Olmert corruption secret

news are part of screenwriting. So here's the latest issue around here. I'm not saying it's worth a script, but for sure it's worth publicity.

Here's the NY Post article on Israel's PM Olmert newest scandal, that maybe, finally, will bring him down.

Study screenwriting and getting excited

The semester started yesterday. So far I'm really excited cos my courses are so interesting, and I can't wait to sit and write the assignments. One course is less scriptwriting and more prose, which is something I for sure enjoy. The teacher is Sami Berdugo, who's also nominated this year for the Sapir Prize. I need to read his book. Funny thing, Berdugo reminded me of this man I once knew, and who today I discovered was the real character behind Alex, the character from one of the scripts I write now. A dedicated scientist that forgets to be human. It was funny how it all connected in one secong of enlightment: this man from the past, Sami and Alex. I guess Sami is the present and Alex is the future. In a way.

Great things also on the UCLA Extension program. I got an interesting comment from my tutor, telling me my story is complex and i should focus on the emotions. He also said my non-native English style only adds to the eeriness of the script. Now I should start working on the next 10 pages. I already wrote down the main things that will happen, but as always, writing the script is the best way to let my mind talk.

I'll be working this semester on 3 different projects: one UCLA feature script, one TAU feature script (taking place in Israel and written in Hebrew) and a TAU tv series. It's really exciting, I feel so alive. OK, it's only the first week and probably i'll get tired slowly, but i'm just happy to be on this screenwriting program. It's so right.

For next week at TAU I need to write a fragment, prose, with a single person in a closed room. I also need to post my synopsis for the feature film, and the class will discuss it next week. I'm quite nervous about it. I'm not so sure about big parts of the script. The real issue here is the tone. At the moment it seems to be quite a melancholic piece, like "the tenant" meets "the Fisher King" meets "Inland Empire". The last thing I want is to be influenced by Lynch. Lynch does Lynch best and better let him have his own kingdom to himself. He's doing great. I don't want a sad disturbing end. I don't feel like it now. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant, maybe because we moved out of the city not too long ago. But I feel like an up-ending for my script.

OK, back to work. Must send a coverage for Dave to my UCLA tutor.

This week on other screenwriters' blogs...

"One of the most important talents a screenwriter can have is the ability to see a situation from every character's point of view - to make the decisions your character would make. These skills can be put to use on the business side by putting ourselves in the shoes of the potential buyers for our screenplays. If we can imagine what it's like to be the villain of our script, it shouldn't be all that difficult to imagine ourselves as a motion picture producer".

This brilliant quote is taken from Bill Martell's ScriptSecrets. Bill talks about the problems of the rich; when you get a producer's interest, and he just want you to change some things in the script. Making your character suitable for marketing as a doll, for example. The characters I love most, I wouldn't want to have any doll in their shape. Maybe only Craig from "Being John Malkovich". Yes, he would make a great doll!

John August tells us how to write those hard-to-write scenes. Since i now start to write the first draft of my script, I found his tips really usefull. What do you ask yourself about the scene you're about to write. Helpful screenwriting tips.

The above picture was taken by my good friend Sharon Casson during her short trip to NYC. I soon need to start prepare the material for my MFA applications. I'm slightly nervous about this. The chances are so low, at the NYU-USC-UCLA prestige programs. It feels weird, I was always accepted to anywhere I went. I guess I should focus on my writings than my fears.

I just posted my first 10 pages to the course at UCLA Extension. I'm very curious about the responses. I should also read what others have posted and write comments.

Dissolving into the first act: 10 first pages

Still on the UCLA Extension course. Actually I take two courses now, and it's a tough job. They both demand a lot, much more than what I do for my classes at tel Aviv University. They don't spoil you in those online courses. I guess they say that as long as they save you the travel, they can give you some extra work. Maybe they have a point.

It's great, now I have to write the first 10 pages of my script. It's great cos whenever I scratch my head for the next scene on my outline, I remember that writing the actual script comes easier to me. It's not very efficient, cos I can end up writing 15 pages of script only to find out that except to one scene they are all trash, but the important part is that it's like brain food, it makes me more comfortable with my characters, let them breath a bit.

it's an assosiative process and it works great for me. It's not the real writing of the script, it's more like trying scenes, let my finger go with the story (i type with 1-2 fingers, but still fast).

For the other course I need to write a coverage on "Dave" and on "Benny and Joon". I haven't started yet, I hope it will be easy, as I don't think I should be spending too much time on it. Teacher told us it shouldn't take more than 2-3 hours all together (after reading the script).

besides all that, the next semester starts next week. I'm already 6-month pregnant, so I hope it won't be too hard for me to stay in school for 8-10 hours. God, it sounds hard. I had to come up with an idea for a film and a tv series. I started working on it. I must say, writing in Hebrew comes much easier for me.

I can't wait for my courses to begin (besides my fear of being too pregnant to enjoy them) - I have 2 courses about Japanese films, 2 courses about film and philosophy, and 6 courses in scriptwriting. I'm real happy, I must learn time mngmnt better though..

My 100th post - mind writing from bed

The above polaroid is taken from a designer's website, squidfingers he's called (or Travis). I love his patterns, I use it sometimes when I build sites, and I wish I could use them for my floors. Don't you feel like the gap between the cyber world and the real world is sometimes just too great? If I could use google to find my keys every morning. Or use my finger to pick a color from my room for photoshop (i guess that this is actually a thing that can be done now, with a special pen scanner or something).

I'm on my vacation now, lots of graphic and programming and much less writing. I think I needed this break to return with a fresh mind. Scriptwriting needs to be done with a fresh mind. I already have some new ideas for my script. It's not going to be a linear story, but I guess this I already knew.

Heath Ledger as an heroin addict (best script)

Last night I watched two films. The first one was Taken (Director: Luc Basson). It was again the only film to watch at the cinema next to my house. It was better than I've expected (I really had zero expectations from this film), but still. The action scenes were annoying, blurred with some ugly visual effect and cut way to fast to understand who was punching who. But it was clear the good guy (Liam Nissan, who looks here slightly like Al Bandy) will win. He only had one moment of trouble when the bed guys got him, but it only lasted 2 minutes and he got out.

There was no balance in the script of Taken - you get a slow begining with way too many scenes with the ex-wife and her husband, and some of our man's old service buddies, and then when the action starts he's all alone, no phone call from the mother or her powerful new husband, no help (besides one phone call in the very beginning) from his old buddies. Why did I need this excessive setup if it's not building to anything?

So we have here Luc Besson, and Liam Nissan, but a very bad script and bad direction. I'd say bad acting too, but it wasn't so bad to watch after all. The worst part is the end: when all is over and the poor girl is back with her father, she looks like someone who was just stuck in an elevator for a few hours, not someone who got kidnapped to be sold as a prostitute. Ok, so there might be some bad acting here after all.

The second movie was Candy, an Australian film that was on TV. It's about this couple and their heroin habbit, but it's so real that it just hooks you. The characters talk like people talk. They do drugs like people (with this habbit) do it. They love like people love. They get mad and depressed like us. It's so close, and quite sad. Excellent direction, great acting, original script. I loved it a lot. here is why we should be sorry Heath Ledger (who plays the boyfriend) is no longer with us.

Slow days with a book

So i had to stay in bed for a couple of days after the visit at the doctor. I took the time to read the book I took from the library: Alternative Scriptwriting. It turned out to be a pretty good book, and I especially enjoyed reading the chapters about genre (working with genre / working against genre). The authors discuss changing a motif in an existing genre or mixing genres, and they explain it in such clear way it's a pleasure to read. They also have case studies from films, but I only read it when I knew the film discussed.

I didn't touch my laptop, only after a day and a half I took it to bed. I had a job to do (some graphic stuff) and I felt better when it was done.

Dana Goldberg, a filmmaker and a friend, sent me a link to her new website. I was an assistant on her first short film, which she did while we were both studying art. I must say that although she was not a film student, her production was one of the most professional productions i saw. There's something in film students that make their ambition to be only external, very empty, and not lasting. But maybe this is why I switched to scriptwriting studies.

An actor who can choose a script

They showed two Jim Carrey films on TV this week: The Truman Show and Fun with Dick and Jane. I just love Jim Carrey, and this is not something that happened too quickly. It took me some time, and especially Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to understand this guy is not only masks (though I also really loved The Mask). I think it was when I saw him on Liar Liar I thought I like him when he tries a little less. I know he makes many films and it's easy to say he chooses good scripts (cos I just don't mention the ones I don't like), but still. At the least he's very talented and has a pretty good agent. And actually, the films he did which I don't like - he's still adding something there. Like Bruce Almighty.

Another actor who I started to like quite late is Adam Sandler. I didn't like his voice (which is funny cos Adam Sandler actually sings, he even recorded an album or something). I felt he was a fake, even as a character. Until I saw him on Punch Drunk Love and then on Reign Over Me.

By the way, it's really funny, but I thought that 50 first Dates and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind took the very same theme and made 2 very differet movies out of it. Those two films are about the very essence of love, and in both the love has the memory loss as an obstacle - but the love keeps winning, it's eternal.

This week on the best scriptwriters' blogs

Bill Martell tells us all about the difference between SLANG and JARGON. I find it very important now, as I write a script with a scientist as my protagonist. Martell taks about using original slang in your movies rather than the real-but-boring we all know already. Cool.

John August advices a Tisch graduate about her next steps. I hope myself to take the screenwriting MFA in 2009 so it's interesting to see that this is in fact a beginning of a long road.

A voice mail recording from Bruce Cambell is what Kristen Havens chose to put at the top of her homepage. Kristen: "I had emailed him through the contact form on his website, telling him about my comedic B-movie script, "Deers!", and asking if he had any advice about getting started in screenwriting. He called me at home to respond, ensuring a lifelong crush on my part."

But hey, what can a writer do but write?

Another good scriptwriting book

I'm huge. I'm really puffed. I didn't know pregnancy makes you puffed. It's weird. I don't recognize myself in pictures. Somehow in the mirror it looks alright. But the pictures - they don't lie.

Today was the last day at school, I had the japanese cinema class. Was ok, we talked about Ran of Kurasawa. Tomorrow I have the amniotic fluid test, after which I must stay in bed for 48 hours. So I took a couple of books from the library.

One of the books is Alternative Scripwriting (2nd edition) by Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush. They go over alternative structure (not only the classic structure of the three acts exists, you know), alternative genre (mixed genres) and alternative character view. I only began to read but it seemed like a great book to learn the scritwriting craft from, and to open your mind. Since I have now two weeks vacation, I've decided to do more reading on the first week, and focus on writing on the second week. This book seems to be the exact thing I needed.

The other book I took was Ugly Feelings. It talks about negative feelings, and it's based on this novel...I forgot which. I only read a few pages on my way home in the car, so I can't really say anything about this book. But it seems interesting, though not very light. It's from Harvard Press.

I don't know what's the premise of my script is. I knew, but I think it's not true for me. So I don't know anymore. And dose Theme and Premise the same thing? I'm not sure of anything anymore, but I'll take this week to figure it all out.

I used to think my cat was so big. Now I'm even bigger.