The second week of the writers’ room has drawn to a close and not only have we made great progress, but we’re picking up steam. Following a week of world building, we started talking stories and managed to get the first three episodes broken. I’m trying to complete all three outlines for Monday (two revisions and one first pass), but find myself struggling with a short fourth act. It’s always the way: You distribute an outline, receive great notes, then sit down to implement them only discover your fourth act is now short.
And it’s ALWAYS the fourth act!
So, I’ve been pretty cryptic about this new series to date simply because we’re in the early stages, the production company has yet to establish a social media campaign, and, admittedly, I like to maintain an air of mystery. But today, it gives me great pleasure to reveal the man behind the show: director, writer, producer, and just one of the smartest, most collaborative, good-natured individuals you could ever hope to work with on a new science fiction series: R.T. Thorne.
Filmmaker R.T. is so over the “Canadian look”
In the room.
On the road.
Always grasping for that ever-elusive je ne sais quoi. Call it inspiration, ethereal epiphanies, or floating ghost marshmallows. He will NOT be denied.
And it turns out we have a mutual friend – none other than Writer/Executive Producer (Stargates SG-1, Atlantis, Universe, L.A. Complex, Bored to Death, Blindspot, etc.) Golden Boy Martin Gero. Small world!
Anyway, just a good, good guy – and a major part of what drew me to this project. Can’t wait for you to get to know him.
In the meantime, head on over to twitter and follow him: @directedbyRT
Who knows? Maybe he’ll offer a few hints on what we’ve been working on…
I’ve been eagerly a-waiting … now even more eager!
Oh man, floating ghost marshmallows. Dare we dream of GIANT floating ghost marshmallows?
With that headband, it looks like he was singing “Turn Me Loose” !
R.T. sounds like a real righteous dude. (Picture the lady in the school office in Ferris Buehler’s Day Off, with all the pencils in her hair.) 🙂
Hi Mister M,
Curious about this….how do you keep shows from falling victim to the ‘ER effect’ ?
[[ER (aka Emergency Room – created by Michael Crichton) was a great show in the early seasons. As ER went along, the storylines got bigger, which eroded the realism. I understand why it happened – the writers were trying to hold onto their viewers – and IMHO it is one of the major pitfalls of (television) writing.]]
Meanwhile, Behind The Scenes …..
UF writers room Narrator:
And now for a brief episode of
“As The World Turns, On Joseph Mallozzi’s Blog”.
This episode is brought to you by the makers of
Mallozzi brand Cantaloupe & Bourbon Juice
and dedicated to blog sis @PBMom.
Joe: Damn It!! My 4th act is short again!
Crazy, Big Mouth, Greek, Lady:
Oooh nooooo! No. Not another short 4th act!
Please. Please. Say it aint so!!
Joe:
Unmistakably on the verge of tears
I’m afraid so! It’s no use.
Maybe I should just throw it all out,
pour myself a nice hot cuppa tea
and call it a day or a career, after RT fires me!?
Crazy Big Mouth Greek Lady:
Takes another bite of the very last
chocolate chip cookie in bakery box
as the others in the room look on in utter disgust at her sheer audacity
Okay. okay. Deep breaths, Joe.
Slowly exhale.
Don’t panic, eh?
I got this.
If RT says no flying chipmunks,
and, I am assuming,
would also likely object to
Dorothy’s larger flying monkey nemesis in Oz,
then how ’bout a 4th act extension
“Stepford Wives” style?
i.e, Evil, flawlessly pretty, authoritarian A.I gov reps,
just stand around in your home, all mild mannered, pleasantly smiling,
offering you delicious, healthy, home baked, oatmeal-raisin cookies,
as they arrest your adolescent children,
to be taken to mind control, cybernetic implant, chop shops
or mark them for termination and total android body replacement.
Or maybe?
A comedic tribute to “Multiplicity”?
Where the richest in society are allowed
to make as many copies of themselves as they deem necessary
whenever they don’t feel like attending work, school, mandatory meeting,
or that blind date they regret agreeing to online.
Thus, the final 5 minutes of the 4th act
would be a bunch of clones sitting around
on the sidewalk patio of a cafe,
sipping latte, eating Ivon’s brownies
and bitching about the original version of themselves.
RT: Tosses the other writer’s that
“Someone please call security to get this uninvited nut job outta here”
gaze.
Crazy Big Mouth Greek Lady: Whaaaaa?!
Whatt’ya mean it doesn’t fit in with the current story line??!!!
Dang it! Who’s running this uncomfortably chaired writers room, anyway!?
I demand to speak to the story manager to launch an official complaint!
Then, …. just as the building concierge arrives,
secures the uninvited, last chocolate chip cookie eating, wacko
in straight jacket restraints and makes ready
to hand her off to the authorities, ….
An irresistibly, mystically beautiful, writing faerie,
with long flowing, soft, spiraling, golden locks
and enchanting twinkling green eyes, appears.
Uncredited, Mysterious, Beautiful, Writing Faerie:
Wait! Not so fast!
She may be onto something here?
RT: REALLY!????????????
Uncredited Mysterious Faerie:
Naaaaah.
I’ve just always wanted to
swoop into a writer’s room and say that. 😀
Crazy Big Mouth Greek Lady, now pretending to be a wicked gypsy:
Is heard screaming as the cops drag her down the hall
and into the elevator
I CURSE YOU ALL!
FROM HERE ON IN
IT WILL RAIN FLYING CHIPMUNKS
ALL DAY AND NIGHT WHEREVER YOU GO!!!!
UF Writers room Narrator:
Will Joe be able to find the perfect addition
to his short 4th act and save his career
and RT’s faith in him??
Will the crazy, big mouth, greek lady,
find herself locked up on a 72 hour psych hold??
Will the beautiful mysterious uncredited writing faerie
really turn out to be Joe’s secret crush,
Olivia Wilde, in disguise??
Find out on the next nail biting episode of
“As the World Turns – On Joe Mallozzi’s Blog”
As The World Turns – On Joe Mallozzi’s blog
epilogue:
And as the team closed their lap tops, Slipped on their jackets and prepared to exit the room
Joe catches a fleeting glimpse of something strange flying past the window, in rapid descent,
out of the corner of his eye and suddenly the white board eraser briefly levitates.
RT bids everyone a good night and says …
Don’t worry about that crazy lady y’all.
There’s no such thing as Telekinetic flying chipmunks.
Yes! This is great 🙂 so stoked to hear more and glad to hear you have an exciting team