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Post by Jamison on May 12, 2013 19:12:17 GMT -6
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Post by Jamison on May 12, 2013 16:37:10 GMT -6
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Post by Jamison on May 11, 2013 10:32:46 GMT -6
^ Those are EPIC Jack! I can't tell you how excited I am for season three! The story you've laid out seems like it'll be the best so far. And these title cards are amazing. Some of your BEST for Watchtower!
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Post by Jamison on May 10, 2013 22:01:03 GMT -6
The first official promo posters have been released today after ABC picks up Marvels Agents of SHIELD for a full season!
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Nikita
May 10, 2013 12:05:35 GMT -6
Post by Jamison on May 10, 2013 12:05:35 GMT -6
Really glad the CW decided to renew Nikita for a fourth and final season, even if they are ordering a shorter season. The fact that it's the lowest-rated show on the network is just a shocker to me, because it's probably the best show they've got.
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Post by Jamison on May 8, 2013 13:25:08 GMT -6
Although I didn't mention it in my review, I did notice the subtle references, and I think they worked well. Not too "out of the blue" or forced.
I started out using Celtx and completely hated it, to be honest. I don't know why their default format is the way it is, but you can always configure the spacing manually, by use of the space bar. I would probably sooner write in Microsoft Word or Final Draft before doing that though. It drove me crazy. LOL If you plan on sticking with Celtx though, don't worry about it too much. The format was good enough for it to be recognizable as a script, and that's really all that matters.
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Post by Jamison on May 8, 2013 13:16:15 GMT -6
I saw this a few months back and loved it! Very well put together, and that bit at the end "Til next time. Harley..." was just awesome!
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Post by Jamison on May 8, 2013 13:03:22 GMT -6
TNT has greenlit the suspenseful spy drama "Legends," starring Sean Bean ("Game of Thrones," "The Lord of the Rings"). TNT has ordered 10 episodes of the series, which is being produced by Fox 21. Howard Gordon ("Homeland," "24"), Alexander Cary ("Homeland," "Lie to Me") and Jonathan Levin ("Charmed") serve as executive producers, along with showrunners Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris, the creators of Sleeper Cell. Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Traitor, The Day After Tomorrow) and Mark Bomback (Live Free or Die Hard) serve as consulting producers. The pilot was directed and executive-produced David Semel (Heroes, Person of Interest) and written by Nachmanoff, who developed the story with Gordon and Bomback.
Set to premiere on TNT in 2014, "Legends" is based on the award-winning book by master spy novelist Robert Littell, whose CIA novel "The Company" served as the basis for TNT's acclaimed 2007 miniseries. In "Legends," Bean stars as Martin Odum, an undercover agent working for the FBI's Deep Cover Operations (D.C.O.) division. Martin has the uncanny ability to transform himself into a completely different person for each job. But he begins to question his own identity when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn’t the man he believes himself to be.
"Legends" also stars Ali Larter ("Heroes") as Crystal Quest, a fellow operative who has a history with Martin and is uneasy about his return to D.C.O.; Rob Mayes (The Client List, John Dies at the End) as Troy Quinn, a former Special Ops agent with a single-minded mission-first mentality; Tina Majorino ("Grey's Anatomy," "True Blood") as Maggie Harris, the newest member of the DCO team; Steve Harris ("The Practice," "Awake") as Nelson Gates, the director of the DCO Task Force; and Amber Valletta ("Revenge") as Sonya Odum, Martin's ex-wife; and Lux Haney Jardine (Abraham Lincon: Vampire Hunter) as Martin's pre-teen son, Aiden.
"'Legends' has everything you want in a good spy drama: intriguing characters, multi-layered plots, a terrific cast and lots of action and suspense," said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "At the center of it all is Sean Bean, giving an outstanding performance in an extremely complex and difficult role. We are very excited to work with Howard Gordon and his fellow executive producers, who have put together a truly extraordinary drama."
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Post by Jamison on May 8, 2013 12:50:30 GMT -6
And here's the review:
Pilots are always tricky. You've got to set so much stuff up in so little time; characters, story arcs, overall plot points, plus the central story for the episode itself. Overall, I think this pilot was successful in introducing the series. We got to see glimpses of real people behind a lot of these characters, most noticeably through "Maggie," with mentions of her ex-husband, her flirtatious relationship with the reporter, and her hesitance when going to smoke that cigarette. Those are the things that I was really impressed with, because throughout everything that was going on with the central story and investigation, we still got to see some characters being developed.
While still on the subject of characters, let's talk about a few standouts I noted in the pilot. I mentioned her above, but I think Maggie is a really good lead. Her personality translates very well through your use of dialogue and the way she interacts with certain characters. She's a tough lady, with hints of vulnerability, when further reminds us that she is human. I think that's an important part of the show overall, since you've decided to focus in on the "not-so-super" people in a world full of supers.
I also really like Wally West! Now I know who he is in the comics, and I don't know when, or even if you're planning on establishing his "Flash" persona in the future, but looking past all of that, you've got a very interesting and entertaining character. His wit, and geeky personality really gave a comedic tone to the pilot, and more importantly, it felt honest. A lot of funny characters are just added to scripts for comic relief and only that, but I felt his character was there for a reason. And I can already see that reason getter larger and more prevalent as the story continues. Him "singing" and dancing to Britney Spears and Beyonce was a great touch. Loved those bits. Perfect casting by the way. Fran Kranz plays the geeky science dude oh so well!
Dr. Beth Chapel rounds up the standouts for me. Her character just felt really warm for some reason. Danny is a decent character. I understand him being in there, and he serves his purpose well; I just haven't latched unto him as much as I have with the characters mentioned above. If this ever goes to series, I could see myself getting more into his character with time.
Moving onto the plot; I think with what you gave us in the pilot in terms of plot, it was a pretty good set up. The story was clear and presented the general 3-act structure quite nicely. We even got some scenes that could go into "cliff-hanger" territory towards the end that served its purpose well enough, since I really want to know what happens next.
The procedural style lends itself well to this kind of show, and I think you really did some research when writing some of your dialogue. It feels like a crime drama, rather than feeling like it's "pretending" to be. I can tell you're a fan of shows like CSI, Law & Order, etc... and if you're not, I applaud you even more for making me believe it. Some of the terminology used here was spot on.
Onto the negatives; or at least, things that can be improved upon in a quick revision:
There were a few typos, which is not uncommon. (I have quite a lot of them in my scripts) Reading your scripts and fixing errors you find is a really important step to writing. Something even I NEED to do more. Aside from a few SPAG errors, there was one major name hiccup. Sometimes you referred to the "Tina" character as "Vanessa." Now maybe I missed something, or perhaps you changed the characters name but didn't replace all the mentions of "Vanessa." It really caught me off guard. I think it was a mistake; correct me if I'm wrong.
On the technical side of things, the script does a decent enough job, although there are some formatting issues. Nothing too big; just having to deal with alignment of titles. The "TEASER" and "ACT" titles should be centered instead of hanging on the left side of the page. But really, that didn't detract from the read in the slightest.
What did was the bulky description. This script had a lot of detail, and surprisingly, with the amount that was in the script, I didn't find that those details were unnecessary. Your attention to detail here really enhanced the script, so no worries there. But at often times, there were too many constant stretches of words, and not enough white space. When writing scripts, "white space" is your best friend. Breaking up paragraphs makes it easier for the reader to actually read. When you have 15+ straight lines of description, it can overload the reader and distract them from the story you're trying to tell, and that's the last thing you want as a writer; distractions.
The script is a long one, although I'm impressed with how much you were able to cut from the original. However, the pacing worked all the way through and it moved along quite nicely. It took me a little while to get invested in the script (not that long really, probably somewhere near the end of act one) But when I finally got into the script, its characters, and the case, I zoomed right through the script.
Overall, a pretty solid pilot. Well-written and believable dialogue that goes along well with the atmosphere of the show. Nicely drawn up characters, with loads of potential for further growth. Nice pace, and intriguing starting point in terms of the "case of the week" structure the show has. Naturally brings up interesting themes on identity and humanity, with its central focus being on the "everyday detective," the grunts, if you will, instead of the "vigilante."
My Rating: 8/10
I'd say with a quick revision, and positive responses from other decision-makers here on the network, this pilot could be on its way into a light; possibly green. (Okay, that was lame, but you catch my drift)
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Post by Jamison on May 8, 2013 11:01:24 GMT -6
Okay, I'm giving it a read now. Should have a full review up some time today
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Post by Jamison on May 7, 2013 21:05:04 GMT -6
Brady, I don't think we could ever hate you! LOL Take all the time you need, your studies have always got to come first. We completely understand.
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Post by Jamison on May 7, 2013 18:35:14 GMT -6
I can't quite remember the first Iron Man film, but Iron Man 3 was far superior to the 2nd installment, I can tell you that much. I'm pretty sure its my favorite of the trilogy, but I'll have to have a rewatch of the first film to make sure. But still, really enjoyed this movie! Way to kick off Phase Two!
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Post by Jamison on May 7, 2013 18:28:08 GMT -6
I'll go ahead and ask some questions...
For me, season one of Watchtower was really about establishment; setting Chloe up in Gotham City, establishing Watchtower as a symbol of hope. Season 2 cemented that symbol, and really brought some interesting questions up about what Chloe really wants out of her life. Not only that, but it introduced some pretty important characters from the DC universe, and also further established Chloe's role in the heroes (most notable through the Dark Knight) journey, and how her personality and influence serves as a crucial part in the development and growth of the characters around her.
That being said, going into season three, what would you say is the overarching theme of the season?
Season three usually marks a big change, not only for characters but also for plot. How would you describe that shift, if one even exists, from the previous two seasons to now, in season three?
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Post by Jamison on May 6, 2013 11:15:52 GMT -6
Finally about to go see Iron Man 3. Hopefully it's better than the last film...
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Post by Jamison on May 5, 2013 21:44:54 GMT -6
True Blood always has a way with making their trailers look pretty great, but then the season just blows...
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Post by Jamison on May 2, 2013 21:27:29 GMT -6
I really want to be excited for Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, "Interstellar," but I am just NOT a fan of Matthew McConaughey. His involvement is really bringing the project down already, in my eyes. But I've still got time to get over myself. lol Besides, Anne Hathaway... I'll say no more.
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Post by Jamison on May 2, 2013 21:15:21 GMT -6
So, it's coming back August 11, 2013? Sweeet! Can't wait.
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Post by Jamison on May 2, 2013 20:59:34 GMT -6
Tonight's episode, for me, was the best in a long while. Probably one of, if not the best of the season. I actually got pretty emotional during the scenes with Matt and Elena. Matt getting killed and her reaction was great. Reminds me how useful Matt can actually be. I knew there was a reason why they were keeping him around. lol Also, when Caroline is trying to bring her mother back. Kinda tore me up, because I really didn't want her to have to go through a loss like that. I don't even really like or dislike Sheriff Forbes, but the thought of Caroline losing her is enough for me to NOT want her dead, if that makes any sense. LOL Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing how this all comes to a head in the season finale. I'm wondering if they'll resolve this "Silas" thing, or bring him back for season five. I particularly don't find this whole ordeal that interesting, but we'll have to wait and see.
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