tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161778092011-12-14T16:55:02.146+13:00A writer learns how to write. And tell stories.Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.comBlogger2461100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-83681892336263737472007-11-03T16:16:00.000+13:002007-11-04T14:30:09.196+13:00

In the interests of sanity - and consistency - I'm consolidating my blogging activities in 2007. From now on I'll make new posts at my blog, Mad Young Thing.What this doesn't mean:I haven't given up on Gribblehickey - he's still on the shelf.I certainly haven't given up on learning the art of filmmaking - I've just been shocking at keeping this blog up!What this does mean:You'll still find

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-80046301346907345402007-04-30T11:38:00.000+12:002007-04-30T11:38:57.701+12:00

eMarketer.com - Social Networking Increases Internet TimeInteresting piece which shows that social networking has increased people's internet time overall, at the expense of TV (which we all knew was dying a slow death) and video games (the heir to the movie industry).Okay, so this is just one study, and one conducted by MySpace, but it's an interesting piece of data nevertheless.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-43213117738516711362007-04-26T09:02:00.001+12:002007-04-26T09:02:52.690+12:00

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1164309259832696952006-11-24T08:08:00.000+13:002006-11-24T08:14:19.856+13:00

I wanted to like this one. Good trailer, but unfortunately that was the entire sum total of funny bits in the movie.Damn.I like Jane Fonda. I like J-Lo. Kinda. Michael Vartan is great in Alias, and is quite funny in the behind the scenes bits for this movie.But it's the script that lets this one down. It felt like a first draft - needs way, way more work.What can I learn from this?Don't spend too

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1164230762962358682006-11-23T10:16:00.000+13:002006-11-23T10:26:08.470+13:00

...and I have to wait until I go shopping with Marie to find some new ones.Why? Because I have noooo taste when choosing my own sunglasses. Apparently! :)In the meantime, I have to ask myself this question:Am I worried about not having any sunglasses this summer because:1. The sun might damage my sensitive eyes?2. I won't look cool3. People will be able to see where I'm looking!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1164011076379532402006-11-20T21:24:00.000+13:002006-11-20T21:24:36.566+13:00

Wired News: The Secret World of LonelygirlInteresting insights into the future of TV!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1162760530280934552006-11-06T09:48:00.000+13:002006-11-06T10:15:03.180+13:00

Garlic salt is not the same as normal salt. It certainly gave a spicy, savoury tang to my porridge this morning - not nice with brown sugar!Haven't posted in a while, but have been watching lots of videos in between the rest of life:Amelie - delightful. Loved it, very clever.Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events - okay, so I'm not the target audience, but this just didn't grab me. I

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1162228907001721512006-10-31T06:21:00.000+13:002006-10-31T06:24:09.730+13:00

Found film finds its place: YouTube. I love this - this is like a celebration of humanity, in all its very strangeness and brokenness.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1161643031224573312006-10-24T11:37:00.000+13:002006-10-24T11:37:14.266+13:00

Variety.com - 'Halo' pic loses its studiosQuelle horreur! Not that I'm much of a fan of Halo, but what an atrocious way to treat people. Did Universal and Fox really think Peter and Fran would fall for a dirty trick like that?

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1160799251235839622006-10-14T16:56:00.000+13:002006-10-14T17:14:11.266+13:00

Recently I checked out an old favourite, a misty memory from childhood: Mon Oncle, written and directed by Jacques Tati.We saw it - Mum, my sister Karen and me - at Auckland's Academy Theatre around 20 years ago. It's so funny in a very gentle way.I watched Tati's other films, Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, and Play Time, as well as some other shorts included on the special features.What a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1160353045805171432006-10-09T13:17:00.000+13:002006-10-09T13:17:31.636+13:00

New Muslim superheroes launched to rival Spider-Man, The Hulk - 09 Oct 2006 - Lifestyle & LeisureHaven't posted for a while - but plenty to post! Anyway, thought I'd start the ball rolling with this link, because it's so bizarre and interesting.I've heard that it's hard to launch a comic book brand, but when it's something this unique - the first comic series directly derived from Muslim culture

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158813040982562982006-09-21T16:25:00.001+12:002006-09-21T16:30:40.986+12:00

I interviewed Barrie Osborne for an article I'm writing for Idealog magazine. Maybe it's because he was on the special features of Lord of the Rings, or I don't know, but I was really nervous.Thankfully, I got my well-crafted questions out to him and got some really good answers, but really, I've got to stop going weak at the knees whenever I speak to someone who's (gasp!) actually on IMDb!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158812976911991032006-09-21T16:25:00.000+12:002006-09-21T16:29:36.930+12:00

I interviewed Barrie Osborne for an article I'm writing for Idealog magazine. Maybe it's because he was on the special features of Lord of the Rings, or I don't know, but I was really nervous.Thankfully, I got my well-crafted questions out to him and got some really good answers, but really, I've got to stop going weak at the knees whenever I speak to someone who's (gasp!) actually on IMDb!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158537443293464852006-09-18T11:57:00.000+12:002006-09-18T11:57:23.473+12:00

Boing Boing: LonelyGirl15: Jessica Rose is the fake Hollywood videoblogger.I'm a bit behind on this one... just found out that LonelyGirl15 is a NZ actress.Okay, so everyone's complaining that she's a fake, but what a great fake US accent! Give the girl some credit!Quite interesting to listen to all the reaction. The blogosphere ... or youtubeosphere ... or internetivilisation ... um... what was

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158524521819363322006-09-18T08:10:00.000+12:002006-09-18T08:22:01.863+12:00

My dearest is in Australia, so I'm watching lots and lots and lots of movies.Friday it was Angela's Ashes, one of the most heartwarming tales of suffering I've ever seen. Absolutely lovable. Interesting to see the comparisons with An Angel at My Table - one of the same screenwriters (Laura Jones), the word "Angel" in the title, and they're both the story of a writer who overcomes poverty and a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158137936507618922006-09-14T13:46:00.000+12:002006-09-14T13:23:19.066+12:00

I just heard on The Writing Show that writers are more likely to have a sibling who has schizophrenia. The implication being that successful writers are this close but only this close to crazy.I agree.An Angel at My Table shows how in some cultures and eras that line between creative/shy and officially insane is easy to cross. Janet Frame spent eight years in a mental hospital under a wrongful

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158196957890088902006-09-14T13:22:00.000+12:002006-09-14T13:22:38.033+12:00

Presentation Zen: Learning from the art of comicsMental note - must buy this book.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158137163978887602006-09-13T20:31:00.000+12:002006-09-14T13:24:03.506+12:00

Last year at the Janet Roach screenwriting workshop it seemed like everyone had seen Fight Club except for me. And Janet Roach.Finally, I have remedied the situation. And I'm so glad I did!Sheer. Genius.I was mentally writing my review as the film unfolded. Nihilism. Masculinity. Insecurity. Charismatic, manipulative leaders.And then came the moment - or series of moments - when our main

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157483130604216552006-09-06T07:01:00.000+12:002006-09-06T07:05:30.893+12:00

It's good to see that Sione's Wedding the DVD will be jam-packed with extras as a way of combating piracy. Good thinking!To take the preacher David Wilkerson way out of context, if you see a dog gnawing on a bone, are you going to try and take away the bone, or offer a juicy steak? Which will be more effective at getting the dog to leave the bone?

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157415222500802952006-09-05T12:00:00.000+12:002006-09-06T07:09:34.783+12:00

It's incredible when you consider American History X was the first feature film for both its director and screenwriter.It's a violent story, not only in the obvious physical violence (explicit and implied) but it's intellectually violent in the portrayal of a racist, hate-filled worldview.Edward Norton's Derek character pre- and post-prison sentence are almost two different characters, and the

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157413955761141382006-09-05T11:40:00.000+12:002006-09-05T11:52:35.783+12:00

I love getting both sides of the story. I've only seen the trailer for Lady in the Water and heard Mark Kermode's review.It's all pants according to Dr. Kermode, almost as bad as Pirates of the Caribbean! He just couldn't handle the absolute ridiculousness of the story, not to mention Shylaman's cameo as a "great writer who would change the world"!So my mind was made up. Not really worth my time

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157330462358328552006-09-04T11:37:00.000+12:002006-09-04T12:41:02.480+12:00

These day, Sideways is a film you hear about before you see it. It is so raved about by critics and fans.And for good reason. Great story, great actors, great scenery. And you can almost taste the wine that is being sniffed, swilled, swallowed and uncorked throughout this story.Interestingly, it was one Marie didn't like, because she doesn't watch movies to see people like us; she wants to see

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157060841269015612006-09-01T09:47:00.000+12:002006-09-01T09:47:24.923+12:00

National Business Review (NBR) - Business, News, Arts, Media, Share Market & More

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156980468341211452006-08-31T11:16:00.000+12:002006-08-31T11:27:48.450+12:00

(Not a misprint; I'm talking in plural, like the womens).Continuing Marie's psych studies to garner psychological themes from movies, we saw Martin Scorcese's 1991 remake of Cape Fear (1962).Both of these movies are so well-made, and Scorcese's version (or let's say writer Wesley Strick's version) so deeply layered, that it was very disappointing for me to feel that, despite being expertly

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156802257329234662006-08-29T09:57:00.000+12:002006-08-29T09:57:43.003+12:00

...except for me and the others, of course. An interesting survey of journalists in the latest newsletter from the New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156673855928457052006-08-29T07:07:00.000+12:002006-08-29T07:16:30.580+12:00

Part of Marie's Psychology course, Finding Forrester was a neat film to watch on a Friday night.High concept at work here: J.D.Salinger-type author meets 16-year-old basketball-playing Bronx black literary prodigy.Some very witty dialogue and great double-entendres here, as you'd expect from a movie about writing. As well, some good advice on the art of writing itselt ("Write first, then think.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156672178451265722006-08-27T21:08:00.000+12:002006-08-27T21:49:38.540+12:00

I sat next to Oscar Kightley on Friday. Or how about this, I had lunch with Oscar Kightley on Friday.And about a few hundred other people.We were at the Marketing Association's Northern Luncheon where we heard Oscar, along with Elizabeth Mitchell, creator of Bro'Town, and her brother Tim talk about product placement.Bro'Town has an amazing backstory. Basically New Zealand On Air - which funds the

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156123585223898702006-08-23T11:10:00.000+12:002006-08-23T11:15:32.723+12:00

How's this for high concept: Crocodile Dundee and the guy from The Castle pretending to be a gay couple in a small Australian town.That's the premise of Strange Bedfellows, a really good Aussie comedy I watched on the weekend.At first this film seemed full of cliched Aussie small-town characters, plot exposition through lengthy dialogue, and story twists you can see coming a mile away.Sure enough

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156196525578101382006-08-22T09:42:00.000+12:002006-08-22T09:42:05.580+12:00

Beresford to write Long Tan battle film - 22 Aug 2006 - Lifestyle & LeisureCool. I've read the book about the Battle of Long Tan - in fact, that's the title. A harrowing battle, and interesting to read about what the soldiers went through after the war.Should be interesting to see this film when it comes out.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156122763997453672006-08-22T09:36:00.000+12:002006-08-22T09:39:34.690+12:00

Hm.Taxi really made my wife and me laugh, but I couldn't escape the strong feeling it could've done better.The opening stunt sequence is masterfully done, yet the story development after that is deeply unfunny, even with Queen Latifah.It only starts to get funny when Jimmy Fallon arrives on the scene. He is an extremely funny guy, able to make the commonplace comic. His behind-the-scenes stuff

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156120925638737812006-08-21T12:20:00.000+12:002006-08-21T12:42:05.656+12:00

Not many people know this, but I wanted to be a rock star in my youth. (I know, I know, such an unusual thing for a young guy to want to be!)So School of Rock (officially prefaced with a "The" which was endlessly debated in behind-the-scenes features) really pressed my buttons, but I think it pressed a lot of people's buttons! A box office winner, and a critical success.Jack Black is so so funny,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156119596426308352006-08-21T12:06:00.000+12:002006-08-21T12:19:56.440+12:00

Believe it or not, last Tuesday was the first time I saw Moulin Rouge! (2001).Wow.This brought back my days in High School shows - particularly the heightened, stagey experience that you just didn't want to end.For me, Moulin Rouge! is up there with Citizen Kane, The Third Man and The Wiz - films that took me to a different world, and eventually made me want to make films like them.Interestingly,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1155471252754861882006-08-16T09:54:00.000+12:002006-08-16T09:59:27.400+12:00

It's a tricky thing, making a serious drama with a renowned comedian doing clownish things.I put Patch Adams in the DVD player expecting something light and easy-going. Boy was I wrong!Not that I was disappointed. In fact, Patch Adams had a similar impact on me as did Shadowlands. A very powerful story about embracing the negative and discovering joy in the midst of it all.Some good features on

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1154991771680085902006-08-15T14:40:00.000+12:002006-08-15T14:45:48.133+12:00

Creative Screenwriting has more on Mr. and Mrs Smith. A good read, particularly if you want to understand how these things start (often what they don't really cover in special features).In a nutshell, it's this:"For a project that started out as screenwriter Simon Kinberg's thesis for his Columbia University graduate film school class (based on what a friend told him about the intricacies of

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1155470667010979252006-08-13T23:53:00.000+12:002006-08-14T00:04:27.030+12:00

Anthony Hopkins is sooo good.He can be the epitome of evil in Silence of the Lambs, and in Shadowlands he can be the absolutely believable aging bachelor professor CS Lewis.I've seen this film before, about nine years ago, before I was married. I remember being deeply moved. In fact, literally straight after seeing Shadowlands I read CS Lewis' A Grief Observed from cover to cover.Watching it now,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1154901338341285882006-08-07T09:55:00.000+12:002006-08-07T09:55:38.456+12:00

This here story tells how the James Cameron - Aliens, Titanic - has chosen New Zillund's own Weta Digital for his next movie.I love being a kiwi sometimes. When one of us wins big, on the sports field, in business or in the arts, we tend to celebrate. Kind of quaint and it only reminds us of how small we are, but quite grounding nevertheless.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1154304278314254672006-08-03T11:58:00.000+12:002006-08-03T12:18:54.120+12:00

It's been such a busy time with magazine and newspaper work, I almost forget what I'm "doing" this year - writing a screenplay.After joyously raving about the nice feedback I'd been getting, I started to get the really helpful stuff - the stuff that really, really needs work.I'm yet to get a respite to gather all the feedback, but when I do I'll be building a mind-map of it all, and paying close

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1154303931955749942006-08-01T19:57:00.000+12:002006-08-01T20:02:43.433+12:00

I saw approximately 90% of this movie on ... ahem.. pirated DVD at a relative's place last year. The world is a just place and, being a pirated DVD, it froze at the very end, denying us the last 10 or so minutes. Ha.So I saw the whole thing on the weekend, complete with two fantastic commentaries (one from the writer and director) and a great little featurette about the making of a complicated

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1154303542698052612006-07-31T11:41:00.000+12:002006-07-31T11:52:22.713+12:00

I can't remember why I had Jean de Florette on my list, but I recognised the music instantly. It's used as the themetune for those wonderful Stella Artois adverts which almost made me want to drink the stuff, except it tastes awful.Why I say it's stupid and brilliant is that French thing (some Indian films do this as well) of setting up a classic insurmountable obstacle for our hero, which our

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1153785169618209292006-07-25T11:52:00.000+12:002006-07-25T11:52:49.753+12:00

Check out the editorial in the latest Write Up magazine - it's all about TVNZ's ridiculous decision to "pause" the undercover cop drama Orange Roughies and "reschedule it later".That kind of behaviour just puzzles me. If not many people are watching a show, how will rescheduling it help? If they're infrequent TV viewers like me, they'll expect to tune in the same time next week, only to find a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1153376141351650902006-07-20T18:14:00.000+12:002006-07-20T18:15:41.363+12:00

http://www.cafepress.com/toby_sharpe/1624606Funny. Awful.Awfully funny!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1153352965542612202006-07-20T11:48:00.000+12:002006-10-18T21:05:04.270+13:00

For no reason at all, here is...today'sFUNNY=============================1. Two vultures board an airplane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at them and says, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, only one carrion allowed per passenger."2. Did you hear that NASA recently put a bunch of Holsteins into low earth orbit? They called it the herd shot 'round the world.3. Two boll weevils grew up

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1153041340672987122006-07-16T21:03:00.000+12:002006-07-16T21:15:40.700+12:00

Guess Who is a nice light comedy for a peaceful Sunday afternoon. Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher are funny, very funny. However this isn't a comedy that lasts in your memory.Special features were interesting for what they left out. I didn't know until I looked at IMDb that this was a remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, or that the story and script weren't actually written as filming

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1152835993216651172006-07-14T12:13:00.000+12:002006-07-14T12:13:13.346+12:00

Film companies interested in NZ!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1152832335655406532006-07-14T11:01:00.000+12:002006-07-14T11:12:15.676+12:00

Wasn't sure how it would be seeing Remington Steele play a Kramer-like character in this heartfelt tale. But he was very good!Really nice tale - well-crafted, but perhaps more importantly well-acted. Perhaps it's just something about the Irish, but all the main characters were very watchable as they plotted and planned their legal case, which otherwise would have been very expository.Incredibly

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1152588196841352692006-07-11T15:06:00.000+12:002006-07-11T15:24:54.843+12:00

(Loving my Mac, by the way!)Saw The Man Who Cried last night, not because it was a romantic comedy (it wasn't) but because I had it on my list of Epiphany Award winners that I was going to check out.Mixed feelings on this one. Really good cast, really great story, but somehow it left me untouched. Except for the music - the music is what saves this story. And my head was telling me what a great

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1152486932732078022006-07-10T11:15:00.000+12:002006-07-10T11:15:32.756+12:00

Jack Yan comments on the hilarity that's ensuing over Snakes on a Plane publicity.It just shows that the right movie title can really capture people's imagination!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1151816589063802652006-07-04T11:20:00.000+12:002006-07-04T11:24:27.770+12:00

After several weeks out of the movie scene (except for watching them!) I got to jump back into the industry at the Script-to-Screen Writer's Room.Being interviewed were Oscar Kightley and David Fane of the Naked Samoans, famous for their involvement in Bro'Town and Sione's Wedding.Some really good lessons, which can be summed up as:Collaboration is where it all comes fromYou know fairly early on

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1151815871350108802006-07-03T13:44:00.000+12:002006-07-03T13:48:07.496+12:00

Marie did a fantastic thing for my birthday (June 22nd; I turned 31, and yes I will accept late gifts). She booked us tickets to a West End play, and kept the whole thing a surprise until the last minute!That's really something for either of us; we're not good at keeping our mouths shut!The play was Pete & Dud Come Again, based on the tortured relationship between Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.Wow.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1151893006294781122006-07-03T13:10:00.000+12:002006-07-03T14:16:51.296+12:00

Not what I expected, but very worth watching, Spanglish is written and directed by James L Brooks, the man behind As Good as it Gets and producer of The Simpsons.A very funny guy, and obviously someone who's very confident in his own style and humour.I say that because there were some things in Spanglish that just didn't make sense to me, and yet they were funny. For example: "Stop talking to me

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1151814909051392732006-07-02T16:27:00.000+12:002006-07-02T16:35:09.080+12:00

Sorry folks for the long delay ... I've been working like a dog (kind of) and adjusting to becoming a Mac user.That's right! I'm a true creative professional now, and to prove it I've grown a goatee.Seriously.It was Marie's idea, but it's growing on me.Literally!!Since my last post, I've:Registered my script, The Last Gribblehickey, with WGASent it out to several other writersGot some really,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1149486995638856432006-06-05T17:20:00.000+12:002006-06-05T20:01:49.633+12:00

I'm done on the second draft of my screenplay!Strangely, I don't feel euphoric ... I don't feel anything much for that matter.Weird. However I am glad to have reached this milestone. Next steps...Print the sucker out - 95 pages. I just can't stretch it any further, not without some really good reason.Have a read-through with my wifeCorrect any glaring errorsRegister it with the WGAGet feedback

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1149120972246652532006-06-01T12:01:00.000+12:002006-06-01T13:34:15.763+12:00

I love A6's.That's when my wife Marie, a shift worker, gets a 9am to 5:30pm shift. It means I wake up when "normal people" get up, as opposed to 5:30am or 10:30am.But it does kind of spoil my carefully crafted timetable, which was:5:30am Kiss Marie goodbye as she drives to work.6am-ish emerge bleary eyed, boot up computer6:10am ish ... remind myself I need to get a RAM upgrade for this slow

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1148550183930318152006-05-25T21:11:00.000+12:002006-05-25T21:43:04.053+12:00

Dammit! My carefully calculated routine that began every day at 6am with prayer and screenwriting - foiled by a late night last night, and waking up too early when Marie left for work at 5.So I overslept, which means no screenwriting today. Had to get right into the paying work.However, during my lunch hour (and a half) I finished off listening to the superb director's commentary on How To Lose A

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1148415019801092352006-05-24T07:36:00.000+12:002006-05-24T08:10:19.916+12:00

Weird thing about rewriting: some scenes you write make you laugh each time you read them.I'm just hoping it's because they're genuinely funny, and not just because of my peculiar sense of humour.But there are some scenes that I now look at with a sense of dissatisfaction. Trouble is, I'm not sure if it's just that I'm too familiar with them, or they're really not that good.Scary thing is,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1148330760882528712006-05-23T07:44:00.000+12:002006-05-23T08:46:01.070+12:00

My main character learnt Kung Fu today.I'd pictured all sorts of ridiculous montage sequences, but instead just opted for "Kung Fu for Dummies" on his kitchen table.Sometimes - most times - simplest is best.I've reached 87 pages, and that's without padding, but instead by introducing a killer (well, I think it's killer) subplot. I'm getting closer to the magical 110 or so pages. Even though

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1148260373673619132006-05-22T12:10:00.000+12:002006-05-22T13:12:53.780+12:00

Unexpected long weekend - from blogging, at least.I had a real lull in productivity, where I spent many hours wishing I was asleep, but paradoxically not getting enough sleep.It was awful.However, I think I'm back. Got the printout of my first draft and went through it with a red pen making changes.It's what I started to do a while back, but this time it's different. It's like now I have a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147914859413161212006-05-18T13:14:00.000+12:002006-05-18T13:14:19.506+12:00

Variety.com - Goldwyn, Fox vid arm see 'God'I laughed at the subhead:Duo team on biopic...biopic of who? God?? :)

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147726648473981252006-05-16T08:32:00.000+12:002006-05-16T08:57:33.826+12:00

This is Jessy, the neighbour's cat.She was yowling outside our window this morning; it was cold and raining, so I let her in for a bit.Our Millie was not happy.Made me think of how jealousy can be a powerful motivation in a romantic comedy. So I've slipped a bit into my script today, or rather, the seeds of jealousy. Looking forward to seeing how it pans out.---Not a heck of a lot of note today,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147676446901977542006-05-15T19:00:00.000+12:002006-05-15T19:13:51.693+12:00

Very funny. And, as you might expect with a really successful movie, it was initially rejected by all the major studios!Creative Screenwriting Review - shows that much of the humour comes from the script, while fully acknowledging the fun that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson had with improv.The commentary went into that as well, and it's great to hear a director give the writers credit by name.I got

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147654373502753772006-05-15T12:52:00.000+12:002006-05-15T12:52:53.646+12:00

We Cannes do | Movies | Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (12-05-2006)

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147646337004639302006-05-15T10:14:00.000+12:002006-05-15T10:38:57.026+12:00

Today I actually started the rewrite.Well, restarted. I'd had one go at it before, but it kind of fell off.Pictured, you can see all the other ways I've been "working on the rewrite". Books on screenwriting. Notes on the script itself. Notes scribbled down on the bus. Other romantic comedies. (Okay, I've got to admit I haven't actually seen Shaun of the Dead yet, but I just love the tagline: a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147390096708597922006-05-12T10:39:00.000+12:002006-05-12T11:28:16.786+12:00

Wasting time is what I've been doing the last two days. Watching lots of Star Trek, and setting up some really cool Yahoo! Widgets on my desktop.Ah well, it felt like work at the time! And that's the danger - activity so often feels like work unless we're very diligent to tell the difference.I had a thought this morning as I was getting my hair cut. The barber asked me what I do, I said I write,

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147116730291175452006-05-09T06:54:00.000+12:002006-05-09T07:32:10.386+12:00

Why does this happen to me...I worked on my articles all day yesterday. Literally 8am till 1am.Sometimes I wonder if my brain slows down to fill the time available.Anyway, a short post this morning. I've got an article to finish.Worse, it's not the usual case where I've spoken to lots of people and have to choose which comments to include or exclude. For some reason, only one - yes, one - of the

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1147033111411036072006-05-08T08:18:00.000+12:002006-05-08T08:18:31.596+12:00

Sorry, there's not a full-length blog post today because I'm battling journalistic deadlines. :(Not even a photo.But here's an article called Tips from the script coach - May 1, 2006 about Skip Press, whose email list, Hollywoodwriters, provides such an awesome resource for budding writers like me.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146779019503359112006-05-05T09:02:00.000+12:002006-05-05T09:43:39.586+12:00

26 letters. 9 digits. All manner of other bits and pieces. And unlimited possibilities.I'm not going anywhere today. Today is a day of writing, pure and simple. The music is turned up loud, the kettle is nearby, and the brain - hopefully - is in full cooperation.All the best to you in your writing efforts today!---Of note:ActorsActors high salaries are causing studios concerns, apparently. "A bit

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146700424543773722006-05-04T11:53:00.000+12:002006-05-04T11:53:44.556+12:00

BusinessAndMoney: Small Business: $9.5m Coup For NZ Animation StudioFlux Animation Studio has begun work on Master Raindrop - a series based on Asian myths and legends which will screen in 26 half-hour episodes.It is being lauded as a groundbreaking deal for the New Zealand industry as it is the first time a local company will work with animation producers from Singapore and Australia.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146699232481930162006-05-04T10:17:00.000+12:002006-05-04T11:33:52.576+12:00

I got my beloved sleep last night, but not after watching a couple of Star Trek: TNG episodes and having a good chat with Marie. We are such geeks - I always was, but my geekiness is wearing her down.This morning: a business breakfast on the subject of usability. It's a really interesting topic, and even more interesting was the fact that actors make really good people for user tests, because

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146636719150284362006-05-03T17:32:00.000+12:002006-05-03T18:11:59.406+12:00

That's what I want to be doing fairly soon. Sleeping. It's been a long couple of days, hence the later-than-usual posting time.Yesterday I caught up with an old workmate, John Butterworth, who is headed to England to fulfil his dreams. They have something to do with film, TV, and English football. All the best John!It was a great opportunity to catch up with all sorts of other old workmates and

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146518779446687852006-05-02T08:59:00.000+12:002006-05-02T09:26:19.666+12:00

I continually amaze myself with my capacity to waste time on useless frustrations.This morning I couldn't connect to the internet. Well, I sort of could, and that was the problem.The modem said it was connected, I could get my email, but most websites, not to mention my weather widget, wouldn't load.A sensible person would have figured out that something was wrong with the network, and got on

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146420173188914282006-05-01T04:59:00.000+12:002006-05-01T06:02:53.396+12:00

Monday at last. So glad the weekend is finished, all that relaxing over with...I'm kidding. It's actually getting really hard because I've got quite a bit of paying work on. But I'm not kidding about doing this blog - and more importantly, the screenplay.I've been reading some helpful stuff in Making a Good Script Great, like this gem on character spine:"The spine of the character is determined

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146172397574909632006-04-28T07:03:00.000+12:002006-04-28T09:13:17.740+12:00

Either way, here's wishing you a refreshing Friday!I went right ahead with actually rewriting the script today, before doing this blog entry.So, I'm all out of creative inspiration to come up with an interesting blog post. Instead, just enjoy the artistic healthfulness of this here picture. :)---News of note:Sounds GoodGood-sounding premise to the new film Pathfinder: "the Viking hordes

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1146080496463375802006-04-27T06:29:00.000+12:002006-04-27T07:41:36.673+12:00

I finally got to the World Cinema Showcase to see Tsotsi. It's one of those films that make you go "I wish I'd made that!"It was such an emotional experience, I had to write the review in my little notebook while waiting for a smoothie on Queen Street afterwards. Here, based on my transcription of my scribbling, is the said review:Tsotsi. Wow, wow, wow, wow. I sat alone in the dark with a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145992844308181572006-04-26T06:40:00.000+12:002006-04-26T07:20:44.396+12:00

When I was doing first draft, the doctrine of writing at the same place, same time every day, worked.Now it's rewrite time, and I'm all out of whack. The best ideas are coming on the bus, as I read Making a Good Script Great.Still, I had a good flow of rewriting creativity the other day when I opened the script, saved it as version number two and started to elaborate some of the on-the-bus

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145924222938653132006-04-25T10:41:00.000+12:002006-04-25T12:17:03.163+12:00

Welcome to ANZAC day. Ninety one years ago today, scores of New Zealand and Australian troops dashed themselves against the defences of the ragtag but iron-willed Turkish army. All over a narrow peninsula called Gallipolli.When I was in Christchurch and Adelaide last year, I was deeply moved by the massive war memorial sculptures in both cities.They're a relic of a bygone age, of course. We don't

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145857811211410102006-04-24T17:20:00.000+12:002006-04-24T17:50:11.273+12:00

I forgot to mention this morning that I've been keeping up watching rom-coms.This weekend it was Runaway Bride, which I had thought was actually a sequel to Pretty Woman (it wasn't; just the same stars and director), and by chance I caught View from the Top on TV last night.Runaway BrideThis was one of those movies I'd never seen but had gotten a generally bad impression of. Interesting how that

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145832743966123692006-04-24T09:37:00.000+12:002006-04-24T10:52:32.113+12:00

Life is like popcorn. And I guess writing is too.Go too far, and you end up with burnt, useless popcorn. Be too careful, and you're left with equally useless unpopped kernels.Burnout, or wasted potential. That's the balance I need to find every day.Writing this screenplay has given me the opportunity to look at the themes. Unlike some who start with a theme, I need to discover it - and that

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145669507830986832006-04-22T13:31:00.000+12:002006-04-22T13:31:52.603+12:00

Variety.com - Trekkies have a new leaderThis is exciting. It's really happening, and they're going with the prequel idea originally floated by Harve Bennet in the late 90s, looking at Kirk, Spock et al's early years in the academy.Still, I wonder which actors can really pull off playing these characters?

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145665086808469092006-04-22T12:18:00.000+12:002006-04-22T12:18:06.896+12:00

Columbia hot for 'Cool' specA really "high concept, high school" story, as Skip says.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145563870372081042006-04-21T07:20:00.000+12:002006-04-21T08:11:10.446+12:00

This rewriting thing is starting to make sense.I have this habit of catching the bus to interviews and the like when possible - I save petrol, the planet (a bit) and I get to read.So I'm up to the third chapter of Linda Segar's Making a Good Script Great, and I've finally got over the frustrated feeling that I've already heard all this somewhere before - not to mention the atrocious proof-reading

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145480183947153122006-04-20T08:20:00.000+12:002006-04-20T08:56:24.230+12:00

It was about 15 months before I realised I had a nice view where I work. Until last week it was obscured by a net curtain.I don't know what made me do it, but one day I pulled the curtain aside to watch the birds fighting over the spoils to be had from these trees.Anyway... the screenwriting continues. Or rather, the note-writing does. I'm writing lots of notes on myself at the moment, like:D'oh!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145391917418311012006-04-19T07:04:00.000+12:002006-04-19T08:25:17.630+12:00

That's better! My huge swollen left eye has reduced to manageable proportions. Ah the relief.Today's the first day of going through my printed-out screenplay with a red pen and pick, pick, picking.I suspect what I'll need to inject into the story are subplots. Trouble is, I've heard so many commentaries on films where they had like 3 subplots and in the end had to cut them out.However, nothing

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145309780681765302006-04-18T08:34:00.000+12:002006-04-18T09:36:21.330+12:00

I did it. I finished draft one yesterday, as I said I would.Now the sun of fresh inspiration sets and the night begins, illuminated by the moon of my original vision and the stars of common sense (hopefully!).As you can see, it's a little cloudy. I'm a little tired, so I'm not forcing it. I've heard some people leave a week between first draft and first rewrite. I'll try a day and see what

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1145223350950774922006-04-17T08:14:00.000+12:002006-04-17T10:51:18.026+12:00

(NB: This photograph does not show All Bran. Instead, it's Hubbards cereal (I can't recall which), Crunchy Gronola and banana. But "All-bran for the brain" sounded better to me than "Hubbards, Crunchy Gronola and banana for the brain". Sue me later.)I used the phrase "All-Bran for the brain" last week to describe to someone what it was like to have a regular time every weekday to write my

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144871277147822572006-04-13T06:52:00.000+12:002006-04-13T07:47:57.400+12:00

I look a little better today ... at least in the bathroom mirror.Eye still swollen. Energy still low. Still, only today to get through and then there's the Easter holiday... which is starting to look busier and busier with little bits of writing projects. We'll see how they go.---I successfully passed the halfway point in my script yesterday, and I think it won't be too short (please God?).

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144782824028538142006-04-12T06:36:00.000+12:002006-04-12T07:13:45.000+12:00

That is one swollen eye! I look a little wasted here because I've just woken up, but thought this blog could use a little visual stimulus.Mm.Perhaps my next movie should be Red Eye, or maybe Goldeneye? As it is, my next movie just arrived in the post yesterday: Alien. A little break from the romantic comedy, and finishing up the Alien series which I've been carefully studying.Anyway. I got over

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144713975272182682006-04-11T12:06:00.000+12:002006-04-11T12:06:15.386+12:00

I found New York Hack quite randomly from the Blogger homepage when I should've been working.Nothing to do with filmmaking or screenwriting, but definitely great writing. It's the everyday adventures of a female cab driver in New York city. And she's got a book deal. A well-deserved one.When I was just a little writer, I used to feel threatened by people who didn't write for a living but told a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144696690517492172006-04-11T06:55:00.000+12:002006-04-11T07:18:10.780+12:00

Discipline is an amazing thing.For weeks now, I've been imbibing the message "write every day", whether from books or blogs or workshops. It's working.I feel under par today. Got a big tax bill on Friday. Got a client who hasn't paid yet. Weather's getting colder, it's raining more often. My left eye is swollen up and it looks like I've been in a fight. Probably a sty, which happens when I get

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144637489990070162006-04-10T14:51:00.000+12:002006-04-10T14:51:29.990+12:00

TIME Magazine Archive Article -- Apocalypto Now -- Mar. 27, 2006I was just wondering what Mel Gibson was up to the other day.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144637387789685622006-04-10T14:49:00.000+12:002006-04-10T14:49:47.936+12:00

The New Force at LucasfilmI missed this this morning. Lucasfilm is merging film and video game departments. Fascinating!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144611003979038102006-04-10T05:59:00.000+12:002006-04-10T07:30:04.096+12:00

It's just shy of 6am, and I'm feeling good about writing the script before I do anything else (except this blog, of course). It helps me feel like a screenwriter first and foremost, and all the other things (journalist, email answerer, and administration person for Simon Young Writers Ltd) second.Great weekend. Saw Love Actually and Pretty Woman yesterday - pretty essential for someone writing a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144364081223065112006-04-07T10:45:00.000+12:002006-04-07T10:54:50.583+12:00

...but it's not something you notice unless you are a business-minded writer trying to make a career out of something you do well, and believe benefits others.But thank God for other writers. Yesterday I was at a meeting of freelance journalists in Auckland, the first meeting of its kind, discussing, among other things, how poorly we are paid compared to inhouse journalists, and the outrageous

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144239912474287062006-04-06T00:06:00.000+12:002006-04-06T00:25:14.940+12:00

This daily post ends up later and later in the evening ... yarh.I'm going to a conference tomorrow but starting Friday I'm gonna try and turn the tables, and make my stab at writing a great script first thing in the morning. Of course, the danger then is that's all I'd do all day, and not get paid and end up dragging up fishbones from other peoples' trash just to eat.Highly unlikely, but there

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144149430971036192006-04-04T23:17:00.000+12:002006-04-04T23:17:10.973+12:00

Living the Romantic Comedy: The PracticeMore advice on writing every day. This stuff really works! Nuff said, now I write, bye!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144149189147197832006-04-04T22:35:00.000+12:002006-04-04T23:13:10.273+12:00

The Writing EffortI'm late but great - had intended to write before going out tonight, but hey, I seem to get better as the night gets on.That's another piece of advice I'm still 'working on' - writing every day, at the same time each day. Well, at least I'm writing in the same place. Helps that I don't have a laptop I guess.WeddingsIt's our 8th wedding anniversary today, and to celebrate we went

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1144059987327827992006-04-03T22:13:00.000+12:002006-04-03T22:26:28.290+12:00

Hey, this is working (one day in!). It's 10:13pm on Monday night, about an hour before Marie gets home, and we talk, talk, talk, and the day is over for writing.So, even though my 'day job' is fairly urgent (deadline last Friday!) I must write something on my script today. Tonight.It's been a good day. Slept in (went to bed at 2:24am last night - getting my tax stuff ready to send to the

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1143959454444429702006-04-02T18:16:00.000+12:002006-04-02T18:30:54.460+12:00

I'm noticing a lot of non-fiction books getting film deals lately.By 'a lot' I mean I can only think of two specific examples right now: How Starbucks Saved my Life which Tom Hanks has just got attached to, and Marcus Buckingham's film about achieving your goals. (Okay, that's probably not going to be a story type of film, but by the sounds of it a feature length film anyway.)Oh, and also

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1143754215956660032006-03-31T09:24:00.000+12:002006-03-31T09:30:20.230+12:00

I'm reading a fantastic book that I got last year (thanks to Adam's recommendation) called Breakfast with Sharks. It's all about the business side of screenwriting, and it's perfect for me at the moment.Only trouble is, it keeps saying "write every day". And when do I read it? Before I go to sleep. After a day where I haven't worked on the script. Smack on hand! Naughty!Every day, write. Seems

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1143600932233144352006-03-29T14:20:00.000+12:002006-03-29T14:55:34.340+12:00

What a fantastic movie is Something the Lord Made, staring Alan Rickman (Michael Collins) and Mos Def (The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy).This is one of those movies that makes you want to go and do something enormously significant afterwards. A real feel-good tear-jerking encouraging kind of story.Commentary was great, too, from the two exec producers, the director (Joseph Sargent, MacArthur

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1143500552115585912006-03-28T11:02:00.000+12:002006-03-28T11:02:32.116+12:00

Back to school for another sharp learning curve - 28 Mar 2006 - Lifestyle & LeisureMy gosh! Some of the gags in this kiwi drama actually sound funny!Not meaning to knock kiwis, but there are few kiwi comedies that actually make me laugh the same way, say, the Simpsons does.Maybe I should try it, see how hard it is...

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0