Post by oz on Dec 17, 2012 0:39:13 GMT -5
This last year has touched all of us in regard to evil invading our little corners of the world. Movie theaters, shopping malls, and now, an elementary school.
The debates will now run rampant regarding gun control, rock & roll music, hip hop, video games and the overall discourse and division in our country.
If we're forward-thinking writers, we're aware of our tumult just as much as our victories. And I know personally that a story so mired in human tragedy as the massacre of 20 babies feels about as off-topic as any other when we're brainstorming.
A great book by Mary Pipher helped me put this into perspective. WRITING TO CHANGE THE WORLD gave me new insight as to how to be a responsible writer. Something that is lacking in our business as of late. But it's never too late.
The story can be told without the sensless gore or obligatory battered woman but we're lazy. This book gives great advice as to how to break that cycle of bad guys, weak women, sex, drugs and rock and roll and still end up with something worth selling.
After watching the pictures of those precious babies on the news tonight I just wanted to share Mary's superb book with everyone. Hollywood is nothing without writers. Every so often we hear the clammering for something new and original so let's give it to them.
We're all to blame for writing the same stories and ridiculously believing our characters make the entire film THAT MUCH different but it usually isn't and we know it. So it's greed. Pure and simple. And I like to think we're better than that.
So my challenge to you all: Pick up Mary's book and bring back three story ideas for something DIFFERENT that doesn't rely on the dismantling of society as a whole to sell tickets.
I'll have my ideas up by the first of the year. I hope you'll join me.
oz
The debates will now run rampant regarding gun control, rock & roll music, hip hop, video games and the overall discourse and division in our country.
If we're forward-thinking writers, we're aware of our tumult just as much as our victories. And I know personally that a story so mired in human tragedy as the massacre of 20 babies feels about as off-topic as any other when we're brainstorming.
A great book by Mary Pipher helped me put this into perspective. WRITING TO CHANGE THE WORLD gave me new insight as to how to be a responsible writer. Something that is lacking in our business as of late. But it's never too late.
The story can be told without the sensless gore or obligatory battered woman but we're lazy. This book gives great advice as to how to break that cycle of bad guys, weak women, sex, drugs and rock and roll and still end up with something worth selling.
After watching the pictures of those precious babies on the news tonight I just wanted to share Mary's superb book with everyone. Hollywood is nothing without writers. Every so often we hear the clammering for something new and original so let's give it to them.
We're all to blame for writing the same stories and ridiculously believing our characters make the entire film THAT MUCH different but it usually isn't and we know it. So it's greed. Pure and simple. And I like to think we're better than that.
So my challenge to you all: Pick up Mary's book and bring back three story ideas for something DIFFERENT that doesn't rely on the dismantling of society as a whole to sell tickets.
I'll have my ideas up by the first of the year. I hope you'll join me.
oz
