My Review of New Hampshire Indie Film The Sensation of Sight

Here's the review I wrote some time ago or the movie The Sensation of Sight, by New Hampshire's own Either/Or Films:

The opening shot thrilled me--for a rather personal reason. I recognized the scene as the one that's been fascinating my brother and me since we were kids. It's an old stone barn we used to drive past on the way to visit our grandfather.

Photo: moosedog studio

After admiring the barn, I realized that nothing was really happening. Nothing much, anyway. I waited while the movie's dawn turned to daylight around the barn and the morning mists burned off. I began to wish I hadn't bought it.

But it gets better. We meet a man named Finn (David Strathairn) and watch as he tells his wife he's going away. Finn seems to be tortured and have a driving need to search for some sort of answer. His message is ambiguous and almost confusing--as it should be.

In another scene, two guys come together to wash cars, and they're discussing the fact that one is working and the other is not. But there are three guys there, and the third one isn't working, either. And he's wearing a suit. I wondered why. And I wondered why, in the age of the internet, Finn decides to go-to-door selling encyclopedias.

Eventually I learned that the third guy is a ghost. It's not that this is a `paranormal' movie. It's just that Finn's burden of unresolved tragedy is as real to him as any physical presence could be. The people around him can't see the ghost--most of them, anyway. What they can see, can touch, are the encyclopedias.

Finn is not glamorous. He's not fabulous. He's not even successful or collected or sexy, at least in the classic sense. He's real. In fact, he's so real, so imperfect, so nakedly human that I relate to him. I identify. I feel.

"The Sensation of Sight" contains no pat answers. It depicts life, complete with anxieties and uncertainties. But it leaves us with a sense that we need not be its victims: we can be its participants.

Catching Up

It's been forever since I've said a thing to you. I won't bore you with all that's happened. Here's what I'm doing now:

• Tweaking Quicksilver, a Star Trek script. Yes, I said Star Trek. I wrote it with two other people, tailored to a particular actress, who had expressed interest in some public remarks. She declined it, so now we're revising it to be suitable for lots of actresses, before we send it off to Paramount.
• Plugging away at Pyte. The plot is good, the outline is good, but it reads like 57,000 words of drivel. I wrote it too fast, as an experiment. I kept reading that editing as you write is a bad habit: just write, and refine it later. Apparently that advice is not for me. I'm rewriting it, but it's slow going.
• Getting ready for NaNoWriMo. I'm excited! Still deciding which novel to write:
• 1. The Suitcase Man. Gretchen is on a road trip, heading back home after a frantic drive to see her father when he had a heart attack. Dad's okay, but now Gretchen has locked her keys in the car. She's broke and far from anyone she knows. That's when she meets Jeremiah, who's offering to pay her $5000 to deliver a suitcase. The reason I hesitate: It's the third book in the series that starts with Pyte. Not sure if I'm not going to write myself into a corner if I don't do them in order.
• 2. An Analysis of the Cardassian Language. Faine Channing is visiting her cousin in Chicago when she suddenly finds herself on an alien space station 350 years in the future. Too bad the aliens, in that century, are at war with Earth. She's interrogated and kept as a prisoner for years until the war is over. This book is her journal. The reason I hesitate: It's Star Trek. Which means if I don't sell it to Pocket Books, I don't sell it at all.

Which one would you write?

Free Online Writing Instruction: Scripts

I recently came across Buzz McLaughlin's blog, and I thought you should know about it.

Buzz is an active feature film producer and partner in the independent production company Either/Or Films. He's the author of many plays and screenplays and of the best-selling book The Playwright’s Process. A Ph.D in dramatic literature, he taught scriptwriting as Playwright-In-Residence for many years at Drew University and currently runs a script consulting service. And he happens to live not far from me (quite close, actually, but I'd have to borrow my brother's canoe).

His blog is called Buzz McLaughlin on Scriptwriting. Some of the post titles:

• "Developing a Script That’s 'Ready”: What It Takes"
• "Locations and Your Script"
• "The Myth of Recognition"
• "The Risk of Self-Exposure"

The latest is called "Leisure Time" and it's Part 7 of a series entitled "Developing Great Characters".

I've just begun reading the posts (there are a lot of them in the archives) and so far I've found lots of good information clearly written in a friendly style. I'm looking forward to learning more. I would like to add just one more piece of advice from my own experience, though: no matter how 'into' the writing you are, don't forget to eat.

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Terrorism in New Hampshire

My current primary 'real work' project is adapting Resist the Devil into a screenplay. It will be a full-length action movie about what happens to three New Hampshire residents when their town suffers a terrorist attack.

I know this is short but I don't want to spill too much this early. Watch here for more later.

Leap Day Project

I just wrapped a project with two other people, and it was wonderful working with them.

Now we're exploring the feasibility of a new project, and I thought I'd share the process with you as we go along. It's new territory for me at least: I'm a writer and the writing part's already done. We're thinking of taking a short (nine page) script and making a movie out of it for Youtube.

There are three of us, all female. Here's the script:

The Suitcase Man

by

Mary Jeddore Blakney

Based on a short story by the same name.

EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

An older car is parked at a convenience store. GRETCHEN, a

pretty young woman, goes around the car with growing alarm

trying all the handles but everything is locked. She stands

in disbelief for a moment, then walks into the store.

INT. STORE

GRETCHEN is in the aisles, looking carefully at the products

on a shelf. She doesn't find what she's looking for. She

looks up and sees a store employee, KAYLA, straightening

a cooler shelf.

GRETCHEN

Excuse me.

Kayla jerks her head up. She'd been falling asleep.

GRETCHEN

Sorry to bother you, but do you

carry lockout kits?

KAYLA

Nope. Manager doesn’t want to be

responsible for car thefts. Can’t

say as I blame her, either. Lock

yourself out?

GRETCHEN

(Nods and sighs)

KAYLA

Child in the car?

GRETCHEN

No, fortunately, my brothers are

safe at home.

KAYLA

(Grunts)

GRETCHEN

Would you happen to have a wire

coathanger?

KAYLA

(Jumps. She's been sleeping on

her feet.)

Sorry, can’t help you. I had one,

but I gave it to a guy to tie up

his tailpipe with. It was starting

to fall off, dragging on the

ground.

GRETCHEN

Is there an auto-parts store around

here, close enough to walk to? Even

if it’s a couple of miles, that

would be okay.

KAYLA

No, closest one’s in Bradford, and

that’s got to be, gee, twenty

miles? I’m trying to think…

GRETCHEN

How about a dry cleaner's?

A middle-aged female CUSTOMER comes into view, picks up a

package of donuts, changes her mind and puts them back.

KAYLA

Well, yeah. Actually, there’s

one…it’s not that far. Can’t be

more than a mile, anyway. I’ll give

you directions but you might want

to write them down; there’s kind of

a lot of turns.

CUSTOMER

(Pulls out a pen and hands it

to Gretchen)

That’s my business. You can keep

it.

GRETCHEN

(Looks at pen. It advertises

cruises.)

Thanks.

Customer exits.

GRETCHEN

I should have asked her for a ride.

KAYLA

She would have said no anyway. She

comes here all the time, so I kind

of know her. She’s paranoid

someone’s going to steal her car.

EXT. SIDEWALK NIGHT

GRETCHEN trudges like she's been walking for a while. She's

alone and there's not much traffic. The sidewalk is crumbly

and sometimes disappears into a well-worn dirt path.

EXT. DRY CLEANER SHOP NIGHT

GRETCHEN arrives and is disappointed to find the shop

closed. She scours the parking lot and eventually finds what

she's looking for: a wire coathanger.

EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

There's less light now: the store is closed. GRETCHEN

struggles to straighten the hanger with just her hands, her

knee and a parking curb. She keeps wincing and flexing her

fingers because she's hurting them. When she's got it

straight she starts poking the seal around the driver's door

window and eventually gets it in. She struggles for a long

time, pulling the wire out and bending it, trying again,

bending again, until finally she gets it to reach the lock.

But it's too weak and bends instead of pressing the button.

She's exasperated and scared. She sits on a parking curb,

very discouraged, pulls her phone out of her pocket, dials

and puts the phone to her ear.

FADE TO:

EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

GRETCHEN is still sitting on the parking curb with the phone

to her ear.

911 DISPATCHER (O.S.)

I'll transfer you to the State

Police.

GRETCHEN waits.

STATE POLICE DISPATCHER (O.S.)

“The only thing we can do for you

is find you a wrecker service.

Unfortunately, we don’t perform

lockout service. Would you like me

to help you find a wrecker service?

GRETCHEN

Yes, please.

INT. WRECKER COMPANY

MADDY, the twenty-something night desk person, sits with her

feet on the desk. The phone rings.

MADDY

Howard Towing service. Servicio de

grua.

(listens)

We don’t do lockout service. I wish

I could help you, but they

shouldn’t have sent you to us. What

you need is a locksmith.

GRETCHEN (O.S.)

Can you help me find a locksmith?

MADDY

(Looking around for it)

I got a phonebook around here

somewhere. I could look in there.

GRETCHEN (O.S.)

That'd be great, thanks.

EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

GRETCHEN paces, holding her phone and a piece of register

receipt paper full of writing on both sides. She pulls up

her left sleeve and there are several phone numbers written

on her arm. She dials one and waits.

GRETCHEN

Hi, how much do you charge for

lockout service?

(listens, looks disappointed,

writes "$85" on her arm under

the number)

Kay, thanks. I might call you back.

FADE OUT

EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

GRETCHEN sits on the parking curb. All the phone numbers on

her arm have prices written under them now. They are all $80

and up except for one: $45.

GRETCHEN

I know I said I wouldn't call this

one, but...here goes.

(dials, doesn't wait long)

JEREMIAH (O.S.)

Lockout service.

GRETCHEN

Hi, my name is Gretchen and I

called a few minutes ago.

JEREMIAH (O.S.)

Yes, I remember you. Did you decide

to go ahead with the job?

GRETCHEN

(grimacing)

Yes, I did.

JEREMIAH (O.S.)

Great! That’s automotive lockout

service for forty-five dollars.

Will you be paying with cash?

GRETCHEN

With cash, yes. I even have exact

change.

JEREMIAH (O.S.)

That’s fantastic, Gretchen. Just

sit tight, and we’ll get you out of

there - or, into there, I guess. If

he’s not there in twenty minutes,

just give me a call back, alright?

EXT. PARKING LOT NIGHT

GRETCHEN paces, waiting, and an unmarked white pickup pulls

up. It parks nearby and JEREMIAH, a shaggy, heavyset young

man gets out. He's wearing blue coveralls with no markings.

JEREMIAH

Are you Gretchen.

GRETCHEN

Sure am. Thanks for coming.

JEREMIAH

(Walks toward her, offers his

hand.)

No problem. I'm Jeremiah.

They shake hands.

JEREMIAH

Listen, I know we quoted you

forty-five dollars over the phone,

but if the money’s an issue,

there’s a way you can actually get

the job done for free.

GRETCHEN

(disgusted, ready to defend

herself)

Listen, Mister, some things are

just not for sale. I was told I was

going to get my car unlocked for

forty-five dollars, and as far as

I’m concerned you’re here to unlock

my car for forty-five dollars.

JEREMIAH

(flinches, backs up, turns his

palms out)

Oh, no, no, no, Ma’am, it’s nothing

like that. It’s just that…well,

here’s the deal: I’m not a

locksmith. I don’t actually know

how to get your car unlocked.

GRETCHEN

(pulling out her phone)

You’re kidding me. You’re not a

locksmith? What are you, then, some

kind of sicko?

JEREMIAH

(taking another step back)

I didn’t mean to scare you. Hear me

out, okay? I promise I won’t touch

you.

GRETCHEN

(her thumb over the '9'

button)

Okay.

JEREMIAH

We’ve got a suitcase - some

business associates and me - and it

needs to be somewhere else. It’s

not that big, kind of small, like a

small carry-on bag or what my

grandmother used to call an

overnight case. Not that much

bigger than a laptop case,

actually, and probably a little bit

lighter, too. The problem is, it’s

not doing anybody any good as long

as it’s sitting here with us, and

we’ve got a customer in Maryland

that would very much like to have

it.

GRETCHEN

(almost amused)

Somebody in Maryland would like to

have your suitcase?

JEREMIAH

What's in the suitcase - which is

locked, by the way, and you don’t

need to worry about what’s in it.

It’s not hazardous, not radioactive

or explosive or anything like that.

That’s all you need to know.

GRETCHEN

Okay.

JEREMIAH

The transaction is of a

rather...sensitive nature. It’s a

drop ship situation - you know, a

middle-man deal, and we can’t

reveal the middle-man’s source

(that’s us), and the middle-man is

actually a guy in a wheelchair who

spends all his time online and

doesn’t really leave his apartment,

so delivering it himself is not an

option. What we need is to find a…a

neutral third party, you might call

it, to deliver the product for us.

Now here’s where you come in: if

you choose to be that party,

there’s five thousand dollars in it

for you. And of course, with five

thousand dollars you can hire all

the locksmiths you like.

GRETCHEN

(with a dry laugh)

You’re forgetting one thing. I

wouldn’t be able to deliver it

anyway, unless I got my car

unlocked first.

JEREMIAH

(points)

Got that all taken care of. See

that parking lot?

GRETCHEN

(turns to look)

Yeah?

JEREMIAH

That’s the park-and-ride, and you

can’t see it from here, but right

on the other side of that is the

bus station. So you won’t need to

use your car to deliver the

suitcase; you can take the bus.

Your car can just stay right here

until you get back; it’ll be fine.

I’ll buy you a round-trip ticket.

GRETCHEN

So what’s in the suitcase?

JEREMIAH

We already went over that part.

Come on, Gretchen. I’m not stupid,

and it’s pretty clear to me that

you aren’t either. Let’s not play

any games.

GRETCHEN

Right.

(Stares at him for several

seconds.)

You really expect me to do this for

you?

JEREMIAH

(Shrugs)

It's up to you.

(Looks around)

But honestly, from the looks of it,

it doesn’t really seem to me like

you’ve got a whole lot of other

options.

Knives and Shootings, New Hampshire Style

I covered a story for tomorrow's edition of the local paper. It's about a couple of film companies from New York shooting a movie, practically in my neighborhood. And it all started, well, strangely.

I first heard about it from a friend who showed up at my house and said, "What's going on down the road? They've got lights all over the place." And of course I thought he meant lights from emergency vehicles, and I looked out the window to see if I could see them now that the trees are bare and you can see further.

Well, it wasn't quite that close to my house and, thankfully, nobody had had a heart attack. We got in my friend's truck and took a look, and they were shooting a movie in a field with lights all over the place. It looked like a great setup for a baseball game.

Last Friday I got a chance to interview two of the producers, Dave Marken and Dan De Felippo, and the director of photography, Jon Miguel Delgado. It was my third visit to the charming little house they were using as a base of operations, and I must have made a good impression because on that third visit, nobody came at me with a knife. Actually, everyone was very friendly, but when I showed up the first time, unexpected, I interrupted a young lady who was cooking,

and she came to the door with a paring knife (and an onion, I think, or maybe it was an apple). She suggested I come back the next day, and that's when I met Dave Marken, and of course he was cooking and holding a knife. The place smelled great, too.

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out. I expect to see a lot of well-fed actors.