Invisible Ink

This excellent book by Brian McDonald on film storytelling is now available free online.

Invisible Ink

An acclaimed guide to storytelling by an award winning screenwriter

Read this useful book free at Libertary.com

More than 130 retired lawmakers urge a return to civility in politics | OregonLive.com

More than 130 retired lawmakers urge a return to civility in politics | OregonLive.com

Wishful thinking? The patients, after all, appear to be running the mental ward.

Even Gunga Din gets tired

One of those days I would have liked to stay in bed. But I had to take the car in early for a brake job and I've been cruising at half-energy ever since. Worse, H's plane comes in very late tonight, far past my bedtime, so I can't crash early. Tomorrow won't be too bad in class, though, I am showing "Tales from the Script,."

On days like this, the thought occurs to me that maybe the film is about my wake. It certainly got more personal than I envisioned at the top. Hmm.

Khan Academy

Impressive free online education, primarily in math and science, is available at the Khan Academy. I'd love to see this approach expand to other subject areas.

Stimulation

An invigorating breakfast, even on half cylinders, with Mark of First Sound Press, a blog filled with prose and video worth your attention. Mark is inspiring -- and not only because he's older than I am.

Now I'm home, quiet and recovering and preparing for an afternoon shoot, thank the gods an easy one. Or should be.

Service academies

TV announcer at the end of Air Force - Navy game, which the former won as underdog. "If you only get to see one football game, see this one, or another service academy game, it's the way football is supposed to be played. Pure class."

I couldn't agree more and the contrast is greater than ever in this era of corporate sports arrogance. This is why Army-Navy is my favorite football game and probably always will be. Even if both teams have winless seasons, this is the best football you can see. This is what sports is supposed to be about. College teams used to demonstrate this kind of post-game attitude but you seldom see it any more. Instead, some Oregon thug punches out an opposing player. Very sad what has happened at Oregon and many other universities.

Saturday, hanging in

Mowed the worst part of the yard but may regret it.

Bought a coffee hand pump, which makes a great single cup of expresso or Americano, easy to make, easier to clean, I love it (esp at the 1/3 sale I caught).

UCLA looking okay but not great.

Directions

I found someone with the worst sense of direction I've ever seen. An actor was supposed to come over this morning to record some audio. He lives across the river, about half an hour from here. Pretty direct route. Well, not only did he get lost, but he called from 15 miles away, far north of here, so far off course I am fascinated how he manged to get there. We decided to do it another day and I tried to give him directions toward his home. Amazing.

Consequences

The Friday shoot wasn't my best work but I'm not reshooting it, though I probably would if this were a commercial project. It's usable but definitely could be better. What I get for directing at half-energy. The actors, bless them, make it work despite my poor efforts.

An old friend from grad school, Mac Kieffer, passed away. I learned yesterday from an actress and mutual friend, whom I haven't seen in over 20 years. I think I'll speak briefly at the memorial later in the month.

R.I.P. Stephen J. Cannell – Deadline.com

R.I.P. Stephen J. Cannell – Deadline.com:

"One of the most successful�creatives ever to work in the television business has died. Rockford Files and The A-Team and 38 other shows producer and writer Stephen J. Cannell passed away at his home in Pasadena last night due to complications associated with melanoma. 'He was surrounded by his family and loved ones,' his family said. He was 69. Cannell also was the bestselling author of sixteen novels, most recently the critically acclaimed Shane Scully series and the newest installment, The Prostitute’s Ball, will be released�on October 12th."

A good shoot, I think

Felt good but haven't looked at clips. A very long coughing miserable drive home, despite the wonderful 50s rock I found on the radio. Taking it very easy ... BYU, Utah State game on at 5, vegetate and try not to cough.

Cough cough

Wish I could go to bed but simply must do this important shoot in St. Helens.

An Oregon football weekend

Stanford at Oregon is the ESPN game of the week, and not far away Oregon State is hosting Arizona State, so the interstate south from Portland will be packed tomorrow with game traffic, Ducks and Beavers together. I hate the position I'm in, an Oregon alumnus who absolutely hates the takeover of the athletic program by Nike, so it is hard for me to root for the Ducks. This is a UCLA year for me as a result (undergrad alumnus). I don't know if the Oregon situation will ever be solved. The university needs a president with the balls to declare the university independent from corporate kidnapping. I see no evidence of this happening soon. Interestingly enough, I have "radical" friends whose politics does not prevent them from rooting for Nike. Football trumps politics.

I need to mow some yard tomorrow! Man, I'm behind on chores, mainly from sick lack of energy. All I can do to teach and shoot video.

Still

Still running on half my cylinders. Man, I'm tired of this. Big shoot today, at a boathouse. Getting close to the end now.

Capitalism: A Love Story

I am not an unqualified fan of Michael Moore, even though I more often agree than disagree with his politics.  I don't always like his methods. For example, on a speaking tour here, he gave out the unlisted number of our best known conservative radio jock, urging the audience to call him, which they did so much the jock had to change his number. No need for this. Left wing intolerance is as repugnant to me as right wing intolerance. I also don't like the way Moore sometimes stages his documentary scenes without owning up to it.

However, I saw Capitalism for the first time today and, despite some gimmicks toward the end, believe it's a well done and important film, the best work of Moore I've seen.

Hard to shake

Man, this cold is hard to shake. I organize my day so that, hopefully, I can have two decent hours in which to teach. Hell of a way to organize your day.

Update

Still fighting this damn cold. Not much progress today.

9 Great Southern Literary Places To Visit (PHOTOS)

9 Great Southern Literary Places To Visit (PHOTOS)