Friday, March 5, 2010

Rush

Ever since my screenwriting course started I've been in a rush, and I keep sitting down at my desk and starting a post only to find myself suddenly doing something quite different in a completely different location.

So I have decided this Friday morning to write a post in a rush, without reading through it and pondering anything whatsoever. Stream of consciousness. Sort of.

My course is great, but I'm completely out of my comfort zone because it's been quite a while since I spent so much time with people, talking. Sure, I have my part-time work, but a lot of it involves reading and writing by myself. If I have the choice between writing an essay or meeting someone in person for a chat I will always lean towards writing.

So there I was, spending three full days with 4 women, 5 men and our 2 teachers discussing the theory and practice of screenwriting. To cut a long story short (hehe, no pun intended) our first assignment is writing a tv pilot to a brief. After spending the last 10 years trying to eradicate the evil time-sucking, life-sucking television from my family life I am now embracing it with a passion.

My favourite show so far is Mad Men, especially the 1st season. Anybody else here love it? How about In Treatment? My guilty pleasure is actually Medium, anybody else out there like it?

I'm the oldest in the class, and the youngest members of the group (in their 20s) had a bit of a bet on how old I was! Their final guess was 32, SCORE!!!!!!!!!! (I'm 41).

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

!!!

TV shows we've liked in my house are Boston legal and the West Wing. I could not watch the Wire, although it's great -- too tension-filled and worrying. I've heard Madmen is good, but have not watched it yet.

Score indeed!

Anonymous said...

I could not watch Mad Men because I lived through that era, when women were all girls and good for nothing but servitude. It brought back too many bad memories. The Wire is excellent; I am currently midway through season 3 on DVD. Used to watch West Wing, but I'm not sure how well that would translate to another country. The Office is hilarious, but I think you have to have watched it for awhile and know the characters.

Suse said...

West Wing is fab, so is Six Feet Under. Also the British version of Life on Mars (the American version was awful - don't bother with that one).

I'm currently watching that old English series 'The Darling Buds of May' on dvd. It's a very comforting way to spend an evening, especially if you snuggle up with your knitting and a knee rug.

(Score indeed! Although I had someone tell me the other day I looked "about fifteen", so you know, I WIN).

Little Miss Sunshine State said...

I love Medium, but they have moved it around on the schedule so many times that I can never remember when it's on.

We're currently hooked on Glee! at our house.

KPB said...

Medium, NCIS and House give me the absolute SHITS. The absolute and total shits. So formulaic, so predictable, so treat-the-audience-like-they're-idiots.

Favourite TV shows =
West Wing,
Seinfeld (it never ever gets old),
Everyone Loves Raymond (total guilty pleasure that one),
Six Feet Under,
The Wire (although I've only ever seen the first two episodes then kept forgetting when it was on ABC2 but man, it was totally compelling even if the sex scene was comedic and I'm not sure it was meant to be)
Big Love (although I find it difficult to watch as I'm constantly waiting for something really bad/big disaster to happen and I can't stand that sustained state of anxiety - and really, the same goes for Mad Men, where I'm just waiting for it all to go horribly wrong and it's just not good for my nerves)
The Office (both the UK and US versions)
BlackAdder (still hilarious decades later)
To the manor born (classic and charming)
The Good Life (one of my all-time favourites and still infiltrates my thinking about the kind of life I want to this day)
MASH
and what was that show 'she's dead, wrapped in plastic' that was huge in the late 80s - Goodness how I loved that show
and I'm sure if Channel 9 hadn't ruined it I would have totally gotten into The Sopranos

Um, should I stop now?

KPB said...

Boston Legal I LOVE!!!

And it was Twin Peaks!

Stomper Girl said...

Total SCORE!!!!!!!!!! You are very youthful in looks and personality. Without being immature, obvs.

Allison said...

I used to adore Medium--but then she cut her hair off and I am strangely disconnected from her. Weird. I was just told that I should watch Mad Men, as I am convinced I was born in the wrong era. But really, Big Love is my favorite. Hands downs Honestly. Truly. It WRECKS me every episode. Brilliant.

Anonymous said...

32 uh? Well done!
I'm not into any of those show, I'm afraid.
Paola

Anonymous said...

Love Mad Men( Jon Hamm!), been watching since season one. Always liked Medium, but as someone else said, I never know when it is on anymore. Love your writing.

mom2 (a lurker)