First Day of School

Today is the first day of classes for me in the program I am taking out at Saginaw Valley State University. I'll be heading over to the school shortly. I am very excited about starting this new phase in my life. It has been over a decade (actually about 15 years) since I first graduated from college so going back is awesome.

The Masters program should roughly take me about a year and half. Hopefully it will send my life of in a bold new direction filled with passion and meaning.

Or at least a job doing something I can at least tolerate and gives me more than enough to live on. Well, I'm off.

Accepted to Blogwise

My blog was recently accepted into the Blogwise fold. Hopefully this means that someone may actually find me. My blog has very little traffic or no comments.

I will be adding my blogwise tag to my sidebar after the upcoming weekend.

Rules for Script Writing that Moves People

In searching out screenwriting blogs, I've discovered several that I check out regularly. One of them is Screenwriting Bones featuring scribe Philip Morton. He lives and works in Hollywood and wrote 12:01, a TV movie that I enjoyed.

Recently on his blog, he posted a list of some rules from his book of knowledge. Here is an overview of the list. Check out his site for the indepth description of each of his rules.

Good Stuff for us up-and-coming screenwriters.

Morton's Rules of Script Management

1) Blink Characters.
2) Start deep in the middle.
Start Deep from a character point of view:
Start Deep from a structure point of view:
4) Hero Rule (there's just one).
5) Bad Guy in your Face.
6) Don't Ever Resolve Tension.
7) Tight Alignment.
8) Stay Emotional.
9) Open The Heart.

Science Fiction Short Film Festival Launched

The Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame (SFM) in partnership with the Seattle International Film Festival Group (SIFF), announces the launch of the first-annual Science Fiction Short Film Festival, to promote and encourage awareness, appreciation and understanding of the art of science fiction cinema.

From July 20 through November 1, 2005, the Science Fiction Short Film Festival will accept short film submissions, up to 12 minutes in length, that have been produced after 2001 for entry into the competition. Multiple submissions will be accepted according to the entry form rules and regulations found at www.sfhomeworld.org or www.seattlefilm.org.

Gamer dies of Video Game Overdose

I guess too much of a good thing applies to video games as well.

The 27 year-old Taiwanese man collapsed after playing computer games for 32
hours non-stop.

For the complete article. Link.

The 2005 Hugo Winners

The 2005 Hugo Awards was presented over this weekend. I wish I could have attended, or better yet gotten my award. Maybe someday.

Congrats to all of this years deserving winners:

Hugo Winners 2005

Novel: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Bloomsbury).

Novella: “The Concrete Jungle” by Charles Stross (The Atrocity Archives, Golden Gryphon Press).

Novelette: “The Faery Handbag” by Kelly Link (The Faery Reel Viking).

Short Story: “Travels with My Cats” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s 02/04).

Related Book: The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction ed. by Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn (Cambridge University Press).

Dramatic Presentation (Long): The Incredibles (Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios) Written & Directed by Brad Bird.

Dramatic Presentation (Short): “33” - Battlestar Galactica (NBC Universal Television / The Sci Fi Channel / Sky One) Written by Ronald D. Moore; Directed by Michael Rymer.

Professional Editor: Ellen Datlow.

Professional Artist: Jim Burns.

Semi-prozine: Ansible ed. by David Langford.

Web Site: SciFiction ed. by Ellen Datlow, Craig Engler, general manager.

Fanzine: Plokta ed. by Alison Scott, Steve Davies and Mike Scott.

Fan Writer: Dave Langford.

Fan Artist: Sue Mason.

John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer: Elizabeth Bear.

Further data is available here in PDFs:
Voting figures
Nomination figures

Excited about the start of Fall Classes

Last week I registered for the first two classes in the program I am attending at Saginaw Valley State University to get my Masters degree. I am very excited about the start of these fall classes. Just registering felt good.

The degree program in for a Masters' in Communication and Multimedia, which should help to move me forward with my graphic and website design work. Hopefully I'll be done in two years.

The two classes are 'Intro to Multimedia Software' and "Media, Meaning and Audience'. While they both should be easy classes, I know that just getting involved with the instructors, the other students and the program is moving me in the right direction.

Now I just have to wait till next month.