Friday, March 28, 2014

"i just cut your arm off!" "Did not." "It's right there." "Just a flesh wound."

Probably everyone who's seen the infamous "Black Knight" skit remembers King Arthur defeating the Black Knight. King Arthur cuts off one arm, then another, then one leg and finally the last. The Black Knight cries out that he'll bite the kneecaps off of anyone coming near, then relents to calling it a draw. It was the Black Knight who cried, "I'm invincible!" I love his character, short as it is.

Having recently had both my knees replaced, it got me thinking about how characters within stories cope with lost limbs. For some, like Anakin Skywalker in the recent Star Wars films, the loss is barely even noticed as the character is folded into robotic armor. Others, such as Tiny Tim in "A Christmas Carol," are defined by their lack of limbs.

I'd like to propose that loss of limb is not what it used to be. With so many action films in our society, seeing a character without a limb is almost common. And in an awful lot of stories today it's actually expected. Can any of you think of a recent action film that didn't include multiple amputations? Neither can I. And that's too bad. The body is sacred, honored, and respected. Having stories show the same kind of respect brings a whole raft of backstory into the picture. That's well worth it.

- M

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Stars, Glaxies, and the swirls of the Milky Way

If you've ever been far out in the country, where there isn't much light in the sky, you've seen the wonder of that vast expanse of stars and swirls in the night sky. It's nearly beyond comprehension that so much vastness is out there. Also, it makes our tiny little world seem so very small in comparison. Awesome seems like a tiny word to use, but it's the best I have.

Looking up at the sky from within the city limits, there are only a few bright dots in the blackness. I miss seeing the scope of the night as a city dweller. It's like a gift every night.

But, there is another aspect of the night sky--it's magical and inspiring. Many songs, stories, fantasies, and tall tales have been created because of the stars and I suspect it'll continue time itself ends. Anyone with imagination is touched by the vastness of stars, and prompted to do something about it. There is a greatness evident, and we all love it regardless of our position in society or on the planet. So, take a trip sometime and get away from the bright lights of the city... take your time and watch the night sky turn over your head.

 - M

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Mythbusters, and the conclusion of sacred cows

The show, "Mythbusters," is a very intriguing one. The concept is that they take a common myth--like buttered bread always falls buttered side down (more on this later)--and test it. Myths that are testable in a direct way, and ones dealing with building things or explosions, are what they do best. Anything requiring scientific techniques are a bit beyond them (though these days they have enough advisors that they do alright, but in the beginning their methods were  It's a great show, and I love watching it whenever it's on.

There is a phrase called "sacred cows" and it means a belief held in unusually high esteem. It's normally a concept that is near and dear to people's hearts and one they aren't willing to see broken. Mythbusters focusses almost entirely on myths that are in that category. Over the years they have done nearly any myth you can think of, even the one about duck quacks not echoing (apparently it's because of the audio frequency, and it amazingly is true). They also love doing myths about Duct Tape, and the tape is an amazingly versatile tool (they've made boats, bridges, and rope with it).

I enjoy the show mainly because myths have some basis in reality and it's fun seeing if it all holds up to the truth. Speaking about that, the myth about buttered bread is true... however, it isn't because of any buttering but because the bread rotates one-half turn on its way to the floor. Since you would rightly have the buttered side up then it will fall with the buttered side down on the floor. Sometimes myths are like that, fun in the telling but not quite right when tested.

- M

ps. A "Bull in a China Shop" is actually very careful and graceful, breaking nothing.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Audiobooks--aka. "Listening to the magic of books"

I love to listen to books. Not that I can't read them, but because voice acting makes books take on a fresh quality that I enjoy. Naturally, there are lots of other people who simply don't have time to read and so listen to books on their commutes to work and so on. It's another way to enjoy books, and sometimes is even better than reading it yourself--at least, I hope I'm not the only one who can't do voices justice in my own head.

My oldest daughter enjoys turning on her Kindle's voice reading system. It's pretty good, and she loves it, but I like a human being doing the reading. However, as technology progresses the quality of electronic reading will continue to more closely approximate the human voice. I suppose there will be a time when you really won't notice the difference. Sadly, that'll be the end of the voice acting industry in regards to audiobooks, but it will also open the galaxy of books to people unable to read for themselves.

The short story is especially suited to audiobooks, mainly due to the short form, and because it's easy enough to listen to an entire story in one sitting. Most full audiobooks go on for a number of hours (a dozen or more) and so must be broken down into smaller chunks. However, the experience is worthwhile and I think expands the book for the audience. Hopefully, it isn't the only way the books are read, but even if so, the books are being read and that is the important point.

- M

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Tactical combat, strategic battles, and making wars epic

Large scale battles are common in fantasy and science fiction. The methods may vary, but the basic idea of winning by using tactics and strategy is pretty even. Really, the only question is how much detail to go into. When I read tactical analysis of past wars, even those rarely go into blow-by-blow strategy and instead focus on the overall battle plans. It seems to me that tactics only come to light on the grand scale, rather than at the individual level.

For a movie and book, battle is a very visual idea. Most people who enjoy the story haven't had any kind of touch with actual battle, so it's a great deal of imagination and hardly any known fact of the situation. I'm sure combat in its true form isn't romantic, and probably resembles a horror story more than anything else. Either way, a lot of speculation goes into it. Done well, the audience has a good grasp of who's winning and why.

In the end, what matters is that the audience gets involved in caring about what's happening. Given a grasp of the strategy, the audience will leap ahead and enjoy the resolution much more than without such a head start. Epic combat grows out of this idea but takes a grander design, with far more consequence to the world at large, or with deep meaning to the main characters. Given a wide enough tactical overview, any battle can become epic. Think of the 300 at Thermopylae--I'm sure most people know it now because of the movie--and how incredibly impactful that event was. That is epic.

- M

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

The Rise of Computer Graphics and the Triumph of Visualization. Jurassic Park to Gollum.

Computer graphics are a huge interest for me. They really hit it big with the movie version of "Jurassic Park" and the fantastic Tyrannosaurus Rex. The realism of the dinosaur is so fantastic that it still looks great today. I love watching the segments with the Rex still today. It's hard to match such realism still. But, watching the Lord of the Rings movies made me appreciate how far things have progressed. Gollum continues to amaze, with unbelievably emotive eyes and facial expressions.

One of the hardest things about ultra realistic computer imagery is the fact that the human eye is so incredibly good at noticing fakery. That's why there is such a problem with "dead eye" faces in video games. Your own eye notices that the visuals just aren't right, and look fake. It's like a doll's eyes, bobbling around inside a plastic head. These days, that is a bigger and bigger problem, because the graphics are fantastic but still are clearly fake. However, it's just a matter of time now.

I remember reading stories as a kid about completely holographic actors. We aren't quite there yet, though Gollum is very close. We still need motion capture to get the performances, though I expect that to end at some point as the libraries of human motion are gathered and stored. But, the goal isn't to replace humans in the process, but to amplify the possibilities. There's a lot in store, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

- M

Monday, March 17, 2014

Hack 'em, Slash 'em, Break 'em apart! Jean-Claude Van Damme kicks it high!

I love action movies, always have. Watching amazingly athletic actors take apart the hoodlums and riff-raff is immensely enjoyable. The "Remo Williams" books have hilariously fun action scenes with all sorts of craziness going on. There are all kinds of John Wayne movies to enjoy, the various martial arts heroes, and of course Anime of every breed.

Probably there is a course taught somewhere about these action heroes, but I think it's safe to say they aren't the most complex characters. It doesn't matter. What we're after is seeing the carnage and destruction they bring upon the bad guys. It's a kind of visceral payback for all the wrongs we've suffered at the hands of people we wish we could deal with but can't. A sort of catharsis; it makes us feel better.

Anyway, one of the great box office successes is Jean-Claude Van Damme, the "Muscles from Brussles." His career hit amazing highs, then went to a lot of straight to DVD movies. However, there is a newer one called "JCVD" which is a deep introspection on himself but through the action hero setting. It's about a guy trying to do right, but messing up and getting caught up in a bank robbery, and then due to his stardom he becomes the flashpoint that drives the scenario into overdrive. At one point, he faces the camera, rises into an attic (a neat transition as he's sitting on a chair and it's pulled up) and does a monologue emptying his soul right at the viewer. It's a startling movie, and incredibly well done. I applaud the effort. He took a big risk, and it worked. Check it out, it's well worth it.

- M

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Controversy, and purposely stirring the pot. Bring emotion into it.

Stories are about emotion. One way to get those emotions flowing is to create controversy. It doesn't have to be political, or spiritual, or anything especially egregious. Controversy can simply be putting in a situation that we would all agree is brutally unfair--being accused of theft when the accuser is the one actually thieving. What happens with the audience is an emotional response, it heats them up, enrages, and hopefully creates a deep connection with the story.

I've listened to master oral storytellers work their craft. It's incredible. If you ever get the opportunity, take it. It's a dying art form, but well worth the effort. What really amazes me is how they take the words and create such emotional depth. Especially, they turn the central conflict into a controversy that brings the audience and the story together. It's incredible. In their spellbinding oration, the unfairness becomes even more dynamic and palpable. As they speak, they watch their audience and respond accordingly, pushing harder at whatever resonates the most.

It comes down to conflict, but controversy isn't necessarily a fight and can be a setting itself. The environment may simply be against the characters in a way that puts them at odds with everyone else. Ray Bradbury's fantastic classic, Fahrenheit 451, is just that--the main characters thinks differently than those around him and thus the conflict centered at the book is born. The controversy actually drives the story.

Perhaps it's a careful slicing of the idea of controversy and conflict, but I think it's an important distinction. Controversy is the basis for so much more, and isn't just a fight. That breeds powerful emotions, which is what makes stories so powerful.

- M

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Whistle while you work, whistle while you play!

Ever tried whistling more than a single note? I grew up whistling, and have been told I'm pretty good at it. I don't deny it. I love whistling songs, and having a good time by myself. It's relaxing, and let's me sing my favorite songs without having the vocal range to do it by voice. More still, it let's me play with music and that's something I believe very strongly in. Music makes life better in every way.

Disney popularized "Whistle while you work" and it stuck in the popular imagination, not that I've ever seen anyone whistling at work really. Actually, I used to do that as a janitor when I thought I was alone (apparently not always, since people commented about it). The concept is a good one though, because it speaks about being happy about what you're doing. That's a great idea. We should all enjoy our work, even when it's hard and backbreaking.

I suppose the conclusion is to ask: What do you do to make your life happy? Whistling is only one thing we can do, but there are many options available to us. Enjoying what you do is more than an emotion, it's a commitment. Life is like that, rewarding our commitments with joy. Maybe not jump in the air joy, but a satisfaction of something done well.

- M

Monday, March 10, 2014

Motivation. What makes you tick?

Why do you do what you do? What makes it worthwhile? If someone stopped you on the street, could you answer? Have you thought about it? It's amazing to discover the passion you have when you stop and consider why you do things. Otherwise, why do anything? We all have our reasons, and for the most part they are powerful indeed.

Stories are the same way. Without clear motivation the people inside fall somehow flat, they just don't seem real. Audiences seek characters they can connect with, even if they don't actually like them. It's part of human resonance, where we seek out commonality. As a voracious reader, I many times really despise a character, but mainly because I have a really strong resonance with their motivations and actions. It works the other way too, where I love a character but can't somehow get a connection. Jurassic Park was like that--I absolutely loathed the little girl, but specifically because of how much I understood her motivations... still didn't make her any less whiney.

Show, demonstrate, layer the story with motivations and audiences will love it. As hard as it is to understand Batman's motivations, we all understand grief and the desire for vengeance. Those small parts blend together and create something far larger and powerful. We long for a story to make us feel, taste, and touch. Place us within their motivations, and we will fill in the gaps ourselves. After all, storytelling isn't a one way process; the audience is as much a part of the story as the teller.

- M

Saturday, March 8, 2014

Death, danger, imminent peril. Are your favorite characters safe?

We all know that the main characters rarely ever die, and even when they do it isn't necessarily permanent (either it was all a ruse--somehow faked--or they get brought back). I remember reading about early Hollywood movies where one of the principles was that nobody ever died on screen. But, when a movie inevitably made it happen, there was such shock in theatres that women feinted, men rushed out, and it rocked the entire industry. Still, the main characters are the only ones who regularly make it through the whole thing.

That isn't to say there is anything wrong with it. After all, as an audience, if I've spent hours, days, even months, connecting with the characters I sure want to see them stick around. Besides, it wouldn't be much of a story if there weren't protagonists that the story is about. It's natural to let them live. However... that doesn't mean they can't be in imminent peril of death and destruction. I think audiences like the feeling of the characters brushing up against disaster and making it through, while others around them fall to their doom. It's like a roller coaster--you don't expect to die, but it sure feels like it and gets your heart racing.

For a while, no characters were safe. There was a trend where main characters fell even in the early stages of a story, and more still afterwards. But, the shock of it happening quickly dulls and it's not as horrifying as it could be. I think such things should be used sparingly, surgically, to throw a wrench in the audience's mind so they stop guessing ahead and focus on what's actually happening. A good surprise will do that, and let's the author be sneaky in the background.

- M

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Hiding. Secrecy. Keeping things out of sight. How much is too much, and how much is too little?

Funny how hard something so simple can be. Hiding things is one such idea. Mysteries are commonly built completely around the hiding of facts/suspects/motives so the audience is strung along the wrong path until the story pops the conclusion. Of course, it isn't only mysteries that do this, but there is still the trouble of how much and when? It's interesting to study how different authors accomplish the task, and the success they find. Now that I mention it, this isn't even true only of stories, but also games and all kinds of other things (Hide and Seek is more about hiding in a strategic spot more than a highly camouflaged spot).

In my mind, the importance of secrecy is curiosity. As an audience, I want to know and am willing to wait and find out, and then as a participant I want to do a good job hiding stuff, and finally as an author I want to think it all up. All those things work together and makes magic happen. It's dazzling to witness someone like Agatha Christie do it so well--my favorite is still "Ten Little Indians" which continues to be a top seller in mysteries.

So, what's the answer? How much is too much? How much is too little? The answer is like asking why something is a favorite--because it is. What I mean is that a complete answer isn't really possible; it's more a feeling than anything else. We all do it, with flavors and colors, cars and movies. We know what we like, but can't really express why we do. So, my suggestion is to keep the secrecy where you personally like it and go with it. After all, shouldn't stories at least benefit yourself as you experience them?

- M

Monday, March 3, 2014

Real heroes, who also happen to be celebrities

When I was a kid, I grew up around celebrities like Audie Murphy (his life is chronicled in the movie "To Hell and Back") and others. They lived the life they portrayed on screen, and they weren't ashamed of demonstrating their courage time and again. There was an abundance of heroes to look up to, people who had integrity; people kids wanted to grow up into. I think we still need those heroes today.

Prince Harry is a modern hero like this. He put his determination on full display and joined the military. Sure, he's a prince and so isn't quite treated the same as any other soldier but he is in harms way and willingly put himself there. That takes guts, and is laudable. Many celebrities speak out about their particular cause, but rarely put themselves at risk. I understand. It takes courage, and the willingness to sacrifice.

Probably the biggest quality of a hero is accepting the consequences for their actions. They don't shy away from bad or good. If they choose to do it, then they will take the results. It's more than simple courage; it's complex and reasoned beyond emotion. The true hero steps into the breach without complaining that's it's unfair and someone else should do it. They take responsibility. No matter what, they try--sometime failing--and try again until they succeed. True heroes are worthy of imitation, because they actually are examples to follow.

- M

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, the Roadrunner, and crazy mishaps that make everyone laugh.

There is a rare joy in old time cartoons. It's as though the writers unhinged their brains and let whatever burbled up onto the screen to cavort and carry on. I loved them as a kid. Some of my fondest memories are waiting for Saturday morning cartoons to roll through. Such things are a simple joy, and hard to really pin down as to why. I think the biggest thing for me was watching ridiculous creatures doing ridiculous things in ridiculous places. I don't know how many times I've seen Wiley E. Coyote windmill in the air before plummeting down and making a shaped crater in the valley floor, but each time is enjoyable.

I doubt any kid ever thought it was real, but that's besides the point. The point was pure fun, no matter how crazy or outlandish. In some ways, it was better when it went off the rails and flew into complete insanity. Classics like "What's Opera, Doc?" where the cartoons took the epic Ring Cycle from Wagner and turned it into a brilliant comedy. I see the same sort of imagination in Pixar Shorts, and other smaller studios. It's good to see.

Humor is a distinctly human quality, and I'm glad. There are a lot of wild and fantastical cartoons out now, and I guess I'm a bit out of touch since I don't watch them. Still, it warms my heart that cartoons are still around and changing to match the desires of new audiences. Hope continues through the younger generations, with their own imagination and zaniness.

- M