HOW TO CHANGE HOLLYWOOD

I’ve recently been reading a great screenwriting blog hosted by John August, writer of Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, Charlie’s Angels, and Go, among others.

Recently he sent his assistant Matt to a Writers Guild Foundation event in Beverly Hills featuring Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman who wrote Star Trek.  Matt took notes and wrote a lovely little blogpost highlighting much of what he learned from the interview.

The comments on this blog post were also an entertaining read and I was motivated to respond to a commenter named Kevin who basically lambasted Orci and Kurtzman for making what he called “crap movies” that were “garbage” and “forgettable.”  Admittedly an old and tired complaint.

Kevin wondered “why just being a writer-for-hire is enough for most screenwriters” and hoped that the internet and the development of a new distribution structure would make it possible for “intelligent” films to reach the masses.

There was some debate about the “system” of Hollywood and my comment (#62) came after many others had tackled the issue.  Here are my thoughts:

“Suburbia is the New Slum” or “Inner City as the New American Dream”

As an urban dweller, I found this article from CNN quite interesting.  

Although I’m relatively young, I still find myself drawn to the appeal of the non-urban lifestyle, but I think much of that may simply be because I live in a city that has many of the liabilities of the urban communities described in this article, such as pollution, traffic, crime, congestion, but where the particularly high cost of living and lack of public transportation, or a “Walkable Urbanism”, minimize the benefit of the urban lifestyle that this article describes as so appealing.

SERVICE-PROFIT CHAIN

Phil Cooke posted a link to a list about why Amazon has been so successful. Apart from the door-desks, I have to agree with the statements!

Thanks Phil!

THE CANADIAN DOLLAR FINALLY BECAME A MAN

Re-born in 1976, the Canadian dollar has finally reach maturity. Now it can play with the big boys!

I think I’m proud. Ryan and I are trying to figure out how to work this to our financial advantage. I still have Canadian bank accounts.

Stick it to the Mermaid

Stiff the Seattle Sealady (aka Starbucks).

BLACKLE

“Saving energy one search at a time.”

About Blackle.

Also, did you know you can use MS Word with a blue background?

Here’s how.

…

The Positive Value of Junkmail

Yesterday, postal prices rose in the United States. Ryan was horrified when he found this out and lamented last night that he’d have to buy a whole bunch of $0.02 stamps. I tend not to bother myself with such things. I use digital mail when I can and subject myself to the postal system when necessary. The USPS says that their price increases reflect inflation and I calmly believe them.

However, I’ve always been one to revile against junkmail. Like you, I’m sure, I grumble everytime I’m thrown back against the wall when my mailbox explodes with flyers, credit card apps, and (heaven forbid) samples! So imagine my incredulity when I heard on the radio yesterday that…

JUNKMAIL KEEPS POSTAL PRICES DOWN!!

According to the Executive Director of some organization who mails stuff all the time, if there were no junk mail (or advertising mail as they like to affectionately call it), the postal prices would be nearly twice as much as they are today! So there you have it. I for one will from now on happily recycle all the colorful papers that fill my mailbox knowing that they keeping the postage prices low, and my husband from having a cow. I will do this with a smil and calmly, because the prices of postage in America never bothered me much in the first place.