ErinLaing.com

I was in Barcelona for a few days last week. I don’t think I’ve been so impressed by a city in a long time. Really spectacular.

The highlights:

- Mies van der Rohe’s German pavillion for the International Barcelona Exhibition in 1929.
- Gaudi’s architecture - makes you feel like Alice in Wonderland.
- Mercat de Sant Josep - La Boqueria
- Endless paella
- and of course the beach.

Drawback:

I missed my flight back home because I missed the Renfe train by 30 seconds! So although it’s a great train (conveniently located, fast and cheap) it would be nice if it came every ten minutes instead of every thirty.

More photos on flickr.

“If you’re having trouble with a scene, put the least likeliest person in. That way you will be sure to make it interesting.” - Ronald Harwood, screenwriter of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

I think this is just another way of saying every scene needs conflict.

Harwood is referring to that wonderful scene in The Diving Bell where Céline (Bauby’s wife) is on the phone with Bauby’s mistress translating for Bauby (because he cannot communicate himself). It’s a powerful scene rich in conflict. The result is that it’s awkward, sad, funny and touching all at the same time.

I saw Diving Bell at the Vancouver International Film Festival back in September and just recently listened to an interview with Harwood on the CSM podcast. He’s a fascinating writer who has a lot of great advice. Here are some other highlights from the interview.

“I don’t know who my characters are until I start writing them. I discover everything while I start writing.”

“If you’re true to what you’re doing, to the scene and to the characters, it’s impossible to be sentimental.”

The best advice he got on writing was from his friend Graham Greene: “Only stop when it’s going well.”

On why he won’t direct: “You can’t be a director if you want to be loved. And I want to be loved.”

As a writer, if you don’t know how your characters are going to get out of a situation, then your audience won’t know either. Sometimes it’s good to back yourself up into a corner.

- Michael Brandt and Derek Haas (screenwriters of 3:10 to Yuma)

I saw 3:10 to Yuma the other day. It’s an amazing film. I didn’t realise it was a remake but nevertheless it’s brilliant. The film is based on a short story by Elmore Leonard.

After seeing the film I listened to a podcast interview from Creative Screenwriting Magazine with the writers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. It was interesting to hear how they adapted the film to make it more current and how they approached the writing of their two main characters - Ben Wade and Dan Evans, two men on opposite sides of the moral spectrum.

CSM podcasts are always full of great insider information. How writers break into the industry, what they struggle with, how they approach their various projects etc. This interview was no different. Both writers, having finally found success and a level of comfort in the industry, are still very humble and no doubt, self deprecating.

It’s always reassuring to hear that every writer, no matter how successful, struggles with the same issues: doubt, fear, success, fear, fear, fear, doubt, classifieds, success.

Here’s the full 3:10 to Yuma CSM podcast.

I think a lot of people feel that whatever they produce the first time out has to be perfect. That the first draft, or even the first scene of a script has to be exactly right and if it’s not perfect, there’s no point putting it down on paper.

It’s very hard to deal with the fact that something you’ve created might be crap. You’re embarrassed with yourself that “this” came out of you, that you can even call yourself a writer (or any other artist) when this is what you’re producing.

I think being able to not only accept but appreciate this fact will make anyone a more confident and prolific artist.

Lunch: Brot mit salami und emmental Käse
On the radio: This American Life: The Giant Pool of Money. (Highly recommended listening)

Birthday Girl will be screening at this year’s Michigan Womyn’s Music and Film Festival!

The festival takes place from August 5th to the 10th.

Not sure when the film will be screening but the information should be available on their website shortly.

If you’re in Michigan be sure to check out the festival!

I watched Music and Lyrics the other day. It’s a sweet film, formulaic but occasionally funny. I’m not picky about the types of films I watch. I’ll sit through just about anything. Sometimes I prefer to watch bad films because it’s much easier to identify how the film went wrong - story wise; what elements were missing, why certain scenes didn’t work etc.

M&L isn’t a bad film by any means and in terms of story it hit every element it was supposed to, when it was supposed to, which is what made it satisfying in that conventional Hollywood way.

There’s a brilliant line in the film. Hugh Grant’s character is putting pressure on Drew Barrymore’s character to deliver lyrics - any lyrics - for a song they are trying to write. Barrymore’s character can’t come up with anything because she’s not inspired and Grant retorts with the line “inspiration is for amateurs!”

I think there are two types of artists. Those that sit around waiting for inspiration to come and those that see what they do as a career and write, draw, create, produce regardless if the mood is right.

Being an artist is a profession and to treat it as anything other than that is doing a disservice to oneself as an artist.

I’ve seen a lot of bloggers doing this (especially the ones who work from home) so I thought I would give it a go.

Today’s lunch: Vegetable stir-fry. (red and yellow peppers, onion, broccoli, egg, rice. Salt, pepper and curry powder for seasoning.)

The Women In Film and Television International Short Film Showcase is doing another run May 14th. If you couldn’t make it to the last screening due to the snow storm, now is your chance to catch the FCTNM festival.

Le samedi 14 mai, célébrons le talent remarquable des femmes du cinéma à travers le monde lors d’une projection exceptionnelle de neuf courts métrages mémorables dont MEET MARKET.CA de Geneviève Poulette ! De plus, FCTNM est très fière d’inclure BIRTHDAY GIRL de Erin Laing produit pour CBC et Télé-Québec.

Date: Wednesday, May 14th
Time: 19h
Location: 2100, Ste-Catherine Ouest, 2e étage, Montréal - Astral Media theatre.

Cocktail reception to follow.

If ever you’re in Prague and want to visit the Museum of Communism, it’s located above McDonald’s, next to the Casino.

Some photos of Prague.