After some discussion at a recent Triangle Filmmaking Community Screenwriters Workshop meeting, I got into researchy mode and compiled the following for my own reference. So here, without commentary, is a overview of NC Leg action regarding the NC film incentive and grant programs since 2005.
Surprising absolutely no one, we’re finally catching up with the cumulative effects of lawmakers killing North Carolina’s film incentive. WRAL reports that film productions are drying up in North Carolina, duh-doy. Wilmington residents must now face saying goodbye to yet another successful network television production and farewell to the talented and wonderful cast and crew that will be forced to relocate. At this point, it should be obvious to all that the ‘promise’ of a $10M grant program is not enough to keep North Carolina film professionals working. If there are those that truly didn’t see this coming, idealists that perhaps hoped North Carolina could still compete in such a highly competitive arena where incentives are the de facto standard, then I’d sincerely be interested to make your acquaintance and hear what color the sky is in your world. Read more →
from the loose change rattling around in my head…
Pooks hooked me up with a very awesome screenwriting blog that I had not stumbled across before – Mystery Man on Film – who immediately got my attention when he called out that scripts and screenwriting blogs should act more like their film counterparts. Playing it close to the vest is all good in poker – which by the way I was playing a few days ago and pulled the most amazing 5-9 straight out of my ass, it was really a thing of beauty- but close to the vest in writing can be sort of laughable. So I may try my hand at some more indepth script reviews as I read things coming across my path. Those of you only visit the blog to find out if I’m still breathing and/or in jail, mental asylum, political office will have to tolerate it. Hijinks continue to ensue at regular intervals.
I’ve somehow ended up back on Nickel & Dime, as I languidly dash for October 30th for a small NC festival. Mind recently has been geared for plotting Gallows Gulch, working out minutiua, but deadlines are kinda the godsend for actually making progress, so now drafting N&D again. It’s weird, time does some weeeird things to what you’ve written. I worked damned hard from January to April 26th 2006 to get that script in shape for Nicholl. I got coverage, workshopped, and every single day went over it. And about March, with the help of some coverage, I realized I was banking on some flawed major elements. So I start hammering out new ideas, new locales, new action, and realized that draft wasn’t going to make the May deadline, so I set it aside and worked on the flawed draft and tried to clean it up as best as possible. My eye was twitching, I was thinking all the time, and I knew I needed to let it rest for a while. This is the one thing I fail miserably at as a writer- I cannot leave anything alone. I knew I needed to take a break, but that May deadline was getting close and it wasn’t just going to fix itself- and the thought of not entering seemed like laziness and failure and blah blah blah. So. Now, after a few months of not working on it, the Nicholl dink and playing with other scripts, it’s amazingly obvious this needs to get established earlier, that needs more support, etc. And since I’m at it, I might as well gut that flawed chunk of story and replace with something hopefully stronger, better, faster, smarter… The rewrites. never. end. But there’s a new deadline in place, and so I’ll make another hefty push and hope that I’m improving it rather than tinkering it into oblivion.
It’s occured to me that Dick Cheney = Mr. Potter from ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’. Mostly due to Jack Straw’s comments about the Bush Administration working against Colin Powell in the quagmire of Iraq. The NPR report I heard made some mention of agendas and such and all of a sudden I just thought – ‘scurvy little spider’. So I think it’s worth saying:
You sit around here and you spin your little webs and you think the whole world revolves around you and your money. Well, it doesn’t, Mr. Potter. In the whole vast configuration of things, I’d say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider.
Unfortunately, I don’t see any Clarence-types floating around to change things any time soon. Heck, an Acme Safe would even do the trick.
And since it’s almost October the world of baseball seems to be forecasting the Apocalypse. I’m still going with the Mets mostly because they seem to be the only franchise left playing something that resembles baseball. I don’t know what the hell is going on with Detroit, but if the Twins fall I’ll look forward to a Tigers/Mets series. In other news the Hell is expecting a cold front next week…
I was reading the backstory of the Sen. Allen debacle over at the Washington Post and I can’t even begin to fathom a Senator calling someone ‘macaca’. I’d never even heard the word used as a slur, although true, I generally don’t make a point of knowing all the happening racial slurs. The whole situtation is surreal, because why would he do that- as a public official, giving a public speech- which was being taped- TWICE? What planet are you from where it’s copacetic to use racial slurs you total and complete embarassment of a human being? And sure, apologize. Apologize for something that, much like most of the 21st century so far, should not have ever happened.
I dislike the world.
US History, as I recall, is an 11th grade Social Studies requirement in the state of NC. I’m thinking this is likely the case elsewhere, since, well, we live in the US, and history is important. If you want to argue history isn’t important, I’ll meet you in the parking lot after work, and run you down on the fun baseball facts I’ve retained since my childhood. Be warned, Ty Cobb is my favorite baseball player.
But I’m not here to blog about baseball history just now, I’d rather refresh your brain on a sliver of knowledge that I hope and pray was instilled in your mind at some point in time, (assuming you’re not that Russian porn spammer here to hack my comments again). If you grew up in the US, this should be somewhat familiar to you:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This is the First Amendment of the US Constitution, that exemplary document upon which the structure of our modern life rests upon. As a foundation for religious freedoms, consumerism and democracy in our nation, this is the most important scrap of paper in your life. You should respect it. You should champion it. You should take five fucking minutes to remind yourself why it is important, because kids, it may not be around forever. In fact there’s a good chance it won’t, whether it’s some socio-economic crash, or meterological distaster that kicks America to the curb, one of these days the US Constitution ain’t going to mean jack shit.
You may ask, “Nicolle, why are you taking time out of your busy pop-culture consuming schedule to bother us with rants about the effing Constitution?” and well, my answer to that is to quote South Park- “Whatever! I’ll do what I want!” Then there’s the fact that the patriot act has been approved by Congress.
And okay, maybe I’m getting a little carried away, I mean who needs Civil Liberties anyway? Public Library card? Gotta cut that one up. The Interwebs? Well….*shrug*.
Awareness is important. I’m not marching, I don’t have time to do much more than bitch about it on my website, but that’s what I’m pitching here, some awareness. There’s a lot of material out there, that if you take five or ten minutes to look at will give you some inkling of why this is not a good thing. Wikipedia is your friend. If you’re looking for a jumping off point, I’d suggest checking out the Reichstag Fire Decree. I’m not saying it’s the same thing, there are clear differences, but there are some obvious similarities. It’s history folks, learn from it.
In a vague, only related in my own mind sort of way, I’d also suggest everyone go see V for Vendetta when it opens on March 17th.