Metablog

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It’s that time of year again, when I ask my readers to step forward and introduce themselves to me, and each other.  This should be an ongoing communal celebration, and we should all know something about each other.  Who are you people, where are you from, what do you do, how did you find out about this journal, what makes you come back, what do you like, what do you dislike, what would you like to see more of.  This goes double for my anonymous lurkers.  My intent is for this journal to become much more purely about screenplay analysis, but God knows my mind wanders, and my kids won’t stop doing cute things.  Many thanks for your continued attention, I am in your debt.

Comments

155 Responses to “Metablog”
  1. Happy New Year Todd and everybody who reads these fine pages.

    I am a well-travelled teacher who finds himself in the UK and realise that I have been promising myself for years that I will become a writer, and in particular a screenwriter.

    Despite a collection of books on screenwriting, film, novel writing and the like which fills a bookshelf in itself, not to mention kind words of support from Phillip Pulman, Wendy Cope and yourself, I have not committed fingers to keyboard for any stretch of time to do much more than short stories in the last 4 years.

    So 2009 can and will be different, if I follow the plan. Am not expecting miracles, but I would like to develop the writing habit. With a sustained burst of creative dissatisfaction, I am hoping to take myself to a new and unchartered place in this world.

    So thanks for the inspiration Todd.

    • Forgot to answer your questions – my name is Stephen, I found out about your journal through , who is further down the track than me in being creative, I come back to motivate myself and to feel like I am talking to somebody who knows so much about what I only seem to dream about, I like all of the insights into screenwriting and Spielberg, as well as entemological updates.

      Have finished some character sketches so the world is already turning…!!

  2. medox says:

    Most happy new year greetings!

    I’m Meghan, and I draw stuff for a living. I also write and illustrate the webcomic Kawaii Not.

    I truly can’t remember how I first found your journal, but thank the internet I did. Some of the most fascinating and inspiring reading I did last year was right here. You take apart the machine and show how it works — and it’s that much more amazing to me to see how all the parts fit together.

    Bravo! And thanks!

    • robolizard says:

      I love Kawaii not! Weird that you’ve been the artist all along… (you guys just released a book, right?)

      • medox says:

        Oh jeez, I didn’t see this reply till today – forgive the lateness.

        Yep, just released a book this year! t’s so damn weird to see all my ridiculousness in spiral-bound form. With stickers, too.

        It’s either a dream or a nightmare. XD

  3. blake_reitz says:

    Name is Blake, am almost neuroscientist. One semester left in bachelors. Also am huge nerd. Can name all the kryptonites. Find this blog fascinating. Excellent discourse. Made short films as youth. Allergic to cats. It is late.

  4. swan_tower says:

    I’m Marie Brennan, a Bay Area fantasy novelist and short-story writer, and as of recently an ex-graduate student in anthropology and folklore.

    I honestly don’t remember how I found out about this journal. Somebody linked to it, I guess, some movie post or another, and I looked around at the other entries and decided to add it to my flist. The analyses are interesting, and it’s fun to represent on behalf of my tribe (i.e. fantasy). I suppose I would like to see more analysis of movies I’ve seen, but that’s going to vary depending on the topic du jour. 🙂

  5. Hi, Todd. My name is Josh Neff. I’m a librarian, currently working as a Web Content Developer at the Johnson County Library, which is in the Kansas suburbs of the Kansas City Metro Area. I’m also a founding member of the Library Society of the World. I’m a lifelong fan of superheroes, old pulp magazines, old radio shows, animated cartoons, books, comics, TV shows and movies. I have a wife who is a geek (science, Terry Pratchett, Monty Python) and a daughter (going on 12) who is also a geek (science, fantasy & SF, superheroes).

    Even if I don’t always like the same movies as you, I love reading your analyses of movies. Your writings on Venture Brothers was the big push to get me to watch the show, and it’s now one of my favorites. Also, I loved Antz.

  6. meowwcat says:

    Hello ~ I’m Margaret and I don’t remember how I found your blog, but I was search for Venture Bros stuff. I came for the Venture Bros goodies and stayed for your great film reviews. By day I’m a chemical engineer working in the manufacturing industry and by night I’m a fangirl.

    • Todd says:

      Wow, a Dave Sim fangirl! I’d heard that those existed, but I always thought they were like griffins or rocs, mythological creatures that only exist in the minds of wishful comics readers.

      • I suspect the lady is being ironic.

        Glamourpuss is a great book, in any event.

        • She is not – Margaret is a really cool person, and she has in fact been a vocal Cerebus supporter for probably as long as I’ve been on the internet.

          • Todd says:

            I totally get it — I think Frank Miller is a genius, in spite of the fact that he thinks Islam is an evil religion that needs to be wiped off the face of the earth.

            • meowwcat says:

              You do get it Todd. I don’t agree some of Dave’s opinions, but I still love Cerebus.

              BTW – there is a “new” Cerebus comic coming out in April 2009 that will showcase Dave’s past work, and will include annotations by Dave entitled “Cerebus Archive“.

  7. i am a textile designer. my husband thor is a cartoonist and he added you. we share a journal. i dont read very much of the friends entries, i mostly stick to the people that i added but i always read what youve written when you write about your kids. since i have one, i can identify. i cant wait for mine to talk and have ideas. i also love the drawings the kids do. its clear that they are smart.

  8. rxgreene says:

    Happy New Year everyone! I am Ryan, I work as a project Manager for a large publishing house in NJ. I came here via Urbaniak, and have stayed for the analysis/discussions that ensue. I love the discussions, and the stories about your kids. The stories from your experiences in Hollywood are great as well, but I understand that some stories probably have to wait until after you have retired (The scandalous tell all by one of Hollywood’s top writers! Tales that can finally be told!)

    I have a much better understanding of characters, storytelling, and how to follow (and break) the rules of screenwriting as a result of reading your writing here. You are putting on a clinic here, and I enjoy it greatly. Thank you.

  9. ratmmjess says:

    Hi, I’m Jess Nevins, and I write encyclopedias and do literary archaeology.

    And I’d like to read more of your fascinating screenplay analyses.

    • Anonymous says:

      Hi, Jess! I fondly remember nerd-tastically contributing to your online annotations of Alan Moore’s “Top Ten” a few years back. Good times. (=

      — N.A.

  10. Hi–I’m Kristine Smith, full-time scientist and part-time science fiction & fantasy writer. I live in the Midwest, where we’ve already had altogether too much snow.

    I forgot what exactly led me to this journal, but I enjoy your in-depth breakdowns of movies and screenplays. I know they’re different media, but I like looking at novel construction from a screenplay POV.

    Happy New Year!

  11. Interesting New Years’ tradition you have.

    Yes, I’m a fairly new reader. I came here via a link from MightyGodKing’s blog, if I recall, and I stayed for the fascinating screenplay analysis.

    I’m a physicist who works with satellites, but I aspire to be a sci-fi novelist. And your insights into what makes screenplays work can often, I think, be generalized into what makes stories work in general. Your analyses are helping me become a better author, I hope. But they’re also fascinating to read.

  12. kythiaranos says:

    I’m a fiction writer, here via someone on my friendslist (I can’t remember who it was, unfortunately). I love movies, and it’s interesting to me to see someone more knowledgeable break them down, so I can better understand how they work. It’s good insight for my own writing, too.

  13. malsperanza says:

    Happy new year, Todd. I’m an editor in NYC–mainly scholarly and trade nonfiction; a lot of stuff in the arts. I came here via Urbaniak’s LJ. I’m on the Thom Pain/Crumb end of that spectrum, more than Venture Bros. Came for the political wit, stayed for the movie autopsies.

    I like the way you analyze films, all the more as they are often flicks I don’t much like. The other screenwriters’ blog I visit from time to time is Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio’s Wordplay & I also read some blogs of authors of fantasy and YA fiction. I like the way writers look at other writers’ work: pragmatically and with thoughtful attention to mechanics.

    Mal

    • Todd says:

      I didn’t know Ted and Terry had a website — thank you for that.

      I worked with them briefly while at Dreamworks with Antz. They are princes of the realm and were very kind and supportive to a young writer without many credits.

      • malsperanza says:

        That generosity comes across in their blog, which is very welcoming to novice writers. For others here who might be interested, it’s http://www.wordplayer.com. If one dodges the occasional massive threads about The Hotness of Johnny Depp, there are often good conversations about the nuts and bolts of writing fiction–character, structure, pacing, visuality. I recommend the “Hall of Fame” posts. T&T don’t usually analyze whole movies as this blog does, though.

  14. I’m writing and editing in Michigan. I’m mostly making a living from journalism and other non-fiction, but fiction has been a passion for a long time. My husband recommended your blog to me because of the intense analysis of plot, motive and scene structure. My preferred media are short stories or novels, but the things you discuss in screenplays definitely translate into useful stuff for thinking about scenes and visuals in my writing.

  15. misterseth says:

    Happy New Year Todd. I’m Seth Gottlieb. I live outside of Hartford Connecticut, originally from New York State. I’m a former Civil draftsman, currently unemployed.

    I found your journal through the Venture Brothers mailing list. I like your insight on popular films (though admittedly, I don’t agree with all of them).

    I’m into animation (classic and current), superheroes (my faves being Captain Marvel (Shazam) and Batman, Sci Fi and fantasy, and political humor. I also have a YouTube page:

    http://www.youtube.com/sgottlieb
    I am also trying to set up a Deviant Art account to showcase some sketches and cartoons i’ve done in the past.

  16. gillan says:

    My name is Bret. I’m from Ithaca, NY. I work in tech support. I found my way to your journal from James Urbaniak’s I think. I like everything you’ve written. I’m really interested in your screenplay analysis even if (and especially) I don’t agree with it. I also love reading about your kids and the mantises.

  17. i’m dillon. i’m 17, and i’m a senior in highschool.

    i was born in queens, but moved to the suburb i’m currenty in at the age of 6 or 7. my parents had me very young, at the ages of 21 and 22, and came from very poor backgrounds.

    now my mom’s a special ed teacher and my dad is a manager of something or other at legg mason, and we are what most would consider wealthy.

    instead of being a go-getter like them, i spend most of my time browsing the internet. i am what most would consider lazy. i like to do what i like to do, and i don’t like to do much else. i am currently trying to get into an art school.

    i don’t remember how i found this journal.

    i come back because i enjoy your screen play analysis, and insight you have to movie making.

    i really like the horror movie analysis more, as i am a big fan of the genre. more of that, and more personal tales of talking to other professionals are the most interesting.

    i don’t know what i don’t like, honestly. this journal serves its purpose well.

  18. curt_holman says:

    Oops: Feel free to delete the prior one

    For nearly eight years I’ve been a staff writer for the alt-weekly Creative Loafing Atlanta primarily writing and blogging about film and theater, but also covering the occasional television, graphic novel and performing arts-related stories. (Here’s our A&E “portal” page, with a link to my 2008 year-in-film roundup story.) Given the state of journalism/the economy in general and the company in particular (currently under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection), it’s entirely possibly that I’ll be making an “involuntary transition” to freelance writer status, maybe in a matter of weeks. Feel free to send good karma my way.

    My wife and I are both natives of Atlanta where we live with our daughter Sweetness and our cat and dog. is one of the most insightful and entertaining writers about film I know (notwithstanding his affection for The Spirit) and his blog is one of my favorite forums on-line. I probably found this blog via my friend , whom I’ve known for more than 20 years and reviews movies for MSNBC.com.

    Happy 2009, everyone.

  19. ruinednet says:

    Hello. I’m Brian Mooney, a web developer for a company supporting a number of college stores. Aside from that, I’m a gamer, primarily between tabletop games (Dungeons & Dragons) and MMOs (World of Warcraft). I’m fairly certain I found your blog through John Roger’s blog, one of the main writers of the new series Leverage, among many other projects.

    Like many others, I’m drawn to the craft of writing. One of my big disconnects has always been drilling down to find theme and metaphor within novel and film, so I’ve found your analyses to be very interesting reads. I’ve also learned a lot about structure in my short time here. Thank you, and please continue!

  20. ndgmtlcd says:

    I’m Alain, and I live in a distant suburb of Montreal. I work for the government and I found you thanks to my habit of skimming Lea Hernandez’s blog, “divalea”. I’m a film buff, up to a point. For every hour I watch a film I spend (or have spent) ten to a hundred hours reading up about it. In some cases I don’t bother taking the time to see it. Yes, I often return to your blog because of the screenplay analysis more than anything, but a “pure” analysis blog would be as bland as the worst of the overly cartesian articles in “Les Cahiers du Cinema”. I hope you’ll have still more visual elements in the future.

  21. iainjcoleman says:

    Hi Todd, and happy new year to all.

    I’m Iain Coleman, and I work as a science writer at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. My background is in astrophysics and space science. I have also been active in politics: I was a councillor on Cambridge City Council, on which I spent two years in the executive with responsibility for environmental services. Basically, every dog turd on every street in Cambridge was my personal responsibility. I have also stood for election to the UK parliament.

    I have now set aside politics to concentrate on screenwriting, principally for television. I feel my writing has improved markedly since I made that decision, but commercial success is still in the future.

    I enjoy and appreciate the screenplay analysis on this journal. It’s very helpful to me as a writer, and it also often makes me see films in new ways.

  22. Ian W. Hill – actor, writer, director, producer, designer, mostly in theatre, Brooklyn, NY. Tech director at The Brick, Williamsburg.

    Came here through ‘s LJ — knew James just barely through various NADA-related connections, and both of us were in a one-night Target Margin show of James Hannaham’s there. During my four years at NADA I also completely organized the archives, and got to know your shows and work through that (the scripts, postcards, programs, etc.).

    Quite frankly, I like your space here as it is. I like the mix of the personal and the professional — the whole point of my own LJ is “portrait of the grind of working-artist-person, including thoughts on the life-things that feed the art” so it’s the kind of craft journal I want to read as well.

    If I have anything that’s a favorite it’s when you examine the complete work of a filmmaker (or a genre of film), chronologically. I’ve sent a lot of people to your Elvis and Bond overviews, which were especially terrific.

    Thanks for asking and thanks for the place here.

  23. eronanke says:

    Laura

    I live in Toronto, but spent the past 7 years in Chicago. I have a MA in Egyptology focussing on cultural adaptations of new technology.

    I like reading your reviews although sometimes I disagree with them – esp. Labyrinth, but that’s always been a guilty pleasure of mine. The only Film Theory education I’ve had has specifically examined Bollywood, but that’s far afield from your reviews. Technically speaking, however, there are a few I think you might enjoy.

    I am a pop-culture addict, constantly browsing gossip blogs and keeping tabs on both the concept and examples of celebrity in the West, the Far East and the Subcontinent.

    I think I should have been an anthropologist – the way Western society functions in terms of worship and culture is fascinating to me. That’s why I come here, to find out how you appreciate and analyse both the mainstream/popular films as well as the niche.

    I also like your children.
    I have a blog (zomg-blog.com), it’s lame. My LJ cross-links my twitter and from my real blog.

  24. stormwyvern says:

    My name is Sara, spelled without an “h” though even members of my own family forget that on occasion. I live in Massachusetts, where it is currently very very cold. I’m currently at home catering to the needs of two house rabbits and a mixed-breed dog and trying to keep the house in some semblance of order while my husband works an hour away from our home. I also think about writing and occasionally sit down and actually do some. I’ve had a few unpaid stints writing about animation and other things for websites (including this one, should anyone be curious).

    I found your website through my friend Les McClaine’s LiveJournal friends page. (People who like comics should look at his website.) I keep coming back because analysis of pretty much any kind of story interests me and movie screenplays are particularly fun. I’ve been enjoying pretty much all of the content. Cute things that people’s kids do aren’t usually something I’m interested in, but Sam’s treatment for Jurassic Park IV helped me get out of a pretty awful mood and your reports on what your kids are up to always seem genuinely interesting. The occasional political discussion isn’t always my thing – though we seem to be on the same page about most things political, I got plenty of it elsewhere over the course of the past year or so – but you’re entitled to your opinion and I’ll probably still read it and mostly enjoy it.

    My particular passion is animation, so any screenplays of that persuasion that you feel like analyzing would make me a happy camper.

    • Todd says:

      Since Barack Obama is going to instantly turn everything around in the US and make the sky rain gumdrops, there will, thankfully, be no further need for political discussion in these pages.

      I really should have posted an analysis of Kung Fu Panda, which was one of my favorite movies of the year and a real breakthrough for the folks at Dreamworks.

      • stormwyvern says:

        Hopefully I can get around to watching that before you actually decide to do an analysis. I do love animation, but my husband’s hour commute each way and my personal lack of car means I haven’t been very good at seeing the theatrical variety.

        I’d also be very interested in hearing about your personal experiences with writing for animation.

  25. Nick Sinnott here, lurking from beautiful downtown Burbank. Formerly a special effects artist at the San Francisco boutique The Orphanage, I’m now a destitute screenwriter slash graduate student wrapping up my second year of study at the AFI Conservatory.

    I found your journal a few months ago through a mutual acquaintance who would likely prefer anonymity, and have since hooked a number of other AFI fellows. I hope they’ll introduce themselves as well, but even if they don’t, know that your Spielburg breakdowns are well respected and widely discussed within the AFI megalith.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Hi, I’m Nathan, a copy editor and novelist-in-progress on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. I came for the Venture Bros. analysis, and stayed for the amazing lessons in screenwriting and writing in general.

    — N.A.

  27. chevett says:

    Hey. I’m Chad Nevett, I’m 25 and live in Windsor, Ontario. I have a Master’s in English Language and Literature — Creative Writing, which I completed in 2008. I review comics for Comic Book Resources as well as blog about them. Currently unemployed, but I have a great girlfriend so things aren’t too bad. If I’m at my computer, I’ve got music playing (currently She & Him) and I’m almost always doing something that involves listening, reading or watching.

    • Todd says:

      At some point I’d like to know, from people your age, what new music is worth listening to. I started to make an entry about my favorite albums of 2008 and I realized that they were all from artists who started in the 1970s, if not earlier. I read back what I wrote and realized that I sounded like some old jazzbo going on about Cecil Taylor or something. I refuse to believe there isn’t new music out there that I’ll like, but I have no idea where to start.

      • chevett says:

        I can understand that, because, even at 25, a lot of the new albums I buy are by people I’ve been listening to for years, or even albums from before I was born. It seems each year, I begin to follow a new artist from the ’60s or ’70s and spend a good chunk of it listening to them (this year, it was Leonard Cohen). But, here are some of my favourite new albums of 2008:

        Between the Beautifuls and Los Manlicious by Hawksley Workman. Workman is a Canadian musician who tends to have a pop-rock sound with a lot of manic energy. Between the Beautifuls was released in January in Canada, while Los Manlicious was a European-only release until August when it was released here as well. Taken from most of the same sessions, the two albums complement each other well, even sharing four songs (different takes/mixes) and seem more like a double-album than two single albums. A few of the early songs on Los Manlicious remind me of Jack White a bit, while the album ends with a funky dance-pop song called “Fatty Wants to Dance.” Very heavy on emotion and honesty, but not in an “emo” sort of way. Workman is pretty quirky and has been a favourite of mine for a few years.

        Cardinology by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. A great mix of rock and country (more rock, I’d say) and has the best song I heard all year, “Magick.” It’s only a bit over two minutes long, but it’s fast, rocking and even a bit poppy–it actually seems like the sort of song that SHOULD be a hit single, but isn’t for reasons I’ll never understand. The rest of the album is quite good as well with a lot of great guitar work and a few depressing-as-hell songs.

        Midnight Boom by the Kills. This duo is a pretty basic garage rock band. I find I’m awful at describing how bands sound, but this one kind of reminds me of the White Stripes, but if you replaced Jack White with Lou Reed and gave Meg enough confidence to sing vocals all of the time… except that’s not quite right.

        Love at the End of the World by Sam Roberts (sometimes billed as The Sam Roberts Band). Another Canadian band with a more “classic rock” sort of sound, but their tongue-in-cheek single “Them Kids” is a lot of fun (in the chorus, they wonder why the kids don’t know how to dance to rock and roll anymore). The real stand-out track, though, is “Detroit ’67,” which is heavy on piano and a lot of fun.

        Never Too Loud by Danko Jones. Another Canadian band, very hard rocking and more well-known in Europe than here because that’s the way things go. Past albums have all been around 30 minutes, no slow songs and Jones’s vocal style more a growl/yell than singing. Well, on this album, he actually SINGS and it isn’t bad. “Take Me Home” has him weary of life on the road and just wanting to go home so he can listen to his records. Most songs are angry or about women, but good driving music.

        A few other albums I really enjoyed: Attack & Release by the Black Keys, The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley, and Consolers of the Lonely the Raconteurs (but I recall you discussing that). A couple of other bands who released stuff this year, but I haven’t been able to pick up: Missiles by the Dears and Heart On by the Eagles of Death Metal.

        No idea if any of that is something you’ll enjoy, but hope that helps.

  28. rootboy says:

    I’m a NYC-based computer programmer in a leg of the financial industry that hasn’t yet collapsed. I think I found you through . Like many before me, I came for the Venture Bros. and stayed for the movies.

  29. capthek says:

    I am a very hung over geography professor. I do research on finance, globalization, all kinds of stuff. I first wrote about how f-ed up subprime lending was back in 2001.

    I also take part in a local science fiction and fantasy reading community in Minnesota called Misfits who puts on a big yearly convention called convergence.

  30. I’m Michelle. I’m a massage therapist in Newport News, Virginia. I found your blog through James Urbaniak’s “Voucher Ankles” LJ. I started reading for the Venture Bros. discussions, and stayed for the great screenplay analyses. However, my absolute favorites are the Sam and Kit stories.

  31. Ello Todd. I’m Chris (if for some reason you couldn’t figure that out), and if I remember correctly I found your journal through Jackson Publick mentioning your Venture Brothers episode reviews. I am currently unemployed and hoping to make my way to movie special effects school this year in which I’m specifically aiming for horror/fantasy makeup effects. Loving the movie analysis, but don’t worry about your mind wandering or your kids being cute as those entries are quite enjoyable too.

  32. ms_violet says:

    My name is Lindsay, I’m a playwright, and I really enjoy your storytelling analysis. My degree is in English with a concentration in Film and a minor in Theatre (because my school didn’t have a Theatre major at the time, and Theatre didn’t let me write enough).

    For what it’s worth, this is my Dramatists’ Guild website.

  33. foryourfyi says:

    Hi Todd,

    Googling for early reaction to Indy 4 led me to your blog and I come back every day for the Spielberg rundowns, the political entries, obits and all the rest.

    I’m a freelance editor and Powerpoint specialist living and working in Chicagoland.

    • Hello

      I’m A from southern California. I found your blog through jbacardi linking your blog. I can’t rememeber which entry but I kept on reading it and recently added it to my google reader.

  34. vinic says:

    I am a film student in north Dallas. I came here for the analyses, stayed for the rest, and subscribed for the Costello.

  35. lesmcclaine says:

    I’m a comics artist and writer– more artist than writer right now. I found your blog via the Venture Bros. writeups, and stuck around for the screenplay breakdowns. It’s been helping me think about my writing in a new and better way!

  36. eowyna says:

    Hello! I am a nearly-60-year-old Engineer living in Manhattan Beach. I found your blog through a friend who is a legal clearance script reader at Fox. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a writer, and decided I didn’t want to starve before making a living at it, so I went into Math and Computer Science instead. But I still write (finally finishing a book – Sweet Bags Richly Embroidered that I am now seeing if I can get someone to publish – half historical how-it-was and half modern how-to). I blog about the book progress at , but don’t read anyone else’s blog from there.

    I particularly enjoy reading your analysis of story structure. I am a fan of genre literature (fantasy, mystery, sci fi, historical, vampire and light horror) and have watched and rewatched Buffy– noticing how the bones of the stories work, the use of language, as well as enjoying the stories themselves. I haven’t yet succeeded in getting fiction to come out of my virtual pen, just lots of non-fiction articles. So, like the engineer I am, I read your blog to understand how it works. Or doesn’t.

  37. I’m a 38-year-old family physician living in Edmonton, Alberta (born and raised there, too). I cannot remember how I found out about this journal, although it’s a safe bet it was via , who’s a movie aficionado, to put it mildly. I think it was about the time you first posted about The Dark Knight — it blew me away and continues to do so, and your deconstructing it/explaining it helps me figure out why it is so moving. ‘Course, I hate that they killed … uh, spoilers. I’m sure you know who I mean.

    What keeps me coming back? I enjoy your writing style. Precise, educated, mature thoughts written well. I don’t see enough of that. I also enjoy the conversation that often occurs in the comments.

    I am in your debt, also. Many good wishes for the upcoming year.

  38. samedietc says:

    Hello and happy new year to all.

    My name is Ben, and I’m a graduate student in literature in Chicago, focusing on American literature (particularly 19th-century lit) and science fiction.

    I was directed to your blog by when I was expressing my displeasure over the last Indiana Jones film, and I enjoyed your thematic examination (knowledge vs. experience, taking vs. returning). Around that time I was getting interested in right-wing blogs, and your movie analyses provided a useful escape from the Cthulhu-esque horror of trying to understand the right world-view. (And if the movie-talk was a good escape from conservative talking-points, your political commentary was a useful counter.)

    So, I like the film analyses particularly, but the occasional mantis, politics, etc., do help to keep me on my toes.

    Also, I wouldn’t complain if you wanted to talk about the figure of the crowd in American literature, 1850-1950.

  39. bassfingers says:

    I’m finishing up my BFA in Photography in Houston after working in Hollywood for about 8 years in a variety of capacities. Been a film buff most of my life and stumbled upon Todd’s LJ after seeing some amusing comment he left in the Film Stills community.

    I don’t consider myself a successful writer, but have enjoyed collaborating on a few screenplays, novels, short-stories and other world-building adventures with my friends. I like to read about literary theory, screenwriting, writing in general, worldbuilding, archetypes and other structures and try to apply some of those ideas to my photography or my art.

  40. catwalk says:

    i came to your lj through , if i’m not mistaken. your analyses of ‘the venture bros.’ gave me additional levels of the show to enjoy. i also greatly appreciate your breakdowns of films from a writer’s standpoint.
    i am unemployed with hopes of being otherwise. my most recent gig was dj at an alternative radio station in east central alabama. i have always enjoyed writing… things, as i also enjoy reading, watching and listening to… things.

  41. I am Lacy Emiba. I added your LiveJournal because you gravitate towards some rare things for which I possess a profound affinity. I remain a steadfast reader because I enjoy your writings about film and politics. The language you use to express your opinion always allow for easy and entertaining reading.

    About me: I recently obtained an M.A. in Social Sciences Education. I work as an office manager at a Bikram Yoga studio in Orlando, Florida. I enjoy the French language and hoopdance.

    • Todd says:

      Holy cow, I’ve got that Michael Nyman LP too! I thought I was the only one.

      • I have it on CD, too. I love that record.

        I’m so excited because my husband and I just moved into a new place where I can actually put all my records out. I cannot wait to play my Nyman records.

  42. wyrdwood says:

    Hi, my name’s Bill and I’m a writer and game designer for rpgs and MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) at CCP Games/White Wolf. I followed a link to your LJ once and liked it enough to keep reading, although I can’t remember where I saw that link (Kung Fu Monkey, maybe).

    I’m curious to hear more about your thoughts on superheroes, although I suspect you won’t be able to talk about your actual project for a long, long time.

  43. mr_noy says:

    I’m Marco, by day a mild mannered office worker. By night I’m a mild mannered production designer/art director for local film and theater in Austin, TX. When I’m not toiling away on another play, short film or indie feature that no one will ever see I ask myself why I’ve spent the past 10 years building toys for others to play with. On such occasions I’m motivated to write screenplays for myself to direct one day.

    And you know what? It’s not as easy as it sounds. One thing I’ve learned over the past couple of years is that writing a screenplay isn’t rocket science but it isn’t a cakewalk either. Rather than discussing some hypothetical screenplay or just sections of actual films I appreciate your nuts and bolts approach to films that are widely available and still fresh in the minds of the viewers. I also appreciate the comments left by others on the site and your responses to them. Compared to a lot of other sites that attract fanboys the comments here are polite, articulate and insightful and whether I’m actively contributing or just following along these ongoing discussions have entertained me and given me a greater respect for filmmaking and screenwriting.

    Not that the site is all work and no play. Like so many others I came for the Venture Brothers analysis but stuck around for the photo essays about praying mantids – actually that isn’t entirely accurate but the cute bugs were a bonus.

  44. sailortweek says:

    Mary McDowell is my name, Seattle area is the location, and theatre is my background. I recieved a BA in theatre from Western WA University back in 2006. I’m by no means a professional or do I intend to become one. I enjoy my creature comforts and do not forsee myself sacrificing anything to live the starving artist lifestyle. I am newly married to a wonnderful man. We play way too much World Of Warcraft together and enjoy catching up on television series on DVD.

    I have a tendencey to mispell, ramble, and miss the point on the first read-thru. I work at a children’s museum…but have no authority to make benificial decisions abotu the establishiment. Oh well…someday.

    I found your livejournal via ‘s firend’s list. Your writings are wonderfully interesting! I’ve always been a fan of film, but very often forget to look deeper into the details/meat/heart of the film. I love that about your journal. Whether I agree with you or not, you write so much more than “This film sucks/rules/I miss Kubrick”. Highly informative, insightful, and entertaining.

    Thank you for sharing your journal with us ^_^

    • Todd says:

      For what it’s worth, I do miss Kubrick.

      • sailortweek says:

        D’oh!

        *LOL* I knew that statement of mine was going to bite me in butt! I’ll explain. ^_^

        I’ve only taken 2 film clases in my life and the last class did nothing but become a Kubrick memorial. We students couldn’t talk about any other director and, in turn, all became a bit jaded by anything Kubrick. Which is sad and unfair…especially since the only film we hardcore focused on was 2001 A Space Odessey. During this time, any mention of other films was met with “It was ok, but it was nothing like what Kubrick would do”. It was enough to make you want to tear your hair out.

        I have nothing against Kubrick and by no means a Kubrick expert…I just become a little ill when someone uses his films as basis of comparision for crtiquing other films. I’m on the road to getting over that. *LOL*

        • Todd says:

          Re: D’oh!

          Kubrick is many a film-fan’s first love, myself included. He was a one-of-a-kind thinker and a bona-fide genius who changed the notion of what a movie could be. When I got my blu-ray player, the first disc I had to get was The Shining, quickly followed by 2001, Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket.

          The only reason I haven’t set about an in-depth analysis of his screenplays is that a study of Kubrick, unfortunately, won’t help me in my work as a screenwriter. Go into a studio and pitch a project from a Kubrickian approach and they’ll look at you like you’re from Mars, which is why Kubrick left Hollywood in the first place.

          • sailortweek says:

            Re: D’oh!

            And here in your reply I’ve learned more about Kubrick than I did in school.

            This is another reason why I enjoy reading your journal!

  45. moroccomole says:

    Howdy, I’m Alonso and I review films for MSNBC.com (and write about entertainment for various other outlets). I think it was who sent me your way; we probably disagree about movies more than we agree, but I enjoy reading your analyses from a scenarist’s point of view.

  46. lupa says:

    And a Happy New Year to you as well!!

    Good afternoon from New York! I’m Risa, and I’m a Brooklynite by way of Ithaca. I am a writer who is paying the dog doctor bills by being a production manager in IT. I actually quit IT in 2007 to write scripts, but then the writer’s strike happened and Amelia got sick, so…

    I currently blog over at . I used to blog here on LJ, but found that LJ’s friends lists function allowed me to do more complain self-therapizing than writing, so I stopped back in 2005. I did see a correlation between the time I stopped and the quality of my subsequent work.

    I came to you via , who said you were the best blogger about screenplays he’s seen. Actually, what he really said was something along the lines of “Woman, if you’re gonna write professionally you have to go read this guy. He’s right up your alley.” In my opinion he’s right. I got back into reading LJ regularly because of you – your analyses, even when I disagree, are incredibly useful and keep me thinking about what I see in a film, what I take away, and most importantly why.

    Your kids are also adorable, and everything else personal you post is appealing… and while I usually try to remain impersonal with people I come across on LJ, the Dave Sims comment up there makes me like you a helluva lot.

  47. musicpsych says:

    Hey, I’m Jeff, 26 years old. I graduated from college a few years ago with a BA in music and English, and I’m currently working a boring office job while I try to explore some interests and figure out what I really want to do with my life.

    I like your LJ because what you have to say is usually pretty interesting. I also like your movie analysis; you’ve made me reconsider movies that I’ve already passed judgment on (like Catch Me If You Can and War of the Worlds). I found your LJ through Urbaniak’s LJ (I’m part of that club – you should maybe take out ads there), which I found through another friend.

  48. yesdrizella says:

    Happy New Year, Todd!

    I am majoring in Humanities with a specialization in pop culture and am still trying to figure out where that will get me. Thank goodness for that magazine journalism minor. I’m also a failed novelist, or maybe I haven’t found the “right one” yet. I got over my teenage angst years ago and remain quite optimistic these days.

    I found you through . I came for the Venture Bros. reviews and stay for the movie reviews (especially anything having to do with Batman) and political insights.

    And if you ever get around to seeing Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, I’d love to hear what you think. I’m not sure if you are or were a wrestling fan at some point, but it’d be doubly cool if you aren’t, as I’ve been wanting to see more reviews from non-fans.

    • Todd says:

      I enjoyed The Wrestler, especially in view of its being “the new Aronofsky project,” since it’s so utterly out of his perceived stylistic range. I hope it’s a big hit and gets everyone a lot of work.

      I was never a big wrestling fan, but I was never a big porn fan either, and Boogie Nights proved that a sensitive, interested director can find drama and humanity in the most ridiculous of endeavors.

  49. pseydtonne says:

    My name is Dante. I grew up in Utica, NY (the purgatory of the New Rust Belt) and moved to Boston nine years ago. I am a tech geek, with a focus in Unix system administration, revision control and support escalation. I answer the problems the Tier 1’s can’t hit.

    I have a degree in philosophy and a minor in history. I have immense bullsh*tting skills, which I have learned to temper. I write, but mostly on my LJ.

    I found your blog in the last year but I can no longer remember how. I’ve been fascinated by the Spielberg saga because I’d always tuned him out in lieu of French and Italian film makers.

    What keeps me coming back? “What does the protagonist want?” If someone had said that to me when I was in college, maybe I’d’ve written more radio comedies by now.