May
21

Star Trek to Writers: Go Boldly Classic Star Trek sounds a lot like 21st-century Star Trek: “We maintain a fast pace … avoid long philosophical exchanges or tedious explanations of equipment. And note that our cutting technique is to use the shortest possible time between idea and execution.” From slatevault: Producers of the original Star Trek series distributed this photocopied guide to the show’s writers in 1967. They were all on a major mission to avoid cheesiness and scientific error. (Also forbidden: uniforms with pockets.) http://slate.me/YToqxJ See more from the classic writers’ guide here.

Star Trek to Writers: Go Boldly

Classic Star Trek sounds a lot like 21st-century Star Trek: “We maintain a fast pace … avoid long philosophical exchanges or tedious explanations of equipment. And note that our cutting technique is to use the shortest possible time between idea and execution.”

From slatevault:

Producers of the original Star Trek series distributed this photocopied guide to the show’s writers in 1967. They were all on a major mission to avoid cheesiness and scientific error. (Also forbidden: uniforms with pockets.) http://slate.me/YToqxJ

See more from the classic writers’ guide here.

Reblogged from slatevault

May
20

May
16

May
15

Guest Post: On Oxygen Masks, Happiness, and “Teeny Tiny Dogs”

Halle Stanford, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President of Children’s Entertainment at the Jim Henson Company (which produced the Amazon original pilot, Teeny Tiny Dogs), shares the key to family happiness: the oxygen mask.

As a mother of two boys (a teen and a toddler) and owner of two small dogs, I grab those “Mommy Moments” whenever I can find them.  You know, hiding in my bathroom for 15 minutes with the latest Game of Thrones book (“Mommy has to go potty.  I’ll be riiiight back!”). Mommy Moments make me one happy momma.

I learned this happy parent lesson years ago when I was going through a difficult divorce, and was worried about the happiness of my son. A wise friend told me, “You know what Rabbi Airplane says? Put your oxygen mask on before your kids. Your son will be happy if you are happy.”  And lo, my pal was right.  Today, my teen and toddler are both happy. It is important to be a happy parent. 

Years later as I listened to the actual “put on your oxygen mask first” lecture on an airplane, I noticed my six year old son holding his breath. Curious, I asked him what he was doing.  “Practicing holding my breath until you can get the mask on my face.”  Whoa. Smart kid!  He got me thinking back on the “oxygen mask” happiness metaphor. When do kids learn to put the happiness mask on themselves?  And how long do they need to hold their breath?

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May
14

“I come from a theater background. Aaron Sorkin is my favorite. I love talk. Dialogue to me is my stock in trade so I loved it. Learning about it all was actually really cool. I read the Steve Jobs biography. I looked into also to be able to get into it and explain it and explain it in a way that actually made sense to me was actually really fun.”

Betas star Joe Dinicol on mastering the tech talk his character so smoothly delivers (watch the show for free here)

Joe Dinicol