Sex in a Sub

Gun the engine, pop the clutch and let ‘er go!

Maximum Z action, chase, problem-solving, scenes, screenwriting, script, Sex in a Sub, story, William Martell, writing, YouTube

Ah, the car chase. A film staple. And a fantastic opportunity for the writer to really let their imagination run wild.

Mine started with the short description in the outline “Chase! (2-3 scenes)”.

I knew how it was going to start, and how it was going to end. It was all that stuff in the middle I had to figure out.

Despite the story’s fantasy-like setting, I’ve made a point of trying to keep things as realistic as possible where applicable. This falls into that category.  No crazy cg effects or unbelievable stunts; just simple, basic and peppered with mad driving skills.

“But there’s only so much you can do with a chase scene,” you may think. And in some ways you’d be right, except there are countless ways to make things happen.

Break it down to the simplest elements – somebody’s trying to get away, somebody’s trying to stop them, and there are going to be obstacles in each one’s way.

The challenge is to think up ways for both to go about achieving their goal, as well as what can stop or prevent that from happening.

It’s not just about having a chase just for the hell of it or something that looks cool, but what makes the most sense and what fits in, plot-wise. Is there a way to make it feel it really belongs there and is connected to other parts of the story? If it means adding a little something to a previous scene, so be it.

Need a little inspiration? Go to YouTube and type in ‘car chase in movies’, or check out William Martell’s blog, which always includes a classic chase in the Thursday posts.

Most of all – please, please, please avoid tired cliches like the plate glass window, the fruit cart, the baby carriage and the large construction vehicle.

Devilishly handsome? Sure. But lovely…?

Maximum Z baking, Comedy Film Nerds, comic books, cooking, half-marathons, Julie Gray, Just Effing Entertain Me, Mark Evanier, Mark Sanderson, My Blank Page, New Jersey, running, screenwriting, Sex in a Sub, Sprinting to Fade Out, William Martell, writing ,

One Lovely Blog

You never know who’s reading your stuff.

Such is the case with this blog. All I know about my readers is how many there are and where they’re reading me, geographically speaking.

So it was a very pleasant surprise to get a message from The Novice Screenwriter: “I really enjoy your blog (and might I add your great sense of humor:) and I just wanted to let you know that I have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog award.

In the words of the Cowardly Lion, “Shucks, folks. I’m speechless.”

One of my earlier bosses in radio stressed the importance of PIE. Not the world-changing, life-affirming dessert  (which, granted, is very important), but how your performance should always be Professional, Informative and Entertaining. That’s an acronym I’ve tried to adhere to in all forms of my media output, including this blog, which is why I’m flattered to get this kind of recognition.

And apparently there are rules/guidelines for this as well:

1. Add the “One Lovely Blog” image to your post
2. Share seven things about you
3. Pass the award on to seven nominees
4. Thank the person who nominated you
5. Inform the nominees by posting on their blogs

Thanks to Aarthi at The Novice Screenwriter for the nomination. When somebody tells me they heard me doing traffic on the radio, I always say “It’s nice to know somebody’s listening.” So in this case, it’s nice to know somebody’s reading.

Seven Facts you may or may not know about me:
-I’m the youngest of 5 in a typical Jewish-American family. And by “typical”, I mean there’s a doctor, a lawyer, and the one in showbiz.

-I was born and raised in the great state of New Jersey. The southern half, where there are no accents.

-My wife and I saw HEATHERS on our first date. We’ve been together ever since.

-I really enjoy cooking and baking. One of my specialties is pecan pie from scratch – crust and everything. A friend with strong roots in Georgia was practically orgasmic over it, which must mean something.

-I like to run half-marathons, averaging about 4 a year. My pace is around 9 minutes a mile, with the goal to someday break the 1:55 time limit. The idea of doing a full marathon is intriguing, yet very intimidating.

-I collect comic books, but have never attended Comic-Con in San Diego. Someday I will. In fact, the dream is to be there while The Movie I Wrote is being promoted (with a panel in Hall H and everything!).

-I didn’t go to school for screenwriting. Everything I’ve learned comes from reading books and scripts, watching and studying movies, attending a handful of seminars, and most of all, writing and rewriting.

Here are the seven blogs I heartily recommend:
My Blank Page – good nuts and bolts advice from a working screenwriter
Just Effing Entertain Me – practical advice for writers and a high-profile script competition (hurry! final deadline is Aug 15)
Sex in a Sub – an extremely prolific writer plus fantastic analysis of Hitchcock films
Sprinting to Fade Out – great info for aspiring writers (regrettably on hold for now, but worth checking the archives)
News from ME – a wide variety of topics from a veteran writer-director who works in TV, cartoons and comics
Scott Tipton’s Comics 101 – got a question about comics? More info than you could possibly imagine, especially if you’re a fan of ROM: SPACE KNIGHT
Comedy Film Nerds – actually a podcast about movies, but extremely hilarious, entertaining, informative and very NSFW

I have no idea if there’s an actual award connected with this, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m just happy to be nominated, and will practice my “forced smile to mask my internal pain” look just in case it’s not my name if a winner is ever announced.