Jun
15
2011
Colder Rehearsal Video
Colder Sneak Peak Rehearsal Video
Mar
18
2011
Reflections: Richard Walter Screenwriting Public Lecture
It’s been some days since I attended Richard Walter’s Public Lecture on Screenwriting held in conjunction with Aftrs, Griffith Film School and Inscription and herein lies some reflections on the experience.
Comprising of 2 two hour lectures one in the morning and one in the afternoon, it’s a both an entertaining and informative day on thinking about the craft of writing.
In the morning Richard took us through some introductory remarks on screenwriting that really serve to frame how he thinks both about the craft and and what constitutes a good screenplay.
He’s got his own cute ways of saying things which you can read about in his books, and this is what I took away from it:
- write a personal story
- write a integrated screen so that EVERY sight and every sound – MOVES the story forward
- Reach as many people as you can, because that is the nature of the art.
- Get as much conflict in your story as you can
- Tell the best lie you can to find Emotional Truth
- Stories have begins, middles and ends
- and perhaps most importantly, for a story to mean anything it needs to come from a Source, via a Message, and to a Receiver.
- And that in fact one of the most important things a writer can do is think about their Receiver/Reader/Audience every single step of the way, every word, every mark on the page.
Appropriately all of this can be found in books, and I would recommend you read them before you listen to him speak.
In the second two hours the final point above gets a real work over, where he breaks down in brief a few screenplays to see how they could be improved. Yes, every word, every mark on the page. It’s a bit of an eye-opener.
Right.
So, what do we have? Some useful information, but if that’s all you need than it is significantly cheaper to read his book.
But more importantly you get an entertainment.
What are we saying here? Richard even in his public lecture takes his own advice to heart. Every anecdote, every little screenwriting gem – told and re-told through countless hours of teaching – each now refined and is delivered just so to both entertain and inform.
It’s like the man doesn’t know how not to entertain. A good place to be if you want to get into a craft whose primary purpose is to do just that.
Lecture attended: Richard Walters Screenwriting Public Lecture.
More info http://richardwalter.com/
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Feb
21
2011
Reflections: Diciembre – Teatro en el Blanco @ Brisbane Powerhouse
Diciembre is a near future fable of love, war, patriotic duty and familial love.
Set in not too distant future, Chile is at war with both Bolivia and Peru in a seemingly repeat of the War of the Pacific.
A brother home for Christmas is confronted by his pregnant twin sisters each with their own plans for his future. The older (i think) wants him to fulfil his patriotic duty and kill as many of the opposition as he can, while his younger sister, wants him to run away, flee the army and find refuge in the South.
It’s brave work. Not least because it was not so long under the Regime of Pinochet ago that such a work would not have been possible. Continue reading
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Feb
13
2011
Reflections: Apollo 13 Mission Control @ Brisbane Powerhouse
The set of apollo 13 showing audience in their roles
Raise your hand if you like a bit of Tom Hanks in a tin can?
You know what I mean. The movie Apollo 13. It is just bloody good fun, in that whole will he or wont he kind of way. Spoiler. He does.
Question. Take this story based on the events of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission and then stick it on stage where the audience (or at least a good deal of them) is in mission control and what do you have?
Well, want you don’t have is the will he or wont he. Not because there isn’t a Tom Hanks in sight, and certainly not because the fundamental story isn’t gripping. It is, regardless of familiarity.
But perhaps primarily because of the way it is done. This is an experiment in immersive theatre where the audience is involved in the re-telling of the drama. This is it’s strength and it’s weakness.
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about
A writer, producer and blogger with a passion for storytelling. Glen lives in Brisbane but dreams of New York, has a Grad Dip in Education but doesn't like teenagers, watches really average movies even thought they annoy him, loves to drive but doesn't own a car, yearns for more adventure in his life. Needs a new pair of jeans, perhaps a nice dark blue colour. Spells colour with a "u". Currently reading: Mind the Gaffe, and The Doubter's Companion Occasionally he writes reflections of theatre, books and film, as well as small novelties.
Follow @glenjplayer
