Riches and Focus
September 4th 2006 11:55
The big problem I have is, of course, trying to justify the time I spend reading, watching, watching something else, reading more, thinking. Because I am a bit 'plugged in' to the modern world, and all it seems to do is offer up riches.
TV comedy is the best it's been in years, whethter UK or US. Same with the drama. Movies wax and wane a bit, but there is such a range of choice, from the romp of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Snakes On A Plane' to the draker and more serious like 'The Wicker Man', 'United 93' and 'Twelve Monkeys', and that doesbn' even include the European, Sth American ior Africa films. Or the Chinese. Hell good film's bursting out everywhere!
But I digress. And that, in itself is the problem.
Because there's so much, it's hard to stiop beating around the bush and get on with the hard part of actually puting words to paper. You've gota watch one more thing and then you'll do it. Or maybe after the next thing. Or...
And I suffer, suffer from this as much as anyone. It's tough when there's the possibility that something could be happening somewhere that might makwe you that litle bit better.
But all I can do is advise you to do what I try to do: curtail watching and reading to a minimum. Now this is a sort of contradiction, as I say in 'The Scriptwriting Blog' to read as muich as you can. Well, what it means is you watch and read everything when you're starting. The secret is to cut back when you begin to sharpen your skills, spend less time reading/ watching, more time writing, because if you ain't doing it, you're talking the talk and not walking the walk. As they (supposedly) say down in Texas, all hat and no cattle.
So it's very simple: read everything, watch everything, write everything. No problem!
You strike the balance that works for you. But in the early days, read and watch. Let the masters be your education.
TV comedy is the best it's been in years, whethter UK or US. Same with the drama. Movies wax and wane a bit, but there is such a range of choice, from the romp of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Snakes On A Plane' to the draker and more serious like 'The Wicker Man', 'United 93' and 'Twelve Monkeys', and that doesbn' even include the European, Sth American ior Africa films. Or the Chinese. Hell good film's bursting out everywhere!
But I digress. And that, in itself is the problem.
Because there's so much, it's hard to stiop beating around the bush and get on with the hard part of actually puting words to paper. You've gota watch one more thing and then you'll do it. Or maybe after the next thing. Or...
And I suffer, suffer from this as much as anyone. It's tough when there's the possibility that something could be happening somewhere that might makwe you that litle bit better.
But all I can do is advise you to do what I try to do: curtail watching and reading to a minimum. Now this is a sort of contradiction, as I say in 'The Scriptwriting Blog' to read as muich as you can. Well, what it means is you watch and read everything when you're starting. The secret is to cut back when you begin to sharpen your skills, spend less time reading/ watching, more time writing, because if you ain't doing it, you're talking the talk and not walking the walk. As they (supposedly) say down in Texas, all hat and no cattle.
So it's very simple: read everything, watch everything, write everything. No problem!
You strike the balance that works for you. But in the early days, read and watch. Let the masters be your education.
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