Over the weekend, we saw ParaNorman. It was fantastic! I loved the story, the twists, the humor, the characters, and the score. Most of the time, it's fun going to a theater full of kids because you get to hear some of those incredible, totally innocent reactions to the movie.
That's also the same reason I love going to the theater to see horror movies with a packed house- you get some crazy reactions, and sometimes they're hysterical.
Both situations involve a good story and interesting characters. That's how people get drawn in. If it was boring and uninteresting, then the kids would lose interest at the animated movie showings and the adults would feel bored at the horror movie showings.
I love it when you watch a movie or read a book and become so engulfed in what's going on that you completely forget that it's a movie or a book. That moment when you fall in love with or come to completely loathe a character. When you feel intense emotions one way or another toward a character, then you feel like you are living vicariously through them. When you indulge in great books and movies, you live a thousand lives.
The beginning of Silence of Souls 2 is underway, and I'm thrilled about it. I've received so much positive feedback about the first novel, and I'm very excited about working on the second one. The story outline is nearly complete- I just need to add some more meat to it. The second installment of the series is going to be even more intense than the first; at least, I think so. ;-) I'm working on developing the characters even further, creating some interesting conflicts, and putting out a unique story.
I have a real rough idea for a third installment, but I'm not going to force it if it doesn't want to happen. The second one is a definite thing, though! I'm hoping to release it around March or April, but I'll adjust the release date as the novel comes along. ;-)
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
In Memory of Those Who Died in Aurora, Colorado, at the showing of The Dark Knight Rises
Danny and I went and saw The Dark Knight Rises on Saturday. It was awesome! I saw the teaser trailer a while ago, but I hadn't seen any other trailers before seeing the film, so I didn't have many expectations when I walked in the theater. It was great, I would love to see it again. (And if I looked like Anne Hathaway, I would wear that cat suit every day!)
When we got to the theater it was about 15 minutes before the 1:00 showing. We figured we'd get in to the one after that, which was at 2:35; we expected to be at the theater for at least an hour before seeing the movie since it was opening weekend of one of the most anticipated movies of the year. However, when we went up to the box office the employee informed us that there was still plenty of room in the showing that started in just fifteen minutes; out of 300 seats, only about 50 had been sold.
We were a little surprised. Then we realized the reason it must have been so barren: the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado.
It's hard to put into words the feelings that come from hearing about this terrible event. Senseless violence and murder are something I can never wrap my head around. I just can't understand why someone would want to inflict that kind of pain on another living person.
When the movie started, I was imagining what it must have been like for them: sitting there, enjoying an evening with friends and about to see a film I'm sure they were all looking forward to, when someone comes in and starts shooting. These were people with hopes, dreams, families, expectations, goals, and so much ahead of them, and it was all taken away in the blink of an eye. My heart goes out to the victims, their families, friends, and the survivors from the theater.
One time, in a group of friends, someone asked us all what we would do if we only had two minutes left to live. Most people responded with things like "fight to the death so I can live!" and "call 9-1-1!" and asked questions like "what am I dying from? Can I find a cure before I die? Am I close to a hospital?" My response was simple: "If I had just a few minutes left to live, I would think of all the things that made me happy."
In the wake of this shocking catastrophe, there have been a lot of people calling for stricter gun laws and more government control. People are throwing out statistics about how many gun-related deaths there are every year. The truth is, getting rid of guns won't be what makes the difference. They're simply a tool, not the mastermind behind the crime. If a person wants to inflict harm on another, they're not going to just say "Hmm, I don't have a gun. Oh well, guess I can't do anything to hurt them." They'll find other means; they'll use another tool. Tighter gun laws isn't going to change how people feel, and it isn't going to stop violence- it'll just make it so that the only people who have guns are the ones who acquire them illegally.
To back up my statement there, consider this: when alcohol was illegal during the Prohibition (1920-1933), it is estimated that alcohol consumption remained at about 60%-70% of what it was pre-Prohibition (source). That means that out of 100 people who drank alcohol before the Prohibition, there was around 70 who still regularly consumed alcohol while it was illegal. That's just an estimation, so it's likely that it could be higher. Take a look at marijuana: it's illegal (a few states allow it for medicinal purposes only, but no state allows it for recreational use), and yet it's estimated that almost half of the population uses it regularly. If people want something, legal or not, they can get it.
So what's the solution? I'm not sure, really. The easy answer is that the solution to violence is love and kindness, but I have no idea how to implement that on a national scale. Maybe the solution is to just do what we can as individuals to show kindness to all others; kindness is contagious, and it spreads fast.
Of course, some people, like James Holmes, just aren't stable. No person in their right mind would do such a thing to other people.
My heart and thoughts go out to all affected by this.
When we got to the theater it was about 15 minutes before the 1:00 showing. We figured we'd get in to the one after that, which was at 2:35; we expected to be at the theater for at least an hour before seeing the movie since it was opening weekend of one of the most anticipated movies of the year. However, when we went up to the box office the employee informed us that there was still plenty of room in the showing that started in just fifteen minutes; out of 300 seats, only about 50 had been sold.
We were a little surprised. Then we realized the reason it must have been so barren: the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado.
It's hard to put into words the feelings that come from hearing about this terrible event. Senseless violence and murder are something I can never wrap my head around. I just can't understand why someone would want to inflict that kind of pain on another living person.
When the movie started, I was imagining what it must have been like for them: sitting there, enjoying an evening with friends and about to see a film I'm sure they were all looking forward to, when someone comes in and starts shooting. These were people with hopes, dreams, families, expectations, goals, and so much ahead of them, and it was all taken away in the blink of an eye. My heart goes out to the victims, their families, friends, and the survivors from the theater.
One time, in a group of friends, someone asked us all what we would do if we only had two minutes left to live. Most people responded with things like "fight to the death so I can live!" and "call 9-1-1!" and asked questions like "what am I dying from? Can I find a cure before I die? Am I close to a hospital?" My response was simple: "If I had just a few minutes left to live, I would think of all the things that made me happy."
In the wake of this shocking catastrophe, there have been a lot of people calling for stricter gun laws and more government control. People are throwing out statistics about how many gun-related deaths there are every year. The truth is, getting rid of guns won't be what makes the difference. They're simply a tool, not the mastermind behind the crime. If a person wants to inflict harm on another, they're not going to just say "Hmm, I don't have a gun. Oh well, guess I can't do anything to hurt them." They'll find other means; they'll use another tool. Tighter gun laws isn't going to change how people feel, and it isn't going to stop violence- it'll just make it so that the only people who have guns are the ones who acquire them illegally.
To back up my statement there, consider this: when alcohol was illegal during the Prohibition (1920-1933), it is estimated that alcohol consumption remained at about 60%-70% of what it was pre-Prohibition (source). That means that out of 100 people who drank alcohol before the Prohibition, there was around 70 who still regularly consumed alcohol while it was illegal. That's just an estimation, so it's likely that it could be higher. Take a look at marijuana: it's illegal (a few states allow it for medicinal purposes only, but no state allows it for recreational use), and yet it's estimated that almost half of the population uses it regularly. If people want something, legal or not, they can get it.
So what's the solution? I'm not sure, really. The easy answer is that the solution to violence is love and kindness, but I have no idea how to implement that on a national scale. Maybe the solution is to just do what we can as individuals to show kindness to all others; kindness is contagious, and it spreads fast.
Of course, some people, like James Holmes, just aren't stable. No person in their right mind would do such a thing to other people.
My heart and thoughts go out to all affected by this.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
My Blood Approves of the Paranormal Activity that was witnessed by Amanda Palmer & Grand Theft Orchestra
The Internet is so full of potential,but I never thought of it as a two-way thing as much as I do right now. I've always known the power the Internet has for the individual as a receiver of information, but it wasn't until this week that I really began to realize how much reach the individual can have as a giver.
All you readers out there have probably heard of Amanda Hocking, the indie writer from Minnesota who sold a million copies of her work when she self-published on Amazon after years of rejection from publishing companies.
You have probably seen at least one of the films in the Paranormal Activity trilogy, or at least heard of them- they're those "found footage"movies by previously unknown director/writer Oren Peli that beat out records previously held by The Blair Witch Project.
In the last couple of weeks, you may have heard of Amanda Fucking Palmer & Grand Theft Orchestra, who shattered all expectations and goals when their album and tour became the first Kickstarter funded project to receive more than $1million.
So what does Amanda Hocking's books, Oren Peli's movies, and Amanda Palmer's music all have in common? The Internet! All of them used the web to reach out, find fans, and get their work noticed. In past posts on Hocking's blog, you can read about her putting in hours and hours of marketing when she released her books. Peli and his team did a ton of internet marketing in order to get people to demand Paranormal Activity be shown in theaters near them. Palmer and her band spent loads of time Tweeting, blogging, and spreading the word about their album and tour.
Artists of all types- be they writers, film makers, or musicians- have this amazing resource at the tips of their fingers (quite literally), and many are finally starting to harness its power. We can no reach our precise audience, thousands of miles around the globe, at any time of the day or night. You can find a web forum on any topic, from something as broad as "Pet Lovers" to something as specific as "People Who Want To Visit Planet Vulcan for the Sole Purpose of Taking An Elective Class On Historical Technologies of Wild Frog-Bears and How They Were Used To Win The Amphibious Civil War of 2361" and you'll find hundreds of people in them.
But there's another thing all three of them have in common- quality. They put a lot of work and dedication in to creating something they believed in; something that other people would want to read/see/hear.
Do you want to reach an endless amount of people and share your work? There's never been a better time to do so. Before the Internet, artists (writers, film makers, musicians, et al) were limited to who they could connect to via snail mail, having to wait months to hear back, if ever, and more often than not it would be a rejection that came back. The outlook was pretty bleak- send in your work, hope it didn't get lost under the mountains of others who were hoping to be discovered just like you, and hope that the person who could do something about it (producer, publisher, etc) would be willing to take a chance on it. More often than not, it would pass through an intern first, and you'd have to hope they liked it enough to pass along to their boss. Once it got that far, you'd have to hope that the company would be willing to front the money for printing, publishing, production, and marketing. If your project was lucky enough to actually get made, you then had to hope that the right people would walk in to the right stores and go to the right section, see your work, and be intrigued enough to pick it up and buy it. A long shot, for sure. (Did you know that the majority of traditionally published authors make $300 a year? A YEAR!)
With the Internet, it's MUCH easier to get noticed. That is, if you work for it. You need a quality product, something you can be proud of, to put out there. The cost of getting it out there yourself is virtually eliminated because of the Internet. For example, publishing on Amazon does not cost the author a cent, which makes it possible for authors who would never have been discovered to become a best-seller. The downside to this is that it is completely YOUR responsibility to get yourself and your work known because you don't have a marketing team doing it for you. None of the three previously mentioned artists just sat back and *hoped* people would happen to Google the right terms to find their work- they went out and let people know about it! So go, get out there, make something incredible, and let people know about it. And please tell me about it, too- I love indie stuff!
P.S.- If you're looking for some great indie music, check out Hey Geronimo. They have a new song out called "Carbon Affair," and it's free to download. They have a great sound!
All you readers out there have probably heard of Amanda Hocking, the indie writer from Minnesota who sold a million copies of her work when she self-published on Amazon after years of rejection from publishing companies.
You have probably seen at least one of the films in the Paranormal Activity trilogy, or at least heard of them- they're those "found footage"movies by previously unknown director/writer Oren Peli that beat out records previously held by The Blair Witch Project.
In the last couple of weeks, you may have heard of Amanda Fucking Palmer & Grand Theft Orchestra, who shattered all expectations and goals when their album and tour became the first Kickstarter funded project to receive more than $1million.
So what does Amanda Hocking's books, Oren Peli's movies, and Amanda Palmer's music all have in common? The Internet! All of them used the web to reach out, find fans, and get their work noticed. In past posts on Hocking's blog, you can read about her putting in hours and hours of marketing when she released her books. Peli and his team did a ton of internet marketing in order to get people to demand Paranormal Activity be shown in theaters near them. Palmer and her band spent loads of time Tweeting, blogging, and spreading the word about their album and tour.
 |
| "I must tell everyone about my romance novel, Secretary Spread!" |
Artists of all types- be they writers, film makers, or musicians- have this amazing resource at the tips of their fingers (quite literally), and many are finally starting to harness its power. We can no reach our precise audience, thousands of miles around the globe, at any time of the day or night. You can find a web forum on any topic, from something as broad as "Pet Lovers" to something as specific as "People Who Want To Visit Planet Vulcan for the Sole Purpose of Taking An Elective Class On Historical Technologies of Wild Frog-Bears and How They Were Used To Win The Amphibious Civil War of 2361" and you'll find hundreds of people in them.
But there's another thing all three of them have in common- quality. They put a lot of work and dedication in to creating something they believed in; something that other people would want to read/see/hear.
Do you want to reach an endless amount of people and share your work? There's never been a better time to do so. Before the Internet, artists (writers, film makers, musicians, et al) were limited to who they could connect to via snail mail, having to wait months to hear back, if ever, and more often than not it would be a rejection that came back. The outlook was pretty bleak- send in your work, hope it didn't get lost under the mountains of others who were hoping to be discovered just like you, and hope that the person who could do something about it (producer, publisher, etc) would be willing to take a chance on it. More often than not, it would pass through an intern first, and you'd have to hope they liked it enough to pass along to their boss. Once it got that far, you'd have to hope that the company would be willing to front the money for printing, publishing, production, and marketing. If your project was lucky enough to actually get made, you then had to hope that the right people would walk in to the right stores and go to the right section, see your work, and be intrigued enough to pick it up and buy it. A long shot, for sure. (Did you know that the majority of traditionally published authors make $300 a year? A YEAR!)
With the Internet, it's MUCH easier to get noticed. That is, if you work for it. You need a quality product, something you can be proud of, to put out there. The cost of getting it out there yourself is virtually eliminated because of the Internet. For example, publishing on Amazon does not cost the author a cent, which makes it possible for authors who would never have been discovered to become a best-seller. The downside to this is that it is completely YOUR responsibility to get yourself and your work known because you don't have a marketing team doing it for you. None of the three previously mentioned artists just sat back and *hoped* people would happen to Google the right terms to find their work- they went out and let people know about it! So go, get out there, make something incredible, and let people know about it. And please tell me about it, too- I love indie stuff!
P.S.- If you're looking for some great indie music, check out Hey Geronimo. They have a new song out called "Carbon Affair," and it's free to download. They have a great sound!
Monday, February 27, 2012
An Uncontainable Idea
While watching the Academy Awards yesterday, a HUGE idea hit me. It lingered on my mind the rest of the evening and into the night, occupying my mind so relentlessly that I had to get up out of bed at 1am just so I could do some quick research on the Internet to see if it was even possible. As it turns out, it is 100% completely and totally possible, and I actually have the hardest part over.
I'm not quite ready to reveal the idea yet, but I know I have to jump on it because the timing is perfect. There's quite a bit to figure out about it, and I know that even though I have what most consider to be the hardest part already completed, this is not going to be easy. In fact, if I decide to attempt this, it will probably be the most challenging thing I've ever done.
The discouraging part is the money it's going to take- this idea must be completed by September (just 7 months away!) if it is to go where I want it to go, and I'm thinking it'll probably cost about $5,000-$10,000 to do. I refuse to do it if I can't get it done well, but I know that this project can and will change lives. I don't mean that to sound cocky, but I know it's true because it already HAS changed lives. This is so much more than I am, and I know that I won't be able to do it alone- I'll have to enlist the talents of people far more skilled than I am, because I want this project to not only be a product of me, but a product of humanity.
I don't have much time at all, so I need to decide quickly if this is something I want to take on or not.
I'm not quite ready to reveal the idea yet, but I know I have to jump on it because the timing is perfect. There's quite a bit to figure out about it, and I know that even though I have what most consider to be the hardest part already completed, this is not going to be easy. In fact, if I decide to attempt this, it will probably be the most challenging thing I've ever done.
The discouraging part is the money it's going to take- this idea must be completed by September (just 7 months away!) if it is to go where I want it to go, and I'm thinking it'll probably cost about $5,000-$10,000 to do. I refuse to do it if I can't get it done well, but I know that this project can and will change lives. I don't mean that to sound cocky, but I know it's true because it already HAS changed lives. This is so much more than I am, and I know that I won't be able to do it alone- I'll have to enlist the talents of people far more skilled than I am, because I want this project to not only be a product of me, but a product of humanity.
I don't have much time at all, so I need to decide quickly if this is something I want to take on or not.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Weekend Break
It's been a pretty nice weekend, overall. Went and saw Star Wars Ep 1 in 3D yesterday with Danny and Kevin. It's a great movie, but I didn't feel the 3D was anything spectacular. It was cool to see it in the theater, though.
My grandpa came and stayed the night. He's legally blind and getting very hard of hearing, but he enjoyed the visit. He seemed very frustrated- he could barely hear at all, worse that usually. When we took him home, I cleaned his hearing aids for him and it seemed to help.
Went shopping this afternoon and bought some decorations for the Oscar Party I'm having next Sunday. I can't wait! They're always a lot of fun. I haven't seen very many of the nominated films this year, but I always enjoy spending time with good people and goofing around a bit.
I didn't do any writing this weekend. It was a nice break- I feel refreshed and ready to get going on the story again tomorrow! :)
My grandpa came and stayed the night. He's legally blind and getting very hard of hearing, but he enjoyed the visit. He seemed very frustrated- he could barely hear at all, worse that usually. When we took him home, I cleaned his hearing aids for him and it seemed to help.
Went shopping this afternoon and bought some decorations for the Oscar Party I'm having next Sunday. I can't wait! They're always a lot of fun. I haven't seen very many of the nominated films this year, but I always enjoy spending time with good people and goofing around a bit.
I didn't do any writing this weekend. It was a nice break- I feel refreshed and ready to get going on the story again tomorrow! :)
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