WEBSITE UPGRADES

The Empire Screenwriting Resource has undergone numerous upgrades and
polishes since last we met, with more expected in coming months.
A "change log" page may be added as a running record to save having
to remember and report on each of them at moments like this. Being
contemplated, also, is a fundamental redirect in terms of
subdirectory names, organization therein, and related indexes. This
will hopefully be done with minimal pain of the "it's not where I
thought it was" variety, but may be clumsy until the major search
engines re-spider the site. The new search feature, which updates
every Monday, might come in handy for the momentarily lost.

RICHMOND WORKSHOP

The first workshop, scheduled for Richmond, Virginia the first
weekend in November, has now been lined out. Please see the <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/workshop.html">workshop</a> page for
particulars--which are all subject to change(!), so check back early
and often. All proceeds the first weekend go to BETH SZYPERSKI, a
winner from the 4th Annual Contest. With luck and disciplined
application, the Virginia Beach and Arlington workshop details will
be announced soon.

MOVIE QUESTIONS

As a practical application of the free screenwriting course <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/empirecontact/">material</a> offered
at the Empire Screenwriting Resource:

What is the <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/empirecontact/dynamics/sdelements.html"
>launch</a> of <a href="http://us.imdb.com/Title?0259446">MY BIG FAT
GREEK WEDDING</a>? How could it have been done better?

How was careful <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/empirecontact/worduse.html">naming</a>
used to good effect in the movie?

What story strands could be eliminated from the movie?

What screams "new writer!" about the movie?

Where does the autobiographical nature, or the innate desire of the
main character (played by the <a href="http://us.imdb.com/Name?
Vardalos,%20Nia">authoress</a>) to see her life play out on the big
screen, hurt the movie?

What seems unrealistic in terms of the cinematic story being told?

What grade would you give each of the points of the <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/empirecontact/magicstar.html">Magic
Star of Dramatic Writing</a>? Which legs carry the movie?

What is the major weakness of the <a
href="http://www.geocities.com/empirecontact/dynamics/sdkey.html">reso
lution</a>?

Discussion to follow via this same medium.