I have some good news for you, oh blog readers... I have finished my novel!
Yes - Tempus Fugit (Or, 'How many Time-Travellers does it take to break the Continuum?) is finished and I am waiting for my free Createspace proof copy (yet another advantage of doing NaNoWriMo). And before anyone asks, no I haven't decided if I'll make it available to the public to buy yet...
And so, my brain is naturally moving on to what my next project is going to be. (Because, while I like to think that I can multi-task, once I start properly working on a project everything tends to relate to that...)
And I'm not sure what to do. I've got a one-act play I'd quite like to write, which I may do next as I don't think it'll take me too long (certainly not for a first draft anyway), but I think what I'd really like to do next is go back to my roots a bit, and write an album - especially now I've discovered Routenote, with whom I'd be able to put the album on iTunes / Spotify / Other digital download services, so that everyone could enjoy it. (And just to be clear, I don't expect to make any money out of it at all, but imagine being able to say "My album is on iTunes". That's the sort of thing I've dreamed of since I was a kid (although iTunes didn't exist then, but you know what I mean)). However, while thinking about this, I've started to worry about genre.
This worry never occurs with anything else. Partly because scripts and novels don't have such rigid genres as music, but also because a novel or a script is a single entity, whereas an album is a selection of individual songs. And I like to write a wide selection of songs. Therefore, for my first full solo album, should I concentrate on one genre, or purposefully make a genre-transcending album ranging from Metal to piano instrumentals? Or should I just stop worrying about it and just write what I feel I want to write?
The other thing that puts me off about this is that I'm not a particularly good lyricist. Firstly, a lot of my lyrics are just jokes (which is fine, I'm not complaining about that), but also I have a paranoid fear that people assume whatever I'm writing is true. I never feel like that with script or stories, but with music people make the assumption that the singer/songwriter is talking about themselves and their own life, and that idea tends to crowd my brain and make me worry about what I'm writing.
So what do you, my adoring public (and I use the word adoring in the loosest possible sense) think? Should I just write whatever I feel like? Or should I consider the album as a whole and tailor the songs to one specific feel?
I'm genuinely interested in your answers, so please don't stay quiet! By all means if you want to be anonymous, then do, but post your answers if you have any. :)
Thanks.
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Ridiculous News Round-Up
This is going to be another decent length blog post, as I catch up on several small stories that I felt all deserved to be looked at through the eyes of Brawny, beginning with an idiot, moving through some more idiots, and ending with... well, you'll have to read all the way to the end to find out won't you! (But I wouldn't rule out it being more idiots...)
So apparently there's an American Professor called Sidney Perkowitz has been making suggestions to Hollywood. He says that he is "... not offended if they make one big scientific blunder in a given film... But after that I would like things developed in a coherent way."
Yeah. Because that's the problem with most Hollywood films today. The science is wrong. Never mind all the re-makes, re-imaginings, returns and re-boots populating the release schedules (and yes, I know a better word for return would have been sequel, but then I'd have lost the rhythm of the writing using the prefix 're' in each word in the list. So there.) if we get the science right then that's the way forward.
What an idiot.
Whats worse is when you keep reading through the article, the films he cites are Starship Troopers, The Core, and Angels and Demons. His issue with the Core is fairly reasonable from a scientific point of view (although I still don't think it should stop people from making such films), as it's about the geology of the earth. With Angels and Demons he bemoans the use of a small battery powered forcefield to keep safe an anti-matter bomb. Would he have been happier, one wonders, if they had just made up a new name for the bomb, so that it didn't relate to any scientific reality?
But the one that bugs me the most is "Perkowitz said he liked Starship Troopers, but criticised its giant insects, saying if you scaled up a real bug to that size it would collapse under its own weight." Yes, this is probably true. But bear in mind that the insects in Starship Troopers are not earth bugs, they are ALIENS! With a physiology that no-one knows about! SO IT DOESN'T MATTER!! Talk about picking on a pointless reason for films being bad nowadays.
Oh and the other thing that made me laugh hysterically. This man who is suggesting films and TV should be more scientifically realistic has apparently had an impact as the article states "the exchange has advised on the Watchmen movie and the TV series, Heroes."
Let's for a moment ignore the bad grammar, wondering how an exchange can have advised on something, and just laugh outright at the concept that Heroes obeys any form of scientific law. Other than the law of diminishing returns....
In other recent news, the Tories got in trouble for misplacing a decimal point, and therefore proudly announcing that 54% of teenagers in deprived areas are pregnant. 54%. That's more than half. I live in a deprived area, and work in an all-girls school, and if half of them are pregnant, then they're hiding it very well! What makes me laugh more is that this error wasn't someone reading it in a speech, it was published. Which means whoever proof read the report thought that it was an accurate representation of the truth... Out of touch much?
Talking of idiotic teenagers (well we weren't, we were talking about idiotic Tories believing that all teenagers are idiots, but it seemed like a good link at the time) there's a scandal going on in Germany at the moment around the teenage author Helene Hegemann. Apparently, her cult teen bestseller Axolotl Roadkill contains passages "that are plainly lifted wholesale from another novel, Strobo". However, the writer of the Guardian news article (Robert McCrum) seems to think that she "a child of the internet age, simply does not understand, or recognise, the charge of plagiarism. To her, coming from the cut-and-paste world of blogs and Facebook, what she's done is no more than "mixing"
Um, OK... except I come from the cut and paste world of blogs and Facebook, and I understand right from wrong... I'm not passing judgement because I haven't read either book (as I don't read German. I can say the word for Pedestrian Zone and claim to be a doughnut, but that's as far as my German education in year 9 went) but if the plagiarism is as obvious as Mr McCrum states, then she deserves to be brought up on whatever charges are suitable. And don't say she didn't know it was wrong, I bet she did. (Oh look at that, I said I wasn't going to judge, and now I'm being judgemental. Oh well, that's my right as an internet blogger, I can criticise anything I want, and who will stop me? No-one!! Hahahahahahahahah..... (Continues evil laugh for a while, realises I am alone, and stops, sheepishly) )
And on a final, slightly lighter hearted note, I watched the first episode of The Bubble on BBC iPlayer the other day, and while it was a perfectly respectable time-wasting show (made all the funnier this week by having the brilliant Reginald D Hunter on it), there was a point in it that made me laugh.
The Bubble (for those of you who don't know) is basically a comedy show where they lock three guests away for the week so they don't see the news, and then they show them various news reports and newspaper headlines and the guests have to guess which are real and which are made up. So far, so humorous (I particularly liked the news article about introducing a gay character into Thomas the Tank Engine. That's right, a gay engine. That was made up, but still amusing) . However, this BBC-produced, BBC-aired show has been told that they cannot use any BBC reporters to create the fake news reports, because the BBC don't want to undermine them.
So the news reports on this BBC show are being provided by their direct competition, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky News.
Seriously, could the BBC be any stupider?
So apparently there's an American Professor called Sidney Perkowitz has been making suggestions to Hollywood. He says that he is "... not offended if they make one big scientific blunder in a given film... But after that I would like things developed in a coherent way."
Yeah. Because that's the problem with most Hollywood films today. The science is wrong. Never mind all the re-makes, re-imaginings, returns and re-boots populating the release schedules (and yes, I know a better word for return would have been sequel, but then I'd have lost the rhythm of the writing using the prefix 're' in each word in the list. So there.) if we get the science right then that's the way forward.
What an idiot.
Whats worse is when you keep reading through the article, the films he cites are Starship Troopers, The Core, and Angels and Demons. His issue with the Core is fairly reasonable from a scientific point of view (although I still don't think it should stop people from making such films), as it's about the geology of the earth. With Angels and Demons he bemoans the use of a small battery powered forcefield to keep safe an anti-matter bomb. Would he have been happier, one wonders, if they had just made up a new name for the bomb, so that it didn't relate to any scientific reality?
But the one that bugs me the most is "Perkowitz said he liked Starship Troopers, but criticised its giant insects, saying if you scaled up a real bug to that size it would collapse under its own weight." Yes, this is probably true. But bear in mind that the insects in Starship Troopers are not earth bugs, they are ALIENS! With a physiology that no-one knows about! SO IT DOESN'T MATTER!! Talk about picking on a pointless reason for films being bad nowadays.
Oh and the other thing that made me laugh hysterically. This man who is suggesting films and TV should be more scientifically realistic has apparently had an impact as the article states "the exchange has advised on the Watchmen movie and the TV series, Heroes."
Let's for a moment ignore the bad grammar, wondering how an exchange can have advised on something, and just laugh outright at the concept that Heroes obeys any form of scientific law. Other than the law of diminishing returns....
In other recent news, the Tories got in trouble for misplacing a decimal point, and therefore proudly announcing that 54% of teenagers in deprived areas are pregnant. 54%. That's more than half. I live in a deprived area, and work in an all-girls school, and if half of them are pregnant, then they're hiding it very well! What makes me laugh more is that this error wasn't someone reading it in a speech, it was published. Which means whoever proof read the report thought that it was an accurate representation of the truth... Out of touch much?
Talking of idiotic teenagers (well we weren't, we were talking about idiotic Tories believing that all teenagers are idiots, but it seemed like a good link at the time) there's a scandal going on in Germany at the moment around the teenage author Helene Hegemann. Apparently, her cult teen bestseller Axolotl Roadkill contains passages "that are plainly lifted wholesale from another novel, Strobo". However, the writer of the Guardian news article (Robert McCrum) seems to think that she "a child of the internet age, simply does not understand, or recognise, the charge of plagiarism. To her, coming from the cut-and-paste world of blogs and Facebook, what she's done is no more than "mixing"
Um, OK... except I come from the cut and paste world of blogs and Facebook, and I understand right from wrong... I'm not passing judgement because I haven't read either book (as I don't read German. I can say the word for Pedestrian Zone and claim to be a doughnut, but that's as far as my German education in year 9 went) but if the plagiarism is as obvious as Mr McCrum states, then she deserves to be brought up on whatever charges are suitable. And don't say she didn't know it was wrong, I bet she did. (Oh look at that, I said I wasn't going to judge, and now I'm being judgemental. Oh well, that's my right as an internet blogger, I can criticise anything I want, and who will stop me? No-one!! Hahahahahahahahah..... (Continues evil laugh for a while, realises I am alone, and stops, sheepishly) )
And on a final, slightly lighter hearted note, I watched the first episode of The Bubble on BBC iPlayer the other day, and while it was a perfectly respectable time-wasting show (made all the funnier this week by having the brilliant Reginald D Hunter on it), there was a point in it that made me laugh.
The Bubble (for those of you who don't know) is basically a comedy show where they lock three guests away for the week so they don't see the news, and then they show them various news reports and newspaper headlines and the guests have to guess which are real and which are made up. So far, so humorous (I particularly liked the news article about introducing a gay character into Thomas the Tank Engine. That's right, a gay engine. That was made up, but still amusing) . However, this BBC-produced, BBC-aired show has been told that they cannot use any BBC reporters to create the fake news reports, because the BBC don't want to undermine them.
So the news reports on this BBC show are being provided by their direct competition, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky News.
Seriously, could the BBC be any stupider?
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
The trouble with being a Writer
Today's blog entry doesn't really have a point, except to discuss my own personal dilemma, specifically the question of when do I let people read things I have written.
As you all know, I finished NaNoWriMo last month (and won - see the banner thing in the sidebar) and last night I re-opened the document to have a look at it and start to figure out where to start in the editing process. And there's so much. And I don't know whether any of the novel is any good.
So I thought about getting people to read it and give me feedback, which would be fine, except that I really want to re-organise it and get it sorted out before anyone reads it, but I don't know if it's worthwhile sorting out or whether it's just a big mess of ramblings. (Much like these blogs often are)
So my question today is directed to other writers - when do you decide it's time? Do you ask people who you know will say nice things just to encourage you? Do you insist on honesty all the time?
I just don't really know where to start - instead of editing anything last night, I simply organised and finished naming the chapters, with some wierd chapter titles, some of which are just strange.
Don't believe me? Here's the list (WARNING - Very long list)
Chapter One – Just Another Night at Work
Chapter Two – Alone…
Chapter Three – The Trouble with Jack
Chapter Four – The Misadventures of Erroneous Hinge
Chapter Five - Angels and Beanstalks
Chapter Six – The Time Travel Begins
Chapter Seven - Releasing a Mentally Deranged Man into the Surrounding Area
Chapter Eight – No Longer Alone…
Chapter Nine – A Normal Dave-Based Day
Chapter Ten – Taking Victor from Victory leaves Why?
Chapter Eleven – Back to the Present
Chapter Twelve - Lords and Playwrights and Short Skirts, Oh My!
Chapter Thirteen - Dave, a man in search of the plot, or at least some suitable exposition
Chapter Fourteen – Exposition 2: This Time it’s Personal
Chapter Fifteen – Up, up and… down again
Chapter Sixteen – Return to the Scene of the Crime
Chapter Seventeen – An Evening in the Pub
Chapter Eighteen – The Story so Far
Chapter Nineteen - A lab, two scientists and a shadowy figure
Chapter Twenty – The Investigation Continues
Chapter Twenty-One – In which two groups of protagonists finally meet
Chapter Twenty-Two – A Victor(ious) return
Chapter Twenty-Three – Follow the Yellow Brick Road? Really?
Chapter Twenty-Four - Rest and Recuperation (Or at least, not getting shot at for a change)
Chapter Twenty-Five – Turtles need Love too
Chapter Twenty-Six – Return to 1864
Chapter Twenty-Seven - The Loss of the Road
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Which is set in the present, but occurs before Chapter Twenty-Six in Sian’s personal Timeline
Chapter Twenty-Nine – The Wizard’s Abode
Chapter Thirty – Escape!
Chapter Thirty-One - Erroneous leaps into action (Slowly)
Chapter Thirty-Two - The arrival of Angel
Chapter Thirty-Three – Backstory
Chapter Thirty-Four – Extended Cliffhanger
Chapter Thirty-Five - The Present Past Andrew meets the Past Present Andrew
Chapter Thirty-Six – Cliffhanger Extension Part Two
Chapter Thirty-Seven – 19th Century Espionage
Chapter Thirty-Eight - The Resolution of the ever-more-irritating Cliffhanger
Chapter Thirty-Nine - The Tale that Sam just promised he’d tell you
Chapter Forty –The Continuation of Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Forty-One – An Erroneous Climax
Chapter Forty-Two – Everywhere and Nowhere
Chapter Forty-Three – The End?
Epilogue – What Happened Next.
I invite comments / suggestions / answers for the questions I posed in this post (or anything else you want)
As you all know, I finished NaNoWriMo last month (and won - see the banner thing in the sidebar) and last night I re-opened the document to have a look at it and start to figure out where to start in the editing process. And there's so much. And I don't know whether any of the novel is any good.
So I thought about getting people to read it and give me feedback, which would be fine, except that I really want to re-organise it and get it sorted out before anyone reads it, but I don't know if it's worthwhile sorting out or whether it's just a big mess of ramblings. (Much like these blogs often are)
So my question today is directed to other writers - when do you decide it's time? Do you ask people who you know will say nice things just to encourage you? Do you insist on honesty all the time?
I just don't really know where to start - instead of editing anything last night, I simply organised and finished naming the chapters, with some wierd chapter titles, some of which are just strange.
Don't believe me? Here's the list (WARNING - Very long list)
Chapter One – Just Another Night at Work
Chapter Two – Alone…
Chapter Three – The Trouble with Jack
Chapter Four – The Misadventures of Erroneous Hinge
Chapter Five - Angels and Beanstalks
Chapter Six – The Time Travel Begins
Chapter Seven - Releasing a Mentally Deranged Man into the Surrounding Area
Chapter Eight – No Longer Alone…
Chapter Nine – A Normal Dave-Based Day
Chapter Ten – Taking Victor from Victory leaves Why?
Chapter Eleven – Back to the Present
Chapter Twelve - Lords and Playwrights and Short Skirts, Oh My!
Chapter Thirteen - Dave, a man in search of the plot, or at least some suitable exposition
Chapter Fourteen – Exposition 2: This Time it’s Personal
Chapter Fifteen – Up, up and… down again
Chapter Sixteen – Return to the Scene of the Crime
Chapter Seventeen – An Evening in the Pub
Chapter Eighteen – The Story so Far
Chapter Nineteen - A lab, two scientists and a shadowy figure
Chapter Twenty – The Investigation Continues
Chapter Twenty-One – In which two groups of protagonists finally meet
Chapter Twenty-Two – A Victor(ious) return
Chapter Twenty-Three – Follow the Yellow Brick Road? Really?
Chapter Twenty-Four - Rest and Recuperation (Or at least, not getting shot at for a change)
Chapter Twenty-Five – Turtles need Love too
Chapter Twenty-Six – Return to 1864
Chapter Twenty-Seven - The Loss of the Road
Chapter Twenty-Eight - Which is set in the present, but occurs before Chapter Twenty-Six in Sian’s personal Timeline
Chapter Twenty-Nine – The Wizard’s Abode
Chapter Thirty – Escape!
Chapter Thirty-One - Erroneous leaps into action (Slowly)
Chapter Thirty-Two - The arrival of Angel
Chapter Thirty-Three – Backstory
Chapter Thirty-Four – Extended Cliffhanger
Chapter Thirty-Five - The Present Past Andrew meets the Past Present Andrew
Chapter Thirty-Six – Cliffhanger Extension Part Two
Chapter Thirty-Seven – 19th Century Espionage
Chapter Thirty-Eight - The Resolution of the ever-more-irritating Cliffhanger
Chapter Thirty-Nine - The Tale that Sam just promised he’d tell you
Chapter Forty –The Continuation of Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Forty-One – An Erroneous Climax
Chapter Forty-Two – Everywhere and Nowhere
Chapter Forty-Three – The End?
Epilogue – What Happened Next.
I invite comments / suggestions / answers for the questions I posed in this post (or anything else you want)
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Return of the Brawn!
Hi Bloggees!
So I'm back, after my month-long silence (bar the two exceptions) having successfully completed my NaNoWriMo novel, which is something I'm pretty proud of. (Proud of having completed it I mean, not necessarily proud of some of the actual writing - but that's what editing is for)
And for my return, you'll be pleased to hear it's time for another Brawny rant!
Last week, I came across this news story which is so ridiculous it made me laugh and spit the coke I was drinking out of my nose. (Technically, that sentence used artistic licence as I hadn't been drinking coke at the time I saw the story, but if I had been then it would have come out of my nose, and I think that's important to get across).
In a week where discussions of Modern Warfare 2 were rife, it seems as if this study was conveniently released in order to play up the hype. Granted, it's not about Modern Warfare 2, but I suspect that's only because it wasn't released by the time the study was done. It is about other violent games of that nature however, and the things that made me astonished was when the news article makes this wonderful statement.
"Human rights groups played various games to see if any broke humanitarian laws that govern what is a war crime."
I'm sorry, what??? Since when did laws apply to un-real situations? You say that there are things you can do in any of the games they played that you would be arrested for in real life? I'm appalled...
And I know what you're thinking, you're thinking "Brawny, you're not appalled at all". I am, I'm appalled that anyone thinks this study is worthwhile! Seriously, the study that was done tells us that "... games were sending an "erroneous" message that conflicts were waged without limits or that anything was acceptable in counter-terrorism operations. "This is especially problematic in view of today's reality," said the study. "
Especially problematic in view of today's reality? What, because we all play video games and are all idiots who can't differentiate between reality and a game? But films and books are OK because they're passive and you don't interact with them?
Luckily, it doesn't appear that anyone of any legal or political power has taken any notice of this, and that's because it's ludicrous. However, in the spirit of the study I present a selection of re-designed games (all (C) Brawny 2009) in order to reflect real world laws within the game.
PAC-MAN
Instead of rushing around a maze eating dots from the floor (which do not belong to you) and then occasionally making a Ghost flash so that you can eat it (which I'm sure counts as murder, even if the Ghost returns after a while), my new version of the classic game has you moving Pac-Man around aimlessly until you find a Ghost, at which point you enter into a dialogue with him to find out why he keeps getting in your way and is trying to stop you at every step of the way. Maybe you would then go for counselling together as a way of getting over these hurdles. And if any cherries or other fruit stuff appear in front of you, you are penalised for eating them, instead you should pick them up and drop them off at the police station so that they can be returned to their owner.
SUPER MARIO BROS
The entire premise of this game is ridiculous, as you run through strange foreign lands, including repeatedly breaking into castles, in order to murder countless poor henchmen and then murder a large turtle simply because he has a spiky shell and therefore must be evil. Also, you maintain he did in fact kidnap the Princess, but do you have any evidence of this? Because if it's just that she told you, then you need some corroborative evidence or that'll never stand up in court. What you should do instead is simply call the police and hire a negotiator to persuade Bowser to release the princess.
HOUSE OF THE DEAD
You run around and kill Zombies. This is clearly murder. You can also destroy pieces of building, cars and anything else. This is clearly Vandalism. You also break into facilities in order to kill more Zombies. This is clearly breaking and entering. You may think you can cover this up by being a government agent, but you have never once proffered the correct paperwork to your victims before you blow their heads off. I can think of no way to make this game comply with laws at all - it should just be banned.
GRAND THEFT AUTO
I believe the clue is in the title. Oh, and you can murder people crossing the street. Instead, the game should be re-tooled so that it is entitled "Do you mind if I borrow your car?". The object being that firstly you have to negotiate a vehicle from its owner, and then you have to drive around, sticking to the speed limit and stopping at every red light, whilst performing day-to-day tasks such as the shopping and going to work.
GUITAR HERO
OK, I can't find any specific laws broken in this game, apart from possibly disturbing the peace. Unless my new law comes into practice which is the "If you're going to attempt to create music in any fashion, learn how to be in tune first" law.
Now I know I've been silly in this post (and aren't I always anyway?) but my point simply is that you cannot apply real world logic to un-real objects, be they game, film or book. So people shouldn't try.
So I'm back, after my month-long silence (bar the two exceptions) having successfully completed my NaNoWriMo novel, which is something I'm pretty proud of. (Proud of having completed it I mean, not necessarily proud of some of the actual writing - but that's what editing is for)
And for my return, you'll be pleased to hear it's time for another Brawny rant!
Last week, I came across this news story which is so ridiculous it made me laugh and spit the coke I was drinking out of my nose. (Technically, that sentence used artistic licence as I hadn't been drinking coke at the time I saw the story, but if I had been then it would have come out of my nose, and I think that's important to get across).
In a week where discussions of Modern Warfare 2 were rife, it seems as if this study was conveniently released in order to play up the hype. Granted, it's not about Modern Warfare 2, but I suspect that's only because it wasn't released by the time the study was done. It is about other violent games of that nature however, and the things that made me astonished was when the news article makes this wonderful statement.
"Human rights groups played various games to see if any broke humanitarian laws that govern what is a war crime."
I'm sorry, what??? Since when did laws apply to un-real situations? You say that there are things you can do in any of the games they played that you would be arrested for in real life? I'm appalled...
And I know what you're thinking, you're thinking "Brawny, you're not appalled at all". I am, I'm appalled that anyone thinks this study is worthwhile! Seriously, the study that was done tells us that "... games were sending an "erroneous" message that conflicts were waged without limits or that anything was acceptable in counter-terrorism operations. "This is especially problematic in view of today's reality," said the study. "
Especially problematic in view of today's reality? What, because we all play video games and are all idiots who can't differentiate between reality and a game? But films and books are OK because they're passive and you don't interact with them?
Luckily, it doesn't appear that anyone of any legal or political power has taken any notice of this, and that's because it's ludicrous. However, in the spirit of the study I present a selection of re-designed games (all (C) Brawny 2009) in order to reflect real world laws within the game.
PAC-MAN
Instead of rushing around a maze eating dots from the floor (which do not belong to you) and then occasionally making a Ghost flash so that you can eat it (which I'm sure counts as murder, even if the Ghost returns after a while), my new version of the classic game has you moving Pac-Man around aimlessly until you find a Ghost, at which point you enter into a dialogue with him to find out why he keeps getting in your way and is trying to stop you at every step of the way. Maybe you would then go for counselling together as a way of getting over these hurdles. And if any cherries or other fruit stuff appear in front of you, you are penalised for eating them, instead you should pick them up and drop them off at the police station so that they can be returned to their owner.
SUPER MARIO BROS
The entire premise of this game is ridiculous, as you run through strange foreign lands, including repeatedly breaking into castles, in order to murder countless poor henchmen and then murder a large turtle simply because he has a spiky shell and therefore must be evil. Also, you maintain he did in fact kidnap the Princess, but do you have any evidence of this? Because if it's just that she told you, then you need some corroborative evidence or that'll never stand up in court. What you should do instead is simply call the police and hire a negotiator to persuade Bowser to release the princess.
HOUSE OF THE DEAD
You run around and kill Zombies. This is clearly murder. You can also destroy pieces of building, cars and anything else. This is clearly Vandalism. You also break into facilities in order to kill more Zombies. This is clearly breaking and entering. You may think you can cover this up by being a government agent, but you have never once proffered the correct paperwork to your victims before you blow their heads off. I can think of no way to make this game comply with laws at all - it should just be banned.
GRAND THEFT AUTO
I believe the clue is in the title. Oh, and you can murder people crossing the street. Instead, the game should be re-tooled so that it is entitled "Do you mind if I borrow your car?". The object being that firstly you have to negotiate a vehicle from its owner, and then you have to drive around, sticking to the speed limit and stopping at every red light, whilst performing day-to-day tasks such as the shopping and going to work.
GUITAR HERO
OK, I can't find any specific laws broken in this game, apart from possibly disturbing the peace. Unless my new law comes into practice which is the "If you're going to attempt to create music in any fashion, learn how to be in tune first" law.
Now I know I've been silly in this post (and aren't I always anyway?) but my point simply is that you cannot apply real world logic to un-real objects, be they game, film or book. So people shouldn't try.
Sunday, 22 November 2009
SPOILERS! - Waters of Mars
I've once again broken my month-long blog silence to bring you .... A Brawny Review! (That could be a Breview I suppose... but anyway...)
DR WHO - THE WATERS OF MARS
In Which - The Doctor lands on Mars, ends up in the first human base on Mars, and then realises that he really shouldn't be there....
What did I think? - A bit of a strange beast this episode, as the majority of it seemed to be made up of a standard Dr Who "Base Under Siege" story, combined with the Doctor repeatedly saying "I should go" and then, well, not going. The Flood was the sort of monster that I like, an unexplained, inhuman, completely alien idea, hidden in something so simple and essential. But the pacing of the first half hour just felt, well, a little off.
The turning point was him in the airlock though, discussing what he knows must happen with Adelaide. It finally gave us an insight into the changing history / not changing history rules in Dr Who. (Or at least, in the new Russell T Davies era of Dr Who) by re-iterating that history has fixed points, things that can't be changed.
And then, the Doctor questions himself. Why can't he change things? He's the last time lord, there's no-one else left, what's to stop him?
So he does. He turns back and joins in the fight for survival. And I've never been so ambivalent about the Doctor saving people in my life. On the one hand, Yay, he's the Doctor, he should save people, and the base people seem nice enough. On the other hand, you know that what he is doing is against the laws of time, and you can't help but feel that there will be consequences (I'm pretty sure that the fact the final 2-part special is called "The End of Time" indicates that).
The end of the Mars-set action shows the Doctor coming up with a plan which almost feels like cheating, with the utilisation of the TARDIS to save everyone, although this obviously allows the explosion to happen as history recorded, presumably defeating the Flood.
And then, the Earth-set epilogue. Easily the finest end to a Dr Who episode in many years. The Doctor turns from having been a slightly over-cocky nice guy, to a very cocky... well... asshole. We get someone actually being freaked out by the TARDIS (which I've always thought is missing, most people would get properly spooked), and we get the Doctor insisting he is the Time Lord Victorious.
And then we get the death of Adelaide. Marred only slightly for me by the fact its the second climactic suicide scripted by RTD in the last year (the previous one, of course, being Frobisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth), it is a superb moment, and the Doctors realisation that he has gone too far.
And what happens from this point? Who knows, but I'm guessing it will be catastrophic...
(Oh and for all you pedants, I know that there wouldn't be fire on the surface of Mars, but didn't it look good)
The Good - Performances excellent all across the board, gripping ending, we get to see the Doctor be fallible for a change
The Bad - The annoying robot was annoying, and no amount of self satisfying references to the fact that robots are annoying can make him less annoying, the pacing of the first half hour felt very strange
Conclusion - I think it would have worked better in 45 minutes than the full hour (which is a very rare statement for me to make) but on the whole I liked it. 8/10 (Can't wait for End of Time!)
Now that the review is over, I'm sure many of you are wondering why I'm not pressing on with my novel. I am, sort of, I'm just procrastinating, but I'm at 33,000 words already. So I might make it... fingers crossed!
DR WHO - THE WATERS OF MARS
In Which - The Doctor lands on Mars, ends up in the first human base on Mars, and then realises that he really shouldn't be there....
What did I think? - A bit of a strange beast this episode, as the majority of it seemed to be made up of a standard Dr Who "Base Under Siege" story, combined with the Doctor repeatedly saying "I should go" and then, well, not going. The Flood was the sort of monster that I like, an unexplained, inhuman, completely alien idea, hidden in something so simple and essential. But the pacing of the first half hour just felt, well, a little off.
The turning point was him in the airlock though, discussing what he knows must happen with Adelaide. It finally gave us an insight into the changing history / not changing history rules in Dr Who. (Or at least, in the new Russell T Davies era of Dr Who) by re-iterating that history has fixed points, things that can't be changed.
And then, the Doctor questions himself. Why can't he change things? He's the last time lord, there's no-one else left, what's to stop him?
So he does. He turns back and joins in the fight for survival. And I've never been so ambivalent about the Doctor saving people in my life. On the one hand, Yay, he's the Doctor, he should save people, and the base people seem nice enough. On the other hand, you know that what he is doing is against the laws of time, and you can't help but feel that there will be consequences (I'm pretty sure that the fact the final 2-part special is called "The End of Time" indicates that).
The end of the Mars-set action shows the Doctor coming up with a plan which almost feels like cheating, with the utilisation of the TARDIS to save everyone, although this obviously allows the explosion to happen as history recorded, presumably defeating the Flood.
And then, the Earth-set epilogue. Easily the finest end to a Dr Who episode in many years. The Doctor turns from having been a slightly over-cocky nice guy, to a very cocky... well... asshole. We get someone actually being freaked out by the TARDIS (which I've always thought is missing, most people would get properly spooked), and we get the Doctor insisting he is the Time Lord Victorious.
And then we get the death of Adelaide. Marred only slightly for me by the fact its the second climactic suicide scripted by RTD in the last year (the previous one, of course, being Frobisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth), it is a superb moment, and the Doctors realisation that he has gone too far.
And what happens from this point? Who knows, but I'm guessing it will be catastrophic...
(Oh and for all you pedants, I know that there wouldn't be fire on the surface of Mars, but didn't it look good)
The Good - Performances excellent all across the board, gripping ending, we get to see the Doctor be fallible for a change
The Bad - The annoying robot was annoying, and no amount of self satisfying references to the fact that robots are annoying can make him less annoying, the pacing of the first half hour felt very strange
Conclusion - I think it would have worked better in 45 minutes than the full hour (which is a very rare statement for me to make) but on the whole I liked it. 8/10 (Can't wait for End of Time!)
Now that the review is over, I'm sure many of you are wondering why I'm not pressing on with my novel. I am, sort of, I'm just procrastinating, but I'm at 33,000 words already. So I might make it... fingers crossed!
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Packages and Word Counts
OK, so assume that this blog has started with apologies for not having written lately, although I did explain why I would be being less frequent with this blog in the post a couple of weeks ago.
But I got so annoyed with something today, that I had to write...
Royal Mail.
OK, so I don't really like to complain about them, because on the whole they provide a good service. It costs you a few pence and you can send something the length of the country. HOWEVER, if I ever get one of those little red "We tried to deliver something but you were out" cards, my heart sinks.
I'm ALWAYS out when they try and deliver something because, like most people, I work during the day. Therefore I have nothing against the cards per se, it's just that whenever I get one, the claiming of said package seems to be horrendously complicated.
It always says you should wait 48 hours between the time they tried to deliver it, and the time you go to collect it..
Why is this? I understand needing SOME time, because the package stays in the postmans bag since he's finished his round. But, working on the assumption that postmen go home at the end of a shift, and therefore leave their bags at work, I would assume that they get emptied every day. And therefore, you put everything that needs to be collected into a van, which takes it to the relevant sorting office. Surely. That'd make sense.
Well I don't know what they do, but it obviously isn't that.. as was proved by today when I went to pick up a recorded delivery package that they tried to deliver to me on Friday. I originally went on Monday, to be told it wasn't there yet, so I went today. And guess what? It's still not there... I guess this wouldn't be so bad, if not for the other major hassle with it...
The Sorting office is only open from 8am-12pm.
Four hours a day? Name me another public service that only opens for four hours a day, at the time when the majority of the population is at work!! Seriously, I can't fathom the logic behind this. Why do it?
So I'm still waiting for my package, (incidentally, I don't know what it is, and I really hope it's something for which going to this amount of hassle is worthwile (but I'm sure it will be (mostly))) which HOPEFULLY, I can pick up tomorrow, although that means I'll have to dive out of work during the day to go and try and get it. But I'm still vaguely hopeful it'll be there. Unlike something that was sent to me last year, which I never recieved because "It's gone missing..." That was the excuse. Seriously.
Like I said at the start, I know that they do provide a good service, but it's the little things like this that really just feel like a let down.
So, other than that, I'm still writing my novel for NaNoWriMo. As you may remember, my aim was to write 2000 words a day, so that I could have five days off. This has gone a little wrong...
I was on target until Thursday, which was my birthday, so I let myself have the day off. Then I did my 2000 on Friday, and since then... nothing. To be fair, I have got excuses (been visited by Neety, who bought me Guitar Hero: Metallica for my birthday!) but not a real, solid excuse. So now I'm staring at the document again, knowing that I have (ideally) 8000 words I need to catch up. Before tomorrow. And I'm in the middle of a chapter introducing a new character and I don't really know where I'm going with it.
And that's the thing thats hardest about this time/word limit. There's no time to go back, re-jig and cut bits. I could cut the half chapter I've got (which is about 1500 words) and just go to another character, but then I'd lose more word count.
So I'm procrastinating here and on the internet. And in a minute I shall cook some dinner. I'm trying to be good and not play Guitar Hero, but we'll see how the evening goes.
I could, of course, assume that Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Today were all days off, and recalculate accordingly. If I did that then I'd have 2000 words a day left to write, with NO days off... and since I'm heading to Poole this weekend, and again at the end of the month, I ought to try and salvage at least one.
Anyone else doing NaNoWriMo by the way? Or is it just me...
On the good news front, my nice bike is now on its way back to Poole, where my wonderful father will have a look at it, and see if it's fixable! Yay!
Anyway, I ought to go now....
But I got so annoyed with something today, that I had to write...
Royal Mail.
OK, so I don't really like to complain about them, because on the whole they provide a good service. It costs you a few pence and you can send something the length of the country. HOWEVER, if I ever get one of those little red "We tried to deliver something but you were out" cards, my heart sinks.
I'm ALWAYS out when they try and deliver something because, like most people, I work during the day. Therefore I have nothing against the cards per se, it's just that whenever I get one, the claiming of said package seems to be horrendously complicated.
It always says you should wait 48 hours between the time they tried to deliver it, and the time you go to collect it..
Why is this? I understand needing SOME time, because the package stays in the postmans bag since he's finished his round. But, working on the assumption that postmen go home at the end of a shift, and therefore leave their bags at work, I would assume that they get emptied every day. And therefore, you put everything that needs to be collected into a van, which takes it to the relevant sorting office. Surely. That'd make sense.
Well I don't know what they do, but it obviously isn't that.. as was proved by today when I went to pick up a recorded delivery package that they tried to deliver to me on Friday. I originally went on Monday, to be told it wasn't there yet, so I went today. And guess what? It's still not there... I guess this wouldn't be so bad, if not for the other major hassle with it...
The Sorting office is only open from 8am-12pm.
Four hours a day? Name me another public service that only opens for four hours a day, at the time when the majority of the population is at work!! Seriously, I can't fathom the logic behind this. Why do it?
So I'm still waiting for my package, (incidentally, I don't know what it is, and I really hope it's something for which going to this amount of hassle is worthwile (but I'm sure it will be (mostly))) which HOPEFULLY, I can pick up tomorrow, although that means I'll have to dive out of work during the day to go and try and get it. But I'm still vaguely hopeful it'll be there. Unlike something that was sent to me last year, which I never recieved because "It's gone missing..." That was the excuse. Seriously.
Like I said at the start, I know that they do provide a good service, but it's the little things like this that really just feel like a let down.
So, other than that, I'm still writing my novel for NaNoWriMo. As you may remember, my aim was to write 2000 words a day, so that I could have five days off. This has gone a little wrong...
I was on target until Thursday, which was my birthday, so I let myself have the day off. Then I did my 2000 on Friday, and since then... nothing. To be fair, I have got excuses (been visited by Neety, who bought me Guitar Hero: Metallica for my birthday!) but not a real, solid excuse. So now I'm staring at the document again, knowing that I have (ideally) 8000 words I need to catch up. Before tomorrow. And I'm in the middle of a chapter introducing a new character and I don't really know where I'm going with it.
And that's the thing thats hardest about this time/word limit. There's no time to go back, re-jig and cut bits. I could cut the half chapter I've got (which is about 1500 words) and just go to another character, but then I'd lose more word count.
So I'm procrastinating here and on the internet. And in a minute I shall cook some dinner. I'm trying to be good and not play Guitar Hero, but we'll see how the evening goes.
I could, of course, assume that Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Today were all days off, and recalculate accordingly. If I did that then I'd have 2000 words a day left to write, with NO days off... and since I'm heading to Poole this weekend, and again at the end of the month, I ought to try and salvage at least one.
Anyone else doing NaNoWriMo by the way? Or is it just me...
On the good news front, my nice bike is now on its way back to Poole, where my wonderful father will have a look at it, and see if it's fixable! Yay!
Anyway, I ought to go now....
Saturday, 17 October 2009
NaNoWriMo
Hey there Guys! (And girls, I wouldn't want my blog to appear sexist in any way...)
After the two kind of serious blogs I posted on Friday, I thought I'd just casually ask you wonderful people (some of whom I know are writers) if any of you are taking part in NaNoWriMo this year?
For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and is basically a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. I've often considered doing it, and I've decided that this year, I'm going to do it.
Writing 50,000 words a month equates to about 2000 words a day, with 5 days off... so basically, you may get less blogs from me over the month of November (and also in the last week of October too, because I'm heading back to Poole for a well-deserved break :P)
I did consider starting a seperate blog to keep track of how the novel is going, but then I realised that's just adding more writing work to my month, and that'd be silly!
So basically, if you are doing NaNoWriMo - feel free to add me as a buddy on their website, if you're not but you are thinking about it, then go for it, and if you aren't interested at all, then just bear in mind that you will probably hear less from me over the next month or so!
Peace out, my homies.
After the two kind of serious blogs I posted on Friday, I thought I'd just casually ask you wonderful people (some of whom I know are writers) if any of you are taking part in NaNoWriMo this year?
For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, and is basically a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. I've often considered doing it, and I've decided that this year, I'm going to do it.
Writing 50,000 words a month equates to about 2000 words a day, with 5 days off... so basically, you may get less blogs from me over the month of November (and also in the last week of October too, because I'm heading back to Poole for a well-deserved break :P)
I did consider starting a seperate blog to keep track of how the novel is going, but then I realised that's just adding more writing work to my month, and that'd be silly!
So basically, if you are doing NaNoWriMo - feel free to add me as a buddy on their website, if you're not but you are thinking about it, then go for it, and if you aren't interested at all, then just bear in mind that you will probably hear less from me over the next month or so!
Peace out, my homies.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Transformers 2 and other stuff - Spoilers Be in this review
So, I just came back from seeing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen... and I have to say, I think that the best description of it comes from Sprog who named it Transformers: Revenge of the Explosions.
It was pretty good, suffering mostly from all the thing that a sequal suffers from - too many characters, certain "contracted" actors returning with nothing to do, an attempt to make it bigger and better making it more convulouted and overlong....
Oh. And way too long a climax.
Seriously, the whole Egypt section - WAY TOO LONG!!! And how long does it take Sam and Mikaela to run a mile!!
Devestator was quite cool, but pretty well wasted... the plot didn't need him AND the Fallen AND Megatron....
Oh, and Sams parents? Not needed. And the stoned mum bit at the beginning.. not funny.
Why didn't we get any answers about the decepticon college girl?
If there's two chunks of the allspark left, and one of them is able to revive Megatron, then why doesn't Sam just take the other one straight to Optimus Prime, rather than use it to wake Jetfire?
Why in every film like this do we have the irritating Government idiot who tries to shut down the project? What did that do to aid the plot?
And how much money did Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson get for however few minutes of screentime they actually had? I wonder, was there a lot more of their plot that was cut?
I know this sounds negative, but there were bits I liked a lot... the editing style was much better than the first one, you could mostly see who was fighting who in the fights without the camera cutting every five seconds....
Oh and I know I'm echoing every straight man who saw it.. but Megan Fox.... droool.....
There were some good jokes, the return of Agent Simmons was done in a great way, and it was partly great popcorn entertainment.
All in all, it was fun, but by the end it was dragging. I'm usually a fan of long films, especially if I'm paying a fortune to see them in the cinema, but even I was wondering how long it had been going on by the end. Then I thought we'd reach the end... then I realised the Fallen hadn't turned up yet.....
So yeah. 7/10 i think.
Moving on... in other news, my deadline for Out of Time has been extended a week, so it should be done by next Friday (26th), although that'll depend on work - which will be madly hectic this week.
And also, I am ridiculously excited by New Super Mario Bros Wii... and Mario Galaxy 2... and the new Metroid Game... click here for trailery goodness!
Talk soon
It was pretty good, suffering mostly from all the thing that a sequal suffers from - too many characters, certain "contracted" actors returning with nothing to do, an attempt to make it bigger and better making it more convulouted and overlong....
Oh. And way too long a climax.
Seriously, the whole Egypt section - WAY TOO LONG!!! And how long does it take Sam and Mikaela to run a mile!!
Devestator was quite cool, but pretty well wasted... the plot didn't need him AND the Fallen AND Megatron....
Oh, and Sams parents? Not needed. And the stoned mum bit at the beginning.. not funny.
Why didn't we get any answers about the decepticon college girl?
If there's two chunks of the allspark left, and one of them is able to revive Megatron, then why doesn't Sam just take the other one straight to Optimus Prime, rather than use it to wake Jetfire?
Why in every film like this do we have the irritating Government idiot who tries to shut down the project? What did that do to aid the plot?
And how much money did Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson get for however few minutes of screentime they actually had? I wonder, was there a lot more of their plot that was cut?
I know this sounds negative, but there were bits I liked a lot... the editing style was much better than the first one, you could mostly see who was fighting who in the fights without the camera cutting every five seconds....
Oh and I know I'm echoing every straight man who saw it.. but Megan Fox.... droool.....
There were some good jokes, the return of Agent Simmons was done in a great way, and it was partly great popcorn entertainment.
All in all, it was fun, but by the end it was dragging. I'm usually a fan of long films, especially if I'm paying a fortune to see them in the cinema, but even I was wondering how long it had been going on by the end. Then I thought we'd reach the end... then I realised the Fallen hadn't turned up yet.....
So yeah. 7/10 i think.
Moving on... in other news, my deadline for Out of Time has been extended a week, so it should be done by next Friday (26th), although that'll depend on work - which will be madly hectic this week.
And also, I am ridiculously excited by New Super Mario Bros Wii... and Mario Galaxy 2... and the new Metroid Game... click here for trailery goodness!
Talk soon
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Deadline 2 - So how's it going?
So - I'm supposed to have Out of Time finished by Friday..... and so far it's Wednesday, and Im 1/3rd of the way through.
So how's this going to work?
I don't know.... I honestly don't know if I'm going to finish it in time.....
So how's this going to work?
I don't know.... I honestly don't know if I'm going to finish it in time.....
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Deadline!
So, I have trouble writing things that don't have a deadline. This is not new information. In an attempt to help me, the lovely Laura has decided that she will set me a deadline for the latest thing I am writing, which is aimed at being a one hour TV pilot.
So - Out of Time (Working Title) should be written by 3 weeks on Friday.... So Friday 19th June. She did give me a time, but I forgot what it is.
The reason I am telling you all about this is that being as most people who read this tend to see or speak to me in real life, I need you all to bug me about why I'm not writing whenever you see me :)
So - Out of Time (Working Title) should be written by 3 weeks on Friday.... So Friday 19th June. She did give me a time, but I forgot what it is.
The reason I am telling you all about this is that being as most people who read this tend to see or speak to me in real life, I need you all to bug me about why I'm not writing whenever you see me :)
Saturday, 28 February 2009
A Madman Too
I writted a Wonderland Song!!
YAYY :D
(I know theres lots of other wonderland songs I need to do too, but a small congratulary pat on the back for this one is well deserved i feel :P )
YAYY :D
(I know theres lots of other wonderland songs I need to do too, but a small congratulary pat on the back for this one is well deserved i feel :P )
Sunday, 22 February 2009
Sketchy - The Return
Well, the deals have been done (and by deals, I mean that Kyle and I shook hands), and Sketchy (A Sketch Show) is due to go into production this summer (assuming there are no major problems that occur between then and now).
So, what does this mean? It means that Kyle and I shall be writing a lot more sketches over the next few months, but this means nothing without support from others. So we shall be looking for performers, possibly writers, CG-artists, and anyone who wishes to be involved, as we approach our shooting period.
Interested? Comment here, or e-mail me, or Kyle, or both of us!
So, what does this mean? It means that Kyle and I shall be writing a lot more sketches over the next few months, but this means nothing without support from others. So we shall be looking for performers, possibly writers, CG-artists, and anyone who wishes to be involved, as we approach our shooting period.
Interested? Comment here, or e-mail me, or Kyle, or both of us!
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Magical 51!
I just noticed on my Dashboard that the blog i posted yesterday (well, I say blog, it was like two lines..) was my 50th Blog! :D
So this is number 51 :)
Why do people insist on claiming DVDs are mastered in Widescreen, but they only are if you watch them letterboxed on a 4:3 TV?? If you play them on a Widescreen TV they stretch and look stupid??
STUPID PEOPLE!!!!!
And also, why when you make Hot Chocolate, does it take ages for the bits to dissolve???
And why haven't I written more of those Wonderland songs yet? Well, they've been buzzing in my head, so I'll get there eventually. Am much more positive about them today than I was two days ago. So that's ok.
I'm re-writing my short story at the moment as well, working on polishing it up, making it good. Because I want to enter it in the SFX Pulp Idol Competition this year.
For those of you who don't know, SFX is a Science Fiction Magazine (Yes, I know that SFX stands for Special Effects.. or more often, Sound Effects, but they obviously just liked the name) and they run a short story competition each year. Every year I attempt to enter, and I never get it done in time, so I started very early this year :)
Other than that, all is as normal in the Braunton world.
What are you all up to?
Does anyone ever read this anymore?
:)
So this is number 51 :)
Why do people insist on claiming DVDs are mastered in Widescreen, but they only are if you watch them letterboxed on a 4:3 TV?? If you play them on a Widescreen TV they stretch and look stupid??
STUPID PEOPLE!!!!!
And also, why when you make Hot Chocolate, does it take ages for the bits to dissolve???
And why haven't I written more of those Wonderland songs yet? Well, they've been buzzing in my head, so I'll get there eventually. Am much more positive about them today than I was two days ago. So that's ok.
I'm re-writing my short story at the moment as well, working on polishing it up, making it good. Because I want to enter it in the SFX Pulp Idol Competition this year.
For those of you who don't know, SFX is a Science Fiction Magazine (Yes, I know that SFX stands for Special Effects.. or more often, Sound Effects, but they obviously just liked the name) and they run a short story competition each year. Every year I attempt to enter, and I never get it done in time, so I started very early this year :)
Other than that, all is as normal in the Braunton world.
What are you all up to?
Does anyone ever read this anymore?
:)
Monday, 19 January 2009
Well, I've started....
It's not much, but I have now managed to start writing a Wonderland song :)
So now I ought to keep working on it....
So now I ought to keep working on it....
Saturday, 17 January 2009
Well it looks like curtains for that plan...
OK, so I was vaguely prepping to make my Record Shop Film in summer, but after a lot of thinking and maths, I've realised I can't afford to :( Which annoys me, because it puts yet another year between making films. At this rate I'm going to become the Terence Malik of the no-budget cinema world!
(For those of you who don't know, Malick has, between 1969 and this year (assuming his latest comes out on time) managed to direct only 6 films.)
Plus, I'm still suffering from writers block, with the Wonderland songs still nowhere near, my Alien Invasion screenplay stalled at 30 pages, my short story finished but rubbish, and various novel/story ideas not progressing.
ARGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!
(For those of you who don't know, Malick has, between 1969 and this year (assuming his latest comes out on time) managed to direct only 6 films.)
Plus, I'm still suffering from writers block, with the Wonderland songs still nowhere near, my Alien Invasion screenplay stalled at 30 pages, my short story finished but rubbish, and various novel/story ideas not progressing.
ARGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, 10 January 2009
Composers Block, Script Readers and Exploding Televisions
I realised that in my last posts, I didn't wish you all happy new year. So consider this that belated greeting.
So, I'm struggling quite a lot this week with Composers block. I'm trying to write the five (I think it's five) new songs for Wonderland, and I can't really get going on any of them. I always find it much harder to unblock musically than I do if I'm writing script, don't know why, I just do. So I am casting around for any idea I can grab onto to get writing again. So for the moment, I am typing this entry whilst watching West Wing on my small TV.
Speaking of writing (as I so often do) I could do with a few people to read the script for my Record Shop Film and give me constructive criticism so that I can decide whether I should pull my finger out to try and find the funding to shoot it this year or not. Any volunteers please email me - michaelbraunton@hotmail.com
And finally, my television exploded! Which was irritating. However, thanks to the wonderfulness of a lovely ex-work colleague of mine called Karen, a new (old) one is on its way to me today :)
Anyway, if i dont manage to write anything I'm sure I shall be back in a bit.
So, I'm struggling quite a lot this week with Composers block. I'm trying to write the five (I think it's five) new songs for Wonderland, and I can't really get going on any of them. I always find it much harder to unblock musically than I do if I'm writing script, don't know why, I just do. So I am casting around for any idea I can grab onto to get writing again. So for the moment, I am typing this entry whilst watching West Wing on my small TV.
Speaking of writing (as I so often do) I could do with a few people to read the script for my Record Shop Film and give me constructive criticism so that I can decide whether I should pull my finger out to try and find the funding to shoot it this year or not. Any volunteers please email me - michaelbraunton@hotmail.com
And finally, my television exploded! Which was irritating. However, thanks to the wonderfulness of a lovely ex-work colleague of mine called Karen, a new (old) one is on its way to me today :)
Anyway, if i dont manage to write anything I'm sure I shall be back in a bit.
Monday, 14 July 2008
Haha, I just discovered I can log into here at work...
I can log in from work, so there might be more updates coming your way now ... :P
Although interestingly, I can't get to Fox and Az's blog, as it is "blocked in accordance with school policy". Probably down to the rude words I'm guessing!!
So, why am I blogging? No real reason...
I'm hungry. And the only thing I have to eat are warm cheese sandwiches :S and nothing to drink. Oh well. That's the problem with having no money!!
Also, I'm trying to work out what I should make my next writing project...
In the works, in various stages, I have My First Alien Invasion Movie (which does exactly what it says on the tin), 37, My As-Yet-Untitled Novel, First Night (A Musical), and various other ideas.
Which should I do next?
Answers on a postcard... or failing that, in the comments section below :P
Although interestingly, I can't get to Fox and Az's blog, as it is "blocked in accordance with school policy". Probably down to the rude words I'm guessing!!
So, why am I blogging? No real reason...
I'm hungry. And the only thing I have to eat are warm cheese sandwiches :S and nothing to drink. Oh well. That's the problem with having no money!!
Also, I'm trying to work out what I should make my next writing project...
In the works, in various stages, I have My First Alien Invasion Movie (which does exactly what it says on the tin), 37, My As-Yet-Untitled Novel, First Night (A Musical), and various other ideas.
Which should I do next?
Answers on a postcard... or failing that, in the comments section below :P
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Should I be afraid??
Hey all
I'm having an interesting dilemma. As some of you may know, and some of you don't, I am currently writing some comedy sketches with the intention of working alongside the wonderful Kyleman to make a sketch show this summer.
I am currently on a deadline to have 30 sketches finished by next Tuesday... and I have 17 written. The idea I just had for an 18th, however, has brought up this dilemma.
The idea I had would be considered by some to be not funny, but sick, twisted and disturbed.
But should I write it? :)
I'm having an interesting dilemma. As some of you may know, and some of you don't, I am currently writing some comedy sketches with the intention of working alongside the wonderful Kyleman to make a sketch show this summer.
I am currently on a deadline to have 30 sketches finished by next Tuesday... and I have 17 written. The idea I just had for an 18th, however, has brought up this dilemma.
The idea I had would be considered by some to be not funny, but sick, twisted and disturbed.
But should I write it? :)
Saturday, 31 May 2008
What's the point?
OK, at the moment I have several projects on the go, and none of them I can get motivated about at the moment, because they feel pointless. This is the trouble with writing scripts and screenplays, they don't feel complete until they have been made.
The projects are as follows:
Music to watch the world go by (Previously known as RSF) - This screenplay is written up to second draft standard, and now I can't do anything with it as I cannot afford to make it! Oh well, maybe next year
First Night - This musical is plotted with 3 or 4 songs completed, along with several pages of dialogue, but at the moment I can't seem to get on with it cos I don't forsee any time when it will get performed!
My First Alien Invasion Movie - Again, this screenplay has been plotted, and about 6 pages of script have actually been written, but what was designed to be my cheap B-Movie has got infinitely more complicated, and therefore I can't afford to shoot this either!
37 - This screenplay doesn't exist beyond vague plot ideas in my head, and one day I might write it!
Untitled Novel - This is exactly what it sounds like, and while this may turn out to be the best idea, as unlike a film or show the written product I create would be the final product, the trouble is I find it hard to write prose!
So, my question to you guys is this.
Is it worth me writing anything?
The projects are as follows:
Music to watch the world go by (Previously known as RSF) - This screenplay is written up to second draft standard, and now I can't do anything with it as I cannot afford to make it! Oh well, maybe next year
First Night - This musical is plotted with 3 or 4 songs completed, along with several pages of dialogue, but at the moment I can't seem to get on with it cos I don't forsee any time when it will get performed!
My First Alien Invasion Movie - Again, this screenplay has been plotted, and about 6 pages of script have actually been written, but what was designed to be my cheap B-Movie has got infinitely more complicated, and therefore I can't afford to shoot this either!
37 - This screenplay doesn't exist beyond vague plot ideas in my head, and one day I might write it!
Untitled Novel - This is exactly what it sounds like, and while this may turn out to be the best idea, as unlike a film or show the written product I create would be the final product, the trouble is I find it hard to write prose!
So, my question to you guys is this.
Is it worth me writing anything?
Thursday, 29 May 2008
The World in my Hands
This is a piece that I have literally just written. I don't know why, I don't know what it is for, I don't know how to classify it, I don't know if i shall hate it in ten minutes time.
But I felt it should go somewhere. (Don't worry, it's short)
THE WORLD IN MY HANDS
But I felt it should go somewhere. (Don't worry, it's short)
THE WORLD IN MY HANDS
I sit here upon my alleged throne, surveying the wonder of all that is beneath me, and I am forced to consider, is their life better than mine? All of those souls there, beavering away below me, are they happy? Do they feel that true happiness? In some way, I hope that they do, because I like to believe, in my more philosophical moments, that the pain, and the sorrow, and the guilt, and all of the other burdens that I bear, are borne for a reason.
These are the reasons I am here, alone. Too frightened to change, too scared to move, too petrified of the slightest alteration. Balanced here, like the proverbial father who has just got the television aerial to pick up a clear signal, but who is now precariously balanced on the window ledge, torn between providing for his family, and his own comfort and desires. This is the manner in which I exist.
I sometimes consider it. Throwing off the shackles, trusting the world to keep turning without my say-so and allowing myself to experience the pleasure. I dream of abandoning this sensible method of living and embracing my wants fully.
But I fear that my existence can not be altered. I chose my path and the bell has been rung. To please those below me I must continue my futile struggle against the incoming darkness, aware that eventually it will triumph and I shall become engulfed. Hoping, against all hope, that when I am destroyed another shall take my place. Not daring to imagine how it will be if there is no replacement, no alternative, no other me.
Just the darkness.
I stare down at the world, safe in my hands. And I weep.
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