The Creative Process Archives

7 Tips for Writing A (Good) Short Film

September 3, 2013 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

One of the wonderful joys of an affordable digital camera is the opportunity it brings for anyone with ambition and an idea to film his or her own movie short. A friend of mine teaches a cinematography class and his student currently face their final exam, the culmination of the program curriculum: combining everything they […]

LEARN MORE

How to Survive Collaborating

July 29, 2013 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

When teaching business classes, I typically deal with eight personality types. One is “independent workers.” Independents are a joy because all they need is instruction. Once they understand the desired state and what success looks like, independents run on autopilot. They can be left alone to do good work. But collaboration involves teamwork, not independent […]

LEARN MORE

A Peek Behind “The Raven of St. James’s Park” Movie Deal

January 21, 2013 by Ocean Palmer 1 Comment

I optioned a movie recently and for that you can blame Bulova, the old watch maker. On July 1, 1941 they paid $9 to run the first television commercial broadcast in the United States. Because of that I love movies. A New York station, WNBT, ran the ad before a baseball game between the Brooklyn […]

LEARN MORE

Why Collaboration Works

September 11, 2011 by Ocean Palmer 2 Comments

As I pause from a 9/11 day of remembrance to mourn again the loss of my trusted friend, coach, and mentor George Simmons, I honor him by sharing the power of collaboration. Whether we’re talking about work, the pursuit of a personal passion, or the desire to make a complex dream come true, there’s no […]

LEARN MORE

New Year’s Resolve: 14 Words to Forget

January 3, 2011 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

Congratulations, Lake Superior State University! The Lakers do not play football and their Division I hockey team is 6-10-4 (but has sent a dozen past players to the NHL). Their basketball team is 8-3 overall but 2-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division. That league ain’t big. Just sayin.’ The tiny school […]

LEARN MORE

Adapting a Novella to Screenplay

April 24, 2010 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

Been underground on the blog recently, as I’ve been consumed with completing of the screenplay adaptation of my surf-themed dramatic novella, The Rise and Fall of Piggy Church. I finished the script last night and sent it to my agent. I’ll know in a couple days what he thinks. If the story and its imaginarium […]

LEARN MORE

The Psychology of Progress: “Throw Down the Bones!”

March 3, 2010 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received in the last few years came from Steve Moore, the great cartoonist who draws the daily sports panel “In the Bleachers.” If you aren’t familiar with his work, make sure to visit gocomics.com/inthebleachers and take a look. Day in, day out Moore is as good as […]

LEARN MORE

“It’s Not a Business, It’s A Club”

February 13, 2010 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

I think the reason Los Angeles is on the left coast and New York is on the right is because they are too different to be any closer. LA is Ali, New York Joe Frazier. Chicago is the referee in the middle. I was in Los Angeles for 24 hours and movie talks. The action […]

LEARN MORE

How I Create A Story (part 1 of 2)

January 28, 2010 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

Part I: Thinking Up Storylines & Characters It’s a long way from writing one-liners to scripting novels and screenplays but anyone who writes along that continuum faces the same challenge: the creative process. Mine has evolved over time. I recently began a new screenplay about a comedic premise I’m very excited about and thought it […]

LEARN MORE

How I Create A Story (part 2 of 2)

January 28, 2010 by Ocean Palmer Leave a Comment

Part 2 of 2: Story Construction & Sequence In three-act structure, Act One introduces the protagonist (hero) and the dilemma. Act Two includes the stuff involved with the growing problem. Act Three is the resolution. Comedies have happy endings. Tragedies do not. Happy endings enthrall me. Tragic ones I abhor. I want the world to […]

LEARN MORE