script writing/ my emails & blog

This is from my www.badcb.blogspot.ca:

Oct. 21: This will be a kind of mental health email.  It’s self-analysis and assessment.  It will also touch on business and writing.  I usually keep business and writing separate, but I want to combine these two together so I can figure out what kind of writing career I can get.  I was at the Grant MacEwan Professional Communications website (previously called Professional Writing.)

Scriptwriting: I’m going to say it.  I have lost motivation and enthusiasm for this.  From the years of 14 yrs old to 22yrs old I was writing scripts while going to school.  I had to finish gr. 9, graduate out of high school, upgrade a year, then a year at NAIT, then 2 years in Professional Writing.

During my last semester in Professional Writing, I started pitching my script The Vertex Fighter.  (Back then it was called The Fighter.)  I worked full-time at the Soup place and did look for an office job.  However, I was mainly putting all my time and effort into looking for TV production companies in Canada, and pitching it to them.  I was also busy rewriting and editing my script.  

I have worked for 8yrs (14-22 yrs old) towards the goal of finishing all my schooling so I can have the Professional Writing diploma on my resume, to pitch my script.

I spent 2008-2009 intensely pitching and working on my script in my spare time.  There’s 2 yrs of constant work.  I kept pitching for 4 months of 2010: The Year of Unemployment.  The other 8 months was where I was constantly looking for a job and applying to places to work at.  The script has to be put in the back burner.

2011: The Year of the Office Job Search is where I was constantly going to lots of job interviews.  I did complete a 43 page script for this TV series.  It took me a month to write it.  It’s not until like maybe a year later, the producer said they weren’t going to produce the script.  That’s fine.

2012: The Year of New Directions.  I did start applying to all the TV production companies in Edmonton to work at.  If anyone remembers, I did do an interview for one in 2008.  I only met a couple of producers to do interviews in 2012.  I got more hours at the restaurant and did some temporary jobs like Telemarketer #1 and Telemarketer #2.

2013: I only sent my script to be read by one producer.  I had to look over my notes.

Obstacles: I know that getting a TV movie script produced was going to be hard.  I didn’t expect instant success that it will be produced.  I knew it was going to be a lot of time and effort of me sitting in front of the computer looking for production companies to pitch to.  It was good if one producer even reads the script.

Oct. 22 Professional Communications: Here is the Grant MacEwan website for this program.  Back when I took it in 2006-2008, there weren’t these 3 majors.  You either take it for 2 yrs to get a diploma or you go in 4 yrs to get a bachelor’s degree.

There wasn’t a Strategic Communications class.  At least not in the first 2 yrs I took it.  There was Technical Communications as an elective.  The only Editing and Publishing was the Proofreading and Copyediting class in 2^nd yr.  That was a required class. 

Overview:

The professional communications stream has three majors, allowing you to choose what you want to do based on what you like to do! Wondering what kind of career tasks would be included in each stream?

Strategic communications

• research, plan and deliver key messages and campaigns to move people to action
• manage complex communications processes in a range of industries, including government, health care, education, private sector and non-profit agencies
• understand and respond to mass communications needs and trends

Technical communications

• research and write for specialized audiences in the sciences, health, education, business and industry
• write instruction manuals, policies, procedures and educational materials, both individually and as part of a team
• use industry standard software

Editing and publishing

• improve communications by checking for correctness, concision and clarity
• edit and manage publications (books and magazines, online and print)
• understand and navigate the publishing process

Careers:
Communications professionals are in high demand and the types of jobs you can do are almost endless. Here’s just a sample:

Strategic communications

• publicist or agent (managing other peoples’ reputations)
• media relations officer (dealing with the media)
• communications consultant (providing communications advice)
• strategic planner (planning what to say, to whom, when and how)
• advertising copy writer (creating copy that makes people want to buy things)
• information service coordinator (writing, managing and producing documents)

Technical communications

• manual writer (telling people how to do things: safety, education, instructions, etc.)
• instructional designer (writing content for courses)
• computer software manual writer (explaining how to get software to do what people want it to)
• policies and procedures writer (writing rules)
• technical descriptions writer (explaining complex ideas simply)

Editing and publishing

• book publisher or editor (creating books from manuscripts)
• magazine publisher or editor (creating magazines from articles and photographs)
• production editor (overseeing the physical production of a book or magazine)
• technical editor (making sure the complex copy is technically correct)
• web content editor (making sure copy going on a website is correct and appropriate)
• news editor – broadcasting (making sure what goes on the news is correct and appropriate)

http://www.macewan.ca/wcm/SchoolsFaculties/FFAC/Programs/BachelorofCommunicationStudies/Majors/ProfessionalCommunication/index.htm#3

Feedback: I would like your guy’s feedback.  What career should I go into?

My emails/ blog: I want to say that I can not give a 100% time and effort into my emails/ blog.  I give my best effort at work because I get paid.  I look for a job and go to job interviews and give it my all.  I’m not a perfectionist.  Some of my writing will be good, or at least good enough.  Writing is subjective.  I can’t please everybody with my emails.  I know and I can guess some of your thoughts on it.  Correct me if I’m wrong:   

“I like reading the business emails because I can learn about careers from her job articles.”

“I don’t like reading the business emails, because they are not as fun and entertaining as the fun jokes email.”

“I don’t like reading the fun email, I rather read the news emails because she can always find interesting news.”

“I don’t like the news emails because it’s too serious and sad.  I rather read her writing emails where she analyzes TV shows and movies.”

The thing is though, is that I write for myself first.

human ecologist/ journalism

This is from www.badcb.blogspot.ca.  It's still about writing:

Oct. 17 Human ecologist: I was reading the Edmonton Journal that had an “Edge” education section on Oct. 11, 2013.  There was an article about being a human ecologist.  That sounded like someone in a lab and scientific.  I then read the article and it’s more psychological and helping people.  I went to OCCinfo:

Duties

Human ecologists use a holistic, preventative approach to help people optimally manage their daily lives. For example, they may develop and deliver programs on a wide range of topics: parenting intimate relationships financial management community leadership meal planning and food choices small business development marketing and public relations textiles and clothing production and consumption life skills and lifestyle management career planning.  Human ecologists may: provide leadership for organizational and community development advise and coach individuals on career development, lifestyle management and personal image conduct research on the impact of public policy on children and families link individuals and families with community resources provide leadership in delivering family and youth support services work as specialists in nutrition education and promotion, food preparation and food safety specialize in fashion merchandising, protective clothing design, apparel design or production, interior decorating, textile science or quality control testing  teach and advise adults and children regarding life skills.

Then I looked at more of the education requirements and it’s a Bachelor of Science.

Alberta College of Art and Design: There was also an ad for this school.  It’s in Calgary.  There are lots of art programs in Edmonton like at University of Alberta and Grant MacEwan University.  NAIT has more like Digital Media and Graphic Communications.  The website does look good.

http://www.acad.ca/

 

Oct.18: Today I dropped off my resume at a Halloween costume store.  They said they were hiring.  There’s a couple of weeks of Oct. left.  I always ask myself: “Am I doing enough?”  As in am I achieving enough?  I work 30- something hours a week, I can probably do a little part-time job.

 

What am I afraid of?  A lame job experience.  If it’s bad, well then again it’s only temporary.

 

Journalism: Maybe I should go into journalism.  It’s probably because I’ve been reading so much of the newspaper since I got laid off in 2010.  Then I got a job at my restaurant and I just kept reading the news.  It’s not too much of a stretch for me because it’s still writing, and the Journalism program is a companion program to Professional Writing at Grant MacEwan.

 

What am I afraid of?  I think The Simpsons joke puts it best:

 

News reporter: I’m from the newspaper.

Grandpa Simpson (laughs): What?  The newspaper?!  That’s going to die before I do!

 

Lol.  Yes, the lack of job security.   I did some research on Grant MacEwan.  There are a few courses that seem to about news online and on TV.  The courses listed here seem to be 3^rd yr courses.

 

“BCSC 311: Online Journalism

This course examines the production of knowledge within the field of online journalism. It builds on students’ experience of creating online news in other courses and compares it with the challenges and realities of professional journalists around the world. Students examine the production processes in newsrooms and the evolving impact of technological developments on those processes such as verification of fact and inclusion of user-generated content. They examine the ideals and values of journalism and contrast them with actual journalistic practices, questioning whether those practices reinforce dominant cultural/social/political/economic influence.”

“BCSC 312- Multimedia News Production

This course introduces students to the best practices and principles of multimedia news production. Students create interactive stories and engaging online news features under deadline and working in a convergent newsroom environment. They analyze online readership behaviours to design user-friendly multimedia news products. They also manage and deploy user-generated content.”

 

http://www.macewan.ca/wcm/SchoolsFaculties/FFAC/Programs/BachelorofCommunicationStudies/Majors/Journalism/index.htm#2

Feelings: Now I’m getting a flashback of the days when I used to watch Dr. Phil.  In his opening credits he says: “I want you to get excited about your life!”  Now that I have gone to the journalism website and read this, I’m getting more enthusiastic.

“Journalism is a huge field with loads of career options. Here’s just a few of the cool things you could do:

Columnist
Columnists write regular features for newspapers and online publications often on specific topics such as:

• arts and entertainment
• fashion
• sports
• current events
• civic affairs

Reporter
A reporter’s job is to track down the facts on a news story and then present those facts to the public. Reporters will sometimes specialize in specific areas such as:

• features
• financial
• investigative
• network
• foreign affairs
• cyberreporting

Critic or reviewer
Critics and reviewers specialize in the evaluation and appreciation of literary or artistic works, forming an opinion and then sharing that opinion with the public. Works can include:

• books
• music
• movies
• art
• film

Broadcaster
Broadcasters share news and information over airwaves and through networks such as radio, television and websites. Broadcaster roles include:

• news anchor
• news analyst
• radio commentator
• foreign news correspondent
• sports announcer
• website and blog writer”

cell phones/ corporate espionage/ dinosaur erotica

Oct. 9 Cell phones: I was going through my notes.  I had written a few pages about losing a cell phone.  I sent it to the writer in residence Marty Chan, and he poked holes in the scene.  Today I called Rogers Wireless about what would happen if your cell phone went missing.

The sales guy said that if you have extended insurance, you could replace it, you can upgrade it.  You can call in the customer service line and give them your cell phone number.  They will blacklist it and no one can use the cell phone.  Anyone who puts their own SIM card in it, they can’t use it in Canada.

Comparisons:

Mob Doctor: Does anyone remember this short-lived TV series starring Jordana Spiro?  On imdb.com:

“A young thoracic surgeon becomes indebted to the South Chicago mafia and is forced to moonlight as a mob doctor, while also working full time at Chicago's most prominent hospital.”

I didn’t get a chance to watch it.  A mob doctor has been done on the Flashpoint episode “No Promises.”

Getting someone to do computer stuff: There was an Alias ep where the tech guy Marshall gets kidnapped by bad guys to hack into something.  I remember watching a Mentors episode where some business guy who is the antagonist hired a young guy to help him with this computer.  Mentors was a kid’s TV show.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168350/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Oct. 15 Corporate espionage: I have thought about and written something like this since 2003.  I had watched a lot of Alias.  Then I went and wrote action.  Now I’ve been having writer’s block, so I thought about old story ideas.

Oct. 16 Paranoia: Does anyone remember the movie over the summer called Paranoia?  It got 4.8/10 from 2000 voters. 

“An entry-level employee at a powerful corporation finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss's old mentor to secure for him a multi-billion dollar advantage.”

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1413495/reviews?ref_=tt_urv

It was based on a book.  According to goodreads.com:

“It was only a prank: diverting cash from Wyatt Telecom's executive slush fund to throw a retirement bash for a member of the loading dock crew. But when corporate security catches up with Adam Cassidy, a low ambition junior staffer at the high-tech behemoth, they call it something else: embezzlement, to the tune of nearly $80 grand.

Ruthless CEO Nick Wyatt is impressed by Adam's scheming, and offers him one way out-take on the role of a rising corporate hotshot and infiltrate Wyatt's rival, Trion Systems. His mission is to get close to Trion's legendary founder Jock Goddard, and his ultra-secret "Project Aurora," and report back to Wyatt.

With Wyatt pulling the strings and a dramatically improved identity, Adam is set up as Trion's new boy genius. Suddenly, he's got a sweet new Porsche, a closet full of $1,500 suits, and even a lovely lady who thinks he's a dream. But it's all just a mirage, because Adam is about to learn that nothing is what it seems and that it isn't paranoia...everyone is out to get him...”

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/136989.Paranoia

Here’s the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiwTRLwmm4w

Computer security coordinator: I have thought about what kind of job would fit into corporate espionage and this one came to mind.  I did have to do some research like at mymajors.com:

Job Description: Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.

*A job as a Computer Security Coordinator falls under the broader career category of Information Security Analysts. The information on this page will generally apply to all careers in this category. We are still seeking more specific information about this career from experts in this field. If you can provide us with more information, contact us.

·  Confer with users to discuss issues such as computer data access needs, security violations, and programming changes.

·  Document computer security and emergency measures policies, procedures, and tests.

·  Train users and promote security awareness to ensure system security and to improve server and network efficiency.

·  Coordinate implementation of computer system plan with establishment personnel and outside vendors.

·  Monitor use of data files and regulate access to safeguard information in computer files.

·  Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.

http://www.mymajors.com/careers-and-jobs/Computer-Security-Coordinator

Hosannas: Does anyone know what this word means?  On dictionary.com:

1. (an exclamation, originally an appeal to God for deliverance, used in praise of God or Christ.)

noun

2. a cry of “hosanna.”

3. a shout of praise or adoration; an acclamation.

verb (used with object) 4.

to praise, applaud, etc.: The critics hosannaed his new play.

Crazy art blog: I was checking out what other blogs are out there and found Polly’s Pecan Pie.  There are these really nice pictures of art pieces.  There is a picture of a cello sculpture made out of buttons.  Check it out:

http://pollyspecanpie.blogspot.ca/?expref=next-blog

Dinosaur erotica: I was reading in the Metro on Oct. 10, 2013 called “From Fifty Shades to Jurassic Poke.”  Christie Sims and Alara Branwen wrote stories like Taken by the T-Rex and Velociraptor’s Nest.  The stories are women having sex with dinosaurs.  Branwen was being interviewed.

She first wrote stories about sex with dragons and other creatures.  She went for a walk and then thought about dinosaurs.  She got noticed by writing about it on her blog.  Then people made fun of her stories on their blogs and then it got more publicity.  The readers are 60% men and 40% women.

My opinion: I thought the interview and topic was kind of funny.  I have never thought of dinosaur erotica. 

Prison fight club: I was reading in the Metro on Oct. 8, 2013: “Inmates suing Edmonton Max.”  5 inmates are suing them, because in 2011, it was allege that guards intentionally put 2 rival gang members together so they would fight.  One got stabbed and the guards waited until he died before calling an ambulance.

The guards beat them, spit on their foods and created a prisoner fight club for entertainment.

My opinion: That’s harsh for the prisoners to live like that.  It also reminds me of the movie Death Race where inmates race cars to the death.  It was also done on Gamers where inmates kill people to gain their freedom.

Dan Savage: He is an author and is going to be at the Edmonton LitFest.  He is the one who created the Emmy-wining It Gets Better campaign to prevent suicide among LGBT youth.  He will be here on Oct. 21 at 7pm at the Winspear Centre.  $25 for adults, $10 for students and groups of 10 or more.

Oct. 17 Bridegroom: I found this on Yahoo today.

“From an American love story that ended in tragedy and prejudice, comes a film with a message of hope and tolerance. “Bridegroom” tells the heartbreaking story of Shane, who lost the love of his life, Tom Bridegroom after an accidental fall from his roof only to then be threatened with violence by his late boyfriend’s family and cut out of any decision making regarding Tom’s affairs. The documentary has Hollywood buzzing and launched one of the most successful crowd funding campaigns ever with support from”

It got cut off, but I think it was celebrities.  If you watch the video it said NSYNC singer Lance Bass supported it.

http://ca.omg.yahoo.com/video/hollywood-buzzing-over-bridegroom-222620012.html

Dexter/ fiction writing/ Yourboxclub.com

Here is my post from www.badcb.blogspot.ca:
 

Oct. 4 Dexter: The TV show Dexter has ended.  I found this Globe and Mail article called “Dexter star ‘happy’ with the ending” by John Doyle on Sept. 19, 2013.   It’s about a serial killer who kills other killers.

The interview with the start Michael C. Hall: “I was taking a break to look around at what might interest me.  The pilot for Dexter came may way and I was resistant.  Another TV series with a lot of death.  Then I found I couldn’t ignore it.  I read the script twice.  I read the book on which it’s based.  I knew after two weeks of thinking that I couldn’t resist the challenge of doing this, a drama about rooting for a serial killer.  The voice –over element, the way Dexter knew these things that nobody else knew, it was irresistible.”

“Yes, he’s just a boy, at the start.  If you remember, there’s that moment when his nemesis, the Trinity killer says ‘Do you want to play?’  And Dexter is playing a game, yes.  He doesn’t understand yet that there are consequences, real consequences.  Other people get hurt, get killed.  He’s playing this game, a secret game.  It’s very tricky territory for an actor.  The grown man is a boy inside, but at the same time he’s perfectly competent as an adult.  He’s good at his day job.  But he’s compartmentalized everything.  He stopped being a kid some time back, but maybe he wants to get back there?”

The article goes on to talk about how one of Doyle’s friend’s kids aged 9 and 11 saw the TV show by accident, and loved the character Dexter.

Hall: “Well, well, there is something magical about Dexter isn’t there?  Think about it.  Things always seem to go right for Dexter in many ways.  Dexter lives in Miami where he can just walk into people’s homes and take stuff, download from their computers.  It’s a Miami with no alarm systems and Dexter never encounters a deadbolt lock.  This Miami doesn’t exist.  It’s fantasy and kids like that.  Dexter seems to have magical powers and, for all the kids know, he flies through the air when they’re not seeing him do the other things the does.  Maybe that’s it.  Or it’s ten bright, bright colours of Miami.”

“Yes, I’m very happy.  The ending honours the story, but endings are always tricky.”

I then found this article in Metro on Sept. 19, 2013 called “Killing time is over.”

Hall: “He’s so far from anything I experienced him to be at the beginning.  He’s the same character, but he’s in many ways a different person.  He had successfully compartmentalized efficient killing and convinced himself that he is, in fact, incapable of authentic human emotion when we first me him.  But that all falls apart, slowly but surely.”

“I’ve always thought that it was more interesting to challenge the audience’s affection for the character and to move him into choppy waters.”

Hall has theories about his fans:

“We live in a world where we have an increasing sense that we’re not in control…and Dexter, in his micro way, controls his universe and that is very appealing to some people.  We all have a sense of injustice in the world, and Dexter is certainly exacting some form of justice within the confines of his own.  Maybe it’s not that deep.  Maybe people have murderous impulses they don’t act upon and enjoy watching somebody who gets away with it.”

About the finale:

“Some people will be happy with it, some people will be troubled by it.  Perhaps some people will be a combination of those things.”

There is this part that says: “Best mistake he ever made.”  A lot of actors and friends told Hall to not do the show Dexter because who would want to watch a show about a serial killer?

Hall: “When Six Feet Under ended, I imagined I would never do another television series, just because I thought it would be impossible that I would be so lucky that I would find something as successful.”

My opinion: I’ve only seen the first 2 seasons of this show.  The first season aired on CTV.  Then I rented most of the season 2 dvds.  Then I watched the last few eps of season 2 on Showcase.  I watch it, because it’s good writing.  It is a crime drama, but it delves more into the characters working the case, and not just like Criminal Minds, where the FBI team tries to solve the murder.

I then read the newspaper all the time, so I was then spoiled about big things like a major character getting killed off, and a major character figuring out that Dexter is a killer.

I decided I might as well find out what the ending is on Wikipedia.  I read it, and I thought it was good.  A little bittersweet.  I think I would have to watch the finale in it’s entirety to appreciate it.

Unpredictable: TV is unpredictable.  There are a lot of people that doubted the success of Dexter, but it lasted for 8 seasons.  When Dark Angel came out in 2000, I was so happy and excited.  It was by James Cameron, the show had a really good story about super soldiers escaping from the military and living in a post- apocalyptic world.  I thought the show was going to be on for a long time, but it only lasted 2 seasons.

Oct. 9 Finish what you start: Today is my day off and I did look for a job.  However, I also have to finally finish my Rain script.  I’ve been writing this script since 2009.  This is my 5^th year in.  I was busy working and living my life, so that’s why it’s taking so long.

I have to finish what I start.  

Fiction writing: I have changed in writing styles.  As a kid and teenager, I was interested in fiction writing.  Now I’m interested in non-fiction writing like my blog.  Fiction writing takes too long.  In my blog, I can write faster.

In the Globe and Mail, there was “The Influence Interview” with the author Mary Novik on Sept. 28, 2013.  She wrote the book Muse.  She says about her writing: “It’s a slow, organic process of thinking, writing, thinking, rewriting.”

Also in the Globe and Mail on Sept. 27, 2013, there was the article “Eat Love Write” by Sarah Hampson who interviews the Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert.

“She loved the process of puzzling out the plot, taking three years to craft a 70-page outline so the writing was ‘like paint by numbers.’  She wanted the story to show a ‘powerful woman whose life is enriched by intellect and not necessarily broken or saved by a man.’”

Rain script: I had put this script in my dresser drawer for a long time.  Then I took it out and put it on my bedroom floor for some months.  It’s like I have to look at it.  A couple of weeks ago on a Wed. night, I decided to go through this stack of 80 pieces of paper.  I write on my scrap paper, as in computer paper that was printed on one side, and I use the back.  I managed to recycle 11 pages because of a “cabin in the woods” sequence that is not used.

Here’s my brainstorming:

Comparisons:

Home invasion: This is where bad guys attack the home of the good guys.

This has been done in movies like Straw Dogs, Fear, and The Purge.  It was kind of done in the movie Unleashed with Jet Li.  Instead of a house, the bad guys attacked this big apartment building.

Competition between drug dealers: In the movie Savages, there is a war against drug dealers over territory.  It was done on an ep The Mentalist. 

Meth lab blowing up: It was done on the TV show The Good Guys about two cops, one is in his 40s and the other one in his 20s.  They go to a house, and ask a few questions.  They start walking away.  In the background, all these guys start running out of the house.  You don’t know why.  The house blows up.  It turns out there was a meth lab in there.

It was done on Family Guy where Peter and his family move to an old house in the country.  There was a meth lab in the basement and they start cooking it.  At the end, the house blows up.

Yourboxclub.com: I put this on my Facebook status:

 Go to www.yourboxclub.com for charity. They have joined Femm International that helps provide girls in Kenya's slums with a hygienic care kit that contains a menstrual cup. The product will last for 10yrs so girls can remain in school when menstruating. Until Oct.18 for every 500 views of Jay Baruchel video, a kit will be donated to Kenya.

other roles/ Balance magazine/ Canadian Literature Centre

This is from www.badcb.blogspot.ca:

Sept. 22 Other roles: I found this interesting article on Yahoo about roles that were given to different actors.  Here’s the article: 

Jennifer Aniston was nominated for six Emmys and won in 2002 for her performance in "Friends." But Téa Leoni was actually the first choice to play Rachel Green. Leoni turned down the role to star in "The Naked Truth," which was canceled after three seasons. Had Leoni accepted the part of Rachel, we might have seen Aniston on "Saturday Night Live." Aniston was offered a spot on the late-night sketch show but turned it down for "Friends." "They [SNL] were like, 'You're so stupid,'" Aniston said.

Me: Yeah, well it looks like Aniston did very well for herself.  She did take a risk by taking an unknown TV show because SNL was a guaranteed established success.

Courteney Cox starred as uptight, high-maintenance Monica Geller, but could you imagine Leah Remini in the role? Remini auditioned for the role but lost to Cox. She eventually went on to star in the Emmy-nominated "King of Queens."

“Alicia Silverstone was originally considered for the lead role in "My So-Called Life." However, she lost it because she was too pretty. "Alicia is so beautiful that that would have affected her experience of the world," said co-executive producer Marshall Herskovitz. "People would have been telling her she was beautiful since she was six years old. You can't put that face in what's been written for this girl." So the role went to Claire Danes, who was nominated for an Emmy for her performance and went on to win two Emmys for "Temple Grandin" in 2010 and "Homeland" in 2012.”

Me: I remember reading an interview with the actor Garrett Hedlund (movie Four Brothers) where he said: “I’ve been told I was too good-looking for some roles.”

http://ca.omg.yahoo.com/photos/13-actors-who-almost-starred-in-emmy-hits-1379433384-slideshow/

Sept. 23:  Today is my day off so I called my friend Dan L. who is also a writer.  We talked about writing and now I’m inspired.

Beyond magazine: In 2007, I was in Professional Writing.  There was this presentation about AB magazines.  Then I got this brochure and I cut out this part about Beyond magazine.  It’s non-profit, independent magazine for writers, poets, and artists.  I searched it on my blog to see if I ever wrote about it.  I haven’t.

I then searched for it on the internet and found this:

“Welcome to the sort-of archives of the pages of Beyond magazine, the once-upon-a-time no-ads arts and culture magazine. We ceased publishing in 2008 but many of our contributors now blog at Hedge Society, (a name taken from one of Beyond’s editorials). We continue to share some of the goodness from hour past pages here and hope you will keep up with some of the contributors and good folks that helped make Beyond so much fun.”

There are only 3 posts.

http://beyondmag.tumblr.com/

FreeFall: This is a literary magazine.

“Freefall was founded in 1990 and published by the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society until 2008.

FreeFall is a literary magazine that is published three times a year in print and digital formats. We publish poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, visual arts (artwork and photography in high contrast black and white format), literary reviews, author interviews, author focus.”

http://www.freefallmagazine.ca/mission-statement.html

Here is Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society:

http://www.alexandrawriters.org/about-us/our-mission/

Filling Station: Here’s another literary magazine.  The website is actually pretty good with their graphics.

http://www.fillingstation.ca/

Balance magazine: I don’t know about you, but this must be the law of attraction.  I’m writing about writing, but it has lead to this mental health magazine.  It’s published by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

http://calgary.cmha.ca/balance-magazine/

Find Help

If you feel you are in crisis right now, call the Distress Centre 403-266-1605.

http://calgary.cmha.ca/mental-health/find-help/

Writer in Exile: I found this brochure and I checked that I did write about it on my blog:

“The Writer-in-Exile program grew from a commitment from several Edmonton organizations to understand better the needs of "exiled" immigrant writers living in Canada, and to create opportunities for them to pursue a professional career.
This year's Writer-in-Exile writers circle project - Borderlines - aims to increase the visibility of the other language / immigrant writing community here in Edmonton. This initiative is sponsored by the Edmonton Public Library, the Writers' Guild of Alberta, LitFest, the Canadian Literature Centre, and is supported by the Edmonton Arts Council.”

Me: This doesn’t seem to be for me.

http://www.epl.ca/writer-in-exile

Canadian Literature Centre: This seems to be all about literature and publishing.

“The Canadian Literature Centre / Centre de littérature canadienne was established at the University of Alberta in 2006. As the western hub of the Canadian literary community, it brings together researchers, authors, publishers, collectors and the reading public to promote the strength and diversity of Canada's written culture, and promotes research of Canadian literature, in both English and French, of all genres, languages, and regions.”

http://www.artsrn.ualberta.ca/clc/index.php?page_id=2&lang_id=0

However, if you do want to get published, then go this link.  There is a list of all these publishing houses:

http://www.artsrn.ualberta.ca/clc/index.php?page_id=6&lang_id=0&submenu_id=8

Sept. 27 Syfy TV movies: I figured out why I like to watch these trailers for bad Syfy TV movies.  After I spend 2 min. watching the trailer, I see how I can save time by not watching it.  I saved myself 2 hrs by watching this clip.  It’s also for creative purposes so I can see what stories are out there.

Space milkshake: This one stars Kristin Kreuk (Lana Lang from Smallville).  It seems to be a group of people on a space ship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c282VG971C0

Earth’s Final Hours: It stars Robert Knepper (Prison Break, Heroes.)  This one actually looks kind of good.  The earth stops moving.  One part of the earth is freezing cold because the sun can’t get to it.  Another part of the earth is hot and burning up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJy8l1wqw1M

Sept. 27 Tru Calling: I was going through my script notes.  I had written that the TV show Tru Calling about a young woman who can relive days and prevent deaths from happening.

It always show Tru’s side of story of what she does.  They hardly ever show the enemy Jack’s side.  The audience doesn’t always know what’s going on the bad guy’s side.  Sometimes they don’t show Tru’s side to surprise the audience.

Then I thought this has been done before on other TV shows and movies.