Film & Ink Blog – Deborah S. Patz

Two people under an umbrella doing a puzzle

Feb132024

Oscar-Winning Romcom Wordsearch

Bringing together Valentine’s Day and Award Season, have a little film fun with this wordsearch! Each of these romcoms has won at least one Oscar, and some of them have won so many awards that I’ve only listed one or two.

(Silver Linings) Playbook – 2012 Best Actress

Shakespeare (In Love) – 1998 Best Picture

As Good (As It Gets) – 1997 Best Actor, Best Actress

Emma – 1996 Best Original Music

(Mighty) Aphrodite – 1995 Best Actress

(Mrs) Doubtfire – 1993 Best Makeup

Working (Girl) – 1988 Best Music

Moonstruck – 1987 Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress

Tootsie – 1982 Best Supporting Actress

Arthur – 1981 Best Supporting Actor, Best Music

Heaven (Can Wait) – 1978 Best Art Direction

Annie Hall – 1977 Best Picture

(The) Goodbye (Girl) – 1977 Best Actor

A Touch (of Class) – 1973 Best Actress

(The) Graduate – 1967 Best Directing

Guess Who’s (Coming To Dinner) – 1967 Best Actress

(The) Apartment – 1960 Best Motion Picture

Some Like (It Hot) – 1959 Best Costume Design

Gigi – 1958 Best Motion Picture

Roman (Holiday) – 1953 Best Actress

(The) Philadelphia (Story) – 1940 Best Screenplay

(It Happened) One Night – 1934 Outstanding Production

– – – – –

How many of these romcoms have you seen? What’s next on your “to watch” list?

… and if you want to look up what Oscar wins any film has won, here’s a link to the Oscar Awards Database: https://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/?search=Basic

Cheers & a good shoot or writing session to you,
Deb

_{Image thanks to Unsplash}

Feb42024

It’s time for a F.I.L.M. & INK update!

Welcome to my updated website and its FILM & INK blog!

I’ve built my website and updated it now and then over the years – it’s hard to picture that the first one I wrote using ASCII text was more than 25 years ago now (where does the time go?). Yes, yes… there are parts of this new site that are still under construction, but that means it will just keep getting better every time you visit.

What’s new about F.I.L.M. & INK?

Well, from static site to blog to newsletter and presence on social media sites – there are so many fragmented channels to reach people. Most recently, I wrote a companion newsletter to my website and books, but found over time that it doesn’t really connect me well with readers and filmmakers like I thought it would, so I’m returning to my blogging roots.

My F.I.L.M. & INK blog is for a little F-un, I-nspiration, L-ife, & M-oviemaking stories and tips for filmmakers and writers. I hope you follow along, share and enjoy!

In the meantime, my Film Resource Links page is updated: https://www.debpatz.com/film-links/. They are are set of industry links as a companion to my Film Production Management book. Enjoy!

Cheers & a great shoot or writing session to you,
Deb

Dec162019

Deb’s FILM & INK Newsletter… come ‘n join!

I’m back online (finally!) and bring with me a bit of news:

My FILM & INK blog has been converted and expanded into a FILM & INK Tips & Tales Newsletter. Come and enjoy some film production stories and nuggets of advice for working professionals and for teens just starting out:

Deb’s FILM & INK Tips & Tales Newsletter
https://mailchi.mp/00970e39a325/debpatzfilmandink

Like the blog, the newsletter complements my books, Film Production Management 101 (for managers and coordinators) and Write! Shoot! Edit! (for teens). With your input, I plan to tweak the newsletter as needed so it addresses your needs, educates, entertains and celebrates your successes.

Come and join FILM & INK! I look forward to connecting with you there! In the meantime, here’s the “Call Sheet Joke” from the inaugural issue:

Cheers & a good shoot to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – –

Deborah (Deb) Patz is the author of Write! Shoot! Edit! for teens and Film Production Management 101 for the industry – both books are published worldwide by MWP. She’s also part of the editorial board for Prism International and is new to figuring out this newsletter thing, but believes in lifelong learning… so that’s a good thing!

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
Feb. 1, 2020 – DM Youth Expo – North Vancouver, BC
Feb. 19, 2020 – I Read Canadian Day (more info to come)
July 26-30, 2020 – UFVA (University Film & Video Association) Conference, Tallahassee, FL

WHERE TO FIND DEB’S BOOKS?
Paperback or eBook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, direct from the publisher (MWP) and from plenty of other great bookstores worldwide.

Jul242019

Dinosaurs in the Airport

Have you ever been to the Calgary Airport? They have my all-time favourite baggage claim in the world: a display of dinosaurs completely tearing up luggage and their contents.

Now, what do dinosaurs (and this exhibit) have to do with filmmaking? It’s a story about what the general public never see:

Behind-the-scenes.

In story, we have the opportunity to – and we really like to – go to places we don’t have access to in every day life. How many shows are behind-the-scenes in hospitals, police stations, morgues, space? How many of us have been behind the rubber flap doorway in the airport into where the luggage transfers from passenger to plane to passenger again? Not many… but I bet any image that comes to mind for you comes from the movies: “Die Hard II,” “The Terminal,” etc. So if you’re writing, go behind the scenes!

And if you’re working in fiction, you don’t have to stick to every day logic. You could have some dinosaurs help you move that luggage… although I think the Calgary Airport got it right. I’m not sure they’d be much help!

Cheers & happy imagining to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – –

Deborah (Deb) Patz is the author of Write! Shoot! Edit! for teens and Film Production Management 101 for the industry – both books are published worldwide by MWP. She’s also part of the editorial board for Prism International and loves, loves, loves to travel.

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
July 29 – Aug 2, 2019 – UFVA Conference: Land of 10,000 Stories, Minneapolis, MN – Panelist
July 31, 2019 – The Future of Story – Panel & Social Hour, Minneapolis, MN – Panelist
Aug 25, 2019 – MWP Author Summit, Hollywood, CA

WHERE TO FIND DEB’S BOOKS?
Paperback or eBook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, Waterstones, direct from the publisher and from plenty of other great bookstores worldwide.

Feb202019

The Oscars are Coming, the Oscars are Coming!

Love movies, do ya? Well then ya gotta love the Oscars!

In prep for the Academy Awards on Sunday, are you seeking out and watching the nominated films? Well, how about some different kind of prep this year to add depth to your Oscar experience this year…

1. Read the Oscar-nominated screenplays. You can find all the links you need on Slate.com to read them for free:
https://slate.com/culture/2019/02/oscar-academy-award-screenplays-scripts-buster-scruggs-star-born-reformed-beale-spider-man.html
Doing so, not only will you experience the noms in a whole new way, you’re bound to absorb a tip or two about how to write a better screenplay or story.

2. Attend the MWP Online Pre-Awards Bash at 2:30pm PST on Friday for predictions and excellent conversation about the Academy Awards. Great studying up for your Oscar Night ballot!
https://www.facebook.com/events/907078086129557/

3. And – of course – host or attend an Oscar Watching Party on Sunday. Dress black tie or creative black tie (this is an artistic industry after all!), have plenty of nibblies, bubbly beverages (they don’t have to be alcoholic), and Oscar ballots. Perhaps even buy a strip or square of red carpet so you can strut your stuff on the red stuff yourself.
https://www.oscars.org/oscars // https://twitter.com/TheAcademy
Above all, have fun!

Cheers & a great awards show to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – –

Deborah (Deb) Patz is the author of Write! Shoot! Edit! for teens and Film Production Management 101 for the industry – both books are published worldwide by MWP. She’s also part of the editorial board for Prism International. She’s walked the red carpet at a few festivals, but not at the Oscars… yet. 🙂

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
July 2019 – UFVA Conference, Minneapolis, MN

WHERE TO FIND DEB’S BOOKS?
Paperback or eBook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, Waterstones, direct from the publisher and from plenty of other great bookstores worldwide.

Feb142019

Laundry Writing

I not talking about dirty laundry… okay, I kinda am.

Think you don’t have time to write? Well, if you can fit laundry into your schedule, then you have at least some time!

Scenario 1: The Laundromat.
Heave your loads to the laundromat. Dump the dirty garments into a row of machines and get them started. Now pull out your journal and pen (or open up your computer) and off you go! Write away the waiting time until it’s time for the transfer to dryers. That’s a good 30 minutes of timed writing! Use it as a warm up if you must and plan what to do when your laundry is in the dryers – because the drying cycle is longer; you’ll have at least an hour of focussed writing time. Cool, eh?

Okay, then there is…

Scenario 2: Laundry at Home.
Even better. You don’t have rows of machines to do all your laundry at the same time. Load #1 into the washer gets you 30 minutes of timed writing… the “Laundry Writing Warm-up.” The bell on the washer tells you it’s time for the transfer to dryer. Load #2 into the washer at the same time. Now you’ve got a good hour of focussed writing time. The washer’s bell is a mere warning sound; it’s the dryer’s alert that tells you it’s time for the transfer/re-load break. To delay folding until the end of your writing session, lay out the clothes loosely on the bed to minimize wrinkling… the deal is to get back to your writing as quickly as possible. Use the laundry to schedule writing sessions.

So there you go! I’ve just gifted you some time for writing that screenplay or novel, short story or poem that you’re itching to write. Celebrate the time you have – the time you can carve out your busy life – and use it well.

Cheers & happy laundry-writing to you,
Deb

– – – – – – – – – –

Deborah (Deb) Patz is the author of Write! Shoot! Edit! for teens and Film Production Management 101 for the industry – both books are published worldwide by MWP. She’s also part of the editorial board for Prism International. She’s kinda looking forward to piles of dirty laundry now… how odd is that?!

WHERE IS DEB? (upcoming events and appearances)
July 2019 – UFVA Conference, Minneapolis, MN

WHERE TO FIND DEB’S BOOKS?
Paperback or eBook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, Waterstones, direct from the publisher and from plenty of other great bookstores worldwide.

Deborah S. Patz – Author