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Written by Elena Cristiean
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Wednesday, 03 June 2009 04:01 |
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2-1 Will Smith Hit/Misses |
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Written by Karen Kaufman Willson
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Saturday, 10 January 2009 04:20 |
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For those of you who have followed my blog, you know I have love/indifference relationship with superstar Will Smith. I say indifference because it is the opposite of love. At least when I dislike an actor i.e. Nicolas Cage, I have some emotion. Honestly, Nic Cage makes my skin crawl. I believe every great film has invoke something in an audience. Can you watch GODFATHER, ALIENS, CASABLANCA, ET, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, RAGING BULL with out cheering, crying, or contemplating? I can’t. So for the last fifteen years, I have felt nothing about Will Smith. Unlike Denzel (who I love), I didn’t go to a movie to see Will; I went for all the other “stuff”. Not that my two cents mattered; I have set on sidelines watching this guy win. He is truly a “colorless” actor. White, Black, yellow, orange – no one thinks of him as “Black”…he’s just a mega watt superstar. Seemingly invincible in the boxoffice arena, a quote this week from a studio executive was “Will Smith can open a can of worms”. So up until recently I felt like the only human being on Earth who wasn’t a Will Smith fan.
Then I saw I AM LEGEND. Now the movie is mediocre; the plot is predictable even with the “twist” of the hero dying and the villains weren’t terrifying. None of it mattered, Will Smith burned up the screen. I was in awe that any actor could spend the entire first act virtually alone and hold the audience captive. And it looked so effortless. I was excited about my new feelings but I had a nagging question, “Is he a great actor or is he ridiculously charismatic?” Hands down, Will Smith has the “it” factor, a je ne sais quoi. The score 1-0 hit/misses.
Then comes HANCOCK. Now this was much better directed film and he had a great co-star with the always super beautiful, super hot Charlize Theron. It was the only time that I saw Will’s sex appeal. As the aloof, rebellious, angry Hancock, he reminded of every bad boy I have loved. I was so inspired by his performance, I blogged. Check out GIFT OR BURDEN on www.firstfilmjob.com. I’m still not convinced he’s a great actor but who cares, I have become a fan. The score 2-0 hit/misses.
Then comes SEVEN POUNDS. I paid $60 for a babysitter and spent $20 for popcorn, drink and a ticket. That was an $80.00 date with Will Smith and I walked out feeling emotionally empty. Boooo! I am pissed. Now I know how guys feel when they take a chick out on a date, spend a bunch of money and don’t get any ass. What a huge disappointment. On the way to the movies, my good friend Tamara Gregory warned me it was depressing. I almost didn’t go because I wasn’t sure I wanted to feel sad during the holidays. But I really wanted to see Will Smith in a drama. SEVEN POUNDS was a bit earnest and overly directed. But I can tolerate mediocre filmmaking if the actors draw me into their performances. Will didn’t do that, in fact, every time he was alone on screen the movie felt repetitive and sluggish. This was truly Rosario Dawson’s film. She was lovely, endearing, engaging and sweet. A fully realized character with an emotional arc. But I didn’t pay $10 to see her; I went for Will. And he let me down. So the question may have been answered for now, we all know there is a difference between a movie star and an actor.
Will Smith is an über magnetic, captivating movie star. So the score is 2-1 Will Smith hit/misses. |
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Written by Karen Kaufman Willson
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Tuesday, 07 October 2008 01:21 |
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My advice is simple: knowledge is power. Learn the film business. Know it better than everybody else. In Hollywood, success is not built on skill; it’s built on gut instincts and relationships. So fine tune your gut instincts with knowledge. Fifteen years ago when I was just getting started, I knew I was at a disadvantage. As a Black woman with no film degree and zero contacts, I didn’t have a clue how the business worked. I didn’t know the credits of well-known directors or writers, how to decipher the trades or the process of making a film. I didn’t know a thing. What I did know was to not sweat the stuff I can’t control. I can’t control my genetics or my past decisions. But I can control my future behavior.
I learned by becoming a sponge. I created a huge writers, directors and producers list. I cross filed those names with any projects I read about in the trades. Basically, I created my own studio system which is a software used by studios and production companies. I went to a zillion seminars and panels. In my purse, there was a thick stack of index cards with producers/directors/writers/studio executives on the front and their credits on the back. I memorized those cards. If I wasn’t at the movies, I was renting a movie.
I learned to shut up.
And I became a good listener and an expert of body language. I quickly realized that expressing my opinion was less important than listening to others. I paid close attention to how veteran industry professionals described their views about films. What references did they pull from? I was careful to not blurt out my opinion every time I met a potentially good contact. I have watched too many rookies mouthing off to a disinterested industry professional. When you meet someone, pay attention. Is the person bored? Are their eyes looking over your shoulder pleading to be saved? If so, you are failing at standing out. Now when someone asked for my opinion about films, I was able to express my personal and professional views succinctly. Folks in this business have a short attention span, learn to speak in sound bites.
A recent quote in a LA Times article about getting a job in Hollywood really struck me. David Palmer, a seasoned commercial producer and video director said, “The more you bring to the party, the longer you are invited to stay”. I like this party so I continue to learn. I study movies, read reviews, listen to interviews with writers/directors (no offense but most actors bore me) and discuss films with vets and rookies. You can’t ever know too much in this business. I know this is a frustrating time with the crappy economy. Yet, the film business is one of the few fields still thriving. Keep sending out resumes, making phone calls, attending networking events, reading REEL TAKE and learning. Lastly, learn patience your time to shine will come. |
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Monday, 25 August 2008 04:11 |
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I’m pissed off right now. The reason I am angry is because I have just worked with a new writer. This writer is very green; she has never had a script bought nor does she have any representation. She hired me to do script analysis because she had been told that her protagonist needed to “jump off the page”. A general note that I understand is hard to decipher. I read the script and wrote several pages of notes. I’ll be honest; I don’t like giving notes to writers, especially new writers. There is nothing fun about telling someone that their script needs work. I have a tremendous amount of empathy for writers because I know the process is grueling. So I pride myself on being diplomatic, yet, constructive. Unfortunately giving notes is a necessary evil in this business. Then I made the dreaded call. After one hour of a heated exchange, our voices begin to rise. I honestly thought I was going to stroke out as I explained a solid structure was necessary for a buyer to take her script seriously. I kept repeating, “Your first act isn’t clearly defined”. I asked a few simple questions, “What is the inciting incident which is driving this story?” “What journey are you taking the audience on?” She kept giving me these long-winded, unspecific answers. So in turn, I told her exactly how I thought she could make the first act clear but also interesting. I would understand her defensiveness if my suggestions weren’t her artistic vision for the movie. But she just kept repeating “I’m tired of getting notes, I can see this movie in my head” and “Why can’t the first act end on page 10?” I tried to keep my cool and say, “But your vision has to be on the page or no one will invest in your work and a first act is usually about 30 pages long”. It finally lead to me to saying, “Stop telling me you don’t want to hear notes: every screenwriter must endure notes. If you don’t want to follow screenplay structure; write a novel”. I’m pissed because I found myself teaching Screenwriting 101 to a supposing educated writer. Please know that she brought up several times that she graduated from top rate film school. Given that, she should know this information; in fact, every screenwriter in America should know the basics of story structure. It boils down to this…know your craft. I have spent years fine-tuning my development skills. Early in my career, I was up for a development job where I was asked to do notes on a script. This is a standard practice in the interviewing process for a development executive. So, I spent several days writing 8 pages of detailed story notes then I asked a writer friend to review them. Her response was simple, “These aren’t good enough to get you the job”. Ouch, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear but I listened. I quickly checked my ego at the door and asked her to tell me specifically what I needed to do. I sat my butt at the computer and rewrote those damn notes. It was a miserable experience but I was determined to learn the skill of writing good notes. You can guess the ending: I got the job. I have attended seminars/classes, read over 3000 scripts, watched hundreds of movies and worked with dozens of writers. I know my craft. As a screenwriter you must perfect structure. Perfecting screenplay structure is not a gift; it is a learned skill. You can forgive a writer for a weak idea you can’t forgive a writer for not knowing his craft. So don’t take the chance that anyone in Hollywood can see the vision in your head. Put that vision on the page to the best of your ability. If you find that vision isn’t being seen, seek good advice and be prepared to start all over again. |
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