No Survivors

I see your scars so close to my own

put us together what would we spell?

We both got hard places in our heart

a longing as deep and dark as a well

It's fated that we should find each other

(you've got to give me something)

Written in stone that we should be here

(you've got to give me something)

neither of us would ever settle for less

(you've got to give me something)

a perfect understanding of who we are

(you've got to give me something)

We could go to town, we could burn it down

we could leave no survivors

I know exactly where you hurt, I see it in your eyes

where you're red and raw and bleeding

I cover your wounds I'll be your bandage

All I ask is you do the same for me

It's fated that we should find each other

(you've got to give me something)

Written in stone that we should be here

(you've got to give me something)

neither of us would ever settle for less

(you've got to give me something)

a perfect understanding of who we are

(you've got to give me something)

We could go to town, we could burn it down

we could leave no survivors

let's go on the road before we get old

who can say what we'll discover?

words and music by J Franklin Evans

Good vs evil?

I'm getting a bit tired of the perception that people sit on one side of the fence or the other. You know, evil or good.

Films are especially obsessed with this notion--so much so it's getting ridiculous. The first thing a screenwriter seems to get asked by a studio exec these days about any character is, "Is he evil?" While the contrast might make for really easy-to-write screenplays and novels, it gets sort of tedious after a while.

I had an idea in this vein for a scene--I have nowhere right now I'd actually use it, so feel free to swipe it if you want. There's an evil guy--stereotypical evil, mustache-twirling, nasty laugh, etc., etc. Our band of intrepid heroes--a group of teenagers--are fighting against his malevolent plot. Then, they encounter a group of people who are, beyond question, good--their benevolent if oblivious parents--socializing with the villian, making conversation, hanging out with him, for Chrissakes! Even planning to do business with the guy. He must have them under a spell or something. Our parents would never team up with someone so obviously  evil.

So, eventually, after failing to defeat this spell the bad guy has their parents under, or even to discover it's nature, our heroes just confront their parents while they are meeting yet again with the villian. "Don't you know he's evil?" they say. "How can it not be obvious to you?"

The parents reply is, "Of course  he's evil. Duh! But he's really funny and he gives great income tax advice."

Like I said, funny (to me, anyways) but I got nowhere to use it. Feel free to use it yourself if you want. Just be sure to let people know where you got it from.

Post-headache randomocity

If you'll look to your right you'll see a new widget for a web series called Witchy Ways. Click on it and kick in a few bucks to help it get made. Yes, the director/screenwriter/producer is a close friend, but that means I know things about it that make me feel very sure that it'll be something really special. You need to be part of this. You'll be kicking yourself if you don't. Or you could just go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1208894240/witchy-ways to contribute. I did.

I sent my latest rewrite of Seer to have it looked over. Finally got as much done on it as I felt like I could. I don't know when I'll hear anything about it--my industry friend has a lot on her plate right now. I'm hopeful, though, that she'll dig it. She liked the earlier draft, though she had some notes. Maybe I made it better, instead of the other thing.

Took most of the day off from work--I developed this thundering headache this morning, and my boss let me leave. I know what it is--I've been having some serious allergy issues over the past fiew days, and the headache usually sets in just before it starts getting better. Like it's the finale or something. Fortunately, I was able to nap and sit around in the dark and it's finally gone. And I do feel better.

Got some musical projects I want to work on while I'm waiting on the word about Seer--check here for news and new lyrics. I have a few more songs I want to add to the Far From The Sun song cycle. You can hear the two I've already done by visiting http://wwww.reverbnation.com/jfranklinevans and listening to the first two tunes--"Hard Rain" and "Far From The Sun." Or you could just go to http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_8483095 to hear "Hard Rain" and go to http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_8424522  for "Far From The Sun." And don't be afraid to let me know that you love them!

Rainy Saturday afternoon randomocity

Just finished another pass through my spec script, Seer. This is after I've added some new scenes, rewrote some dialog, made some minor changes to the plot.

I'm still happy with it, though right now I think it's too long. I have no  idea what to cut, though. I love the characters, and I think it's an interesting story. Hopefully it'll make it's way to the big screen and audiences will feel the same way.

Right now I'm sitting and watching a Project Runway marathon on The Style Network. Believe it or not I dig that show, though I don't watch it anymore. For one thing, I could spend most of the day staring at Heidi Klum. For another, who doesn't dig Tim Gunn? For yet another, fashion design is an art form I know almost nothing about and I'm hoping to learn. I actually think I have, too, a little. I'd never entertain thoughts of becoming a designer, but I am cultivating an appreciation of it.

As the title indicates it's drizzly this afternoon. Not raining very hard, just enough to wet the ground. I actually kinda like it lke this, as long as I'm not driving anywhere--people in this city just freak the fuck OUT when it rains a little bit and they're driving. I could understand it if it's coming down really hard, but we are talking just a little more than a mist.

Atari is doing about the same. He's not getting around all that well, because of the arthritis, but he seems to be feeling okay other than that. He's a little pissed right now because I gave him a bath but he'll get over it.

The plan is for me to be done with this rewrite by Monday, maybe. I want to have it as finished as possible before sending it off to have it read--you have to respect busy people's time and the person who is going to read this for me is doing me a huge favor. Just because she's a close friend that doesn't mean I can take advantage of her and waste her time by sending her crap.

That's my weekend. What are you up to?

The end of the Universe is tonight

Tonight, 5/9/2011, will mark the last new episode of Stargate Universe. It'll also mark the end of the Stargate franchise on TV--no new shows or movies are in the works.

It makes me a bit sad. When Stargate SG-1 moved to Syfy (SciFi at that time) from Showtime I started watching --mostly to just sit and stare at Amanda Tapping but also because I got caught up in the story. I got the entire SG-1 run, all ten seasons, on DVD, and I've seen every episode, and listened to every commentary track. Yeah, I dug it.

Stargate Atlantis was next, and while it took me a little while I finally got into that one, too, and have all of those on DVD, as well.

I'm not quite as big a fan of Stargate Universe--the basic premise seems to be a little too complicated to work very well, to me--but the cast is great, and it is exceptionally well done, production-wise. Sort of amazing that a TV show can be shot with that sort of quality.

Still, though, I'm going to miss it, and the Stargate franchise. I've become attached to those characters and wish them well.

Great rewriting

I've said it myself--great writers are, really, great rewriters. A great rewriter can take a mediocre or tired old story and breathe new life into it.

Of course, it helps to have someone you can trust to read over your stuff and give you feedback. Finding someone to really, honestly do that is rare. People worry that they may hurt your feelings if they don't like your stuff, or if they think it could be better, so they just tell you it's great. Finding someone to give constructive, useful feedback is rare. I'm fortunate in that I have somebody who knows what she's doing to look over my draft of Seer and give me some feedback that I can use and that'll improve the story. If you aren't a writer you hav eno idea how exciting that is, because it doesn't happen very often.

Anyways, real-life this week has been brutal and I've been just too worn out when I got home from work to do much more than walk Atari and stare at the TV. It was my week to work late and it's been really busy and I just didn't have anything left in the tank when I got home. Fortunately, that's over for now, so I'll be back on my usual schedule for the next little while.

Plus, I deliberately left my personal schedule free this weekend, after working a little while this morning, to work on it. I've already gotten quite a bit done. Got some more to do, though--adding scenes, reworking some dialog, that sort of thing. It's stufff that needs to be done, though, stuff that'll make it better, and I'm actually enjoying it.

If you're a writer and you find someone like that--someone you can trust, who knows what he or she is doing, and will give you honest, constructive feedback--treasure that person.

I know--better than just about anybody--there just ain't all that many people like that out there.

Hard Rain - available for your pleasure

Just uploaded a new tune in the Far From The Sun song cycle, "Hard Rain." Sort of a bluesy metal thing that is kinda my thing. Check it out! Go to http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_8483095 to give it a listen, let me know what you think. Become a fan to download it!