#Hollywood 101

[let-this-ship-sink-already]

It’s always “critical acclaim” girl, there is a surplus critics, podcasters, YouTubers. And now that, everyone has been bought off buy studio houses or pr managements. THIS IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE IN THE INDUSTRY. Why do you think the golden globes wasn’t even televised this year? Why do you think viewership for the Oscars and Emmys keep going down. Because it’s an industry game! Whenever people rely on “ur opinion doesn’t matter only critics do” meanwhile they are quick to take it back when critics pan euphoria and uncharted and malcom and Marie.

Studios are not gonna waste money on saving euphoria from critics because it doesn’t matter about quality, they have automatic viewership bc of zendaya. Some thing with uncharted. But u can always buy off performance reviewers and it’s beyond simple.

And whenever there is valid criticism her stands go to “jealous, racist, sexist!” Like nah! Not everyone has the taste level of a 13 year old stan. Also it’s this mentality that never lets a possible actor become better. Case in point Scarlet Johansson, she was NO WHERE NEAR a natural talent. She got PANNED in the beginning of her career but she was hot. But she didn’t buy praise, she took her criticisms and made smart choice and became a quality actress (not a ICONIC one, but she has done it smartly).

Y’all calling zendaya the greatest is not allowing her any room to even attempt to grow. Same thing with Tom. All I’m saying is STOP using buzzwords like racist, sexist, and jealous against ppl who have valid criticisms and also know how the Hollywood machine worst.

👏🏻

[eliceislandent]

How To Break Into Hollywood As A Writer

If you want to make it in Hollywood as a writer you better know what you’re doing. There are a few ways you can try to “break into the biz” as we say. Here are some ways people have succeeded before.

Good writing is honest, authentic, and precisely crafted. If you can stand out in these ways on the page then you will find success.

For starters, if you want to be a writer you need to offer something pretty special. One way is with an original script. Or a “spec script” as it is called in the business. A spec script is a script you write for free (speculatively) banking on the hopes it will get you more work.

A mediocre script isn’t going to cut it. It can’t be something we’ve seen before. You need to be original. You need to demonstrate you have an original voice.

It is important to adjust your expectations and have the proper goals for your spec script(s). Your spec script is a calling card. For people in the business to get a sense of your writing. Are you a comedy writer? Drama? What’s your style ? Do you have a voice? The goal of a good spec is to offer a sample of your work that makes an impression on people.

Good writing is honest, authentic, and precisely crafted. If you can stand out in these ways on the page then you will find success.

The goal should not be to sell your spec. Ultimately, you have no control over whether something sells. Besides, the odds of selling your spec pilot are very very low.

A spec script is meant to get you a job. On a TV show. Then, once you have that job, say on a TV show writing staff, you write your way up the ranks at that show. Eventually, you earn the right to sell and run your own show in the future.

Or your spec gets you a job writing a movie for an open writing assignment working someone else’s movie (i.e. a producer or a director). It gets made so you get to write another movie. Until, eventually it’s your movie that’s getting made.

Another way to get your foot in the door it is you can work as an Assistant. Start at a talent agency, get in a desk and use the relationships you make as you come up in the business to land a job as a writing assistant to a big time Showrunner.

Often times, this is a way to earn yourself a shot at proving you can write. Other writers in the show or the Showrunner themselves may offer you that chance by reading your script and giving you feedback. You might even be offered a chance to write an episode of the show you’re on.

Even if you aren’t you will learn more in a writers room than four years at film school.

Subscribe now

The true thing is there is no one way to make it as a writer in Hollywood. If there were everyone would go that route. Like law school for lawyers.

But whatever way you choose to try and break into the biz there is one truism: you can’t be lazy.

Hard work beats talent every time talent doesn’t work hard. There are no shortcuts. If you want it go after it. Don’t wait.

When it comes to the actual writing the key is to actually write. Only through doing will you get better.

And don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Not in the job you hope to get. The plan you make for yourself. Or on the page. Give yourself permission to suck in the beginning. Keep at it and you’ll get better. Eventually, if you get good enough Hollywood will come to you.

[damn-these-eyes]

table for two please

[hollyweirdangeleno]

[dischordantcerebralballistics]

Victoria Justice. Gorgeous actress and singer 💕💕💕

[iced-american0]

Quiet on Set

The documentary revealed some extremely shocking details. Personally I have felt disturbed after learning about everything that took place. How did Dan not know about Brian Peck being pen pals with a serial killer? Why did Disney hire Brian after he got out jail and how many more pedos did Disney hire??? And Penelope TAYNT?? For all these years i thought it was TATE. And all of those slang terms from iCarly and Victorious such as: Jank, Chiz, Wazbag, Gank, Grunch, What the Yuck, Hob-Knocker, Skunk bag. We all know what some stand for but now that I'm an adult revisiting all of this its actually disgusting. And Alexa Nikolas has been doing an AMAZING job exposing more predators. Check out her youtube channel she has covered so much about the documentary and so much more. She has shared her experience working with Dan and the cast of Zoey 101.

Tell me your thoughts on the documentary.

Alexa's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@eatpredators

[filmcourage]

Biggest Mistakes Writers Make Trying To Build A Career - Steve Harper

Watch the video interview on YouTube here.

[agentark]

I was certain the Uglies movie would be absolutely awful, but it was much better than I expected

[britneyshakespeare]

throughout the series of drake and josh it pretty consistently implies that josh nichols is a christian (josh peck is jewish) and in the finale of the series helen (played by yvette nicole brown, not jewish[?]) is portrayed as a practicing jew

[wainswright]

music theory basics

but Not Really, this is specifically about trying to write out my confusion with his video, but to start:

"In music theory, a scale is any set of musical notes ordered by fundamental frequency or pitch." (wikipedia) A scale in common parlance is set between between two pitches that are an octave apart. A scale is an interval pattern of pitches between two pitches that are an octave apart.

Octave is a technical term based off of frequency: "Modern Western music uses a system called equal temperament (ET for short). The table below shows the frequency ratios for all intervals from unison up to an octave. (Unison is the musical name for the “interval” between two identical notes.)"

An octave is “the distance between one note and another note that’s double its frequency. For instance, the note A4 is the sound of a vibration at 440 Hz. The note A5 is the sound of a vibration at 880 Hz. Going in the other direction, the note A3 is the sound of a vibration at 220Hz.”

So: a scale is a set of pitches within an octave, and the smallest interval they are 'divided' by in western music is the semitone, or half step. Semitones:

Equal temperament divides the octave into twelve identical intervals (called half-steps or semitones). As a result, each semitone corresponds to a frequency ratio of  2(1/12)2(1/12). What this means is a note a semitone above 100Hz100𝐻𝑧 has a frequency of 2(1/12)∗100Hz2(1/12)∗100𝐻𝑧, or roughly 106Hz106𝐻𝑧. Note:  2(1/12)2(1/12) can also be written as 12√2212 and is roughly equal to 1.06. When you “stack” musical intervals, the frequency ratios multiply together– not add. A semitone is a factor of 12√2212 because going up twelve semitones in a row must be the same thing as going up one octave. If you multiply 12√2212 by itself twelve times in a row, you get two- exactly the right frequency ratio for the octave. Other intervals in ET are built by “stacking” semitones. Each semitone you go up (or down) increases (or decreases) the frequency by a factor of (12√2)(212). Go up (or down) certain number of semitones, the frequency increases (decreases) by a factor of (12√2)n(212)𝑛 where n𝑛 represents the number of semitones you go up.  You can combine these ideas into a single equation: f1=f2∗(12√2)n𝑓1=𝑓2∗(212)𝑛 Here’s the same equation written with fractional exponents (rather than root signs); f1=f2∗2(n/12)𝑓1=𝑓2∗2(𝑛/12) In the equation, f2𝑓2 represents the frequency you want to find and f1𝑓1 is the frequency of the note you start with. Use positive numbers for n𝑛 if the frequency you want to find is higher than the frequency you are given. Use negative numbers if you are going down in pitch. Charts with note names and corresponding frequencies are freely available on the web- search on “note name frequency chart” to see a selection. Almost all of these charts are generated using the equation above, using the frequency 440 Hz for the note A4 as the starting point. (This standard note is often called A440).

Equal temperament is the most common system for musical intervals but it is not the only one. Early temperament systems based musical intervals frequency ratios based on whole numbers. Pythagorean temperament defines a perfect fifth as a frequency ratio of 3:2 and defines all other notes in terms of the perfect fifth. Just temperament defines all intervals in terms of fractions of whole numbers. The advantage of these older temperaments is that musically important intervals (like perfect fifths and major thirds) are perfectly in tune with the overtones wind and string instruments produce. The drawback is that non-ET systems do not handle key signatures changes well. In non-ET systems, musical notes produced in one key signature (say D major) do not produce the same musical intervals when music of a different key signature (say C major) is played.

Even just hearing the above causes every musician to start trying to catalogue how inadequate ET is to record various types of music.

However, in practice it's impossible to tune off of ET/matching a hertz anyway, people modify scales and tuning on their instruments to frequencies to match slightly different scales that in the end don't exactly line up with this kind of measurement. This isn't a bug, but an intended feature. More styles of measurement of scales are commonly explained when explaining these basics, including microtones, which are defined as quarter-steps, they are supposed to be half of semitones. In practice, imo, this is negligible to hear, but exists.

However- this does mean on most scales within an octave, there are twelve possible intervals called semitones/half-steps. The piano is tuned for exactly this. Two adjacent keys on a piano are a half-step apart. (This is what chromatic scale means: a scale where you play all 12 half steps within an octave.) (The definition of a diatonic scale is currently: a pattern of intervals between seven notes of most modern scales (not only including western history) and the seven modes based off these intervals.) (There are multiple non-diatonic variations of major and minor scales that come off from a mode, that is not uncommon or special.)

A mode is the pattern of half and whole steps that can begin/use as a tonic any note of a root scale, without shifting the intervals between them. If the interval is shifted (common,) then it is a variation of that mode (common names: harmonic and melodic), and no longer the same type of scale as the root "scale." (Any scale can have modes, depending on number of pitch and the pattern of pitch. A chromatic scale would technically have 12 modes, but it would be identical no matter where you start so what's the point. )

Any sound you hear in most music (including traditional music not only from western tradition) works using a chromatic scale. Not every music scale in various music is always going to specifically going to match a diatonic scale (even including accidentals), but that's true of a lot of music considered "western", not just traditional music of any given culture. All music exists using a "scale" because that's literally just what it means- if it's along an interval pattern except for an odd note out that note is an "accidental" to a scale and gets a special marking like # or b in the music to denote how it sounds outside the scale marked at the beginning of the sheet music. Music can change key/scale at any time.

Nowadays most scales use seven notes/pitches in an octave, in an pattern of intervals (whole steps and half steps) called the diatonic scale. (Skipping over why, tbh it's probably not racism, applies to a lot of music.) Two half-steps together form the interval of a whole step. The pattern of the major and minor scale are formed by a variety of half and whole steps. G major scale is a diatonic scale, G ionian mode of G major scale (tonic and root are the same note G, which is the first degree.) G minor scale is a diatonic scale, G aeolian mode (natural minor scale) of the 'parent' B major scale. (tonic is B, root is G)

Modes of a major/diatonic scale:

(from the tonic starting from which root degree degree first to seventh) Ionian - Dorian - Phrygian - Lydian - Mixolydian - Aeolian - Locrian

But to skip forward a lot, say you make modes of any of these scales in themselves and don't stick to the interval pattern of the diatonic scale (common.) Then it is no longer diatonic, and starts getting labelled based off the shifted intervals within the scale.

Modes of a minor scale (at random example) (actually i should check this later):

Melodic Minor - Dorian b2 - Lydian Augmented - Lydian Dominant - Mixolydian b6 - Locrian Natural - Altered Dominant

There's a lot of variation you can introduce through modes based off of different intervals between pitches in a scale. It makes sense to me there are a lot of unique modes used for music I'm not familiar with. However: it is simply a different claim to say that there are such commonly used quarter steps/microtones that suddenly make talking about music impossible, that's just saying words man.

You'd easily just make a scale that includes a quarter step with all the annoying extra notes that implies. I googled iranians modes very briefly.

There doesn't seem to be overwhelming shower of information on some system of intervals that specifically uses a scale with missing microtones but iranian modes do have scales that tune a few notes a microtone flatter on a normal chromatic scale- these specific notes a quarter-step flat are labelled 'koron' (which implies to me there aren't a huge amount of microtones to practically use in these scales, it's related to having a style where a note is bent down slightly instead and maybe it is a proper novel harmony I'd love to learn about) but it is true foreign traditional modes are not studied in the lens of introductory music theory, but he didn't develop his argument at all so I'm not sure what he's saying, because he's not sure what he's saying past that. (I'm filtering his argument to make it as if he would if he was more knowledgeable.)

[save-the-villainous-cat]

The lorax more professionally explores sensitive topics than 99% of modern movies from Hollywood lmao

I’m sure it does…

[oldshowbiz]

1955.

The Pre-Opening Report From Disneyland featured footage of the newly built Disneyland structures being transferred along the Hollywood Freeway.

In this sequence, the convoy turns off of Barnham Blvd and onto the Hollywood Freeway, traveling south past the western side of Whitley Heights.

[gobbogoo]

There's a lot of reasons why this sort of thinking hampers the long-term success of these films, and one of the major ones is recognizability. With Halloween coming up, consider how many "iconic" costumes you see from modern films, vs films from yesteryear? There are a few to be sure, but nowhere near the number of immediately recognizable outfits there used to be.

More and more, short-term gain over long-term success seems to be the preference, and I'm not entirely sure why the industry's mindset has shifted like that? I assume the rise of social media and the internet as a whole has SOMETHING to do with it, but I'm not quite sure.

the decrease in costuming quality over the last 20 years has been soooo precipitous & nauseating. i’m not even talking abt marvel’s cg supersuits or anything this time, look at the fabric quality, structure, layering, character, and craftsmanship of older costumes in 102 dalmations (2000) vs cruella (2021)

ever after (1998) vs cinderella (2021)

lord of the rings (2001-2003) vs the rings of power (2022)

this trend should upset you not just because it looks cheap, but because it suggests a strong anti-art and anti-labor movement in film and tv making. don’t forget costumers are unionized

[us-uk-news]

A Rising Star from Austin Butler Zoey 101 to Hollywood Heights

Austin Butler’s entry into the entertainment world began with a breakout role in the Nickelodeon teen sitcom Austin Butler Zoey 101. Cast as James Garrett, Butler quickly became a fan favorite with his charming portrayal of a character blending mischief and charisma. This initial foray into television laid the groundwork for what would soon evolve into a promising career.

[probinism]

Gladiator 2000 Film Review: How Far Can a Man Go to Avenge His Family

Released in 2000, Gladiator is an epic historical action film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe as the lead character, Maximus Decimus Meridius. The film tells the story of a Roman general who is betrayed and enslaved and ultimately seeks revenge against the emperor who killed his wife and son and burnt his house and betrayed him. The film was a critical and commercial success,…

[filmcourage]

How To Tell Great Stories: 3 Tricks I Use All The Time - Rhomeyn Johnson [FULL INTERVIEW]

Watch the video interview on YouTube here.