Writer's Digest Books

I found a wonderful book with very nice tips - Writer's Digest Handbook of Short Story Writing. After reading that I learnt that there are actiually two volumes! Volume 1 & 2 with ISBNs 0898790492 and 0898794633. (So looks like I have read only volume 1 and that itself is good. Since writing this I got hold of the second volume and it has a few good articles too.)
Anyways, there is an article about the various types of endings. Here are a few that I can remember:

• Summation endings


• Ideological endings


• Antennae endings


• Anti-climax or bonus endings


• Reversal endings


• Gimmick endings


• Hoax endings (false villain or figure of good)


• Deception endings


• Unconventional use endings


• Irony endings

Tips on comedy from Stephen Duncan

Stephen in his book GenreScreenwriting says that people laugh because they are setup to be familiar with the situation and expect a familiar solution or answer but instead they are hit with an unexpected answer. So incorporate familiarity and the unexpected to get the laughs.

The major collision in all successful comedy is the clash of childishness vs social responsibility. Usually the protagonist impersonates someone he is not, so the more he wants to come clean it becomes more hard.

Three storytelling approaches:
1. Teenage coming of age (American Pie)
2. Body switching (ex: Big, 13 going on 30 etc)
3. Role Switching (Wedding Crashers, What Women Want etc)

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