Inside the Brain of E.C. Henry

Hewn from Ice and Stone: E.C. Henry's 1st to 2nd Draft Editing Analogy

What's it take to get a 227 page, 1st draft of a script down to an acceptable 120 pages or less coherent, well-disciplined story?  Work.  Lots of hard work.  Because after you writer a 227 monstrosity, from an initial first blush look, that rough rock can look like glacier that's insurmountable.

Luckily, I have face this conundrum before.  So don't worry you are in the hands of a proven master.  E.C. Henry -- or didn't you know!?  Self-professed, pretentious-as-all-fuck, pre-pro screenwriter.   But always willing to sharing his ever evolving theories on life and writing.  And today is no different.  Only today we're exploring where ol' E.C. is right now, and that's in process of editing down a 227 page first draft of a teen comedy hybrid that E.C. Henry is currently engaged in. 

Luckily I have a track record of handling such tasks.  Really, I do.  And that's no b.s.  Back when I completed my first draft of "A King's for God's People?" that story came in weighing over 275 pages!  A glacier of a story, if ever there was one.  BUT by the time I was finished with it, I had it under 120 pages.  So this task can be done.  I can do it.  I've done it before.

Lots of hard work?  Yes.  But I did it.  And now I'm looking at doing it again, only this time in a teen comedy hybrid, package. 

Thankfully, I'm one of those "dogged" screenwriter.  The kind that NEVER gives up.  The kind that keeps fighting, keeps digging away that pesky snow and debris, in hopes of finding my characters, finding my story, finding my sanity!  

I don't want my work to be for nothing.  I want to find something good.  Something memorable.  Something I can look back at and be proud off.

A 1st draft is a place to start.  So keep digging E.C., keep digging.

What I'm really looking for right now is for my main protagonist to emerge.  Yeah, I kida know who he is.  But for a story to work you really need a protagonist that works.  Someone who's likable.  Someone who is distinctive.  Someone whom a star actor or actress would like to play. 

And by my own admission, this is part of screenwriting that I'm not very good at.

Still, soldier on.  'Cuz that's just who I am.  I am a writer who finishes what he starts out to do.  IF God gives me the time and life, I will give back the dogged determination to see where this story takes me.  Hopefully after all my chiseling, digging, and brushing the debris away I'll end up with something like this:

Pie in the sky?  You'll never end up with anything even remotely as cool as Mr. Rushmore from any of your editing.  Fuck you!  Fuck you, I say again!  I'm a lot better writer than you think!  Sure, I have areas that I need to patch up, but I CAN create functional stories with compelling characters.  Though I'm far from being funny in real-life conversations, and can't tell a joke to save my life.  Somehow, someway, I can write and graft in comedy into my writing.  I'm a living joke after all.  So it's so much of a stretch that I write comedy.  I just think of myself, and what a joke I am, and somehow the comedy leaches it's way onto the written page.

Now, when facing a Herculean task of editing down a large story, one needs to have a game plan.  And I do!  But what one also needs to be open for is making further discoveries while chiseling down the bulk.  

So I keep chip, chip, chipping along.  The 1st draft has given me a plethora of scenes to evaluate.  What can I remove?  Where can pages be shaved off, YET I retain enough of the story to keep it coherent, as one of the real dangers in bulk, mass page cutting editing is the danger of cutting to much and making the story hard to follow.   

Game plan wise, I'm toggling back-and-forth from editing the 1st-to-2nd draft, then incorporating those changes in a revised outline.  Why go back to the outline?  Simple.  You hafta get you beats right; you hafta get the story logic and structure down.  No sense killing yourself with extensive line editing until you have the structure right. 

YES, structure does matter; your story needs to go somewhere and be building up to a satisfactoryclimax that will deliver the desired affect on an audience.  NO, I'm not a "slave" to structure, but I do believe in the three act structure, and in having an Act I and II break-point.  Then along the way you need good plot points to keep the story going.  It's like rough stone, that needs to be chipped away at to find the inner story that lies within.  Unless you are divinely inspired, first drafts are rough.  And they are meant to be rough.  They are meant to be mined.  They are meant to be explored.  They are meant to give author a place from which to dig to find the latter gem, which is a masterpiece. 

Won't get into too many of the specifics, because I'm a showman, and IF you ever read a story of mine I wan't you to experience it without me previously giving too much away, which spoils the level of surprise.  But what I'm looking at doing is minimizing the hybrid element of this story.  One positive is that I think I've good a good romance between the leads of this teen comedy, and that needs to be more focal as the draft process continues. 

I've also got WAY too many secondary characters in this story.  Looking at cutting most of them and focusing more the screentime on my leads.  As for the hybrid element, now that I know what's going on, I'm going to try to hide it some more, and give it less screen time, and explain less of it in further drafts.  A good story will leave space for the reader to fill in the blanks.   People aren't stupid.  A good story lets them fill in the blanks without telling them everything.

Any idea when you'll be done with your masterpiece, Shakespeare? 

Yeah, jackass, I'm hoping for the end of February.  Yes, that'll mean over a year I ONLY completed 1 script, but 1 is better than none!  And maybe after I'm done with the extensive re-write, I'll start working on my next and next after that script too.  YES, I do have my eyes on what I'll be doing after this, and YES I'm also considering the prospect of going back to an epic fantasy novel that I wrote many years ago.  It's like over 900 pages, close to 1,000.  And, yes, I'm kind of proud of how long it is.  Long and good (I hope)  Think "Lord of the Rings" with a coming-0f-age twist -- with three fully developed love stories in the mix.  My opus?  Only time will tell, but my mom and aunt LOVE that story, and that means a lot.  Over the years I've written some rather dark tales, and would like -- desperately -- to write something more up-beat and positive. 

I fear I may have too dark a soul to write the epic fantasy story.  I don't know what it is, but like the Guns and Roses old record, I fear I have an "appetite for (self) destruction."  I need to start praying more.  Deepen my relationship to Jesus.  Left to my own devises I'm headed for a fall.  Just wish I had some friends to keep me going.  That's one of the reason I started this blog to begin with.  Too bad I'm such an odd bird, and that people don't connect with me.  93 post, with only 13 responses don't lie; I am the plague.  The stinkin', rotten, Bubonic plaque -- as pertains to friends and friendship.  Will spend New Years Eve alone in my room -- again!  Totally sucks.  But what-chya gunna do when you're the Bubonic plaque of friendship.  Been doing waaayto much drinking lately.  God willing, I'm not going to have any more alcohol for a long time.  I've found alcohol makes you somewhat happy in the short run, but then leaves you feeling sick and depressed -- sometimes for several days afterwards.  Alcohol is a false oasis for people with fledgling social lives. 

Wish I had more friends.  I know if I did, I'd have less trouble with the bottle, and be less prone to my natural, self-destructive ways -- if I could land me some good friends.  Friends that I could relate too.  Friends that are passionate about the things I'm passionate about.  Rare to find such people.  God knows, I've tried.  

So I soldier on.  With glaciers to traveled.  Stories to molded and conformed.  Lots to do.  Hopefully 2013 will bring new adventures into my life.  New friends too.  Wherever you are, on the journey of your own life, I wish you nothing but God's best.  Hoping and praying that your life is a happy and content one, and that in your heart of heart you feel like one of these people in this final image that I will leave you as we leave 2012 and enter 2013:

What Kind of Writer are You?

I was recently asked this question by a moderator at a Sherwood Oaks Experimental College event I attended last month.  The moderator had watched me introduce myself several times, and saw a promotional tee shirt that I was wearing which listed all the spec. script I am still actively trying to sell.  So...

What kind of Writer are you, E.C. Henry?

After the moderator asked me that question, I delayed.  Considered my response, then said, "I'm a supernatural western thriller writer."  Why'd I answer him this way?  Well-p, I was hedging my bets, trying to spark some interest which I'd hoped would get passed by the moderator to industry professionals at this event that would put me in the best place to make a spec. script sale.

Wasn't lying, but I wasn't exactly tell the whole truth.  YES, I have written two, supernatural western thrillers: "Cowboy Alien Diaries" and "Indians of the Ancient Plains."  I thought that double whammy packed the biggest punch, was tent-pole worthy and was my best shot, without the moderator who asked me the question and any other industry professionals who were curious, to make a big splash.

But I'm MUCH more than just a supernatural western thriller writer.  The genre I love the most is the romantic comedy.  It's romantic comedy first, all else a distant second.  

So why didn't you just call yourself a rom-com screenwriter, E.C?

Well, E.C., I thought that would paint me with too small of brush stokes.  I am very capable of writing more than just romantic comedies.  Too date I've written what I would consider three purely romantic comedies: "Cupid's Helpers", "An American Princess,"  and "Cupid Got Stupid."  But if you read my material you will soon find many other stories I've penned have a significant romance in them such as: "Give It Up for Chimpy", "Love, Music, and Monkeys: Give It Up for Chimpy II,"  "Revenge of the Fat Chicks,"  "After the Glory," and "Hometown Professional Football." 

So you're a rom-com guy then?  Right, E.C?

Quit trying to pigeon-hole me, E.C!  Shit gets old real quick!  Didn't you know that I also penned the dark sci-fi, "The Commune,"  and a two movie biblical adaptation: "A King for God's People?" and "The Rival Kings of Israel"? 

My point is: that I consider myself a multi-tooled screenwriter fully capable of writing in many different genres.  That said lemme say a few things that E.C. Henry is not, okay?

E.C. Henry is not:

1. A writer who likes to be pigeon-holed. If you attempt to label me JUST a rom-com writer, or try to force me to JUST be a writer in one specific genre, I will invariably look down on you -- the imposer of such creative restrictions -- as I feel creatives SHOULD be afforded the luxury of wrting WHATEVER they set their hearts to write.  To say E.C. Henry is JUST a rom-com writer is a misnomer.  
2. Going to write a medical mystery anytime soon.  Why?  I don't like hospitals; my graduation gift after high school was back surgery to correct scoliosis.  I had to give my own blood, learn to walk again, and wear a protective turtle shell for the next 6 months after surgery.  Not into ground-breaking medical procedures.  Not into medicine and sick people.
3. Going to write spoof movies.  "Scary Movie" and stuff of that ilk.  Personally, I look down on movies like that.  Bashing other movies and making that the CENTRAL plot/attraction has zero interest to me.  I can't see myself ever being part of spoof movie. 
4. Going to write torture horror movies.  Want the next "Hostel" or "Saw" franchise?  Don't even bother asking me.  I wouldn't write one even if you offered me millions to do so.  I can't fathom what it would be like to stay in the world of evil torturers for 3-5 months.  Don't want wanna get in their heads.  AND I totally skip movies like that, not even wanting to watch their previews. 
5. Going to write a pure-bred caper/heist film.  That said I am toying with a coming-of-age, romance which has a definite heist in it.  But I'm talking about here is those, "we're going to rob a bank, and here's how we're going to do it", where the PLANNING of the heist IS the movie.  Those kind of plots, like "Oceans 11" BORE THE FUCK OUT OF ME.  I've sat through a few of them, and never really liked any of them. 
6. Family, big-budget action/adventure.  I loathed the "Transformers" series.  All that CGI special effects, yet with a half adult/half child plot.  Can't bring myself down to that level.  I wanna write movies with greater substance, and one's that pack an emotional resonance.
7. Period piece romance/artsy-fartsy musicals.  I like history, but I can't see myself doing all the research to do either of these genres.  Both genres have a negative stigma to me: and they don't sound like they'd be very fun to write.  Not enough upside to justify the commitment factor.

Suprising genres that E.C. Henry might foray into:

1. Horror.  I actually go see an occasional horror movie from time-to-time JUST to get inspired.  What?  Can a horror movie insprire you?  Yes and no.  I watch some horror movies just as a case study for how to deepen the scare and thrill factor.  It's about knowing all the colors on the easel to me.  Still marvel over how John Carpenter showcased his fine camerawork his "Halloween" 1978 masterpiece.
2. Sci fi. I really like a "good" sci fi film.  Problem is, I don't see enough of them in the marketplace right now.  Hence, I wanna write a "good" one.  Love the mind candy that is sci-fi.
3. Giant monster movies.  I've got an idea for a movie that would be in the vein of "Starship Troopers", which if you remember was about the army travelling to a distant world to fight giant bug monsters.  Huge fan of some of the "Godzilla" movies.   

So what kind of writer are you, E.C. Henry?

Okay, okay already.  I'll explain myself as best I can.  No need to resort to violence to beat a confession from me.  E.C. Henry is the kind of writer who writes what he's passionate about.  If I have a story that I like, that I have plotted out enough in my head, and think it has some merit being told, dude, I'll write that story.  

E.C. Henry doesn't not limit himself to just writing "what he knows."  YES, a couple of the movies I've written where heavily influenced by things I actually witnessed in my life.  Both "The Judas Project" and "A Heart Built on the Sand" had character abstractions of people I met in my work life.  But for the most part I just come up with characters that I think are cool, and write on them long enough until hopefully they take on a life of their own.

E.C. Henry is a screenwriter fully capable of writing in several different genres -- though his personal preference is in writing romantic comedies.  E.C. Henry can write dark dramas, thrillers with paranormal elements, movies with deep underlying themes, teen comedy, adult comedy, sports comedy, and sci fi.  E.C. Henry is a multi-tooled screenwriter, who once he commits to a project will see it through and write the best story that he's capable.  E.C. Henry is a professional.  E.C. Henry is a pre-pro screenwriter who is ready to loose that, pre-pro adjective, and just be referred to as a professional screenwriter.  He just needs to get discovered by the right person.

THAT'S what kind of writer E.C. Henry is.

The Call of Conformity

Do you ever feel like those around you suppress the real you?  The you that you can't show, because those around you can't deal with it -- because it's not JUST LIKE THEY ARE!

The call of conformity; repressing one's true self in order to "fit in" within the precepts and prejudices of a group of people.

One would think that "peer pressure" ended once you got out of high school.  But the farther out I get from that time in my life I'm finding that's not the case.  Peer pressure exits outside the bounds of school.  I've seen it in action at work, at church, and in the blogosphere -- among people who should be my peers!  Fellow creatives.  People who should be open to people acting differently than the norm.  Yet even in intellectual circles where the freedom to express yourself, you find the call of conformity.

The call of conformity is a bending of sorts.  It's suppressing your natural tendencies and true beliefs so that one can fit in and belong to a group of people. 

Is the call of conformity bad?  For the most part, YES!

It is bad in regards when you stop being who really are, and cave in to become a lesser version of the true you.  The call of conformity leads to the loss of your own thoughts, as you slowly become a cronie in a group.  It is bad when you find yourself dominated by an alpha male or alpha female, and can no longer express yourself freely, but rather suffer a sort of social censorship. 

The only way the call of conformity is good, is that it is good that people bond to each other and develop friendships.  HOWEVER, this should not come at the loss of self.   If in order to feel a sense of belonging you suppress who you really are, you are either subtly or overtly being dominated and manipulated by someone else.

Being a contrarian IS NOT a successful antidote against the call of conformity.  You just can assume a postion against every from of group thought.  Rather, you must think about group thought objectively and see if the group is right in the instance it's imposed on or not.  Never switch off your brain and just assume you always have to fight against the call of conformity.  Right is right.  Wrong is wrong.  You must choose judiciously.

Why do people conform?  Why do they give in to peer pressure?  They feel safer being part of a group.  They want friends.  People want to be liked.  Whenever I'm in a group setting and I feel that call to conformity, and you feel the swell of "group thought" I try to remember that this "group thought" may not even be how all these people think.  Rather, they may be in morally compromised position, of which they have chose of their own free-will so it's not like their free of the guilt of the actions.

I will be the first to admit that at various times I have fallen victim to "the call of conformity".  I used to be a real follower.  \When I was up in Alaska -- off Dutch Harbor to be specific -- in the late 80s/early 90s I had a "friend" who really worked me over.   In retrospect he was a "bad" dude, leading me in the wrong way.  Why at one point in our "friendship" he told me that if he ever got AIDS he's sleep with all his old girlfriends one last time.  How perverse is that?  Didn't realize it then, but after I got saved...  Whew, am I ever glad I wised up to that asshole.  His call of conformity of my life would have lead me to ruin.  To have that feeling of belonging -- to that asshole -- for a a while I granted my consent to bad things.  Ill-placed alpha males led me to discussions and mindsets that now I abhor.  Thus, today, a more enlightened E.C. Henry, is far more leery of following alpha males. 

I have met so many people who dance to the tune and whims of society.  I have seen how crass, male-dominated and perverse, radio programs have polluted some of my peers minds.  And how now these disciples of the perverse use that influence the circles of their world in a negative way.  Point: the call of conformity can be used a tool of the devil to strike fear into people's hearts and get them to live lives that reflect perverse and immoral behavior. 

Still, the call of God on people who have insight never changes.  Love.  God calls us to love others and make an attempt to "be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect."  No one suffered more fighting the call of conformity than Jesus.  Can you imagine living a life where the elect and leaders are watching you just hoping you'll slip up somewhere so they feel they have justifyable grounds pounce on you?  Sad.  Here these "leaders" were, and they were more concerned with maintaining their power base, then getting to know the true giver of power, Jesus.

So as one goes through this life, I hope that through this post one feels more enabled to be the real you, and not just someone who succumbed to the pull of the masses in a vain effort to fit in.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

P.S. Earlier today I finished that pesky 1st draft of that teen comedy I've been working on.  Started work on the 1st draft March 14, 2012.  Finished the 1st draft on December 11, 2012.  Not ready to say, "Well, I put another fish in the bucket", but it's an important milestone none-the-less.  Came in at 227 pages, so yeah I have a lot of rewriting and editing to do; its not all there yet.  But at least now I can start to look at it with a different set of eyes.  

Your first draft is always your hardest draft.  And it's better to have to edit down, rather than not have enough material and be looking up, knowing you have more to add.  

Think I'll start the editing process by just listening to the draft using Final Draft's playback feature.  Going to start jotting down editing notes.  Going to look into cutting a bunch of characters and honing in the action on the main ones that need to pop.  Will also start a beat sheet using my old outline with page count notes, as you hafta be at or under 120 pages.  Anywho, I still got a lot of work to do, but at least one key milestone in this project's history has been meet: I finished a 1st draft!  Yay!!  

The Family Stone: Movies that Move Me Volume I

It's not all the time that this happens.  You see a movie a 2nd time -- and you find it waaay better the 2nd time than the 1st time you saw it.  BUT that phenomenon JUST happened to me when I watched, "The Family Stone" (2005). 

I remember watching this ensamble cast, family drama/rom-com when it came out YEARS ago.  And I remember thinking the show was OK, but nothing THAT special.   But then in comprising a post about rom-com warmth a little over a week ago, where I really delved into the movie "While You Were Sleeping" (2005: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman) another movie popped into myhead that had similar appeal, the aforementioned, "The Family Stone" so I felt it was incumbent on me to revisit this movie and re-familiarize myself with it.  So glad I did...

"The Family Stone" is a deep movie.  Tip o' the proverbial cap to Thomas Bezucka for writing and directing this gem.  Who says that fellow writers don't laud other writers who do it well?!  "The Family Stone" deals with the deep theme of dealing with an upcoming loss of a loved one in the context of a family gathering over the Christmas holiday.  Getting the hint yet.  YES, you owe it to yourself to watch this film for yourself.  And who knows it MIGHT even help you get in the holiday spirit.

In this story it is gradually revealed that the matriarch of this family Sybil Stone, played by Dianne Keaton, is going to die from breast cancer, and that this will be her last Christmas with her family before she passes on.   In effort to make his mother happy before she dies, Sybil Stone's eldest son: Everett Stone (played by Dermot Mulroney); decides he's going to marry a woman he met through a buisness acquaintence: Merideth Morton (played by Sarah Jessica Parker).  The monkey wrench in all of this is that neither Merideth nor Everett love each other enough to get married at this point in their relationship.  But Everett is insistent, he doesn't want to let his mother down, and wants her to see him get married before she passes away.  Hence, the hook of the story: the "family stone" is Sybil's mother's wedding ring that she is to give her eldest son so that he can give it to his future wife.

Sad stuff, eh?  Dealing with a looming death in the face of the holidays.  Yet, that be the context of this story.  And it is unavoidable.  And the ramifications of Sybil's illness affects all the Stone children and Sybil's husband, Kelly Stone (played by Craig T. Nelson).

Their are b-storylines galore in this one.  Like how Ben Stone (Luke Wilson's character), Everett's younger brother takes a liking to Merideth, and their relationship evolves.  And then when Merridth's younger sister, Julie Morton (played by Claire Dane) shows up, and Everett finds that he connects with her.  A 2nd romantic, b-storyline.  Then their's the gay younger brother, Thad Stone, and his black, gay partner now looking into adopting so they can have a child of their own.  So you have a gay family member, and how the family -- and Meridth, reacts to that.  And finnaly you have yet another romance to deal with as Amy Stone (played by Rachel McAdams) reunites with an old flame, who is now a local policeman. 

But for all the ensemble characters the one that works the best is Merideth, Sarah Jessica Parker's character.  Merideth is uptight, somewhat cold, and does not feel comfortable in family situations.  For my money Merideth is the focal character in this story.  Her plight of struggling to fit in with others who have know each other for their entire lives is very easy to relate to.  And Meridth's character arc of personal growth through apparent failure is the most rewarding of any of the other characters. 

"The Family Stone" is not your atypical rom-com.  It is not overly funny.  And it is not overly romantic.  What it is, is a play on family.  "The Family Stone" is a story about how one can sometimes find their true love through even the most tragic of circumstances.  "The Family Stone"'s theme one of coming to grips of what you really want and need over the apparent circumstances which can cloud your vision in the moment.

Ben Stone needs Meridth's security.  He needs someone to help him become a more mature, better man.  Everett needs someone he can share dreams and adventures with, and Meridth's sister, Julie, is full of life, positive energy, and adventures waiting to happen.  Merridth, as Ben says in the bar at one point in the movie, needs to "let her freak flag fly"; she needs someone she feels comfortable letting her hair down and not be so uptight with.  And Merrideth finds that someone in the most unlikeliest of sources -- her boyfriend's brother! 

And then their is Rachel McAdams.  Whoa, momma, what a looker!  If she ever wants to go out on a date with E.C. Henry, lemme just say, sign me up right now, I'm all in!  Spending an hour and a half with Rachel McAdams is easy on the eyes.  Rachel McAdams has a girl-next-door appeal to her.  Something about her just works with me.  Chalk that up to the ol' 43-year-old horndog, if you will, but regaurdless, I like Rachel McAdams.  I think she is a great actress too.  

What I liked about "The Family Stone" is the fact that love can spring up in the most untimeliest of fashions -- but we need to be open to that, or we risk missing out on something that can truly be life changing, and bring us the most happiness.  I also was very impressed by how Thomas Bezuka chose to end this movie: 1 year later at Christmas time after the family reunintes at the Christmas tree and Amy gets emotional when she sees that picture of her mom when she was pregant with Amy, which was a gift that Merideth gave everyone in the family the previous yet.  THAT is a great ending.  

Who says rom-coms can't have deep messages?!  I call bullshit on that!  AND I call you to watch, "The Family Stone" for yourself a second time, like I did, let it's subtle warmth and magic work it's way into your soul.  Might just help you through this holiday season, AND it might just open your eyes to the prospect of being open to finding love even in the most trying of times and situations. 

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

Michael Scott from NBC's "The Office"; Celebrating Characters in Cinema: Volume II

Hard to believe that it's been over 9 months since I posted my initial "Celebrating Characters in Cinema" Volume I -- then never posted a 2nd in the series!  Well, that's about to change.  Sorry it's taken me so long to get to a follow-up.  In volume one I went into why I liked the Humungus the villainous, hokey mask wearing villain from George Miller's cult classic, "The Road Warrior".   But as you  can tell from the title of this post, AND the opening image, in this installment of the series I'm going to go into why I like Michael Scottfrom NBC's hit sit-com, "The Office".   

From the Humungus to Michael Scott, what a transition, eh?  But that's E.C. Henry for ya; anything but predictable.

So what came first, my love for Steve Carell in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" or my love for him in NBC's "The Office"?  I'd have to say "The Office," simply because I didn't see "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" until after its theatrical release, but I've been a big fan of NBC's sit-com heavy, Thursday night line-up long before "The Office" started running.

The crazy thing is, when attempting to go into why I like Michael Scott, I'm not sure if I'm going to be articulate enough.  It all starts with an OUTSTANDING cast that Michael Scott bounces off.  E.C.'s favorites: Dwight Schrute, Kevin and Andy.  Why not Jenna Fisher and John Krasinski?  Well-p, they're the normal ones, and usually it's the not-normal ones that deliver the biggest laughs.  Hence, I'm a Dwight, Kevin, and Andy, fan.   But let's not forget Michael Scott -- the toast of this post. 

Let's start the Michael Scott discussion by posing the question, "Would you like to have a boss like Michael Scott?"

Yes, votes E.C. Henry, I would.

Michael Scott entertains me.  On one hand he wants to be your friend.  And on another, Michael Scott constantly thinks he's cracked the code of lingo and the meaning of things, yet what he's really doing is contstantly drawing the wrong conclusions; a stupid man posing as someone smart.  A fool in a boss' suit.  Michael Scott is man of conflict.  He doesn't realize that, but most people around him sure do.  

Michael Scott is counter-intuitive.  Constantly Michael Scott goes against the grain of contemporary thought.  And most of the time, that's to his own harm.  It's like in Michael Scott's mind he's trying to prove that he understands the hidden mysteries of life, when all along he's consistently flubbing them up.  Michael Scott is a conflicted character.  He want his employees to love him, and see him more as a friend or father figure, then someone who must lord it over them and tow the company line.   

So has E.C. Henry ever had a boss like Michael Scott?  Well, the man behind the legend (WTF, it's my blog if I wanna be delusional enough to claim legend status, just let me, I run around in a cape and jester hat all day, don't-chya know?)  Anywho, while the man behind the E.C. Henry pseudonym was hard working for an aftermarket, automotive replacement body parts retailer, I did have one really memorable boss.  Dude's name was Richard.   Don't remember his last name, so don't ask.  Richard weighed about a buck thirty-five soaking wet.  Mustache, bald on top, soft-spoken, and kinda shy. 

On memory of Richard that sticks out was that one afternoon this normally soft-spoken guy one day snapped on one of the automotive body part drivers under his care.  The dude he snapped on was this English-as-a-second-language Italian guy.  Dude pissed Richard off and Richard yelled at him very loudly, and made his exit by peeling out in front of the English-as-a-second-language Italian guy.

The other memory of Richard is far funnier.   The branch that Richard was in charge of, where I worked, had A LOT of problems, corporate management wasn't happy with Richard.  He must have seen the writing on the wall because he went on a month-long hiatus -- to Ethiopia!  No shit, that's what he told us!  Gone.  Vamoose, we're talkin' the ENTIRE month of December.  Stalling, trying to avoid the corporate hatchet?  That's what I thought.  Anywho, at one meeting with us Richard was very somber, and told his entire crew this:

If this ship's going down, I'm taking you all with me.

Can you believe that shit?!  Seriously, that's what my boss told the entire crew at a meeting he held; "If this ship's going down, I'm taking you all with me."  Of all the things Richard ever did, that's what I remember the most about him; that quote, that takeaway. 

Postscript, when Richard did finally come back to work a corporate regional manager flew in.  Then he and Richard "went out for coffee," and strangely enough was never seen of again.  They promoted a salesmen to be branch manager in Richard's sted.  The ship hadn't gone down, but Richard had -- and we didn't go with him!

That quote will be with me the rest of my life, I think.  It's my Richard and the ship quote.  It is the most interesting this a boss in real life has ever spoken in my presence.  Gosh wouldn't have this Richard been a natural on NBC's "The Office?"  Well, he gets my endorsement.

Truth be told, that aftermarket, automotive branch warehouse job was quite the experience for me.  One employee brought her tarantula to work.  No shit.  I had to pick orders for the delivery drivers while her caged tarantula was in the house!  Another employee was ankle braceleted.  Another driver, a dumb-as-fuck drunken guy was having a fling with one of the customer service girls, another of the salesmen who looked very much like Ron Burgandy from "The Anchorman" constantly showed up smelling like alcohol-lased perfume.  Dude knew his way around a liquid lunch.  Another small guy working the phone looked the Monopoly Man.  Yes, that place was whack!  And my last boss their was an easy-going Hawaiian Islander type.  I worked their about 2 1/2 years, then moved on.  In retrospect that place had a lot of drama to it, much like NBC's "The Office."

Okay, stroll down memory lane complete, back on point.  Back to why E.C. likes the Office Michael Scott.

One key factor that really works in Michael Scott's favor is the AWESOME supporting cast, and the relationships that the series creators of NBC's "The Office" have to work with.

I LOVE the two romances that are sometimes played with in "The Office": Angela and Dwight, Erin and Andy.   The series creators have done a great job going into, then back out of, then going back into the dynamic of how Angela/Dwight work, and Erin/Andy work.

First off, I LOVE Dwight Shrute.  Dwight takes everything too seriously, yet is highly competent at his job and has a nose for detail.  Angela is a prissy, idealistic gossiper.  And these two somehow get together and hook-up?!  I don't find this unbelievable at all, the strange thing is Dwight and Angela belong together.  They have a chemistry and mutal acceptance of each other.  And they way Dwight sticks up for and tries to make Angela happy by suffering so that their sexually relationship can remain a secret between them is real endearing -- especially considering the source: Dwight Schrute.  

Andy: the yes-man; is fun to watch.  I think we've all run into a type of Andy.  And then pair him with the smiley, fresh-faced receptionist: Erin.  The beauty of Erin is that you can spin her anyway you want.  She is a stereotype, yes; but a stereotype that in all actuallty you don't know much about.  Hence, with Erin there is room to explore...  Not so much with Andy, rather with Andy I think he rolls with just delving into the factor which shapped him to be the man he is.  

Of all Michael Scott's romances on "The Office," my favorite by far was his on-and-off again trysts with Jan, the corporate leader.  LOVED Jan's complexity.  Jan wasn't really happy with herself -- and that's what drove her to Michael Scott; they had a "thing" while she was trying to figure herself out.  Jan rocks, and she's a total hottie too. 

Steve Carell is a brilliant actor.  I love his portrayal of Michael Scott.  And I was also impressed by the work Steve did in "Dan in Real Life" (2007), "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2011) and of course "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" which propelled Steve Carell into super-stardom.  

One caveat with Steve Carell, my dad HATES him.  Won't watch ANYTHING he's in.  I keep trying to sway my dad, but he won't budge.  That's what happens when you're in you mid-60s, I guess; you become quite resolved and entrenched in your prejudices. 

Still, I love my dad.  He's a very good man.  Just wish we say eye-to-eye more on the movie front.  My dad loves serialized, TV sci fi.  "Stargate"bores the FUCK out of me, worse yet this syndicated series plays on a station on Sunday night, which competes against NBC's Sunday Night Football, which I LOVE; huge NFL nut.    But as for Stargate S5 or whatever the fuck it's called, I litteraly can't sit though 15 minutes of that crap, YET my dad loves it.  I think I get that though.  My dad comes from an era of paperback sci fi, and this is a close reminder of his past. 

Time to put this post to bed.  So now you know a few more things about ol' E.C. Henry:

1. He used to work at an aftermarket, body parts distribution warehouse, where he came into contact with some "colorful" (a nice way of saying fucked up) people.
2. He is nota fan of the Stargate TV series.
3. He is a big of Steve Carrell, and NBC's "The Office."

Think I'll end here.  Talk to you again soon.  Been fighting a nasty cold this week.  But thankfully my hours at the day job have gone down, as the company brought back an old manager who has a lot of knowledge and experience.

 

 

 

Warmth: Exploring Issues in Rom-com Movies Volume XIV

One thing that the soul really longs for in these late days of fall coming into early winter is warmth.  Know what I'm talking about?  Up here in Western Washington this time of year is awfully glum: gray skies, fog, and that moist chill; and that's the kind of glum that makes your bones shiver. 

So what helps during seasons like this?  What about a romantic comedy with some heart?  Or with some warmth? 

This time of year, with the sting of cold and bad weather in the air, people need the hope and assurance that their is warmth to be had.  Rom-com wise, over this past Thanksgiving, 4-day hiatus, I found such relief for my soul in a familiar place, the movie, "While You Were Sleeping" (1995)

I LOVE this movie.  Overall it ranks as my 3rd favorite rom-com of all-time.  And as you already know, from a previous post, I think Michael Rispolli's, Joe Fusco Jr., is the best supporting actor in a rom-com of all time.  But of all the romantic comedy movies I've watched over the years, few come close to the warmth emitted in "While You Were Sleeping."  So, E.C, why is "While You Were Sleeping" your 3rd favorite rom-com of all-time, YET it ranks top on the warmth chart of all-time.  Seams like a bit of a contradiction...  Not really, I'll address that later in this post.  But for now, let's just focus on why I sited "While You Were Sleeping" as being filled with warmth.

Okay, so how does "warmth" factor into romantic comedy movies?

I think the warmth factor in a romantic comedy primarily comes from the family members of the two parites engaged in a potential romance in a romantic comedy.  And hey, look, E.C. just posted this year's holiday picture of his own family -- and it's completely monkeyless!  Can you believe that?!

Point: you know the "warmth factor" when you feel it.  It's much like coming in out of the cold, and warming oneselfby the hearth.  It's a relief.  It's the feeling of coming out of something discomforting and painfull, and immersing yourself in whole-body relief. 

In romantic comedy movies many times I've found the cast which comprises the supporting family of the male and female leads who are in the mist of exploring romance bring warmth into the movie.  And no rom-com I've seen does better than "While You Were Sleeping."

Ways in which the movie "While You Were Sleeping" conveys warmth:

1. When Lucy (Sandra Bullock) and Saul sit outside the Callahan's house and talk,then are invited in by Mrs. Callahan to celebrate Christmass together.  Out of the cold, invited into a warm house.
2. Lucy hugs the present the Callahan's gave her, as she enjoys watching them open their Christmas presents.  Seeing a family interact warms Lucy's heart.
3. The snowglobe present of Florence, Italy that Jack (Bill Pullman) gives Lucy knowing that his playboy brother who in betrothed to Lucy will never give her the dream she had of going to Florence.  A sentimental gift the emits warmth to the recipient; Jack is the hearth that is keeping Lucy warm -- not her icy fiancee.  Is that some deep shit or what, Skippy!?
4.  The end of the movie where the Callihan family huddles outside of Lucy's toll booth to see how Jack's marriage proposal will be received by Lucy.  Kodac moment.  Warmth comes in the family sharing in a life-changing moment.
5. The family rallying around Peter Callihan at the hospital.  Warm greetings, coming together as a show of warm support for a fallen love one. 
6. The cold of Chicago: Lucy and Peter walking in the cold.  Lucy's face at the hot dog vendors area.  Warmth by contrast.  When you see someone cold, and they don't stay like that for too long it reminds you of your own winter experiences and then how later you got warm.
7. Lucy decorating her tree.  The decorations at the Callahan house.  New Years gathering.  Holiday spirit, brings warmth.

Imagery can convey a lot of warmth.  Like an array of family members stockings on a hearth during Christmas time.  Or the glow of lights inside a cottage in a Tomas Kincade picture.  An aunt or uncle giving a niece or nephew a hug. 

The holidays of Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years -- a lesser degree; all convey warmth.  The warmth and good cheer of holiday commaderee with others.

So does a rom-com HAVE to have warmth in order to succeed?

No.

I would submit to you, "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days."  This is what I would call, an "ego-com", which I went into detail on a earlier post, which you can read here -- if you're so inclined.  The magic of "How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days" comes from the conflicting agendas of the romantic pairing: Benjamin Barry and Andie Anderson.  Both want to get ahead in their career and are usingtheir new "relationship" for something far less than romatic ideals.  True, early in Act III Andie does visit Ben's family.  And this is somewhat heart warming, through Ben's family are kinda schemers like he is.  Point: scheming and selfish agendas takes away from the warmth factor.  as does excessive lust and volgarity.    

Off on a tangent, for a moment.  When people complain about a romantic comedy, one of the key places to go to the warmth factor.  Why?  Because many people go to romantic comedy movies to have their heart warmed; to have the warm, positive power of romantic love affirmed.  And since "There's Something About Marry", through the Aptow revolution, and most recently with "Ted" there's been rom-coms out there with a supper abundance of negative, warmth-killing content, that has left many audiences seeking the solace of traditional rom-com leaving the theatre deeply disappointed.  Doesn't mean these movies are "bad", heck sometimes these negative-based rom-coms are downright hillarous. 

Okay, now back on point.

Overall, with all things considered, I found "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" quite cold.  But it's sharp dialog and wonderfull perfomances ropes you in, and gets you to root for Benjamin Barry and Andie Anderson under a different vibe than how you're pulling for Lucy in "While You Were Sleeping."  Get why I didn't include Jack there?  Well, silly, that's because "While You Were Sleeping" is a female protagonist weighed movie, a topic in rom-com movies that I discussed earlier here.  Jack and Lucy don't get equal screen-time.  No, this more of Lucy's story -- as spelled out in the opening and closing monologues, where as in "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days", you really jump back and forth between Ben's and Andie's worlds and point of view of things pretty much on equal footing.

Not all rom-coms are filled with warmth.  You don't need warmth to suceed.  BUT it really can add an element that is pleasing to the audience.  One rom-com that interestingly enough has both a warm family and cold family in it at the same time, in the same movie is "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002).  Toula's family is big and loud, touchy feeling, in-your-face; whereas Ian Millers family is contemplative, non touchy feely and cold.  Yet in Act III you find that when Ian's mom and dad get drunk and party with the Portalous family, they loosen up and have a good time.  Warmth: Ian Miller's family is becoming more warm and inviting through their interaction with a catalyst for change: Toula's family.  One family sparks warmth in an otherwise cold, couple of people.  

Another rom-com that has some warmth to it is "The Family Stone" (2005).  Been a while since I last saw this movie which has one of the best casts you're EVER going to land: Sarrah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Craig T. Nelson, Dianne Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Claire Dannes.  Like "While You Were Sleeping", "The Family Stone" takes place durring the holidays, where a man (Dermot Mulroney) brings home his fiancay to meet his family.  There's those words again: holidays and family.  Leads to warmth again, right?  Pretty much.  As the character arc of Sarah Jessica Parker's character is all about coming out of her uptight ways, loosening up a bit, and learning how to interact with others.  You guessed it; she's warming up!

Another interesting point to made about warmthis that some characters -- even the leads in a romantic comedy -- can add too or squelch ther overall warmth factor of a romantic comedy movie.  Take for instance Summer Finn in "(500) Days oif Summer" (2009)".  What kind of girl is Summer Finn?  She's a cold hearted, quirky girl who has a hard time being open and warm, and constantly gives her romantic interest,  Tom, mixed signals.  Summer takes away the warmth in Tom.  In one reguard Tom is attracted to Summer, yet she threatens to destroy his ideals.  Contrast Summer Finn against Lucy Elinor Moderatz from "While You Were Sleeping" .  Night and day.  Lucy is a day-dreamer.  Summer doesn't believe in love.  YET both are the main, female love interests in two successful rom-coms.  Summer contributes a cold vibe, whereas Lucy emanates warmth.    

E.C. Henry's Favorite Rom-coms off all-time v.s. their warmth factor:

1. "13 Going on 30"; Warmth Factor: 5.50  Justification: Tom-Tom is a very cold nemsis.  Yes, Jenna's family factors in, there is a warm scene were Jenna climbs into bed with her mother, but most of this film is very "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days" focusing on the cold world of the magazine publishing business.  Jenna and Matt's friendship from their younger years adds some warmth and depth to their love story.
2. "How To Loose a Guy in 10 Days"; Warmth Factor: 4.00 Justification: Agendas of the romantic leads is rather selfish.  Even interaction with friends is mostly biting.  Babe Newerth's character is especially business cold.
3. "While You Were Sleeping"; Warmth Factor: 10.00 Justification: This is the warmest rom-com I watched to date.  Thus this movie is the warmth gold standard by which all other rom-coms are judged against using the warmth factor as the sole, grading criteria.
4. "Sleepless in Seattle"; Warmth Factor: 8.25 Justification: The holiday season as a backdrop.  Later a Valentine's Day heart appears on the window of a NY skyscrapper.  The warm exchanges between Jonah and Tom Hank's character.  Up in the Empire State Building: Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan come out of the cold and go into the elivator holding hands.    
5. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"; Warmth factor: 7.50 Justification: Family warms the hearts of Ian's mother and father.   Portacolos family pretty much warm and friendly, though their warmth factor pale in comparison to the Callahan's and Saul from "While You Were Sleeping".
6. "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"; Warmth Factor: 1.50  Justification: On one level this is a very crass movie, and that's very hard for me to ignore.  The constant sexual language is grating.  True, this movie is very funny; hence one of favorites of all-time, but it's hardly heart warming.  Andyis very likeable, and you root for the guy, some warmth there.  And Andy does develop some friendships, more kernals of warmth, you'd think, but then the crass agenda of Andy's friends sets the plot in a negative, warmth-killing trajectory.  Trish's family has a more negative, cold factor than anything that can be construed as warm.  
7. "(500) Days of Summer"; Warmth factor: 2.25.  Justification: Alternative music.  Summer's quirky personality.  Too much time spent with Tom in the dumps.
8. "Ted"; Warmth factor: 3.25 Justification: A lot like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin."  Sure it's real funny, but at what cost?  The teddy bear come alive is a pot smokerand he's quite crass.  The wishing on a star angle breeds warmth.  But the John Bennett to Mila Kunis love story isn't very deep, and isn't very warm of itself.
9. "Enchanted"; Warmth factor: 9.00  Justification: Amy Adams radiant performance as the cartoon princess who comes to life.  The cartoon world breeds warmth.  Thought the Patrick Demsey character was kinda cold.
10. "As Good As It Gets"; Warmth factor: 3.25  Justification: Mevlin Udal is much like Summer Finn, grades on you; cold.  Saving grace is the waitress's son; warmth in the care of a sick loved one.  Gay neighbor adds a little warmth to the story in a roundabout way, as he really needs Melvin's kindness.  

And so we draw near to the close of another post.  And what have we learned?  Hopefully, I've planted the seed and given you something to think about; namely, the role warmth can can have on the viewer of a romantic comedy and positive and negative factors which go into the overall warmth factorof a romantic comedy.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

P.S. Now over the 200 page count in my latest, teen comedy spec.  Almost done.  At least I'm back on the horse writing each day again.  

P.S.S. Hopefully will have some new spec. script artwork to accompany the loglinepage on my side bar.  Got most of the images ready to go.  Now I just need to start insterting them.