Just expressing some thoughts and concerns.

"Communities have a responsibility to assist the family in promoting wholesome entertainment. What a community tolerates will become tomorrow's standard for today's youth." ~Ezra Taft Benson (Ensign, November 1982, p. 60.)

I've had that quote on my mind. With the media in a seemingly constant surge to "push the envelope" where will it lead our society?

There's a double standard in the film industry. They include vulgarity and violence on the grounds that they are trying to portray "reality" yet when approached about scenes that are not "realistic" they use the defense, "Films are fantasy!"

Japanese and Chinese Films

In the past, when I considered Japanese, or Chinese films, I always thought of martial arts and cheesy Godzilla movies. Through studying film history, however, I have learned that there are many film treasures in both of those countries.

JAPAN. The films of Yasujiro Ozu fascinate me. Most of his films have a character struggling to adjust to changing ways of Japan while trying to cling to older traditions. Ozu rarely moves the camera. Watching his films is like being a fly on the wall, observing the happenings of the families portrayed.

I recently saw Red Beard (1965), directed by Akira Kurosawa. What amazed me was the the emotion I felt. His use of symmetry and the framing of each shot, moved me in the same way beautiful music lifts my soul. The film is actually a period piece, shot in black in white, although the movie was actually made in the mid 60s. It's a story of an arrogant, well educated, young doctor who is assigned to a small clinic treating patients who live in poverty.

CHINA. The opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were visually stunning to me. Zhang Yimou was the artistic director for the event. I watched his film To Live (1994) and felt fascinated by the culture portrayed. This is an epic film--covering four decades--and shows how Chinese government and historical events affected the lives of one family. This film was initially banned in China due to the subtle criticism (but apparently not subtle enough!) of Mao and communism throughout the story.

I love comedy!

I love comedy! I delight when a writer uses a play on words, or comes up with creative images. This past Thursday we had so much fun in my screenwriting class. We read such creative, funny scripts. (Each week, we read aloud the latest pages the students have written. We read them as though we are the actors.) I read screen direction for one of the scripts; the story and writing style were so funny, I could hardly read the lines for laughing out loud. Tears squirted out my eyes.

As I mentioned in a previous entry, there are so many good stories out there. I truly wish they would make it to the screen.

The laughter from class has carried over for several days. I still burst out laughing when I think of some of the scenes. I've been in such a good mood ever since reading those scripts. I need more of that!

Hollywood Stories

Do you hear the sound of sssszzzsssttttt....the sound of my brains being fried? I hope this post will make sense--it's been an intense week--but I want to express a few thoughts.

Today I attended a class called "Hollywood Storytellers," taught by a couple from L.A. The guy is a writer and producer, selling 14 screenplays. I don't want to go into their credentials, suffice it to say that the class was an eye-opener on the collaboration process (most of which is compromising) of getting a story sold. I already knew most of it, but hearing their first hand accounts gave new insight. And...I learned why there are so many crummy movies produced.

As I've read numerous scripts in screenwriting class, many of which are fantastic, knock your socks off, blow your mind type stories, I have often wondered why--when there are so many good stories out there--why is there so much garbage on the screen. Now I know why. They start out as good stories but all the fingers in the pies during the creative and production processes can turn them to junk.

So, as I drove home tonight feeling overwhelmed by all the information crammed at me in that 5 hour class, and feeling overwhelmed with all the homework still staring me in the face, I wondered if it is all worth it.

Then, I arrived home, picked up the mail, and found a DVD of a comedy film a writer/director in New York sent for me to see. I worked for him as a PA (Production Assistant) on another film awhile back. He called me on Sunday to check on how I was doing...had I graduated...what are my future plans...and asked me if I would like a copy of his latest film. I told him, "YES!" And it arrived today. With my mind so caught up in studies this week, I had forgotten about his call.

Seeing that DVD in the mail made me realize, YES, it is worth it. There's something about creating a story, and helping others create theirs, that gives me satisfaction. So, for tonight I will kick back with a frozen pizza, watch the Olympics with my husband, and let go of studies while I watch the athletes soar, following their dreams. Then tomorrow, I will continue to follow mine.