tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-161778092024-03-07T18:46:24.657+13:00A writer learns how to write. And tell stories.Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.comBlogger246125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-83681892336263737472007-11-03T16:16:00.000+13:002007-11-04T14:30:09.196+13:00

In the interests of sanity - and consistency - I'm consolidating my blogging activities in 2007. From now on I'll make new posts at my blog, Mad Young Thing.What this doesn't mean:I haven't given up on Gribblehickey - he's still on the shelf.I certainly haven't given up on learning the art of filmmaking - I've just been shocking at keeping this blog up!What this does mean:You'll still find

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-80046301346907345402007-04-30T11:38:00.000+12:002007-04-30T11:38:57.701+12:00

eMarketer.com - Social Networking Increases Internet TimeInteresting piece which shows that social networking has increased people's internet time overall, at the expense of TV (which we all knew was dying a slow death) and video games (the heir to the movie industry).Okay, so this is just one study, and one conducted by MySpace, but it's an interesting piece of data nevertheless.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-43213117738516711362007-04-26T09:02:00.001+12:002007-04-26T09:02:52.690+12:00

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1164309259832696952006-11-24T08:08:00.000+13:002006-11-24T08:14:19.856+13:00

I wanted to like this one. Good trailer, but unfortunately that was the entire sum total of funny bits in the movie.Damn.I like Jane Fonda. I like J-Lo. Kinda. Michael Vartan is great in Alias, and is quite funny in the behind the scenes bits for this movie.But it's the script that lets this one down. It felt like a first draft - needs way, way more work.What can I learn from this?Don't spend too

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1164230762962358682006-11-23T10:16:00.000+13:002006-11-23T10:26:08.470+13:00

...and I have to wait until I go shopping with Marie to find some new ones.Why? Because I have noooo taste when choosing my own sunglasses. Apparently! :)In the meantime, I have to ask myself this question:Am I worried about not having any sunglasses this summer because:1. The sun might damage my sensitive eyes?2. I won't look cool3. People will be able to see where I'm looking!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1164011076379532402006-11-20T21:24:00.000+13:002006-11-20T21:24:36.566+13:00

Wired News: The Secret World of LonelygirlInteresting insights into the future of TV!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1162760530280934552006-11-06T09:48:00.000+13:002006-11-06T10:15:03.180+13:00

Garlic salt is not the same as normal salt. It certainly gave a spicy, savoury tang to my porridge this morning - not nice with brown sugar!Haven't posted in a while, but have been watching lots of videos in between the rest of life:Amelie - delightful. Loved it, very clever.Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events - okay, so I'm not the target audience, but this just didn't grab me. I

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1162228907001721512006-10-31T06:21:00.000+13:002006-10-31T06:24:09.730+13:00

Found film finds its place: YouTube. I love this - this is like a celebration of humanity, in all its very strangeness and brokenness.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1161643031224573312006-10-24T11:37:00.000+13:002006-10-24T11:37:14.266+13:00

Variety.com - 'Halo' pic loses its studiosQuelle horreur! Not that I'm much of a fan of Halo, but what an atrocious way to treat people. Did Universal and Fox really think Peter and Fran would fall for a dirty trick like that?

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1160799251235839622006-10-14T16:56:00.000+13:002006-10-14T17:14:11.266+13:00

Recently I checked out an old favourite, a misty memory from childhood: Mon Oncle, written and directed by Jacques Tati.We saw it - Mum, my sister Karen and me - at Auckland's Academy Theatre around 20 years ago. It's so funny in a very gentle way.I watched Tati's other films, Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, and Play Time, as well as some other shorts included on the special features.What a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1160353045805171432006-10-09T13:17:00.000+13:002006-10-09T13:17:31.636+13:00

New Muslim superheroes launched to rival Spider-Man, The Hulk - 09 Oct 2006 - Lifestyle & LeisureHaven't posted for a while - but plenty to post! Anyway, thought I'd start the ball rolling with this link, because it's so bizarre and interesting.I've heard that it's hard to launch a comic book brand, but when it's something this unique - the first comic series directly derived from Muslim

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158813040982562982006-09-21T16:25:00.001+12:002006-09-21T16:30:40.986+12:00

I interviewed Barrie Osborne for an article I'm writing for Idealog magazine. Maybe it's because he was on the special features of Lord of the Rings, or I don't know, but I was really nervous.Thankfully, I got my well-crafted questions out to him and got some really good answers, but really, I've got to stop going weak at the knees whenever I speak to someone who's (gasp!) actually on IMDb!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158812976911991032006-09-21T16:25:00.000+12:002006-09-21T16:29:36.930+12:00

I interviewed Barrie Osborne for an article I'm writing for Idealog magazine. Maybe it's because he was on the special features of Lord of the Rings, or I don't know, but I was really nervous.Thankfully, I got my well-crafted questions out to him and got some really good answers, but really, I've got to stop going weak at the knees whenever I speak to someone who's (gasp!) actually on IMDb!

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158537443293464852006-09-18T11:57:00.000+12:002006-09-18T11:57:23.473+12:00

Boing Boing: LonelyGirl15: Jessica Rose is the fake Hollywood videoblogger.I'm a bit behind on this one... just found out that LonelyGirl15 is a NZ actress.Okay, so everyone's complaining that she's a fake, but what a great fake US accent! Give the girl some credit!Quite interesting to listen to all the reaction. The blogosphere ... or youtubeosphere ... or internetivilisation ... um... what was

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158524521819363322006-09-18T08:10:00.000+12:002006-09-18T08:22:01.863+12:00

My dearest is in Australia, so I'm watching lots and lots and lots of movies.Friday it was Angela's Ashes, one of the most heartwarming tales of suffering I've ever seen. Absolutely lovable. Interesting to see the comparisons with An Angel at My Table - one of the same screenwriters (Laura Jones), the word "Angel" in the title, and they're both the story of a writer who overcomes poverty and a

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158137936507618922006-09-14T13:46:00.000+12:002006-09-14T13:23:19.066+12:00

I just heard on The Writing Show that writers are more likely to have a sibling who has schizophrenia. The implication being that successful writers are this close but only this close to crazy.I agree.An Angel at My Table shows how in some cultures and eras that line between creative/shy and officially insane is easy to cross. Janet Frame spent eight years in a mental hospital under a wrongful

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158196957890088902006-09-14T13:22:00.000+12:002006-09-14T13:22:38.033+12:00

Presentation Zen: Learning from the art of comicsMental note - must buy this book.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1158137163978887602006-09-13T20:31:00.000+12:002006-09-14T13:24:03.506+12:00

Last year at the Janet Roach screenwriting workshop it seemed like everyone had seen Fight Club except for me. And Janet Roach.Finally, I have remedied the situation. And I'm so glad I did!Sheer. Genius.I was mentally writing my review as the film unfolded. Nihilism. Masculinity. Insecurity. Charismatic, manipulative leaders.And then came the moment - or series of moments - when our main

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157483130604216552006-09-06T07:01:00.000+12:002006-09-06T07:05:30.893+12:00

It's good to see that Sione's Wedding the DVD will be jam-packed with extras as a way of combating piracy. Good thinking!To take the preacher David Wilkerson way out of context, if you see a dog gnawing on a bone, are you going to try and take away the bone, or offer a juicy steak? Which will be more effective at getting the dog to leave the bone?

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157415222500802952006-09-05T12:00:00.000+12:002006-09-06T07:09:34.783+12:00

It's incredible when you consider American History X was the first feature film for both its director and screenwriter.It's a violent story, not only in the obvious physical violence (explicit and implied) but it's intellectually violent in the portrayal of a racist, hate-filled worldview.Edward Norton's Derek character pre- and post-prison sentence are almost two different characters, and the

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157413955761141382006-09-05T11:40:00.000+12:002006-09-05T11:52:35.783+12:00

I love getting both sides of the story. I've only seen the trailer for Lady in the Water and heard Mark Kermode's review.It's all pants according to Dr. Kermode, almost as bad as Pirates of the Caribbean! He just couldn't handle the absolute ridiculousness of the story, not to mention Shylaman's cameo as a "great writer who would change the world"!So my mind was made up. Not really worth my time

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157330462358328552006-09-04T11:37:00.000+12:002006-09-04T12:41:02.480+12:00

These day, Sideways is a film you hear about before you see it. It is so raved about by critics and fans.And for good reason. Great story, great actors, great scenery. And you can almost taste the wine that is being sniffed, swilled, swallowed and uncorked throughout this story.Interestingly, it was one Marie didn't like, because she doesn't watch movies to see people like us; she wants to see

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1157060841269015612006-09-01T09:47:00.000+12:002006-09-01T09:47:24.923+12:00

National Business Review (NBR) - Business, News, Arts, Media, Share Market & More

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156980468341211452006-08-31T11:16:00.000+12:002006-08-31T11:27:48.450+12:00

(Not a misprint; I'm talking in plural, like the womens).Continuing Marie's psych studies to garner psychological themes from movies, we saw Martin Scorcese's 1991 remake of Cape Fear (1962).Both of these movies are so well-made, and Scorcese's version (or let's say writer Wesley Strick's version) so deeply layered, that it was very disappointing for me to feel that, despite being expertly

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16177809.post-1156802257329234662006-08-29T09:57:00.000+12:002006-08-29T09:57:43.003+12:00

...except for me and the others, of course. An interesting survey of journalists in the latest newsletter from the New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation.

Simonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09657138758289333314noreply@blogger.com0