Welcome!

What makes a great comical character

Since I began writing and reading fiction I've always enjoyed true funny characters. Whether it's a lead or supporting character it doesn't matter to me. I like to entertain and be entertained. The traits of a well-developed comedic character in a story catch readers' immediate attention. They want to find out more about this character and what he or she will do next. Putting a comical character in a unfamiliar place or awkward situation heightens the hilarity.

For example in the movie the Ringer, Johnny Knoxville is convinced to rigg the Special Olympics by his shady uncle. There Knoxville's character, Jeffy (who he lies about from the get go) is completely out of place. He doesn't know how to act or what to say around all the real mentally challenged participants or the counselors. Everything he goes through to try to win the Special Olympics is amusing and funny. In end he lets another participant win the contest, admitting he is a fraud.

Key characteristics of a great comical character are: mannerisms, emotion, physcial movements (slaptick, etc.) mimicry, voice tone, facial expressions, wittiness, retrack of exposition (about their past), and natural abilities. The more known about a character the more memorable or enduring that character can be to an audience. Reading comedy sketches, scripts, or shorts can help in fleshing out inventive comedic characters. The important part is to be original and not duplicate another's writer unique character.

Quick note: Below is a link to a screenplay contest for feature length films:

http://www.filmmakers.com/contests/2006/

Film Review: Glory Road

Usually I'm not one to indulge in breakdowns or analysis of movie, but after watching (finally got around to watching it on DVD) the forementioned movie it's well worth discussing. Glory Road is about the 1965 Texas Western college basketball team who won the NCAA championship. The coach, Don Haskins who's white, played by Josh Lucas started 5 black players in the final game of the season against the Kentucky Wildcats. Throughout the film Texas Western is viewed as a underdog who can't succeed and wins games on a fluke.

Going back to the '60s, several issues and conflicts are interwined with the true story: segregation, racism, and social values and customs. It gave the movie so much raw emotion and energy. The historical revisitation to a time where black people weren't accepted or liked in the South added to the stakes and heightened the tension. The confrontation between whites and blacks showed glimpses of the past, the edgy relationships between the two groups.

From a performance and talent standpoint white athletes were considered superior to all other minorities. At the end of the movie, Kentucky gets upset, expecting to win their 5th consecutive NCAA title. Finally Coach Haskins who college basketball thought was a joke leads his team to victory, overcoming all odds, obstacles, and pressures. From there Texas Western as well as black athletes in general started to receive the credit and recognition they deserved. I recommend watching Glory Road for anyone who enjoys a good drama or wants to relive the '60s. I give this movie 5 stars!

Welcome!

Wow, I can't believe the weekend is almost over. I've had another hectic week with my work schedule and all. I'm getting too tired to work overtime, especially going on 4 straight weeks. Anyway, it was nice to have a break and make to the weekend. Due to lack of free time I've not be able to brush up on any of my writing projects besides keeping my blogs updated.

What I have been doing is checking my email regularly and been getting several notices about screenwriting contests and news in Hollywood. It seems like everyone has written a movie script these days and are anxiously trying to sell it. The ultimate goal for screenwriters is get their screenplay produced into a motion picture. Screenplay shorts have become popular too, not just in the U.S. The Britain film festival is actively seeking shorts for the summer. Comedies and dramas tend to garner the most interest there.

To learn more about screenwriting and what's in development in Hollywood you can get the latest insights at: www.creativescreenwriting.com

Here is another great source to get the scoop on film and entertainment:

www.hollywoodreporter.com

That's it for this week. I plan on having deeper analysis on writing next week. Until then...write those thoughts and ideas on paper when they hit you. You never know what they may lead to later.

Writing for cash schemes

Becoming an accomplished writer with credits and a polished portfolio is becoming a more daunting challenge these days. There are so many frauds and scam artists roaming around in the literary world trying to deceive the innocent and gullible. The way these individuals practice business is not only unethical, but also corrupt. They advertise job opportunities that are fake and always have a catch. No one likes to do business with liars. The thing that gets me is these scammers think honest, everyday people will pay them an upfront fee to write for them.

Obviously, writers aren't providing literary material or content for them. They're just being robbed senselessly. Warning others about underminded practices from an unidentifiable or unknown business helps in avoiding them falling into the same traps. It will also work to put an end to such malpractice and shut down schemers. Before submitting any writing to an unfamiliar or new publisher it's a good idea to check postings on writing forums and sites.

All the latest news on publishing frauds and scandals can be found at the following link:

www.writerbeware.com