tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72185502775435607702011-08-02T05:14:25.600-07:00Come here to get your daily bread and circuses.Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.comBlogger611100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-63781117809162904822010-09-27T11:27:00.000-07:002010-09-27T11:31:54.749-07:00

So ... we had a fire in the basement. A can of turpentine, a few old rags, a plastic bowl with the turpentine-soaked rage hanging over the edge. And a few hours later, the turpentine and the fibers of the old rags spontaneously combust. The fire department was there in minutes, and they put out the fire, and now the house reeks. I am off to spend the next 3 days in the Berkshires while the

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-84530387304911710402008-05-06T04:01:00.001-07:002008-05-06T04:19:52.594-07:00

It's been dubbed the "Your system is infected with dangerous virus!" virus. You know you're infect when the following bogus pop-up screen keep popping up at you:And it high-jacked my computer for over 24 hours. Here's what I was able to find out about this spawn of Satan:May 6, 2008This is a false "Systen Error!" pop-up box for the Trojan Horse style of virus called the "Your system is infected

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-28508452948779240232008-05-03T20:19:00.001-07:002008-05-03T21:42:06.468-07:00

The title of this entry is a direct quote from multi-billionaire Richard Rainwater who says that for the first time in his life ... he's scared ... scared that life as we know it is about to end. Rainwater made his fortune capitalizing on the financial opportunities that always arise via crises. He pretty much wrote the book on how to sniff out a crisis months or even years ahead of time, discern

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-70569000478992421282008-04-27T12:23:00.000-07:002008-04-27T12:35:41.106-07:00

I totally dig his notions on civic planning and architectural design.Sadly, he didn't stop there.He went on to add another layer of complication to his outlook: peak oil.Now I believe in peak oil. No question there. And I even believe we're about to hit it (probably this year or next year). And I suspect things will get weird when it happens (understatement).Mr. Kunstler added an alarmist twist

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-32115521298137078122008-04-26T15:19:00.001-07:002008-04-27T12:23:35.983-07:00

His name is James Howard Kunstler. And as of this week his work has changed my whole outlook. I will even say it has changed my whole life.Color this post "heavy revvy" and "life-transforming," at least at my end of it. And I'm serious here.[clears throat]I have suffered with this frustration and sense of alienation for over ten years now --possibly twenty years (I don't even recall how long it's

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-87029130725782966492008-04-23T18:07:00.000-07:002008-04-23T19:12:55.902-07:00

I'll start small and build from there.First, let's imagine we have a local power outage. The thing about power outages is you have no idea how long they will last.Maybe an hour or two.Maybe all night.Maybe several days. Maybe longer.And the real trick is being prepared for any of the above durations. Flashlights. Batteries. Alternative entertainment. Those will all last you for the first two of

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-79352468795998732182008-04-03T06:25:00.000-07:002008-04-03T06:30:38.441-07:00

Here's what I was told was supposed to happen:1) God would reward my choices of high ethical conduct.2) God would protect me from harm.3) God would uphold my honor and prevent me from falling into ill-repute.4) God would increase my wealth.5) God would do it all as long as I stayed faithful to him and gave him control of my life .At least that's what I was told.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-76253785251237284282008-02-07T11:25:00.000-08:002008-02-07T15:34:08.236-08:00

(The following was the response I made at on a public message board to that exact question.)I have an uncle who's a born again Christian. He's a very blue collar kind of guy who grew up in a family of mill workers. He never went to college, and worked in a mill himself as a young man, as well as being a volunteer fire fighter in his small New England farming town. He's also an avid outdoorsman

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-14573296284220536882008-01-14T09:30:00.001-08:002008-01-14T09:34:29.270-08:00

And I expected as much. I got a polite e-mail stating I didn't make it. But I also did not get a feedback sheet, nor was there promise of a feedback sheet. I personally feel that Kairos NEEDS to give feedback sheets because one of their goals is they want to be taken seriously as a contest among contests. Feedback sheets are part of being taken seriously. I will get in touch with that other woman

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-90298378180579311002008-01-06T19:56:00.000-08:002008-01-06T20:14:30.053-08:00

This is the absolute worst experiecne I have ever had at a beauty parlor. I was getting my eyebrows waxed. And the technicion was leaning very closely, hovering over my face as she brandished her tweezers. And then she coughed--right in my face. A fine spray of her spit hit me on my nose and mouth. I was utterly appalled and opened my eyes and glared hard at her. And she barely noticed and kept

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-33600108303644111872008-01-06T18:56:00.000-08:002008-01-06T19:49:15.828-08:00

Kairos cashed my contest entrance fee check. It cleared on January 4th. Why such a long delay? Who knows. But at this point I will assume the script has been read. Now I am TOLD that Kairos gives feedback sheets. So I am counting on a feedback sheet of some kind here and will be sorely disappointed if I get none. I did meet a woman on a screenwriters message board who said she got no feedback

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-69287954326864612022007-12-20T12:32:00.000-08:002007-12-20T13:02:48.033-08:00

Who would YOU trust with your baby? If you had to give up your one and only newborn and hand her over to an adoption, who would you pick to take care of that child? To mold her and sculpt her to maturity? And remember--it will be HIS name your baby will be known by from then on, not yours. You'd be handing that child over body, mind, and soul. I would PREFER to be the director of my script. But I

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-77037348630444688202007-12-20T09:54:00.000-08:002007-12-20T10:18:02.852-08:00

One working definition of art is: Truth revealed through beauty. Now if this is the case, then any project which is neither beautiful nor truthful cannot be called art. Let's apply this definition to cinema. Hollywood is certainly preoccupied with that which is beautiful, and even seems to have a pretty good handle on it --an obsession with it might be more accurate. But truthful? Hollywood

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-83021688372868548932007-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:002007-12-12T10:03:20.601-08:00

I have been slaving over this screenpay since January. And now it's done. Now what?I have lost my sense of direction. The whole world is amiss now that I am no longer agonizing over that script. I am a captain without a ship to sail, a cook without a dish to prepare, a seamstress with no garment to sew. I did intend to begin the novelization. But somehow that's just now clicking right now. I feel

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-90716581497522208702007-12-11T13:33:00.000-08:002007-12-11T13:37:28.105-08:00

Here's part of its message:Semi-Finalists will be announced in January 2008 with the winners announcement at the 16th Annual MOVIEGUIDE Awards and Report to the Entertainment Industry on February 12, 2008 in Beverly Hills.So I guess all I need to do now is hang on and see if I make it to the semi-finals. (I wish they would give a more firm date than just "January.")Here's to hoping either

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-31344866817744254032007-12-11T08:25:00.000-08:002007-12-11T08:28:39.872-08:00

Actually, the check arrived yesterday. According to the USPS tracking system, it was delivered yesterday at 9:59 AM in Carlsbad, California.Okay. So now I guess I need that e-mail confirmation. (Maybe they won't send me one of those until the check clears.)Yes I am obsessing.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-65421677090295293902007-12-10T08:42:00.000-08:002007-12-10T08:46:34.763-08:00

I e-mailed them and asked: "Gee, did you get it?"They replied that yes they did get my script. They said they normally do not send an e-mail confirmation until the check arrives. I sent the check snail mail, but I have a tracking number on it. So it might not arrive until this Friday. And HOPEFULLY when they get the check and the hard-copy application, it will all prove to be in proper order.Can

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-40920671844111315222007-12-08T15:23:00.000-08:002007-12-08T15:26:48.141-08:00

Last night. At 9:00 PM eastern time I hit "send" on my e-mail and submitted my script. I did NOT get a "mailer daemon" but I also did not get a "Thank you for entering" either. So I'm a little worried. I read and re-read the e-mail address repeatedly to make sure I didn't mess it up. I will call them on Monday and ASK if they got my submission. If not, then I guess I am ... outa luck.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-36613849036439371362007-11-13T12:53:00.000-08:002007-11-13T16:47:51.843-08:00

REUTERS -- UNITED STATES, November 13, 2007The sudden disappearance of over three million residents from Southern California is being dubbed by some locals as a "rapture of the writers." What began yesterday with presumed crank phone calls to local authorities from various religious adherents who feared they had been "left behind" has escalated into a nationwide manhunt involving spiritual

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-11030546244335711842007-11-12T06:01:00.000-08:002007-11-12T06:42:12.234-08:00

I love my family. I'd do anything for them --even screw up my whole weekend for them and their inconsiderate choice to drop in unexpectedly. And then after the weekend is done, and I stand there in the driveway waving in bittersweet sentimentalism at their departing car, I have to turn around and pick up the pieces of my shattered time management efforts and a dozen or more missed deadlines. Call

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-84361665906784631952007-11-09T05:19:00.000-08:002007-11-09T06:18:48.755-08:00

The following is my two-minute expaination of the WGA strike. Two minutes is all I am asking you for. Please read.1) The DVD SituationBack in 1985 the writers reluctantly settled for being paid a truly paltry residual of just four pennies per unit out of the sale of every $20.00 VHS and DVD because back then the whole industry of VHS and DVD was still so new and the tehcnology still so expensive

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-27153727987399022172007-11-08T14:29:00.000-08:002007-11-13T16:52:56.418-08:00

A lot of my regular readers are Christians. So I apologize ahead of time for the profanity that will follow. But I will NOT censor this man's words. I feel his words MUST stand as-is. Here's what veteran cartoon writer Micah Wright said on the WGA members-only message board a few days ago to a vocal WGA member who feels maybe the WGA isn't being reasonable in these negotiations and this vocal

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-66982280129300270402007-11-08T07:40:00.000-08:002007-11-08T10:19:44.272-08:00

Going green is all the rage now. But not just as a mere fad. No indeed. This shift in societal habits goes far beyond choosing bell bottoms versus straight legs --this is downright serious. There's an urgency here and almost everybody (at least in my own social circles) can feel it. We have been inwardly gripped by the severity of the matter in such a way as to change our lives forever.So what

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-28437113918622063242007-11-07T18:09:00.001-08:002007-11-07T18:21:46.653-08:00

I see no need to worry over a person of religious faith holding public office. I instead would be far more inclined to take issue if a person prone to faulty reasoning were to achieve a public office.For instance, I'd most likely question the faculties of any candidate who somehow deduced that people of faith are not fit for public office.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-66753843312339762222007-10-26T09:45:00.000-07:002007-10-26T09:55:26.363-07:00

I have never weathered failure very well. Maybe that's a shortcoming. As Winston Churchill said: “Success is the ability to go from one failure to the nextwith no loss of enthusiasm.” And as James Dyson (another Briton, incidentally) said: “Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn fromsuccess.”I suppose I'd like at least SOME success for a little change of pace though.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-23443986726203754032007-09-09T16:58:00.000-07:002010-11-06T11:34:36.011-07:00

I need LEGAL permission to use an Integrity's Hosannah! song in my screenplay. It's "In Him We Live" by Randy Speir. Here's what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. The song itself has a certain place in American church culture. Now, we all know that "Amazing Grace" is considered "the anthem of the Church." But this song -- while not an anthem (nor even a true "hymn") -- is an undeniably iconic song

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-8718704769234515372007-08-28T22:41:00.000-07:002007-08-28T22:52:55.449-07:00

Okay, guys, here is THE e-mail query that I have been sending out. And it's also the one that got the positive response from that one prodco (see previous post). This query took me several months to craft. I recently read that writing the logline alone can take almost as long as writing the script itself. And boy do I beleieve it!--------------------------------------------Hi [name of executive

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-41827214798599028352007-08-01T09:05:00.000-07:002007-08-01T09:54:13.633-07:00

Hi guys,Sorry for the long hiatus. Here's my lame-o excuse:Back in early April is when I finally finished my screenplay "The Angels of Highway 7." That original April draft was an unmanageable 270 pages. I spent a lot of time revising it and by early June I got it down to a quasi-acceptable 123 pages. (Some would argue it STILL needs to get down to 120 or lower, but I just can't do it!) And then

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-71974827825590738002007-06-26T09:49:00.000-07:002007-06-26T09:58:53.826-07:00

That's about the size of this 8-day-old web site's message:http://www.helpmybabylive.com/The world has 90 days (82 days now) to cough up $50K, or this guy and girl will abort.Wow. Just wow.So when the heck is Fox News gonna pick this one up? CNN? Larry King Live? Keith Olbermann? Jon Stewart? Stephen Colbert? Or would they maybe rather NOT give this web site the free publicity?

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-8468602315735220262007-05-30T11:20:00.000-07:002007-05-30T11:24:26.160-07:00

Yes! I just hit 50 points as of today in my reputation score of that way-cool message board community. And the magic number 50 pushed me over the border from being "on a distinguished road" to being "well-respected."Ha! I love it!I wonder what my score will say when I hit 100. Can't want to find out!

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-71343336356525165652007-05-25T17:18:00.000-07:002007-05-25T17:25:10.464-07:00

All by myself!I installed an inline switch onto the electrical cord of one of my lamps!All it takes is a razor and a screwdriver and about ten minutes (five if you're fast).I RULE!!!!!!Oh, and ... this is also the first time I've ever posted an image here in my blog. So it's a red letter day all around!

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-8429739410595299162007-05-05T14:39:00.000-07:002007-05-05T15:12:50.330-07:00

The latest Spider-Man installment followed in its predecessors' footsteps and likewise broke opening-day records. Yesterday, Spider-Man 3 achieved the the highest grossing opening day ever: $56 million was raked in from (eeh gads!) 10,000 screens across the USA. (Yes, 10,000 screens!) It's expected that just this weekend alone will bring in well-over $150 million at the US box office for the

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-51327197569394306572007-05-04T11:04:00.000-07:002007-05-30T11:25:11.419-07:00

I recently joined a message board community with "reputation points" built into the board. If I like someone, or just like the post they just made, I click their "reputation" button (a set of balancing scales) found in that particular post and then they get one more point added to their overall score.I didn't know about this at first. And then the other day I was in my profile and I saw some

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-31149409302868780672007-05-04T04:54:00.000-07:002007-05-04T04:56:36.955-07:00

Who's here? How did you find my blog? Do I have any "regulars" that have ever bookmarked me? And what can you all tell me about yoursleves?

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-58360404634164039492007-04-28T16:52:00.000-07:002007-04-30T06:35:49.942-07:00

Here's a HUGE piece of my script-- 20 pages and no less than 5 scenes. THIS excerpt (I think) embodies the "inciting moment" and the "hook." THIS EXCERPT IS THE HEART OF THE ENTIRE STORY!!! And it's also the part where Jim Carrey (if he plays my main protag) can REALLY show off his Jim Carrey-isms. My secondary protagonist, David, also has his own character arc hinted at in these scenes.Here's a

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-8743406104339497312007-04-24T13:48:00.000-07:002007-04-24T13:53:35.193-07:00

I'm not posting this because I think it's oh-wow-cool (and I don't). But because when you're done taking the "test" it gives you secret coding for how to format your blog with columns and stuff. Your Personality ProfileYou are funky, outdoorsy, and down to earth.While you may not be a total hippie...You're definitely one of the most free spirited people around.You are very impulsive - every day

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-33697252258296708532007-04-24T08:36:00.000-07:002007-04-24T09:33:02.830-07:00

I have a fire in my script, and thus several firemen, (inlcuding one who's a substantial supporting character). I also have two separate scenes involving two separate choppers.Now, I've never fought a fire before. Nor flown in a chopper. So .... I asked several individuals who HAVE done such things.Three months ago, when I was still writing my outline, I logged onto a helicopter web site and had

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-72760809710229297632007-04-21T12:04:00.000-07:002007-04-21T12:11:05.229-07:00

Okay, some MORE feedback just arrived this morning. My reviewer said:Take a deep breath! Writing quality is pretty good, close to excellent in many places. I wouldn't be surprised if you told me that you have major writing credits. I'm not asking -- I'm just telling you how your pages read.Truth to tell I was hoping I could suggest an easy way to shrink your pages but it's just not that simple,

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-1586872582118747332007-04-20T09:19:00.000-07:002007-04-20T09:39:41.906-07:00

I took Lucy's advice about "the power of three" and I have three people from one message board reading my script, and three from another board reading it.Here's the first bit of feedback I got today from one who is a film student. She warned me yesterday when she agreed to read my script: "I can be very mean sometimes when I critique people's work."Anyway, here's the very opening line of the PM

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-11252508185555142862007-04-15T11:41:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:02:52.583-07:00

Chashab has written a blog entryhttp://theaestheticelevator.com/2007/04/15/cultural-shift-in-christianity/about the newly emerging openness toward alcohol amongst American Christians. Here's my response:Alcohol in one form or another has existed for thousands of years, mostly in the form of either beer or wine. Because the alcoholic content of both of those beverages is so low, it takes GREAT

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-26071190807651023632007-04-14T11:26:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:38:06.994-07:00

Show me something I've NEVER seen before. Something never before set to film. Something that neither I nor anyone else has ever conceived before. Give me a first rate, world class "Wow" from beyond my wildest dreams. Take. My. Breath. Away.I don't know about the rest of you, but the number one selling point for me on how much interest I'm going to have in a film is the trailer. And so far this

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-15478156340063915302007-04-14T08:08:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:15:09.026-07:00

Okay. I only just found out a few minutes ago that if you make a Blogspot post, save it as a draft, and then go back weeks later and hit "publish" it will NOT publish with today's date, it will instead publish with the several-weeks-ago date.Hmmph!Here's the one I published today, yet is dated April1st so it's buried behind other posts:http://sandwichboardroom.blogspot.com/2007/04/

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-23832261600056678502007-04-12T08:22:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:06:52.882-07:00

Okay. Lucy just did a post on her utterly fabulous blog where she talks about the Freudian-esque thing of having the same plot elements show up in her scripts again and again on what seems to be a subconscious level.http://lucyvee.blogspot.com/2007/04/feedback-and-repetition-compulsion.htmlAnd so, I now confess that I too have subconscious repetitions:::EDIT:: I WENT BACK THROUGH AND DID EDITS IN

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-53786272053007509392007-04-11T05:53:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:23:31.234-07:00

While not much of a writer, he's an awesome box office analyst, and has been a guest on radio and television , as well as interviewed by print news publications, to discuss the box office aspect of Hollywood films. He knows his box office stuff and I avidly read his reports every Monday morning. I am fascinated down to my geeky core by box office data and he's my fav disseminator of it.His Monday

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-46342246290185291872007-04-10T07:17:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:50:30.688-07:00

And the only thing I don't dig about it is that it's a "lefty" template.The other one was cool, but too dark. And I wanted the main text area to be broader.And in honor of the 50th anniversary of Helvetica, I went with all Arial fonts.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-85065779750139211442007-04-08T11:23:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:40:03.412-07:00

This should come as no surprise to me (even though it IS coming as a surprise).http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2007&wknd=14&p=.htmTW - Title --- Weekend Gross - PTA - Total Gross - Budget-- Week # 1 Blades of Glory -- $23,000,000 - $6,744 - $ 68,383,000 - $61 - 2 2 Meet the Robinsons $17,004,000 - $4,950 - $ 52,235,000 ------- 2 3 Are We Done Yet? - $15,000,000 --$5,213

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-35902884836566140582007-04-06T08:30:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:47:10.522-07:00

Rule #1 - Never allow him to be a man of either intelligence or education.All Christian ministers are grossly lacking in both. This is an undeniable fact. If they had either, they would never have chosen this profession.Rule #2 - He must not exhibit a coherent or contemporary command of the English language.His conversational English needs to denote low inteligence and/or poor education (see Rule

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-9990686319688418222007-04-05T06:45:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:32:37.692-07:00

Okay, here's one of those classic morality-laden verses from the Bible that we teach little kids in a real Mr. Rogers way:Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.--

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-14506264729503993812007-04-04T11:10:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:19:25.132-07:00

Rule #1 - Never allow him to be a man of either intelligence or education.All Christian ministers are grossly lacking in both. This is an undeniable fact. If they had either, they would never have chosen this profession.Rule #2 - He must not exhibit a coherent or contemporary command of the English language.His conversational English needs to denote low inteligence and/or poor education (see Rule

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-6526651308642548952007-04-04T08:06:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:33:36.605-07:00

I failed to upload it as a PDF because the file was just to big. But I did manage to do it as Rich Text.http://www.ourmedia.org/node/305495It came out in Rich Text to a staggering 305 pages. Umm... I thought it was just 246 (not that 246 isn't already outageously long).I am registering it TODAY with the WGA-East. And I e-mailed the link to a friend in LA who's a low-level producer.EDIT -- I just

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-49568677859091272562007-04-01T18:15:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:22:04.739-07:00

Okay, true believers. The following excerpt is (I think) pretty cool. Except that you MIGHT talke a dim view of one of my favorite characters, Doctor Vincente. He's an awesome character. But during this one telephone call, he and David discuss Catholic theology. I don't want to offend any of my Catholic friends out there, but I fear I might. Taking this one scene all by itself, it might be easy

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-65405146797175911662007-04-01T08:48:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:30:02.846-07:00

Work expands to fill the time available for completion.Is this a grim judgement against procrastinators? Or a pessimistic observation about life in general? Whatever the case, I do find it to be the truth.I targetted the completion of my screenplay, and then its subsequent arrival into the hands of an agent, as March 1. Then by March 8th I still handn't finished, so I began writing day and night

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-25019463008505447932007-04-01T02:57:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:24:49.751-07:00

A small towns development specialist gets reluctantly recruited by mobsters to soft-peddle their casino plans to a tiny, ailing desert hamlet. While on his way to warn the residents of the mobsters, he happens upon a trailer house fire where he rescues an elderly lady who mistakes him for an angel. This triggers a rash of hysterical angel sightings and brings to light old legends of angels having

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-24766620602227503552007-03-29T14:15:00.000-07:002007-04-17T13:28:11.795-07:00

I just CANNOT load my script! It's so frustrating! I need to go to a friend's house with a super-fast internet connection. After I have loaded it on the net, I can register it with the Writer's Guild of America. Then send it to an agent.Until then, here's another piece of it:[Frustrated by the recent wave of "angel mania" sweeping the town, Pastor David meets with Father Lorenzo at the local

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-52985450967077096162007-03-16T13:57:00.000-07:002007-04-17T18:29:11.386-07:00

INT. PASTOR DAVID'S OFFICE - DAY[Deeply moved out of concern for Galvin, David has just finished telling Galvin his long-held secret: the three angel encounters. Galvin's reaction is NOT what David expected.]GALVINWow! I'm so glad you told me about all that. I can help you now!DAVIDHelp me with what?GALVINC'mon, David, you can do better than Harksville. Look at this wall!(gestures to framed

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-20458171915360504142007-03-15T08:53:00.000-07:002007-11-15T17:20:38.267-08:00

A blog I visited every day for a month (starting around April 5) as it chronicled the scriptwriter's perspective on an indie shoot of his script in Atlanta, has just been taken down. It was the most hilarious and heartwrenching saga I've ever read about a writer. Every day, his beautiful script just got bastardized more and more by a bizarre director with questionable talent and little aptitude

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-24441977223345680102007-03-11T14:24:00.000-07:002007-04-18T06:41:28.299-07:00

I totally love this movie. I loved the thrills, I loved the look, and (in an odd fashion) I also loved the message.......... What message?Ah! I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice that!Most war films (possibly ALL war films) have some kind of message hidden in them, either deeply buried, or hiding in plain sight (usually an anti-war message). So I watched this film last night in the same frame

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-75823352194372197302007-03-04T16:28:00.000-08:002007-03-04T16:39:49.528-08:00

I am SOOOOOOOO almost done with this script. And then I will need to......... sell it.I will need an agent. Not sure where to begin with that.

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-21160703109138015222007-02-27T14:33:00.000-08:002007-02-27T14:55:15.124-08:00

My target date for completion was March 1 (less than two days away). I don't believe I can finish by then. I haven't "finished-finished" the first draft yet (but I'm close). My past experience has been that as soon as I am done, I need another entire week of refinement. I usually need to re-read a script fifteen or twenty times, and tweak, and nudge, and poke, and THEN it's done. So unless I

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-35208084466034934022007-02-16T18:49:00.000-08:002007-04-18T06:36:36.055-07:00

When you are famous (as in a real life celebrity), people will never forgive you for the following offenses:1) Arrogance, or self-importance of any sort, especially the belittling and tearing down of others.2) Manipulation, or coercion, or stacking the deck, or going behind people's backs. (Technically, this can include bullying and violence.)3) Falsity/Non-Credibility, this includes outright

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7218550277543560770.post-49877899138334046982007-02-14T06:47:00.000-08:002007-02-14T06:48:13.348-08:00

And a very fine name at that! :)

Sheila Westhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11889644509382119024noreply@blogger.com2