Fictional Skies

This year I have developed a profound appreciation for Batman as a character, origin story and franchise... and yet, he is nothing without the villains of Gotham City. This is character creation at its finest. Bruce Wayne is a man that refuses to move on from a tragedy suffered in childhood. Each villain in the Rogues Gallery exposes a particular weakness or dangerous belief within Batman. He is constantly fighting the kind of scum that got his parents killed. What this tells us is that not only is the opposition character key to the success of your story but this main character flaw or belief turned desire that prevents closure and moving on. The best of Bruce Wayne / Batman exists in the second act and within this vicious cycle of hero vs. villain. That's where the franchise excels. If there was no Batman in Gotham City would the villains be as grand? Perhaps they need Batman the same way he needs them. They help enhance each other's value, skill and ambition. The B...

Relationships. Family. Work. Goals. Mindset. No matter how much we try to create a productive lifestyle and ideals to live and work by chances are we may end up drifting off that path from time to time. Much like life, our story projects (and writing goals) are in transition too. Some we simply outgrow or avoid out of doubt or fear. Some we connect with on a deeper level. Some may be leading us astray or are just for fun. Life is about change and varied experience. Not so much about having everything figured out and less about living in regret. It's about embracing the change and uncertainty. This will enhance our effectiveness in life and our stories. "Since we cannot change reality, let us change the eyes which see reality."  - Nikos Kazantzakis

It's all well and good when you discover a passion for storytelling but at some point you have to face up to the reality of your ambition. Time isn't infinite and no one is going to do the work for you. You must get real and put the time in. What this means is that I'm unable to commit to the upkeep of the blog and make it as resourceful and interesting as I would like. I've reached the stage where I just want to focus on writing and learning offline. The culture of writing something and reporting back is a bit of an old hat and counter productive. I find myself heading into a new direction of writing, research and learning this year. That demands more time and focus. It's the stories themselves leading the way. However, I'm glad to be trying new things and exploring what I thought I would be doing much later on in life. I have some unpublished blog posts and aim to see those through for this year. It has been an enjoyable learning curve, although,...

Calvin's approach to writing is a general beginner or non-writer view on writing: Waiting for inspiration before doing any work . It's not completely wrong. You do need inspiration in order to come up with a great idea to write and to fill it with fresh and exciting ideas, characters and scenes. But you don't need it to get started; and definitely not to continue. It's said that "the professional doesn't wait for inspiration and writes no matter the weather." If they didn't not much work would get done - and what's the use in that. Inspiration is a fantastic feeling to behold and it transforms your mood and writing session, not to mention, your writing project. It can even transform your life. However, it's not meant to occur everyday and hold your hand until your story is complete. In other words, you don't need it to get your story done. Writing is a trade - a craft that occasionally rises to the level of art. There are bas...

Naturally, I went into horror feature  Project Nightingale with high hopes. Even though it didn't work out to how I had initially wanted, I was enlightened by what I found. Going in I knew that this project would be the last one I would develop in my usual way, as a new standard had been calling in the way I deal with projects. Justice in the story concept was all I was looking for. However, the more I developed things the more ways I could see this going, and the original idea looked less sweet. So I had to reinvent what I had invented. But the thing did improve and I could feel that I was getting closer. It was maturing and had come a long way but something was fundamentally wrong. I kicked its behind and wouldn't let up until I could identify what was bothering me about it. Then one day, it all became clear. I believe I have now found the story experience, what the project is, and how it fits into the marketplace. It could be made by a small crew and market...

Vince Gilligan (via  David D. Burstein ) has three excellent  storytelling tips  for those not wanting to ruin their work by rigid long term planning. Script Quack  offers two words and great  craft insight  for those struggling to get to grips with structure. Danny Stack  touches on the  realities  involved in becoming a professional screenwriter for those looking to create a ten-year plan. Jeffry Hirschberg  shares his  11 Laws of Great Storytelling  for those wanting increase the odds of their screenplay achieving greatness. Screenwriter's Digest

“ Most aspiring screenwriters simply don’t spend enough time choosing their concept. It’s by far the most common mistake I see in spec scripts. The writer has lost the race right from the gate. Months — sometimes years — are lost trying to elevate a film idea that by its nature probably had no hope of ever becoming a movie .”  - Terry Rossio [Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Mask of Zorro]

" The pursuit of perfection often impedes improvement . " - George F. Will There is a danger with beginner writers who may feel that their first draft has to be perfect. I know because it's how I used to think. However, a first draft is not meant to be brilliant. There's no way to get a first draft right other than to get it wrong. Or some of it, at least. It's why it's called an  exploratory draft. It's where you follow your curiosity and explore ways of doing things to see how it plays out. It needs time to be left alone. It's meant to be torn apart later on. The majority of it doesn't have to make the second draft. This stage is less about quality and more on getting something down. It doesn't have to be great but it has to be something. You need to go through what doesn't work in order to find what does. The first draft is an essential part of that discovery. Rewrite Later  You only get one chance to make a good fi...

It can be tough finding the right medium to tell a story in especially when you discover a versatile concept that could work or crossover into either television, film, web, literature, stage, radio, video-game or graphic novel. How do you know what to write it as? The short answer is: you don't. Unless you're specifically: a playwright, scriptwriter, or novelist. However, if you've yet to figure that out or commit to a set course, or want to write in more than one discipline, then it's not as simple as knowing what you don't want to write. Everything is possible. You can chat to people about it or consult writing books. You can do some research consuming a mass of product looking at how others have done things with the story concept they had. Ultimately, you just have to follow your instincts and see where it takes you. The goal is to do the story concept justice - to attract a producer/company and an audience. Naturally they want their money's wo...

It's not easy embarking on any ambition but screenwriting offers the newcomer a new level of difficult. Today the aspiring markets are more flooded than ever and so competition is fierce. Anyone can write by sitting down to write but not everyone can write well. Even less are willing to put the time in to improve and do their homework. Then there's the art of selling it; and yourself. As well as facing numerous rejections and disappointments that are commonplace in the creative industries. It's a long journey that requires more than discipline, passion and resilience to survive. The Art of Dreaming To constantly dream of an ambition and desirable state of being will get us nowhere. In the beginning, this is all we had once the dream was discovered . And so, compelled and obsessed as we were we turned up to write and dream. We put in years of creative efforts in order excite, thrill, feel and escape. To role play in fictional worlds. Then we come of cre...

I'm not going to talk about the present or future James Moran and his two feature films up for release this year. No - it's about that new writer on the scene and prolific blogger, and curse word user, who had just sold his first spec script we know as 'Severance' back in 2005. James has been blogging in his writing journal for around 9 years now. This tempted me to travel back in time and see what he was like in the beginning . Although, it's not the actual beginning from when he first started writing, but from when he won the Sci-Fi Channel's Sci-Fi Shorts Competition, got his ten-minute script entry made, and got an agent. I flicked through a few more early entries from 2003 - 2005 which are interesting and quite fascinating, as he talks about the umpteenth draft of Severance, then named P45, which was becoming quite a nuisance. But what interested me and thought I would pinch and share are some great and insightful words from 2005.  So I will unless ...

For the last two weeks I've had a welcomed break from writing. Specifically, script and development work. At first, I wasn't sure how it would go but soon realised it was what I needed. It's said that you should write everyday in some capacity and we should. However, I have learnt that every once in a while it's nice to step back and have a short time out. For me, the greatest pressure in my life are the expectations I place on myself. This isn't ideal. It pays to know when you're being unreasonable but it's also healthy to push yourself at times. Like anything, it's about balance. Only now am I realising the importance on easing up and taking breaks. A valid reason to take a short break is to catch up on the things that have been piling up while you've been focused on writing. Like a cluttered space things soon stack up and can pollute your mind. It's a great way to refresh, de-clutter and recharge the batteries. During the sho...

What is the best way forward for a new writer, aspiring or otherwise: Go online? Stay offline? Do both? This is something that has interested me for quite some time and has seen my allegiance wander back and forth. Let's start by defining new writer : as someone with none to a few years experience writing. Is it ever too early for a new writer to go online? Should they make the rush and reap the benefits of networking and sharing their early work, passion and opinions a.s.a.p.? Alternatively...  Is it ever too late to go online as a new writer? Should they stay offline and focus on writing for enjoyment, to find their voice and develop writing skill and a portfolio first? While the Internet has benefits and opportunities for new writers, I feel it makes sense to take time to hone your craft and writing skill before developing into a online presence as a writer. The Internet can be a tough place for new writers as they are bombarded with a mass of infor...

The Script Lab has a helpful piece on the first ten pages of a screenplay for those wanting to hit those five crucial elements. Andrew Stanton offers an insightful talk for Ted on what he knows about storytelling  for those interested in story and the man himself. Gideon's Screenwriting Tips  has a useful piece on the common mistakes of novice screenwriters for newcomers looking to develop. Michael Ferris at Script Mag  passionately outlines his four secrets to screenwriting success for those wanting to break through the noise and maximise opportunities. Go Into The Story has an excellent piece and list on clichéd dialogue for those wanting to avoid it and know when it's necessary. Screenwriter's Digest

So you choose to stay in for the weekend instead of being social. Those who go out or invite you out don't understand why you chose to stay in, or when you do venture out, may avoid alcohol. It's difficult for some non-writers to understand (and respect) what goes into living a creative life and ambition. They think taking a random day or weekend off is no big deal, drinking a beer or two; doing this or that. But if we're serious about writing and our commitment - and enjoy it - then these are big deals to us. The Long Road  A writing ambition is a long road and requires a daily effort. There are times to relax and have fun, but productivity and momentum are the main stay. If the wrong fuel is going into the train then it's not going to work properly, or at all. Things must always be moving. If they're not - then we fall behind. To achieve that ideal, sacrifices have to be made. We can try to explain and help others to understand our actions and passion ...

Saturday May 5th saw my story contribution to 3 Hundred and 65 . Some people may compose and send their story tweet from work, while juggling the kids, or put a few casual hours in beforehand. Or like me - the days leading up to it are ripe with inspiration, creativity and practice tweets - some major indulgence. Although, the final story tweet and overall story development almost went a different way. As I thought about bringing in a new storyline at the time and ambitiously, to push for a multi-narrative story. In fact, it almost went all wrong, and was heading for this: Hunched over, his fingers clasped to a jar: frozen tears imprisoned by glass. The Orphan glared at the Stranger by the mast.  Thankfully, I voiced my intentions on the 3 Hundred and 65 Widows unofficial Facebook fan page , and soon realised new characters and narratives wasn't what the story needed. Therefore, my Orphan character, Stranger by the mast, and the frozen tears imprisoned by glass - bit th...

Three months ago I began work on my second project for the year: an urban horror series.  The first:  Project Spacebound began over four months ago and is being written at the same time.  From Half-Idea to Series  The big bang moment for this came when a half-idea met its title-to-be and fused together to become something with potential. The combination of those two intriguing elements told me that this was something to pursue. Its title was a word I thought I had initially made up, as it just appeared in my head and got me hooked. It conjured up emotion, atmosphere, genre and images. Later on, I discovered it was a real word, however, its slang meaning better suited the show and helped define a major element. The 'half-idea' was a notion and genre twist on a recent news story at the time. A 'what if...' scenario resulted and one that would lead into a high-concept horror sub-genre story. From then, I knew I had to construct a new and compelling ...

It's never wise to write a script solely for a competition. The only thing on your mind being: The Reward & Winning Write a script because you enjoy the process; are interested in the exploration of story, character and form; saying something about the human condition; forming an emotional and entertaining journey; and developing as a writer and person. Not because you want to pimp it out to a competition and get something back. Script competitions are great for a previously completed script that may be ready or just needs a rewrite/polish. They are ideal for an experienced writer who has a body of spec work and is looking for some recognition and a way forward. They are also good for beginner writers entering once or twice to test the waters, or for fun as a screenwriting hobby. If you get a kick out of the process and thrill of writing a script for a competition: enjoy the challenge and creating to a deadline. Keep on doing what you're doing. But keep i...

The story of Facebook and its rise and rise and rise fascinates. Most success stories and personal achievements inspire, but this one is different. That has only deepened over the last week as I received The Social Network on rental and have watched it four times. That includes 2 x film watch, 1 x with David Fincher commentary and 1 x with Aaron Sorkin & cast commentary. Even after four watches, I am more drawn to and compelled by the film than ever - as well as the origin of Facebook's success story, filmmaking, the industry, business and people in general. Ultimately it's about people: their personalities and desires; their talents and flaws; their failures and achievements. Everyone is the same under the surface but different and fascinating in their construct and actions. As writers, the more we experience, observe and learn about people the more informed, realistic and powerful our writing becomes. Facebook's Success  Ultimately what I feel the succe...

" Every single Pixar film, at one time or another,  has been the worst movie ever put on film.  But  we know. We trust our process. We don't get scared and say, 'Oh, no, this film isn't working.'"  - John Lasseter    A Day in a Life  Bringing Inanimate Objects to Life