Coleman Hough wrote the screenplays for both BUBBLE and FULL FRONTAL directed by Steven Soderbergh. She is a “part-time lecturer” at USC in the MPW program – Masters of Professional Writing.
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November 20, 2008
I cringe - protect my head from falling debris. Several of you mentioned the “f” word so I’ll say it right back to you with feeling - FORMULA. It’s that popular group MYTH that hangs around like a ring of smog anywhere two or more writers are gathered together. Do this and do this and you’ll have that. sound easy? good luck with it. This is a post I started and never finished. It has a twinge of bitterness. N’est ce pas? This past semester at USC has been flacardenful of delobinous struden twilla - no need for a dictionary - I just use the word AMAZING to the point that it applies to everything. A great semester that ends soon. Next semester I’m teaching a course called WRITING THE SHORT FILM. So, for the next few days - I’m posting exercises that were fruitful these last couple of months. Then we’ll be caught up. I found this in Bill Roorbach’s book WRITING LIFE STORIES - really great book that will remind you of how much material you have in your own life - tune in to the way YOU tell stories. He’s a kick ass great writer. Buy his books and they will change your life. OK: Draw a map of the first neighborhood you can remember. Where did you live - where did you shop? - where did you ride your bicycle? Where were you afraid to ride your bicycle? OR draw the map of the story you’re working on - re energize your script - if you really focus on making this map as intricate as you can - the floods will come - ideas - stories - conflicts. Consider using glitter even.all for now.theprof
October 22, 2008
not sure exactly but I never left LA. My class at USC is small (6 students) and I am so impressed with them this semester. If you are currently searching for a great writing program. The MPW program at USC is under new leadership and is accepting applications now for Fall ‘09. Just apply - see what happens. Oh…..one more plug. My short film THE DIAGNOSIS starring James Urbaniak, Leslie Ann Warren, and Emily Deschanel will screen on Wednesday, October 29th at 7:30 pm - Skirball Cultural Center as part of the donkaphant film festival. A donkey and an elephant were sittin in a tree - K-I-S-S-I-N-G - first came love - then came marriage - then came a film festival. Check it out. I’m hoping I can post an entry here every day for a year to make up for my silence. xtheprof
September 5, 2008
We’re already approaching week three in the fall semester. Let me catch you up. Week one: room 400 - all wrong - but we soldiered on - summarizing summers - mispronouncing each others names - toes in the water — little splashes. Assignment - we’re reading Peter Biskind’s DOWN AND DIRTY PICTURES: MIRAMAX, SUNDANCE, AND THE RISE OF INDEPENDENT FILM. I’ve decided to do a double feature film assignment so it was Cassevetes’ A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, and DiCillo’s LIVING IN OBLIVION. (Drum roll) and for the writing assignment - write a 2-3 minute scene without dialogue that has a beginning middle and end. Week two: A lively discussion about 1974 and New York and long takes and and and - we were definitely in “the zone” when metaphors start flying around and opinions gather volume - oh oh oh. Every teacher’s dream. In class assignment: write about an event during your childhood that seemed strange - surrounded by cryptic adult codes that denied you access. Present tense - POV of child. Write for ten minutes - pen down - breathe in out and now write for ten minutes about that same event from an adult’s POV - remembering. Watch everything Cassavetes made. When I lived in New York I would sometimes wander - and sometimes during my wanderings it would rain. One of those rainy day wanderings - I ducked into the Paris theatre and stumble bumbled into a Cassavetes festival. After OPENING NIGHT I was hooked and - well, this is your assignment for next week. I got zero comments last week. Chooch and Amanda, are you on vacation? Miss you guys. xtheprof
August 21, 2008
A woman and a formula are sitting in a private corner of a restaurant. They look at menus. SHE: What are you gonna have? HE: Same old same old. SHE: I don’t see that on the - HE: Oh they have it. SILENCE - RANDOM CLANKS OF SILVERWARE. She puts her menu down. SHE: why would you order that? It gives you gas and makes you sleepy and then you’re hungry again before we - HE: What are YOU gonna have? SHE: I might try the peasant’s picnic or the love letter in a lunchbox. HE: Sardines on sourdough? SHE: my mouth is watering. Does the idea offend you? HE: I just don’t know where it’s going. SHE: Do you have to? HE: Do you know who I am? He stands up. - to be continued…… There’s a “welcome back” event at USC tonight and we have each been asked to introduce ourselves to the new students. ONSTAGE - and talk about the class we’re teaching. I’m nervous!!! I really need to make an outline - bullet a post-it. A week from today my class begins. WRITING THE INDEPENDENT FILM. Tune in for “pre-lesson plan” thoughts every thursday this fall. Some news on my short film THE DIAGNOSIS - this festival invited us: www.donkaphant.com/ I have to go get ready for the welcoming ceremony. WRITE A SCENE where your character is trying to stay positive while preparing for an event where they will have to speak into a microphone and during the preparation, a family member in crisis calls.
August 6, 2008
If all goes as planned, Sunday at midnight I will be BOLDING and CENTERING and SAVING and SINGING that word into the canyon. I was away for a month - placing myself under house arrest. AND I FINISHED!!! Congratulations to all of you who are soon writing THE END as well. Classes start in less than a few weeks at USC. We have a new director of the MPW program - Brighde Mullins - and I really look forward to working with her. So…… Summer to Fall. Make a list of what you notice this week that signifies a change of season - the leaves aren’t the be all - and yes LA does too have seasons - just keep your eyes open and your ears tuned - next week I’ll post an exercise that has to do with this list and feel free to share your list.xtheprof
