tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61776822097862196722012-02-16T10:17:17.110-05:00The life and times of a would-be filmmaker.Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-61577308511543004882010-08-11T10:18:00.000-04:002010-08-11T19:40:05.542-04:00

So, I agreed to read Richard Walter’s new book, Essentials Of Screenwriting. I had hopes of writing a nice, lengthy book review complete with quotes and referenced pages. Well, that all went to hell.Instead, I found myself knee deep in revision work; of course, thanks to Richard Walter. You see, I only got a few chapters in before that writer-thingy-person inside of me kept banging the crap out

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-34596259055005404082010-07-07T11:54:00.000-04:002010-07-07T11:56:43.065-04:00

Guest Blog on: “ESSENTIAL SCENES IN ESSENTIAL MOVIES”By Richard Walter Among my favorite movies is Sweet Smell of Success, screenplay by legendary playwright Clifford Odets collaborating with Oscar-winning screenwriter (North by Northwest among many splendid films) Ernest Lehman. Tony Curtis, in the most brilliant performance of his career, plays NYC publicist Sid Falco, who is always sucking up

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-62603754931831983392010-07-04T08:46:00.000-04:002010-07-04T09:27:02.920-04:00

I was forwarded the following information that may be of interest to screenwriters looking to get professional feedback on their scripts:Is your screenplay ready to sell? Enter the Richard Walter Online Review Program to win a chance to find out! UCLA Professor Richard Walter asserts that one of the biggest mistakes writers make is to market their scripts before they’re truly ready. If you read

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-78726340420557690312010-07-01T09:25:00.001-04:002010-07-01T10:14:37.899-04:00

Imagine my shock when I discovered that someone was actually reading this blog. A few weeks ago, I was approached about the possibility of having UCLA Professor Richard Walter featured on It Is What It Is. Well, that was a no-brainer. In keeping with my Armchair Film School Review, I asked Richard to discuss which films he felt were essential viewing for writers and filmmakers. In the next day or

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-48385586388745189332010-06-16T19:48:00.002-04:002010-06-22T12:37:47.877-04:00

A word before I post my latest Armchair Film Review. My reviews do NOT follow the typical structure of many film reviews, where the critic provides detailed scene examples. I’ve strayed away from providing too many scene details, as I believe that it has the potential to ruin a thoroughly enjoyable viewing. There have been several occasions where I have read a review and then watched the film,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-54443481865231527802010-03-05T11:31:00.000-05:002010-03-06T03:21:53.991-05:00

Tell me, why must Mr. Smith keep making repeat trips? Did he not get the memo?Art imitating life? Life imitating art?Nope... it’s just life. I recently watched this classic with my 14-year-old son, who states he might want to travel that political road, which has been known to take the Mr. Smiths of the world on a bumpy ride through rough terrain. At first, I wondered if he’d “get” the film, but

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-49572171474401480752010-01-05T11:34:00.000-05:002010-01-06T00:32:49.126-05:00

I saw The Hurt Locker when it first came out - better yet, when a theater near me was willing to take a chance on not filling every single seat with some bang-bang-blow-it-all-to-pieces-with-as-much-visual-effects-that-money-can-buy- Megabuster. I must admit, the main reason I was so eager to see this film was because of its director, Kathryn Bigelow. A war film directed by a female was too good

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-47625266951255581442009-12-14T13:28:00.000-05:002009-12-14T13:32:55.980-05:00

The Hurt Locker is by far the best film I’ve seen all year. Can’t wait to see it again. I’m glad to see it’s getting the recognition it deserves.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-82086032861556548252009-11-27T19:58:00.001-05:002010-06-22T12:38:18.255-04:00

Just smidgen of what I’ve been watching since my last visit to these here parts (it’s been a long time):The 400 BlowsGenre: Classic/Foreign/DramaDir: Francois TruffautLength: 99 minutesSummary: A misunderstood young adolescent turns to petty crime. (There is so much more to this, but you have to see it for yourself).My 2¢: I really loved this film. Story is king here, and there is never a wasted

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-51640053368027989122009-04-17T12:26:00.001-04:002009-04-17T11:14:06.054-04:00

I’ve been busy going back to film school via my DVD collection and Netflix subscription. Whenever I start work on a script, I turn to movies to put me in the right frame of mind. I try to immerse myself in old, new, good and even some I can barely get through.I tend to start with ones I’ve seen already. Here are a few:Citizen KaneGenre: ClassicDir: Orson WellesLength: 119 minSummary: A news

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-42658290577693901522009-04-16T18:23:00.000-04:002009-04-16T18:29:22.736-04:00

I’ve been away for a few months - writing, writing and more writing. To the two people who drop by every so often, I’ll be posting another Armchair Film School movie review post in a couple of days. I’m currently going over the films I’ve watched in the past few months. Later--

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-30123708801300606332008-10-13T12:30:00.001-04:002009-04-16T17:08:45.655-04:00

So, I’ve been catching up on my movie viewing. I’ve watched a number of documentaries, a few classics, and a summer blockbuster.The Business of Being BornGenre: DocumentaryDir: Abby EpsteinLength: 84 minutesSummary: A close look at the maternity-care system and its alternative, home birthing.My 2¢: Truly engaging and informative. I was concerned that it would be biased and one-sided. However, an

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-24058772447943849022008-10-07T13:16:00.003-04:002009-04-16T17:10:44.407-04:00

So, last night I finally made it to the movies. My favorite little theatre was not playing Miracle at St. Anna, so I had to settle for the huge multiplex a few towns away.First off, wtf? $21 to see a freaking movie? No wonder the box office is a roller-coaster ride. It does not take a genius to figure out that people are going to carefully pick and choose the films they want to see, and of course

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-3459708158690702862008-10-06T10:19:00.000-04:002008-10-06T20:17:36.230-04:00

I’m going back to school.No, no, no. I won’t be attending a university or college. I won’t even be taking an online course or attending some (way) two (long) hour seminar.I have decided to spend the next few weeks educating myself.I do this every so often, mainly whenever I become fascinated by a particular subject - obsessed is more like it.Right now, it’s the CIA, and my book gathering is sure

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-38228677981796122532008-10-01T13:50:00.001-04:002009-04-16T17:56:11.374-04:00

My short film Artistic Closure has been selected to screen at the Big Apple Film Festival.I’ve got to start cracking on the next one, but it’s not quite ready to come out of the oven (my head). I tend to work on all my projects in the head first, before sitting down with pen and paper. I’ve had this idea for months now, but it’s still baking. I like my ideas well done.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-24169156866878760162008-09-28T14:02:00.000-04:002008-09-29T21:29:44.928-04:00

I’m a What-If Gal.My overactive mind is always taking a simple act like breathing and tossing in a “what if we were not meant to breathe the air, but to live in an atmosphere that resembled the amniotic sac?”Or “what if the common cold was an actual cure for some fatal disease that attacks the body at least yearly?”Or “what if all babies were switched at birth to prove the theory that if you live

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-72449358151715912552008-09-26T13:41:00.000-04:002008-09-27T01:00:25.874-04:00

So, this was my dream adaptation. I had even hoped to use it as my dissertation piece.But, hey, it is what it is.That said, I can’t wait to see the film. The author of the book, James McBride, has written the script, while Spike Lee directs. I could fill this blog with my own political opinions and thoughts on the subject matter, but frankly, who the hell cares?Yes, while I loved the story

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-32683660664842841362008-09-23T13:39:00.000-04:002008-09-23T22:07:43.490-04:00

Not too long ago, someone said something that really stuck with me. As my memory is ever slipping away from me these days, I can’t for the life of me remember exactly what it was. So, I guess it didn’t stick that well.It had something to do with not staying in one’s comfort zone, and how it’s advantageous for people to feel uncomfortable in a room.What my feeble little brain pieced together from

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-43524383804672746432008-09-05T16:18:00.000-04:002008-09-05T18:48:20.444-04:00

I’ve been working on my never-ending rewrite, and it’s kicking my butt.I’m a rewrite addict, and I mean with everything. It takes me forever to respond to e-mails. I always find myself going over each word, each line, and each paragraph, making sure it’s the best fit. I believe the reason I don’t blog as often as I’d like is because it takes an entire day, sometimes two, to write an entry I’m

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-44439069457363172892008-08-28T11:43:00.000-04:002008-08-29T00:24:56.866-04:00

Let me first start by saying, I’m no teacher.Wait a minute, I am. I mean, that little piece of paper they gave me upon completing my Master’s degree, as well as taking a bunch of NY State Certified exams, clearly gives me the right to screw up a bunch of young people’s lives.So, I think it’s only fair that I share the wealth, and what better venue than this bloggy thing?There are so many things I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-20199157750890951572008-08-26T19:28:00.001-04:002008-08-28T01:07:27.267-04:00

Okay, so it’s been a month since my short film, Artistic Closure, premiered at the Stony Brook Film Festival. It’s taken me a month to process that whole experience, and I’m still not quite sure there’s a clear blueprint etched in my memory.First and foremost, it was an amazing experience. I was treated like..., well, let’s see...A FilmmakerI guess because I am, but, that’s besides the point.The

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-31397701523201409202008-08-22T15:40:00.000-04:002008-08-22T20:16:21.056-04:00

“This is the right way to hold a fork.”“This is the right way to tie your shoes.”“This is the right way to make a million dollars doing absolutely nothing.”...and this is the right way to punch the crap out of those who insist there’s a right and wrong way of doing things.For the record, I don’t believe in right or wrong - but just don’t tell my kids. In terms of parenting, it makes things a lot

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-37830250332074302792008-08-20T23:49:00.000-04:002008-08-20T23:49:00.512-04:00

It’s that time again.A tidy house. DVD collection in alphabetical order. Windows sparkly clean. Even the dreaded visit to the dentist - twice in one month. Any and every-thing to avoid putting butt to chair and “punching the damn keys”.Writers often talk about writer’s block; the inability to put words to paper. For me, I don’t think it’s a block, as much as it’s... what’s the word? Oh, yeah,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-54977599145416265952008-06-16T00:40:00.001-04:002008-06-16T00:40:00.340-04:00

Okay, so I’m in the process of moving out of my home office and into an office in the outside world.I’ve been talking about it for months. Being home has run its course, as my family and friends are under the impression that being at home means sitting around and doing absolutely nothing.I’m also at the stage where procrastination is more than my worst enemy - it’s becoming my friend - my really,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-19408136775274894382008-05-16T13:54:00.001-04:002008-05-16T13:54:01.924-04:00

I know I’ve been M.I.A. these past few months. A lot has happened since.First --My short film Artistic Closure was selected into competition at the Stony Brook Film Festival. I’m excited and nervous. The venue is large, and the audience shoots from the hip.Second --I’m full swing into pre-production on my feature length documentary. There’s a lot of research needed, and I’m gathering more

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-30543534750918479422008-02-04T14:28:00.002-05:002009-04-16T17:55:06.812-04:00

Trailer for my short Artistic Closure For more information about the film click here

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-83878982347956435242007-11-08T13:02:00.000-05:002007-11-08T23:57:46.138-05:00

So much has been happening since I’ve last blogged; not to mention the fact Apple’s new powerful kitty ate a lot of my work and computer settings. I’ve spent the past two weeks trying to recover a lot of my old stuff from my archived files/folders and placing them on my new iMac. Even though this kitty was not so kind - leaving me with a few scratches - I’m a Mac girl. Once you go Mac, you

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-80144282622816515912007-09-24T15:58:00.002-04:002009-04-16T17:55:39.448-04:00

Trisha Tsolyn (DP), Zayre Ferrer (Associate Producer) and Me watching and discussing playback.This was the last night of filming. We shot two locations - starting the day at 8 AM and finally wrapping at 2:30 AM. An experience I'll never forget.Trisha Tsolyn (DP) and IWe were able to get this scene done ahead of schedule. However, because of the move, I ended up playing a character. You don't see

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-55577382088083734872007-09-09T11:31:00.001-04:002009-04-16T17:55:58.356-04:00

I can’t believe the summer is fading. When I look back at the summer of 2007, those typical days of grilling, movie nights and vacationing with the kids will not be around to paste in the photo album.However, my copy of Gorilla and FrameForge software would archive my first (of what I hope to be many pivotal moments in my career and life): produced, written, directed and edited short film.As many

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-17802254315530475492007-09-06T23:54:00.000-04:002007-09-07T00:05:19.910-04:00

Whew!!!It’s been a major rollercoaster ride, but I’ve finally wrapped on my short film Artistic Closure.I now move on to Post-Production. The shoot was four days long. Everything that could go wrong - rental equipment screw-ups, chopping off a day and of course, losing the lead actor just one day before the shooting of his scenes - went wrong. Despite it all - I love filmmaking. I’ve learned so

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-11026748086170086372007-08-05T17:33:00.001-04:002009-04-16T17:54:47.626-04:00

...and I begin principal photography on my short film. I’m excited, nervous, anxious, scared, confident, worried, tired, energized and every mixed-up oxymoronic feeling you can imagine.I have a crew. A great crew. My DP advised me early on to get an Art Director - at the time, I had no real clue what one actually did - but, since my DP has experience, I listened. And I’m so glad I did. My art

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-30323003922224764952007-07-02T19:32:00.002-04:002009-04-16T17:55:23.091-04:00

I’ve been busy - to-say-the-least.A whole lot has happened since I last blogged.I’m continuing to assemble a crew. So far, we have a DP, Sound Mixer, Art Director, 2 Production Assistants, and a Script Supervisor.I also have a co-producer on board. I have my two lead actors, and am still looking for an actress. I have some extras lined up.I’ve secured one location and scouted a few others. Today,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-5530479704994772502007-06-16T16:11:00.001-04:002009-04-16T17:58:09.373-04:00

Things have been moving along.My new networking skills are continuing to pay off. I was able to secure a sound mixer and have been playing e-mail and phone tag with a very talented DP. I’ve seen her reels and I’m totally impressed with her eye for capturing, not just the subject, but the world around him/her/it. She is currently working on a feature film, but is very much interested in working

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-60618912870822240382007-06-13T13:46:00.001-04:002009-04-16T17:59:21.738-04:00

Whew!I’ve spent the past three days networking my butt off. Though, I really wish it were that easy to slim down the junk-in-my-trunk (as my aunt so lovingly refers to my rear). But, anyways...My panicked confidence is sending me on a journey I didn’t know I had in me. Monday I spent most of the day talking with a former classmate from NYU, who passed on a crap-load of information - and I mean

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-68914801896475151862007-06-09T19:10:00.001-04:002009-04-16T18:00:39.134-04:00

So, continuing on the track of being a Jane of All Trades (see post below for clarification), I’ve been a busy little bee.The phone is my new friend. The hubby and I have been calling any and everyone we can, seeing if they know someone who knows someone who is someone that I need to know.So far, a few of these phone calls have paid off. Next week, I’m off to meet with an artist about using her

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-79181307837229885682007-06-07T10:49:00.000-04:002007-06-07T20:04:51.484-04:00

Oh, proud mommy is me. Is that a real sentence? I’ll just go and ask my 11-year-old son. He’s sooooooooooooooo smart. Scary smart. A bit arrogant smart, too, but, hey, I’m not hatin’.For the past year or so, my son has been saying he either wants to become a social studies teacher or the President of the United States. On the president front, my husband told him to aim higher. Uh-Oh, did I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-65474128126647833342007-06-07T09:34:00.001-04:002009-04-16T18:03:45.492-04:00

God, how I hate this saying. First of all, who’s Jack? I’d like to meet him (though it’s most likely a her) and give him the coveted Platinum Multi-Tasking Award. I think the person who came up with this catch-phrase was an underachieving slacker.Okay, okay, so I understand what it really means, but sometimes I resemble that remark, and I can be quite defensive.Having decided to leap into my

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-37993132696227869172007-06-04T10:34:00.001-04:002009-04-16T18:06:00.814-04:00

So, I’ve been moving ahead with the pre-production of my short film. A snail’s pace - but I’m still moving.I just finished a rewrite of the script - a class assignment I completed while at NYU. It turns out I just completed my first adaptation. The assignment was to write a scene for the stage between two people, where one person does not speak at all. It was a difficult assignment, and the first

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-18001539421279349382007-05-24T18:26:00.000-04:002007-05-25T20:48:37.926-04:00

So, my head is spinning. Okay, not quite spinning, but there is blurred vision.I’ve been going back to school. No, no classroom or teacher involved. Just me doing crazy research on what I would need to make this short film the best it can be.I spent a few hours yesterday with How To Make Your Movie: An Interactive Film School software. Pretty informative. I’ve also dusted off my copy of The

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-57086152746587214562007-05-24T15:01:00.000-04:002007-05-24T15:10:23.950-04:00

Here’s an LA Times article. To explain what I felt after reading it would take a lifetime, and still not show the emotions trapped deep inside of me.This world - it is what it is, and I am what I am. Somehow, we have to meet in the middle. Baby steps, but steps nonetheless. I’ll keep on moving - always forward, always forward.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-66632235472387827382007-05-20T21:58:00.000-04:002007-05-20T22:22:52.818-04:00

...into my short film.So I’ve decided to stop talking about it and just plain do it. I guess I’m officially in pre-production for my short film. I’m scared as hell, but extremely excited at the same time. It’s been over a year since I completed my first short film. It was a class assignment that called for no dialogue, but I had so much fun and I learned tons working with a crew of just four

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-34194358959517826992007-05-18T18:43:00.001-04:002007-05-18T18:43:31.654-04:00

I am mentally challenged when it comes to receiving notes.While my brain tells me that I should just keep my mouth shut, listen and meditate, my heart tells me it’s my freaking script and I’ll defend it like my life depended on it.Well, this bipolar reaction to receiving notes is stressful as hell.The really, really, really odd thing is that I actually implement notes into my subsequent drafts

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-61681508695663589412007-05-18T12:32:00.000-04:002007-05-18T18:45:12.364-04:00

All writing is rewriting. Who said this? I believe it’s true, but I also believe that all writing is writing.Huh? I recently sat down and read a script I’d written about two years ago. An action-thriller; the protagonist an African-American woman who kicks butt. The thing was, I just couldn’t read it - I mean, I was tweaking as I read, thinking about which character to kill off completely and

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-63747033595049437532007-05-17T20:16:00.001-04:002007-05-17T20:19:45.923-04:00

So, I've been wanting a tattoo for about three years now. But, I'm a wuss... until now.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-19081222252412551702007-04-28T14:45:00.000-04:002007-04-28T14:49:39.307-04:00

So, has it all been just in my head ?I gotta keep working harder. We can build them stronger, faster, better.“Where my girls at?”

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-61877391000162838882007-04-27T14:22:00.000-04:002007-04-30T11:44:36.933-04:00

So, I started work on a new script. Oh, how I love the passion evoked by a budding idea.Sustaining that passion - well, that’s the rub.I’m taking my first stab at a completely commercial project. I initially wanted to make it a PG-13 type thingy, as well, but my foul-mouthed, perverted little mind will not allow me to go down that Disney-cleaned-42nd-Street turnaround. Those of you who remember

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-587559601843139912007-04-24T21:01:00.000-04:002007-04-24T21:21:05.345-04:00

I recently started using mind mapping for brainstorming and outlining my story. I’m a visual thinker, and it is opening amazing creative doors for me.While I’m still outlining, I find myself working it out beforehand using the mind maps. There is so much more clarity. Where as before I had so many ideas running around in my head, I now find myself opening up a mind map and getting my ideas down

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-83286535434206226422007-03-29T22:08:00.002-04:002009-04-16T17:16:15.467-04:00

So, I caught Poseidon from the beginning. It had really great potential.But why, oh, why, remake a movie and not realize that it’s a classic and it’s going to take some really, really, really hard work? Huh?I just purchased - on Amazon - the novel by Paul Gallico and look forward to reading it. But until then, my 2 cents.Okay, so we are going to remake a classic. A classic that stands the test

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-19083387489742546652007-03-28T22:43:00.001-04:002009-04-16T18:10:32.504-04:00

So, I’ve finished a draft of my script. Also came up with a new title, as I’ve brought in about 60% new material, completely did away with a major character, and brought another minor character to the foreground.I’ve printed the script out and now comes the fun part - yet another revision. I won’t rush this part - for me, this is where the soul really takes effect. Punching up dialogue, cutting

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-19574113216751742602007-03-18T10:40:00.000-04:002007-03-18T11:46:27.665-04:00

Write what you know.My very first script had me writing what I loved. Politics. I did a good amount of research, and had written a script that explored themes that I was very familiar with. I passed it on to a few people, and they were quite surprised at my very first attempt at a screenplay. Looking back at this script now, I see that it was an extremely rough draft that needed so much work.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-45738217111073977402007-03-14T15:18:00.000-04:002007-03-14T18:52:28.615-04:00

I just finished the hand-written draft of my latest rewrite.I love completing this stage more than I do the actual type-written draft.Why?Because I’m a weirdo. And I like the smell of ink. And I like the swelling in my right arm from so much.... writing, yeah, that’s it... writing.But for real. I LOVE HAND-WRITTEN PAGES!!!!!!!I’ve noticed something about completing my first draft this way -

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-3229396844199424372007-02-28T22:36:00.000-05:002007-02-28T23:16:10.622-05:00

I just got back from BJ’s. I love going there; it’s one of the many places I can satisfy my habit.They say the first step is admitting you have a problem.Well, I think I’m gonna crawl, no steppin’ for me.You see, I LOVE MOVIES.And I can’t pass a whole rack without breaking out in sweats.Tonight, it was on me real bad. I picked up a few movies to quench my thirst... for nowTrust the Man - Every

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-47552669991120295012007-02-28T17:59:00.001-05:002009-04-16T18:20:01.439-04:00

I once told someone that my characters tend to tell me exactly what they wanted to do. After offering to give me the number of a really good shrink, he conveyed that, though this was interesting, it might be a sign of of a problematic story.Of course, the stubborn, arrogant writer that I am, smiled and said fuck you. No, not really. I smiled, but held the f-you in.It’s only recently that I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-30438737222174012862007-02-28T17:27:00.000-05:002007-02-28T18:55:53.396-05:00

Did I mention I love writing?It’s the pre-planning that gets under my skin. From day one, I always outlined, but the problem was that I’d rush through the outline, just to get to the part I LOVE. The writing of pages, glorious pages.And that was the problem?One of my instructors told me once that the biggest problem I had, in terms of writing (and, maybe even, my life overall), is that I didn’t

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-77233250133993973832007-02-27T22:19:00.000-05:002007-02-27T22:25:49.682-05:00

I’m right in the middle of the book High Profile. It is so bad, it’s good.Maybe because I’m a Shakespeare, 17th Century Literature, Harlem Renaissance geek, I found myself losing a brain cell with every line I read. But you know what - it’s so f-ing entertaining. I could actually see this damn thing becoming a movie starring Bruce Willis as Jesse Stone.Well, I’m off to read the second half and

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-82146602437971874592007-02-27T09:36:00.000-05:002007-02-27T09:43:44.846-05:00

I was lucky enough to catch the Oscar-winning short The West Bank Story two years ago at the Stony Brook Film Festival. Hilarious, but deep. If you can, get your hands on this little gem. Oh, also, if you have a film, you might want to enter the festival. It’s really great, and huge.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-69531085028081630492007-02-27T09:20:00.000-05:002007-02-27T09:44:09.735-05:00

I discovered a year ago that I have this strange writing ritual. After outlining and preplanning my script to death, and right before sitting down to write pages, I find myself hitting the bookshelf for some light reading.Detective novels and/or thrillers.I don’t know what it is, but reading these books places me in a zone. I know a lot of writers like to listen to music while they write.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-66015093012640620432007-02-27T00:18:00.001-05:002009-04-16T17:15:49.810-04:00

I just finished watching the documentary The Devil and Daniel Johnston.Riveting...and completely insane.I’ve never been so confused in my life.Growing up in East New York, Brooklyn, and pretty much listening to what my much older brothers listened to - and you bet your ass it wasn’t folk music - I had never, ever, ever heard of Daniel Johnston.The very moment he opened his mouth I was like, “what

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-70431173701623686482007-02-26T08:47:00.000-05:002007-02-26T08:48:20.944-05:00

It is what it is!

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-68853028483263768772007-02-25T12:18:00.000-05:002007-02-25T14:40:45.673-05:00

So, I spent Saturday watching Little Miss Sunshine (twice) and Half Nelson.Oscars - tonight.Did I mention my head hurts?When I started screenwriting, I always got the same advice about watching great movies and seeing how they are done. At NYU, they crammed all the great films down our throats - even forcing us to create beat sheets of our own for these masterpieces.But still...My head hurts.I

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-36148320130349494262007-02-24T10:40:00.000-05:002007-02-24T11:22:24.305-05:00

Decisions are hard for me. Not because I don’t want to do anything, but because I want to do EVERYTHING.For the past two years, I’ve been wanting to do a documentary, and it has not just been a random thought in my head. I’ve done the research on how to get started, figured out the topic, took inventory of my resources, and ran the idea across a few people who have shown interest and are

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-8110179600194865782007-02-24T10:02:00.000-05:002007-02-24T11:19:23.573-05:00

So, I was sitting down trying to figure out what past experiences have prepared me for a life in screenwriting. In other words, I was procrastinating.After about two minutes - did I mention I have ADD? - I realized there’s no such thing as being prepared for anything. There is no spoon.But about three minutes later, I started doing some more procrastinating... I mean, thinking, and I started

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-26733292155257591682007-02-23T16:52:00.000-05:002007-02-24T11:20:24.814-05:00

So, MaryAn over at Fencing With the Fog got me to thinking.About what? Writing, what else?Anyway, these past couple of days I’ve been struggling with bringing focus to the script I’m rewriting. My problem is that there are millions of things I have to say and want to get across in the story. However, who gives a shit?You see, that’s the rub. Who will give a shit and why?As already mentioned, I’m

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-17378781004177416622007-02-19T14:55:00.000-05:002007-02-19T22:17:59.578-05:00

That is indeed a commonly-asked question.I’ve just finished another draft of my outline.ANOTHER DRAFT?Yup. In fact, it’s a rewrite - one that I thought was going to be a quick script fix, since the script placed in the semifinals of Nicholls.Oh, how stupid and wishful.I’ve been procrastinating big time these past few weeks because I knew, deep down, that I was going to have to pull up my

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-82411678785877170282007-02-18T10:03:00.000-05:002007-02-24T11:49:28.852-05:00

You’re kidding me, right?Books? Words? A form of learning and educating oneself?Geez!So the word is SCROTUM? Such an ugly word. Every time someone hurls it at me, I cower, waiting for the inevitable.Dare my children hear this word? Oh, God, what would come of them?First, they’ll run off to find their other little innocent babes and have a ball - opps - I mean, have so much fun tossing the WORD

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-66969460282615955132007-02-17T18:46:00.000-05:002007-02-17T18:48:23.120-05:00

Here’s some interesting stuff on the structure of Boyz in the Hood:John Truby

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-12963010450519654382007-02-17T11:59:00.000-05:002007-02-24T11:50:12.317-05:00

I’ve been thinking about this thing called structure. Three acts, a clear protagonist, an antagonist we can actually see - human, a clear arc/change in the main character, etc.I’ve read tons of books, attended classes, but I continue to struggle with this thing called structure. It’s not that I don’t get it. A few of my scripts follow many of the conventions just fine.However, there are a few of

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-6407734725977482152007-02-16T14:52:00.000-05:002007-02-16T18:59:49.682-05:00

...is killing me.This asthma is whipping my ass like I owe it money.And I’d pay up, with a little extra on the side, if it would just let up.I’ve been taking hit after hit on my nebulizer pipe - it’s a two-hit a day habit.I’ll be moving on to the more powerful drug once my supplier (CVS) fills my order. The big guns - STEROIDS.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-88742912260272393352007-02-16T07:44:00.000-05:002007-02-16T08:46:17.038-05:00

“These are the films you must see if you want to know how to write or make a great film.”Says who?Well, everybody, right?Really? Is it the same everybody who said the world was flat? Or the everybody who believed that the Earth was the center of the solar system? Okay, okay, so I’m being dramatic. Hell, I even like most of the movies that seem to make “everybody’s” great movie list.But I gotta

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-71315219162406590192007-02-14T16:41:00.000-05:002007-02-15T10:39:34.028-05:00

I’ve been working on my Nicholl’s semi-finalist script. It’s become one of those projects, like refurbishing a 1950’s car from scrap. Slow and meticulous. While I continue to work on other projects, I keep coming back to this one.I don’t know, maybe it’s a model project - the script I’m supposed to put together, rip apart again, and put together, and rip apart again - over and over. I’m tempted

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-13460362557911257942007-02-14T13:38:00.000-05:002007-02-14T21:07:52.602-05:00

Every parent wants the best for their child. They don’t want their children to experience any of the unnecessary pain and heartaches they had to endure. Of course, we know that experience is the best teacher, but we hope that some, if not most, won’t be first-hand experience.My 14-year-old daughter came home from school yesterday and handed me her course selections for next year. She’ll be in

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-33774737033948627802007-02-14T13:02:00.001-05:002009-04-16T17:21:14.755-04:00

So, I was watching Winter’s Solstice for the second time last night (from IMDb - Plot Outline: In this suburban drama, a widower (played by Anthony LaPaglia) confronts his older son's (played by Aaron Stanford) decision to leave home and his younger son's self-destructive behavior). I know, some of you haven’t even watched it the first time, and maybe never will.The thing is, I LOVE movies. Not

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-60207984334815782582007-02-07T15:02:00.000-05:002007-02-04T13:53:37.666-05:00

So, I’ve finally stumbled out of procrastination mode. I’ve spent the past few days trimming the fat on a recent page one rewrite.Fresh eyes - for me, it’s key. Having let a few weeks sit between me and the script, I opened it and started cleaning shop.What must go and what must stay? If it stays, is it being utilized in the best way? Is each scene a movie - can I see the action in my mind’s

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-86545576379548132952007-02-04T11:44:00.001-05:002009-04-16T17:23:06.207-04:00

It looks like Scorsese will be racking up this awards season. DGA gave him the nod. Critics continue to pile on the props.The Departed is a great piece of work.So, why on earth would I even offer up my own thoughts? Stupidity? Arrogance? Or maybe I’m entitled to my own opinion, right? I know, I know, opinions are highly overrated. But, in keeping with a long standing American tradition, I will

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-46095820025433185352007-02-04T11:11:00.000-05:002007-02-04T13:35:46.159-05:00

Asthma!This winter seems to be kicking my butt - big time. I’ve been attached to my nebulizer. For those who don’t know what a nebulizer is - a crack pipe for asthmatics. Puff, puff, puff. I need to go take another hit now.

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-1722111775709879202007-02-03T12:46:00.000-05:002007-02-03T11:46:32.179-05:00

It took 2 1/2 years for me to finally learn what rewriting was all about. Shuffling words around on a page; spicing up a bit of dialogue; taking away a character; adding a line or two - just Band-Aids on an open wound. After all, I had spent lots of time outlining and preplanning; I was sure to get it right when I sat down to actual pages. Yeah!I had always heard the mantra “all writing is

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-19053064297847946532007-02-03T11:13:00.000-05:002007-02-03T11:37:35.026-05:00

What the hell does that mean? I’m not writing about trees. Or “keep raising the stakes”. Oh, yeah, that helped me right into melodrama. Every second, one of my characters was in some danger or bad shit just kept happening to them. Talk about depressing.It wasn’t until one of my instructors introduced me to the “up, down, up, down” approach. I remember most of the class looking at him like he

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-31082362119164576902007-02-02T11:55:00.000-05:002007-02-03T10:58:15.678-05:00

One of the questions I always see asked of professional writers is whether or not they suffer from writer’s block. Some seem to think it doesn’t exist.I suffer from writer’s block; it’s called a major case of procrastination, which for me equals fear. Hmm, could this be why I'm not a professional?I’ve heard others describe it as the fear of success. Hell, no, it’s the fear of failure. At least,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-11745869958243413672007-02-02T11:07:00.000-05:002007-02-02T20:52:03.233-05:00

Collaboration is defined as follows by the Webster Dictionary:Main Entry:        col·lab·o·rate Pronunciation:        k&-'la-b&-"rAtFunction:        intransitive verbInflected Form(s):        -rat·ed; -rat·ingEtymology:        Late Latin collaboratus, past participle of collaborare to labor together, from Latin com- + laborare to labor -- more at LABOR1 : to work jointly with others or together

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-21559138690948246632007-02-01T21:36:00.000-05:002007-02-02T17:19:12.256-05:00

I’ll answer this by telling you that my favorite script in the whole, entire world is Rocky - I even have a full-sized poster of the movie on my office wall as inspiration - but the movie itself would not even make it on my top 10, top 20, or even top 50 favorite movies - okay, okay, maybe 47.Why? Uh, let me think.The script engaged me. It was a solid piece of writing. The characters all

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-12615809886057079232007-01-31T14:14:00.000-05:002007-02-01T07:38:50.621-05:00

So what exactly do you need to become a successful, working screenwriter? The minute someone finds a real, solid, concrete answer for that, let me know. Of course, many will say all it takes is a great screenplay. Al-righty, then! It would take way too many pages and way too much energy to discuss, define, and apply the meaning of greatness.So, minus the great screenplay? Why the hell are you

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-70274913094778193832007-01-31T13:19:00.000-05:002007-02-01T22:19:43.708-05:00

So, I’m a full-time screenwriter. I’ve been trying to convince myself of this every time I’m asked to explain what it is I do for a living. You see, the thing is, I don’t get paid. I sit home every day and write. Okay, most days. I do a lot of reading, too.I grew up in Brooklyn, New York. I attended a high school that boasts a number of notorious rappers. I once had a dream of becoming a lawyer,

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-44081322732456281392007-01-31T12:51:00.000-05:002007-01-31T22:24:04.799-05:00

The first time I wrote those words, I had absolutely no grasp on reality, and thank goodness I didn’t. I was determined to write this great screenplay that would be the best movie ever seen. After all, I had seen a ton of movies that I thought were pure crap, and I could write way better crap than that. Arrogance is totally wasted on the naive.I purchased every book I could find on screenwriting

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-62974667028589792132007-01-30T18:50:00.000-05:002007-01-30T22:35:15.201-05:00

God, I’ve grown to hate this question, especially when it’s put forth to me right after having asked and discovered that my husband is a doctor with his own private practice. Ha! He practices medicine, while I actually write. Okay, I practice writing. Does that sound better?I kind of like the question: what do you do for a LIVING? I mean, what do you do that makes you live, or in my case, come

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6177682209786219672.post-83180019869957772642007-01-30T16:38:00.001-05:002007-01-30T22:41:15.835-05:00

So, I decided to join the world of blogging. Why? Well, if I knew that, I seriously doubt I would be blogging.First, you might ask, what might I have to say that could possibly be important? Not a damn thing. But I do know there are hoards of important people who run off at the mouth on a daily basis, and it causes me, this country and the world a ton of problems. I figure, how much trouble can

Tracyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09510574240805364993noreply@blogger.com0