Glenn's Rigamarole on Writing Theme

One thing I try to do when writing a scene is take the theme and try to get it to represent itself in every character from minor to major. As all the scenes add up in a feature, the themes should drip from every scene whether its on the nose or through subtext.

So when given an assignment of 'a scene' or a short or even a feature, I try to approach each scene with the theme I feel the complete story is supposed to represent. Of course its my take on the theme because everyone has a different view on a theme of a story on any particular day.

theme (from dictionary.com)

A topic of discourse or discussion.

A subject of artistic representation.

An implicit or recurrent idea; a motif: a theme of powerlessness that runs through the diary; a party with a tropical island theme.

A short composition assigned to a student as a writing exercise.

Music. The principal melodic phrase in a composition, especially a melody forming the basis of a set of variations.

Linguistics. A stem.

Linguistics.

If the theme is LOVE CONQUERS ALL, or FEAR OF SUCCESS, or MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, then every scene in my screenplay should have some sense of that theme when I write it. EVERY SCENE! When all the scenes are finally put together, the script should drip of this theme! Others may interpret it completely different than me, but as I write, I write from that theme. If you break down every scene in successful movies, you’ll find one resounding theme that links every scene together. It’s the ‘thematic’ throughline so-to-speak!

"The more you can find a theme that unites the plot and the character and think about that theme as you're writing, the better off you'll be determining the story's structure." Lawrence Konner (On Screenwriting)

I try to do this every time I write. When a script that I write seems to 'not work', its usually because the themes are changing. It has to stay consistent or it won’t feel right.

Many times I'm sure you’ve read a script or a scene that felt flat. Usually it lacks conflict. And given that, it probably lacks the themeatic throughline of what the writer wants to really say. And once that writer figures it out, the scenes will take on a new life and their pages won’t
read flat anymore!

When I take on a serious project I paste a LOGLINE of the story (and I hate writing those) and the THEME over my monitor. I always look at that LOGLINE and it keeps me focused on the story I want to tell. The THEME also reminds me of how to write every scene that make up that story. If I forget the theme, the story strays and it eventually it gets flat and doesn't
have any depth.

"Without theme, whatever you are writing meanders, wanders, and confuses. With theme, your ad, note to the mail person, or screenplay is organized, coherent, and understandable. With theme, everything you write within the body of what you are writing grows from the theme; just like the branches shooting out from the trunk of the tree. The theme for the tree is the root. Without the root, there is no tree just like without theme there is no short story, poem, or article." Don Vasicek (The Write Focus)

Lessons be learned if you write a feature. Have a GOAL for every scene. And have that goal represent the overall story. If you don't have that goal, then the scene doesn't need to be in the script.

I swear I over-write and usually have more than the 120 so-called maximum script pages that eventually is cut down to 100 or so because of all the scenes that I cut that didn't work. Don’t just let your characters babble for the sake of 'cool' or interesting dialogue. They need to babble and push the story forward. And you can only push stories forward if you have a goal. And it all comes to that word again - theme!

Its good practice!

Glenn

Why I can't stand Star Wars Episode II

"Mark & Brian" (of the "Mark & Brian" Radio show on KLOS) were talking about Star Wars Episode III today and brought up the one HUGE reason I could not stand Star Wars Episode II.

Hayden Christensen


Although decent in "Life as a House", Hayden Christensen is GOD AWFUL in Star Wars. I lived through Episode I and the whole JAR-JAR BINKS disaster. I bought STAR WARS I on DVD. I have YODA sitting in my office. BUT... This whole Hayden Christensen playing the one character in Star Wars that we all want to fear and loathe and I can only LOATHE him; not because he's Darth Vader but because he's just a CRAPPY-ASS actor.

I preface this with the note that I am feeling bitter for some reason today...

Hayden Christensen, god help him, will get more roles in more movies someday. He better be great at auditions because this sample of work is just pathetic. And maybe, a real representation of how he can act.

Okay. I have to pull back on my rant a bit because of the cast around him.

Samuel L. Jackson, Ewan McGregor, Jimmie Smits all exude acting ability. They ARE actors. Natalie Portman drips of beauty. Not much of an actor, but a sense of screen presence that can captivate almost anyone. Surround Hayden Christensen with this group and make him the 'main guy' and he definately gets overshadowed. And from what I hear, George Lucas isn't an actors director. (if I'm wrong, that's just too bad for Hayden because I trust Lucas' direction more than Christensen's acting abilites). Give Samuel Jackson and Ewan McGregor screen time - you don't need alot of direction. They're seasoned. But somebody like Hayden Christensen needs ALL THE HELP HE CAN GET! And yes, so does Natlie Portman. A smart girl but only a decent actor who needs a director.

Hayden Christensen was surrounded by talent which makes him look... well... like a BIG TIME HACK. But what makes it worse for him is the fact that YODA was a better actor on film in Star Wars Episode II than Hayden could ever hope for.

If I'm expected to sit through two hours of a movie, give me something to marvel at. We're past the exciting Star Wars CGI and graphics... Give me something. Like acting.

And that's why I can't stand Star Wars Episode II and can't pay money for the DVD. If you're willing to donate it to my collection, my kids would probably enjoy it. But unless its on TV... it ain't getting into the house.

Honey, I ALMOST blew up the kids...

On the way to Sports Chalet...

Last night I had all the kids once again as Donna was at school. Dinner was early - 4:30, right when I got home. So around 5:00 I was trying to figure out how to spend the evening. I didn't want to stay in so I packed the kids in the car so we could run around Sports Chalet then to Barnes & Noble to bother the patrons.

On the way to Sports Chalet we were detoured by police who had the road closed. I drove around the neighborhood admiring the beautiful houses of La Canada trying to 'guess' how to get to Sports Chalet the back way. I figured it out to the amazement of my 14 year old daughter. But right at the parking lot of the store was a cop, yellow tape preventing us from moving into the EMPTY parking lot and street. I pulled over and asked if the store was closed and he nodded. I asked what was going on as a helicpoter circled above and a ton of uniformed police combed the area. He said there was a suspicious package in front of the store and the bomb squad had to investigate.

Thank goodness we came late I thought. If we came any earlier we may have been in danger, we would have been separated in the mad rush of a bomb evacuation, babies crying in the streets, mothers screaming hysterically, it would have been a mess and we would have been in the middle of it. I would have been fearful for my three kids who all were with me. It would have given more meaning to HONEY, I BLEW UP THE KIDS!... and it wouldn't have been a comedy.

But then... maybe it would have - as I searched the news today and found out the outcome of the whole suspicious package fiasco...

Explosive scare just a briefcase

Police shut down streets, evacuate businesses over a bag that turns out to carry only the personal wares of a man from the Philippines.

By Jackson Bell, News-Press and Leader

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE -- Anita Prata wasn't too concerned Tuesday evening when she heard there was a suspicious package outside the restaurant she manages.

Prata was more concerned about losing the night's profits after she and her Taylor's Steakhouse staff were evacuated by Crescenta Valley Sheriff's deputies for about two hours. And they were too behind to serve the expected 250 patrons that usually dine at the restaurant Tuesday nights.

But that's the price she pays for living in the era after Sept. 11, she said.

"It's a terrible blow to us," Prata said. "Unfortunately, that is the world we live in today because of certain individuals. Everything is different, and you can't leave a bag on a bench anymore without the bomb squad being called out."

The bag Prata referred to was a briefcase that a deputy discovered unattended about at 4:15 p.m. at a bus stop across from the Sport Chalet on Foothill Boulevard, Sgt. Dan Hudalla said.

Not taking any chances, police shut down Foothill Boulevard from Angeles Crest Highway to Oakwood Avenue and evacuated about a dozen businesses in the area, including Sport Chalet, La Cañada Jewelers and Pepe's Restaurant, Hudalla said.

But just as the bomb squad arrived from a Whittier station at about 6 p.m., a man visiting from the Philippines returned to claim the briefcase, he said.

"The owner realized his briefcase was missing and arrived just in time to see our bomb robot going to inspect it," Hudalla said.

The briefcase contained the man's personal belongings, he said.

"I'm very pleased and happy that we have the full service of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to call upon and make sure residents in the community of La Cañada Flintridge are safe," Councilman Dave Spence said. "I think their quick response and the way it was handled was certainly a very positive situation for city of La Cañada Flintridge and all its residents."

Pepe's Mexican Food employees did not have to evacuate, waitress Cruz Gamez said, so they spent their time eating tacos and preparing for taco night, one of their busiest nights of the week. By 8 p.m., the restaurant was overflowing with customers.

"I was scared at first because we were right in front of it," she said. "This is the first time anything like this has happened in the 20 years I've worked here."

Official Blog

And here it is... the official launch of my blog. What you'll get is what you'll get. This is actually a test on the first post in the blog...

TEST TEST TEST

Pictures of the Past

Picture Test

Bella @ about three months old.

The kids.

Goalie Gear

Future Net-Minder