tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post114566464620316104..comments2023-09-11T01:08:04.956-07:00Comments on The Blackwing Diaries: What do Story Artists Do?Jenny Lerewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1147056493712288172006-05-07T19:48:00.000-07:002006-05-07T19:48:00.000-07:00Hey there, Lee-roy--I hope you dig them! : )Hey there, Lee-roy--I hope you dig them! : )Jenny Lerewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1146629675026669712006-05-02T21:14:00.000-07:002006-05-02T21:14:00.000-07:00Okay, well it took me a little while, but I added ...Okay, well it took me a little while, but I added all of your recommendations that were available on netflix. A Matter of Life and Death was not available, and I checked under the alternate title, "Stairway to Heaven," as well.<BR/><BR/>Ball of Fire and The Great McGinty are not available, but I was able to "save" them if and when they are.<BR/><BR/>I saw Some Like It Hot as a kid, but not since, save for random clips here and there. High time for another viewing. I saw some scenes from Red River fairly recently, but haven't seen it all the way through. As for the rest, I don't think I've seen them, so... envy away.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the recommendations!Lee-Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12258513229576666386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1146073763567760942006-04-26T10:49:00.000-07:002006-04-26T10:49:00.000-07:00My favorite Sturges is The Great McGinty. The Coen...My favorite Sturges is <I>The Great McGinty. </I>The Coen brothers seem to have swiped most of <I>Miller's Crossing </I> from that film. Sturges' stuff is almost hard to watch because he keepps ratcheting up the tension until it's unbearable, the resolves it in the last few minutes. He was, I guess, quite the dynamo... the first writer/director of major pictures, a teriffic drunk as well as an extremely hard worker. His last two films are pretty bad, but especially the Betty Grable <I> Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend</I>. You can almost see Sturges fall apart before your eyes. Painful indeed, but what do you expect after seven of the best comedies ever made, one after another? And in seven years, too, I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145932179807917992006-04-24T19:29:00.000-07:002006-04-24T19:29:00.000-07:00Jenny, Thanks! It's late and I just wanted to ackn...Jenny, Thanks! It's late and I just wanted to acknowledge your kind reply. Onward with the work and with the discoveries... That 'influences' list of films looks tasty indee. We will take a copy for our next screening night. Cheers! Arna and Johnthe doodlershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550185004249639693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145931944761252062006-04-24T19:25:00.000-07:002006-04-24T19:25:00.000-07:00'Saboteur' is fun. So is this post - even though I...<I>'Saboteur'</I> is fun. So is this post - even though I've heard it plenty, and had the notion ('what <I>is</I> my job, anyway?')tested a few times too...In the end the title is irrelevant. Just get to the point - as you've done. <BR/><BR/>I'm gonna have to get a few of those films. 'Some Like It Hot' I could never tire of. Or any Billy Wilder film for that matter...thanks for the list :)warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09034823254751468446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145925693850301992006-04-24T17:41:00.000-07:002006-04-24T17:41:00.000-07:00John, you are way too kind--I love it! ; )It makes...John, you are way too kind--I love it! ; )<BR/><BR/>It makes it worthwhile...I repeat myself(again), but it's true, and many thanks for the feedback.<BR/><BR/>Lee-roy: I'd recommend checking out literally ANY film by the people I mentioned. You just can't go wrong with anything by Preston Sturges(before 1950, anyway). But if I was forced to pick one for each(just for the fun of it), here's a sampling:<BR/>"The Lady Eve"(Sturges)<BR/>"Some Like It Hot"(Wilder)<BR/>"Nothing Sacred"(written by Ben Hecht)<BR/>"I Know Where I'm Going!" or "A Matter of Life and Death"(Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger)<BR/>"Red River" and "Ball Of Fire"(Howard Hawks)<BR/>And just to put a cherry on top, try "Saboteur" a lesser-seen Hitchcock with GREAT sequences and a wonderfully done on the run plot.<BR/><BR/>If there are any titles I named you haven't seen--I envy you your first viewing! Have fun! They're all an education.<BR/>-JennyJenny Lerewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145924284002329922006-04-24T17:18:00.000-07:002006-04-24T17:18:00.000-07:00Jenny! You have perfectly defined what we do!!! Th...Jenny! You have perfectly defined what we do!!! This should be printed out and pasted to the desk of every exeutive that works in animation! It should be a part of the press packet and handed out to entertainment writers whenever an animated film is released!<BR/> You rule!!!<BR/> -John S.John S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03562963042584020477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145909551303088342006-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:002006-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:00Also...You said, "...all my seminal influences in ...Also...<BR/><BR/>You said, "...all my seminal influences in film, from the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger to Preston Sturges to Billy Wilder(with Brackett and Diamond) to Ben Hecht and Leigh Brackett(she of the great collaborations with Howard Hawks), are paragons of elegant and exciting screenwriting."<BR/><BR/>Could you recommend some of your favorite or most seminal works by these writers/filmmakers?Lee-Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12258513229576666386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145907653933043072006-04-24T12:40:00.000-07:002006-04-24T12:40:00.000-07:00I don't call it redundant, I call it affirming. Th...I don't call it redundant, I call it affirming. Thanks for another thoughtful post.Lee-Royhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12258513229576666386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145840434531556012006-04-23T18:00:00.000-07:002006-04-23T18:00:00.000-07:00Lovely post. I recently read Bill's book and was r...Lovely post. I recently read Bill's book and was really impressed. I have a thesis book called <I> Walt in Wonderland</I> that has some early pictures of Disney where, even as a young man, his brutal decisiveness is apparent.<BR/>The extras disc from <I> The Incredibles</I> has a great story meeting scene where Brad Bird, a man who learned his trade from <I> The Simpsons</I> intimidating story team, is holding a meeting. I have tremendous respect for Brad because he is one of the best screenwriters in the business and yet will very quickly lose an idea that isn't absolutely vital (even if it's great). He also will totally embrace somebody else's great idea, an ability that may be wholly singular in the trade.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145820041269226522006-04-23T12:20:00.000-07:002006-04-23T12:20:00.000-07:00Hey Doodler(s)! Nice to see your charming face her...Hey Doodler(s)! Nice to see your charming face here again. : )<BR/><BR/>I should clarify about that Disney anecdote(circa 1988 or so); they were working on "The Little Mermaid" at the time--hardly an overwritten or not-so-hot film! And the "script"--I'm guessing here, someone who actually worked there would know better--was likely the one written by none other than Musker and Clements--the animator/directors of the film! What the story guy(my friend thought it was Joe Ranft; I think it may have been Ed Gombert)was doing with his humorous and dramatic toss of the script into the trash can wasn't saying "this is a piece of junk!"--but making the point that they couldn't possibly just go straight through and board it, following it slavishly. That they(under the head of story, and with the directors)then had to, as he said, really get to work--to make the whole film come together. <BR/><BR/>Does the story crew get together for jam sessions? Absolutely! Personally I feel that's often the ideal, as you just get so much more feedback, energy and ideas from everryone else, and they from you. I've had "precious" ideas of mine shot down, and yeesh, it hurts!--but then someone else has another idea for that scene that's better, and thus the film was better--and THAT is what really rings our bell. : ) <BR/>It all depends on a lot of factors: how the directors/head of story like to work, what stage the film is in, early or late, etc.etc.--and most of my time is spent alone drawing--but all group sessions are good for the movie, I believe.Jenny Lerewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145816138966948802006-04-23T11:15:00.000-07:002006-04-23T11:15:00.000-07:00Haha--thanks Dave. You know what they say about d...Haha--thanks Dave. You know what they say about double edged swords, don't you? ; ) <BR/><BR/>(Oh, well--I'll write about adapting fantastic scripts, too, one day-=-there's all those great Welles and Hitchock boards, as well as ones done for DeMille, etc.etc.etc.....hmmm....)Jenny Lerewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145787303217051042006-04-23T03:15:00.000-07:002006-04-23T03:15:00.000-07:00@doodlers - what's worse is being lumbered to a sc...@doodlers - what's worse is being lumbered to a script that's been approved by a broadcaster. Some production companies seem to believe that the script should be stuck to 100% when storyboarding and make SUCH a noise over even the slightest changes - even regarding scene geography. Being tied down to something like that is horrendous - on one production I'd argued that a character can't moon a crowd from a desk 6 feet from a shuttered window 20 feet above the ground. The answer I got back was "well, deal with it". So I did, cheated it as best as possible, made it work... but it was still nonsensical. Naturally it ended up being changed later on, but dealing with it when it was a problem would've been the best way around it - and would've given me a few less headaches... Still, even as problems go, its pretty funny! ^_^<BR/><BR/>I'd also like to know that question too, Jen. Take care, all!Benedict E Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03708804727480380647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145777354552456052006-04-23T00:29:00.000-07:002006-04-23T00:29:00.000-07:00You hold a two egded sword with your blog! Charge...You hold a two egded sword with your blog! Charge on! Great post and all so true!Dave Pimentelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01296660254978195721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145757231888347132006-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:002006-04-22T18:53:00.000-07:00Another great post. As a story artist, I love a go...Another great post. <BR/><BR/>As a story artist, I love a good script. It seems an obvious thing to say. It's not. The script that is visualized well and strong in character frees me to inhabit the story and the characters more fully. I'll be motivated and the work will feel light.<BR/><BR/>However, the script that doesn't feel right can be a terrible burden for the story artist. Shame that this happens when so much talent and skill is devoted to the production of animation.<BR/><BR/>Maybe that story guy that chucked the script on the file cabinet was tired of one too many half-baked scripts?<BR/><BR/>I'm curious to know if when working with a team on recent feature films, you're spending time in creative jam sessions with other story artists? Or are you more solitary ie: divided up and assigned your own sequences? <BR/><BR/>Cheers! Love the blog.the doodlershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11550185004249639693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145745890206682512006-04-22T15:44:00.000-07:002006-04-22T15:44:00.000-07:00Wow!Another super inspiring post Jenny! Thanks for...Wow!<BR/><BR/>Another super inspiring post Jenny! Thanks for sharing this with all us.<BR/><BR/>-DAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145743320046772772006-04-22T15:02:00.000-07:002006-04-22T15:02:00.000-07:00Hey there! Thanks for your comment on my blog. Nic...Hey there! Thanks for your comment on my blog. Nice to see another story artist out there in the world! Great blog post, btw. I'm not in feature animation... I'd love to be... I'm in the superbly restrictive (thank you, outsourcing!) and underfunded world of the UK board artist.<BR/><BR/>Anything you've got to say about feature work I'd be more than willing to ingest... Consider yourself well and truly bookmarked!Benedict E Bowenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03708804727480380647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145734850702178082006-04-22T12:40:00.000-07:002006-04-22T12:40:00.000-07:00Heh, yep, James, I hammer away! I was reading ov...Heh, yep, James, I hammer away! <BR/> I was reading over this post and thinking "well, this is a bit redundant, given earlier posts I've made"--but what the heck, it has to be said. <I>Again!</I> ; )<BR/><BR/>Sure, email away. Thanks for coming by--I've really enjoyed your postings too, btw. Great stuff.Jenny Lerewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06668171465801333811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19218379.post-1145734432475278642006-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:002006-04-22T12:33:00.000-07:00Excellent post Jenny. I know its been said before,...Excellent post Jenny. I know its been said before, but what you're doing here is invaluable.<BR/>Keep posting.<BR/>P.s. Do you mind if email you about something?<BR/>Take care,<BR/>JamesJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11589152423016392480noreply@blogger.com