Prog Report #4

I got hammered on all sides this week, so my progress was noticeably slowed.

Accomplished:

1. I wrote 10 pages of my script.

2. I watched Charade in French.

Not Accomplished:

1. I didn't reach the midpoint of my script's second act.

2. I didn't watch Kramer v Kramer.

3. Still no progress on the directing group.

This next week:

1. I'm going to complete the first act of my second act.

2. I'm going to read and watch Rob Roy.

After getting hammered last week, I'm moving to a new apartment this week, so I'm scaling back my goals accordingly. I should be able to push forward with renewed aggression in February.

Disrespect for the Paying Audience

I saw a major theatrical movie last night. It was not good, but it at least feels like it was made by a filmmaker, as a opposed to Haywire or Red Tails.

Anyway, I follow the director of said unnamed movie on twitter and I saw this exchange between a reviewer who positively reviewed the film, and the director:

Reviewer: "Odd how much ambiguity in film frustrates some people. Hopefully enough people see the right movie this weekend, so we can have that chat..."

Director: "Bro, they don't have to get it. In fact it would undermine something essential in me if they did. Bozos."

So let's get this straight: he doesn't want everyone to like his film, calls them bozos for not "getting it", and yet hopes his movie will do well.

Something is wrong with this equation.

GOALS 2012: Progress Report #3

Accomplished:

1. I wrote 22.5 pages this past week.

2. I finished reading Kramer vs. Kramer

3. I watched "I Confess" in German (half-win)

Not Accomplished:

1. I didn't take any further steps to form my directing group

2. I didn't shotlist or draw any thumbnails after reading KvK

3. I didn't watch KvK silently.

This week:

1. I will write up to the fulcrum of my screenplay

2. I will write-out my vision for my peer-directing group

3. I will read another script

4. I will shotlist/thumbnail one scene

5. I will watch said movie with the sound off

____

I'm sort of in tunnel-vision mode now that I'm neck-deep in writing, which is why the directing-oriented tasks keep falling by the wayside. I'll try to make progress this week, but even if I don't, I will dive-in with gusto once I finish this script.

Goals 2012: Week #2

Accomplished:

1. I finished the first act of my screenplay at 5am this morning. It sits at 38.5pages. And yes, I am ashamed.

2. I sketched out notes on my ideas for the peer directing group.

Not accomplished:

1. I did not read Kramer vs. Kramer

2. I did not sketch any thumbnails

3. I did not watch any movies silently

4. I did not contact anyone about the directing group

5. I wrote 29 pages this past week, but what worth is that when 14 of them should be cut?

This week:

1. I will economize the first act of my screenplay down to 30 pages max, though my goal is 25.

2. I will write at least the first two scenes of my script's second act.

3. I will read Kramer, sketch a shotlist, and watch it silently today

4. I will formally write-out my vision for the directing group, and send it to friends who'd be interested.

____

Give the snowpocalypse in Seattle this week, I may get more than those four things accomplished. We'll see.

GOALS 2012: Progress Report #1

My well-worn hardcopy of ALIENS

Accomplished:

1. I've written 10.5 pages of my script's first act in the past week, bringing the total length to 18 pages.

2. I spent three days cutting and economizing, bringing the total page count down to 13 pages.

3. I read the first act of Kramer vs. Kramer

4. I have been comparing portions of Cameron's first and final Aliens drafts, to see how he economized a 134-page first draft down to the 105-page final draft. It's been reassuring to see that I've been using similar tactics of economy, at least in terms of writing description.

5. I have been talking to people about forming the weekly directing workshop...

Not accomplished:

1. But there are few people interested in the workshop who are at a skill level comparable to me. And only one of them is really serious about the craft.

2. I did not finish reading an entire script last week.

3. I did not sketch a single thumbnail

4. I did not watch any movies silently (though I did watch Finding Nemo in German at work, so that's kind of a half-win)

This week:

1. I will finish the first act of my screenplay

2. I will write a manifesto for the peer directing group

3. I will finish reading Kramer vs. Kramer

4. I will thumbnail a scene from Kramer vs. Kramer

5. I will watch KvK with the sound off.

6. I will continue to use Aliens two drafts as a reference point for economy