As is usually the case with new movies/books/albums/concerts or any form of artwork I get exposed to, my brain starts rolling. In this case the inspiration happens to be Christopher Nolan's film "Inception."
{{following post contains SPOILERS so if you'd rather not have this fantastic movie ruined, STOP READING HERE}}
Now, I've been a fan of Nolan since 2000's "Memento," which still ranks as one of my favorite mind-bending movies. And 99% of people are familiar with his work, "The Dark Knight." If you're not, stop reading and go get familiar with it now. Then, go see "Inception."
Though I was expecting my perception of reality (as defined in the movie) to be tweaked (as it was in "The Matrix"), that wasn't necessarily the case. The cast (which is fantastic, every role is spot on) lays out the rules and the consequences of breaking them. Then they go about the business of applying said rules to get their results, and breaking them with disastrous effects.
While "Inception" is nearly three hours long, the pacing is perfect. It's taut throughout, a big part of that due to its layers and depth and usage of perceived time (brilliant). Visually, it's stunning. Not "Avatar" stunning, because of 3D technology or the latest in computer generated graphics. It's beautiful because it feels real. The sets are solid and highly interactive while accomplishing things that have never been seen in quite this way (Joseph Gordon Levitt's fight scene is epic).
Now, a few little nitpicks:
- the score: while incredibly moving, it overpowered some scenes and dialogue was almost unintelligible.
- Ken Watanabe: great actor, but better suited for limited English lines. His dialogue gets lost in his bass, mumbling accent.
On to the good stuff, the brain candy:
Peter Hall at Cinematical wraps it up better than I could, but I'll give you my interpretation.
I believe the whole movie is a glimpse of Cobb's dream state. The rules that are laid down are for the projections or other cast members, but Cobb continually breaks all of them. The scheme is always run by him and, invariably, ruined by his own lack of control over his subconscious. How does Mal keep creeping in if it's not Cobb's overall dream to begin with? There are no long lost loves or daddy issues or past regrets creeping in from any other character. With the exception of Cobb, they have no depth at all. Why? Because they are infinitely small portions of his own consciousness. They're archetypes, defined by their names and titles.
I could go on and on, but I'd rather have a discussion about it. And truthfully I'd like to see it again (without a handrail obscuring part of my view...I mean honestly? Sold out on a Monday night?)
Things to watch for:
the kids...are they exactly the same at the end as they are throughout the movie?
the totems...if the rules Cobb establishes are important, why doesn't he have his OWN totem, rather than Mal's? Keep an eye on his wedding band!
the escalation...things get crazier the further we go and we're told that it's because Fisher/Fischer's mind has been trained to defend itself. But Arthur never knew that. The whole crew never knew that. However, Cobb's mind knows that the rest of the crew is there to keep him in the dream/game, and can go after Cobb as a way to wake him up. However, since one cannot truly die in one's own dream, Cobb's projections can't force himself to wake up. There we have our paradox, as is so nicely threaded into the story.
So much to discuss! So much more to watch! Highly recommended, please check it out so I have someone to talk to!
~VK
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Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Success!
For those of you who read my weekend post, you knew I was up to my elbows in ink and paper over the last few days. But it was well worth it!
"Blackwatch: Order and Chaos" is complete! Sorta!
While the pen & paper work is done, I have about half of the story to actually type up. This is a chore in itself, but it's an extra editing step that lets me hear how well the story is (or isn't) flowing. I'll add or tweak or change the word choice or expand dialogue or liven up some scenes.
There are things that are easier for me to do with pen & paper (quick edits, notes, additions for points earlier in the story or ideas for separate stories altogether) and things that are easier on the computer (editing whole sections, getting a feel for how much space a certain scene takes up).
While I was greatly enjoying rushing through the writing to get it all down on paper, now the hard work really starts. A round of editing and revisions before sending it out to my beta readers (you know who you are so expect a book soon!), then another round of editing/revisions based on their feedback. Gamma-readings (does anyone really do that or call it that?) and then maybe once it's polished up, off to the agents.
Keep checking here for updates!
~VK
"Blackwatch: Order and Chaos" is complete! Sorta!
While the pen & paper work is done, I have about half of the story to actually type up. This is a chore in itself, but it's an extra editing step that lets me hear how well the story is (or isn't) flowing. I'll add or tweak or change the word choice or expand dialogue or liven up some scenes.
There are things that are easier for me to do with pen & paper (quick edits, notes, additions for points earlier in the story or ideas for separate stories altogether) and things that are easier on the computer (editing whole sections, getting a feel for how much space a certain scene takes up).
While I was greatly enjoying rushing through the writing to get it all down on paper, now the hard work really starts. A round of editing and revisions before sending it out to my beta readers (you know who you are so expect a book soon!), then another round of editing/revisions based on their feedback. Gamma-readings (does anyone really do that or call it that?) and then maybe once it's polished up, off to the agents.
Keep checking here for updates!
~VK
Monday, July 19, 2010
Distillation
Rather than give a daily recap of publishing/writing industry blogs, I'll recap the recap.
Huh?
Every Friday, there are some very very good summaries of posts from that week. So I'll summarize the summaries, list the lists and condense the condensations, creating a one stop shop for all your writerly needs!
1) Nathan Bransford's weekly wrap-up featuring the Double Rainbow song (which I listen to pretty much every day)
2) Over at Adventures in Children's Publishing, way more articles than I could get through in a week, let alone a weekend
3) And Pimp My Novel has a little something for everyone, including 'Watchmen' creator Alan Moore saying he's done with superheroes. Say it isn't so!
~VK
Huh?
Every Friday, there are some very very good summaries of posts from that week. So I'll summarize the summaries, list the lists and condense the condensations, creating a one stop shop for all your writerly needs!
1) Nathan Bransford's weekly wrap-up featuring the Double Rainbow song (which I listen to pretty much every day)
2) Over at Adventures in Children's Publishing, way more articles than I could get through in a week, let alone a weekend
3) And Pimp My Novel has a little something for everyone, including 'Watchmen' creator Alan Moore saying he's done with superheroes. Say it isn't so!
~VK
Friday, July 16, 2010
Weekend
What are your plans this weekend?
Whenever I'm asked this question, my response is usually the same: writing. Most people don't really know what all that entails but rather boil it down to a boring waste of a weekend spent being a hermit, with nose in a notebook or fingers on the keyboard. Actually, that's pretty much what I'll be doing.
63 hours until I have to be back here on Monday morning. A third of that will probably be spent sleeping, so that leaves roughly 42 hours left to write. Minus eating/exercising/errands/general hygiene. Maybe I'll have about 24 hours of actual writing time left.
Think that's enough time to finish the rough draft? Think I should maybe tell you what the heck it is I'm writing?!
"Blackwatch: Order and Chaos" is a YA sci-fi about a teenage boy who finds a watch in his Uncle's pawn shop that lets him control time, once his best friend fixes it that is. Mayhem ensues when he accidentally pauses the world and as a result, the city burns, two heroes die and scores of monsters are allowed to run rampant. The only way that order can be restored is to hunt these creatures down and send them home, the hard way.
The end is in sight and I'm really anxious to get to a few specific scenes. We'll see if I cross the finish line this weekend!
Have a great one!
~VK
Whenever I'm asked this question, my response is usually the same: writing. Most people don't really know what all that entails but rather boil it down to a boring waste of a weekend spent being a hermit, with nose in a notebook or fingers on the keyboard. Actually, that's pretty much what I'll be doing.
63 hours until I have to be back here on Monday morning. A third of that will probably be spent sleeping, so that leaves roughly 42 hours left to write. Minus eating/exercising/errands/general hygiene. Maybe I'll have about 24 hours of actual writing time left.
Think that's enough time to finish the rough draft? Think I should maybe tell you what the heck it is I'm writing?!
"Blackwatch: Order and Chaos" is a YA sci-fi about a teenage boy who finds a watch in his Uncle's pawn shop that lets him control time, once his best friend fixes it that is. Mayhem ensues when he accidentally pauses the world and as a result, the city burns, two heroes die and scores of monsters are allowed to run rampant. The only way that order can be restored is to hunt these creatures down and send them home, the hard way.
The end is in sight and I'm really anxious to get to a few specific scenes. We'll see if I cross the finish line this weekend!
Have a great one!
~VK
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The Daily Distillation
News from the Publishing World brought to you in bite-size chunks:
From The Rejectionist comes a fun distraction that analyzes a sample of your writing and compares it to the style of famous writers! Apparently I blog like William Gibson (which is awesome!) and I write like Dan Brown (which is...well I don't know how to take that one really)
One of my new favorite blogs to follow, The League of Extraordinary Writers is a group of debut, YA, dystopian authors. They feature not only themselves, but YA dystopian works throughout the ages and encourage blog followers to read a "Book of the Month" selection for a monthly discussion. Along the way they dole out helpful advice and tidbits from their experiences.
As accessible an agent you will ever find, Nathan Bransford gives writers a daily helping of querying tips, conversation starters to discuss in his forums and other news from an agent/writer's perspective. Not to mention, he takes time once a week to critique a random query letter or first page of a work in progress.
And speaking of critiques and contests, I'd be remiss if I didn't post a link to Miss Snark's First Victim, a blog for aspiring authors. Both the moderator and the community are fantastic! Because of a "First 25 words" critique post, I managed to snag the interest of a literary agent! Every little connection helps!
Last but not least, check out Collider. The site has nothing to do with writing, but rather is focused on movie news. There's just too much fun/awesome stuff there NOT to post about it!
~VK
From The Rejectionist comes a fun distraction that analyzes a sample of your writing and compares it to the style of famous writers! Apparently I blog like William Gibson (which is awesome!) and I write like Dan Brown (which is...well I don't know how to take that one really)
One of my new favorite blogs to follow, The League of Extraordinary Writers is a group of debut, YA, dystopian authors. They feature not only themselves, but YA dystopian works throughout the ages and encourage blog followers to read a "Book of the Month" selection for a monthly discussion. Along the way they dole out helpful advice and tidbits from their experiences.
As accessible an agent you will ever find, Nathan Bransford gives writers a daily helping of querying tips, conversation starters to discuss in his forums and other news from an agent/writer's perspective. Not to mention, he takes time once a week to critique a random query letter or first page of a work in progress.
And speaking of critiques and contests, I'd be remiss if I didn't post a link to Miss Snark's First Victim, a blog for aspiring authors. Both the moderator and the community are fantastic! Because of a "First 25 words" critique post, I managed to snag the interest of a literary agent! Every little connection helps!
Last but not least, check out Collider. The site has nothing to do with writing, but rather is focused on movie news. There's just too much fun/awesome stuff there NOT to post about it!
~VK
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Mind Eraser
This is driving me crazy! Have you ever had an idea that at the time you thought was brilliant, but you didn't write it down and now you have no clue what it was?
As a writer, this happens all the time. I usually have notebooks, post-its, scraps of envelopes or random pieces of papery trash laying around to scribble down these little gifts from the muse. And last night, I was just too tired/lazy to drag myself out of bed and write it down.
Sometimes, if the idea was actually good enough, it'll come back around again and I'll have forgotten that I already thought it up once, thus tricking me into thinking I'm cleverer than I really am. Other times, it's gone into the ether forever. Or, it's off traveling into some other writer's brain who will make millions off of it. Oh well.
An example of late night (usually while I'm trying to fall asleep) ideas:
Red Eye - a photographer's camera captures the soul of the person in the frame, turning the polaroid into a modern day voodoo doll
Creepy! And it'll probably never be written by me, but I get a little OCD about not jotting these little ideas down. This particular one reminds me of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps book(s) "Say Cheese and Die." He was definitely one of my favorite writers growing up and a big reason I turned out the way I did (for better or worse)
If you're not familiar with his work, go be a kid again and pick up literally any of the Goosebumps series. My favorite is probably "The Werewolf of Fever Swamp" but they're all uniquely awesome!
Or maybe DVDs are more your speed? Good news! Some of his stories-turned-movies are being released later this year!
~VK
As a writer, this happens all the time. I usually have notebooks, post-its, scraps of envelopes or random pieces of papery trash laying around to scribble down these little gifts from the muse. And last night, I was just too tired/lazy to drag myself out of bed and write it down.
Sometimes, if the idea was actually good enough, it'll come back around again and I'll have forgotten that I already thought it up once, thus tricking me into thinking I'm cleverer than I really am. Other times, it's gone into the ether forever. Or, it's off traveling into some other writer's brain who will make millions off of it. Oh well.
An example of late night (usually while I'm trying to fall asleep) ideas:
Red Eye - a photographer's camera captures the soul of the person in the frame, turning the polaroid into a modern day voodoo doll
Creepy! And it'll probably never be written by me, but I get a little OCD about not jotting these little ideas down. This particular one reminds me of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps book(s) "Say Cheese and Die." He was definitely one of my favorite writers growing up and a big reason I turned out the way I did (for better or worse)
If you're not familiar with his work, go be a kid again and pick up literally any of the Goosebumps series. My favorite is probably "The Werewolf of Fever Swamp" but they're all uniquely awesome!
Or maybe DVDs are more your speed? Good news! Some of his stories-turned-movies are being released later this year!
~VK
Happy New Year!
Happy 2010 everyone!
What? You're kidding...it's July already? When did that happen?!
Well as you may have noticed, I've been pretty lax in my updates (as in, none so far this year!) One of my resolutions is to fix that!
"Shouldn't you be writing? Isn't that more important?" I'm glad you asked!
1) Blogging IS writing! These short, snappy entries help with efficiency and clarity. Plus it's good exercise for the phalanges.
2) Platform is paramount: agents/publishers want authors who have a presence in their local community and are readily accessible on the interwebs. So when my 4 followers (you're the best!) turn to a few hundred thousand, that translates to sales (hopefully!)
3) Fun! This is an outlet for my creative ramblings and a place to connect with other writers/readers. (For those of you who had been following along with my serial sci-fi story on this blog, I DO intend on continuing it!)
In the future, I will make a whole-hearted attempt to make a daily post. This may include such tantalizing tidbits as:
*Round-ups from posts of my favorite blogs that I follow
*Chapters of the sci-fi serial "SY:1"
*Short stories
*Random thoughts/ideas/rants from yours truly
*Guest posts!
*News from the world of publishing (and movies, because I love them and honestly, how many movies lately have NOT been based on a book or some other original work?)
In the meantime, check out my friend Sean's blog at http://losesome.blogspot.com/ since he actually updates it and is always entertaining. Plus, he's a ginger, so he needs friends!
~VK
What? You're kidding...it's July already? When did that happen?!
Well as you may have noticed, I've been pretty lax in my updates (as in, none so far this year!) One of my resolutions is to fix that!
"Shouldn't you be writing? Isn't that more important?" I'm glad you asked!
1) Blogging IS writing! These short, snappy entries help with efficiency and clarity. Plus it's good exercise for the phalanges.
2) Platform is paramount: agents/publishers want authors who have a presence in their local community and are readily accessible on the interwebs. So when my 4 followers (you're the best!) turn to a few hundred thousand, that translates to sales (hopefully!)
3) Fun! This is an outlet for my creative ramblings and a place to connect with other writers/readers. (For those of you who had been following along with my serial sci-fi story on this blog, I DO intend on continuing it!)
In the future, I will make a whole-hearted attempt to make a daily post. This may include such tantalizing tidbits as:
*Round-ups from posts of my favorite blogs that I follow
*Chapters of the sci-fi serial "SY:1"
*Short stories
*Random thoughts/ideas/rants from yours truly
*Guest posts!
*News from the world of publishing (and movies, because I love them and honestly, how many movies lately have NOT been based on a book or some other original work?)
In the meantime, check out my friend Sean's blog at http://losesome.blogspot.com/ since he actually updates it and is always entertaining. Plus, he's a ginger, so he needs friends!
~VK
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