I watch a lot of movies. Always have. My very first flick to see in a theater was at a small cozy movie house in Sheboygan Wisconsin and it was entitled ‘The Green Slime’, which I can still recall vividly. I have fond memories of our mom taking us three boys to afternoon matinees to see ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’, or one of the James Bond movies (the good ones with Sean Connery). Back in my college days I was known to see 3 to 4 movies in a single day when all the major blockbusters were released in the summer. I’m the person who would see a new movie on its opening weekend, arriving 30 minutes before show time so I could get my milk duds and take the seat dead center in front of the screen mid way up the aisle. Although the advent of DVD’s, Plasma Televisions, and 7.1 surround sound systems have substantially diminished my visits to the theater, my Netflix account has actually increased the number of movies I watch per week. I still prefer to see a film in its natural environment, the cinema, but our local theater sucks ass and the number of films I am willing to drive an hour to “the city” to see in a decent setting is limited. I point all of this out so you can appreciate my love for film and illustrate what I feel is an above average knowledge of the industry.
Just because I watch a lot of movies doesn’t mean that I’m a critic or anything, but a big reason why I’m writing this today has to do with movie critics. Somewhere along the line film critics stopped simply providing a plot summary and evaluation of a film, and actually started influencing the content in the movies themselves. Of course, they don’t do it directly, it’s more subtle that that. What I’m talking about and what gets my hair up . . . how movies end nowadays.
The ending of a story shouldn’t be taken lightly. The feeling you take away from a piece of work is what sticks with us, and colors your opinion of the whole. It’s the same in literature as well. A book can be an awesome read, but if it falls down in the last chapter I consider the entire novel a disappointment. When you go to a concert, don’t you remember the encores the most? College professors have learned to structure their lectures so that the most important material is either at the beginning or the very end. A great ending can lift mediocre material and leave the audience satisfied and content. Endings matter so much that movie studios commonly hold preview showings of their films and conclusions have been altered because of the test audience’s reaction to it.
I believe that more and more films are criticized because the writer or director chose to tack on a Hollywood ending. I’ve also read where critics have complimented films because the filmmakers resisted that same temptation. I don’t read movie critic reviews very often; in fact when I do read them it is not to determine whether or not I should see a film. Rather I read them after I have already seen a movie to see if I agree with what the popular opinions were. I find that in general I’m not near as harsh as the people who purportedly do it for a living, maybe that’s because they approach the movie going experience as more of a job than the entertainment it’s supposed to be. They’ve forgotten what the movie going experience is supposed to be like and are trying to re-shape the industry via their criticisms.
Let me give you an example. The movie ‘Without a trace’, released in 1983 starring Kate Nelligan was a movie about the abduction of a couple’s 6 year old son. The movie was generally panned by critics because of the obvious Hollywood ending that failed to accurately portray how most abduction cases actually turn out. THAT’S MY POINT. If I wanted to subject myself to the pain and heartache normally involved in that scenario, I would read the evening newspaper or watch Katie Couric. I could also go to see a documentary. But no, I WANT TO SEE THE HAPPY ENDING! That movie is on my top ten lists of tear jerker movies because of that ending. I have watched that movie over and over again. Rented it multiple times. Would the same be true if the movie ended more realistically? Definitely not. Sure, it would have still been a powerful film and I probably would have watched it, ONCE.
Movie studios are out to make money! I get that. They make that money via ticket sales and DVD rentals and purchases. The movies that end up making lots of money are the ones that people want to see multiple times. Movies with depressing, confusing, anti-climatic endings aren’t the type most people want to watch over and over again. So in the cases where filmmakers cave in to the critics, or just try and to be different and forgo a Hollywood ending, they end up shooting themselves in the foot. They too have forgotten why we go to see their films in the first place.
I like happy endings! I like it when the good guys win! But I’m not greedy, the hero doesn’t have to survive all of the time, although the forces of good should prevail. I fully understand that there is a demand for the negative endings. Heck, half of Stephen Kings books end badly, but the man’s a gazillionaire. So sure, a slice of the entertainment pie can be designated to the anti-hollywood ending movies, but just because it exists doesn’t mean the other is any less relevant.
Stop criticizing films for simply providing us with what we really want see. What we need to see.
Out in the Wild
Update: There's a version of my book being read and distributed as we speak (or I write and you read). It's definitely not the final version, and not even the version I intend on sending to those of you who so graciously volunteered to be my guinea pigs, but its close.
My mother-in-law was heading off to the gulf coast to spend time with her sister and her family, so I readied a copy for her to read because she is one of the people I trust to tell me what I did right & wrong. It turns out her sister is also an avid reader, so she will probably have a go at it as well. Let the fingernail chewing begin!
The only people allowed to read my book as it's being written is my wife, and a couple of on-line critiquers who we share chapters of each others work. I have to take my wife's comments with a grain of salt because 1) she's my wife and she doesn't want to hurt my feelings or discourage me, and 2) she knows many of the plot points ahead of time because I bounce most of my idea's off her before I even put them on a page. My mother-in-law also doesn't want to hurt my feelings, so I consider that when I hear her comments, but she's the first one to read the book with no idead of what it's about and that is critical information for me.
For those of you waiting to get your hands on a copy, I should finish up putting on the next layer today or tomorrow and then I'll contact you for addresses.
Thanks for being so patient.
My mother-in-law was heading off to the gulf coast to spend time with her sister and her family, so I readied a copy for her to read because she is one of the people I trust to tell me what I did right & wrong. It turns out her sister is also an avid reader, so she will probably have a go at it as well. Let the fingernail chewing begin!
The only people allowed to read my book as it's being written is my wife, and a couple of on-line critiquers who we share chapters of each others work. I have to take my wife's comments with a grain of salt because 1) she's my wife and she doesn't want to hurt my feelings or discourage me, and 2) she knows many of the plot points ahead of time because I bounce most of my idea's off her before I even put them on a page. My mother-in-law also doesn't want to hurt my feelings, so I consider that when I hear her comments, but she's the first one to read the book with no idead of what it's about and that is critical information for me.
For those of you waiting to get your hands on a copy, I should finish up putting on the next layer today or tomorrow and then I'll contact you for addresses.
Thanks for being so patient.
Hot Tub
When I get stuck and I need inspiration to work through a tough chapter or difficult plot twist, I head off to one of two places. At home, its the shower. I have gotten some of my best idea's standing underneath a torrent of hot streaming water. The more problems I'm having with my book, the higher our water bill climbs. Using the shower has a couple of challenges however. First, although our hot water heater is substantial, its not endless. Eventually I'll get chased out by the cold water, no matter how many awesome idea's I'm coming up with. And the second, its extremely difficult to take notes about these awesome idea's I'm having in that wet environment. I haven't found a water-proof digital recorder yet.
The second place I head when I crave a creative boost is the hot tub at the health club where I excercise. Are you seeing a theme here? Hot, streaming or bubbling water, running on, over and around my body. I can lay there for an hour and map out an entire chapter. Its awesome!
My wife promised me that if I do indeed get published, I can get a hot tub installed on our back deck. Talk about motivation!!
I wonder if I can write it off as a business expense? Get it . . . write it off. *Sheepish grin*
The second place I head when I crave a creative boost is the hot tub at the health club where I excercise. Are you seeing a theme here? Hot, streaming or bubbling water, running on, over and around my body. I can lay there for an hour and map out an entire chapter. Its awesome!
My wife promised me that if I do indeed get published, I can get a hot tub installed on our back deck. Talk about motivation!!
I wonder if I can write it off as a business expense? Get it . . . write it off. *Sheepish grin*
Layers
Oops. I can't believe its been over a week since I've posted a new blog. Sorry about that. I promised myself when I came out of the closet and began promoting myself more with this blog that I'd post at least once a week. Look what I've done already. Bad Don *Slaps wrist*. I promise I'll do better!
Anyway, if you read the previous post you know that I lost a couple chapters of my book due to a file transfer problem. I've finally re-written those and I'm currently in the process of formatting the book for submissions (there is a standard font & font size, amongst other things). While I'm doing that I'm re-reading a couple of books I bought to help me with my writing. After I've finished studying up, I'll start with the next layer. Everybody writes differently, and my way is to start with an outline, write a first draft, tweak a few things in the plot that need emphasis, adjust the formatting, and then attack it again to add on more detail, descriptions, character elements. The final step is the buffing stage where I make it all nice and shiny for agents and publishers to look at. Don't I just sound like somebody who knows what he's doing. HA! I'm making this up as I go along, flying by the seat of my pants, but it's my process so far. Whose to say it won't change the next time I write, if there is a next time.
Just as I am layering onto my book, the same is true for my writing. I've composed an outline of what I'd like to accomplish, I've made initial foray into the process and fleshed out what it would take to be successful (my definition of successful). Now its time to add depth and really expand on the concepts I first conceptualized. What does it really mean to be a writer? I've just one major hurdle to overcome before I can throw myself into that question.
Can I write? Let me re-phrase that. Can I write something that is entertaining and doesn't sound pedestrian? Let me re-phrase that one more time. Can I write a story that a complete stranger (not friend or family) who is not also an aspiring writer who might lavish undeserved praise in hope for some in return, would enjoy. The jury is still out on that question. I'm willing to do the work and make the sacrifices required to stratify myself, but would you take music lessons if you found out you were tone deaf? There are some people who just can't tell jokes. They know all the pieces, but they don't have the comedic timing and flair for telling them. Writing is the same way. Your may have imagined the greatest story concept ever, but if you can't command the words to do your bidding, what's the point?
Anyway, those of you who have asked to be a test-subject for my book, you'll have to wait a little bit longer while I add at least one more layer. It shouldn't be too long. And when you read it, false praise won't do me any good. Be honest and thruthful.
I need to know if I'm tone deaf.
Anyway, if you read the previous post you know that I lost a couple chapters of my book due to a file transfer problem. I've finally re-written those and I'm currently in the process of formatting the book for submissions (there is a standard font & font size, amongst other things). While I'm doing that I'm re-reading a couple of books I bought to help me with my writing. After I've finished studying up, I'll start with the next layer. Everybody writes differently, and my way is to start with an outline, write a first draft, tweak a few things in the plot that need emphasis, adjust the formatting, and then attack it again to add on more detail, descriptions, character elements. The final step is the buffing stage where I make it all nice and shiny for agents and publishers to look at. Don't I just sound like somebody who knows what he's doing. HA! I'm making this up as I go along, flying by the seat of my pants, but it's my process so far. Whose to say it won't change the next time I write, if there is a next time.
Just as I am layering onto my book, the same is true for my writing. I've composed an outline of what I'd like to accomplish, I've made initial foray into the process and fleshed out what it would take to be successful (my definition of successful). Now its time to add depth and really expand on the concepts I first conceptualized. What does it really mean to be a writer? I've just one major hurdle to overcome before I can throw myself into that question.
Can I write? Let me re-phrase that. Can I write something that is entertaining and doesn't sound pedestrian? Let me re-phrase that one more time. Can I write a story that a complete stranger (not friend or family) who is not also an aspiring writer who might lavish undeserved praise in hope for some in return, would enjoy. The jury is still out on that question. I'm willing to do the work and make the sacrifices required to stratify myself, but would you take music lessons if you found out you were tone deaf? There are some people who just can't tell jokes. They know all the pieces, but they don't have the comedic timing and flair for telling them. Writing is the same way. Your may have imagined the greatest story concept ever, but if you can't command the words to do your bidding, what's the point?
Anyway, those of you who have asked to be a test-subject for my book, you'll have to wait a little bit longer while I add at least one more layer. It shouldn't be too long. And when you read it, false praise won't do me any good. Be honest and thruthful.
I need to know if I'm tone deaf.
Frustration
It was a week ago today that I blogged about finishing my book, but I was dissatisfied with the last few chapters. Well today was the first time that I've had a chance to go back and and look at them. When I did, I noticed that something was off. Some changes that I knew I had previously written were no longer there. The closer I looked, the more changes I found missing. When I drilled down to the final chapter, it wasn't there.
WTF!!!
I finally figured out what had happened and I am beside myself for my own stupidity. I work on my book on two different computers, home and work. The bulk I write at home, but every now and then I have down time at work and I'll devote sometime to tweaking this or that. In order to do this, I e-mail myself the book back and forth between home and the office. I'm usually very disciplined about this. But for some reason, after I spent a good portion of Labor Day weekend finishing the book, I didn't e-mail it to myself at work on the following Tuesday. On Wednesday I opened the file at work, made some changes, then e-mailed back home. When the e-mail arrived at home, I saved that version (the pre-labor day weekend one) over the top of the Labor Day weekend version, thus wiping out everything I had written.
What upsets me the most isn't the entire chapter that is gone (because I have a hard copy of that), but rather the tiny adjustments I make. I'll think of something I need to foreshadow earlier in the book, so I'll drop in a line or two. It's those type of changes I've lost and those are the hardest to remember.
Losing a chapter or some fairly insignificant changes isn't the worse thing, I've know people who've lost 3/4 of a book from a hard drive melt-down, but it still smarts.
Time to pick up the pieces and move on.
WTF!!!
I finally figured out what had happened and I am beside myself for my own stupidity. I work on my book on two different computers, home and work. The bulk I write at home, but every now and then I have down time at work and I'll devote sometime to tweaking this or that. In order to do this, I e-mail myself the book back and forth between home and the office. I'm usually very disciplined about this. But for some reason, after I spent a good portion of Labor Day weekend finishing the book, I didn't e-mail it to myself at work on the following Tuesday. On Wednesday I opened the file at work, made some changes, then e-mailed back home. When the e-mail arrived at home, I saved that version (the pre-labor day weekend one) over the top of the Labor Day weekend version, thus wiping out everything I had written.
What upsets me the most isn't the entire chapter that is gone (because I have a hard copy of that), but rather the tiny adjustments I make. I'll think of something I need to foreshadow earlier in the book, so I'll drop in a line or two. It's those type of changes I've lost and those are the hardest to remember.
Losing a chapter or some fairly insignificant changes isn't the worse thing, I've know people who've lost 3/4 of a book from a hard drive melt-down, but it still smarts.
Time to pick up the pieces and move on.
