When I studied dramatic writing in college my professor John Glavin printed out the screenplay for American Beauty and told me, ‘Notice that it says draft 12.’ I remember thinking, ‘That must be an anomaly.’ But it isn’t. Everything I’ve produced on stage or screen went through 10 or 20 drafts. Believe it or not, […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
Lean on me When you’re not strong And I’ll be your friend I’ll help you carry on… —Bill Withers (1938-2020) Lean on Me could be the symbolic theme song for 2020 Scott W. Smith
Original Source…
No Comments »
Here’s a Vanity Fair clip of director Randel Kleiser walking through a scene from the timeless Grease featuring the song You’re the One That I Want sung by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. You’re the One That I Want is one of the top 20 selling singles of all time. Back in 1978 Travolta was […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
“Our stories, our books, our films are how we cope with the random trauma-inducing chaos of life as it plays out.” —Bruce Springsteen The antithesis of social distancing for me was the Bruce Springsteen concert I attended on October 2, 1985 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. It was also the best concert I ever attended. […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
The best laid schemes o‘ mice and men often go astray —Robert Burns (1759-1796) When I hit a period of transition almost 20 years ago, one of the books that was recommended to me was Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Changes in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
“Whenever there is that struggle for power, of who is going to be the leader, that is pure Shakespeare.” Sam Wanamker (Nicholas Hammond) Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood (Blu-ray extra scene) The other day a friend of mine watched Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood for the first time and really enjoyed […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
“I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring.” Chuck Nolan (Tom Hanks) Cast Away While I heard this week someone in the grocery business say that their business has doubled in the last week, I know more who are like my freelance production friends who have […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
No smart person ever went into the theatre to get rich. Writing for TV you can make a lot of money – a job as a writer on a big hit show, those people get paid a lot of money. But then you belong in L.A. But anyone who said, ‘I want to be a […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
My love of travel is rooted in not traveling. I didn’t really start traveling until I was 21-years-old. (And it light of the Cornavirus, this post is to encourage you that there are better days coming. At time when we’ll be able again to travel behind our front door.) When I graduated from high school […]
Original Source…
No Comments »
