Author: admin
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Benefits of Profanity
Several studies show us the benefits of cursing. Here are a few examples from a CNN article. Apart from what the studies say, I’m curious about using profanity in marketing. Is it a good way to market a book? I’m guessing it is. I just purchased a book called Quantum Bullsh*t. I have no idea…
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Experiences Required
We can not create art from nothing. Even science fiction and fantasy stories must be grounded in our human experiences. Sometimes, writer’s block occurs when we feel empty and depleted. When this happens, we must pay attention to our experiences and create new ones. My favorite way to do this is to travel. Especially when…
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Smaller Plates
I’m imagining a large plate of food piled high and spilling over the edges. There’s no way you can eat it all. You feel bad letting it go to waste, but the plate is overflowing with food. There’s just too much. Maybe you eat what you can and then walk away. Sometimes, my life is…
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The More Things Change…
Walter Murch is an extraordinary film editor and author of a book I like called In the Blink of an Eye. On Friday (8/30/2024), I watched his new movie, Her Name Was Moviola. It shows us how movies used to be made, before digital editing replaced the original process of using a blade to physically…
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Conditions for Brevity
In my previous post, I talked about loving this quote. “The lesson of Icarus isn’t to stop flying so high. It’s to build better wings.” Here’s another reason why this quote is so great. It’s concise. In just a few words, it packs a powerful punch. And it’s surprising! Of course, if you are unfamiliar…
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Icarus
Somebody at Telluride attributed the following quote to Guillermo del Toro. It may be included in the new Leonardo da Vinci documentary by Ken Burns. “The lesson of Icarus isn’t to stop flying so high. It’s to build better wings.” I love this idea! Daedalus, father of Icarus, knows the limitations of the wings he…
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Gems from Telluride
One of my favorite things to do during the Telluride Film Festival is to attend the Noon Panel Discussions, the Conversations, and the Q&A Sessions. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the talks I attended on Saturday. “All cultures are remembered for two things: their brutality and art.” This came up during…
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Movies Challenge Us
When I start watching a movie, I try to finish watching it. Sometimes, I stop watching a movie because it’s so bad that I can’t justify spending the time — even though we learn a lot about movie making by watching bad movies. Sometimes, I stop watching a movie because I don’t like it. When…
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Conflicting Priorities
We want many different things throughout our lives. Sometimes, the things we say we want are not consistent with our actions. So here’s a question. Should we believe our actions or our words? And if we don’t do the things we say we want, what’s holding us back? While I think fear often holds us…
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Firearms and Explosions
While eating dinner at Mi Mexico in Ouray, I overheard a conversation happening at a long table next to me. At least ten men were sharing their adventures blowing stuff to smithereens. No, they were not terrorists. They were movie makers. Or at least they were responsible for making war scenes in movies look good.…