Get free tickets to the Premiere—The Eggie Files

I recently collaborated with my longtime associate, Snehal Patel (http://www.fearlessproductions.tv) on a web series designed to promote Universal Cargo Management (http://www.universalcargo.com).

It's a fun project I got to work on—I got involved mid-way into the scripting. This funny series was brought to life on page by Snehal with comedian, Eric Schwartz (http://smoothe.tv/) who plays Eggie Egbert Green. The show has been masterfully conducted by Snehal who wore multiple hats but juggled the roles with panache.

I contributed as a Producer as well as Editor of the first two episodes. Also, once the show was ready I worked on the marketing strategy for an integrated online campaign coupled with an on-ground event designed to showcase the web series at trade shows as an evening entertainment attraction providing an opportunity to have a captive one-on-one audience interaction.

The series will premiere on Friday, February 11, 2011 at the Downtown Independent Theater. Entry is free, you are welcome to bring along friends; be sure to register tickets for them as well.

http://theeggiefiles.eventbrite.com/

Look forward to seeing you at the event.

Best,
Thomas Marcus George

“There isn't a person anywhere who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can.” 

– Henry Ford

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Never Give Up On Your Dream

Also, you never know which dream to follow—but usually they work in a sequence. You can't turn into a novelist unless you learn how to write. Well, you have to start somewhere; there is no better place than here and now. Good luck! I know for sure that anyone who took that first step and stuck to their guns—always found their dreams come true. http://amplify.com/u/bmpde

Never Give Up On Your Dream

Also, you never know which dream to follow—but usually they work in a sequence. You can't turn into a novelist unless you learn how to write. Well, you have to start somewhere; there is no better place than here and now. Good luck! I know for sure that anyone who took that first step and stuck to their guns—always found their dreams come true.

Amplify’d from www.forbes.com

When writer F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote "There are no second acts in American lives," he had no notion that a body-builder with a funny accent would someday go on to run the most populous state in the nation. Or that a Republican vice-presidential candidate would take a stab at reality TV. The fact is F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong. Second acts are not only possible, some of America's most well-known have made bold career changes. Witness former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's foray into entertainment: On Nov. 14 the 46-year-old former Alaska governor debuts an eight-part documentary television series, Sarah Palin's Alaska, on TLC. Palin aims to tell the story of her home state with a strong assist from reality TV producer Mark Burnett of Survivor and The Apprentice fame.

Celebrities' First Jobs Nicole Perlroth and Isabelle Schafer 11.02.10, 6:00 PM ET

Comedian Al Franken managed the reverse. Franken made a name for himself as one of the original comedy writers for Saturday Night Live, and as one of SNL's most eccentric performers. Later Franken pursued a second act as a radio talk show host on Air America, where he regularly interviewed political figures and occasionally penned bestsellers with such provocative titles as Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot And Other Observations. On his last show for Air America, Franken announced he would be pursuing on a third act: running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Last July he was sworn in as a member of the Democratic Party.

And how could we forget James Cameron's Terminator? Long before California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Governator, he was a well-established bodybuilder. On switching to acting, he has said, "I was told by agents and casting people that my body was 'too weird,' that I had a funny accent and that my name was too long. You name it, and they told me I had to change it." His third act in politics seemed even more improbable, but Schwarzenegger managed to win California's 2006 recall election and re-election in 2008. With his term coming to an end on Jan. 3, 2011, Arnold "will be back"--in what incarnation, though, is hard to predict.

Some of America's biggest celebrities owe their fame to bold career changes. Take character actor Dennis Farina. There's a reason he played such a convincing detective on Law & Order: He studied the role for 18 years on the Chicago police force--first as a cop, then a detective. Farina never considered an acting career until he started working overtime as police consultant to director Michael Mann. In 1981 Mann asked Farina, then 37, to play a small part in his film Thief. Soon Farina was moonlighting in local theater productions. Five years later he was taking small roles in Mann's Crime Story series and a role as mobster on Mann's other show Miami Vice. That led to countless similar roles in action films, including Midnight Run, Get Shorty and Snatch.

The luckiest role Harrison Ford ever landed was a job as a cabinet maker. For 15 years, Ford toiled as a carpenter--working as a stagehand for The Doors, building sound studios for Sergio Mendes and making cabinets for George Lucas, then a lesser-known producer. Then, like something out of a movie, Lucas offered his carpenter a tiny role in the film American Graffiti. Later, as Lucas gained notoriety--and needed a larger office--he hired Ford to do the construction work. One day in the office, Lucas asked Ford to read lines for absent actors on his new film, Star Wars. The impromptu performance won over Stephen Spielberg, who offered Ford the lead role. Star Wars became the highest-grossing film in history, and Ford began a long second act in Hollywood.

The most improbable second act goes to singer-songwriter Ray LaMontagne. Working 65-hour weeks at a shoe factory in Maine, LaMontagne never envisioned a second career as a famed musician. The assembly line worker never particularly liked music and never played a musical instrument--until one day when his radio alarm clock woke him at 4 a.m. to the tune of Stephen Stills' "Tree Top Flyer." LaMontagne took the day off to hunt down the song at his local record store, where he spent the entire day engrossed in Stills' album. Soon, he was trading in his VW bus for an acoustic guitar and teaching himself to play the whole album. He took a crack at Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Otis Redding and eventually his own songs. At 30 he quit his day job to plunge into music full time. The result? The shy former factory worker now has a deal with RCA Records, three studio albums, more than a million albums sold and a reputation as one of the most talented singer-songwriters of his generation.

rst Jobs

In Pictures: Celebrities' First Jobs Read more at www.forbes.com

 

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Hollywood—Billionaire's playground

It sure is a gamble to invest in films—but not quite a gamble if you are a billionaire; it's just a game. Just as changing cars or keeping up with the latest yachts or private jets—it sure is a status boost to produce the top film of the year. What if it's a movie with the latest cars, yachts, private jets and the top stars; "The Tourist" tries to just do that—whether it makes a good film; that's a wild ass guess. http://amplify.com/u/bmp9f

Hollywood—Billionaire's playground

It sure is a gamble to invest in films—but not quite a gamble if you are a billionaire; it's just a game. Just as changing cars or keeping up with the latest yachts or private jets—it sure is a status boost to produce the top film of the year. What if it's a movie with the latest cars, yachts, private jets and the top stars; "The Tourist" tries to just do that—whether it makes a good film; that's a wild ass guess.

Amplify’d from www.forbes.com

Billionaires' Box Office Gambles

Steven Bertoni, 12.10.10, 11:00 AM ET Two billionaires are about to go head to head in a box office battle. On Dec. 10 Philip Anschutz's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will face off against Tim Headington and his Johnny Depp/Angelina Jolie thriller The Tourist. It is not the first time these billionaires have made big Hollywood bets. The two tycoons have plenty of company. Dozens of billionaires have spent excess cash funding the risky but sometimes glamorous business of Hollywood films. Some have scored big returns; others bankrolled flops. Tim Headington has experienced both. Headington, who sold a piece of his family's stake in North Dakota's Bakken shale to XTO Energy for $1.8 billion and has a personal net worth of $2.65 billion, has backed two Martin Scorsese/Leonardo DiCaprio hits: The Aviator (five Oscars) and The Departed (four Oscars, including Best Picture). But he experienced bad timing with The Edge of Darkness, featuring beleaguered star Mel Gibson. That film grossed just $80 million on a budget of $80 million. He'll get another shot for box office bullion with The Tourist. His other Depp film, The Rum Diaries, is set to debut in 2011. In Pictures: Billionaires Bet On The Box Office Anschutz, who ranks 34th on the 2010 Forbes 400 list with a net worth of $7 billion, earned a Best Picture Oscar for the Jamie Foxx hit Ray. The Ray Charles biopic was a departure from the family-friendly flicks often produced by Anschutz' Walden Media. Besides the Narnia franchise, Anschutz has backed tame films like Holes, Hoot and The Tooth Fairy. Anschutz' fortune stems from investments in the railroad business, fiber optics (with Qwest Communications) and entertainment venues through AEG, which controls 120 sports and entertainment venues, including the Staples Center in Los Angeles. EBay billionaire and former president Jeff Skoll usually produces films with a social message. His company, Participant Media, funded Al Gore's climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth. That film won an Oscar for Best Documentary and helped Al Gore score the Nobel Peace Prize. Other influential films include Food Inc. and Waiting for Superman. He had less luck with the clumsy comedy Furry Vengeance, about forest critters getting revenge on a land developer. That movie cost $35 million and grossed $36 million. Skoll, a Canadian who no longer works for eBay, has a net worth of $2.4 billion on Forbes' 2010 World's Billionaires list. Israeli billionaire Arnon Milchan has had his share of hits and misses too. Milchan has produced hits like Fight Club and the classic comedy Pretty Woman, which grossed a robust $460 million on a scant $14 million budget. But he also backed the Tom Green bomb Freddy Got Fingered, which won five Razzie awards and was nominated for the worst film of the decade. Milchan ranked No. 249 on the 2010 Forbes World's Billionaires list with a $3.6 billion fortune. He turned his family's fertilizer business into a company with interests that include agriculture, aerospace, fiber optics and pharmaceuticals. Other billionaires who have dabbled in the film business include NBA Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (net worth: $2.5 billion), cable king Gary Magness (the movie Precious), private equity boss Tom Gores (net worth $2.4 billion), Jones Apparel cofounder Sidney Kimmel and TV queen Oprah Winfrey. For billionaires Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, movie-making is not a hobby but the source of their fortunes. Spielberg, a cofounder of DreamWorks Animation, received a $325 million investment from India's Reliance Industries last year; he also signed a new distribution deal with Disney. His endless string of hits includes ET, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List and Catch Me If You Can--to name just a few. Disney will release his sci-fi film I am number 4 in early 2011. George Lucas is the mind behind the Star Wars franchise and head of special effects firm Industrial Light and Magic. His six Star Wars films have earned more than $4.3 billion worldwide from the box office. Toys, merchandise, videogames and more have grossed more than $20 billion. Read more at www.forbes.com

 

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Tavis Smiley—moderates a discussion regarding The Future of United States...

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/Smiley

Tavis Smiley moderated a discussion on the challenges facing the U.S., including energy independence, job creation, the economy, education, and health care reform.

I highly recommend watching this discussion—very informing as well as a great insight into the various perspectives regarding policies that will shape the future of America in 2011.

GRAHAM KING AND PETER SCHLESSEL ANNOUNCE FORMATION OF FILMDISTRICT ℠

Graham King http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454752 2010 The Tourist (producer) 2010 London Boulevard (producer) 2010 The Town (producer) 2010 Edge of Darkness (producer) 2009 The Young Victoria (producer) 2006 Blood Diamond (producer) 2006 The Departed (producer) 2004 The Aviator (producer) 2004 Traffic (TV mini-series) (executive producer) 2002 Gangs of New York (co-executive producer) 2001 Ali (executive producer) 2000 Traffic (executive producer) Jun 2010: deadline.com — In a surprise move, Peter Schlessel will leave his post as Sony Pictures president of worldwide affairs to become president of GK Films, Graham King’s company. I’m told the move will take place over the next few weeks. Schlessel has spent 21 years at the studio, and acted as a consigliere specializing in making deals that have spanned most of the studio’s divisions. Those have ranged from domestic distribution pacts on films like District 9 and the Michael Jackson documentary This is It!, to offshore distribution on the upcoming Joe Wright-directed Hanna, Terminator Salvation, Book Of Eli and the Showtime series The Tudors, to real estate investments and Sony’s recent lot renovations, to a recent DVD distribution deal for Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s The Weinstein Company. Among those deals was to bring King’s GK Films over to Sony through the Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group. GK Films finances its product and Sony provides global distribution and P&A for a distribution fee. The exit is amicable, I’m told. Schlessel wanted a greater involvement on the creative side and wanted to be more entrepreneurial. He couldn’t go up—Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal aren’t going anywhere—so is going out. He will continue to work with SPE because of the GK Films output deal. King, with backing from his partner, Texas-based Tim Headington, is looking to expand and has begun to do so in TV with the Starz series Camelot. King has the ability to green light films, and the Sony deal gives him a distribution machine to run his films through. So far, King has placed the Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie thriller The Tourist to be distributed by Sony as well as The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the children’s book adaptation that Martin Scorsese will shoot in 3D. King hasn’t yet set domestic distribution on the Colin Farrell-Keira Knightley-starrer London Boulevard, the directing debut of The Departed scribe William Monahan, and The Rum Diary, which also stars Depp. http://amplify.com/u/blwlw

GRAHAM KING AND PETER SCHLESSEL ANNOUNCE FORMATION OF FILMDISTRICT ℠

Graham King

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454752



2010 The Tourist (producer)

2010 London Boulevard (producer)

2010 The Town (producer)

2010 Edge of Darkness (producer)

2009 The Young Victoria (producer)

2006 Blood Diamond (producer)

2006 The Departed (producer)

2004 The Aviator (producer)

2004 Traffic (TV mini-series) (executive producer)

2002 Gangs of New York (co-executive producer)

2001 Ali (executive producer)

2000 Traffic (executive producer)



Jun 2010: deadline.com — In a surprise move, Peter Schlessel will leave his post as Sony Pictures president of worldwide affairs to become president of GK Films, Graham King’s company. I’m told the move will take place over the next few weeks.



Schlessel has spent 21 years at the studio, and acted as a consigliere specializing in making deals that have spanned most of the studio’s divisions. Those have ranged from domestic distribution pacts on films like District 9 and the Michael Jackson documentary This is It!, to offshore distribution on the upcoming Joe Wright-directed Hanna, Terminator Salvation, Book Of Eli and the Showtime series The Tudors, to real estate investments and Sony’s recent lot renovations, to a recent DVD distribution deal for Harvey and Bob Weinstein’s The Weinstein Company.



Among those deals was to bring King’s GK Films over to Sony through the Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group. GK Films finances its product and Sony provides global distribution and P&A for a distribution fee. The exit is amicable, I’m told. Schlessel wanted a greater involvement on the creative side and wanted to be more entrepreneurial. He couldn’t go up—Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal aren’t going anywhere—so is going out. He will continue to work with SPE because of the GK Films output deal.



King, with backing from his partner, Texas-based Tim Headington, is looking to expand and has begun to do so in TV with the Starz series Camelot. King has the ability to green light films, and the Sony deal gives him a distribution machine to run his films through. So far, King has placed the Johnny Depp-Angelina Jolie thriller The Tourist to be distributed by Sony as well as The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the children’s book adaptation that Martin Scorsese will shoot in 3D. King hasn’t yet set domestic distribution on the Colin Farrell-Keira Knightley-starrer London Boulevard, the directing debut of The Departed scribe William Monahan, and The Rum Diary, which also stars Depp.

Amplify’d from www.filmdistrict.com

GRAHAM KING AND PETER SCHLESSEL ANNOUNCE FORMATION OF FILMDISTRICT ℠ Bob Berney Joins Leadership Team; Company To Release Films Directly and Through Sony Pictures CULVER CITY, CA – Graham King and Tim Headington’s GK Films, in partnership with Peter Schlessel, President of GK Films, announced the formation of FilmDistrict, a multi-faceted acquisition, distribution, production, and financing company.  Bob Berney joins as President of Theatrical Distribution reporting to Schlessel, who will, in addition to his responsibilities at GK Films, serve as CEO of FilmDistrict. FilmDistrict will theatrically distribute between four and eight wide release commercial pictures per year, some of which will go through Sony Pictures Entertainment’s TriStar and Triumph labels.   Sony Pictures also will have other distribution rights (including home entertainment and television) to the films.  This deal does not affect GK Films’ existing output arrangement with the studio.    FilmDistrict will also provide consulting services to Sony Pictures’ well-established worldwide theatrical and ancillary acquisition business run by Steve Bersch, President of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, and his senior team. “It has always been a goal of mine to be involved in all aspects of filmmaking and distribution,” said King.  “I’ve known and worked with Peter for a long time and there is no one else I would rather take this step with.  Bob Berney has a fantastic ability to connect with filmmakers and he orchestrates very creative marketing campaigns. We’re thrilled to be working with Amy Pascal, Michael Lynton, Jeff Blake and everyone at Sony Pictures in this new venture.”   “This is a great opportunity for GK Films and FilmDistrict to work with our friends at Sony Pictures in distribution and acquisitions to help keep Sony’s pipeline filled with commercial product. It is a real honor to be asked by Michael, Amy, Jeff and Steve to continue my relationship with the studio and particularly its acquisition group,” said Schlessel.  “Joining this exciting company is a real opportunity to participate in a powerful new global entity,” said Berney.  “To market films through our direct distribution system and to work on other pictures with Sony offers us great potential.  I’m thrilled to be joining Graham and Peter as we take this next step forward.” “Peter Schlessel has one of the best eyes in the business for quality films, as evidenced by his role in bringing District 9 to us,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures.  “We will miss having Peter here at the studio, but we’re thrilled to be working with him in his new role at FilmDistrict.” “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Peter for most of my career and his ‘street smarts’ and creative mind have never ceased to impress me,” said Amy Pascal, Co-Chairman of Sony Pictures.  “Peter and Bob, along with Graham, will be great partners with us for years to come.” Bahman Naraghi, COO of GK Films, negotiated the deal with Stefan Litt, Executive Vice President and CFO of Sony Pictures’ motion picture group.  Schlessel will continue to function as President of GK Films, where he is involved in the day to day management of the company.  Prior to GK Films, Schlessel spent 21 years at SPE, and held the titles of President of Worldwide Affairs; President of Columbia Pictures; President of Production, Columbia Pictures; and President of Worldwide Acquisitions.  Berney founded and operated independent film distribution and marketing companies Apparition, Picturehouse, Newmarket Films and IFC Films, and was responsible for releasing critically acclaimed and award-winning films such as Memento, La Vie En Rose, Pan’s Labryinth, The Young Victoria, The Passion of the Christ, Monster and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, among many others.  He has also served as an independent distribution and marketing consultant and began his career in exhibition, managing and owning movie theaters in Texas. In addition to partnering with Schlessel for FilmDistrict, King continues to focus on producing films though his independent production company GK Films, which he launched in May 2007 with business partner Tim Headington.  The company’s next feature The Town, written and directed by Ben Affleck, was recently released by Warner Bros. on September 17.  GK Films also produced The Tourist, directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, to be released by Columbia Pictures on December 10.  The company is currently shooting the 3-D film Hugo Cabret, directed by Martin Scorsese, and is in post production on The Rum Diary starring Depp and produced by Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil and the crime drama London Boulevard, starring Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley and written and directed by Academy Award®-winning screenwriter William Monahan.  GK Films recently announced several new projects including the untitled Freddie Mercury story starring Sacha Baron Cohen.  GK Films is partnering with Tribeca Productions and Queen Films on the Freddie Mercury script currently being written by Peter Morgan.  GK Films is also producing a feature adaptation of the British miniseries Unforgiven, to be written by Christopher McQuarrie, as well as an untitled love story, written and directed by Angelina Jolie.  The company also produced the animated tale Rango, directed by Gore Verbinski and produced with his Blind Wink Productions for Paramount Pictures, set for a March 2011 release.  Recent GK Films releases include Edge of Darkness, and the three-time Academy Award® nominated The Young Victoria. Most recently, Graham King and Tim Headington launched a new division, GK-TV.  Run by President Craig Cegielski, GK-TV is dedicated to the development, production and worldwide distribution of television programming.  GK-TV is currently filming the miniseries Camelot for Starz, starring Joseph Fiennes and Eva Green. GK Films can be found on the World Wide Web at http://gk-films.com. About Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation.  SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com. Read more at www.filmdistrict.com

 

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Must-have skills for a writer who wishes to be published

Many writers, including myself, despise anything but the creative process of story-telling while getting to indulge with all our literary fancies with the desire to be read by every living being. Writing a synopsis or a treatment just for a select group of individuals — mainly agents and suits seems less of a draw. With time of course this attitude changes quite swiftly. Now, after realizing the business more intimately I would share this with all my fellow-writers that the most critical document is the synopsis and the treatment. How effectively you write, edit and capture this piece will decide whether all your mammoth efforts in writing the novel or screenplay will ever see the light of day. Evolution is a process of accepting change. We have as a society developed into an industrial, global and fierce populace — survival is indeed a gift granted only to the one willing to adapt. “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.” – Charles Darwin http://amplify.com/u/blwjk

Must-have skills for a writer who wishes to be published

Many writers, including myself, despise anything but the creative process of story-telling while getting to indulge with all our literary fancies with the desire to be read by every living being. Writing a synopsis or a treatment just for a select group of individuals — mainly agents and suits seems less of a draw.



With time of course this attitude changes quite swiftly. Now, after realizing the business more intimately I would share this with all my fellow-writers that the most critical document is the synopsis and the treatment. How effectively you write, edit and capture this piece will decide whether all your mammoth efforts in writing the novel or screenplay will ever see the light of day.



Evolution is a process of accepting change. We have as a society developed into an industrial, global and fierce populace — survival is indeed a gift granted only to the one willing to adapt.



“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

– Charles Darwin

Amplify’d from www.viviansnotebook.com

Five Steps To Writing A Synopsis by Vivian Teresa Beck

Step 1:  Start With A Hook.   This should be a paragraph or two similar to the blurb on the back of a book.   Mood and tone is important here, use special adjectives. Step 2:  Introduction of Characters.   Introduce the main characters in your book.  Tell their MOTIVATION, CONFLICT, and GOALS.  Stay away from detailed physical descriptions unless this information is pertinent to your story. Step 3:  Construct the Body of Your Synopsis.  Here, using paragraphs, write the high points of your story in chronological order.  Keep these paragraphs tight, don't give every little detail.   Remember, each scene should include, ACTION, REACTION, and a DECISION. Example:  Sam kisses Mary goodnight.   (ACTION)  He makes her forget she does not want to get involved in a relationship.  (REACTION)  He's dangerous to her hard-earned peach of mind.  (DECISION) Step 4:  Use Three or Four Paragraphs to Write the CRISIS and RESOLUTION of Your Story.  Keep this simple, but make sure you show your main characters' reactions.  Don't keep the editor/agent guessing.  Your synopsis must include the resolution to your story. Step 5:  Rewrite your synopsis until each sentence is polished to the point of perfection.  Use strong adjectives and verbs, and always write in the present tense.  Make every word count. Read more at www.viviansnotebook.com

 

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The Essential Parts of a Novel Synopsis

The title says it all, so must your synopsis. It must reveal everything about your story — conceal nothing, absolutely nothing. The agent is your friend, he/she wishes to help you get your story out, that's his job. But he/she has to go through thousands of submissions trying to get to the one. The easier you make their work, the better they are equipped to understand the potential of your story and giving it a life outside of your dusty shelf. http://amplify.com/u/blwjf

The Essential Parts of a Novel Synopsis

The title says it all, so must your synopsis. It must reveal everything about your story — conceal nothing, absolutely nothing. The agent is your friend, he/she wishes to help you get your story out, that's his job. But he/she has to go through thousands of submissions trying to get to the one. The easier you make their work, the better they are equipped to understand the potential of your story and giving it a life outside of your dusty shelf.

Amplify’d from www.guidetoliteraryagents.com

The Essential Parts of a Novel Synopsis Posted by Chuck

1. The Opening Hook You must start strong with the novel synopsis. Agents and editors want to be engaged when they're up at night, plowing through submissions. If they don't like the opening, they won't get through the rest of it. Here is an example of an intriguing synopsis opening, from Monster by John Tigges: "MAL and JONNA EVANS, in an effort to save their marriage, which has been been jeopardized by Jonna's extramarital affair, go backpacking near Garibaldi Provincial Park, British Columbia. On their first night, while preparing their evening meal, a Sasquatch barges into their camp and grabs Jonna."

2. Character Sketches You need to provide a sense of your main characters' motivations, especially those that will bring the characters into conflict with one another. "The characters' physical descriptions are not vital, but their motivations are," Marilyn Campbell says. Here is a part of the synopsis for Broken Connections, which earned the author a television movie option with this quick sketch of her heroine's backstory: "Twenty-six-year-old JULIE HAMPTON, author of several gardening books, has returned to her native Boston from California after separating from her philandering husband, JOEL GREGG. Julie had fled to California seven years earlier to attend UC Berkeley and to put as much distance as she could between herself and her mother."

3. Plot Highlights "Detail the beginning and ending scenes and one or two in the middle that give an indication of the kind of emotional intensity or type of action to be expected," Campbell says. So what constitutes a major scene worth noting? Consider: 1) Do I need this scene to make the primary plot hang together? 2) Do I need this scene for the ending to make sense? Your synopsis should reveal how much and what kind of trouble your poor protagonist is going to encounter.

4. Core Confict If your conflict isn't implicit in your first few sentences (a "hook"), spell it out. Your core conflict may, of course, overlap categories and could even touch on multiple types of conflict. Consider this: "Tortured by grief and loss (person vs. self) and fleeing a wrong conviction for a crime he didn't commit (person vs. society), DR. RICHARD KIMBALL struggles to survive (person vs. nature) while fleeing the relentless lawman who pursues him (person vs. person).

5. The Conclusion Don't close with a cliffhanger. Revealing the ending to your novel won't spoil the story for the editor or agent. It will show that you've successfully finished your novel.  "Make sure every loose thread is tied up and never leave an editor guessing about anything," Campbell says. If your novel is one of a series, your ending can point to the sequel. Read more at www.guidetoliteraryagents.com

 

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Meditate to slow time and live more

Really! The mind is a magic box and time, an illusion — with the power of meditation you can pull out the right bunnies from this box and turn the wheels of time any which way you wish. Miracles are nothing but manifestation of one's ultimate potential. Meditation is just the first step — often the hardest one to take. http://amplify.com/u/blwjc

Meditate to slow time and live more

Really! The mind is a magic box and time, an illusion — with the power of meditation you can pull out the right bunnies from this box and turn the wheels of time any which way you wish. Miracles are nothing but manifestation of one's ultimate potential. Meditation is just the first step — often the hardest one to take.

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Meditate From Wired How-To Wiki Jump to: navigation, search Photo by Renee Barron/Flickr/CC Meditation isn't just something for yogis or crystal-collecting New Age fanatics. It's also for overworked, gadget-loving geeks who need a little bit of downtime in their busy schedules. Meditation is a scientifically proven method of lowering stress levels and helping your body and mind relax. And, contrary to its image in popular media, meditation isn't difficult, you don't need to be religious, and you don't need to bend yourself into a pretzel to do it. All you need is bit of free time, a quiet place, and some dedication. It takes practice and discipline to get beyond the common n00b stumbling blocks.

Getting started There are many different kinds of meditation, but nearly all of them share a common goal -- focusing and quieting your mind. Although it may seem like you're just sitting there doing nothing, it turns out that sitting and doing nothing is actually very difficult -- especially when you first get started. Tips for beginners Start small. It will keep you from getting frustrated. Most books on meditation recommend beginners start with a short session of 5-12 minutes. Find a comfortable chair that you can sit up straight in with your feet flat on the floor. Your dining room chairs will likely work well. Grab a pillow if you need a little extra cushioning. There's no "best time" to meditate, though being very hungry or very full can be distracting, so avoid both of those times. Meditation is a great way to escape the stress of the workday. But while experienced meditators can do this, you mind find it hard to quiet your mind if you just stop working and try to switch to meditation mode. Take a break first -- walk around the building or step away from your desk and relax for a few minutes before settling in. In the beginning its best to close your eyes and focus your attention on your breathing. Breathe freely and deeply, but naturally, don't force the breath. Just let yourself breathe and feel your muscles relax. Your mind will wander, probably immediately. That's OK. Just bring your attention back to your breath and turn your awareness back to your body, looking for spots you can continue to relax. Some people find that counting their breaths -- from 1 to 10, then starting over again -- is an effective way to remain focused. Just don't worry if it's some time before you get past 2 without your mind drifting away. In the beginning your mind will trick you, you'll wander off on a train of thought and not even realize it for some time. That's OK, just bring your attention back to your breath whenever you notice that your mind has wandered. Over time (years in most cases) you'll notice that your mind wanders less and less each time you try.

The wandering mind There are several ways to stop your mind from wandering. One, mentioned above, is to focus your attention back on the breath. Another is to use a mantra, something your repeat so that your mind has something to focus on. Yet another is to light a candle a few feet in front of you and stare at the flame. Some use a signing bowl, or some other drone-producing mechanism that gives your brain something to focus on. Others will tell you that, to quiet the mind, it's best to avoid any sensory distraction: no sounds, no visual aids and nothing to touch. Whichever method you use, keep searching for muscles to relax. Meditation isn't a test, and there is nothing wrong with a wandering mind. After all, if your mind didn't wander then you wouldn't have any need to meditate. Work with yourself, not against.

Moving past focus Once you're able to focus on a single thing -- your breath, a mantra or whatever works for you -- the next step is to focus on nothing at all. This is the "clearing the mind" part of meditation that's probably always sounded a bit mysterious. The truth is it's not easy, but once you've got your attention under control you can begin to let go of the thing that is controlling it. Push the object of focus away from your mind and simply let it rest. Or continue to observe it, but remain impartial and detached from it. If any thoughts come up, take the same attitude toward them.

Conclusion While meditation is actually quite easy, it take a tremendous amount of practice before it will feel natural. Luckily you'll likely begin to notice some of the benefits long before you begin to feel that you're "successful" at meditation. Once you notice the nice relaxed feeling you get after even a short five-minute meditation, you'll find yourself wanting to work more such moments into your day. Read more at howto.wired.com

 

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We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and — in spite of True Romance magazines — we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely — at least, not all the time — but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don’t see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”
— Hunter S. Thompson (The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967)

 

You are a Hero

It’s enough to be born a human, no matter under what social order or of good or bad physical health. There is hardly a single soul packaged in a human body in our ever so erratically designed society, that doesn’t fit the description. Endurance until death, and a pursuit for life which is constantly posing one obstacle or the other to just staying alive.

You are a hero. Take a break. If only you can afford that…

My Photography Work

Storyboards from Taxi Driver directed by Martin Scorsese.

 

 

 

What Is Intelligence, Anyway? - Isaac Asimov

What is intelligence, anyway? When I was in the army, I received
the kind of aptitude test that all soldiers took and, against a normal
of 100, scored 160. No one at the base had ever seen a figure like
that, and for two hours they made a big fuss over me. (It didn’t mean
anything. The next day I was still a buck private with KP - kitchen
police - as my highest duty.)

  All my life I’ve been registering scores like that, so that I have
the complacent feeling that I’m highly intelligent, and I expect other
people to think so too. Actually, though, don’t such scores simply
mean that I am very good at answering the type of academic questions
that are considered worthy of answers by people who make up the
intelligence tests - people with intellectual bents similar to mine?

  For instance, I had an auto-repair man once, who, on these
intelligence tests, could not possibly have scored more than 80, by my
estimate. I always took it for granted that I was far more intelligent
than he was. Yet, when anything went wrong with my car I hastened to
him with it, watched him anxiously as he explored its vitals, and
listened to his pronouncements as though they were divine oracles -
and he always fixed my car.

  Well, then, suppose my auto-repair man devised questions for an
intelligence test. Or suppose a carpenter did, or a farmer, or,
indeed, almost anyone but an academician. By every one of those tests,
I’d prove myself a moron, and I’d be a moron, too. In a world where I
could not use my academic training and my verbal talents but had to do
something intricate or hard, working with my hands, I would do poorly.
My intelligence, then, is not absolute but is a function of the
society I live in and of the fact that a small subsection of that
society has managed to foist itself on the rest as an arbiter of such
matters.

  Consider my auto-repair man, again. He had a habit of telling me
jokes whenever he saw me. One time he raised his head from under the
automobile hood to say: “Doc, a deaf-and-mute guy went into a hardware
store to ask for some nails. He put two fingers together on the
counter and made hammering motions with the other hand. The clerk
brought him a hammer. He shook his head and pointed to the two fingers
he was hammering. The clerk brought him nails. He picked out the sizes
he wanted, and left. Well, doc, the next guy who came in was a blind
man. He wanted scissors. How do you suppose he asked for them?”

  Indulgently, I lifted by right hand and made scissoring motions
with my first two fingers. Whereupon my auto-repair man laughed
raucously and said, “Why, you dumb jerk, He used his voice and asked
for them.” Then he said smugly, “I’ve been trying that on all my
customers today.” “Did you catch many?” I asked. “Quite a few,” he
said, “but I knew for sure I’d catch you.” “Why is that?” I asked.
“Because you’re so goddamned educated, doc, I knew you couldn’t be
very smart.”

  And I have an uneasy feeling he had something there.

21st Century Enlightenment

We seek better — no matter what it be, we wish for it to become better... This is an insatiable urge — we can never have enough. Contentment is a death wish. Contrary to this belief — Buddha's enlightenment mantra is total detachment. A middle path is what I'd believe is required for true balance and centeredness in life. Detachment allows objectivity and desire to get better inspires progress — the perfect balance will ensure progress made towards objective goals.

There is a price to pay for everything, but a good deal is one where what you pay buys something worth more to you. If we can see our existing experience and knowledge that we trade in for experiences and wisdom as allowing us to become better — we are making a profitable exchange. If we succeed in monitoring and being aware of this exchange in every instant of our life and every transaction of energy we make, we are most likely to remain centered and in control of our lives.

We are magnets and with every object, entity or experience we accept to trade with we welcome into our field a force that will attract an entire plethora of similar energies. We are what we surround ourselves with; our life averages out to reflect the people, things, and experiences we have called into it. 

People spend their entire lifetime finding others to blame for their dilemma, but you never find enough people who do the same when they have to credit someone for their grace. If we reverse this practice — the energy of gratitude alone will turn into a magnet of positive energy that will attract everyone around to give more. And by choosing to become aware of every single energy we attract and allow into our life carefully — we take control of our lives and no longer remain victims striving to survive, but turn into enlightened beings living to thrive.

Spirituality in a nutshell by AT&T of all people, in a commercial…

 

It’s amazing how the subconscious mind works.

Since we are all Buddhas in various reincarnate forms. What it means of course is that since we are from the source, we are the source and thus have all the properties of the source within us. 

Enlightenment is said to be a state of awareness, never a conquest to attain something far beyond our own—but well within our own being. Yet in the constant daily affairs of our material livelihood we forget the great source we are one with. The immediate seems real and the much apparent miracle of life is forgotten. 

We fight everything as an isolated being, a mere drop at the mercy of life. When we become aware, even as a drop we see our oneness with the ocean and all life. Thus we become empowered with the freedom of wisdom that allows us to let go and enjoy the journey from the ocean to the clouds and the mist carried away by the winds, poured down in rain and snow, streaming down rocky cliffs and brought back into the ocean after a tumultuous ride, just to start another ride all over again.

Retaining the memory of the ocean and knowing the design of life and oneness we become enlightened and liberated from the immediate perception of the moment and the isolation in time.

Think beyond the visible and immediate. Well, it’s my lesson for the day—which I am glad I can share.

Every imprint of every being we come in contact with, good, bad or ugly is only a projection of what we need to deal with within our own being. The real change is within, it’s our awareness that liberates us and makes us always remain one with the universe and free of the trifle, misleading sentiments of momentary experiences—thus being liberated from judgement and prejudice, finding detachment and experiencing oneness.

Inspired by AT&T.

Much love,
TMG

 

Ford Mustang Convertible - Green Light - (2005) 0:60 (USA)

An homage to "Fargo" — one of the landmark movies from the Coen Brothers. Advertising works on the subconscious mind and given that we are driven by 85-95% of our subconscious and only 5-10% of what we do is a conscious decision.

Using popular images in a different subtext is always a good technique to involve the viewer. While they try and evaluate how it relates to the original images rooted in their subconscious — they open a channel into it, thus recording your message into this space.

There is a science to it and that's what separate the men from the boys. It seems easy to apply this principle but in essence repositioning a popular image from the collective consciousness is treading a very tightrope.

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