2008: The Directors and Writers Thread

[MarkH]

Success in this universe, IMO, is to (a) make sure one's decline trend is no steeper than the average; ( hopefully make one's decline slope less steep than average.

REAL success is what Latham achieved during the first part of her run (yes, I'm serious): Ratings growth of 0.2-0.4 during the year (you know LML did this!), and renewed audience enjoyment (during the early days of Victor and Brad's stories...before they devolved...there was a lot of positive excitement about what Latham was bringing).

Oh, how I wish Latham could have sustained that early momentum. That early success is what got her also-named EP (and brought too much power...and the rest is history).

NOTHING is sustainable in the soap universe. Y&R will be gone by 2016, and all other soaps before then, as you know . Sustainability simply means "keeping the patient relatively comfortable, and the family relatively satisfied, during these terminal days".

I've been spending part of the weekend converting vinyl disks to MP3. This is motivated by the request of a younger co-resident who is hooked on Rock Band/Guitar Hero. Those games feature all kinds of classic rock. So, there is an upsurge in sales/downloads of classic rock due to the new market created by these games.

I think that is a beautiful example of how you reinvigorate "old" and make it relevant to "young"...you place it in a new platform that is cool and interesting to the young audience.

Soaps are an old, obsolete genre. Like rock and roll in the late 70s, soaps are in their waning days. [i know rock didn't die for everyone...but I'm talking about album sales, etc.] Rock had to reinvent to thrive (e.g., grunge, alternative, etc.)

Soaps have to figure out what their reinvention is...and how they can get placed in new "cool" platforms. In that sense, I think Eden Riegel's Imaginary Bitches is totally on the right track.

Soaps have an extra hurdle. Rock was always "cool". So, it wasn't so embarrassing to be a fan, even when rock sort of fell out of fashion in the long thirty year gap before Rock Band. Soaps NEVER had that cool factor (not counting Luke and Laura). So I think it will be much harder for them to find that new platform.

That said, I think it has been happening. I think The Sopranos was a perfect example of how the cool factor could be brought to soaps, and what the modern conditions are for soaps to succeed (limited runs, fixed endings, shorter term, primetime/premium platforms, stories that appeal to a different demo).

[JackPeyton]

fashion, art, and skyscrapers are not the issue.

the show is a utter bore. thats why ratings are down, and before it was a bore it was a bore with char's who were acting OOC. even worse.

[R Sinclair]

And I know that you know that I know... It's just that I was typing in fast reply. Whenever I do, I tend to forget to click on the smilies since they're not right there. But I totally was being sarcastic.

But it's so much fun, challenging people to make sense of the nonsensible! As I described it once a couple weeks ago, it's like watching a contortionist in the Freak Show at the circus!

Eh. We'll see what crops up this summer when Pratt comes on. I mean, he's creating Taylor McBride, right? According to the Algonquin Roundtable of One, she's already going to be a much better character than Greenlee. A REAL WOMAN compared to a little girl! You know... a female character named after a Pratt-created psycho slut from Melrose Place. That has maturity and class written all over it, fer sure!

[AddictedToSoaps]

Your posts get me every time!

[dragonflies]

Awww I love being the topic of conversation, if you don't like it, don't read it, simple as that

But anywho, we should get back on topic of convo, instead of highjacking Toupsy's thread

You know what? If you don't like the things I say, that's too damn bad, no one forces you to read them.

It's my OPINION, big freaking deal.

Oh and let me guess, with your ever changing personality, I bet suddenly you'll think Pratt is so much better than Beall, I mean after all you did create the Amanda L. Beall HATE Coalition, oh but wait that's right, only YOU are allowed to HATE someone whether they're ficitonal or real

I may dislike a few real life people on soaps, but even I wouldn't go so far as to create something about hating a REAL person, seriously that's pretty damn pathetic

[detroitpiston]

Ok kiddies, I think it's time we calm down and go play in our separate sandboxes before things get to out of hand.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Soap Opera Network - Bringing. Drama. Closer.

[R Sinclair]

Yes! Sheesh! Finally, you got the hint! I'm so glad we cleared that up. Thanks!

Want a biscuit?

[JackPeyton]

LMFAO!

that never gets old!

[Ponz]

Clem Egan is listed as scriptwriter for Tuesday's DAYS.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

That should make Toups happy, a former Passions writer finding work.

However, the dialogue on Passions was beyond atrocious, so I guess that isn't a priority for Dena and company. Was the dialogue any good, Ponz? Some scriptwriters do well with better direction and can improve.

[RavenWhitney]

Toupsy:

In the US credits for Dool today July 7, it listed Gialanella and Draughon together on one screen:

Dena Higly

Rick Draughon

Victor Gialanella

then the scriptwriters

I guess VG is script editor

[Ponz]

It wasn't bad. The dialogue in the EJ/Nicole/Sami scenes is quite snappy and even Chloe has a few amusing lines.

[JAS0N47]

Clem Egan is freelancing at "Days" on a trial basis.

[Toups]

Thanks, Ponz. I wonder how this got by me. LOL

Of course I'm happy. I love my Passions writers. They can write really good scripts when given the chance and they're very good with humour too.

Oh so Rick and Victor were together on one screen and Dena was by herself on the first? I thought Rick would've stayed on the same page as Dena since he's her Co-HW.

Thanks, Jason. I guess he's not listed every day then.