  Drama
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 While millions of us rush around dealing with the drama known as the holiday season, I'm kicking back and contemplating the entertainment industry. 2007 proved that the beast known as Hollywood is weakened yet still wreaking havoc on movies and television in general. In the last drama newsletter edited by me this year, I'd like to take some time and share with you my opinions on the industry and what I hope lies in the future. |
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Well, folks, it's that time of year again. As we get bombarded by holiday ads and demands to attend farflung gatherings, we also take a little time in our day to makes wishes for a multitude of things. This year, with my renewed interest in written drama and the entertainment industry, I have a wislist that centers around these two things. Granted, I have my doubts that any of these will happen, but a wish can't come true if you keep it inside.
 I hope for a swift and fair resolution to the writer's strike. Though I am no fan of Patric Verrone, I have some faith in the writers. Without them, the television world becomes a wasteland of reality shows that wear thin after a while. Likewise, they lay the foundations for our favorite films, including documentaries.
I wish that drama movies and TV shows include a little more general drama (especially the non-sentimental kind) in their productions. While niche drama is entertaining, it's oversaturating the market. I don't know about you, but I'm getting bored with it.
Though very unlikely, I hope that drama regains mainstream appeal within the next couple years. Then again, it might make drama more appealing to the masses if it stays out of the spotlight for a little while.
It would be really cool to see a groundbreaking musical get it start outside of New York. On a related note, the world could use more dark musicals. I'm so desperate for one I'm seriously considering going to see Sweeny Todd, and I'm not a fan of Johnny Depp or Tim Burton.
The filmmakers might want to hold off a bit on Iraq war films if they wish to make a profit. I will discuss this issue in a future newsletter, but basically the time is not right for them. We need a little room to breathe from a psyche perspective.
I hope Philip Pullman gets his wish of being remembered as a storyteller and not a church basher. Fiction has long been a place to mull both sides of the religion coin for many cultures. If the author does such a thing, he or she should be remembered for the whole story told, not just parts of it.
I know my wishes are pretty out there. Many of them tend to be. However, vocalizing them can do wonders even if no one hears them. Maybe I'm ahead of my time in my wishes. Perhaps these things will happen soon, and I just need to be more patient. Maybe the tides of the entertainment industry and the general audience need to change before my wishes come true. I like to think that they would improve the quality of entertainment options we have. If not, maybe this will inspire you to step up and grant wish.
Yeah, I know I can keep dreaming about that last one. 
Whatever your plans for the holidays, may the drama be kept to a minimum, and may your wishes come true.
Until next time,
(sig by SilverValkyre loves YOU!  ) |
Give the gift of a review (or even participation!) to these authors! From scripts to wishes, I provide a variety of works to satisfy those that are already tired of the holidays. Besides, constructive feedback is appreciated all year round. 
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Looks like my WGA strike edition of the drama newsletter piqued your interest. Likewise, some of you decided to share your wishes for the entertainment industry. Hooray!
From Brit-Girl : Ooh such interesting questions I have been wishing for a couple of books to make it to the screen actually. First off Tamora Pierce's books are so great they should definately be made into movies! Also Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series should be made into a TV show. Those are my two picks
I just want to see more new actors in movies. There aren't enough opportunities for new actors anymore. I think some new faces would be great!
Thanks for the great newsletter! It had some informative topics in it! And fun to read
I'm glad you enjoyed this newsletter! I agree some new actors would be nice, although if they don't fit into a Hollywood arcchetype, it could prove difficult. Yeah, I have my misgivings about Hollywood, but I think I made them clear in this newsletter.  Anyway, some new faces could revitalize some tired old formulas and maybe prompt the screenwriters to develop some more unusual characters for the screen. We'll see what happens once they negotiate a contract with AMPTP. Who knows when that will happen.
And I'm glad you found the newsletter fun to read. I think that's the first time anyone's ever told me that!
From Mavis Moog : I hope the writers' demands are met. They're undervalued and allow it because they are more interested in the art than their egos, unlike many other characters in the movie business.
Hello, Mavis! I definitely agree that the writers are undervauled, and most of them are more interested in their art than their egos. However, I have my doubts about ego when it comes to the show runners (the writer-producers). I have never liked Shonda Rhimes, and I can understand people not wanting to sympathize when they read her pleas. On the other hand, some show runners (namely Tim Kring and Damon Lindelof) really are more interested in what they create than what they get for it, and I do feel sympathy for them. For me, though, it's about the writers who just joined the guild and are looking to get even a peon writing job. They are hurting big time, and it's for their sakes I hope this is resolved soon.
From bazilbob: Great idea to do a newsletter on the strike. How about doing some on other strikes or political situations? They may not be directly related to the world of writers, but they would certainly have enough drama in them for truckloads of inspiration. How about the situation in Pakistan or the cyclone in Bangladesh? Or even the much discussed Iraq. Some objective research would make a great newsletter. Obviously it would be very time consuming, but it's just an idea.
Thank you for the informative newsletter.
Greetings! It may just be an idea, but I like it! Keep your eyes peeled for a war drama-centric newsletter sometime in March. I already have plans for the topic, but what I want to do involves more search than usual (and books I currently don't have on me at the moment). And yes, political and economic turmoil are ripe for all sorts of drama. I think we don't see it discussed as much because it's reality, and writing is seen as escapism to an extent. Reality, though, should not be ignored, and looking at how it is portrayed in the arts is one of the most fascinating things to study.
From StephBee  : Stik, thanks for tackling how the WGA strike is effecting the industry. I think you're recommendation is fair. It can't be easy and I don't think an all-or-nothing approach is going to get them to the negotiating table any sooner. Since I'm a soap opera fan, in my opinion, this could be the death of that industry (which has been in decline since the mid 1990's) if there's no scripts for them.
Future newsletters? How about a section with an update on the strike? Well, I wish Hollywood would take a peek at my werewolf stories, but besides that, I really got hooked on "Whitney, My Love," by Judith McNaught. I think that would be a good story. I'm reading "Peanuts," now about Charles Schultz, and that's a good story.
Up and coming actors? I really can't think of any only because I don't watch TV like I used. If anything, there's a bunch of soap actors I'd love to see in primetime.
Scripted TV shows? I'm a sucker for a good romantic drama.
And tackling it is the key word there, Steph! Joking aside, it's a tough deal to hammer out. However, talk of the writers offering a graduated scale based on the number of viewers [from Studio Briefing on Imdb.com 12/5/2007] is one of the smarter moves I've seen in the negotiations so far. It's tangible and looks to work a bit like the current rerun system in place. (Too bad it feel through in negotiations.) All the same, even the producers and network executives are starting to realize that this strike is really bearing down on their operations (not to mention an entire metro area's economy). When this strike will be settled is hard to say, but I doubt it will happen before the arrival of 2008.
From acappella: I'm really glad you decided to write about the WGA strike. Being a layman (or, rather, laywoman) to these things, it was nice to finally understand what was going on! I also found the article you attached by Damon Lindelof very helpful in understanding the whole situation. I hope things get sorted out soon - I don't know what I'll do without new episodes next year!
Sincerely,
acappella
P.S. Many kudos to you for saying "Yatta!" I am also a "Hiros" fan - oops, sorry, I mean "Heroes."
Hey there, acappella! First off, I'm surprised you even caught that. I buried that in the Ask and Answer section and forgot I even used it!  And did you see the Volume 2 finale? Man! We really need a forum on this site devoted to discussing Heroes. Anyway, I'm glad the newsletter helped you understand what exactly is going on with the strike. Since the media's coverage of it is mediocre as it is, I really had to go digging to get enough information to make my Cliffs Notes-like explanation. It's a mess, and I wish they'd tell the fans what exactly is in the contracts each side presents. I think the fans could turn the tide on this. However, with no information and both sides still in gridlock, I have yet to find a reason to be optimistic about this ending anytime soon. I think the fans should have a little more involvement in this, but the question is how. If anyone wishes to contribute suggestions, I'm all ears!
I really do appreciate all the feedback. I'm a little stumped for a topic for next month, though. Would any of you care to suggest something? After all, these newsletters are intended to help you develop your craft. If you have any burning questions about drama in any form, I'll get you some answers. So send me your questions!
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+]. |
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Drama: December 12, 2007 Issue [#2113]
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