I Recognize That Face(book)

I am amazed with who you're able to reconnect with on Facebook and other social networking sites. Friends, family, former teachers and students and everyone in-between.

Of course, as a writer, I'm just as interested with the back story and I'm delighted to know what they're up to and what made them think to search for me. Do they live in the place you knew them from? Are they doing the same job they were doing then? Do they have a family? Do they keep in touch with any of your mutual friends?

For example, through Facebook I recently reconnected with an old school friend of mine named Fred Melamed. He is as creative as ever, working as both an actor and writer, and living with his wife and children. In addition to his life with his wonderful family, he's just finished working on the new Coen Bros. film, A Serious Man. Says Fred:

I just finished a great part, the villain in a new Coen Bros' film called A SERIOUS MAN, which will open in October. It will likely be in the Rome, and either Telluride or Toronto festivals. It is extremely dark--but was an utter blast to make. What a screenplay! And what a DP, composer, etc. They get the most wonderful people.

As an exercise:
Think of someone who you haven't seen or spoken to in a long time. Now, imagine what they are doing now. Are they still interested in the same things? Or have they moved on to something else? Do they have a family? Take 5 minutes to write a brief character sketch about them. Did you get a glimmer of something you can use for one of your own characters?

As an added bonus, if you're on Facebook or one of the other social sites look them up and find out what they've been up to. Even if you don't get something you can use in your script, you just might reconnect with an old friend.

How do you know if you're really a writer?

I gave a one-day workshop teaching my book, How To Write A Screenplay in 10 Weeks, this weekend. 18 people rolled out of bed early enough to be present at 9:30am. I was impressed at the level of accomplishment and level of experience most of them had. They were all deeply involved with their writing even if they hadn't begun a specific project.

The first exercise was to write the speech they would give when winning an Oscar and every student wrote with great concentration for several minutes.

The second exercise I gave them was to stop using the word, "try," unless it was in the dialogue of one of their characters.

Should we be trying harder? What if I told you that this idea of trying harder was part of the inaccurate thinking we bring to our writing and our lives that really slows us down?

As Yoda told Luke: "There is no try, only do or not do."

The next time you feel like you're not making any progress in your writing, make a conscious effort to stop using the word try and I guarantee you will move ahead immediately in your writing, because you will understand on a gut level that you are doing and not just trying.

The secret is that if you don't see yourself as a writer, no one else will. So to most of you reading this post: Fess up, you are not trying you are doing.

Keep up the good work!

The Prayer Tree

Arthur Vincie's short film The Prayer Tree will be screened at the International Poetic Short Film Festival at The Nuyorican Poets Café located at 236 E. 3rd Street NYC Monday night at 8PM on October 5, 2009. Doors open at 7:30.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Gmar Chatimah Tova

Today is the holiest day in the Jewish faith. On this day we Jews repent for sins committed between us and God, not between us and other people. What are the sins we commit against God? What are the sins God commits against us? Why is this the situation? What if it's not true?

Please take a moment to think about these questions and how your main character and your villain would answer them. If you are curious about Yom Kippur, here's a good site for information.

Screenwriting Class in Baltimore

One of the best parts of my job is when I get the chance to travel across the country and meet writers and producers who are working outside of the Hollywood/NYC universe. When you're based in Los Angeles or Manhattan, you sometimes forget that there are so many wonderful people (and productions) at work in other parts of the country.

This weekend, I will be in Baltimore, MD to teach an intensive one-day screenwriting class. I am particularly excited to visit Baltimore because so many of my favorite productions were filmed there, including Diner, Homicide, and, of course, The Wire.

As of this post, there are just 3 spots left in the class.

If you're interested in learning my advanced techniques normally reserved for my NYU and private students, CLICK HERE to register.

What are your favorite movies or TV shows shot in Baltimore?

Through The Door

I have the pleasure of working with a number of talented filmmakers in my private classes and I'm always excited to see one of their scripts made into a movie. Please take a moment to learn more about Yelena Demikovsky's new short, Through the Door. It will premiere as part of the Newfilmmakers Fall Fest 2009 at Anthology Film Archives.

CLICK HERE For more information about the film.

Audition by Michael Shurtleff

The fall session of my private 9-week class (called Finish Your Script) begins tonight and I am so excited to be working with a number of new writers joining my talented returning friends.

To prepare for tonight's class, I've been reviewing the list of resources I recommend to my students. One of my favorites is Shurtleff's Audition. One of my favorite pieces of advice in the book, intended for actors but easily adaptable to screenwriting, is "A Long Speech Is Just Several Short Speeches." In the book, Shutleff writes:

"Actors panic at the sight of a long speech. But you can easily handle it by pretending it is several short speeches..."

This passage is just as important for writers and is one of the key points I focus on in my new book The Four Magic Questions of Screenwriting. Not only is 120 pages too much for a writer to tackle but so is the idea of a sixty page Act II.

Instead, I encourage all of you to approach a feature-length, 120-page script as four short questions that need to be answered. By using this approach, you will find that your Act I, Act II part 1 and Act III are almost immediately taken care of, leaving you with just a 30-page Act II part 2 to deal with.

And who wouldn't rather worry about 30 pages instead of 120?

Rewriting The Big Red Way

I am having the drapes in my apartment cleaned this week so my windows are currently bare. My cat, Big Red, was shocked to see there was a window sill (usually obscured by the curtains) and immediately claimed it as his new perch.

I'm in the middle of my new book about rewriting and I realized this simple action by Big Red was a terrific example of an efficient approach to rewriting.

Quite often, when writers come to work with me for the first time, they initially struggle with the rewriting process because of how they wrote their story in the first place. My motto is Don't Get It Right -- Get It Written because I believe a writer should lay out their story first, as quickly and roughly as possible, and then go back to rewrite only when they are done their initial first draft.

Many writers do not do that, instead trying to rewrite as they go. This leads to many problems when they try to rewrite their script and instead of just being able to remove a layer (like the drapes) to reveal something new and interesting, they find that they have to try and rebuild the entire wall.

As an exercise, set a timer for 15 minutes and write your story by hand. Don't stop to consider what you are writing (or what you are missing) and just hurry to get as much of your story down as possible. Then when time expires, take a 5 minute break before you go back and read what you have written. Are you missing anything? What seems unnecessary to the plot? Did you include something that you hadn't thought of previously? Are you surprised how fast you were able to tell your story?

By using this approach to writing (and rewriting) you will be amazed at how much faster your process will be.

Good luck and happy writing.

Homes featured in films

I hear a lot of writing teachers warn their students about including a lot of unnecessary exposition in their script but sometimes you have to take your writer's hat off and think like a director or a location scout to better visualize what you're trying to put on paper.

A regular feature in The Week is a real estate section called "Best properties on the market." This week's installment features a number of homes featured in films, including a home in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, House of Sand and Fog, Poison Ivy and High Society.

As an exercise, consider which property you would like to use in your film. Does your character live in a large mansion like Oheka Castle or a small apartment? Do they own or rent? Why did your character choose to live there?

Writing a Screenplay in 10 Weeks at NYU with Michael Zam

I am so thankful for my relationship with New York University, as I get the chance to work with so many talented writers every semester, as they finish their screenplays in 10 weeks or less.

The fall section of my class is already full but I don't want any writers to miss out on the chance to finish their script and take their writing to the next level with my good friend (and a terrific teacher!) Michael Zam.

Michael Zam is the former Associate Director of Programs in Humanities at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, where he oversaw the Creative Writing program for five years. He continues to teach screenwriting (primarily Writing a Screenplay in 10 weeks and Rewriting a screenplay in 10 Weeks) at NYU and, each summer, Modern British Drama at NYU in London; he received the school’s Award for Teaching Excellence both in 1998 and 2007. He also created the successful Professional Certificate in Screenwriting, the first of its kind on the East Coast. He is a former American Film Institute Fellow (where he won the two top screenwriting prizes), as well as an invited fellow at the Galway Film Fleadh in Ireland. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including Details, Time Out, The and indieWIRE. Michael is an alumnus of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Librettist Workshop. He wrote the book for the musical The Kid (based on the best-selling book by Dan Savage), opening Off-Broadway March 2009, and which just won the prestigious Jerry Bock Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theater. He also just completed a stage adaptation of the comic novel Selfish & Perverse for Broadway director, Jerry Mitchell. His most recent screenplay, BEST ACTRESS, will be produced by Plan B productions under the direction of Ryan Murphy ("Glee" "Eat, Pray, Love") and star Susan Sarandon. He is currently developing several screenplays for major studios.

His section of Writing a Screenplay in 10 Weeks begins Tuesday, October 6th. The course number is X32.9692, section 002. To register, call 212-998-7171 or online at http://www.scps.nyu.edu/course-detail/X32.9692/20093/writing-a-screenplay-in-10-weeks.

Online Coaching Session Tonight!

Just a quick note that there are only 4 spots left for tonight's FREE Online Coaching Session. If you have an idea for a script, or you're interested in taking your material to the next level, this is the web class for you.

For 60 minutes I will take your questions, analyze your loglines and give you a sample of what you can expect from the classes I teach at NYU and privately.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR TONIGHT'S CLASS

What Is The Prayer In Your Heart?

According to Jewish tradition, God understands all languages and the prayer of one’s heart always finds its way to God.

I admit parts of the above clip are a little crass but still, there is something beautiful about the lengths Larry goes to, to achieve a closer relationship with God. Even though we may be shocked by his actions and language, God understands what he wants and needs.

In my new book The Four Magic Questions of Screenwriting, I discuss how Act I of a screenplay is really all about the character's dream (the prayer in their heart).

As sundown approaches, take a moment to consider what your character needs. Who do they turn to for help in making their dream come true? God? Family? Friends?

You can learn a lot about your characters by figuring out what they want and who they turn to.

Norman Phartephant

My good friend Angela Larson will be featured on Happy Hour on the Fox Business Network to promote her new toy product "Norman Phartephant," the original pharting plush elephant.

Please tune in at approximately 5:45 pm on Monday, Sept 21st.

Found Footage Festival Returns!

One of my favorite shows - The Found Footage Festival - is launching its new world tour tonight in NYC. In the past, they have hit most cities and if you're interested in watching one of the most hilariously satisfying performances, please click the link below.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOUND FOOTAGE FESTIVAL

When Do You Write?

I find the autumn an inspiring time to write.

Three of my students will polish and finalize screenplays in my private class this fall and I am very proud of their hard and focused work. Congratulations to Barbara, Jeff and Vito for succeeding by working hard and smart!

I myself want to start a novel and am sitting here with my schedule, looking at how to create the time. I am confronted not by what I have to do for work: writing, business stuff, coaching, teaching, speaking at conferences and giving seminars, but the other stuff I feel I have to do: yoga, painting and oh yes - spending time with friends. I have solved the problem by rolling out of bed and writing first before anything else.

Patricia Highsmith would come home after work, bathe, nap and then write. John Grisham would go in early and write before work. Both of these fiction writers had their work made into films. Hmmmm...

When do you find time to write? Have you tried to write at a different time? What do you have to sacrifice to write?

Act & Fiction

I am intrigued by the new HBO show Bored To Death for a number of reasons but mostly because Jason Schwartzman is playing a fictionalized version of the New York-based author Jonathan Ames.

I have noticed that the "playing a fictionalized version of a real person" device has become much more common in recent years and I am curious to see if the trend will continue.

Off the top of my head, I can think of the following recent examples:

Jean Clause Van Damme in JCVD, John Malkovich and Charlie Sheen in Being John Malkovich, Charlie Kaufman and Robert McKee in Adaptation, Neil Patrick Harris in Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle and Charlyne Yi and Michael Cera in Paper Heart.

As an exercise, imagine that you are writing a movie that features a fictionalized version of yourself and answer the following questions.

1) Is the version of yourself the star of the movie or a supporting character?
2) Which characteristics of yourself do you include and exaggerate for dramatic effect?
3) Would you play yourself (Being John Malkovich, JCVD) or have someone else (Bored To Death, Adaptation) play you?

You might be surprised to find that even if you don't include "yourself" in your script, by doing this exercise you're able to find traits from your own character to use for another.

Good luck and happy writing.

Airport Security

I was forwarded this interview with author Douglas Coupland. During the piece, he recounted something that happened to him at Heathrow Airport:

A few weeks ago, Coupland says, he snagged a fingernail going through security, leaving him with a half-torn nail and nowhere - for obvious reasons - to buy a nail file or small pair of scissors.

So he shared his situation with one of the airport screeners, who pulled out a tub of seized nail clippers, fished out a reasonably clean one and handed it to him.

"What do you do with (a story like) that?" Coupland laughs, before answering his own question: "You put it on Twitter."

This sent my mind in two different directions.

1) What size story are you writing? Quite often, when people start working privately with me, it's obvious that they are writing a story that is bigger or smaller than they think. Should their novel be a film? Should a short story really be a novella? As an exercise, take a moment to consider what story size you are writing. Would your story work better as a feature, a short, an episode, a novel or maybe it's just right for a Twitter post.

2) What do you keep in your pockets? What about your character? If your character was faced with airport security, what would they have to put in the tray? A cell phone, tweezers, liquids, a gun? You might be surprised what you find out about your character when you decide what they carry with them.

Upcoming Classes

ONLINE COACHING SESSION

First, on Tuesday, September 24th, 2009, I will be hosting my second online coaching session. The first one was a tremendous success and I look forward to helping even more people develop their stories. The session is only available to the first 25 who register at the link below.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR MARILYN'S ONLINE COACHING SESSION



BALTIMORE SCREENWRITING CLASS


If you'll be in the Baltimore area this month, I hope you'll be able to attend the class I will be teaching for Classroom 34 on September 26. During the six-hour seminar, I will carefully explain the exercises and techniques that have helped my students complete their scripts, win competitions, and get produced. I'm told space is very limited, so if you'll be able to attend, please register ASAP.

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN MARILYN'S BALTIMORE SCREENWRITING CLASS



NYC SCREENWRITER

In the past, I have had the pleasure of teaching a number of classes for NYC Screenwriter. It's one of my favorite groups to work with, and I look forward to presenting my next class for them in late October. In the meantime, be sure to check out the group's site for their new program with my NYU colleague Gordon Farrell. The program runs for the next three weeks, so register now.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER WITH NYC SCREENWRITER



FINISH YOUR SCRIPT

Finally, I have two spots left in the fall semester of my 9-week FINISH YOUR SCRIPT class. If you're working on a new idea, or preparing your finished script for the market, this is the class for you. To apply - and receive a $100 discount - call my office today and mention this email at 212.600.1115.

Art To Finish

When in Rome, I touched a sculpture of a sleeping cupid dated second century B.C! It seemed modern and was in perfect condition and it made my sense of time twist around like one of Dali's clocks.

What's oldest piece of art work you've ever seen? What effect did it have on you?

Remember how the killer was affected by William Blakes's art in the first Manhunter film with William Petersen or Will Smith's reaction to the Kandinsky in Six Degrees of Separation or Alan Ruck's reaction to the art in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

As an exercise:
Imagine your main character is in a museum. What piece of art affects him or her, and what does he or she do in response?

I Will Read This F-ing Article

My student Mikal forwarded me this very entertaining, if a bit harsh, column by Josh Olson. He raises some interesting points about work and friends and what it means to be a writer.

However, I know for a fact he'd love to read Mikal's script.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Frank Stephens at Sneakerball

The late Eunice Kennedy Shriver has been honored by Sneakerball VI and my friend and student Frank Stephens was selected to receive the honor in her place. Please take a moment to watch this clip and learn more about this wonderful event.

Thunder & Lightning

There's nothing worse than stealing someone's thunder and what Kanye West did to Taylor Swift was completely inexcusable.

I'm sure Beyonce, who consistently presents herself as a class act, was completely shocked by Kanye's outrageous attack on a talented musician. I find it particularly interesting that he would do that to someone who won fair-and-square in a system whose approval Kanye seems so desperate for.

I took a moment to consider what can be learned from Kanye's shocking behavior.

Quite often outrageous behavior is just what we need when we write our movie scripts, as a shock to the system is just the thing to improve a passive character and set the drama in motion.

Since the incident, Taylor has been introduced to a whole new audience, Beyonce has received kudos for her classy behavior and Kanye took some time to reexamine his behavior on what I imagine was a highly-rated first episode of The Jay Leno Show last night.

Consider the movie High Fidelity for a moment. During most of the film, John Cusack's character Rob Gordon relives his Top 5 worst breakups but it is only when he is caught off guard by his latest breakup that he begins to reminisce.

As an exercise, think about the main character in your own script. If you feel they are not active enough, what shocking event could you create to help them claim their dream? How will this event also affect your other characters?

You might be surprised that even if you are working with a very complex plot, how important that one original shock really is.

David & Goliath

My trip to Florence was amazing, thanks to my guide, Patrizia and the Italian railway system that made the ride from Rome to Florence like going to Westchester!

I seriptiously took two photos of the David from angles not usually open to the public. The David is as fabulous as I had heard.

An interesting note: The statue portrays a David who has not yet killed Goliath, while all of the previous representations showed David with the head of Goliath, happy and triumphant. Obviously, anxiety is a modern concept!

Patrizia is an amazing guide and taught me so much! If you are planning a trip to Florence and want the best tour ever, contact her at: ceccarelli.patrizia@libero.it.

George Clooney's Boyfriend

Where were you on September 11?

This is a day that needs to be marked as a sad day in history. A day to honor the bravery of those many New Yorkers who helped after the terrible event, and those who lost their lives in the tragedy. As always, I try to learn something from terrible moments -- so I always ask how can this situation help my writing?

Today's exercise: Where was your character on 9/11? Imagining their answer may give you a sudden powerful insight into what they believe and why they do the things they do.

ROME: Coliseum

I went to the Coliseum today. My guide Cinzia decided that since we were both "Uptown Girls," to borrow a phrase from Billy Joel, "guy watching" was part of the process. Unfortunately, the Coliseum was more compelling than the guys, but Cynzia found a handsome cop and insisted I be photographed with him to make my New York friends jealous. She grades men according to what day of the week they are for, and the cop made it to being a "Tuesday" in her book. Cynzia has her own tour company and if you're in Rome, you can find her at www.Roman-Gateway.com.

VENICE: Money, Money, Money

En route to Rome for the second leg of my trip.

I saw seven films in all at this year's Venice Film Festival! Seeing a terrific selection of films with an international audience, in a huge theater, steps away from the incredible Lido beach, made the impact of these films even more powerful.

Here are some of my notes:

Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story was stunning both in execution and content. He clearly exposes how Big Business has used creating debt as a tool to drain the American economy and turn its citizens into Matrix-like copper top batteries that are routinely drained of all monetary resources and then tossed aside, bankrupt and homeless. The most shocking detail was the practice of taking out insurance policies that predict when the workers will die! The documents refer to the workers as "peasants," which I guess summarizes the feeling "they" have about "us." I felt like I was watching the documentary version of They Live, a favorite horror movie where the use of sunglasses shows us the true face of the evil folks that run the world we think we know.

The following evening I saw Oliver Stone's new documentary about Hugo Chavez and Latin America, South of The Border, which seemed to be a companion piece to Moore's film, as it applauded the rise of a triumvirate of South American leaders who have successfully resisted The International Montetary Fund. All the more interesting, Hugo Chavez was in attendance for the screening.

The most incredible interview in the film was one where it was revealed that President Bush had said that war was the best way to stimulate an economy! I found this a terrifying confirmation of something I intuitively have always understood about business -- that every world problem made by humans that has seemed incomprehensible could, in fact, be traced to a way for someone to make money! To paraphrase Sherlock Holmes," If you eliminate the impossible, then what remains, however improbable -- must be the truth!"

One of the tricks I teach my students is to follow this principle when plotting. No matter what you think up as a plot device, consider who stands to profit from the event, and you will open yourself to a whole new level of storytelling!

After the film, the audience thronged around Stone and Chavez, who made an impromptu and amazing speech (which I didn't understand but deciphered using the audience reactions). The man beside me held up his arms to get a photo, and had a tattoo that said, "I am my brother's keeper. I could not have written a better moment in a screenplay.

As I left three people were discussing the film in heavily accented English. One said, "One thing about the Americans is that they show no embarrassment about shooting their own feet and putting it up on the screen. They all have so much confidence."

Speaking of triumvirates, I also saw Soderbergh's The Informnant, about an American sociopath who informs on international price fixing as a good citizen, but doesn't make the connection that taking kickbacks totaling 9-11 million was illegal. The film is a further commentary on the distortion that has turned capitalism in an evil empire that feels a lot like the one in Star Wars, but with several candidates for the roles of The Emperor and Darth Vader.

VENICE: Toy Story 3

Today I went to the newest addition to the Disney/Pixar canon, Toy Story 3. It's a wonderful film, and seeing it in 3D in Venice really gave a sudden insight into how American we really are, and yet how the right story can be so universal. The key to the film is that at least two myths have been combined to create something new -- a referencing of Star Wars in the Buzz Lightyear subplot, and the expanding of the "buddy" myth between Woody and Buzz.

The whole Pixar team were there, including John Lasseter's lawyer, Nancy Newhouse Porter and her delightful husband, Doug. I had the privilege of sitting next to them, and when we talked about how to create an active main character, a really difficult problem in so many screenplays, Nancy mentioned the Disney notion of the "I want" song, that a carton character often sings in the first act of a Disney film, identifying the main character's want. The song also answers the first of The Four Magic Questions of Screenwriting.

The first musical that came to my mind wasn't Disney, but rather in The Wizard Of Oz when Dorothy sings, "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

Exercise #1: If your main character had to make up a song about their dream, what would it be called?

Exercise #2: What two myths can you combine to create something new?

How Do You Measure Success?

It's strange being over here while an event like the U.S. Open is going on in NYC. I have managed to follow many of the event's story lines though. Today I read a remarkable story about the retirement of France's Fabrice Santoro.

Despite only making it to one quarterfinal in his 69 Grand Slams (a record), Santoro managed to beat 17 players who were once ranked No. 1, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl and Roger Federer.

It made me wonder about our own industry. How do we measure success?

Is it how many awards we win? There certainly are a number of award shows these days.

Is it how much money our work makes? I've seen movies generate $100 million and be considered flops.

Or is it how many mentions we get in the dozens (hundreds?) of magazines dedicated to celebrity life?

Rather than an exercise this time, I have a suggestion for you. Take a moment right now and think about someone whose work you respect. Even if they haven't won a lot of awards, or made a lot of money, or cracked the A-list take a moment to send an email about them to a friend, or tweet about them, or comment about them here, at the hopes that someone who "only" does quality work gets some recognition they so richly deserve.

And, when you've done that, take a moment to thank Fabrice Santoro for reminding us.

Toronto Film Festival Lineup Announced

It's probably greedy of me to be looking at another film festival while I'm in Venice but can't help feel excited about the lineup for this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

Which films are you excited to see?

The Galas

Precious: Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire: Despite the overblown title, Lee Daniels' gritty Harlem drama is drawing raves. Unknown Gabourey Sidibe is a revelation as Precious. Acclaim is also raining on a nearly unrecognizable, de-glamourized Mariah Carey.

Cooking with Stella: Dilip Mehta's effervescent cultural comedy tosses an unsuspecting Canadian couple into the roil of diplomatic life in New Dehli. We all laugh -- lovingly.

The Young Victoria: Jean-Marc Vallee aces his English-language debut, breathing fire, passion and beauty into a British historical period piece about the rise of Queen Victoria.

Masters

The White Ribbon: Austere German-Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke won the Palme d'Or for best film at Cannes 2009 for this dark vision of a German farming community just before the horrors of WWI begin.

Special Presentations

A Serious Man: For the first time since Fargo, the Coen Brothers go back to their Minnesota roots with a 1967 comedy infused with Yiddish language and comic sensibilities.

Up in the Air: Canadian Jason Reitman is inextricably linked to the Toronto filmfest so, even after all his Oscar noms for Juno, he returns with his latest dramatic comedy. This one stars George Clooney as a downsizing expert facing his own job challenges.

Bright Star: Jane Campion delicately captures the tragedy of English romantic poet John Keats, with Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw both delivering beautifully crafted performances.

A Prophet: With a harsh, violent story set in a French prison, Jacques Audiard captures the horrifying truth of the systemic war of races and religions that bedevils all of humanity.

I Killed My Mother: At age 19 (wow!!!), Montreal's Xavier Dolan wrote, directed and stars in this semi-autobiographical film about an angry gay youth locked in a love-hate relationship with his mother. And it's remarkable.

Vengeance: With French legend Johnny Hallyday as his instrument of destruction, Hong Kong super-stylist Johnnie To slam-bams us into a brilliant genre picture about a European bent on violent revenge in Aisa.

Sprockets Family Zone

Timetrip: The Curse of the Viking Witch: Danish director Mogens Hagedorn explores his country's history through time-travelling fantasy. Makes you wish Hollywood treated kid audiences with the same respect.

Discovery

The Disappearance of Alice Creed: The purpose of this program is to introduce dynamic new filmmakers. J Blakeson (it's a guy) takes the leap into the limelight with this terrifying British drama about two men who kidnap a woman and hold her prisoner in an apartment.

Vanguard

Hipsters: Even Russian filmmakers can indulge in a little razzle-dazzle every decade or so -- and Ukrainian-born director Valery Todorovsky does just that with his crazy comic musical set during the repressive Soviet regime.

Visions

Trash Humpers: This program is designed to challenge audiences. One-time skateboarding screenwriter Harmony Korine does just that with his latest directorial effort. It is another provocative story of marginalized people given a voice by a rebel.

Mavericks

In Conversation With ... Michael Caine: The Cockney rebel of Alfie is now dignified Sir Mike. Caine is sure to liven this personal presentation with his sharp, bittersweet and sassy anecdotes.

City to City

A History of Israeli Cinema: To be shown in two parts, French-born filmmaker Raphael Nadjari's opus chronicles the emergence of a vibrant Israeli cinema. The pre-1979 period of Part 1 deals with building the dream of nationhood into a reality; the post-1979 Part 2 deals with the maturing of the voices, some dissenting from the dream.

Contemporary World Cinema

Suck: After the off-kilter fun of Phil the Alien, Canadian actor-director Rob Stefaniuk again creates magical mayhem. This time he plays the star of a loser bar band named The Winners.

Police, Adjective: Demonstrating the vitality of Romanian cinema, Corneliu Porumboiu offers this small-scale but intense look at an undercover cop sent to spy on a teenager dabbling in drugs.

Real to Reel

Videocracy: In this Swedish-made documentary, Italian-raised filmmaker Erik Gandini examines the bizarre world of Silvio Berlusconi and his rise to power through trash TV.

Once Upon a Time Proletarian: 12 Tales of a Country: Filmmaker Guo Xiaolu explores her birth country China in its post-Mao era. The 12 poetic visual essays document the vision of an angry, disenchanted observer. Guo also has a drama, She, a Chinese, playing in the Vanguard section.

Canadian Open Vault

Sparrows: Toronto-born Mary Pickford made her screen debut 100 years ago. To mark the occasion, William Beaudine's 1926 silent melodrama, starring Pickford, is revived and restored. Gabriel Thibaudeau performs live musical accompaniment.

Canada First!

Year of the Carnivore: Actress, broadcaster, musician and filmmaker Sook-Yin Lee makes her feature directorial debut. Insiders are calling it charming, bohemian and brave.

Short Cuts Canada

Night Mayor: Guy Maddin is up to his old tricks -- that's a good thing -- with his sly portrait of an eccentric inventor who is obsessed with the aurora borealis.

Dialogues: Talking With Pictures

Wake in Fright (Outback): Canadian Ted Kotcheff's 1971 Australian classic is restored -- just in time -- and given its rightful place in cinema history. Kotcheff will introduce it.

Midnight Madness

George A. Romero's Survival of the Dead: Romero, who has moved his heavenly horror factory to Toronto, goes gonzo again, 41 years after the original Night of the Living Dead.

Why Do People Lie?

I saw Steven Soderbergh's latest film The Informant yesterday.

The film really draws the viewer in. You totally buy the boy scout who wants to do the right thing and experience the same disbelief as the other members of the cast as the layers of the onion unfold. There's also an effective use of voice over which lets us in on his inner thoughts, rather than using exposition, which allows us to totally connect with the main character. Good film making, though the movie doesn't really let us know what Mark's normal, on-going relationship with his parents is. Does he call them regularly? This matters very much as we are trying to understand how he got this way.

You can read more about the film (and its Venice premiere) at Variety. The review raises a number of interesting questions, including Why Do People Lie?


Mini-Exercises:

1. Ask yourself what you lie about (do you even know?), and then ask yourself what your main character lies about. Completing this exercise can help you find the plot twist you were seeking. (FYI: I write a monthly Script Tip for MovieOutline.com. I will go into greater detail about this in my next column. Look for it in a few weeks.)

2. The main character's name in the film is Mark, his nickname is Corky. Nicknames can give us insight into our characters. Did you have a nickname? If so, what is it and how did you get it? Then ask yourself about your own main character. Does he or she have a nickname and how did they get it? Sometimes writing a practice scene where you have one character tell another about how they got their nickname may give you a memorable scene with real character revelation.

VENICE: Aciugheta

Last night I had dinner with my wonderful friend, Minu, a fantastic guide in Venice, and her friend, Sandra, an architect with a successful business in Germany. The weird part is that this is the second time I have been taken to the same restaurant by completely different people! It's called Aciugheta, which means tiny anchovy. I will go back if I have a chance -- everything they say about Italian food is true.

Mini-exercise: I have one friend who no matter whether or not I offer to buy him a good dinner, he always prefers to eat in coffee shops, and always eats the same thing; grilled cheese and a vanilla milkshake. Would your main character eat in a fancy restaurant? If so, what would they eat and why? If not, where would they eat and what would they order?

What Does Your Character Really Want?

I'm in Venice for the film festival and I've seen a few interesting movies (more on that in a later post) but there's one film I can't get out of my head... The Simpsons Movie. Specifically, I keep thinking about the scene when the U.S. government decides to cover the town of Springfield with a giant glass dome after Homer contaminates the town with his silo of "Pig Crap."

As the dome is being lowered over the town, one of Springfield's anonymous citizens can't decide if he wants to live inside or outside of the dome, and he runs back and forth between the two, until he is finally squashed by the edge of the giant glass structure. With his dying breath he says, "I've never been to Venice."

As someone who has also always wanted to visit Venice, and is currently enjoying this beautiful city for the first time, I think it's important to always consider what your character really wants.

There are usually a number of different things going on in a movie and even if your character seems to be doing one thing, quite often they have something else in mind as their ultimate goal.

Does your bank robber character really just in it for the money, or does he want to retire to an exotic locale, or just love the thrill?

Does the police detective you're writing about want to catch the bad guy to protect his city, or for the glory?

Would a boxer act differently if he was fighting for fame versus feeding his family?

Take a moment to decide what your own character's "Venice" is. Does he accomplish his ultimate goal, or is he squashed? You might be surprised at the interesting layers you add to your story when you take the time to know.

VENICE: Peggy Guggenheim Collection

I went to Peggy Guggenheim mansion today. Not to be believed. To be within spitting distance of many of the most famous pieces of contemporary art -- in Venice with the Grand canal in the background. Peggy was an incredibly liberated woman who did much to define art.

Mini-exercise: If your main character was a famous artist, what kind of paintings would they paint and why? How does what we create suggest our inner conflicts? For example, in The Door In The Floor, Jeff Bridges paints big, modern paintings with lots of color. There's a key scene where he's painting a portrait of Mimi Rodgers. Even if you're not writing about an artist, what would this scene be in your screenplay?

VENICE: My neighborhood

New Yorkers have a terrible habit of staying indoors all day. And when we travel, we sometimes forget that there is a world outside of our hotel rooms. I tried to break out of that habit today by walking around my Venice neighborhood.

I was curious to see what the streets would be like, because of something I saw at the Doge's Palace a a few days ago. In the palace, in a special room, were kept the two books of Venice; one gold and one silver. The gold book contained all the names of the aristocrats. The silver, all of the citizens who were entitled to work.

However, in spite of this class separation, I found the way the houses are built in Venice very democratic, with mansions mixed with more modest homes throughout. It's very charming.