From ‘Argo’ to ‘Zodiac’ and everything in Between #atozchallenge

Today, 13 men and women (including myself) released an opportunity for those of you who are bloggers, to build your readership and find new blogs to follow. Signups for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge – April 2013 are now open at a blog near you!

Arlee Bird at Tossing it Out created this challenge in 2010, to celebrate a milestone for his blog.

Now in its fourth year, the list of A to Z Challenge participants continues to grow – over 1,700 bloggers participated last year. The rules are simple: On April 1^st, post about something that starts with the letter A. On April 2^nd, post about something that begins with Letter B, and so on. You get Sundays off.

The A to Z Challenge is rated G for General Audiences including bloggers, so you can participate no matter what blogging style you have; Everyone is welcome.* Some participants freestyle their posts, going with a random topic for each letter. Other folks go with a theme to tie all their blog posts together. Do whatever (spontaneous or thematic) fits your style.

Your ticket to this alphabetical blogging extravaganza is just a linky list away. Sign up on the list below, grab a badge from my A to Z page in the navigation menu above, check out my fellow co-hosts and get ready to flex your blogging muscles. April will be here faster than you can yell “Action!”

Don’t freak out about having to visit everyone during the challenge. All we ask is that you visit five (5) new blogs a day, starting with the one after yours on the list. At that rate, you’ll have met at least 150 new bloggers by the end of the month. Check the Blogging from A to Z Challenge – April 2013 website for more information, answers to your questions, tips and tricks on participating, introductions to your co-hosts and related goodies to get you ready for the blogathon in April!

This year, we added a new feature for the signup process: Categories! You can pick ONE of our 22 categories for your blog when signing up. It is a completely Optional feature, so it is not required for you to do so. Choose one or choose none. It's all up to you. If you do decide to pick a category, adding the category code after your name/blog name while signing up on the linky list:

e.g. Damyanti Biswas - Amlokiblogs (WR)

HERE ARE THE CATEGORIES:

1. WRITING :                          (WR)

2. BOOKS:                              (BO)

3. FILM :                                  (FM)

4. PHOTOGRAPHY:               (PH)

5. GARDENING:                     (GR)

6. CRAFT:                               (CR)

7. ART:                                    (AR)

8. MUSIC:                               (MU)

9. CULINARY:                         (CU)

10. LIFESTYLE:                      (LI )  

11. FASHION:                          (FA)

12. PERSONAL:                      (PR)

13. SOCIAL MEDIA:                (SO)

14. GAMING:                           (GA)

15. EDUCATION :                    (ED)

16. POLITICS:                          (PO)

17. HISTORY:                           (HI)

18. SCIENCE:                          (SC)

19. HUMOR:                             (HU)

20. TRAVEL:                             (TR)

21. MISCELLANEOUS:            (MI)

22. ADULT CONTENT:             (AC)

Now, let’s cut to the scene where you Sign Up Here…

Please sign up carefully using your correct blog address that leads to your home page and not to a specific post.

*If your blog contains adult content, you need to post a warning that indicates it as such. Thanks for your understanding.

**PLEASE READ Sign-Up Intstructions carefully first, before signing up for the challenge! -- especially where categories are concerned. Categories cannot be added once you signup and Categories cannot be changed either. 

So long for being in a Jude Law State of Mind - Case of the Never Ending Screenplay, Part 3 #indiefilm #amwriting

What follows is the third and final installment in a series of Jude Law quotes that I’ve kept in mind while trying to find the right motivations for getting to the final draft stage of a short screenplay that has often been a pain in my rear, for several weeks. The first (Part 1) and second (Part 2) posts containing my script writing notes may be of interest those of you who missed them.

“I don't want to do anything that I'm not passionate about.” - Jude Law

All I could think when reading this is that it applies to so many aspects of life, not just filmmaking. In fact, this particular Jude Law quote reminds me of my blog post about Russian Roulette and how we gamble with our lives in some respects but avoid taking chances at all costs when it comes to other areas of our existence that really matter the most. Bottom line: Put your energy into the activities, objects, subjects, people, places, experiences, etc. that you care about and let the rest move over to the sidelines.

In the case of my script, I suppose I need to hone in on what I’m really trying to say with this particular short story -- what is the message? Why do I care about it? How can I make the characters convey this message? These are the questions that I should really have an answer to before calling “Action!” or else it will turn into another project that I look at and think “Eh! I finished it *Shrugs shoulders* so, what’s next?” -- and I surely don’t want any parts of that.

Since January, I’ve had moments where I felt like I just wanted to shoot the darn thing and get it over with so I could move on to the next project. That is NOT the best kind of motivation that should make anyone do anything, no matter if it involves making films, babysitting someone’s kid, attending a family reunion, buying a house, going to work at a job you hate or whatever the case may be. If we’re already looking for the exit door or closing performance before we enter a room, then maybe that’s a sign that we shouldn’t be there in the first place.

In the case of this short film script that I’m trying not to fling out of the window, the final draft hasn’t even been completed yet and I’ve already started hearing the fat lady sing. So, I’m hoping that this newfound enthusiasm for the third storyline that I’m embarking on remains all the way through the entire screenwriting process. Or else, it may be time for me to just put this thing on the shelf and go forward with the feature film that sparked my paranoia for the habitual film industry dream crusher that is 10-year development. 

Still in a Jude Law State of Mind - Case of The Never Ending Screenplay Part 2 #amwriting #indiefilm

“I only want to do the kind of work that I would like to go and see, that's going to teach me something new, that involves working with people I can learn something from and I can give something to.” - Jude Law

I do believe that actors, directors, screenwriters, composers, etc. should experience some level of growth with each film that they make. So, I agree with Jude Law’s views on working on projects where he’ll learn something new. It’s also worth noting how great it is that he chooses movie roles that he would support himself, as a moviegoer. Like giving rave reviews for a product that I either don’t like or wouldn’t use, writing a script that I wouldn’t want to watch play out on screen defeats the whole purpose of trying to make films that are seen by more people than my parents.

If I’m going to go as far as producing a screenplay, then I might as well write one that I would go check out, if it were written by someone else. I’ve done this often when deciding on whether to support certain charities and figuring out if I should pursue certain documentary subjects -- If the answer is no, it’s because I often thought “I wouldn’t watch this if it was on TV and I wouldn’t care about what the people featured in it had to say, so I’m not making a documentary about....” -- so, the same should apply at the script stage.

Check out Part 3, the final installment in a line of Jude Law quotes that have me thinking about how to approach this short screenplay that I’ve been trying to complete. Or, read Part 1 of my recent script writing notes, if you missed it.

What is the most important aspect of a movie that makes YOU like it or hate it? Is the Plot a factor? Actors? Relational aspects to your life/beliefs/experiences? Production Value? Subject matter (heroes; crime; love; war; underdogs; fantasy; babies, etc.)? or something else?