Spice up your screenplay

I have been told not to use voice overs and flashbacks when writing a script. None the less I personally find the effective use of flashbacks appealing.I thought that it was just me feeling so until I found http://www.lindaaronson.com/ when reading the book "Genre Screenwriting" by Stephen V. Duncan. (Stephen's book is ok) Linda is great check out her blog and book - I find them interesting. I would like to explore more starting at http://www.lindaaronson.com/main/page_the_six_sorts_of_parallel_narrative_.html

Dr. Vasul Raja and Munnah Bhai

I wanted to draft this better but couldn't :(
A few years ago I saw a reasonably well made Hindi movie - Munnah Bhai - by sheer chance. Soon it was remade in Tamil as Dr. Vasul Raja.
The movie shows the hero hugging terminally ill patients as he cares for them - he even cures a long term coma patient by being humane.

Just recently I stumbled upon this great TED Talk by Paul Zak on Trust, morality -- and oxytocin
http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_zak_trust_morality_and_oxytocin.html
I now wonder what the scriptwriter would say if he learns about this!

A quick reference and a detailed article on formatting your screenplays

I think this would serve as a quick reference on formating: http://www.writersstore.com/how-to-write-a-screenplay-a-guide-to-scriptwriting
Especially I like the image below that they have put together...

(Here is another rather detailed article on formating: http://www.screenwriting.info/)

Nice articles on story, plot and script

I liked the example they have used here and how they have explained the 3 acts. This is a must read: http://bestscreenwritingbooks.com/plot-structure-screenwriting

Here is something I liked from http://homeworktips.about.com/od/homeworktopics/a/play.htm

It seems that E. M. Forester once clarified a plot and its relationship to causality by
explaining:
“'The king died and then the queen died" is a story.

"The king died and then the queen died of grief" is a plot. The time-sequence is
preserved, but their sense of causality overshadows it.

Beyond 5D

Someting major happedned on Nov 3! Cannon unvieled its C300 and Red unvieled its Scarlet.

Check out Canon's C300 media gallery - filter for all films shot using EOS C300/C300 PL http://cinemaeos.usa.canon.com/media-gallery.php

Check out these articles:

• http://www.reelseo.com/canon-c300-v-red-scarlet-x/


• http://www.theverge.com/2011/11/3/2536818/red-scarlet-x-camera-announced-to-take-on-canon-c300-ships-november



• http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2011/11/03/mobius-and-the-c300-c300pl/
  and see Mobius which was shot on a C300 by Vincent - here are his creations: Reverie, Nocturne and Mobius

Here is the sensor size comparison from http://prolost.com/shrinkage

Can Freakonomics contribute to filmmakers?

Here is something interesting that you can incorporate in your movies/script. I came across this in the book Freakonomics

1. Try to model human behavior on incentives of any form.
2. We feel fear when the danger is immediate and is totally out of our control.
3. Risk = hazard + outrage. The funny thing though is that people over react if hazard is low and outrage is high whereas they under react if hazard is high but outrage is low. Probably they react OK if hazard and outrage are balanced.
   

Random Links

Here are a few totally random links - see if they are any useful:

• Tools for project management; you might use these when you are producing your movie - http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/11/13/15-useful-project-management-tools/. While you are on this topic do not forget to check out Google Sites for tracking your project.



• Some rudimentary tips from wikihow - http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Short-Film. You can distill these into tasks in your project plan.



• Few links to public domain stock media (scroll down to the links section) http://www.uni.edu/coe/ci/240-020/assignments/video.html