Moving Forward Little by Little

I got a lot done with the first half of Madness yesterday. I made it all the way to the midpoint, YAY!!

I'd been debating for a while if I should have the entire thing take place in the Asylum or only half of the 2-hour pilot. If not, then what half shouldn't and what would be that half's main focus. I decided I'd lead into the Asylum, since that's supposed to be the main part of the story, though I'm not sure exactly what's going to happen in the second half yet. Just that they meet Ash and Emily dies, putting them at odds with Governor Kane (named for Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks).

I'm gonna have this all planned out soon. I will!!

REPOST - $#*! My Dad Says

%@^* Blogger!! Since it deleted this section of my page somehow. It was there and then I tried to upload my Hawaii Five-0 post; and it was gone.

So, I tried to rewrite from memory what I originally wrote. It's not as great as the first time around (#*!!, what do I know, it's probably better). But, I think it still gets the same points across.

This was the fourth in a series of posts on this year's new shows. To see this review, go to the TV Tab.

Sleep Deprivation = Creativity

I'm really beginning to think that I should write only when I've had less than 5 hours of sleep and way too much caffeine/sugar.

I've been feeling there's something missing in my story lately, and I had begun to realize it was because I needed another character. One to replace MAX, because he was suddenly no longer filling the role I had originally designed. So, I needed a new character. But, if I created a new character, how was he going to fit into the group and where would that leave MAX, since I didn't want to completely get rid of him? I didn't know until today.

I went shopping after work at the mall, which essentially meant I was awake for a whole 24 hours in the end. Right now, I'm working, but I get off tomorrow--which equals sleep, more shopping, and cookie baking. Anyway, sitting here in the super quiet, trying not to fall asleep at my desk, I suddenly realized in the middle of counting money what to do. One of those "AH! HA!" moments, which I haven't had in a while.

Looking at a number of established group dynamics on TV (Firefly, Buffy, Angel, Dexter, Outlaw Star, Leverage, Chuck, etc.), I've come to this conclusion. There are two categories for characters: function and personality. And most groups have this kind of a set up.

Function
Main Character

Brains
(Willow)

Muscle
(Adam Baldwin)

Mechanic
(not sure what to call this but it's basically Parker or Kylee or Jim)

Femme Fatal
(Inara, Sophie)

Wise One
(Shepherd, Loren)

Character that Drives the Story
(usually, but not always the main character - ex. River in Firefly)


Personality
Leader
Naive
Nag
Wild Card/Anger Management
Comedic Element
Confidant
Romantic Interest

As I was trying to go further in the story, I realized I needed a mechanic character. So, I created Luca and used him to fulfill MAX's original role. So, where does that leave MAX, in the much needed role as the Wise One and Confidant, of course. How else are you going to pursue your Plot Point 1 and Plot Point 3?

Anyway, I'm excited to get back to the story now, after a little creative lull. Plus, I have a new character to fill out. Finally, my sister seems to have corrupted me, because I've decided to name most my characters in Madness after hockey players.

Hawaii Five-0

So, I really wanted to do a Thanksgiving post, but of course that didn't happen. Plus, I'm having writer's block again. Ugh!!

Well, we're halfway through the 2010-2011 TV season. A lot of shows are getting to go on hiatus. And surprisingly, most of the shows have made it through fall, save Lonestar, The Undercovers, Outlaw, and The Whole Truth. (I'm leaving out My Generation and a few others because I'm only dealing with fall premiered shows that lasted less than a season.) And, considering only two of those were axed in less than 10 episodes, I'd say it was a good year in television.

Anyway, on to the main course, this post is going to be about my second favorite premiere this season, Hawaii Five-0. Okay, so unlike The Defenders, I really thought this show would die off after six episodes, at most. However, I have a secret love for Alex O'Loughlin, so I decided to watch anyway, and I have to say I was unexpectedly impressed.

This is the fifth in a series of posts on this year's new shows; stay tuned for a few more. To see this review, go to the TV Tab.

Simplify...Don't Think Too Much

I'm beginning to think part of the problem with TV and Movies today is that they try too hard. They go for these big, elaborate plots that go nowhere, don't make any sense, and throw the character completely out of whack so that we say "WTF are they doing?!".

Break it down to the basics. Many times the simplest ideas work the best.

This has become my mantra lately. I've had a ton of writer's block while working on Madness. I've gone back and forth, doubting my plot points, rearranging them, trying to come up with better ones, and I've come to the conclusion that the best way to fix this is to quit thinking so damn hard!

Often times my biggest problem is that I'm thinking too much. Or maybe I should say I'm thinking too much in the wrong direction. Instead of flitting around, trying to come up with a good idea to fix this and realizing it contradicts that, I decided to just dive right into the story.

By placing myself inside my character's mind, I can calm down and think rationally. What would they do given this situation? What resources do they have available? If they needed to do this, what options are available?

Hopefully, with my new bit of realization, I can finally finish up the plot points problems and get to writing the script.