Notes from Adaption Class

TIPS TO CREATING SOLID OUTLINES

Find Arresting Images (as in Heavenly Creatures, Brokeback Mountain)

Compress with Edits (as in Closer, Dan Brown Novels)

Justify the Scene (Queen Mab speech)

Maintain The Umbrella (Citizen Kane, Schindlers List)

Track the Large Scale Action (Fellowship of the Ring)

Track Character Desires (Shawshank Redemption)

Track Changes in Values (Return of the King)

What is the Story Beat? (Slumdog Millionaire)

Make a Promise (silence of the lambs)

Find the Situation Beat (Juno, Dead Calm)

10 most obnoxious superpowered teenagers of all time

10 most obnoxious superpowered teenagers of all time

David Segal: Stop the Internet Blacklist

David Segal: Stop the Internet Blacklist

Fuck, its happening now, not 5 years from now...

Wake me up in Anarchy

LISTENING TO: KMFDM - WWIII
READING: Batman - RIP
WATCHING: UP
PLAYING: CoD:MW2,
EATING: Nadda
DRINKING: Tea
FUCK YOU: VFS


So we had this big storyboard meeting where, supposedly we were supposed to be either told "Greenlit"(and start writing the actual script) or "another beat sheet". But apparently that was never the case, apparently, regardless of how good our beat sheet was, we'd have to write another beat sheet. I'm not pissed about the fact I have to do another draft (technically a third draft, but they're calling it a second). I'm pissed that so many of my peers, whose stories have been solid pretty much since day 1 are being told to make ideological changes. It's one thing to have more experience than us in the industry. But when a family drama turns into a gross out comedy and it's NOT my intention, thats a fucking negative change at their behest.

I love my teachers, I do, for the most part, but some of these notes are weird.

Anyways. We recorded a podcast last week, it was pretty fun. We spent 2 hours to get 1 hour of audio, which is pretty good considering this is the first one we've done in 3 years. It wasn't our best, but it also wasn't our worst. I'm not sure when the next one will be, but I will get to talk about Revolver Games a bit, which should be nice, even a smaller market (our listeners) would be a great boost in support.

Spring is here. It's a cold spring, but the sun heats up the apartment. With spring comes a desire to change things. Clean, get into better shape. I've cut pop out of my diet to start, we'll see what else I can manage. But with a portion of my free time spent constantly writing, my life is becoming increasingly sedentary (And I was already pretty sedentary). Need to find the drive to go to the gym in the morning, and need to convince myself when out to go either for the more healthy option or wait till I'm at home (but not like yesterday, where I was at the mall for 6 hours, and didn't eat all day).

Had a weird dream, I blame Legend of the Seeker. I just started watching it and had some weird dream where me and Allison were running from random monsters, that were summoned, but it was like being in an MMO, people were summoning it repeatedly to try and kill it, but it would target anyone, so everyone scattered. Weird.

Increasingly homesick...

All for now.

-j

Dio

Fuck YES.

Build me a bridge, soaked in Gasoline.

LISTENING TO: Bloodhound Gang – Asleep at the Wheel
READING: Save the Cat
WATCHING: The Office (American)
PLAYING: CoD:MW2, AvP,
EATING: Skittles
DRINKING: Grape Drank
FUCK YOU: Beat Sheets

I've spent the last few months getting lost in school work. It honestly doesn't feel like I've learned anything, but I'm able to do so much more than I was than when I started, it just feels natural. Right now I've got Writing for Animation, which, 2 classes in so far, is fucking awesome. On top of that, we have our TV Spec class, which I'll get to write an episode of a show of my choice. Leaning towards Sons of Anarchy. Supernatural is a close contender, but to be honest, with how serialized the show has become, I'd rather veer away from it, besides Sons of Anarchy is still relatively new.

School is a lot of fun, I've met some great people, and we have a great international collection. A good chunk are from the US, one chick from England, a dude from France and a guy from Portugal. I've bonded with the English chick. Everyone seems to get along and we have a lot of interaction with the classes ahead of us. I'm not so interested in movie writing, and will definitely be taking the TV stream.

I miss a lot of things from home. My friends mostly, one of the highlights of my weekends is playing Modern Warfare 2 with Malley. I love that Allison is out here with me, but she misses her friends too, I try not to talk to much about it, it just puts her in a mood. We watch lots of TV, just like when I live at home.

I think I may have to get a part time job to offset some of my unexpected expenses.

Will I stay on the west coast? I don't know. I love this city, I love the lack of snow. But it still feels very much like my life is back in Toronto.

I made this.

I made this blog 2 years ago and I have not touched it since. That's weird of me. Even my blog over at Rusting Carcass gets some attention. I shall endeavor to post here...