New Structures in Scriptwriting with Linda Aronson

Scriptwriting guru Linda Aronson will be presenting a seminar on "New Structures in Scriptwriting for Film and TV" at the Australian Film and Television Radio School (AFTRS), which will be particularly apt for advanced comic book writers. The two-day masterclass on advanced theories and techniques for creating original story design routinely provokes standing ovations from acclaimed and experienced film writers all over the world. Linda explodes the conventional screenwriting theory which assumes that structures means only one hero on a linear chronological journey. Instead she takes on and provides practical writing guidelines for writing flashback scripts, Pulp Fiction structures, multiple storyline films and fractured forms. Linda demonstrates how 18 of these modern forms work to predictable patterns, and provides practical templates for writing them.

Don't leave it till too late. Last time Linda gave a class in Australia the event was booked out and lots of people couldn't get in.

Sydney 
Date: Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 February 2014
Time: 9.30am to 5.30pm (16 hours total)
Venue: Australian Film and Television Radio School (AFTRS)
Cost: $495 / $445.50 GST exempt

Melbourne
Date: Saturday 1 to 2 March 2014
Time: 9.30am to 5.30pm (16 hours total)
Venue: Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI)
Cost: $495 / $445.50 GST exempt

CLICK HERE for further information and bookings.

Storyology

The Walkley Foundation, which is an initiative of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) in Australia, is running a four day conference called Storyology in August. 

Storyology is a summit of media and creativity for journalists, screenwriters, authors. satirists, entrepreneurs, multimedia specialists, documentary makers, photographers, producers and bloggers. It's about sharing the secrets of making stories sing and inspiring and creating the unexpected. Storyology is for those who write the words to create compelling narrative; whose imagery and sound conveys a world beyond language; whose technological brilliance allows well-told stories to cross the globe and traverse borders. This year's theme "Ideas write now!" is all about rethinking the story paradigm and exploring the rapidly expanding platforms on which great stories are being told. 

And why are we telling you this? Well... amongst the outstanding lineup of speakers is BMP friend and comics compatriot W Chew "Chewie" Chan who will be doing a session on graphic novels on Day 2 of the program. This means that the comics medium is getting traction in the greater Australian media and cultural scene. Great stuff!




The entire program looks AMAZING! Day 1 focuses on the "Asian Century". Days 2 and 3 is the main program, and Day 4 gives a "Freelance Focus". There are also masterclasses and social events.

Dates: Tuesday 6 to Friday 9 August 2013
Times: Various from day to day with multiple sessions on some days. 
Venue: NSW Teachers' Federation Conference Centre, 37 Reservoir St, Surry Hills NSW 2010.
Cost: There are separate rates for Alliance and non-Alliance members, and there are half day, full day and full program plus workshop rates so please refer to the Ticket information page on the website.
For more information: http://www.storyology.org.au/

Belief in Other Worlds

This little exchange from PhotoBucket is cute and funny. It brings a moment of "is it possible?" before you comprehend that to try this spell would mean a certain death sentence. It can look silly, but some people would take this response seriously, and... even try it. Why would they? Because they BELIEVE.

Belief in the imagined better life is something that we as a human race have entertained since we could think for ourselves... and within a community. The Egyptian life-after-death preparations seemed to be a life-long pursuit, no matter your social station. Our Modern world is full of religious afterlife options, a time that is presented as better then the now of living.

Are the imagined "other worlds" in literature, movies, comics, myth and legend much different than those presented in any religion?

The lyrics by Jay Brannan from his song "Goddamned" presents the mythology of religion quite beautifully.

Zeus was afraid of his girlfriend
So he swallowed her in bed
Then he bore forth Athena
When they cracked open his head
Her brother tried to rape her
Athena got away
And when his seed hit the ground
The grass gave birth that day
Now we all freely admit
This story’s clearly bullshit
No one would lay down their life
Or start a war for it
So throw your stones and pray
You’ll be rewarded someday
I hope it all goes your way
But something tells me
No one’s coming to save you

Save yourselves
From turning earth into hell.

Cause virgins don’t have babies
And water isn’t wine
And there’s a holy spirit maybe
But she would never rent a room with walls built by mankind
Mary and Mohammed
Are screaming through the clouds
For you to lay your goddamned arms down
Rip your bigot roots up from the earth and salt the goddamned ground.

In Elf~Fin, Julie and I are exploring a new world, another reality. In the creation of it, it does sometimes seem to take control and write itself, but that is an illusion. These moments are just those times that we are so in tune with our work and each other, that the obvious, and sometimes not so obvious possibilities, present themselves easily for development. Our world is not real, but we want it to feel real for you in the experiencing of it.

We want to take you away from reality, so you can swim with our characters and experience our Elf~Fin world. However, there is nothing more real than the ground beneath your feet.