TV and movie comparisons/ Takers/ writer update

Aug. 28 Comparisons: I remember this saying: "If you have a problem, think of all the solutions that won't work. Eventually you will find a solution that will work." I'm thinking of all these similar things occurring on TV shows and movies. Eventually I will think of something original.

Kid hiding in closet as mother gets killed: It occurred in the movie Unleashed and the TV shows Tru Calling and Law and Order: SVU.

Character wakes up in hospital and tries to escape: I saw this in the movies Nikita, X-Men, and Ginger Snaps 2.

Law enforcement drive black SUVs: I was watching Criminal Minds and CSI: NY and they both drive black SUVs. However, they are both on CBS.

Guy action hero, woman sidekick: In movies like Knight and Day, The Killers, Transporter 3, the guy is the action hero. The woman isn't, but kind of tags along. At least with Mr. and Mrs. Smith they're both action heroes.

Cops going into a computer game to solve crime: I saw that on Law and Order: SVU for the ep called "Avatar. CSI: NY went on the Second Life computer game. I did like that part in the episode where this blue wolf suddenly appears in the game. I burst out laughing at it because it came out of nowhere.

Cartoons doing a whole episode about playing a computer game: South Park did an episode, I think about World of Warcraft. Marge plays Earthland Realms on The Simpsons.

Flashbacks of how characters met: They show these when the show has a couple of seasons on them like Lie to Me and Criminal Minds.

A supernatural show that investigates suicides in a prison: I saw this on Warehouse 13. A few years ago I caught an episode of Supernatural though I don't usually watch that show.

In a cast of characters, one has to be really shallow: My sister said Caroline on Vampire Diaries is the shallow one just like Anya on Buffy. I would have said Spike on Buffy was. I remember in an interview Spike (James Marsters) said Spike was supposed to be the "new Cordelia." He's supposed to say whatever comes to his mind like Cordelia did. This was after Angel and Cordelia left the show to do Angel. There's Jackie on That 70's Show.

In a comedy, there's usually a really dumb character: Kelso on That 70s Show and Joey on Friends.

Finding a dead body in a carousel: I mentioned this earlier where I saw this on Criminal Minds and then Castle. I was watching a CSI:NY rerun earlier this week, I haven't seen it before. It turns out this show did it first.

The story starts with a prison break: It's done in the movie Romeo Must Die and the TV show White Collar.

Someone other than a cop teams up with cops to solve crime: In White Collar, a criminal teams up with a cop. In Castle, it's a writer. In Missing, it's a psychic. In The Mentalist, it's kind of psychic.

Dad acting crazy and waking up the character: I saw this the other day on South Park. Stan's mom tucks Stan into bed. The dad Randy then bursts into his room saying they need to get water and leave the house. It was something about Family Guy airing Mohammad on the show, and there would be a terrorist attack because of it.

This was done on The Simpsons where Bart is afraid Sideshow Bob is going to kill him. They go to witness protection become the Thompsons. Homer bursts into the room wearing a chainsaw and hockey mask.

Homer: Hey Bart, do you want to check out my new chainsaw and hockey mask?

Songs: This is kind of like the above. I find that Karl Wolf's song "Hurting" sounds like Danity Kane's "Damaged."

"Hurting" chorus: "Because I'm hurting, hurting, hurting, hurting."
"Damaged" chorus: "Because I'm damaged, damaged, damaged, damaged."

I'm not saying one is copying the other, but the beats to the chorus are similar.

Aug. 29 Reading: Right now I'm reading Write Screenplays that Sell, the Ackerman Way by Hal Ackerman, this screenwriter. This should beat my writer's block. I read the first 10 chapters today.

Takers: I didn't see this movie, but I read the reviews that it's all style, no substance. It's unoriginal, but it took the best part out of all other heist and action movies and put it together. I noticed in the trailer of the 5 guys walking away from an explosion. There was this funny music video with Alias creator JJ Abrams and SNL star Adam Sandberg. They sung about how guys always walk away from explosions instead of running.

Kind of like another movie cliche where the character is running, and the killer is walking after them.

Aug. 30 Writer update: This is an email I sent to the producer John.

Hey John

Here's my monthly email update. I checked out the book Write Screenplays that Sell, the Ackerman way by Hal Ackerman. I don't know if you ever heard of that. I'm already halfway through it though I started reading it yesterday.

Do you remember the old TV show Mentors? It was shot in Edmonton way back in 2000. It was about a teen named Oliver and his friend Dee and they brought people from the past to the present. After a few seasons, the actor who played Oliver got too old, and couldn't play a teen anymore.

I'm mentioning this because at the rate The Fighter is being produced, Kit Cope would be too old to play Alex. But he could play Banks.

I've been working on another script called Rain though. Well, I'll write you next month.