004

memo to self 004:

listening back on your old music,

reading your old letters,

watching your old films -

you are struck by this:

you're still writing the same music,

haunted by the same fears,

struggling to make the same scenes -

the difference is you're becoming better at those things, note by note, word by word, shot by shot. they're being shaped by life experience and maturity and patience. its not that you're become less insecure, but that you're just more accepting of those insecurities.

you are merely become better at being yourself --

its fucking weird.

especially because you know how shit your old stuff seems to you now... and you know that all the work you're currently doing - the work you're learning to actually be proud of - is going to be as repugnant as your old stuff in five years time. its humbling.

Dognitive Cissonance

No, the real reason writers want to direct is this: directing is easier. Sure there are long hours, a million stupid questions (who gives a fuck what color the floss is? It’s floss!!), difficult actresses, and Faye Dunaway. But your job is to make something that already exists work. That’s a whole lot easier than creating something out of nothing. I wish I knew who said it but supposedly a writer who was sick of always hearing about the “Capra Touch” set 120 blank pages in front of him and said, “Here. Put the Capra Touch on this.”

[...]

Writing is lonely, directing is social. Writing is wishing, directing is making. Writing is losing your credit in arbitration, directing is taking credit for everything.

-- Ken Levin on Why Writers Direct

I have no where near the experience of Ken (or probably his talent), but I'm not sure f I entirely agree with this...

I think being a "serviceable" director ie not fucking up is easier than writing because you have so many people to catch you. I think being an amazing director is difficult, perhaps even more difficult than writing, if only because its so intangible what you do.

Anywho. Back to superman.

003

memo to self 003
blogs entries are listed in chronological order. ergo the punchline is read before the setup. make sure jokes work in reverse.

002

memo to self 002

a man like han solo is far too cool to compare himself to a science-fictional character. such a comparison voids any good will generated by said princess nounage. avoid these comparisons in the future.

001

memo to self 001
calling a girl 'your highness' does not imply that she's princess leia and you are (consequently) han solo. you have not and will not ever do the Kessel Run in under ten parsecs.