tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-230326542024-03-14T04:43:34.461-03:00Don't Feed the WriterAdventures in Writing for Canadian Television and FilmDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.comBlogger268125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-26825200295854755812013-06-27T14:08:00.000-03:002013-06-27T14:08:17.884-03:00Dave's Yes/No Review: Fire Pots (Lougheed at Willingdon)<br />
<br />
Yes!<br />
Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-37231441109148398192013-06-12T19:59:00.003-03:002013-06-12T19:59:58.572-03:00Radio DramaRadio drama was the first writing that really hooked me.<br />
I remember listening to my folks' radio as I fell asleep.<br />
<br />
While I'm not old enough to have heard <a href="http://www.thebookchook.com/2013/06/top-tips-for-young-writers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBookChook+%28The+Book+Chook%29">Dimension X</a> as I was growing up. This was the kind radio I loved.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-47092210727796270352013-06-12T19:56:00.003-03:002013-06-12T19:56:49.398-03:00Tips for Young WritersGreat tips for Young Writers?<br />
<a href="http://www.thebookchook.com/2013/06/top-tips-for-young-writers.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheBookChook+%28The+Book+Chook%29">These are great for any writers.</a><br />
<br />
<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-30237138838041697872013-06-05T01:20:00.000-03:002013-06-05T01:20:25.399-03:00Daily Writing RoutinesIn a related article...<br />
<br />
Some <a href="http://io9.com/5106135/science-fiction-novelists-reveal-their-daily-writing-routines">sci-fi writers' daily writing routines.</a><br />
<br />
Great procrastinating material.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-36022579523202559942013-06-05T00:49:00.002-03:002013-06-05T00:49:50.111-03:00Writers' Work Spaces<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18pt6shydlkiajpg/ku-xlarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18pt6shydlkiajpg/ku-xlarge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Writer's Porn<br />
<a href="http://io9.com/famous-scifi-and-fantasy-authors-in-their-workspaces-511288350">The work spaces some sci-fi and fantasy writers.</a><br />
<br />Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-8699825405377595942013-05-23T21:48:00.001-03:002013-05-23T21:48:08.661-03:00I am listening to...<span id="goog_1723359437"></span><span id="goog_1723359438"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>I am listening to <a href="http://youarelistening.to/deepthought">Deep Thought </a>(s).<span id="goog_1723359440"></span><span id="goog_1723359441"></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a>Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-56709332493269212022013-05-22T12:54:00.001-03:002013-05-22T12:54:52.499-03:00Orphan Black: Mid-Season Report (Abridged)You're losing me.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-76987963352221378492013-05-01T15:02:00.000-03:002013-05-01T15:02:01.991-03:00Dave's Yes/No Television Review: Bates Motel (Season One) A&EYes. (And no one is more surprised than I am).Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-26232390089414625702013-04-30T20:44:00.001-03:002013-04-30T20:45:44.800-03:00Lessons Learned from Season Three of Boardwalk Empire<a href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMzA1ODYxMTkyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDMwNjg3Mw@@._V1_SY317_CR10,0,214,317_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMzA1ODYxMTkyNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDMwNjg3Mw@@._V1_SY317_CR10,0,214,317_.jpg" /></a>I enjoyed Season One of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0979432/?ref_=tt_ov_inf">Boardwalk Empire</a>.
I liked the world, the performances (for the most part) and the writing was pretty good too.
Season Two sucked. Characters hit the same beats over and over as the stories treaded water for no reason that I could see. I was glad when it was over. I was finished with it and I didn't see how it could proceed into a third season based on the thinly spread elements at the end of a second.
Then came Season Three.
From the first scene of the first episode of the season it grabbed me and held my head under water until I surrendered.
It would be too simple to say that a single character saved a show. There was an infusion of new talent creating the stories and shooting them too. History helped out the story department too.
But I'm never going to under-estimate the power of one character to turn a world on its head the way <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0134072/?ref_=tt_cl_t13">Bobby Cannavale</a>'s Gyp Rossetti's did. Rossetti raised the stakes in every scene he was in. He forced every character he came in contact with to take a stand. He always made me wonder what was going to happen next. And he did it by making choices and following through on them.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-11816698457362145572013-04-29T15:58:00.003-03:002013-04-29T15:58:56.920-03:00Dave's Yes/No Restaurant Review: Famoso (Commercial at Kitchener)Yes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-28117261881205736952013-04-29T15:57:00.000-03:002013-04-29T15:57:26.849-03:00Dave's Yes/No Television Review: Orphan BlackYes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-47150171120962168152013-03-05T13:39:00.002-04:002013-03-05T13:40:09.679-04:00Why Downtown Abbey Season Three Sucks.Ken Levine makes a <a href="http://kenlevine.blogspot.ca/2013/03/downton-abbey-season-3-review.html">calm and lucid case</a> of the rant I've been making for the past couple months.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-85554595279881998332013-01-17T14:44:00.002-04:002013-01-17T14:44:17.772-04:00Dave's Yes/No Burger review: Cannibal Cafe (Commercial Drive)Yes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-58365847681034816892013-01-17T14:43:00.000-04:002013-01-17T14:43:07.892-04:00Dave's Yes/No Movie Review: This is 40no.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-85832480689834166892013-01-17T14:40:00.002-04:002013-01-17T14:40:55.235-04:00Dave's Yes/No TV Review: Downton AbbeyNo.
(Hate me now, thank me after the Season Three Christmas "special".)Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-85114936744393979192012-09-19T13:14:00.002-03:002013-01-17T14:44:57.338-04:00Dave's Yes/No Restaurant Review: Tatsu Japanese Bistro. (1441 Commercial Drive)Yes!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-9067203499467433322012-07-22T23:58:00.000-03:002012-07-22T23:58:13.046-03:00Dave's Yes/No Review: Lucky's Donuts (Main and 13th)Yes... okay?! Are you happy now?! YES!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-56531786807002777022012-07-17T16:59:00.000-03:002012-07-17T16:59:27.074-03:00Dave's Yes/No Restaurant Review: La Grotta Del Formaggio 1791 Commercial DriveA sandwich counter more than a restaurant but...
Yes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-20710099201778109502012-07-05T18:11:00.000-03:002012-07-05T18:11:07.067-03:00Dave's Yes/No Restaurant Review: Finches (West Pender & Homer)Yes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-46147228252464635392012-07-04T14:53:00.000-03:002012-07-04T14:53:05.667-03:00Dave's Yes/No Restaurant Review: Two Chefs and a Table (Alexander & Gour)Yes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-27265118631422072102012-07-03T14:08:00.000-03:002012-07-03T14:08:37.035-03:00Dave's Yes/No Movie Review: Moonrise KingdomYes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-85003976431022123332012-06-16T19:35:00.002-03:002012-06-16T19:35:59.157-03:00Dave's Yes/No Movie Review: Rock of AgesNo!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-28137894648100676712012-05-30T16:09:00.000-03:002012-05-30T16:09:08.888-03:00Mad Men... "The Other Woman."Finally. The return of Mad Men!
It seems like I was the only one to find the writing uneven this season.
Weird humour. Strange "act outs".
But "The Other Woman" a return to the great writing of earlier Seasons... or at least a return to the pleasure I felt at watching the first couple of seasons. The interconnectedness -- yes! "interconnectedness"!-- of the episode's theme was beautiful and felt organic and truthful. It wasn't just interesting observations, or great moments, or terrific lines, or terrific performances-- it was everything.
And the truth is, there are so many chances for things to go wrong it's a miracle when something great happens. That was some truly great TV.
Game of Thrones on the other hand...Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-28468598564688407712012-05-11T19:00:00.000-03:002012-05-30T19:00:56.596-03:00Dave's Yes/No Movie Review: The Hunger GamesYes.Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23032654.post-28774243264324990932012-03-03T22:50:00.003-04:002012-03-03T23:04:48.491-04:00What do writers wear!Wow.<br /><br />That's the question that drives people to this blog. More than any other single question.<br />I suppose it makes sense.<br /><br />I'm imagining some creative writing majors in university-- or a lonesome high school kid scratching out poems and wondering-- "Man, I bet Tolstoy didn't walk around the house in his underpants all the time."<br /><br />But he did. Or whatever the pre-revolutionary Russian version of a tracksuit was. <br /><br />And if he didn't-- I do. I do all my best (which I'll admit may not be good enough) writing while dressed in a very relaxed fashion. And I recommend you do the same... Unless you're Tom Wolfe.<br /><br />That's the question I'd like answered-- preferably with a little picture-- what does Mr. Wolfe wear as he sits himself down to work? I'm imagining a lot of neutral-toned cotton and leather slippers.<br /><br />Hmmm. Isn't there a special edition of the Paris Review where all this has been shared?Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07270355095034863072noreply@blogger.com0