Australia's New Prime Minister

Really, do we even have to vote????????




2006……Nice little year….always room for improvement, but a solid performance, I’ll give it a B+.

Onto 2007, the Viagra year of the 21st century. Why Viagra? Well this century is standing on its own now. Can’t keep blaming the 20th for all its problems J

Finally got to see Casino Royale and totally agree with all the positive sentiments out there. I was dubious of Daniel Craig due to the Tomb Raider movie. I enjoyed those movies because I take no sense of reality into them, but I did not actually like Daniel Craig in that role, one of the only ones I had seen him in besides Elizabeth. He did do a great job. The writers and directors also did an absolutely marvellous job. Wife and I even got to see it together…that is a feat let me tell you!

Heading back on the road, two week trip from Cairns to Mackay, as of Monday. Trying one big trip rather than three short ones, might be easier on the kids if they only have one set of goodbyes. Should be fun, I have even managed a weekend in Townsville which is truly exciting. Why? It’s Townsville, there is nothing to do there but write. Not quite true, I lived in Townsville when I was at Uni and had a ball there, but I don’t know anyone there now, so the whole weekend will be one big screenwriting extravaganza…..tickets available outside the motel. Bring your own booze. My aim is 40 pages between Friday night and Sunday night. I’ll let you know how I go.

Being a male I am a visual creature, hence Jessica Alba’s popularity :) Just like all males I read(past, not the present tense) the Playboy pictures for the articles, we ARE that visually focused. Sad, but true.

Since starting screenwriting I have developed a visual image of how a screenplay is written.

When I first started writing I understood what people meant who said anyone can write a first act. It is relatively easy, however, when it goes through pages about 30, through to 120 it gets bloody hard. Again my imagination kicked in and I started imagining a screenplay as something like the following:

My rack of ideas…….



The first act…..easy to carry, and change around…..if it never gets bigger than this….piece of cake.




But as you get into Act two…….and the pile gets higher and harder to manage




things get harder……..you try and take one little plate out of this pile to place somewhere else…

You can easily end up with …………





Of course……you have the professionals like Mamet, Kaufman, Rossio/Elliot, etc










I’ll be happy when I can carry my stack without dropping it.

Can you tell I spent 14 years in hotel management :) Interesting how our life experiences and background influence our perception.

I hope you are all well.

Cheers
Dave.