so utterly true

"On the 1st day of shooting, all the talking you've done becomes academic; you put it in a bag, seal it up & throw it away. But all of it is right there in your head, and it had better be in your hands as well because the director can't deal with it anymore. He has other problems."-Laszlo Kovacs, ASC

Phenomenal VFX work by Students of IACG!

We have our very own Lucas's and Spielbergs, right at our doorstep. Take a bow guys!

ahem..

I find my stories or my stories find me, In either case we are both on a journey to find each other.

When we meet? Well that's for the storyteller to decide...

60 Best Blogs for Aspiring Screenwriters

60 Best Blogs for Aspiring Screenwriters

Check it out. Great Links!

it says so in the book

"When you cross the valley of tears, and you arrive to the oasis, the reward of God is not success, it’s not money, it’s not admiration or fame, it’s not power. His reward is rest."

hmm...

Note to self

I am on a lifelong path as a creative person.  That path has many twists and turns.  Sometimes I feel good about where I am.  Other times, not so much.  But even if I feel lost, I am still on the path.  I am always on the path.  And even if I feel like I'm slipping backward, I'm actually moving forward because I'm continually learning about my craft.  Indeed I learn as much or more from when I'm feeling lost as when I'm feeling good about my writing.  It's all part of my creative process.  And I trust the process. ~mantra for the creative soul.

Jack Kerouac!

He has been called "the King of the beats." His books include "The Subterraneans," "The Dharma Bums," and his most famous work "On The Road." He laid out 30 essentials to his approach to writing which is sometimes called "spontaneous prose":

1. Scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for your own joy
2. Submissive to everything, open, listening
3. Try never get drunk outside your own house
4. Be in love with your life
5. Something that you feel will find its own form
6. Be crazy dumbsaint of the mind
7. Blow as deep as you want to blow
8. Write what you want bottomless from bottom of the mind
9. The unspeakable visions of the individual
10. No time for poetry but exactly what is
11. Visionary tics shivering in the chest
12. In tranced fixation dreaming upon object before you
13. Remove literary, grammatical and syntactical inhibition
14. Like Proust be an old teahead of time
15. Telling the true story of the world in interior monolog
16. The jewel center of interest is the eye within the eye
17. Write in recollection and amazement for yrself
18. Work from pithy middle eye out, swimming in language sea
19. Accept loss forever
20. Believe in the holy contour of life
21. Struggle to sketch the flow that already exists intact in mind
22. Don't think of words when you stop but to see picture better
23. Keep track of every day the date emblazoned in yr morning
24. No fear or shame in the dignity of yr experience, language & knowledge
25. Write for the world to read and see yr exact pictures of it
26. Bookmovie is the movie in words, the visual American form
27. In praise of Character in the Bleak inhuman Loneliness
28. Composing wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better
29. You're a Genius all the time
30. Writer-Director of Earthly movies Sponsored & Angeled in Heaven

15 Elements of Action-Adventure Scripts

 


Action-adventure scripts seem to always be in demand. They’re big business for Hollywood – making up the industries main tentpole films each year. Let’s look at some of the essential elements of the genre:

1. The “Big Idea” PremiseAction–adventure films are most often high-concept with a main storyline that involves the hero saving the world from destruction. More frequently action-adventure films have franchise/series potential.

2. The Hero is an “Average Guy” or “Larger than Life” CharacterThe Average Guy hero (John McClain in Die Hard, Neo in The Matrix) is an unwilling participant who gets himself into a predicament and is forced to take action. The “Larger than Life” hero (such as Batman) is already prepared to fight and save the day and doesn’t usually require any convincing to take action. Sometimes the Action-Adventure hero is an “anti-hero” character (such as Danny Ocean in Ocean’s 11.)

3. High StakesThe stakes for the hero are often extremely high: the destruction of earth by an asteroid (Armageddon), the death of innocent hostages held in a skyscraper (Die Hard), the annihilation of entire planets by a space-station super-weapon (Star Wars)

4. Plot-DrivenAction-adventure films are plot-driven. The events that make up the story’s plot consist of the hero’s efforts to thwart the villain’s plan.

5. Present a “Good vs. Evil” Theme
The theme of action-adventure stories is basically “good vs. evil”. This theme is often narrowed and personalized based on the hero’s emotional stakes (for instance, Lethal Weapon’s narrowed theme focuses on the importance of family.) The hero almost always reflects and upholds the current morals of society.

6. A Title that Reflects The Action and Content of the StoryA vibrant title that evokes the action, adventure, and premise of the story is a key component to the genre. (Iron Man, Terminator, Lethal Weapon, Braveheart, Die Hard, Armageddon)

7. The Villain Has a Masterful PlanThe villain’s plan provides the catalyst for the hero’s adventure. The villain’s plan sets up the hero’s goal (which is to stop the villain’s plan.)

8. The Villain Is More Powerful than the HeroCreating a villain that is more powerful than the hero forces the protagonist to transform. In action-adventure films where the protagonist is a “Larger than Life” character, the hero often has a weakness the villain can exploit (such as kryptonite against Superman.)

9. The Hero and The Villain Do Battle to the “Death”Though the obligatory scene (the final battle between the protagonist and the antagonist) does not always involve the literal “death” of the villain, the hero always triumphs in some way – even if the hero dies in the battle.

10. Contain Plenty of Action SequencesThe core of an action-adventure film is of course, action: violence, car chases, gun battles, fistfights, explosions, martial arts, and foot pursuits. The average action-adventure film contains nine action sequences that put the hero in physical jeopardy.

11. Big Set Piece(s)A set piece is a memorable scene that stands alone. In an action-adventure film the big set piece (or set pieces) is an organic extension of the action sequences, such as the train wreck in The Fugitive, the plane crash landing on the Vegas Strip in Con Air, and the famous car chase in the film Bullitt.

12. Snappy DialogueMost action-adventure films contain snappy dialogue, especially in stories where the hero has a buddy or ally or mentor to spar with. Another common dialogue element is the hero’s payback line delivered to the bad guy. (“Do you feel lucky? Well, do you punk?”)

13. A Ticking Clock ScenarioMany action-adventure films use a ticking-clock scenario, which creates urgency, heightens tension and increases suspense. Examples include the ticking bomb in Die Hard, the amount of time available to pull off the heist in Ocean’s 11, the countdown to the asteroid striking Earth inArmageddon, and the deadline for getting a prisoner on a train in 3:10 to Yuma

14. Incorporates Mythical Story StructureCampbell’s hero’s journey is often, though not always, used as the foundation for action-adventure films. Star Wars, The Matrix, and Lord of the Rings are a few examples to study.

15. Vertical, Active WritingVertical writing creates an immediate, active experience for the reader. Action expressed in few words moves faster. The action-adventure writer leaves plenty of white-space on the page by breaking long sentences or important moments of action into short phrases and presenting them as separate lines of description (instead of paragraphs.) Action scripts use tight writing full of sound elements (BOOM, CRASH, BANG) and active verbs – and avoid adjectives, which stall action.

YOUR TURN: What additional elements are essential to the action-adventure genre?

STAY-TUNED: In the next post we will examine two classic action-adventure scenes.

Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse

A film which virtually tested the limits of sanity and mortality of one Mr.Francis Coppola. Hearts of Darkness is a fascinating documentary on the making of Apocalypse Now and a revealing character study of the movie director.

A must watch for anyone who didn't know, that some of the bravest, insanest minds and hearts on the planet are maverick movie directors who go after something so intangible...

Isn't this the ultimate dream and purpose of every filmmaker. Chasing the Intangible.

and finding it...

I've had my mini Apocalypse experience. I think it changed me. But am waiting for more. No filmmakers life or career is complete without an experience like the Apocalypse.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102015/

Walkabout Walkabout.

This is a breathtakingly beautiful poetry on film.

The following verses read out at the end of the film sum up the movie perfectly.

"Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?
That is the land of lost content,
I see it, shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again."

-A. E. Houseman

Watch the movie, the chance you get.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067959/

THE BEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME-MAP

THE WORLD CUP IS HERE!

Conservation Cove

In one word what do a documentaries want to achieve? CHANGE. another word. SPREAD. yet another. KNOWLEDGE. and another AWARENESS.

The Cove achieves all of this and more. An absolutely stunning piece of vigilante documentarism, its sole aim to bring to light to the world the INHUMAN way in which dolphins are massacred by the japanese fishing industries for meat and recreational purposes.
Its amazing what one can achieve if you get the right kind of people in your team. The documentary follows a group of individuals who all come together to highlight this problem. It has its share of suspense, crime and thrilling moments. But more than all that, it will simply change the way you think about FISH the next time you eat it. And your respect for the beloved DOLPHIN will grow manifold.

I have so much respect for animal conservationists and environmental conservationists. Their passion for nature, the ocean and animals who cant defend themselves against human cruelty is so INSPIRING. What a life some of these characters in this documentary have lived. Every child, every adult. Every human being who has ever thought about conservation or not, must watch this documentary. Thats how important this is.

This documentary shows, how powerful a visual medium is. It brought change, across the world! WOW.

Just Mindblowing stuff. Watch!

Lovely Looking Film

Lovely Bones- Directed by Peter Jackson. The movie has the most beautiful special effects you could ever see. What can be more challenging for a vfx guy than being asked to create heaven, or in this case the middle world, filled with heaven bound spirits and dreamy imagery. The challenge for the vfx team is to create that highway to heaven that a soul needs to travel. So gorgeous to look at. Am really sad I didn't get to watch this visual spectacle on the big screen. Once again. Simply Gorgeous to look at. Only Peter Jackson's head could have come up with all that imagery. Magical.

When we come to the story though. It starts off with a very interesting premise. A girl dies. She's murdered and raped by a neighbour. Her parents are naturally devastated with the tragedy. Her father however is driven to find answers, to help him, his daughters soul lends a hand, showing him-telling him, where the answers lie. But time is running out. For the girl and the father.

The rest of the story is about how the girl has to make a choice of getting her soul to heaven or helping her father find the killer who is lurking in their own neighbourhood. A good one hour of the film really hooks you with the story telling, but it gets a little tame towards the end, and a very  un-fulfilling climax. The screenplay could've been better I suppose. Regardless still a good watch.

There is so much to learn from the masters of the trade.sigh.

Gautama's Circle Of Red

"Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, drew a circle with a piece of red chalk and said: 'When men, even unknowingly, are to meet one day, whatever may befall each, whatever the diverging paths, on the said day, they will inevitably come together in the red circle.'"

Le Cercle Rouge- A chance meeting on the road. Two guys on the wrong side of the law. One a murderer and the other a thief. They form a team, helping each other out of their own mess while travelling between Marseille and Paris. They decide to team up for a heist together. All this while being pursued by a veteran cop whose got to proove something. The murderer having escaped from him earlier.
Whats really cool is, the film is very unhurried but never feels sluggish. This is old school story telling. A forgotten craft.
Sometimes there is so much you can learn as a character takes his time going up the steps or through his room to answer the door bell. Old school editing. Very interesting to watch. And used effectively in this film.
Very atmospheric, 70's Paris-gorgeous to look at, very minimal dialog, most of the film is all 'eyes' and directed with such craft. You don't really empathize with the characters but you still are riveted by the drama which unfolds. A climax, which takes you by surprise.

Jean Pierre Melville's classic. Unmissable.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065531/ 

motivational wisdom for the soul

Here, I’ll share 20 of my favorite inspirational quotes. I won’t include any commentary because the quotes speak for themselves.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” – Albert Ellis

“The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” – Bill Copeland

“If what you’re doing is not your passion, you have nothing to lose.”

“The person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

“What the mind can conceive, it can achieve.” – Napoleon Hill

“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.” – Seneca

“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

“Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.” -Albert Einstein.

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” -Milton Berle

“The sky has never been the limit. We are our own limits. It’s then about breaking our personal limits and outgrowing ourselves to live our best lives.”

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” – Life’s Little Instruction Book, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

“First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.” – Mahatma Gandhi

“When you can’t change the direction of the wind — adjust your sails.” ~ H. Jackson Brown

“Everything you want should be yours: the type of work you want; the relationships you need; the social, mental, and aesthetic stimulation that will make you happy and fulfilled; the money you require for the lifestyle that is appropriate to you; and any requirement that you may (or may not) have for achievement or service to others. If you don’t aim for it all, you’ll never get it all. To aim for it requires that you know what you want” ~ Richard Koch

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” – Albert Ellis

“Confidence comes not from always being right but not fearing to be wrong”

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drowned your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

Lets smoke up some conscience?

Nick Naylor played by Aaron Eckhart is a lobbyist for the big tobacco firms in the United States. His job is to convince the public at large that its okay to smoke. No two ways about it. He does this with all the professionalism, integrity and passion that a soldier might bring onto the battlefield. He truly believes there's nothing wrong in doing his job and through his son we understand what lobbyists actually do and how they make a living.

Jason Reitman's first feature bristles with energy that comes with a fresh new voice. Although Juno is still my favorite, followed by Up In The Air. 'Thank you for smoking' leaves you with a great impression of the directors talent. However if one were to ask, what the point of the film was and what sorta journey did the protagonist go through. I'm not too sure about those answers. He does what he does, like he says, 'to pay the mortgage'.

Stylistic in its narration and wonderfully acted by Aaron Eckhart. Thank you for smoking is also quite funny. More like black humour. The character hangs out-best friends are fellow lobbyists from the alcohol and gun control industries. That was pure imagery I suppose.

I guess the point of the film was, to make us look a little inwards about all the choices we make, a be honest about why we make them. That's it. That's what I got from it.

Interesting film, from a very important director.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/

Notes on a poet.

The most modest of homes for a giant of man.

I sat on a chair waiting for him.

I see his household, where time stood still.

A cup of hot coffee, as I glance at my boss. Wondering whats in store.

A small temple, agarbattis and potraits, a sign of his devotion.

Saraswati is in the air.

We're called into his room.

Sitting up on his bed, he smiles. I notice his feet, they must've walked many a mile.

His voice grainy but solid. His eyes all knowing. I know he is frail and ailing. I also know he is very strong.

What does a young man know about what time tells. He must surely think looking at me. I look down in reverence.

Conversations ensue, as I sit mutely. Watching a poet at work, my first oppurtunity.

A ball point pen and note pad. Enough for him to turn them to gold. He's written some and wants to recite.

I hear, but dont understand much. My boss thinks it over. Its probably divine.

Conversations flit past the song and into experiences and verses. I listen. Not knowing much. But enough to know its a moment in time.
Several such meetings, not one word spoken. Just mute observations of a man at work.

I understand his legacy and his work. I respect it to be mute in his presence. There is nothing I can add or discuss with a such a giant.

All I can do is keep an eager ear and listen to verses I am lucky to hear.

I wonder why he lives, such a simple life. I am told of his past and nod with awe.

What is his due, the world simply cannot pay. What is his worth, other poets must write.
I know this much. While I may not have grown up with him, I did grow when I was with him.

Legends dont die. Such men must only be celebrated. For he has served his creator well. For he has made us richer, more than we'll ever know.

Long Live, The Poet.

'Look into your heart'...I see Millers Crossing.

Millers Crossing-A Coen brothers classic. The tale revolves around two warring gangsters in the prohibition era. Tom Regan played by Gabriel Byrne is a second in command to a lead gangster Leo (Albert Finney). Double crosses, an affair with the boss's girl, being beaten up every second day, all comes in a days work for Tom Regan, a true noir ani hero. His loyalties suspect, he moves to the other side, working with rival gangster Casper. What are the angles in the story? What is the play? Makes for an intruiging piece of cinema. With a music score that seems to go against the grain of the film, it builds on you hauntingly over time. Beautifully shot by Barry Sonnenfield. Wonderful black humour and violence that comes from nowhere, really gut wrenching stuff.

This movie a True Classic Coen brothers film. Terrific craft, story telling and acting.

Watch! You will doff your hat off to it. This a film made my masters of the cinema.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100150/

Beam me up!

JJ Abrams does a great job in ressurecting Start Trek. An 'enterprise' which didnt seem like it had any future in cinema. The revisionist version is derived from what must've been a fabulous screenplay. Action, Adventure, Discovery, Comedy, Romance-Love, Redemption and Sacrifice all put together is a fun roller coaster ride of a film. Not to mention great TIME WARPS, BLACK HOLE THEORIES AND DESOLATE PLANETS!
The CGI is great, but JJ keeps in mind the original costumes and the main control room in this version. Not to mention the Start Ship Enterprise. Whats missing though is the original score of Star Trek, I missed it. They must have done a newer version of it, however I didnt seem to get it. Was entirely missing.

The story revolves around a younger Mr.Spock and the rebellious new recruit James Kirk, before they got to be great friends. With Mr.Spock being the reason for everything thats happening in the movie. Mr.Spocks ability to shock people by pressing down on their neck (most of us would remember doing this in school to each other) and The Enterprises ability of beaming people from one place to another always in the nick of time is great fun to watch.

I missed watching this on IMAX, it would have been great. But for people who might have been wary of catching Star Trek, I highly recommend that you do. Its a superb watch. The best CGI films are ones that have a STORY which is CUTTING EDGE and a thrill RIDE. That Star Trek, surely is...

JJ Abrams is a real whiz kid.