Fried My Little Brains

Sometimes when I think I'm done with this book, I'm not. I spent last week reading Lew Hunter's Screenwriting 434. Previously, I read the two books I took out on Interlibrary Loan. Over the weekend, I read two editions of the book that got me fired up about writing a book like this in the first place: Syd Field's Screenplay.

What bothered me about Field's book is his calvinist implication that all movies have three acts. Aristotle never said that drama had three acts; what he did say was that all dramas had a beginning, middle and an end. What Mr. Field is saying is entirely obvious, and worse, there are other gurus who takes it seriously! Another thing that struck me about the book is how quaint it actually is--the ideas are too basic, and compared to other manuals, not very thorough.

I've taken out a few more books on interlibrary loan--the remainder I had on my list. Then I'll let the books simmer for awhile, and take it from there.

Right now, what I'd really like to do is to get writing. Last night (Saturday into Sunday), I was googling information on Alison Mosshart, singer from The Kills, and I found this:

"The Kills are very little like Mr. Airplane Man, The Black Keys, or Modey Lemon, either. Those bands want to pay tribute to their record collections. The Kills are about right now, this moment.

I feel weird about saying this, but I find that quote very inspiring, and I think it defines the band's music completely. I want to keep this in mind as I write the movie. There's a Patti Smith quote in an Edie Sedgwick bio I read awhile ago, and it's very similar to the quote above.

Bedtime.

Nothing's right, I'm torn!

At the end of last week, I placed interlibrary loans on two books as part of my book project. Yesterday, I copied a bunch of articles at the Warren Hunting Smith Library, mainly because my dad was escorting me around and I had time to kill.

Last night, I was looking at two books on narratology, thinking that their ideas can help me out for my book. But at this point, I'm torn. On one hand, I'd like to read these books, for the reasons I mentioned previously. At the same time, I'm starting to feel like I'm carrying around dead weight--that to read these books would be a regressive act, at least for the time being.

I spent the last couple of days reading Joe Eszterhas' book, The Devil's Guide to Hollywood: The Screenwriter as God!, and after reading his book, coupled with the upcoming Gordy Hoffman seminar I'll be attending, I really just want to get writing.

In other news, I've been driving to work. I feel comfortable with it.