Enlightenment: Going to the Movies

Why screenwriting? If it's writing you love, why not become a novelist, journalist, or copywriter? What is it about screenwriting that pulls you like ambrosia?

If the answer comes down to making interesting sums of money while gaining fame and glory... well, then I pity you. You will most certainly suffer. And I say, stop. Please. Do not write one more solitary script word.

But if your soul-searching answer reaches the honest conclusion that you can do nothing else but write movies – and when I say that I mean in your desire, want, and need - then you are a screenwriter. Stay the course. It takes ten years to have overnight success. So keep writing, and arm yourself with fortitude – it will be your Excalibur.

But now ask yourself: "Why is it that I can do nothing else but write movies?" And if you look deep enough, the answer will reach the root core of everything. You need to write movies because, simply put, YOU LOVE THE MOVIES.

Going to the movies – in so many ways – is your spiritual center. It's not just the visual cinematic medium you love. It's the whole package: the popcorn, the soda, the seats, the audience, the lights dimming, the previews... the entire communal experience. And you can remember times – maybe as a kid or even just last week – where the clarity of that movie experience reinforces why you do it. Why you write that screenplay, and the next one, and the next one after that.

It's true you may never be a financial success as a Hollywood screenwriter, but if you have the insight as to why you write, then you've already won.

Via:
http://thescriptlab.com/

I would just like to add to this, that going to the movies can and should be more "enlightening" as an experience. Wether it be emotionally, mentally or spiritually enlightening, it's a movie because it should "move you".

The best and most successful movies of the next decade will no doubt be the ones that are able to "enlighten" all different kinds of people, in all different parts of the world.

Movie Review: THOR

Epic. Religious. Scientific. Emotional. Fun.

I really enjoyed this movie. It was everything I hoped it would be, and maybe even a little more. Great cast. Great Art Direction. Great script. It all came together for me and worked well. And also key it left me wanting more...

I am a huge fan of this new wave of superhero movies -- specifically the ones that take the 'fantastic' elements about them, and ground them in reality. THOR takes the premise of Norse mythology (which I love) and combined it with science (worm-holes, Einstein-Rosen Bridge) for a story that truly works. Sure it has a few holes in it, but overall it worked for me. I really liked the world of the gods that Thor came from. I loved it's 'Atlantis' feel and how they even used a sort of scientific grounding for that world. I also liked the reference to "Tony Stark" a very subtle plug of Paramount's Iron-man.

What really got me about this film, was also it's emotional grounding. It set up a great dynamic between the characters, the struggle for power, and the relationships at the core of the story all really gave the story another kind of depth.

As a huge fan of Marvel, I feel this film did it great justice. It set itself up for a franchise with lots of potential.

This film is exactly the kind of thing/feeling/aesthetic I am going for with my script PHARAOH.

Well done!