It has been an incredibly busy two weeks around here.
First, I needed to get through the second "Creative Voices" program that Donna Accardo, head of the English Department at Pierce College and I have arranged at the school. We had Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, the writing team behind all three Pirates of the Caribbean films (as well as Shrek, The Mask of Zorro, Aladdin, Small Soldiers, and a few to many others to mention), as our speakers. When we had Harlan Ellison in the spring, we just let him go on stage in performance. For Ted and Terry, we had to work out a Q&A format, which actually went quite well. The school paper called it "well organized" and we've gotten many compliments from the president, veeps, and faculty and staff.
Ted and Terry, whom we've known since 1993, put together a great clip reel of scenes from their films, using the Pirates score behind it. The only dialogue is an exchange with Jack Sparrow ending with "but you have heard of me" which closed the 3-minute reel. I'm looking forward to seeing a second version of what they called a "vanity reel" which includes the sharp dialogue they've written.
Our next event will be early in the spring semester, when we will have novelist Larry Niven. I've asked Barbara Hambly to handle the Q&A for that.
After things finished on October 2, I spent the next week scrambling to get our taxes for 2006 done before the expiration of the extension. The paperwork got turned into our accountant on Wednesday, and we are now awaiting the bad news.
Last night, after much debate about whether we were too tired or simply did not have the enthusiasm to leave the house, we headed across the Valley to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences auditorium to see a program about television theme music.
We are so glad we did.
It was the best program we've ever seen there in the 10 or so years Len's been a member (beating out the night with the West Wing cast or any night a David Kelly show has been featured.) Octogenarians (or possibly nonogenarians) Earle Hagen (I Spy) and Vic Mizzy (The Addams Family) were both interviewed on stage and both of them were sharp and entertaining. Mike Post was interviewed along with Steve Bochco, with whom he has collaborated on many shows. John Schneider and Jean Louisa Kelly showed off their Broadway chops by singing a number of themes. Mr. Schneider did the Dukes of Hazzard theme and Ms. Kelly did a torch-song version of the Mickey Mouse Club theme, after which Schneider said "Walt Disney is no longer frozen."
The program was produced by Ray Colcord and Arthur Greenwald, and the interviews were conducted by Jon Burlingame who wrote TV's Greatest Hits. Mr. Colcord (who has a pretty interesting website, check it out) introduced the program and was so funny I was very sorry when he left the stage. Fortunately, everyone else was equally good. I guess it does help when when you get a writer (Mr. Greenwald) to write the show. Henry Mancini's daughter hosted most of the evening, with theme opening montage (Comedy, Action, Detective/Spy, Drama, Science Fiction) introductions by Maureen McCormick, Lindsay Wagner, Robert Vaughn, Stacy Keach, William Daniels and Bonnie Bartlett.
Since Len knows virtually every TV theme song ever written, we had a great time singing along--which was encouraged, but probably annoyed our neighbors.
And while I'm hanging around today, a big Happy Birthday to the personification of Wolverine himself, Mr. Hugh Jackman. It would be really nice if Len did a cameo in that new film that's coming out. If Chris Claremont got one in X-3, it would be only right for Len to get one in Wolverine.
Showing posts with label Terry Rossio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terry Rossio. Show all posts
Friday, October 12, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Vacation, What Vacation?
Memorial Day Weekend was one event after another. We were invited to two birthday parties, one "great to see you in L.A. for the weekend" party, and went to one touring Broadway show and one blockbuster film showing. Exhaustion canceled out one of the birthday parties, but we managed everything else.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" was an absolute delight. There was a bit of me in most of the characters on stage (except for the spelling part--I can spot misspelled words but I've always had a unique approach to spelling, as one of my college profs put it), so I was hard pressed to side with only one character to win. My husband had his Broadway debut last year as one of the guest spellers, but I wasn't on that trip. If you live in Southern California, it is definitely worth seeing with the original Broadway cast at the Wadsworth Theatre on the VA hospital grounds during the next month while it is here.
We finally got to see "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" on Monday morning at a 10 a.m. show. We figured we could get there and get good seats and then still have the rest of the day for other important things (like taking care of the Arabian Prince.) Our friends Ted and Terry have written an action-packed and entertaining film with one of the most heroic women characters since they put a sword in the hands of Catherine Zeta Jones in the first of the recent Zorro films. Ted and Terry pointed out that it isn't Will Turner on the hero's journey in Pirates, it's Elizabeth Swan.
I've been a fan of Keira Knightly's since "Bend it Like Beckham." I'm told she's also a Padme body double in the first/fourth "Star Wars" film, but she made no impression. (Let's face it, only Liam Niesson and Ewen MacGreggor did because they were able to transcend George Lucas' inability to direct live actors.) I even liked her in the ill-reviewed "King Arthur." She does know how to handle a sword, which is a good skill for most women.
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" was an absolute delight. There was a bit of me in most of the characters on stage (except for the spelling part--I can spot misspelled words but I've always had a unique approach to spelling, as one of my college profs put it), so I was hard pressed to side with only one character to win. My husband had his Broadway debut last year as one of the guest spellers, but I wasn't on that trip. If you live in Southern California, it is definitely worth seeing with the original Broadway cast at the Wadsworth Theatre on the VA hospital grounds during the next month while it is here.
We finally got to see "Pirates of the Caribbean 3" on Monday morning at a 10 a.m. show. We figured we could get there and get good seats and then still have the rest of the day for other important things (like taking care of the Arabian Prince.) Our friends Ted and Terry have written an action-packed and entertaining film with one of the most heroic women characters since they put a sword in the hands of Catherine Zeta Jones in the first of the recent Zorro films. Ted and Terry pointed out that it isn't Will Turner on the hero's journey in Pirates, it's Elizabeth Swan.
I've been a fan of Keira Knightly's since "Bend it Like Beckham." I'm told she's also a Padme body double in the first/fourth "Star Wars" film, but she made no impression. (Let's face it, only Liam Niesson and Ewen MacGreggor did because they were able to transcend George Lucas' inability to direct live actors.) I even liked her in the ill-reviewed "King Arthur." She does know how to handle a sword, which is a good skill for most women.
Friday, May 25, 2007
The Boys Behind the Pirates
We went to see our friends Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio interviewed at the Writers Guild of America, west, Inc. theater last night. Like the one last month with Harlan Ellison, the event was a benefit for the WGAw Foundation.
Ted and Terry have a little film opening today called "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." We've known them well since 1993 when Ted sat up 'til 4 a.m. talking to us in the lobby of an hotel in San Francisco--mostly about Len's career. They were nominated for the Hugo Award for writing "Aladdin" for Disney. Len was the designated acceptor for the Hugo for someone that year. As often happens, we took them under our wing (it was their first World Science Fiction Convention) and they've been in our lives ever since.
We've watched them grow from that first success into the A-list Hollywood writers they are today. It hasn't been all smooth sailing (talking about Godzilla might make them cry), but that first Zorro with Antonio Bandaras, Shrek I, and the Pirates movies have cemented their bankability in Tinsel Town.
For a year back in the late 90s, Terry held a once-a-month salon at his house in the Hollywood Hills. He had to discontinue them when they became over-run with friends of friends of friends, but they were a huge mix of up-and-comers, journeymen, and wannabees from all parts of the entertainment industry. The biggest downside (except for what it must have cost him to pay for food and drink) was the lack of safe parking on that stretch of Mulholland Drive. I was certain that we'd get hit by a car coming around a curve as we walked back to our vehicle at 1 or 2 a.m. Another factor was the climb up to the house from the street. I swear the driveway was at about a 65 degree slope. When the sprinklers would go off, the walk back down was treacherous. To avoid climbing to the house when I was on crutches, we actually drove up once. I felt like the car was going to flip rear over nose on the way down, it was so steep.
When Pirates 1 premiered, the boys made sure we got to attend. Len and I shared Ted and Kim's limo to Disneyland and we walked the red carpet with them between Jane Seymour and Danny Bonnaduce. That was a night to remember. (Len had actually gotten to go on set when they were filming and met everyone except Johnny Depp--and yes, that does mean he's met Orlando Bloom. Grrrrr.) The best way to go to Disneyland is in a limo that drops you off behind the Lincoln exhibit and picks you up near the statue of Walt in the middle of the park. And, oh yes, you are one of only 3000 people in the park for fun. No waits on the rides and you can do the Indiana Jones ride twice in 15 minutes (because it does take a while to go through the maze.) Also, that night had the best food I've ever eaten at Disneyland.
We've had a lot of fun together over the years, but as Ted and Terry's star has risen, we don't get together nearly as often as we would like because these guys are always busy. We managed to corral Ted and Kim for dinner during the brief break between the finish of principal photography on Pirates 2 and the start of principal photography on Pirates 3 and then a year flew by. We saw Terry a few weeks ago for a dinner which Ted missed because the invitation was caught in a spam filter (why e-mail is unreliable.) Last night, we all bemoaned this lack of contact.
I've corralled them to doing the second of the "Creative Voices" programs for me at Pierce College sometime in October. I think it will be an excellent opportunity for students to get insight about the process of collaborative writing, a very different animal than the solitary writing of Harlan Ellison. I'll have dinner with them that night, but I fully expect to spend quality time with both of them well before next October.
Ted and Terry have a little film opening today called "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." We've known them well since 1993 when Ted sat up 'til 4 a.m. talking to us in the lobby of an hotel in San Francisco--mostly about Len's career. They were nominated for the Hugo Award for writing "Aladdin" for Disney. Len was the designated acceptor for the Hugo for someone that year. As often happens, we took them under our wing (it was their first World Science Fiction Convention) and they've been in our lives ever since.
We've watched them grow from that first success into the A-list Hollywood writers they are today. It hasn't been all smooth sailing (talking about Godzilla might make them cry), but that first Zorro with Antonio Bandaras, Shrek I, and the Pirates movies have cemented their bankability in Tinsel Town.
For a year back in the late 90s, Terry held a once-a-month salon at his house in the Hollywood Hills. He had to discontinue them when they became over-run with friends of friends of friends, but they were a huge mix of up-and-comers, journeymen, and wannabees from all parts of the entertainment industry. The biggest downside (except for what it must have cost him to pay for food and drink) was the lack of safe parking on that stretch of Mulholland Drive. I was certain that we'd get hit by a car coming around a curve as we walked back to our vehicle at 1 or 2 a.m. Another factor was the climb up to the house from the street. I swear the driveway was at about a 65 degree slope. When the sprinklers would go off, the walk back down was treacherous. To avoid climbing to the house when I was on crutches, we actually drove up once. I felt like the car was going to flip rear over nose on the way down, it was so steep.
When Pirates 1 premiered, the boys made sure we got to attend. Len and I shared Ted and Kim's limo to Disneyland and we walked the red carpet with them between Jane Seymour and Danny Bonnaduce. That was a night to remember. (Len had actually gotten to go on set when they were filming and met everyone except Johnny Depp--and yes, that does mean he's met Orlando Bloom. Grrrrr.) The best way to go to Disneyland is in a limo that drops you off behind the Lincoln exhibit and picks you up near the statue of Walt in the middle of the park. And, oh yes, you are one of only 3000 people in the park for fun. No waits on the rides and you can do the Indiana Jones ride twice in 15 minutes (because it does take a while to go through the maze.) Also, that night had the best food I've ever eaten at Disneyland.
We've had a lot of fun together over the years, but as Ted and Terry's star has risen, we don't get together nearly as often as we would like because these guys are always busy. We managed to corral Ted and Kim for dinner during the brief break between the finish of principal photography on Pirates 2 and the start of principal photography on Pirates 3 and then a year flew by. We saw Terry a few weeks ago for a dinner which Ted missed because the invitation was caught in a spam filter (why e-mail is unreliable.) Last night, we all bemoaned this lack of contact.
I've corralled them to doing the second of the "Creative Voices" programs for me at Pierce College sometime in October. I think it will be an excellent opportunity for students to get insight about the process of collaborative writing, a very different animal than the solitary writing of Harlan Ellison. I'll have dinner with them that night, but I fully expect to spend quality time with both of them well before next October.
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