I did a thing. · 10:10am Mar 2nd, 2015
So my local Brony group is really active and organized, and one of the things we do is a free, weekly, hour-long writing class with volunteer teachers. I've taught two lessons in it so far, and my non-Brony roommate wanted me to film it this last time because he was interested in the lesson but didn't want to come to the group meeting. So I took about eight hours to get the whole thing into good shape on YouTube, and you can watch it there. And now you can watch it here, if you have a spare hour, since I'm linking it here. I know at least one of you wanted to see it.
So there you go. That is the actual me, mercilessly short hair and all. If you want to ask questions or find out more about my sources, I can't really stop you from asking me. Maybe I'll answer (of course I will).
Okay, have an update: I'm all but ready to put pen to paper on Minoan Crisis, but Vren will track me down through the internet and hurt me if I don't get a move on with the next couple chapters of Princess Celestia the Changeling Queen. So that takes precedence, aside from schoolwork, hopefully. I'll get back on my own projects within the next week. Other assorted excuses.
See ya then! Vren, please don't hurt me!
And here I am with... not nearly enough time at the moment. I'll have definitely watched it by the end of today though.
I wish my local brony group was organized and active. The last meeting was four of us watching V for Vendetta (admittedly a great movie) and nothing even remotely pony related besides our T-shirts.
Just finished it. Incredibly helpful, it was nice to see the 3 act and 7 point structures kind of shown together, and easy to follow. I'd never seen the MICE thing before.
Good stuff.
2843422 Yeah, we have two or three weekly meetings. Glad I could help! Maybe I'll film the next one, too.
Yeah, that was pretty good. Not a lot of distractions, got straight to the point.
I've thought for the past few years about the Harry Potter books and films, at least the first ones, as a bit too 'simple', and I suppose in a way that makes it a reasonable thing to present according to a 7-point plan. The first few books have the same structure (I think it only changed at about the 5th imo) and in that sense, the 1st book/film seemed really good, the other ones after it were forgettable.
Contrary to that, there's Snape's storyline through the films which is way less noticeable, and takes a lot longer to play out. It makes it really memorable when it ends.
I think making it prolong 'til the end of the story, like Snape's story, was much more interesting than the almost episodic plots of each of the first movies. Likewise I'd say that the plot to Lord of the Rings is very interesting, with the end and start visible, but the way getting there being detailed with many subplots.
Thanks for the vid; it was very interesting to me.
2844201 Glad you liked it.
Actually, the fifth one kept to the same formula for the most part, with the same sort of year-long mystery plot, but it also had a more prominent subplot. Same with six, actually. The feel definitely changes as you go along, though. I'd say the first three are very focused on the mystery, and the next three put it to the side until the end, and have something big distracting you until then. And then there's the seventh one. It's really kind of interesting. I think it's less about Harry and the readers growing up or Rowling changing style over time than about the world opening up. As time goes on, more and more stuff happens and is important outside of Hogwarts, until you get a full year outside it.