Monthly Archives: May 2008

Halloween second-biggest holiday?

It’s still five months away, but a lot of people seem to have a need for Halloween invitations in recent years. This is one thing I can’t understand. Sure, as kids, we might do some trick-or-treating and go to a friend’s house for some apple-bobbing and watching a scary movie, but that was about the …

May 28, 2008 – 9:50 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in writing | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Fiction and history-true crime don’t mix well

When one writes both history and fiction, it’s sometimes a bit of a chore to remind yourself which genre you’re working in, so as not to make embarrassing mistakes. For example, in fiction, one can generally have license to go inside a person’s mind, imagine their motivations and personal thoughts, and use that to further …

May 28, 2008 – 9:38 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in writing | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Details of the AFTRA-AMPTP deal

As mentioned earlier on my HollywoodIdiocy blog, AFTRA, one of two actors unions active in Hollywood, reached a tentative three-year deal with the AMPTP today, the first sign of hope that a second major labor stoppage in Hollywood might be averted. AFTRA, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, controls only about a dozen …

May 28, 2008 – 9:30 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in AFTRA-SAG Strike 2008 | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

Writers in cheap hotels

The romantic image of a writer pounding out a script in cheap hotels while hoping to land his first big break in Hollywood is familair to most people, but that’s not usually how it’s done. Typically, Hollywood producers meet with proven writers and want to hear thumbnail sketches of several “high concept” ideas, rejecting most …

May 23, 2008 – 12:14 AM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in late night writing | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Procrastinating

As the old joke goes, I’ve been meaning to write about this topic for quite some time, but I’ve just never felt the time was right. Just like a bunch of Circuit City coupons, it takes a bit of enticement to get me to jump in the pool on a topic like this. Truth is, …

May 20, 2008 – 11:27 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in writing | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Beware your own villains

There’s no accounting for taste. Sometimes you have to create characters you simply don’t like. After all, while I’m sure Thomas Harris loved the character of idealistic yet flawed Clarice Starling, I can’t imagine he gets much true joy out of dwelling in the dark, dank mind of Hannibal Lecter. Sure, as actors are fond …

May 19, 2008 – 1:45 AM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in creativity | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Have you ever wondered?

Have you ever wondered who makes Schlage locks and keys? What is their day like? Who are their coworkers? How does he interact with sales guys and contractors? These may seem like random, stray thoughts. Maybe to an extent, they are. But the next time someone asks you, “Where do you get your ideas?” wouldn’t …

May 19, 2008 – 1:39 AM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in creativity | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Taking a break after completion

One of the things I enjoy most about writing is finishing a project. Whether it’s a short piece or a long one, there’s nothing more satisfying than coming to completion on something and knowing that the next project can finally begin. Of course, I don’t always begin the next project immediately. Sometimes, especially in the …

May 12, 2008 – 10:15 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in writing | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Grooving while writing

I recently picked up an Insignia MP3 player; one of the reasons I chose it is because it is able to play Audible.com audio book files, which is one of my favorite ways to do some extra reading. While I was able to snag a 4GB player on clearance for under $75, the great thing …

May 11, 2008 – 9:55 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in creativity | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

No rookies allowed

With the recent trend toward hiring brand-name writers with Hollywood credentials, Marvel Comics and the comic book field in general is no longer a place where a rookie writer can get their foot in the door of the script-writing field. Who can argue with the business side of such practices, really? I mean, if you …

May 11, 2008 – 9:47 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in writing | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

A little spy action

A little spy action can really help a story that’s otherwise dragging, although it of course depends on the kind of script or story you’re writing. But NBC’s Chuck proved that spy action can take place even in a rather mundane setting like a computer electronics store. Imagine a scene where a customer comes into …

May 5, 2008 – 5:39 PM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in creativity | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Fellow traveler

Well, I’m finally getting ahead on my writing of bar and bat mitsvah lessons for my shul. Of course, by getting ahead, I only mean that, at the moment, I’m no longer writing them at the last minute. I think one of the things that’s been energizing me is running into my old friend Simon …

May 5, 2008 – 1:11 AM | By Craig Hansen | Posted in writing | Tagged , , | Comments (0)