I SWEAR I'M WORKING ON IT
Read how I got kicked out of Hollywood here!
Read my screenplay Global Village Idiot here for free!
Yeah, I know.
I've been promising a new screenwriting post on Big Hollywood for several weeks now. And despite all the work I've put into it, it's not in shape to publish, just yet.
One reason for the difficulty is that I'm really trying to put down on paper the exact thoughts that go through my head as I write a screenplay. I'm trying to make clear what I am thinking and why I am thinking it as I create the movie. That kind of stuff is hard to pin down.
I really want to avoid the usual bromides and platitudes about screenwriting, which would be of no use to anyone. So I've dedicated myself to letting you know what actually goes on in my mind during the writing process. It just plain difficult to do, so that's the main reason for the delay.
In the meantime, I've created some artwork to go along with the essay that I hope will explain some of the concepts I've come up with. Here's a sneak peak at two of them.
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Can you guess what I'm thinking?
Another reason for the delay is having to attend to the demands of daily life...although, some of the demands have been quite pleasant. For example, I took a trip back east last week, and I have the pictures to prove it...
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All for now. I have more time for writing in the next few days, so I plan to make good progress.
Hope to see you soon on Big Hollywood.
Hello Henry,I have been following you on Big Hollywood for quite some time now,and reading your posts lead me to read your hilarious first act of "Global Village Idiot" It's too bad I don't meet any of the requirements necessary to read the whole thing, as I am only an aspiring actor,and I gave up on my own blog long ago after a few posts.I really enjoyed the picture of you and Lincoln.By the way,if you are still looking for film companies to take on "GVI" might I suggest Vivendi Entertainment or MPower Pictures,as they were behind the release of films such as "An American Carol".Just wondering.
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Thanks for your comments! I've waited until now to respond because I didn't want to keep saying that I'm working on my next post, and then not have it show up. I'm happy to say that it's finally done, posted here on Big Hollywood.
I very much appreciate your comments, and the makers of "An American Carol" are certainly on my radar as people who might be interested in GVI. I'd be happy to email the complete screenplay to you. Look for it in your email in the next few days.
Thank you again for commenting -- it's deeply appreciated.
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Another great post! Your easy to follow posts are so rich and full of instruction that I find myself reading them over and over again. My only request is that you not go on another hisroc tour before posting your Hollywood Formula Boxes. Please post it very soon. Again, great post!
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Thanks MT. I really appreciate your continuing support! You've been very kind and it makes me eager to write more.
I'm working hard on the next one, and hopefully it won't take as long.I do my best to keep these things short, but they always blossom into long posts.
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Do you offer script coverage? If so, where can I find out about rates and rules? If not, you should because your insight is very clear and constructive.
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Thanks, MT. AT this time I am not offering script coverage, but I'm headed in that general direction. I hope eventually to teach adults in evening classes. I'm using the Heroic Hollywood posts to put my thoughts in order.
For most of my life, I just had an intuitive understanding of what needed to be done when writing a screenplay.. I never had to explain it to anyone because my 2 chief collaborators understood writing for the movies the same way I did. We were the same age and attended college together, so we worked well as teams. The few times I worked with other people, it was not good because we didn't think alike, and it was hard to put into words what needed to be done.
If I am going to teach students, I have to be able to explain what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. These Heroic Hollywood posts are my way of making things understandable to myself, so that I can make them understandable to others. That's why my posts take so long to write -- I really am discovering things as I go along and I have to think about them a lot.
Because the Big Hollywood posts take so long, I miss being able to post here on this blog. I think I'm going to try and get back to posting something short here every day. Nothing deep dish -- just things I find interesting or amusing. So watch this space!
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Too bad I'm not close enough to attend. I guess I'll have to maximize your teaching from your helpful posts. So keep them coming. I'm anxious to read your upcoming "boxes" posts.
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Just a quick note to let you know that you just dealt the death blow to the writer's block under which I have been laboring for the past few years. I really can't thank you enough.
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Thanks! That's great news!
When I work on the Heroic Hollywood posts, I really try to offer advice that will be helpful, which means advice that I use myself in my own writing. I try to keep it a BS-free zone. It's nice to know there was something useful in it for you.
Thanks again for writing! It makes me work harder on the next post to get it right.
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Hey there...just wanted to say I HAVE read your new post for Big Hollywood, and it was awesome. I learnt a lot, even though I've never seen a Bond movie -
(Gets a giant industrial laser pointed at her)
Ahem...I mean, I'm sure they're really great, but I haven't seen them yet! (Runs off)
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Thanks, Breezy! As you might expect, your comments are the ones I'm most interested in for these Heroic Hollywood posts!
I don't know whether I should advise you to watch a Bond film or not. They probably date horribly for your generation, and you may wonder what all the fuss is about.
However, I will say this. If you ever get the notion to see a Bond film, then Goldfinger is the one to see. (Especailly if you get to see it on the big screen at a revival house. Do they have revival theaters where you live?) The 2 previous Bond films From Russia With Love and Dr. No were OK, but it was really Goldfinger that hit the sweet spot of all the Bond Boxes. It's become the touchstone of every Bond movie since. Everything after is compared to Goldfinger...and usually not for the better.
If I had to recommend a 2nd Bond film, it would be You Only Live Twice, which is my second favorite and takes place in Japan, so I think you'd enjoy that aspect of it. It has a good score, too. I like the theme song very much, sung by Nancy Sinatra who has a weak voice, but the song is good enough to carry her.
Other than those two, I probably woulnd't recommend any other Bond film -- certainaly not the most recent ones which pretty much trash all that was good about Bond. Batmand Begins and Dark Knight were a successful reboot of the franchise. The new Bonds? Not so much. They're stinkers. Don't bother with them.
But after Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice, give Austin Powers another shot. This will seem a whole lot funnier.
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