Comments for Running With My Eyes Closed http://www.jillgolick.com Thoughts on television writing for screenwriters Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:05:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 Comment on New Screenwriting Software by David Cooper http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15585 David Cooper Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:40:54 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15585 I own Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter. I also have Celtx on my drive and I use Zhura.com What does screenwriting software do anyhow? It isn't tough stuff and I don't like the price that the other packages charge. Celtx works great. It does everything you need. If you want to write a script, save your $$$ and grab this software. I own Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter. I also have Celtx on my drive and I use Zhura.com

What does screenwriting software do anyhow? It isn’t tough stuff and I don’t like the price that the other packages charge.

Celtx works great. It does everything you need.

If you want to write a script, save your $$$ and grab this software.

]]> Comment on New Screenwriting Software by John Gaskin http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15579 John Gaskin Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:50:45 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15579 Man, the shooting schedule reports are really simple and easy to follow. I've been doing workshops on Film Accounting, Film Budgeting and Film Payroll, but I couldn't figure out a way to teach Film Scheduling. I just wanted to show Line Producers a quick way to get out a One-Liner without getting into head-splitting scheduling software that makes you wait every time you click (tough on presentations), that has a tendency to freeze-up at inopportune moments (even with 2Megs of RAM), etc. I'm definitely into Celtx - can't wait to practice more on it. Hopefully, I'll be able to introduce Newfie Tech into Detroit and Toronto! (I'm a Bluenoser myself and always proud of East Coasters - go Celtx!). Man, the shooting schedule reports are really simple and easy to follow. I’ve been doing workshops on Film Accounting, Film Budgeting and Film Payroll, but I couldn’t figure out a way to teach Film Scheduling. I just wanted to show Line Producers a quick way to get out a One-Liner without getting into head-splitting scheduling software that makes you wait every time you click (tough on presentations), that has a tendency to freeze-up at inopportune moments (even with 2Megs of RAM), etc. I’m definitely into Celtx - can’t wait to practice more on it. Hopefully, I’ll be able to introduce Newfie Tech into Detroit and Toronto! (I’m a Bluenoser myself and always proud of East Coasters - go Celtx!).

]]> Comment on The Prisoner by Kevin Parnell http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15577 Kevin Parnell Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:22:29 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15577 I watched The Prisoner last summer and loved it. MacGoohan's vision was so unique. I love his style of acting as #6 and how fast he sometimes switches from the subtle to crazy emotional outbursts. He's devilishly charming in the role, too. I dressed up as #6 last Halloween. It was fun. Really interested to see how the AMC version is. I watched The Prisoner last summer and loved it. MacGoohan’s vision was so unique. I love his style of acting as #6 and how fast he sometimes switches from the subtle to crazy emotional outbursts. He’s devilishly charming in the role, too. I dressed up as #6 last Halloween. It was fun. Really interested to see how the AMC version is.

]]> Comment on The Prisoner by Jason Sanders http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15576 Jason Sanders Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:41:29 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15576 The Prisoner holds a special place in my scifi/spy/philosophical library being the first TV on DVD series I ever bought as a kid. The show pulled you into Six's war with addictive dialogue that V for Vendetta later reminded me of–quick, purposeful, elegant. Unfortunately the final episode contradicted the ENTIRE series with its [**SPOILERS**] nonsensical monkey masks, machine guns, and reveal of Number One. At least we will always have The Chimes of Big Ben. P.S. The Prisoner Wikipedia entry contains a description of what was 'supposedly' the original ending. I would've enjoyed seeing it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner The Prisoner holds a special place in my scifi/spy/philosophical library being the first TV on DVD series I ever bought as a kid.

The show pulled you into Six’s war with addictive dialogue that V for Vendetta later reminded me of–quick, purposeful, elegant. Unfortunately the final episode contradicted the ENTIRE series with its [**SPOILERS**] nonsensical monkey masks, machine guns, and reveal of Number One.

At least we will always have The Chimes of Big Ben.

P.S. The Prisoner Wikipedia entry contains a description of what was ’supposedly’ the original ending. I would’ve enjoyed seeing it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prisoner

]]> Comment on New Screenwriting Software by multibrain http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15575 multibrain Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:14:38 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15575 nice blog, my only shortcoming is I wish I were a better screenwriter. How do you like this CELTX? I could use it to hone in on these skills, since I'm working on two pilots right now. Nice to meet you Jill. Scott nice blog, my only shortcoming is I wish I were a better screenwriter. How do you like this CELTX? I could use it to hone in on these skills, since I’m working on two pilots right now. Nice to meet you Jill. Scott

]]> Comment on The Prisoner by admin http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15574 admin Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:50:18 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15574 I was a big fan of Danger Man and always felt that I didn't get to see enough of The Prisoner. I too am interested to see how they've re-invented it. I'm pretty impressed with what AMC is turning out (Mad Men and Breaking Bad to name just two alliterative titles) so I'm hopeful. There's a little more info on their site. I was a big fan of Danger Man and always felt that I didn’t get to see enough of The Prisoner. I too am interested to see how they’ve re-invented it. I’m pretty impressed with what AMC is turning out (Mad Men and Breaking Bad to name just two alliterative titles) so I’m hopeful. There’s a little more info on their site.

]]> Comment on The Prisoner by Robbo http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15572 Robbo Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:17:44 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/the-prisoner/#comment-15572 The original Prisoner was MacGoohan's labour of love and very much a response to his earlier role in the series "Secret Agent Man" (aka "Danger Man"). MacGoohan threw himself so completely into making the Prisoner he pretty much fucked himself in the head and the career. As quirky and dated as the first series may be in its quest to explore the role of the individual in a bureaucratic universe (think "Man From Uncle" meets "Brazil") it is a stellar example of the strength of singular vision. I'm very curious to see what the new "reimagined" version will be like - and I'm a huge fan of Sir Ian McKellan - but there will always be a special place in my heart for MacGoohan's surreal world. The original Prisoner was MacGoohan’s labour of love and very much a response to his earlier role in the series “Secret Agent Man” (aka “Danger Man”). MacGoohan threw himself so completely into making the Prisoner he pretty much fucked himself in the head and the career.

As quirky and dated as the first series may be in its quest to explore the role of the individual in a bureaucratic universe (think “Man From Uncle” meets “Brazil”) it is a stellar example of the strength of singular vision.

I’m very curious to see what the new “reimagined” version will be like - and I’m a huge fan of Sir Ian McKellan - but there will always be a special place in my heart for MacGoohan’s surreal world.

]]> Comment on New Screenwriting Software by Claire http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15571 Claire Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:31:09 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15571 A bit late to the party but another huge fan of Celtx here! I'm married to Screenwriter to write for no particular reason other than stubbornness, but I've found the pre-production and collaboration tools in Celtx (once I've uploaded my script as a txt file) invaluable, and as someone said about, great value for money! A bit late to the party but another huge fan of Celtx here! I’m married to Screenwriter to write for no particular reason other than stubbornness, but I’ve found the pre-production and collaboration tools in Celtx (once I’ve uploaded my script as a txt file) invaluable, and as someone said about, great value for money!

]]> Comment on New Screenwriting Software by admin http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15570 admin Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:15:44 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15570 Thanks all for the great reviews. I'm gonna download it now! Thanks all for the great reviews. I’m gonna download it now!

]]> Comment on New Screenwriting Software by grapeshot http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15569 grapeshot Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:23:13 +0000 http://www.jillgolick.com/2009/06/new-screenwriting-software/#comment-15569 I thought it was fantastic to use -- especially for the price. It's very easy to learn so you can immediately begin working on your project without having to spend a great deal of time figuring out where all the buttons are and what do they do. There is a good review of all the things the software can do here: http://blogs.digitalmediaonlineinc.com/digitalbasin/entry/20090302 This reviewer argues that it is not just a tool for writing, but also for pre-production planning. It does seem to be able to break scenes down into lists that would be useful for a production team as they plan their shooting schedule. However, that's not my primary interest. Mind you, that review is from someone who's affiliated with Celtx, so keep that in mind when you read his comments. But I have never heard anything negative about Celtx, and I've been using it since ver. .9 (Beta). John August also did a review of that Beta version: http://johnaugust.com/archives/2005/celtx-screenwriting-application-shows-promise I've been using it for collaboration on a script with someone four states away, and for scripting slide show (power point) presentations. (Heh. That's so I can sound "spontaneous" and yet be coherent. I use the Audio Visual format for this.) I've even used it to transcribe a couple of audio interviews. (The auto formatting feature let me concentrate on what was being said without worrying about proper print formatting, so as dumb as this example might seem of what the software can do, at the time it was PERFECT for the task! And it was EASY to turn into a nice HTML page and throw it up on the web. See here: http://www.chicagoscapers.org/RockneInterviewPart01Transcript.html) I've even noted someone using it to write a novel: http://www.libertyhallwriters.org/2009/06/more-on-using-celtx-to-plan-a-novel/ While I wouldn't go that far with the software, I can understand the lure of using it to plan your story's plot points. It's story boarding feature is pretty nifty, and it does a good job of letting you keep track of places and things. I thought it was fantastic to use — especially for the price. It’s very easy to learn so you can immediately begin working on your project without having to spend a great deal of time figuring out where all the buttons are and what do they do.

There is a good review of all the things the software can do here:
http://blogs.digitalmediaonlineinc.com/digitalbasin/entry/20090302
This reviewer argues that it is not just a tool for writing, but also for pre-production planning. It does seem to be able to break scenes down into lists that would be useful for a production team as they plan their shooting schedule. However, that’s not my primary interest. Mind you, that review is from someone who’s affiliated with Celtx, so keep that in mind when you read his comments. But I have never heard anything negative about Celtx, and I’ve been using it since ver. .9 (Beta).

John August also did a review of that Beta version:
http://johnaugust.com/archives/2005/celtx-screenwriting-application-shows-promise

I’ve been using it for collaboration on a script with someone four states away, and for scripting slide show (power point) presentations. (Heh. That’s so I can sound “spontaneous” and yet be coherent. I use the Audio Visual format for this.) I’ve even used it to transcribe a couple of audio interviews. (The auto formatting feature let me concentrate on what was being said without worrying about proper print formatting, so as dumb as this example might seem of what the software can do, at the time it was PERFECT for the task! And it was EASY to turn into a nice HTML page and throw it up on the web. See here:
http://www.chicagoscapers.org/RockneInterviewPart01Transcript.html)

I’ve even noted someone using it to write a novel:
http://www.libertyhallwriters.org/2009/06/more-on-using-celtx-to-plan-a-novel/
While I wouldn’t go that far with the software, I can understand the lure of using it to plan your story’s plot points. It’s story boarding feature is pretty nifty, and it does a good job of letting you keep track of places and things.

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