Alright, here goes; I think I am getting the hang of this.  Or not.  

So I applied, with no real hope, for the so called 'Best Job in the World' in Queensland, Australia. It just gave me a little respite from the hopelessness of my job situation.  I had to make a one minute video showcasing why I should be picked out of the million that submitted and get all of my friends to vote on it.  It was fun, and I was able to be goofy and use the green screen.

The link is:  http://www.islandreefjob.com/#/applicants/watch/dDTjXxOM1wc  

Take a look and vote if you are interested.  I'm not in a bikini or anything so don't be surprised, it's just me in a purple tie and sweater vest looking a little too much like a pudgy Bill Nye.

Sometimes it's just great to have a little fun and respite from the drudgery of life.  

I know I sound like I am a whiner, and maybe I am (a little), but good grief can't a guy get a break?

I love teaching, but one class a day doesn't pay the bills.

I wish, oh I wish, that I could spend my days writing and know it was going to find a home. I would pretty much be tickled if I could just get someone to read it.  Someone that could help me out, that is.

The economy doesn't help much either.  Having lost my business almost two years ago and having gone back to school in the worst economic time of my life span; I think I'm pretty much as down and out as you can get; and yet I'm not that bad.  

Something in my funny little brain says, "Have hope, fat boy! Things aren't so bad. Just don't look too hard. And; oh, by the way, you need to find another place to live this summer."

I smile inanely and bob my head like a good little soldier and go to bed happy as I can be.

Well, this turned morbid.  Fascinating as any " b" grade horror flick can be.

Sink or swim; I'm glad I did it is all I can say.

Oscars

Alright- for those of you who watched the Oscars and are film geeks like me you probably found the selections interesting at worst and inspiring at best.

I mean who would have thought that a small low budget film would/could make such a splash?  Move over big budget features and let me introduce you to the well written and competently executed indy film.

The much hyped 'Benjamin Button' didn't stand a chance against the juggernaut that was 'Slumdog Millionaire'; proving once again that all the money in the world doth not an oscar winning movie make.  

In fact it takes, what was that?  Say again.  Oh,  yes a great script and a compelling story.  Still the most important feature of a great movie.  

Now don't get me wrong.  I loved 'Benjamin Button'.  It was deserving of all the accolades heaped upon it, but the story and compelling nature of 'Slumdog' still carried the day as it should have. 

It's interesting to me that Hollywood begs for new and original scripts and ideas, but they keep going back to the same sources and don't court or look for new talent.

Now don't get me wrong, I love the work of Simon Beaufoy, he has proven himself and should get the recognition he deserves, but what about the unknown writer?  That person who has put the time and effort and love of one ORIGINAl idea into that almost perfect screenplay and can't get anyone to look at it.

Do they have to move to LA and pester people until someone says yes, or is there someone willing to at least look?  

We might never know.

Treatise on the movie book conversion crisis

So here's the scoop.  Hollywood is behind the times.  They try so hard to sell movies that they forget what makes a great movie. 

Great stories.  Great stories written for the screen. 

The art of screenwriting will never evolve to the level of novels or stage plays so long as "writers" keep trying to adapt a story written for another medium into a screenplay.

I mean what would the result be if artists copied pastels, but used ink instead?  And THEN tried to pass them off as good as the original?

The public isn't stupid.  We've been reading great stories longer than there have been narrative movies.  We know what makes a great and compelling story.  Why doesn't Hollywood?

Here's a news flash for you;  You would sell more tickets if your movies were well written examples of the ART of writing for the screen. 

Writers could then concentrate on coming up with original ideas for the screen that showcase everything that is beautiful about a well written and well made movie.

We love movies, but sooner or later our love affair with Hollywood is going to end if they don't shape up.

More on this subject later.