Wallet and Keys

For a brief moment I forgot I placed my wallet and keys in my book bag, and was walking around carefree. It was only after I was in the middle of returning a cart to another department that I realized I didn’t have the wallet on me, or my keys, so I panicked.

How was I gonna eat, or get back into my home without either. I sincerely hope I didn’t drop  them.  Then it downed on me that neither was lost, but in my book bag. A few moments later, they were back with me. I felt safe again.  If this isn’t a basis for a story, well, then I’m doing something wrong. At least I got a sense of relief.

I almost feel like getting a latte, however, I won’t be getting one.  That’s a story for another day.  For the moment I just want to back in the glow that I didn’t forget or lose my wallet and keys.

Happy creative endeavors.

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Dreaded Math Factoring II

As per my past post, this is what my notes have lead me conclude is the backbone of formatting a TV script. This isn’t set in stone, and this is a learning process for me.

TEASER/COLD OPEN: 3 pages

ACT 1 (12 Pages)

A Story: 5 Pages

B Story: 4 Pages

C Story: 3 Pages

ACT 2 (9 Pages)

A Story:  5 Pages

B Story: 4 Pages

ACT 3 (9 Pages)

A Story: 5 Pages

B Story: 4 Pages

ACT 4 (12 Pages) 

A Story: 5 Pages

B Story: 4 Pages

C Story: 3 Pages

ACT 5 (12 Pages)

A Story: 5 Pages

B Story: 4 Pages

C Story: 3 Pages

TAG: 3 Pages

Total: 60 Pages

NOTE: I haven’t included a space for act outs. Act Outs are at the end of each act, which leaves the viewer on a cliffhanger, and the spot for a commercial. Since not all programs use commercials (major cable networks) I would have to take a page from each act for this element.

The numbers would still have the same total, but one of the story lines would have their last scene serve as the act out.

The Dreaded Math Factoring

Going back over various notes I have for writing formats for TV and film, the one thing I noticed was a lot of them are vague.  Some of the books have been general, and left me to think that this is a mutable formula, but no.  After look back on what an actual TV writer said some facts were laid down, and I still needed to figure out some things.

TV hour long drama are five acts (I previously thought three acts). Technically both are right in that you will get a beginning, middle, and end.  You also are on average 55-60 pages for an hour-long show.

What you als need to factor in is that you have an A, B, and C storyline in those 55-60 pages.  A is your main character’s story, it is in every act/ B is the secondary story, and appears in all the acts.  C is your third story, and may have three scenes total.

This does not yet factor in the Teaser and Tags. Teaser is the start of the story. Tag is the end. So I tried to figure out how to format a TV script by page numbers. I’ll post in Part two of this to not make such a long post.

Happy creative endeavors.

I Don’t Know What Day It Is

It was a weird night, and the dreams were even stranger. It involved politics, social media, and the news surround me in a beef with politicians. It was surreal as thing shifted like jump cuts from looking at magazine, listening to news reports, and then waking to ask myself what the heck was that, and what did I have to eat that set me on this hot mess.

Needless to say after rolling out of bed and trying to get myself together, I sincerely forgot what day it was. That seemed embarrassing for a second, but as I became more and more awake I realized it was Thursday.

Since I had time to enjoy my coffee, I decided to watch a video on how to form better writing habits. I felt is was a good way to sober up from weird dreams.

Happy creative endeavors.

Tuesday Adventures

So research is getting done, some ideas are flowing, and I need to get more organized.  The ultimate goal is always to get the stories completed, and never forgetting that writing is rewriting. Sounds daunting, but at the same time highly rewarding.

I was discussing with peeps how sometimes goofy ideas can be fun AND lead to greater stories. TO be honest, it leads me to something left to center and challenging me to figure out how this particular story works, and how I try and resolve story and character issues.

The good part that I’m learning is that I need to push the ideas further into a more concrete direction (premises). Remembering this will help me do better in the future.

Part of this is about pushing forward, which sometimes feels overwhelming, and staggering. On my part, I simply need and want to do more to my my stories clearer, developed, and putting in the hours to get to that polished point.  It always seems like the goal is miles away, and I have yet to get started, even though I’ve already started.

So today is going to be more like other days to keep writing with a new step, “push myself harder to get to a polished story.”

As always, happy creative endeavors.

Research, Writing, Mayhem

Despite distracting myself with gaming, I have done some research, and then find myself realizing that the I ignored monarchy as a research subject in my fantasy series. While I have ideas, notes, and maps of who goes where, I REALLY need to do a baseline (minimal) starter search on mordancy and nobility.

In this sense I feel like Luke Skywaker in Empire Strikes Back; I haven’t completed my training, and that’s gonna get me wrecked.  In this case I won’t lose a hand, but I will lose the upper hand of getting info together for stories.

Why? Well at least one of the MCs in the story comes from a noble family, and other than knowing that tidbit, that’s all I know, and it would be nice to deepen the progression of the character and his background.

As per my own notes, the character’s family is paying for his mistakes. I would like to add some facts to my ideas, because I think the plight is universal, and fantasy does allow for a writer to bend rules, I am hoping that insight into actual nobility offers some new ideas and potential story lines.

As always, happy creative endeavors.

 

When the Pane Shatters

Window pane, of course.  Yesterday consisted of me working on some lines and descriptions for a horror story. It was something to keep the hand and mind occupied-as opposed to buys. Busy to me meant my hand was simply moving, and mind darting all over the paper.

I want to push this further, since I keep getting my focus broken, so these staccato-esque sentences and fragments may help, and it keeps me writing, so I’m in favor of that.  Also I want to know what this is leading to.

On a side note, I was reminded that the fantasy script contained a LOT of horror elements, and this over three episodes was it’s one consistent element. I still need to make clear what the main character’s evolution is going to be.

Part of me says he needs to work better with people, another part says he needs to chill, while another part suggest he needs to close his cases and worry less on others.  More work to do.

Have a good weekend, and happy creative endeavors.