Minggu, 31 Agustus 2008
Suzanne Researched This
This commercial, from a few years ago, is currently re-appearing on bubble blogs nationwide.
Jumat, 29 Agustus 2008
The Forever Story
Nick Hornby has launched The Forever Story in order to raise money and awareness for TreeHouse, a charity for children with autism. The more people who join in, the longer the story will be, and every contribution to the story generates a £1 donation from TalkTalk (the initial target is to raise £50,000). The first 35 words of the story, written by Nick Hornby, go like this:
"For the first nineteen years of his life, Johnny Razor wasn’t Johnny Razor at all. He was Malcolm Weatherly, and he was born in Mile End Underground station on the night of 17th September 1940.”
And the story develops from there, with various writers adding their 35 words to the mix. You'll find my contribution soon after Richard Curtis and right before Tom Stoppard (nice to see my name sandwiched between these two greats). So what are you waiting for? For full details and how to make your mark on the story, head on over to the site. Nice.
---
I'm off for a week's hiatus so while I'm away, take a look at a few cool new blogs that have hit the scene. Jez Freedman, a reader/writer, and a runner-up from last year's Red Planet Prize, has recently taken the blogging plunge. Elsewhere, Michelle Lipton has been blogging for a few months now. Recently, she shared her experience of making the final shortlist of this year's BBC Writing Academy (I hear ya, sister). When you're done there, put on a hard hat and head on over to Dan Turner's Disaster Area, and why not say hello to former BBC script reader Matt Cruse, who is now an electric writer. For a full rundown of what's happening on blogs everywhere, check out new service Alltop, if that's your bag. Right. That's it. I'm outta here.
"For the first nineteen years of his life, Johnny Razor wasn’t Johnny Razor at all. He was Malcolm Weatherly, and he was born in Mile End Underground station on the night of 17th September 1940.”
And the story develops from there, with various writers adding their 35 words to the mix. You'll find my contribution soon after Richard Curtis and right before Tom Stoppard (nice to see my name sandwiched between these two greats). So what are you waiting for? For full details and how to make your mark on the story, head on over to the site. Nice.
---
I'm off for a week's hiatus so while I'm away, take a look at a few cool new blogs that have hit the scene. Jez Freedman, a reader/writer, and a runner-up from last year's Red Planet Prize, has recently taken the blogging plunge. Elsewhere, Michelle Lipton has been blogging for a few months now. Recently, she shared her experience of making the final shortlist of this year's BBC Writing Academy (I hear ya, sister). When you're done there, put on a hard hat and head on over to Dan Turner's Disaster Area, and why not say hello to former BBC script reader Matt Cruse, who is now an electric writer. For a full rundown of what's happening on blogs everywhere, check out new service Alltop, if that's your bag. Right. That's it. I'm outta here.
Kamis, 28 Agustus 2008
Interview With A Buyer
Property owners and potential buyers have emailed to say they’re glad we’re on the ‘net discussing local real estate and the Bubble, particularly when we emphasize that there are “other” reasons to buy a house besides making a financial killing or using the house as an ATM machine through a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit). As we’ve said, we believe a house should reflect the habits, tastes,
Rescued? Church Hill Homes
The other day we discussed the decline of local new building permits for houses: 266 were issued in the first six months of 2008. If this pace continues, the year's number will be the lowest since 1990.It's no wonder, then, that local builder Church Hill Homes is in trouble, as reported at REALCentralVA and The Daily Progress.Eagle Construction of Richmond has bought 11 lots of Church Hill's
For Sale: The Lodge
The Hook is reporting that the house owned by UVa Fraternity Chi Psi--known, as all chapters are, as "The Lodge"--is going on the block.At one point this was the grounds for the Charlottesville Country Club; The Lodge bought it in 1950, and good times have ensued ever since. We know several great guys who were members of the local chapter and we ourselves, back in the day, had some high times on
Rabu, 27 Agustus 2008
FHA Raises Premiums to Insure Mortgages
The WSJ reports that the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) is going to raise the premiums it charges to insure that mortgages get paid. This is of course in response to the troubles over at Giant Mortgage Losers Fan & Fred (see our sidebar for the deathwatch).The FHA is part of HUD, the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The FHA "has 4.8 million insured single-family mortgages and
Accidental Landlord: Northern Albemarle County
The shadow inventory persists. This term refers to defaults which will be foreclosures in a few months and add to the glut of houses for sale, and also to unsold houses that are now for rent by accidental landlords--those who didn't intend to have tenants.Need a "Stately 4br 3ba Home Situated on 2+ Wooded Acres"? Try 4987 Abelia Way, up Rte. 29 in 22911.You can see the Craigslist Ad, and
Selasa, 26 Agustus 2008
Local New Construction, National Existing House Prices: Both Low
Local NewsC-ville is reporting today on the dire stats of the new housing construction market:Albemarle County released numbers for the first part of 2008. 266 building permits for new residential housing units were issued in the first six months of 2008. This puts 2008 on target to meet the lowest number, yearly, since 1990, when anybody started keeping tabs. The record lowest number was
Story Vault: Dialogue
Let's have a bit of blog backchat about dialogue, shall we? Taken from the archives, November 2005. Three years ago? Ay carumba. I have a vague recollection of starting this blog in August three years ago, not sure when the blogoversary is exactly, but my, three years, doesn't time fly, and any other convenient cliché that springs to mind.
I've gone from full-time script reader/struggling writer to full-time writer in that time, so I must be doing something right, and excuse me while I take a puff of pride over the Red Planet Prize (which I helped set up, in case you're wondering, and probably wouldn't have come about if it weren't for the blog). Next week, I'm actually taking a holiday. I know. Madness. First time abroad since going freelance way back in 2000. Only for a week, mind, let's not go too crazy, but an actual holiday! Things must be going well...
---
Although a person’s character is defined by what they do and not what they say, how and what they choose to speak usually indicates a great deal about themselves, especially in relation to writing for the stage or screen. While you could muse and contemplate the ‘invisible qualities’ that make up a good story, dialogue in a screenplay is the most identifiable form of the process and arguably the most important aspect of how your characters and plot will be judged.
When pushed or bored, readers and execs will speed-read your carefully worded prose and neat narrative description in favour of getting to the meat of your scene: what the characters are saying. The dialogue will invariably become representative of the plot and character development, and will take on the responsibility of making your story funny, dramatic, quirky, interesting and engaging. No pressure then.
Writing good dialogue is a hard task. A lot of bad scripts make the error of regurgitating familiar lines from TV and other films, or trying to copy Quentin Tarantino and David Mamet (sometimes combined). It’s usually easily evident if the writer doesn’t know their characters very well if they start to talk in dodgy Americanisms when it’s a drama set in a UK tax office.
And UK writers attempting an American story usually fall into the trap of repeating commonly heard slang and phrases or un-researched technical terms (cops, attorneys) without giving the characters their own voice or point-of-view. In addition, some writers will attempt lengthy and quirky monologues but unless you’ve got the talent and humour of someone like Tarantino, this is probably best avoided. Even he can mess it up: when David Carradine began his ‘superhero’ spiel towards the end of Kill Bill 2, I was like ‘enough already! Get to the fight.’
Basically, dialogue in your script carries four main functions: exposition, characterisation, subtext and humour.
Exposition: to convey to the audience the key information of the plot and characters (“How long have you worked here Tom?”). Exposition is present in every film and is wholly necessary in the storytelling process. The problem with exposition is that it should be invisible and in most scripts, the writer will take the easy option of getting the information across (see example above).
McKee has good advice regarding this problem: “make your exposition ammunition”. This means that the characters use the information that they know about themselves in order to hurt or amuse or confront each other. Script readers hate bad exposition. It’s like someone farting in a lift. It’s awkward, unsettling and it reeks.
Characterisation: to give characters their own voice and point-of-view. How someone speaks usually says something about what they think of themselves and how they would like to be perceived by others. Let’s take a perfectly plain piece of dialogue - “Hello. How are you?” - and give it to three different characters: Bart Simpson, Joey Tribiani and Dracula.
Bart would probably characterise the greeting with something like: “Hey, how’s it hanging man?” as it’s true to his cheeky personality. Joey may switch it to his inexplicably winsome chat up line: “Hey, how you doing?” while Dracula may unintentionally ham it up a little with: “Greetings…” before chowing down on your neck. Too many characters in too many bad scripts speak with the same voice. There’s no discernible distinction between who or what is being said.
Subtext: because quite often what is being said has an alternative emotional meaning. A man and woman’s pleasantries at breakfast (“how did you sleep?” “pass the toast” “coffee?”) can take on a whole different meaning if the audience is aware they’ve spent the whole night arguing and it’s the end of their relationship. Subtext is most effective when the audience is in tune with what’s going on and understand the character dynamics.
Some say that every scene should have subtext but that doesn’t mean that every line of dialogue has to have a hugely significant emotional underbelly. Your giraffe scene at the zoo may be just a little bit of comic relief where any attempt at subtext or something more significant would be inappropriate.
Humour: no matter how dour or depressing life gets, there’s always room for a little humour. A script without some amusing aspects of dialogue is a dull and draining read. Humour adds dimension and humane qualities to a character, and helps the audience connect with them and the story a bit more.
A ‘drama’ doesn’t mean it has to be a serious and po-faced examination of the human condition. Give us something to smile about. And if it’s a comedy, you’d better make sure there’s something to laugh at.
Dialogue is the audience’s way in to understand and appreciate the characters, and how to assimilate the key aspects of your story. ‘Having a good ear for dialogue’ is indeed a gift but one that can be developed by careful observation and understanding of people’s discourse and behaviour.
Original post & comments here.
---
I've gone from full-time script reader/struggling writer to full-time writer in that time, so I must be doing something right, and excuse me while I take a puff of pride over the Red Planet Prize (which I helped set up, in case you're wondering, and probably wouldn't have come about if it weren't for the blog). Next week, I'm actually taking a holiday. I know. Madness. First time abroad since going freelance way back in 2000. Only for a week, mind, let's not go too crazy, but an actual holiday! Things must be going well...
---
Although a person’s character is defined by what they do and not what they say, how and what they choose to speak usually indicates a great deal about themselves, especially in relation to writing for the stage or screen. While you could muse and contemplate the ‘invisible qualities’ that make up a good story, dialogue in a screenplay is the most identifiable form of the process and arguably the most important aspect of how your characters and plot will be judged.
When pushed or bored, readers and execs will speed-read your carefully worded prose and neat narrative description in favour of getting to the meat of your scene: what the characters are saying. The dialogue will invariably become representative of the plot and character development, and will take on the responsibility of making your story funny, dramatic, quirky, interesting and engaging. No pressure then.
Writing good dialogue is a hard task. A lot of bad scripts make the error of regurgitating familiar lines from TV and other films, or trying to copy Quentin Tarantino and David Mamet (sometimes combined). It’s usually easily evident if the writer doesn’t know their characters very well if they start to talk in dodgy Americanisms when it’s a drama set in a UK tax office.
And UK writers attempting an American story usually fall into the trap of repeating commonly heard slang and phrases or un-researched technical terms (cops, attorneys) without giving the characters their own voice or point-of-view. In addition, some writers will attempt lengthy and quirky monologues but unless you’ve got the talent and humour of someone like Tarantino, this is probably best avoided. Even he can mess it up: when David Carradine began his ‘superhero’ spiel towards the end of Kill Bill 2, I was like ‘enough already! Get to the fight.’
Basically, dialogue in your script carries four main functions: exposition, characterisation, subtext and humour.
Exposition: to convey to the audience the key information of the plot and characters (“How long have you worked here Tom?”). Exposition is present in every film and is wholly necessary in the storytelling process. The problem with exposition is that it should be invisible and in most scripts, the writer will take the easy option of getting the information across (see example above).
McKee has good advice regarding this problem: “make your exposition ammunition”. This means that the characters use the information that they know about themselves in order to hurt or amuse or confront each other. Script readers hate bad exposition. It’s like someone farting in a lift. It’s awkward, unsettling and it reeks.
Characterisation: to give characters their own voice and point-of-view. How someone speaks usually says something about what they think of themselves and how they would like to be perceived by others. Let’s take a perfectly plain piece of dialogue - “Hello. How are you?” - and give it to three different characters: Bart Simpson, Joey Tribiani and Dracula.
Bart would probably characterise the greeting with something like: “Hey, how’s it hanging man?” as it’s true to his cheeky personality. Joey may switch it to his inexplicably winsome chat up line: “Hey, how you doing?” while Dracula may unintentionally ham it up a little with: “Greetings…” before chowing down on your neck. Too many characters in too many bad scripts speak with the same voice. There’s no discernible distinction between who or what is being said.
Subtext: because quite often what is being said has an alternative emotional meaning. A man and woman’s pleasantries at breakfast (“how did you sleep?” “pass the toast” “coffee?”) can take on a whole different meaning if the audience is aware they’ve spent the whole night arguing and it’s the end of their relationship. Subtext is most effective when the audience is in tune with what’s going on and understand the character dynamics.
Some say that every scene should have subtext but that doesn’t mean that every line of dialogue has to have a hugely significant emotional underbelly. Your giraffe scene at the zoo may be just a little bit of comic relief where any attempt at subtext or something more significant would be inappropriate.
Humour: no matter how dour or depressing life gets, there’s always room for a little humour. A script without some amusing aspects of dialogue is a dull and draining read. Humour adds dimension and humane qualities to a character, and helps the audience connect with them and the story a bit more.
A ‘drama’ doesn’t mean it has to be a serious and po-faced examination of the human condition. Give us something to smile about. And if it’s a comedy, you’d better make sure there’s something to laugh at.
Dialogue is the audience’s way in to understand and appreciate the characters, and how to assimilate the key aspects of your story. ‘Having a good ear for dialogue’ is indeed a gift but one that can be developed by careful observation and understanding of people’s discourse and behaviour.
Original post & comments here.
---
Senin, 25 Agustus 2008
National July Sales and Inventory Rise, According to NAR
According to the National Association of Realtors, sales of existing houses rose 3.1% in July. However, the number of houses for sale increased as well, up 3.9%. Of course, many of these sales are Foreclosure sales--as are many of the additions to inventory.Good news? For whom? For everybody who sold a house...but not for those still waiting to sell. Good news for those who are waiting to
"The Real Estate Market Stinks"
Albemarle County's budget is in trouble--as are local and state budgets everywhere.“What we all know is that the real-estate market stinks. Property values have dropped. And therefore our revenues are going to be dropping,” Supervisor David Slutzky said, in a recent article in the Daily Progress.Figures due next month, September, are expected to show that Albemarle County Revenues are declining.
Sabtu, 23 Agustus 2008
Foreclosure Central
The experience of Merced, Calif., suggests that recovery from the national real estate debacle will be painful and protracted.Read this riveting article, "In the Ruins of the Housing Bust, the Price of An Illusion," about a city in crisis. It's the worst-case scenario, sure. But we all know, or will know, folks facing the same things. And the run-up in prices sure sounds familiar....
Jumat, 22 Agustus 2008
Accidental Landlord Thinks William Faulkner Slept Here
Buy For $800,000 or Rent for $3,000/Month With Accidental Landlord in Western AlbemarleThe number of unsold houses continues to grow, becoming a "shadow inventory" as they turn into rentals. With more rentals on the market than usual, and the country in a recession, prices should be coming down.But since we're in Charlottesville/Albemarle and the water is still, apparently, filled with Bubble
Kamis, 21 Agustus 2008
Vandalism in "Downtown Belmont"
Fitzgerald's Tire Co. is on the triangle between Hinton Avenue and Monticello Road.This is across from La Taza Coffee, Belmont BBQ, Saxx, The Local, Crush, and near Mas.Graffiti? Gang tagging? Whatever the term of art is, this isn't good for property values--among other concerns.This image was captured on Sun., 8/17. It was whitewashed (you can still see the fresh paint) by Wed., 8/20.The
Rabu, 20 Agustus 2008
Famous Last Words - Laughably Late
Fan and Fred stocks drop for third straight day amid concern that bailout is imminent. In a Letter to Editor published in 8/19 NYT, we read:"...we expect to move through this period without asking for Treasury support and are taking the steps necessary to serve our markets — and our vital mission — for many years to come." --David Palombi, Sr VP, Freddie Mac, Aug. 11.Did he email the Eds? Or
Selasa, 19 Agustus 2008
A.S.L.
August can be a drag, can’t it? It’s the one time of the year when you’re made painfully aware that everyone is on holidays but you. Everything goes quiet. An email barely troubles your inbox. Your phone refuses to chirp or vibrate and you get an almighty fright when it does (and then it’s just a pre-recorded “You’ve won a holiday!”). And so, it becomes obvious that August (or any kind of open schedule) is the ideal time to write a brand new script. Something, anything, to keep you busy and make the most of the current down time.
This year’s Red Planet Prize deadline is the end of September, a whole month extra than last year. When we relaunched the competition at the start of July some people doubted that they could come up with a brand new script in time for the deadline. I’m sorry but if this is a genuine concern for you then perhaps you should be considering a different career. In truth, you should be able to create a one hour script within two weeks (if it was a TV deadline), and even one week at a push (quite common). And a half hour script should be achievable within a few days or up to one week.
If you’re working from scratch, the hard part is coming up with a solid premise, interesting characters and a good setting. To make everything work and, y’know, interesting. THIS is what can take forever, not the actual writing (although that can be slow but when pushed to deadline, you just have to get it done). However, the purpose of this post is about getting a script done, not fiddling about worrying about a character bio or whether your idea should be set in 1999 or the present day.
Wing it. Improvise. Write a script from scratch. It doesn’t even matter if you haven’t got an idea. Start with any scene or image that comes to mind, and let your storytelling instincts guide you to the next scene until you reach 30 or 60 (or hell, even 90) pages. Don’t waste your time asking people if you should outline or not. That’s just talk. Just write. See where it takes you. Have fun. You might not have a great script when you finish but you’ll have a script. And as we all know, the real writing begins when you rewrite. Think of it as the August Script Liberation (A.S.L. to you), where you just write what you want, when you want, and see what happens.
Two years ago, I started this habit. I was fiddling around, worrying about work, waiting for a commission to magically appear. A title popped into my head. A catchy title, instantly comedic and appealing. But that’s all I had. So I just went with the flow. I wanted to have fun, to play around with style, bend the rules a bit. Within a week, I had a 30 min first draft, which I quite liked. I sent it to m’agent for feedback (she does this, bless her). She was not hugely impressed. My wife read it. She hated it (when she likes something, I know I’m on to a good thing). But I liked it. Or, more accurately, I liked the title, the premise and the playful style. So I rewrote the story, and made it better. M’agent was now willing to send it out (always a good sign), and two other people whose opinion I trust also enjoyed it (but recommended I make it as a short film.). About a month later, I had a few meetings with interested parties, all very exciting, and then it was optioned by a production company who wanted to develop it as a comedy/drama series. Nice! All because of the August down time.
This time last year, I was feeling particularly low, and my writing confidence had taken a knock. The August down time set in so I hunkered down to write a script to get me out of my gloom. I had no idea what I was going to do except that I wanted it to be an hour long family adventure. In just over a week, I had a first draft. It was rough but had a lot of promise, I thought.
I gave it to two of my trusty readers. They both came back with ‘starts off great, really intriguing, then goes a bit too sci-fi for its own good’. They were spot on. But I’ve struggled with this one ever since. I’m not sure which way to develop the script, and I need to readdress the whole ‘world of the story’ to help me nail the changes I need to make. But I still am quite drawn by it, and think it has great potential. This year’s August’s Script Liberation will be spent rewriting last year’s attempt, and getting it into shape. So, not doing anything this week or got some spare time between now and the end of the month? Then what are you waiting for? Get writing! As Mr Arnopp would say, Hooray for the First Draft!
This year’s Red Planet Prize deadline is the end of September, a whole month extra than last year. When we relaunched the competition at the start of July some people doubted that they could come up with a brand new script in time for the deadline. I’m sorry but if this is a genuine concern for you then perhaps you should be considering a different career. In truth, you should be able to create a one hour script within two weeks (if it was a TV deadline), and even one week at a push (quite common). And a half hour script should be achievable within a few days or up to one week.
If you’re working from scratch, the hard part is coming up with a solid premise, interesting characters and a good setting. To make everything work and, y’know, interesting. THIS is what can take forever, not the actual writing (although that can be slow but when pushed to deadline, you just have to get it done). However, the purpose of this post is about getting a script done, not fiddling about worrying about a character bio or whether your idea should be set in 1999 or the present day.
Wing it. Improvise. Write a script from scratch. It doesn’t even matter if you haven’t got an idea. Start with any scene or image that comes to mind, and let your storytelling instincts guide you to the next scene until you reach 30 or 60 (or hell, even 90) pages. Don’t waste your time asking people if you should outline or not. That’s just talk. Just write. See where it takes you. Have fun. You might not have a great script when you finish but you’ll have a script. And as we all know, the real writing begins when you rewrite. Think of it as the August Script Liberation (A.S.L. to you), where you just write what you want, when you want, and see what happens.
Two years ago, I started this habit. I was fiddling around, worrying about work, waiting for a commission to magically appear. A title popped into my head. A catchy title, instantly comedic and appealing. But that’s all I had. So I just went with the flow. I wanted to have fun, to play around with style, bend the rules a bit. Within a week, I had a 30 min first draft, which I quite liked. I sent it to m’agent for feedback (she does this, bless her). She was not hugely impressed. My wife read it. She hated it (when she likes something, I know I’m on to a good thing). But I liked it. Or, more accurately, I liked the title, the premise and the playful style. So I rewrote the story, and made it better. M’agent was now willing to send it out (always a good sign), and two other people whose opinion I trust also enjoyed it (but recommended I make it as a short film.). About a month later, I had a few meetings with interested parties, all very exciting, and then it was optioned by a production company who wanted to develop it as a comedy/drama series. Nice! All because of the August down time.
This time last year, I was feeling particularly low, and my writing confidence had taken a knock. The August down time set in so I hunkered down to write a script to get me out of my gloom. I had no idea what I was going to do except that I wanted it to be an hour long family adventure. In just over a week, I had a first draft. It was rough but had a lot of promise, I thought.
I gave it to two of my trusty readers. They both came back with ‘starts off great, really intriguing, then goes a bit too sci-fi for its own good’. They were spot on. But I’ve struggled with this one ever since. I’m not sure which way to develop the script, and I need to readdress the whole ‘world of the story’ to help me nail the changes I need to make. But I still am quite drawn by it, and think it has great potential. This year’s August’s Script Liberation will be spent rewriting last year’s attempt, and getting it into shape. So, not doing anything this week or got some spare time between now and the end of the month? Then what are you waiting for? Get writing! As Mr Arnopp would say, Hooray for the First Draft!
Senin, 18 Agustus 2008
Interview: Jim Duncan, RE Agent & REALCentralVA Blogger
It seems everybody in Charlottesville/Albemarle has heard of RE Agent Jim Duncan, of Century 21 Manley. And a big reason is his blog, REALCentralVA. Not only does the blog cover buying and selling property in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area, but it also covers Green and EcoBuilding issues, local politics, area housing developments, road issues, state government, UVA news...plus has a level
Good Price: For Sale or Rent in the Bubble
This is another in our continuing series of houses that have been for sale but now, unsold, are for rent (scroll down for other recent posts).2200 Brandywine Drive in the pretty Greenbriar Neighborhood is convenient, by car, to everywhere (and gas is down to $3.54 right now, though this probably won't last).When it was actively for sale, it had a "reasonable" Asking of $319,000.00. AND owner
2100 Twyman Road - Accidental Landlord
Even a casual reader of Craigslist and the MLS is familiar with 2100 Twyman Road, because it's been for sale and for rent for more than a year.The -- interesting? confusing? odd? to be expected? -- thing is that the price keeps shifting, up and down.We've seen it for sale for $499k, but it's currently listed for $539,000.00. MLS #451851, 4 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 1955, 0.38 acre. It's in beautiful
Local Reports
Richmond Times-Dispatch:Already Slow RE Market Must Absorb 100's of Homes as Wachovia Securites Moves to St. LouisBanks Cut Back on Home Equity Loans
Sabtu, 16 Agustus 2008
Belmont: Accidental Landlords
702 Belmont Avenue went from an Asking of $519,000 to $499,000. It's now on Craigslist as a rental for $2,100.00/mo.--utilities not included. "Short Term Rental Preferred." 702 Belmont: $2,100.00 x 12 = $25,200.00 Per Year.611 Avon Street went on the market in May for $494,000, and has since dropped to $464,000. It's now advertised as a "Charming Belmont House", $2,300.00/mo., utilities not
Jumat, 15 Agustus 2008
"Dr. Doom" - Economist Nouriel Roubini
"On Sept. 7, 2006, Nouriel Roubini, an economics professor at New York University, stood before an audience of economists at the International Monetary Fund and announced that a crisis was brewing. In the coming months and years, he warned, the United States was likely to face a once-in-a-lifetime housing bust, an oil shock, sharply declining consumer confidence and, ultimately, a deep recession.
Kamis, 14 Agustus 2008
850 West Street: Bubble for Sale or Rent
850 West Street has been for sale for as long as we can remember. The Asking is $363,000.00 for a 2 bedroom/2 bath house that has its own blog. To rent, it's $1595.00/month. Ouch, either way.The blog says, "The house is on West Street, directly behind the Vespa store, in a great diverse city neighborhood."This is the 10th & Page Neighborhood, which today is primarily African American,
Rabu, 13 Agustus 2008
Is Alan Greenspan Suffering From Dementia?
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, whose reign from 1987 to 2006 many blame for the current housing/credit crisis, has a suggestion for how to sell off the 800,000 extra unsold properties nationwide:"The most effective initiative, though politically difficult, would be a major expansion in quotas for skilled immigrants," he said. The only sustainable way to increase demand for vacant
One Third--Or More--of New Owners Owe More Than House is Worth
Recently, Zillow.com, the Internet provider of home valuations, asserted that many homeowners are delusional.Today, they have their 2Q 2008 Market Report, which has some not unexpected numbers (unless, of course, you're a delusional homeowner). Almost one-third of U.S. homeowners who bought in the last five years now owe more on their mortgages than their properties are worth, according to
JP Morgan Loses 1.5 Billion SINCE JULY
The bank had its biggest decline in six years after reporting a $1.5 billion loss on mortgage-backed assets in less than two months. The stock dropped 9.5 percent. And this is the firm, to remind those of you not obsessed w/banks, that bailed out Bear Stearns under the direction of the Fed and the Treasury.Last month, JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon, in a frank statement, said in discussing their
Selasa, 12 Agustus 2008
Mortgage Losses Now Hitting Credit Unions
Credit Unions are among the most conservatively run financial institutions in the country. They're not-for-profit and member owned, taking members' money and loaning it to others (if you think this sounds like George's business in It's a Wonderful Life, you're right, it's similar).The mortgage problems are focused on "corporate credit unions," which are vital entities in the industry. Instead of
Senin, 11 Agustus 2008
Paulson Forgot to Add....
Treasury Secretary Henry I'm Sorry I Ever Left Goldman Paulson opined on Sunday's Meet the Press as to how there are no plans to inject capital into Freddie and Fannie, even though both posted worse than expected results on 8/6 and 8/8, respectively.What he really meant to say was, There are no plans to inject capital into Giant Mortgage Losers Fannie and Freddie--This Week.We think this will
Minggu, 10 Agustus 2008
"Out of Sync With Reality" - Zillow; "How To Bargain" - Redfin
Zillow.com is a site dedicated to giving consumers the tools and information that used to be available only to RE Agents. Each Quarter, Zillow surveys consumer confidence in the Real Estate Market. In its Second Quarter survey, 62% of respondents say their house has appreciated. According to Zillow, this "high level of optimism is out of sync with reality. The company’s research shows that 77%
Sabtu, 09 Agustus 2008
Who Leaked Fannie/Freddie Info? Rep. Waxman on the Hunt
Representative Henry Waxman (D.-Calif.) wants to know who in the White House "leaked" Fannie/Freddie info before the big "Bailout" announcement on July 13.The Chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee has launched aggressive investigations into issues ranging from the leak that led to disclosure of Valerie Plame's identity to the development of U.S. policy on greenhouse-gas
Jumat, 08 Agustus 2008
Senin, 04 Agustus 2008
Guest Post: Plot Vs Character
Would you like to attend Gordy Hoffman's WEEKEND WORKSHOP on the 16th/17th August, FOR FREE? Well, here's your chance. All you have to do is DESCRIBE A MEMORABLE TIME YOU CRIED DURING A MOVIE. Leave your answers and your contact email in the comments section ('insightful development notes' at the foot of the post, for those who might be unclear) by 6pm (UK) on Saturday 9th August (comments will be datemarked) and Mr Hoffman will choose a winner.
Yes folks, a blog exclusive! A free competition to win a free ticket to Gordy's exciting screenwriting workshop (normal price £150). Who loves ya, hah? AND you get a guest post from the man himself, talking about Plot Vs Character. He's doing a whole week of workshoppy goodness so for the full details, check out the website or the bottom of the post.
---
Plot Vs Character by Gordy Hoffman
I once told a writer they were lying. It sounded very much like I was calling them a liar. But I was actually talking about a screenplay they wrote. I often make the mistake of thinking someone is talking about me when they’re talking about my work, which is not my person.
They had left out a very important event of the plot. They had left out a goodbye scene, a moment where a family might never see one again. Do we show every time a character ties a shoelace? No, as it’s not important to the story. So what’s not on the page is inherently unnecessary. Leaving out the important is not truthful.
So how do I know what to put in and what to leave out? What are the necessary pieces of the story? What are the crucial, non-negotiable moments of my plot?
Our characters will tell us. More specifically, our honesty with them.
Does this sound touchy feely? Have you one eye for the exit suddenly? Well, I’m happy to say any discomfort you may feel is where you will continue to develop as a writer, as this is a touchy feely business. The perfectly ordered rhythm and pitch of an engaging plot is founded on how honest a writer is about how their characters behave. How do I become an expert on what a character might do or say in my movie?
I have to admit and continue to admit that screenwriting is an intimate action. I have to cultivate an opinion, a thought, a guess, on what people feel at any second of their lives, and I need to imagine what actions or words might come of those feelings. So I am thinking about people and their emotions, actually, I hope, every time I sit down and write.
The more specific I am, the more honest. How can I be this specific? What do I know about shipbuilding? We’re not talking about shipbuilding. We’re talking about human emotion. What do you know about that? I’m sure there’s a Wikipedia entry, but I suggest you provide your own expertise: you.
By investing your own research as a human being in life, we can create honest actions and words for our characters. Not only will the plot make sense, not only will your story be credible, the audience might actually identify with your characters. Your movie could be compelling.
Do you remember the last time you saw someone before they died? Have you ever said goodbye, knowing it might be the last time? Would this be left out?
Tell the truth.
---
Workshop Details
THE BLUECAT SCREENWRITING WORKSHOPS
LONDON - August 12-17, 2008
Birkbeck, University of London
Malet Street, Bloomsbury
London WC1E 7HX
REGISTER NOW
Gordy Hoffman, the award-winning writer/director (LOVE LIZA, A COAT OF SNOW), USC School of Cinematic Arts Adjunct Professor and founder of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition, will travel to the UK this August to lead a week of screenwriting workshops at Birkbeck College, University of London.
The creative principles of the workshops were borne out of over a decade of experience of judging the only major script competition in the world helmed by a produced screenwriter, a writer who continues to write today.
The BlueCat workshops help the writer develop the authentic, original voice behind every story that impacts the emotions of the audience, the essence of all commercially and artistically successful films.
If you care passionately about your script and story, this week will provide the tools to transform your commitment and concern into a compelling film.
THE ART OF SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP (two day workshop)
09:00 – 17:00 on August 16, 17 in room B35 Malet Street
Cost: £150
The screenplay is creative writing. It is imagination in action, the heart of every experience of the writer speaking truthfully and generously.
Writing creatively for the screen has no method, no formula, no rigid worksheets to comply with or enforceable rules hanging on a wall somewhere. Every conformity or formula determined and “discovered” by the screenwriting establishment can be blown apart by some of our most beloved movies.
But what cannot be argued away is that every classic movie we love has affected us emotionally.
This is always true.
There are principles of authentic storytelling. Yes. But these are not learned, but remembered from our own experiences of living our lives. The ability to tell a story lies inside every human being.
These questions, among others, will be examined at length at the workshop:
* What makes for a robust idea for a feature length film? How should I consider this idea? Where do ideas come from? What is planning vs. imagination?
* What are the various approaches to the first draft? Does an outline hurt or help? What is the true value of research? Can I just start writing now?
* What is the tone of rewriting? What are the goals of revision? What are the tools of de-constructing your first draft? How many rewrites is healthy?
* How does dialogue affect my audience connection? When is dialogue not cinematic? How does dialogue improve?
* How does description hurt your ending? Does description help an audience care about characters?
* Do all characters have a genuine place in my story? Can I write about people I hate? Can I write about things I imagine and never do? Does that mean I’m not "writing what I know"?
* Who is qualified to give me feedback? Are some notes simply worthless? What does praise for my work do?
* When do I become a screenwriter? Can I make movies where I live? How do I find the real film industry and make relationships?
* Are there other reasons why I’m stuck? How do writers write on a daily basis? How do I trouble shoot when I'm drawing a blank? Why do I get bored?
* Why is pitching my movie important? Do I have to be good with pitching? When does a pitch work?
* What does the personal voice have to do with box office grosses? What is my audience and how smart can I be? How will the audience identify with my own life experience?
Writers will engage in writing and pitching exercises designed to flesh out new ideas or rework existing scripts. Please bring your laptops and/or paper and pen.
If each person is indeed unique, it follows simply that each writer is unlike any other, and can write a story no one else on Earth can. This purpose is the mission of this workshop.
THE TEN PAGE WORKSHOP (limit 5 writers per day)
18:30 – 23:00 on August 12, 13, 14 in room 629 Malet Street
Cost: £125
These workshops will consist of 5 writers each submitting ten pages of a work in progress in advance. We will go over each work individually, discussing the specific, unique challenges each writer is facing on the page. This discussion will include the technical aspects of description and dialogue, the depth and reality of the characters, and how the ten pages reflect where the entire story goes.
The intimate, focused interaction with fellow writers in the workshop will provide all with a greater understanding of the work that lies ahead on their screenplay, and more importantly, a detailed sense of how they might develop as writers themselves.
18:30 – 23:00 on August 12
Cost: £125 SOLD OUT
18:30 – 23:00 on August 13
Cost: £125
18:30 – 23:00 on August 14
Cost: £125
Yes folks, a blog exclusive! A free competition to win a free ticket to Gordy's exciting screenwriting workshop (normal price £150). Who loves ya, hah? AND you get a guest post from the man himself, talking about Plot Vs Character. He's doing a whole week of workshoppy goodness so for the full details, check out the website or the bottom of the post.
---
Plot Vs Character by Gordy Hoffman
I once told a writer they were lying. It sounded very much like I was calling them a liar. But I was actually talking about a screenplay they wrote. I often make the mistake of thinking someone is talking about me when they’re talking about my work, which is not my person.
They had left out a very important event of the plot. They had left out a goodbye scene, a moment where a family might never see one again. Do we show every time a character ties a shoelace? No, as it’s not important to the story. So what’s not on the page is inherently unnecessary. Leaving out the important is not truthful.
So how do I know what to put in and what to leave out? What are the necessary pieces of the story? What are the crucial, non-negotiable moments of my plot?
Our characters will tell us. More specifically, our honesty with them.
Does this sound touchy feely? Have you one eye for the exit suddenly? Well, I’m happy to say any discomfort you may feel is where you will continue to develop as a writer, as this is a touchy feely business. The perfectly ordered rhythm and pitch of an engaging plot is founded on how honest a writer is about how their characters behave. How do I become an expert on what a character might do or say in my movie?
I have to admit and continue to admit that screenwriting is an intimate action. I have to cultivate an opinion, a thought, a guess, on what people feel at any second of their lives, and I need to imagine what actions or words might come of those feelings. So I am thinking about people and their emotions, actually, I hope, every time I sit down and write.
The more specific I am, the more honest. How can I be this specific? What do I know about shipbuilding? We’re not talking about shipbuilding. We’re talking about human emotion. What do you know about that? I’m sure there’s a Wikipedia entry, but I suggest you provide your own expertise: you.
By investing your own research as a human being in life, we can create honest actions and words for our characters. Not only will the plot make sense, not only will your story be credible, the audience might actually identify with your characters. Your movie could be compelling.
Do you remember the last time you saw someone before they died? Have you ever said goodbye, knowing it might be the last time? Would this be left out?
Tell the truth.
---
Workshop Details
THE BLUECAT SCREENWRITING WORKSHOPS
LONDON - August 12-17, 2008
Birkbeck, University of London
Malet Street, Bloomsbury
London WC1E 7HX
REGISTER NOW
Gordy Hoffman, the award-winning writer/director (LOVE LIZA, A COAT OF SNOW), USC School of Cinematic Arts Adjunct Professor and founder of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition, will travel to the UK this August to lead a week of screenwriting workshops at Birkbeck College, University of London.
The creative principles of the workshops were borne out of over a decade of experience of judging the only major script competition in the world helmed by a produced screenwriter, a writer who continues to write today.
The BlueCat workshops help the writer develop the authentic, original voice behind every story that impacts the emotions of the audience, the essence of all commercially and artistically successful films.
If you care passionately about your script and story, this week will provide the tools to transform your commitment and concern into a compelling film.
THE ART OF SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP (two day workshop)
09:00 – 17:00 on August 16, 17 in room B35 Malet Street
Cost: £150
The screenplay is creative writing. It is imagination in action, the heart of every experience of the writer speaking truthfully and generously.
Writing creatively for the screen has no method, no formula, no rigid worksheets to comply with or enforceable rules hanging on a wall somewhere. Every conformity or formula determined and “discovered” by the screenwriting establishment can be blown apart by some of our most beloved movies.
But what cannot be argued away is that every classic movie we love has affected us emotionally.
This is always true.
There are principles of authentic storytelling. Yes. But these are not learned, but remembered from our own experiences of living our lives. The ability to tell a story lies inside every human being.
These questions, among others, will be examined at length at the workshop:
* What makes for a robust idea for a feature length film? How should I consider this idea? Where do ideas come from? What is planning vs. imagination?
* What are the various approaches to the first draft? Does an outline hurt or help? What is the true value of research? Can I just start writing now?
* What is the tone of rewriting? What are the goals of revision? What are the tools of de-constructing your first draft? How many rewrites is healthy?
* How does dialogue affect my audience connection? When is dialogue not cinematic? How does dialogue improve?
* How does description hurt your ending? Does description help an audience care about characters?
* Do all characters have a genuine place in my story? Can I write about people I hate? Can I write about things I imagine and never do? Does that mean I’m not "writing what I know"?
* Who is qualified to give me feedback? Are some notes simply worthless? What does praise for my work do?
* When do I become a screenwriter? Can I make movies where I live? How do I find the real film industry and make relationships?
* Are there other reasons why I’m stuck? How do writers write on a daily basis? How do I trouble shoot when I'm drawing a blank? Why do I get bored?
* Why is pitching my movie important? Do I have to be good with pitching? When does a pitch work?
* What does the personal voice have to do with box office grosses? What is my audience and how smart can I be? How will the audience identify with my own life experience?
Writers will engage in writing and pitching exercises designed to flesh out new ideas or rework existing scripts. Please bring your laptops and/or paper and pen.
If each person is indeed unique, it follows simply that each writer is unlike any other, and can write a story no one else on Earth can. This purpose is the mission of this workshop.
THE TEN PAGE WORKSHOP (limit 5 writers per day)
18:30 – 23:00 on August 12, 13, 14 in room 629 Malet Street
Cost: £125
These workshops will consist of 5 writers each submitting ten pages of a work in progress in advance. We will go over each work individually, discussing the specific, unique challenges each writer is facing on the page. This discussion will include the technical aspects of description and dialogue, the depth and reality of the characters, and how the ten pages reflect where the entire story goes.
The intimate, focused interaction with fellow writers in the workshop will provide all with a greater understanding of the work that lies ahead on their screenplay, and more importantly, a detailed sense of how they might develop as writers themselves.
18:30 – 23:00 on August 12
Cost: £125 SOLD OUT
18:30 – 23:00 on August 13
Cost: £125
18:30 – 23:00 on August 14
Cost: £125
Minggu, 03 Agustus 2008
Mid-Year Market Retort
We suffered whiplash throughout July as our attention was directed from one bit of bad financial news to the next. Whew! We're glad we're heading into the Dog Days of August. We'll be getting back to fresh listings soon. First, though, an overdue post, as we review what's sold and what's been "adjusted," revisiting houses we've recently covered on Real C'ville - The Bubble Blog. If RE was
Jumat, 01 Agustus 2008
Real C'ville - The Bubble Blog
New Here? This post is about Real C'ville - The Bubble Blog.
It will be periodically updated to reflect new information, the changing economy, and the addition of links others might find interesting and/or useful. A link to this post will remain in our sidebar.
What Is This Blog?
We say what a lot of people are thinking: "You want what for that?"
We are the local aggregator of C'ville/
It will be periodically updated to reflect new information, the changing economy, and the addition of links others might find interesting and/or useful. A link to this post will remain in our sidebar.
What Is This Blog?
We say what a lot of people are thinking: "You want what for that?"
We are the local aggregator of C'ville/
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)