Storytelling
What Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead Can Teach Us About Modern Storytelling
Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead take have so much more in common than zombies. In many ways, they’re almost the same show… and they’re not alone.
Armchair Sociology
The 30 Day Challenge That Actually Works
Proof that even the most intimidating goals can be accomplished in pieces.
Social Media
The Brief Life and Sudden Death of The Baristas — or, How Not to Make a Web Series
Five years ago, the first episode of The Baristas debuted. We weren’t sure how long it would last. The production was beset with challenges even before it began. In my blind optimism, I hoped it would last for at least 100 episodes. Instead, it ended after 20. Here’s the story Read more…
Storytelling
What I Learned from Achieving Two Art Goals in One Month
In the past 30 days I accomplished two different artistic goals. Here’s what that taught me about the act of creating, and about myself. National Novel Writing Month I’d always wanted to try National Novel Writing Month (or #NaNoWriMo). I even started it once before, years ago, but I gave Read more…
Storytelling
What I Learned from Entering My First Screenwriting Competition
What I learned by biting off more than I could chew.
Armchair Sociology
How Bad Media Makes the World Even Better
Have you ever walked out of a movie? Or failed to finish a book you started reading? Or gotten halfway through a video game and just given up? Congratulations: you secretly won. That’s because you stopped giving your time and attention to something that didn’t appeal to you, and turned Read more…
Armchair Sociology
The Meaning of Life According to Don Draper
Autonomy is a major theme on Mad Men. Who has more power to control your story and your life — is it you, or everyone else? For example, when the execs at ad agency Sterling Cooper learn their ad agency is about to be sold (again) at the end of Read more…
Storytelling
6 Life Lessons from SXSW
I spent six days in Austin enjoying the 2015 SXSW Film program. Like any conference that’s also a nonstop party, this year’s lineup was inspiring, informative, and over too soon. Here are six takeaways that stuck with me. “The cavalry is not coming.” – Mark Duplass Sound depressing? Well, wait Read more…
Storytelling
9 Annoying Plot Holes in Thor: The Dark World
Every Marvel movie has a few problems, but Thor: The Dark World has some truly blockbuster-sized plot holes.
Social Media
The Life and Death of the Web’s Longest-Running Sitcom, Something to Be Desired
In September of 2003, before the launch of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or MySpace — before you could watch a video on your iPod, much less on your cell phone — the first episode of a brand new, so-called “web series” was uploaded to the Internet. The writer-director of this web Read more…