Television IS writing research!

24 Sunday Mar 2019

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Story, Television, Writing

Tags

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Elizabeth Fais, Joss Whedon, NCIS, Television, The Closer, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The West Wing, White Collar

It’s true. Watching television—certain television shows at least—is writing research. Especially when you stream a season or watch it on DVD (without commercials) and analyze character and story arcs. I have learned a lot about story structure, character development, and dialog from well written television shows.

For me it started with Joss Whedon and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Since then, there have been a number of other series that have influenced my storytelling and writing style.

The Closer—This show did an amazing job with character idiosyncrasies as a method for building empathy.Here’s the series synopsis: The Closer is a police procedural series, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief. Brenda moved to Los Angeles from Georgia where she trained in the CIA, and gained a reputation as a Closer — a tough interrogator who solves cases and obtains confessions leading to convictions that “close” the case. Deputy Chief Johnson uses her femininity to disarm and distract, and at times resorts to deceit and intimidation to persuade suspects into confessing.

The West Wing—This show excelled on every level. Though, one of the things I loved most was the punchy dialog. What characters say, as well as what they don’t, reveals who they are. Here’s the synopsis: A political drama that followed the triumphs and travails of White House senior staff that won two Peabody Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and 26 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the award for Outstanding Drama Series, which it won four consecutive times.

White Collar—This show had engaging characters and story lines, and plot threads with enough twists to keep the most agile guessing. Here’s the synopsis: Criminal Neal Caffrey has been eluding FBI agent Peter Burke for years, a run that finally comes to an end with his capture. But after the resourceful prisoner escapes from a maximum-security facility, then is nabbed once again by Burke, Caffrey suggests a different end-game: In return for freedom, he’ll help the Feds catch long-sought criminals. Though skeptical, Burke soon realizes that Caffrey’s instincts and insight are a rare commodity.

NCIS—This show matches strong characters with thought provoking mysteries. What impressed me the most—maybe because it’s what I needed to learn in my own writing at the time—was the finesse used in creating three-dimensional characters with believable interrelationships with humorous quirks. Here’s the series synopsis: Naval Criminal Investigative Service Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs leads a group of colorful personalities in investigating crimes — ranging from murder and espionage to terrorism — that have evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—Smart, funny, and brimming with humanity we can all relate to. This series has a stellar cast and equally talented writers who bring the characters to life. The secondary characters are as brilliant at the main character, Midge Maisel. Every writer can learn something from this series. 8 Emmy Awards back up my opinion. If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing this series yet, maybe the synopsis will inspire you: It’s the late 1950s and Miriam “Midge” Maisel has everything she has ever wanted — the perfect husband, two kids and an elegant apartment on New York’s Upper West Side. Her seemingly idyllic life takes a surprising turn when she discovers a hidden talent she didn’t previously know she had — stand-up comedy. This revelation changes her life forever as she begins a journey that takes her from her comfortable life on the Upper West Side through the cafes and nightclubs of Greenwich Village as she makes her way through the city’s comedy industry on a path that could ultimately lead her to a spot on the “Tonight Show” couch.

What’s your current fave television series and why?

The mystery of depth ~ Creating characters we care about

29 Sunday Oct 2017

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Character, Story, Writing

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Am Writing, Blake Snyder, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Character, Character Arc, Elizabeth Fais, Fiction, interiority, Joss Whedon, literary agents, Mary Kole, NCIS, Save the Cat!, SCBWI, SCBWI San Francisco/South, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Writing Irresistible Kidlit

Agents and editors want stories that have characters they can care about, characters with depth. For the longest time, I had no idea how to accomplish this. I knew depth meant complexity, but how you created that quality in characters was a mystery. Then one day, while watching an episode of NCIS, the pieces of the character-depth-puzzle magically fell into place. Who knew Abby and Gibbs would be the key that unlocked this literary mystery?

1. Mix it up with multiple character traits

In a 2-dimensional painting, everything appears flat. You get the same effect with characters that only have one basic trait—bully, geek, mean girl, wimp, etc. To avoid flat characters, give them multiple traits of varying strengths.

I like the analogy of creating perspective in a painting. What’s in the foreground is more intense and has greater detail. As should be the predominant trait of a character. With increased distance in a painting, objects become lighter and have less detail. Secondary and tertiary character traits should have less focus as well.

When Building a Better Character, reveal the traits over time as the character interacts with others and reacts to various situations.

2. Shake & stir: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Just as characters need a blend of traits to be believable, they must also display a variety of emotions. No one is perfect, and we wouldn’t like them if they were. Show their good side, so we like them, but don’t hold back on the bad and the ugly.

There are several types of heroes, each with a different set of predominant emotional archetypes. Who’s your hero?
Introduce the Quirky Quotient for a memorable, offbeat character.
For more subtle depth, weave in idiosyncracies that Build Empathy.

3. Peal back the layers

It’s human nature. The longer we savor an experience, the richer our enjoyment. This is why it’s important for characters to unfold and grow along with the plot.

Think of pealing back the layers of an onion. Each layer should reveal something unique and intimately real about the character. When we first meet someone, we get a superficial impression of who they are. It takes time, and a variety of experiences, before we get to know who they really are. It should be the same with our characters.

At a San Francisco South Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Agents Day conference, former literary agent, Mary Kole explained how to explore a character’s inner life through interiority. Interiority is a combination of the character’s internal dialog and point of view. To learn more, check out her book on Writing Irresistible Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult and Middle Grade Readers.

4. Pressure cook for change

Character depth requires change over the course of the story. The Character Arc is a journey that forces the character to confront their frailties to become wiser and stronger.

All great stories are about transformation. To survive, the hero has to change by facing their greatest fear and overcoming it. Blake Snyder—in the popular story structure guide, Save the Cat!—called this The Dark Night of the Soul.

Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) puts characters through hell—literally and figuratively. This pressure has the same effect as the pressure that transforms a lump of coal into a diamond. It smooths off their rough edges and makes them shine.

You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are. ― Joss Whedon

“Buffy” wisdom ~ Hope for troubled times

05 Tuesday Sep 2017

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Inspiration, Story, TV Shows

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Anthony Head, Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawn Summers, hope, human spirit, humanity, Inspiration, James Marsters, Joss Whedon, Michelle Trachtenberg, Nicholas Brendon, peace, Rupert Giles, Saint Francis prayer, Sarah McLachlan, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Spike, writers, Xander Harris

Remarkable as it may seem, Joss Whedon‘s BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is still (after 14 years) a gold standard for many writers.

This is because, in spite of the window dressings of vampires, monsters, magic, and witchcraft, the heart of the story was always rooted in the human condition.

The secret to the show’s meaningfulness and longevity stems from Whedon’s purpose. The reasons “why” Whedon writes touch our universal core. They are primal.

Hope amidst adversity

If you haven’t watched this series, you’re in for a treat when you do. In the mean time, to get you on the same page: Bad things happen…a lot. For good reasons too:

You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are. ― Joss Whedon

We’ve all had personal difficulties, some of us may have had to wade through some pretty dark times. We can all relate to Buffy’s perils and hardships…on some level. Especially with the state of our world and the current affairs we witness on a daily basis.

Just as real as the adversities Buffy faced, was the undying light of the human spirit. It was hope guiding them to vanquish darkness and find their way to safety.

Yes. I know it’s fiction. But it resonates with with us because it’s primal. Whedon used the following musical score to convey this universal truth…no matter your faith. Though the words were written centuries ago, they bring hope to our modern times too.

Prayer of St. Francis ~ Sarah McLachlan

Get that Half-Baked Story Out of the Oven!

17 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Story, Writing

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Am Writing, Amie Kaufman, don't give up, Elizabeth Fais, Fiction, Gemina, half baked, Illuminae, Jay Kristoff, Joss Whedon, novel, Story, writer's life, Writing, writing recipe

Writing Recipe for Success

It happens to every writer. At least once. We start a project, excited and inspired by the sparkly new idea. We run with it, fleshing out characters, working magic with dialog, setting, and plot. Then something happens. Our inspiration dissipates, like air from a hot air balloon. We’re slugging forward through molasses, when once we soared.

It’s easy to get discouraged, or possibly even give up on that great idea at this point. I’m here to tell you…

DO NOT GIVE UP!

Writing a novel is a lot like baking a cake. You carefully organize and mix the ingredients, select and prepare the pan, then put it in the oven to bake at the right temperature for the perfect amount of time. Unlike the cake, a creative oven requires our input for the heat, and the time it takes to fully bake is not always in our favor. Deadliness be damned. Unfortunately, half-baked is only half there.

The good news is that you got the story into the oven. Here’s a few strategies on how you can get it out…fully baked.

Turning Up the Heat

We get stuck in our writing for lots of reasons. The best way to get unstuck is to shake things up, take a new approach, do something totally different. The unexpected has a way of jump starting creativity. Here’s few suggestions:

Go someplace you’ve always wanted to, but haven’t. A change of scenery, especially a place that elicits intrigue, works wonders.
Watch A LOT of movies and TV shows. Joss Whedon would watch four or five movies in a row (in one day) to study story. You never know what will provide the boost you need for your story.
Read A LOT of different things, both magazines and books. Read outside your comfort zone. Change is good. Embrace it.
Talk to people who have cool jobs, or who’ve had very different life experiences than your own. This is one of the things Amie Kauffman, co-author of Illuminae and Gemina, does to get new ideas.
Go to a public place and people watch. Imagine where they’re going and what they’ll do when they get there. Have fun creating stories without the pressure of an outcome.
Start a totally different project in a completely different genre, just for you. Published authors confess to doing this when they’ve been paralyzed under a deadline. The story they started “for themselves” got them excited about writing again and they made their deadline. Those stories later became wildly popular books too. A win-win.
Brainstorm with other writers. Especially if you’re under deadline. Screenwriters work this way a lot.
Write stuff. Then write more stuff.
Fire your internal editor and keep going until you reach The End.

You’re doing great!

Word Wizardry ~ The Power of Punchy Dialog

03 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Fiction, Television, Writing

≈ 2 Comments

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Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, C.J. Cregg, dialog, Donna Moss, Elizabeth Fais, Fiction, Janel Moloney, Josh Lyman, Joss Whedon, Martin Sheen, President Bartlet, Rob Lowe, Sam Seaborn, Stockard Channing, Story, Television, The West Wing, Writing

Dialog molds characters into three-dimensions. What characters say, as well as what they don’t, reveals who they are. Dialog has the power to make a story and its characters memorable, whether in books, theater, film, or television. I shamelessly study any medium that’s raised the dialog bar. My current ~~obsession~~ interest is The West Wing.

The Magic of the Cutting Quip

I’m a little (?) late to the game on The West Wing (1999-2006). However, it is still in high demand on Netflix, which is a testament to its raise-the-bar quality.

The snappy dialog, and the aplomb with which it is delivered, hooked me in the first episode. Centered around the day-to-day happenings surrounding the President of the United States and his staff, The West Wing tackles serious topics without sinking into the morose. The sheer genius of the dialog and its delivery balanced intense drama with just-right humor, while revealing nuanced layers character traits.

Such as when Sam Seaborn, Deputy White House Communications Director in the administration of President Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, deflects an attack of an irate woman for his stance on school funding:

Woman: Don’t play dumb with me.
Sam: I am dumb. Most of the time I’m playing smart.

Then there were the typos in the State of the Union Address. As a writer, I may find typos funnier than most. But still. It’s The White House. Monumental decisions that affect millions of people go down there every day. So misspelled words in the State of the Union Address? Kind of (?) funny, if not a little embarrassing.

The following exchange happened during a read-through of the President’s State of the Union speech:

President: I’m proud to report our country’s stranger than it was a year ago?
Sam: Stronger. That’s a typo.
President: It could go either way.

Then later in the same episode:

First Lady: Why is hall#wed spelled with a pound sign in the middle of it?
President: I stopped asking those questions.

Dialog “Do’s” from The West Wing

Reveal personality quirks.
Josh Lyman, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and Donna Moss, his assistant, were arguing about her not checking his lunch order to make sure his hamburger was burned-to-a-crisp. Josh elaborates, “I like my hamburger so hard that if you drop it on the floor it breaks.”
Show character strengths.
Josh threatens to fire Donna when she pushes back on a request that’s obviously not important. To which she replies, “You’ve already fired me three times. I’m impervious.” Then she walks away, declaring “Impervious.”
Expose character dynamics.
C.J. Cregg, White House Press Secretary, intentionally annoys Josh in a press briefing by saying, “…the theoretical psychics at Cal Tech Nuclear Lab… You know what? I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to be physicists.”
Engender empathy in a character.
An international incident is in play, the President suffered a medical emergency, the State of the Union Address is that evening, and everyone keeps asking him if he’s taking his medication. To ease his staff’s worry, President Bartlet responds with humor, “Is it possible I’m taking something called euthanasia?” Sam replies, “Echinacea.” The President smiles, “That sounds more like it.”
Lighten an intense scene.
Every episode of The West Wing uses witty banter to lighten intense scenes. Joss Whedon—creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer—said it best: “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.”

The Covenant of the Character Arc ~ Raise the Stakes & Make it Count

31 Sunday Jan 2016

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Story, Writing

≈ 1 Comment

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All Is Lost, Bad Guys Close In, Beat Sheet, Blake Snyder, BS2, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Character Arc, Dark Night of the Soul, Elizabeth Fais, Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Joss Whedon, Miss Congeniality, Sandra Bullock, Save the Cat!, Tim Stout

Stories help us cope with the chaos of life. They show us how to navigate social situations and overcome adversity. A New York Times article, “Your Brain on Fiction”, by Annie Murphy Paul, discusses studies that prove this.

For a story to fulfill its function and satisfy the human spirit, there has to be change. The covenant of the (character) arc, as Blake Snyder so wisely described it, is the necessity for characters to change. The measure of change is a character’s arc. In the best stories, all characters arc except the bad guy. J.K. Rowling did an excellent job of this throughout the Harry Potter series.

The Transformation Machine

Shake. Stir. Whip. Frappe. Do whatever it takes to force your characters to confront their frailties and become wiser, stronger, better. Blake Snyder, Mr. Save the Cat! referred to this process as the Transformation Machine.

All stories are about transformation. And seeing this as a good thing is the starting point of writing a successful story of any kind. ― Blake Snyder

In essence, the hero’s transformation mirrors the process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. A type of death and rebirth are required to complete a satisfying character arc. Take Gracie Hart, the unrefined FBI agent (Sandra Bullock) in Miss Congeniality, who must become a polished beauty pageant contender in order to solve the crime and save the lives of her new friends.

Dishing out conflicts for characters isn’t always easy, but it’s a must. To achieve a great ending—as described in Secret Ingredients of a Satisfying Ending—the characters have to change. A lot.

There are plenty of character arc graphs and charts. I understood the theory, but applying it evaded me until I read Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need. The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2) story points, or beats, that push the character arc include: Bad Guys Close In, All Is Lost, and Dark Night of the Soul. Tim Stout provides excellent descriptions for each of these beats here.

Make ‘Em Suffer Till They Shine

It’s simple. To survive, our hero has to change. Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) puts characters through hell—literally and figuratively. This pressure has an effect similar to that which transforms a lump of coal into a diamond. It files down the hero’s rough edges and makes him shine.

You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are.
― Joss Whedon

Take it up a notch!

In chemistry, heat accelerates change. The same is true for stories. Here’s a few suggestions for turning up the heat and increasing the transformation process:

Make the Bad Guy badder—For the protagonist to be perceived as the hero he is, the Bad Guy has to be as bad as possible. The villain must be an equal match for the hero, but willing to do whatever it takes to win. Beating the villain has to seem impossible, so when the hero wins he shines brighter.
Increase internal conflicts—Fear, doubt, jealousy, shame, any and all emotional trauma. Bring it. The pressure makes the hero to face his inner demons, and forces him to realize that what he thinks he wants isn’t what he really needs. Dig Deep for a Story That Resonates shows how this can strengthen the story’s theme.
Increase external conflicts with friends and relatives—Betrayal, abandonment, rifts in trust, arguments, even death. Pile it on. These conflicts push the hero to his lowest, forcing him to find strength he didn’t know he had.
Throw in a force of nature—Wind, rain, earthquake, snakes, anything to make your character’s goal harder to accomplish. These obstacles can force the hero to overcome his flaws.
Blow something up—A couple of authors shared this advice at a conference. The event has to be organic to the story and plausible for the characters. The action must also come from a deep emotional need to force transformation. Extreme times call for extreme measures.

Enhance the Heat

Stories have flavor. And just like a great meal, flavor is enhanced when complimented by an opposite. To strengthen the impact of a transformative moment, pair it with its opposite.

Joss Whedon said it best…

Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.
― Joss Whedon

What Sparks the Romance of Writing?

15 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Romance, Story, Writing

≈ 5 Comments

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Elizabeth Fais, Joss Whedon, Liv Rancourt, Romance, Santa Claus, Story, The Santa Drag, Umberto Eco, Writing

The force behind the creative process…

What compels writers to subject ourselves to endless hours of isolation, the nagging weight of self-doubt, and endless abuse from our inner critics? Not the lure of millions, I dare say.

Yes, there are writers who hit the bestseller lottery. But if you asked them “why” they write, I would bet many reasons would come before the mention of money.

Umberto Eco summed elegantly up the source of the writer’s creative spark when he said, “To survive we must tell stories.”

Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer) explained how writing is tangible therapy, a way to face and overcome weaknesses, fears, and insecurities.

And then there are writers, like Liv Rancourt, who embrace their craft out of the sheer love of the stories they create. Through the process they become the characters and live vicariously through them, experiencing their hopes, dreams, heartaches and joys.

Liv Rancourt on Romance and Writing

Liv Rancourt, is a paranormal romance author with a flair for witty dialog, quirky characters, and stories that resonate with the heart. I’m reposting an excerpt she wrote about why she writes fiction woven with romantic themes, because I can’t think of a better topic for the holiday season. Because everything is more magical when love is in the air

So, why romance? Yesterday I had a couple hours of downtime and spent it in the company of Aidan, Krys, Mirren, Lucy & their friends while reading the novel Redemption by Susannah Sandlin. Okay, there were vampires involved, but the love story rocked and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

That just about sums it up. Write a love story that’s grounded in reality (or some paranormal version thereof), involving well-drawn characters and genuine conflict, and you will have me eating out of the palm of your hand…though that’s probably not an image we want to dwell on. Instead, know that I read to have fun, and good romances are almost always fun.

If I want real-world conflict (read: sadness & pain), I’ll go to work. Sometimes I don’t even have to go that far; conflict comes to me, invading my personal space. That’s how life is. When I read, I want the assurance that the characters are going to end up happy, which is one of the hallmarks of the romance novel.

And then there’s the whole falling-in-love thing. Like most people of the human persuasion, I love to fall in love. However, after seventeen years of marriage, pretty much the only falling I get to do these days is in the pages of a book. My husband is an awesome guy, but our infatuation days were a LOOOONNGGG time ago. With a romance novel, I can experience a little vicarious infatuation stretched out over two or three days, and almost always get dinner to the table on time.

It gets even better when I write my own. I have a whole thumb-drive full of crushes. My ideal romantic heroes are often tough guys with hard fists and soft hearts. Well, except for Joe, from my short story The Santa Drag. He’s an actor, and the heroine Mackenzie describes him as the Robert Downey Jr. type: good-looking, charming and just a little bit naughty. He’s turned up in a couple of my short stories now, flashing his “yep, I’m handsome” grin and driving Mack crazy.

To read an excerpt of The Santa Drag, go here.

The Santa Drag is available exclusively from Amazon [Kindle Edition] for only $0.99. You can buy it here.

Connect with Liv!

I can be found on-line at all hours of the day and night:

My website & blog: livrancourt.com
Facebook: liv.rancourt
Twitter: @LivRancourt

Stop by. We’ll have fun!

No Tricks, All Treats ~ Movies That Put the “Happy!” in Halloween

30 Thursday Oct 2014

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Holiday, Humor, Magic, Movies, Paranormal

≈ 2 Comments

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Corpse Bride, Elizabeth Fais, Halloween, Helena Bonham Carter, Johny Depp, Joss Whedon, Nicole Kidman, ParaNorman, Practical Magic, Sandra Bullock, Tim Burton, witchcraft, Witches, Zombies

If you’re a die-hard (pun intended) fan of dark-and-scary, you might want to skip this post. I’ve seen my share of white-knuckle horror films, but I’m a happy-haunts kind of gal. Which is why I’m putting a light-hearted spin on a haunting holiday with the following movies…

ParaNorman

This hilarious stop-motion marvel is about a small town that comes under siege by zombies. The only person who has a ghost of a chance at saving the town, is a misunderstood boy named Norman. Norman isn’t the usual stuff heroes are made of. His only qualification for the hero job is that he can see and speak with the dead.

Unfortunately, zombies aren’t the only supernatural riffraff that Norman’s thrown up against. He also has to take on ghosts, witches and, worst of all… moronic grown-ups, to thwart a centuries-old curse.

A la Joss Whedon, ParaNorman gets dark, scary, and then throws in the humor. At its core, ParaNorman is a heartfelt zombie comedy (ZomCom) with an added dash of macabre for spice. You can watch the trailer here.

Corpse Bride

Tim Burton’s quirky stop-motion tale about one wedding … two brides … and a grave misunderstanding.

Meet Victor, our accidental hero, who lives in a small European village in the 19th century. He’ been pledged to Victoria in a marriage arranged by his parents, and meets his bride-to-be for the first time the day before the wedding. Understandably nervous, Victor botches the wedding rehearsal on a nerdastic scale.

In hopes of improving his performance on his wedding day, Victor goes for a walk in the woods, practicing his vows along the way—not that it helps. When he reaches the part of ceremony where they exchange rings, Victor slips Victoria’s wedding band on what appears to be a tree branch, sealing his fate. You see, Victor unwittingly put the ring on the skeletal finger of the enchanted Corpse Bride, binding himself in matrimony to her for eternity.

To Victor’s shock and dismay, his new bride whisks him off to her dark and mysterious netherworld–the land of the dead. Terrified, Victor’s predicament goes from bad to wickedly worse as he realizes he actually loves the real-live fiancée he left behind. Victor’s desperate to return to the world of the living to be with his true love, but sinister forces stop at nothing to block his escape.

This dark comedy comes full circle, delivering a well deserved happy ending that glows with compassion and redemption. You can watch the trailer here.

Practical Magic

“What’s Halloween without witches,” you ask? My point exactly for picking this classic tale of merry magic and spells gone deadly wrong.

The wry, romantic comedy follows the Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian, as they struggle to use their innate mystical gifts to overcome the obstacles in finding and keeping true love.

The Owens sisters always knew they were different. After their parents’ deaths, they went to live with their two eccentric aunts who gave them chocolate cake for breakfast and taught them how to use their magical skills for practical purposes.

Not everything about their magic was good, however. The Owens’ mystical birthright came with a price—some called it a curse:

Any man an Owens woman falls in love with is doomed to an untimely death.

The sisters learned how real the curse is when Sally loses her husband and Gillian her lover. The sisters efforts to reverse the curse result in supernatural forces retaliating and threatening their lives. The quiet Sally and the fiery Gillian must use all of their wits and dig deep into their powers to ward off the evil bent on destroying them all.

This movie gets a little dark, but never scary. And there’s plenty of fun to swing the scale into delightful. For one, these witches know how to rock a happy haunt. Sneak a peak at their midnight margaritas dance party, if you don’t believe me…

Have a Happy Halloween everyone!

What are your favorite Halloween movies (scary or not)?

What goes around, comes around ~ Stories that come back again & again…

24 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Reading, Story, Writing

≈ 2 Comments

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1984, Anne Rice, Blade Runner, Bram Stoker, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Catching Fire, Divergent, Dracula, Dystopian, Elizabeth Fais, George Orwell, Hero, Horror, Hunger Games, Interview with a Vampire, Joss Whedon, Paranormal, Road Warrior, Stephenie Meyer, supernatural, Suzanne Collins, Tim Kane, Twilight, Under the Never Sky, Vampire, Veronica Rossi, Veronica Roth

Some things are destined to return: the seasons, fashion trends, and certain types of stories.

As a race, we have an inherent need for stories. They come from a deep place in our psyche, and shape our lives.

Science is now able to prove that stories affect our psychological make up. The New York Times article, Your Brain on Fiction, by Annie Murphy Paul, shows how reading fiction affects the way we react in social encounters in real life. The ability to internalize the emotions and actions of fictional characters, actually helps us cope with our own world in a more positive way. [image: morguefile.com]

Reading … enlarges and improves us as human beings. Brain science shows this claim is truer than we imagined.

Joseph Campbell’s interviews with Bill Moyers on The Power of the Myth discussed the universality of stories (myths), and the similarities in the types of stories told from cultures around the world.

Why We Need Certain Stories

You could write an exhaustive doctorate’s thesis on this topic. You’ll be glad to know I’m not. I was thinking about the recent vampire craze, and wondered “why” certain story types keep coming back, each time with a huge social impact.

The following is some of my reasoning, totally unsupported by any research whatsoever. Your comments on the topic are welcome and appreciated!

Paranormal: Vampires

Vampires existed in folklore for centuries, and became world-renowned in the 19th century. Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” (1897) was one of the first novels in the vampire craze. In recent decades, “Interview with a Vampire” by Anne Rice, “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer created by Joss Whedon, boosted the vampire pop culture phenomena.

Why the mass market fascination with blood sucking immortals? I think immortal is the operative word, with the monster factor playing a close second. [image: morguefile.com]

We are afraid of the unknown, and what happens after death is one of life’s biggest mysteries—one that makes us face our worst fear, extinction. We idolize vampires, because of their beatific immortality. They have been glamorized to such an extent that we overlook the fact that they are blood sucking monsters. In recent fiction, some vampires sparkle in sunlight and are portrayed as humanitarian—the Twilight series, for example.

In truth, vampires are at best monsters who enjoy the glamour of killing. Why do we crave stories about monsters? It’s kind of sick, if you think about it.

Or, maybe not…

I wrote an earlier blog post on this topic, titled Monsters We Love to Hate. To put it simply, we need something horrible onto which we can project our fear of the unknown—a monster that can be destroyed. The ability to vanquish monsters in a story, gives us a sense of control over our fears and conquering the unknown.

For an in-depth study of vampires in pop culture, check out “The Changing Vampire in Film and Television: A Critical Study of the Growth of a Genre” by Tim Kane.

Dystopian

The dystopian story—post apocalyptic, degenerated society—provides a venue for managing another type of fear. The primal fear of survival.

Survival is the crux of a dystopian story. Surviving under the worst possible conditions.

Dystopian stories are usually characterized by dehumanization (“1984” by George Orwell, and the 1980’s films Road Warrior and Blade Runner), totalitarian governments “(The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, “Divergent” by Veronica Roth), environmental disaster (“Under the Never Sky” by Veronica Rossi), and other characteristics associated with a severe decline in society.

The hero in a dystopian tale give us courage by showing us how to survive at all costs. How they cope with and overcome the hardships in their brutal world, helps us to face and overcome our own battles for survival, both real and imagined. In essence, dystopian stories teach us how to be our own hero. Everyone needs that type of encouragement at one time or another. There’s nothing more empowering than knowing you can save yourself. [image: The Hunger Games (movie)]

What are the stories you can’t get enough of?

Creative Courage ~ Blowing Away “The Box”

27 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by Elizabeth Fais in Creativity, Inspiration, Music, Writing

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Classical Music, Coldplay, Creative Courage, Crossover, Cubism, David Garrett, Elizabeth Fais, Firefly, Genre Busting, Genres, Joss Whedon, Legacy, Mavericks, Music, Pablo Picasso, San Jose, Viva La Vida

David Garrett ~ Musical Maverick

When a friend asked if I’d go with her to a concert featuring violinist David Garrett (in San Jose last Tuesday), I expected an excellent show. After all, I’d heard Garret’s classical album, Legacy; proving his world renowned talent as a classical musician.

What I didn’t expect … was to be totally blown away…
Along with that box everyone talks about thinking outside of.

His show — Music, named after his latest release — was genre busting in every possible way. From the wide range of music, to the orchestration and technological presentation. He played everything from Beethoven, Queen, AC/DC, Bach, Brahms, The Beatles, Brazilian … you get the picture. All backed by a rock band. Mindblowingly awesome!

I am inspired by any artist (in any medium) who refuses to follow the customs of their group and sets new standards of excellence. The Maverick … who sees beyond the rules, envisions explosive possibilities, and then brings them to life. What I love most is Garrett’s all-inclusive approach to his art…

I use my instrument to endeavor into all kinds of music genres… ~David Garrett

He draws from “everything” he hears, then filters through the possibilities and permutations to create something fresh and new. He doesn’t see one genre as “less than” and another as “superior”, he embraces all … even technology … to drive creativity to new limits. Check out the video below and see for yourself.

Garrett’s performance turned my head around in more ways than one. It made me take serious look at my approach to my craft, and ask how I can make my writing and my stories fresher. What possibilities haven’t I considered? What potentials should I investigate? What can I do that hasn’t been done before?

Mavericks in Fine Art and Filmmaking

Every medium has its mavericks. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. Pablo Picasso and Joss Whedon pioneered new ground in the fine arts and filmmaking, respectively.

Pablo Picasso was a maverick in the fine art world. He trained classically, painting in the realistic manner of the time through his childhood and adolescence. After that he experimented with different theories, techniques, and materials. His unique vision helped found the Cubist movement and made him one of the best-known figures in 20th century art.

Joss Whedon is a contemporary screenwriter, producer, and filmmaker who used his “genre salad” approach to story to create some of the most memorable TV series of our time. Whedon is best known for his TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a teen-angst dramedy with vampires, monsters, and hot chics with super powers who kickass and take names. Whedon stretched the genre envelope even further with the TV series Firefly, a space western drama. And that’s just two of his remarkable genre busting accomplishments.

The question we should all be asking ourselves is…

How can I turn my [type of creative work here] on its head, spin it around, and create something new?

Viva La Vida ~ David Garrett

In the following video, as in his live performance, David Garrett puts a fresh spin on Coldplay’s Viva La Vida, using technology to push the creative edge even further. Yes, he’s playing all the tracks in real-time (on a Stradivarius!), thanks to technology. Pretty awesome.

No powder throwing ravers at the live concert…
Is anyone else concerned about the violin in that scene?
Hopefully, that’s not the Strad!