tombstone in 1993. Fourteen year old actress Hailee Steinfeld is being hailed as this year's newest star in a supporting role and critical reviews now make the Coen Brothers' True Grit a major contender at the Oscars.
------------------------------------------------------------------

You can't really say the return of the western is a surprise. For the past several years (beginning with HBO's premium drama Deadwood set during the gold rush in the Black Hills of South Dakota) and some feature forays into the formerly defunct genre, the western looms large on the horizon. AMC just picked up a new dramatic series called Hell on Wheels (about a post-war confederate soldier who goes west to work on the first intercontinental railroad) and on December 22, the infamous writer/directors Ethan and Joel Coen bring us the re-envisioned version of the classic John Wayne movie, TRUE GRIT.



Warner Bros. has also recently acquired the rights along with Scott Free Productions to develop S.C. Gwyne's best-selling book as a feature film. Empire of the Summer Moon is about the rise and fall of the Comanches - the most powerful native Indian tribe in American history. And New Regency just picked up contemporary "western" (in turnaround from WB) The Gunslinger - a revenge plot about an ex-Texas Ranger out to get the men who murdered his brother. James Mangold to direct a script by John Hlavin.

So if you've got a western or have been thinking about writing one - now looks to be a great time to pitch it.

Happy Holidays from The Script Blog

Season's Greetings. Mele Kalikimaka. Feliz Navidad. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. Happy Birthday Vishnu. Good Tidings this Winter Solstice. Peace this Day of Ashura. Blessings to one and all. Tonight's moon is also special in the Hindu faith as it is said to carry the beneficent energies of Vaikunta Ekadasi Vishnu's heavenly abode.

I just finished "breed native American Indian" Heyemeyohts Storm's autobiography, Lightning Bolt. What an amazing book. It was a little rough at the beginning as narratives go but about halfway through the storyline opens out into the teachings of the Zero Chiefs. This was well worth waiting for. As profound a journey as The Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East. So if this kind of thing interests you, I recommend it.

There's homemade chili on the stove and I've been out driving, singing carols and folk songs at the top of my lungs at the stop lights. That is so much fun. Thank you Rush Beesley (my former manager from Sundance) for suggesting it all those years ago. This weekend it's off to Wimberley for a book-signing.

* Photo = "Me and the Moon" (1937) by Arthur G. Dove - an American modern abstract artist (1880-1946) who found his footing, in part, thanks to the famous photographer/art promoter Alfred Stieglitz.

Hollywood's 2010 Black List

It's here. The 2010 Blacklist - the most liked "unproduced" screenplays in Hollywood this year put together by mid level development executive Franklin Leonard. And yes, that black shape you see there is the official cover. You can never go wrong with black. As in prior years (2010 is the 6th year running) the top ten scripts are already well on their way to becoming movies and one is already in the can. In fact, if you've been keeping up with the trades, you've already heard of them.

Some of the writers on this list are veterans, others are newcomers that have found a new life since appearing on the list. Reading this year's list makes me want to sit down with something great to read. There's nothing quite as exciting as a terrific script. You just know it when you see one. Here are the top ten but you don't have to stop there. Scroll down to the bottom for a link to the list. Or just go here. Happy reading.

College Republicans by Wes Jones
Buddy comedy/spoof about (very young politician) Karl Rove's dirty campaign for National College Republican Chairman under the guidance of his manager Lee Atwater.
(Anonymous Content producing)

Jackie by Noah OppenheimAfter JFK's assassination, Jackie Kennedy fights to define her late husband's legacy in the week following his death.
(Fox Searchlight/Protozoa Pictures for the History Channel)

All You Need is Kill by Dante HarperA new recruit in the war against aliens is caught in a time loop where he wakes up one day after he's killed in battle.
(Warner Bros./3 Arts Entertainment/VIZ Productions)

Safe House by David GuggenheimA young man at a CIA safe house in Rio must help a rogue ex-agent escape assassins who are after intel he won't sell them.
(Universal/Scott Stuber/Madhouse Entertainment)

Stoker by Wentworth Miller (aka the actor from TV's Prison Break)
After the death of her father, a teenager must deal with a mysterious uncle who returns to spend time with the family.
(Fox Searchlight/Scott Free Productions)

999 by Matt Cook (2nd year in a row to make the list)
A gang of crooked cops plan a heist that will require them to shoot a fellow officer in order to get away with it.
(Anonymous Content)

Margin Call by JC Chandor Another biopic about the last 24 hours of a major global financial services (Lehman Bros.) firm.
(Before the Door Pictures/Washington Square Arts & Films/Benroya Pictures/Taggart Productions)

American Bullshit by Eric Warren Singer
The true story of Abscam, the FBI's 1980 sting of Congress to root out corruption.
(Sony Pictures/Atlas Entertainment)

Argo by Chris Terrior
Yet another true story - this one about how the CIA used a fake Hollywood movie project to smuggle hostages out of Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis.
(Warner Bros./Smoke House)

The Last Son of Issac Lemay by Greg JohnsonAn aging outlaw convinced he has evil genes sets out to murder his offspring and his worst fears come to life in his last remaining son.
(Blink Wink Productions)

The majority of the rest of the scripts that made this year's list are also either on their way to production or in development. To see the entire list, click here.

Cosmos Calling

Did you ever have one of those days where everything you had planned to do was simply not in cards? Today was one of those days for me. I directed my morning activities around leaving the house by 10:30 for an appointment in the north part of town and arranged two other meetings around that one. Hurried down to the car (a little late) only to find the right front tire flat as a pancake.

So back into the warmth to call about three different groups of people to tell them I wouldn't be coming after all. Fortunately, these were all things that could be postponed without a problem. A friend (an independent woman like me only much more willing to do things like change a tire herself) encouraged me to do the deed. So back out I went to rummage through the trunk. It was cold and I was beginning to feel very grumpy. I wrestled the spare to the ground and tossed out a jack and the accompanying tools only to find that the spare had a giant hole in it!

Of course, there were many other good things that happened in place of my daily round. I set up a book signing in Wimberley Village (an artists colony southwest of Austin)at the Maui Wowi, learned from the publisher of The Wimberley View that they'll be doing a story on me sometime in the next 7-10 days and got confirmation from the buyer at BookPeople in Austin that they'll be carrying my book SCRIPT: A WRITER'S GUIDE TO THE HOLLYWOOD JUNGLE. Good great wonderful.

Night has fallen and now the tire is fixed. All's well that ends well. But it really does leave me wondering if it wasn't the Cosmos calling this morning. "Susie. Oh, Susie. We'd really like you to stay home and work on that new project today." This is what I imagine anyway. Thinking back on it, I DID really want to stay home and work on that new project but there were all these pressing "other things" to do. So I caved and went for the action stuff (which would conveniently allow me to procrastinate the hard work of thinking through a tough spot).

The tire changed the trajectory of my day. It actually backed me up in a wierd sort of way. So I wound up obeying the voice of the universe (after it didn't leave me much choice). How perfect is that? I just wish I had a two-way connection. But wait, maybe I do. "Are you there God? It's me Susie."