Straighforward Writing advice from David Mamet

Want to be a screenwriter? Here's a memo from David Mamet laying out a no-nonsense guide to writing good dramatic television.

It is totally kick-ass.

My favorite passages:

IF THE SCENE BORES YOU WHEN YOU READ IT, REST ASSURED IT *WILL* BORE THE ACTORS, AND WILL, THEN, BORE THE AUDIENCE, AND WE’RE ALL GOING TO BE BACK IN THE BREADLINE.

ANY SCENE, THUS, WHICH DOES NOT BOTH ADVANCE THE PLOT, AND STANDALONE (THAT IS, DRAMATICALLY, BY ITSELF, ON ITS OWN MERITS) IS EITHER SUPERFLUOUS, OR INCORRECTLY WRITTEN.

ANY TIME ANY CHARACTER IS SAYING TO ANOTHER “AS YOU KNOW”, THAT IS, TELLING ANOTHER CHARACTER WHAT YOU, THE WRITER, NEED THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.




And there's plenty more where that came from. Please read, and enjoy.

THE MEMO


cheers,



[Let's fly away. If you could use some exotic booze there's a bar in far bombay]

Snippets

Lots of things on the agenda today.

First off, I hate Sydney Crosby, the reasons are wide and varied, and chances are, if you're not Canadian, or from Pittsburgh, or Gary Bettman, you hate him too. Grrrr...

Second off, I'm in the office all day, burnin' DVDs and representin', though, I left my laptop power supply in Traverse, so I'm forced to borrow a friend's for the day.

Third off, I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox last night at the cheap theaters. It's brilliant. Honestly, I'd heard mixed reviews on it, so I didn't know what to expect, and yes, the animation of the fur took some getting used to, but overall, I would recommend this to any of my friends. Smart, funny, undeniably Andersonian, yet, accessible and still a "Kid's movie", but without sacrificing story or a compelling plot to fart jokes and the other ADD tendencies of similar Kids' faire (Pixar excluded). Refreshing. Enjoyable. Definitely worth a purchase.

Fourth off, I was the Production Designer for a short-film, The Lost and Found Shop, which can be viewed here.

Fifth off, last week, I finished up my work on a feature starring 50 Cent... Never thought I'd write that... Lot's of stories from that experience... Most of them surreal....

Sixth off, I love Motown and Soul music. I'm talking 'bout the good stuff -- James Brown, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, etc. -- and it's sad to see that this incredible genre has devolved to a bunch of auto-tuned idiots blathering on about clubs, sexual conquests, alchohol, cars, money, themselves, repeat, repeat, repeat.... But this is mostly true of any music genre. Once the record labels get their hands on something genuine and novel, it's only a matter of time before complete commercialization/ bastardization. But Truth, Beauty, and Music are resilient, and like tiny sprouts, they find their way through the cracks in the pavement to usher in a new life and a new generation. Keep plumbing the depths of the sounds, you're bound to find something you like. I guarantee it.

Seventh off, there is nothing more. Have a jolly good day.


[I was a fiend, before I became a teen/ I melted microphones instead of cones of ice cream]