Bailout Vote Results - Graphic Presentation

The NYT has a color-coded map showing how the Bailout vote went yesterday.Will the Senate still vote on Wednesday? Will there be a re-vote in the House?To contact your Senator via phone/fax/email, find the information here.To contact your Representative via phone/fax/email, find the information here.

HOUSE REJECTS BAILOUT - STOCKS PLUNGE

CNN: Largest stock point drop in history: -777.68.Dow off 7%, NASDAQ off 7%S&P 500 off 8.75%: Investments, mutual funds, 401(k)s. People who have retirement plans invested with the market will lose money because of this drop, and continuing drops until the market "stabilizes."How the Bailout failed.Vote: Yea: 205, Nay 228. D: 140Y/95N. R: 65Y/133N. Here's the Rollcall.House Republicans

1404 Westwood Road - Foreclosure - Was $315K, Now $278.9K

"The Housing correction will continue...and the impact of this credit crisis will be felt on our economy for some time," President Bush said this morning, when urging Congress to pass the Bailout as a start to reshaping the American Financial system.Perhaps Comrade Paulson will authorize a purchase of 1404 Westwood Road, and millions like it, next week? It's been dragging down this bank's

"Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" - Draft Proposal for Housing Bailout

The draft proposal for the Bailout is available as a pdf here.Many reasonable people feel this bill still gives too much unfettered power to Secretary of the Treasury Comrade Paulson, who will become Dictator Paulson. Additionally, it uses too much of taxpayers' money. It "rescues" Wall Street supposedly for the benefit of "Main Street." However, there's not enough financial penalty for the

What Makes People Vote...A Particular Way?

We're taking a Sunday break from our usual topics, the housing bubble and credit crisis.It's a good time for a pause. To recap, Thursday p.m. brought the Largest Bank Failure Ever when Washington Mutual tanked, Friday a.m. saw Congress fail to reach consensus on a Housing Bailout Plan, and Friday p.m. brought the First Presidential Debate.By tomorrow, Monday a.m., a Bailout plan could be reached

Q&A: James Watkins

The name may not be over-familiar to you but James Watkins has been a rising star on the UK screenwriting scene over the last few years. When I used to read for Working Title, I came across James's development scripts fairly regularly and was always impressed by his lean prose, his stylish storytelling and compelling characters, giving me a bad case of writer's envy.

He got his first credit on My Little Eye back in 2002, and went on to write the tense backpack thriller Gone a couple of years ago. He's established himself as a stylish genre writer to rival any of our slick American counterparts. It is no great surprise then that he has made such an assured debut as writer/director with Eden Lake (currently on release), a white knuckle horror/thriller that even the Daily Mail can love! Want to know more about they guy? Read on...

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Congratulations on Eden Lake. For those who may be unaware of the film, what’s the pitch?

It’s a brutal survival thriller that pits a young weekending couple against a gang of kids…

I’m more interested in producers/financiers listening to the story than glib one-line pitches- but I was amused to read in the trades that they were pitching it in America as ‘Straw Dogs meets Stand By Me.’

Where did you get the idea from?

I wrote it three years ago, way before the current media feeding frenzy about youth crime. There was no specific inspiration, but I had a sense that there was an interesting generational conflict- a powder keg of adults fearing children, cycles of violence- that could be explored in the context of a thriller…

How long did it take to write the script?

After a lot of thought, I wrote the first draft in two or three weeks. But then there were two years of refining and improving. It’s the thinking that takes time, not the writing…

What was the development process like?

Development was a joy- I’d advise anyone who can: work with Christian Colson. He’s a wonderfully smart and supportive producer- you can’t ask for more. As part of the process Christian financed two short films. Primarily, these were development tools, enabling us to refine ideas in the story, see how they translated from page to screen. But they were also a great opportunity to cut my directing teeth and bed in a crew. Lastly, they were fantastically helpful with funding: when you take a script to a financier and they like it, the first thing they ask is: great, so who’s directing it? The producer coughs and replies: it’s the writer. Long silence, pained wincing. So here we were able to hand over a DVD and say: here, watch this…

What were the biggest challenges you faced as a debut writer/director?

The technical aspects of film-making can be easily understood and are great fun. As Orson Welles says, it’s a big train set. Working with actors was the newest thing for me and my actors were very patient with me. [In pre-production, Christian set up various meetings for me with the great and the good, to garner advice. One well-known playwright gave me the best advice: ‘Don’t cast c**ts.’ I heeded his advice and thank him to this day.] As a writer, however, it’s important to remember that you have an immediate affinity with actors: unlike a great many commercials directors who think about the shot, you think about motivation. Just as actors.

What was the biggest thing you learned as a director?

To trust your instincts. There’s too much mystification of the process and game-playing directors are particularly guilty of this. It’s bullshit. Hiding their insecurities behind talk of shots and lenses and stocks. These are all important, but only as they serve story. What matters is story. As a writer, I’d seen enough directors who forgot that…

Has it affected the way you approach your writing?

Massively. I write now much more with a mind to how actors will read. Which is akin to how an audience will watch- they care about characters. For me, it’s all character. Also, I’m more careful about writing EXT. LOCATION – NIGHT. Because that will mean it’s me in wet-weather gear on a freezing night shoot!

Would you recommend that more writers become writer/directors, or try to get more involved/take control of their work?

If you have an appetite for it. It depends on the writer. It’s very different sitting alone at your desk to standing in a field with seventy people asking you what to do. Some writers communicate brilliantly through their writing, but less well in person. Having said that, if you want to do it, don’t be intimidated. Directing is an act of interpretation. Writing is an act of creation. The blank page is far more terrifying than anything the director has to face.

What’s your take on script gurus like McKee, Field, Vogler etc?

I like Vogler. The hero’s journey guy. Fundamentally, they're all Aristotle’s Poetics. Three act structure. Surprise and inevitability. Everything else is padding. I think ‘the negation of the negation’ is a very unfortunate expression. Manuals are like maps: they can help you where you’re going, but can’t teach you how to drive.

What’s your background?

I started out as a runner, in development and then on the production floor. At the same time, I was a script reader for Miramax, FilmFour, British Screen. Then David Heyman came over to be Warner Bros’s eyes and ears in the UK- although I can’t claim any credit at all for finding Harry Potter. I was the idiot in the office… At about the same time, a short film I wrote got me in the door at Working Title and I wrote exclusively for them for several years- which was a wonderful place to learn.

What would you consider to be your first break into the biz?

Working for Stephen Woolley as a runner- then the director Mike Radford’s American assistant didn’t get through UK customs and I got his job!

Who are your influences?

I’m not sure you’re always conscious of your influences. Or, if you are consciously influenced, then that is a dangerous thing. As Bob Dylan says, ‘you are what you eat.’ So all the films I’ve ever watched. And books. And art. And experiences.

Would you like to do TV?

Absolutely- but hopefully not as a gun-for-hire, but someone able to maintain a voice.

Any advice for budding screenwriters?
Write, write, write. As Beckett has it, ‘fail better.’ Everything gets better with work.

What’s next for James Watkins?
I’m working on a period ghost story and a contemporary thriller. But, next time, something with more consolation, more tenderness…

Thanks a million, James!

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If you haven't seen Eden Lake yet, get thee to a cinema post-haste.

Did CAAR CEO Dave Phillips Mean the Fundamentals Are Strong?

President Bush addressed the United States at 9 pm on Wednesday night, in a further attempt to prevent the credit markets from freezing and causing additional global financial turmoil."Our entire economy is in danger," President Bush said.Bush urged the American people and lawmakers to support his administration’s bailout plan, saying that a failure to do so could plunge the United States into “a

Daily Progress: Home Prices & Sales Declining in Charlottesville/Albemarle: Supply v. Demand

The Daily Progress reports "Area's Housing Market Remains Cool." Their assessment? "A bit hellish."The majority of information and quotes come from the President of CAAR, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Area Association of Realtors, Dave Phillips.From the article: "In 2009...the region’s housing inventory will continue its gradual shift down to a more balanced level." The area currently has

FBI Investigating; Congress Questioning Bailout

*WSJ: FBI Probes Companies at Center of Crisis"The Federal Bureau of Investigation's preliminary inquiries are focusing on whether fraud helped cause some of the troubles at Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and American International Group Inc., according to senior law-enforcement officials."Lehman was allowed to go into bankruptcy, while F & F were bailed out on September 8

The Bailouts: Some Quick References

Hello, Comrades. Here are some links explaining what happened on last week, when the responsibility for the greed and bad financial decisionmaking of some was suddenly Socialized and given to us all."The Week That Changed American Capitalism," here. Barry Ritholtz's The Big Picture explains via graphics what-the-eff happened last week."Bubblenomics," here. Economics writer David Leonhardt

Local Economy: Consumers Cutting Back

The DP reports that the nation-wide recession has finally hit Charlottesville:*Only 760 house sold in Charlottesville and Albemarle during the first six months of 2008 — the lowest number in at least seven years, according to a mid-year report by the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors.*Motor vehicle and parts sales during the first half of 2008 fell by 4.2 percent when compared with the

Dodd & Shelby of Senate Banking Committe Discuss Bailout: "One Trillion"

Here's the Video of Senators Chris Dodd (D - Ct) and Richard Shelby (R - Al) on Good Morning America, as they discuss the gigantic bailout of the U.S. Financial system.As of today, bailouts or special facilities have been created for these entities:- Bear Stearns- Economic Stimulus progam- Bad Mortgage Bailout Program- Fannie & Freddie- AIG- "No More Short Selling" rules- Fed liquidity programs

The 3, ok maybe 6, Stages of Feedback

Feedback is a bitch, isn’t it? Not feedback from your peers, although than can be quite thorny at times, but actual official notes about a commissioned piece of work. That’s the real kicker, right? Well, yes and no. Recently, I have noticed that there are three main stages of the note receiving process. Let’s give them a run down. (Photo dramatisation kindly provided by Mr Jason Arnopp).

1. Panic



You worked hard on your script and handed it in on time, feeling good that it was a smoking first draft. But you haven’t heard anything in weeks. You begin to worry. An email arrives, finally, and it’s notes from the script editor. You click on the attachment and open the file. Your stomach churns, hoping to see only minor comments but you scroll down the screen to see pages of notes, all critical of what you’ve done. You fail to see the sugar coated or positive remarks, while the negative and critical notes stand out in bold and in capitals, or so it seems. You panic! They hate it. They think you’re rubbish. You are rubbish! You’re never going to work again!

2. Resentment/Anger


A short time later, you cast your eye over the notes with a more even mind. You realise the notes are moronic. The feedback contradicts everything they specifically asked you to do in the previous email/phone call/outline discussion. Y’know, the bits that you were trying to make work to keep them happy. They’re fools. They know nothing. Your work is brilliant. The notes are rubbish. This script editor will clearly never work again.

3. Acceptance


The next day, a fresh read of the notes reveals a more subtle understanding of the script than you previously thought. While some of the feedback is still annoying and irrelevant, that note about the main character isn’t bad, and that suggestion to move the scene on p12 to p2 could work. Yes, you begin to see some sense in the feedback. There’s actually some useful comments in there (as well as positive ones), and you are forced to admit that yep, they’ve got a point. You still take issue with certain aspects of the feedback but you’ll go through that with the script editor when you see him or when he calls to talk you through the notes.

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Never, EVER, send a defensive email of your work in response to the feedback. The tone of a disgruntled email always sounds ten times worse than it actually is, even if you’re trying to be entirely reasonable about the whole thing. You will always look like a petulant prick who doesn’t really understand the process, or you will be regarded as an over-sensitive hack who needs his hand held all the way.

And so, there are two, no hold on, three, yes three, important addendums to the main stages of feedback.

4. Discussion


Wait to speak to the script editor/exec in person, or, more commonly, on the phone. All those defensive points you feel are important can be explained far more informally and casually on the phone/in person than in email. The script editor in turn will give their reasons for their notes, and the whole process becomes a more positive collaboration.

5. Rewriting


Now you know the good notes from the bad, and you have a better understanding of their point-of-view. You’ve fought hard for the points you felt were most important to cling on to, and conceded defeat to some niggling issues that the script editor didn’t feel were strong enough (despite whatever justification you had). With this newfound sense of knowledge and understanding, you set out to rewrite the script according to the notes, confident of making the script even better than before.

(6. Reward)


(In appreciation of your fine understanding and collaboration, they send TV's James Moran around to give you a kiss.)


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Of course, this is just the ideal scenario. You could be rewriting with total disagreement of where the exec thinks the script needs to go but the next draft is needed by Tuesday, so you just have to get it done. Hey, welcome to showbiz.

1516 Chesapeake Street - $525K. Woolen Mills is the New Belmont. Again.

1516 Chesapeake Street MLS 457236 4 beds 3.5 baths,approx. 1 acreca. 1998Here's a contemporary house that from the outside is supposed to give the feel of an older, traditional house.The listing for 1516 Chesapeake Street says, "Amazing views from this CIty [sic] home...." The view includes a graveyard across the street. Hey, has to be your thing, right? Listing: "Almost an acre lot with lots

The Socialization of Wall Street Continues: "US Plans to Clean Up Finance System...."

The WSJ reports:The Federal government is planning a sweeping series of programs/rescues/bailouts that would represent the biggest intervention in financial markets since the 1930s:"At the center of the potential plan is a mechanism that would take bad assets off the balance sheets of financial companies, according to people familiar with the matter, a device that echoes similar moves taken in

What Does the Wall Street Crisis Mean For Your Money? For Housing?

We've come across two very clear explanations of this crisis, with some answers to how it happened and what it can mean for your own finances.The first is from the NYTimes Freakonomics blog, which is always linked in our sidebar. The usual Freaks called in some finance experts, Doug Diamond and Anil Kashyap, to write a guest post. Among the questions they address are "What happened that is so

US Financials Gets More Socialized Every Day. But Housing Crisis Could Worsen if AIG Allowed to Fail.

What used to be gigantic private financial institutions are now funded by taxpayers. Wait--wait--isn't the reason that healthcare isn't socialized--because it's too expensive?In the past 10 days, the Federal Government has bailed out Giant Mortgage Losers Fannie & Freddie; Tuesday night, the Treasury and the Fed agreed to bailout A.I.G.They had no choice, according to NYT:"What frightened Fed

What Does the Wall Street Crisis Mean to Americans? Does McCain Know? Does Obama?

Treasury Secretary Hank I'm-Sorry-I-Ever-Left-Goldman Paulson has now clearly positioned himself as Leader of Our Country. Surely he turned a shoulder on Lehman Brothers this past weekend, which forced them into bankruptcy, because he foresaw that A.I.G., the largest insurer in the world, would need to be rescued by the federal government.And tomorrow, we'll hear more about Money Market Funds

What Does the Wall Street Crisis Mean For Housing?

Not this.

Dean of UVa's B School, Robert Bruner, On the Wall Street Crisis

Floyd Norris, Chief Financial Correspondent for The NY Times, is Live Blogging from Wall Street about the current crises facing Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and A.I.G.His 10:20 a.m. post quotes our own Robert Bruner, Dean of University of Virginia's Darden School of Business (Dean Bruner is himself a blogger; see link below).Norris writes:Robert Bruner, the dean of the Business School at the

How Many Scenes?

The deadline for this year’s Red Planet Prize is looming and no doubt a lot of you are tweaking and tuning your ten pagers to Oscar winning standards. I got an email recently which asked: “how many scenes do you think should go into the first 10 pages of a pilot? One scene is probably too few, and six probably too many. I suppose my dilemma, in a multi-stranded series pilot, is how to give a feel for the depth and complexity for what is to follow, particularly to a competition reader. If I knew someone might be reading the whole script, I would probably be more relaxed about those first 10 - I would want to catch their attention, but not give them too much too soon.”

Good question. There is, of course, no set answer. A script starts and unfolds as it needs to, and uses as many scenes as necessary. However, if you examined the first ten pages of a wide variety of scripts, a safe average of somewhere between 4 and 8 scenes would probably emerge (I checked one of my hour long specs, and it had 4 scenes in the first ten pages). One scene is probably too few, unless the premise/situation justified such a lengthy opening (My Zinc Bed opened with a montage of Paddy Considine getting up & getting ready - sigh now - before settling down to chat with Jonathan Pryce, quite a long scene but if you’re not David Hare, then you might not get away with it).

The best thing to do is not to ask yourself ‘how many scenes in my opening?’ but ‘what kind of pace and tone do I want to establish?’, ‘who are the characters that I want to introduce?’ and, probably most importantly, ‘what’s my hook?’ You’ll find the answers to these questions through one ultimate question: ‘what’s the story about?’ and then it’s up to you, the writer, to choose the best way to introduce the audience to the key characters and premise.

A lot of good scripts have a positive energy and purpose in their first ten pages. This might mean an intercutting sequence between the main characters, establishing their situations through humour, interesting visuals or neat dialogue. If this is the case, the number of scenes could go into double figures but probably wouldn’t peak much more than fifteen or so. Use your common sense. Get across what you feel is necessary, and use as many scenes as you like. Don’t, DON’T, follow any pre-conceived rules. If someone has said “there should be only 5 scenes in your opening ten pages” and you follow the rule, it might be completely inappropriate for what you wanted to convey. Go with your gut. Establish the pace, tone and hook. If that comes across well, who cares how many scenes it took?

Another question: “do you have a view on the final line of a scene. Is it ok to end on dialogue, or should you end on action?”

It’s perfectly fine to end a scene with dialogue and not follow it with a line of action. This is especially useful if you want to bridge one scene to the next. For example, in episode one of series two of Battlestar Galactica, Colonel Tigh is talking to his wife about how the Galactica is Bill Adama’s ship. It goes something like this:-

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INT. TIGH’S QUARTERS. DAY

Tigh gets agitated as he explains things to his wife.

TIGH
This is Bill Adama’s ship -

INT. CIC. DAY

TIGH
- It’s still under his command.

Tigh has gone from talking to his wife to briefing his worried staff.

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That’s just me paraphrasing the scene and what the script may look like, but you get the picture. But even if you’re not bridging scenes like this, ending a scene with a line of dialogue is perfectly acceptable. For me, at least.

Lehman & Merrill Lynch: Two of the Most Powerful Firms On Wall Street Gone By Monday

Update 1: NYTimes: "Nations Financial Industry Gripped By Fear" as the market unfolds this week. What banking giant will fail, and how low stocks will go?WSJ: "Crisis on Wall Street as Lehman Totters, Merrill Seeks Buyer, AIG Hunts For Cash. Traders Brace For A Chaotic Monday."Lehman Brothers will file for bankruptcy protection, according to people close to the negotiations, in the largest

Lehman: Barclays Bank Walks Away. Bankruptcy?

By 3pm Sunday afternoon the formerly fourth-largest securities firm Lehman Brothers appeared headed for liquidation, one of the biggest bank failures ever.Bloomberg News reports that a bankruptcy filing could come before Monday:"Banks and brokers today held a session for 'netting' derivatives transactions with Lehman, or canceling trades that offset each other, in case the New York-based firm

What Gets a $750K Asking Price in Charlottesville?

Along the lines of the NYTimes column, "What You Get For...", we're looking at several houses with the same Asking Price.Here's an interesting element of the C'ville/Albemarle Post-Bubble Market: the seeming ability of sellers to Pick An Asking Price Out Of A Hat. There're conflicting ideas, we've noticed, about what constitutes a $300K house, a $500K house, and so forth. This isn't verified by

WaMu Fesses Up & Cut to "Junk"

Washington Mutual has provided a press release on its expectations for its third quarter performance to allay investors' fears...not likely to work.Tanking, and tanking hard.-------From Reuters: "Investors are worried that Chief Executive Alan Fishman, who replaced the ousted Kerry Killinger this week, might fail to raise sufficient capital to cover mortgage losses that the thrift has said could

Lehman Selling Itself By Sunday; WaMu Continues Plummeting

Yesterday, Lehman Brothers. released its Third Quarter report early in an effort to reassure investors and save itself.Didn't work. Today the bank's shares fell another 41%. Tonight they're looking for a buyer. Chair Richard Fuld is in talks with Barclay's Bank of Britain, as well as Bank of America. Uh Oh.Fuld is also a Director at the New York Fed, and he's seeking assurances that any sale

Q: Who's Cutting Asking Prices? A: NBA All-Stars

Allen Iverson, the NBA All-Star Guard from the Denver Nuggets, and Rasheed Wallace, the Detroit Pistons' All-Star Forward, have both cut the Asking Prices of the houses they currently have on the market, reports the Private Properties column of the WSJ.Allen Iverson has cut his price by 37%. It's a six-bedroom, 14,ooo sq. ft. house in Villanova, PA, about 20 miles from Philadelphia. Iverson

$3.9 Billion Loss for Lehman Bros. In Expected Third Quarter Results

Lehman Brothers' stock lost 45% of its value on Monday, after talks fell through with a Korean Bank, for purchase and infusion of capital. In an effort to keep some sort of perceived value for the company, they will reveal their expected Q3 earnings today, rather than later this month.The PDF, entitled LEHMAN BROTHERS ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY THIRD QUARTER RESULTS AND STRATEGIC RESTRUCTURING is

Who Will Fail First? Lehman or WaMu?

In July, IndyMac became one of the larget banks ever to fail. Since then, there have been several smaller banks to go under as well.But now everybody awaits the collapse of a couple more biggies. Who will fail first? Lehman or WaMu?As mere bubblers even we knew before it happened that the announcement of a Fan/Fred bailout was imminent back in July. About two weeks before Labor Day, we

What Does Fan/Fred Takeover Mean for Mortgage Rates? And for Whom?

What does the Fan & Fred takeover mean for current mortgage holders, and what can it mean for prospective buyers?Rates should go down: "The average interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dropped 0.3 of a percentage point to 6.04 on Monday, according to HSH Associates, and are expected to decline a little more in the coming weeks."Why? Because the government has now taken on the "risk"

The Art of Being Pushy

PK: Have you ever come across any odd ways that people have gotten their scripts out there? I once read an article by a film critic who interviewed Al Pacino, and at the end, Pacino said: "So whaddya got for me?" The journo was a bit confused, and Pacino explained that it was common practice for journos to hand, not just him, but almost every other movie star a script after an interview. Where do you draw the line between professionalism, desperation and pushiness?

Approaching someone famous, or someone of influence, is always tricky, especially if it’s to pitch yourself or your latest script. You don’t want to piss them off and you don’t want to appear desperate or pushy. And if you’re struck dumb with nerves or shyness, then summoning up the courage to approach the star or director can be so overwhelming that anything you do say ends up as stuttering gibberish.

In his book, Hollywood Animal, Joe Ezsterhas shares an anecdote about a film critic who tried to blackmail the director Alan J Pakula into reading and developing his script, otherwise he would pan his latest film. Ezsterhas also mentions that critics offering actors/directors their scripts is a common occurrence.

And who would blame them? It’s an ideal opportunity, after all. You’re face-to-face with a leading Hollywood star/director, why wouldn’t you try to take advantage? But it’s got to be done right, right? You don’t want to be an obvious slimeball like the Pakula critic, do you? No, I would imagine if you were polite and contrite, and possibly even a bit charming (or made a good pitch!), then the person would happily agree to read your script (they may be brushing you off but if the script gets good coverage from their readers/assistants, who knows?!).

As a newbie writer, you’ve got to hustle and network as much as possible. You never know where an introduction might lead, and it is valuable ‘face time’ rather than disposable ‘email time’ that makes the ultimate impression. For the most part, industry folk are open to people coming up and saying ‘hello’. They know what it’s like (they were starting out once, too), and they don’t want to appear like a jerk. While in Cannes to promote ‘How To Lose Friends and Alienate People’, Toby Young admitted that he reacted irritably when someone came up to ask Simon Pegg if he would read their script. Simon Pegg was a bit more open, and told the person to send it to his agent, leaving Toby Young feeling like a jerk who had let fame get to his head.

Andrew Collins recently approached Ben Kingsley at a screening of his latest film. Andrew wasn’t pitching anything or trying to persuade Sir Ben to read a script, he just wanted to say ‘hello’, and he managed to have a polite, if brief, chat. That’s the way it’s done. Honest and polite, and not taking up more time than you or the star/director/producer needs.

At the Screenwriters’ Festival, I very much admired Tim Clague’s method of spreading himself around the room. He boldly approached anyone and everyone with his business card, briefly explaining who he was and to visit his website. Tim did this with an easy charm and affable good humour. My absolute favourite was when he interrupted Julian Fellowes, who was chatting to someone at a table. To paraphrase the mighty Claguester: “Hi. Tim Clague. Bafta nominated writer. Check out the website. New ideas, new structures.” I was across the room, watching Julian Fellowes’ reaction. He smiled, took Tim’s card and exclaimed: “We’ll go there!” which has become a new favourite catchphrase.

In Blake Snyder’s “Save The Cat” (I’m full of references today), he talks about unique ways of marketing yourself and your script so that you have a better chance of standing out from the crowd. He admits that some of these are a bit gimmicky (he once packaged a script about ‘nuclear’ superheroes into a faux-radioactive unit) but some of them have worked, and anything that helps to mark you out as ‘one to watch’ has got to be worth a shot.

But it’s tricky. You’ve got to weigh up the moment and decide if you should make your move, or just let it slide. After a while, you’ll see other people approaching stars/influential people. You’ll cringe, not out of embarrassment but because you’ll recognise that you’ve done the exact same thing at least once in your networking endeavours. You’ll notice the nervous edge, the willingness to appear friendly or ingratiating, when basically the newbie is hoping that the person they’re hustling will advance their career in some way. But this is okay. It’s par for the course, it has to be done. It should be done. But don’t cross the line. Always be polite and always thank them for their time.

Put yourself in their shoes. If someone’s on their way to dinner or is having a drink with their husband, you don’t want to corner them into an awkward pitch. Pick the right moment and then make your move. Try to come across as relaxed and assured rather than nervous and desperate. Give a brief intro of yourself and explain why you’re saying ‘hello’. If it’s just to say you’re a fan, then say it and get out. If you’ve a project to pitch, mention it, don’t pitch it, unless the person agrees to hearing all about it. “Can I get my agent to send it to you?” “I have a copy right here if you’d prefer.” “I don’t want to take up too much of your time but…” The bottom line is be polite, friendly and courteous.

Henry Paulson Doesn't Have All the Answers

Here's Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on MSNBC - Being asked, but not having the answers to, the "hard questions," such as "What will this cost the taxpayers?" Not even a vague guesstimate.And as for timing? Claims that the takeover coming after the Republican National Convention is coincidental, and that the takeover coming as far away as possible from the election is just...coincidence.

Fed Takeover: What It Means For Americans

What the Takeover Means for Americans, according to Hank Paulson's Statement on Fan & Fred takeover:"And let me make clear what today's actions mean for Americans and their families. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are so large and so interwoven in our financial system that a failure of either of them would cause great turmoil in our financial markets here at home and around the globe. This turmoil

Treasury Announces Fannie & Freddie Plan

"Treasury and Federal Housing Finance Agency Action to Protect Financial Markets and Taxpayers"PDFs:Paulson Remarks on Housing and Government Sponsored Enterprise ActionsFHFA Director Lockhart Remarks on Housing GSE ActionsFact Sheet: FHFA ConservatorshipFact Sheet: Treasury Preferred Stock Purchase AgreementFact Sheet: Treasury Mortgage Backed Securities Purchase ProgramFact Sheet: Treasury GSE

9% of Home "Owners" In Trouble

Late Sunday morning, and we're waiting on Hank I'm Sorry I Ever Left Goldman Sachs Paulson's announcement of that tax payers are now going to infuse giant mortgage losers Fan and Fred with billions of their hard-earned dollars.Meanwhile, more woeful news: a record 9% of home "owners," as of June, are now behind or in foreclosure on their mortgages.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SEIZES CONTROL OF GIANT MORTGAGE LOSERS FANNIE MAE & FREDDIE MAC

From WaPo:Under the plan, the federal government would place the firms in a legal state known as conservatorship, the sources said. The value of the company's common stock would be diluted but not wiped out while the holdings of other securities, including company debt and preferred shares, would be protected by the government.Instead of giving each company a big capital infusion up front, the

C-ville: It's the Visuals

Check out the print edition of the September 2-8 C-ville. Go to page 62. See the green ad in the center? Now read the ad to the right. Interesting juxtaposition of "reality" and "realty."

"Those Are Big 'Ifs'"

LATimes Reporter/Blogger Peter Viles notes,'This graph, courtesy of Credit Suisse, shows the historical ratio of median existing single-family home prices to median family income in the United States. It suggests that, if the previous historical ratio of prices to income is meaningful, and lasting, home prices will continue to decline until late 2009 or early 2010. Those are big "ifs."'He

How Do You Price A House To Sell?

*December 1, 2008. The Cville/Albemarle inventory is currently at 18 months. Nationally, the number is 10 months. We'll update again soon.*OCTOBER 2008: This Post was created before the current credit crisis turned into Bailouts, Bank failures, and a world wide crisis, before the stock market had its worst week ever, before the local offerings had risen to 15 months of inventory.Sellers and

Prime Mortgage Foreclosures Now Exceed Subprime Foreclosures

Major media outlets recently started reporting that mortgage lenders feared another wave of defaults, this time among Prime borrowers--those with good credit.And the July, 2008 figures, the latest available, show that there are now more Prime than Subprime Foreclosures: 105,000. There were "only" 97,000 Subprime Foreclosures in July, 2008.These numbers come from Hope Now, the lenders group put