tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6253402344028764040..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Advice for young writers trying to break in By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20268194555554927302014-12-18T10:24:18.287-08:002014-12-18T10:24:18.287-08:00Excuse me. I think I wandered into a sci-fi conven...Excuse me. I think I wandered into a sci-fi convention by mistake.Lennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81628205102735996362014-12-18T09:28:02.079-08:002014-12-18T09:28:02.079-08:00Dan Ball, I think it was Carl Sagan who wrote '...Dan Ball, I think it was Carl Sagan who wrote 'Good riddance.'<br /><br />I think Enterprise was a well done show, and was surprised at the critiques. Basically, they felt the show wasn't cheesy enough. Now if you are keeping the short skirts, that might satisfy them.<br /><br />I think the real spirit of Star Trek is in the opening theme of Enterprise, but you seem more interested in going in another direction. Babylon 5 handled social commentary much better than Star Trek.MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-54292058386013499862014-12-18T09:24:43.978-08:002014-12-18T09:24:43.978-08:00You left out 'unless you're black, in whic...You left out 'unless you're black, in which case Hollywood isn't interested.'Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29230463034306433582014-12-18T08:22:19.282-08:002014-12-18T08:22:19.282-08:00One more thing: Trying to focus as a fully committ...One more thing: Trying to focus as a fully committed wannabe writer seems to get harder as you get older. Things just don't seem THAT important any more.<br /><br />To stay driven I think you need to more than just WANT it, you probably need to NEED it on some deeper level, too. That's the thing that will keep you pushing as things get tough, after all. The thing that will force you to make another phone call, send another email, bug that person one more time.<br /><br />The problem is that I think that NEED can get in your own way, too. If you're too desperate for success it can impede the desire to get good at what you do, then you won't succeed either. Hmm.<br /><br />I don't know. Maybe I'm talking nonsense, as none of the professional writers I know seem to fall into the NEED category. They just seem very talented and very smart. Maybe that's all you need, after all.Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62494914512706255332014-12-18T08:14:03.911-08:002014-12-18T08:14:03.911-08:00Great advice from top to bottom. Thanks!Great advice from top to bottom. Thanks!Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6355556399631355702014-12-18T06:46:28.409-08:002014-12-18T06:46:28.409-08:00Dave Olden:
Damnit, you got me! Well, I guess I s...Dave Olden:<br /><br />Damnit, you got me! Well, I guess I should revise it to say, "From what I understand, GENERATIONS was basically an episode shot in 16:9 with more ILM visual effects."<br /><br />ScottyB:<br /><br />That sounds like a great premise for a GALAXY QUEST sequel.Dan Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06865180000909831517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87500571546711663182014-12-18T06:04:27.821-08:002014-12-18T06:04:27.821-08:00The whole sci-fi/'Star Trek' genre never i...The whole sci-fi/'Star Trek' genre never interested me much, so I always thought a premise for a sitcom was to have all those characters end up living in the suburbs and have to deal with each other as neighbors.<br /><br />Imagine the hilarity if Khan woke up one day to find that moles have invaded his lawn.ScottyBnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34738318573155256322014-12-18T03:47:20.131-08:002014-12-18T03:47:20.131-08:00I'm not even in the same zip code of writing a...I'm not even in the same zip code of writing as you are, a couple of books on the history of North East Ohio, but enough that people know me as an author as I don't local TV as "The Historian". And like you it always boggles my mind when people ask me how to get a book published and then tell me they haven't started writing anything yet. I mean when I'm not working on a project that actually will bring me income and fire off Blog Posting for a Music Site in the UK. Write something everyday folks-dont wait till you have a contract.Calvin Rydbomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03070648802470310454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82251580797970775992014-12-17T21:16:29.123-08:002014-12-17T21:16:29.123-08:00Sorry folks- One of my EBD former students just po...Sorry folks- One of my EBD former students just posted. He is destined to succeed... He just might.mmryan314https://www.blogger.com/profile/03956737239500293977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83782644491068142802014-12-17T20:35:04.020-08:002014-12-17T20:35:04.020-08:00Oh and another thing...
http://variety.com/2014/f...Oh and another thing...<br /><br />http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sony-cancels-theatrical-release-for-the-interview-on-christmas-1201382032/<br /><br />It might just might be a good time to bone up on some tech stuff. Because at least one studio is VERY interested in cyber right now.<br /><br />The Matrix has you Neo...Still Angrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44706897507521902912014-12-17T20:30:45.534-08:002014-12-17T20:30:45.534-08:00Yeah you could find out all the showrunner/writer ...Yeah you could find out all the showrunner/writer "schools" and "cities grew up in" manually... OR you could use LINKEDIN.COM it does it automagically for you. <br /><br />Best advice to anyone breaking into any industry - get advice from the people who made it in yesterday. While it's always good to talk to people who are very senior. In many industries it's just completely different now.<br /><br />The entertainment industry is going though titanic shifts right now. <br /><br />If _I_ were an aspiring writer I might just consider moving to northern California and camp out at Netflix.com. Perhaps taking (gasp) a technical job on the help desk. Rather than finding out who went to my school or what award someone is up for.<br /><br />All you have to do is consider if CBS, NBC etc are going to be the gorilla of Media Or are they going to be another Republic Pictures. Don't be the guy who figures out how to be the last employee hired in 2008 at Lehman Brothers... m'kay?Angry Gamernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-63931252669773262014-12-17T19:20:29.425-08:002014-12-17T19:20:29.425-08:00"... From what I understand, GENERATIONS was ..."... From what I understand, GENERATIONS was basically an episode shot with film cameras and ILM visual effects."<br /><br />Dan, can you point me to any episodes in Star Trek The Next Generation's 7 year run that *weren't* shot on film?<br /><br /><br /><br />Dave Oldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13215102320199051371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53363137084933953842014-12-17T16:56:19.845-08:002014-12-17T16:56:19.845-08:00gottacook:
I definitely agree. Without a great se...gottacook:<br /><br />I definitely agree. Without a great series to back a feature film, a film's going to fail or turn into a Star Wars clone. WRATH OF KHAN worked well without a threat to Earth because it built on the lore from the TV show. INTO DARKNESS tried to cheat and make that storyline work without setting up the background and it failed miserably.<br /><br />If Paramount and CBS didn't own separate pieces of STAR TREK, I think the best approach would be to do a series, but break it up with feature films that are released during its run, like DOCTOR WHO Christmas specials. They're standalone stories that maybe don't progress any major storylines, but the production value's a little sexier and the stories have a slightly larger scope than an episode. FIRST CONTACT would've worked perfectly as a feature film in the middle of TNG's run. From what I understand, GENERATIONS was basically an episode shot with film cameras and ILM visual effects. Dan Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06865180000909831517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23237832043853664202014-12-17T16:42:14.188-08:002014-12-17T16:42:14.188-08:00All that sounds hard, Ken. What are my odds on sle...All that sounds hard, Ken. What are my odds on sleeping my way into a good writing position?Christynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29028940157629097382014-12-17T16:33:58.773-08:002014-12-17T16:33:58.773-08:00Thomas,
Even though four of the five series took ...Thomas,<br /><br />Even though four of the five series took place on a starship, I think we need one more series to revive that format again before another series does something different like DS9.<br /><br />I'm a little hesitant to share much about my script, but I'll describe my approach. <br /><br />Since Bad Robot's mucked up the franchise, I'm going back and temporarily removing a lot of the typical Trek tropes that Gene Roddenberry and Rick Berman swore by in order to make room for re-invigorating STAR TREK's deeper purpose, which was to talk about today's issues with science fiction. <br /><br />Overall, I think I've been careful enough not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. I've kept the same STAR TREK tone and there's more than a few permanent classical elements--maybe too many of them. (There's one in particular I probably shouldn't have used, but I don't care because I think I used it correctly and I think it adds something.) However, some might see my approach as sacrilegious, while others might think I've nailed the spirit of STAR TREK.<br /><br />Unlike Bad Robot, I'm not trying to redo the STAR TREK approach or conform it to anything but its original self. From there, I'm just cleaning it up a little. However, that also means I'm stripping away some silly original features that made the franchise suffer after several series and movies. If STAR TREK's going to make a major comeback, I think it's better to lose a few of those minor features and tell better stories than to make a mediocre clone of everything that's already been done before. If you've seen PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW, you know Gene Roddenberry wasn't a perfect storyteller. However, if you've seen THE LIEUTENANT, you know he could be a damn good one. I'm wanting to bring out THE LIEUTENANT side of Roddenberry's vision more than the goofy PRETTY MAIDS side.Dan Ballhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06865180000909831517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67889609588151994642014-12-17T15:41:45.156-08:002014-12-17T15:41:45.156-08:00Great column...but it sounds like way too much wor...Great column...but it sounds like way too much work...almost like a real job. I just want to be rich and famous...do I really have to go through all that?<br /><br />Would you like ketchup with your fries?Bubba Gurneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20756703409970434192014-12-17T15:28:49.500-08:002014-12-17T15:28:49.500-08:00Dan Ball: As someone on the periphery of Star Trek...Dan Ball: As someone on the periphery of Star Trek fandom ever since the 1970s gap between the original series and the movies, I know that there's a sizable body of opinion that Star Trek does indeed belong back on TV, and I concur. <br /><br />The trouble with the Trek feature films is that far too many of them (including the first one in 1979, the most recent Abrams-directed one, and three or four in between) involve a Threat To Earth, often accompanied by a super-villain. A return to series form would avoid the big scenes of destruction that seem to be required for a Trek feature to be greenlit these days. There were good reasons why the original series never visited Earth.gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49773086177242945042014-12-17T15:26:51.220-08:002014-12-17T15:26:51.220-08:00@ Charles H. Bryan
Conspiracy Theory w/Mel Gibson ...@ Charles H. Bryan<br />Conspiracy Theory w/Mel Gibson had a similar enough conceit I think it qualifies. Conspriacy theorist of no particular import throwing random stuff out there inadvertently reveals deep dark secret, runs for life with eye candy on arm.Darth Weaselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01371680007744419495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65430218958232952502014-12-17T14:42:04.491-08:002014-12-17T14:42:04.491-08:00Hi Ken,
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this p...Hi Ken,<br />Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for this post, but specifically, for the part about learning who famous writers are, because Tina Fey did not invent comedy. I'm a big fan of Tina's, but meet anyone (especially girls) under the age of 30, and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are about as informed in comedy as they get. I'll bet they think Tina was the one who gave the GE Building in NYC the nickname "30 Rock". <br /><br />Also, have you heard this story/rumor? When Dick Van Dyke got married to a much-younger woman a few years ago, Leno brought it up to his writers while discussing jokes for his monologue. Apparently, one of the junior writers thought Leno was just trying very hard to be funny (an easy assumption for one to make) and that his boss had made up the moniker "Dick Van Dyke" and that there was no such person. It took Leno and several others in the room to convince this "comedy writer" who Dick Van Dyke was and Dick's connection to comedy.<br /><br />As an aspiring comedy writer who has had very little luck with a career, I have to say that hearing this story pissed me the f*** off. That ass-clown is a professional TV comedy writer and I'm not????!!!! But then again, I remembered who thought this guy was funny enough to hire him, and that made me feel a little better.<br /><br />Love your blog!Jaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82337754872210241862014-12-17T11:59:53.912-08:002014-12-17T11:59:53.912-08:00"that", not "tat". My stupid f..."that", not "tat". My stupid fingers. My lazy proofreading.<br /><br />Also, there's a movie idea in this INTERVIEW debacle. Couple of mid-level actors get together and make a movie about something completely inane that carries a controversial reference. Now they have to hide. (Did someone already make this? This doesn't seem like a new idea.)<br /><br />Also, if these terrorists were smarter, they would have just let the movie come out and said nothing. It's got a 46% at Rotten Tomatoes.Charles H. Bryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36239959099775012732014-12-17T11:54:16.056-08:002014-12-17T11:54:16.056-08:00I don't think you even have to really buy The ...I don't think you even have to really buy The Hollywood Reporter any longer. I used to subscribe, but now I find almost everything I want to read for free on its website. They even send me newsletters to articles that I may have missed tat I can then go read for free. Awesome business model.<br /><br />Here's a question for any day of the week: What in hell is going on with THE INTERVIEW? Is it a little depressing that we're afraid to show movies now? I mean, a Seth Rogen/James Franco buddy comedy is a terrorist magnet?Charles H. Bryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48557391996967307942014-12-17T11:46:13.097-08:002014-12-17T11:46:13.097-08:00Thanks for this Ken. It makes me feel less stalker...Thanks for this Ken. It makes me feel less stalker-ish when I'm going through all the writers who work on every American sitcom on IMDB Pro.<br /><br />Furthermore, I tell myself talent doesn't exist because that helps me finish writing a script and keeps me away from sinking into an awful state of depression.Gilmorenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37431552761181602382014-12-17T10:45:45.609-08:002014-12-17T10:45:45.609-08:00Your advice will work for any career: actor to zoo...Your advice will work for any career: actor to zoologist. Know your industry players. Nothing freaks out your interviewer, in a good way, when you go in to Google and you can bring up to your potential boss that you love mountain biking and playing the oboe too!blinkyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04284135060900752329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43660536817320859462014-12-17T10:17:48.277-08:002014-12-17T10:17:48.277-08:00As a Trekkie, I would love to know what your pilot...As a Trekkie, I would love to know what your pilot's, but I would understand any reticence to discuss its contents.<br /><br />I think every Trekkie has an idea for a series, even if 99% of them still follow the same "command crew on a bridge" format.Thomas Mossmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00678349322403895276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-52878028403678339102014-12-17T08:23:05.352-08:002014-12-17T08:23:05.352-08:00...and kids,
The study habits you develop in scho......and kids,<br /><br />The study habits you develop in school should be good ones, because they transfer nicely to real life.<br /><br />Ken was an A student, I remember. His success wasn't an accident or simply due to breaks, I think.<br /><br />Good luck!Barefoot Billy Alohahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04586870309250699505noreply@blogger.com