This is my guitar. There are many like it, but this one is mine (you can tell by the Cthuloid Cephalapod sticker).
The FenderStratocaster is one of the most recognizable guitars on the planet. Even on the off chance that its double cutaway shape and signature headstock don't look familiar to you, you no doubt have the sounds of this versatile instrument lurking somewhere in your music collection. From the bell-like chimes in blues, twang of country, clackety-clack of funk, full-on shred of metal, to the warm and smooth tones of jazz, you've heard this guitar.
The Stratocaster hasn't changed much in the 50 plus years it's been in production. I guess when you get it right the first time, there's no need to. The body is usually made out of ash, alder, or basswood, though some more exotic woods are used from time to time. It has a maple neck with either a maple or rosewood fingerboard (mine is rosewood) then ends with the most recognizable headstock in history (as you can see, mine has the cool fat 70s style).
Wood, hardware (bridge and tuning pegs) and electronics (pickups, volume and tone pots) can vary in quality. American made Strats are considered a higher quality guitar than those made in Mexico or Taiwan and always fetch a higher price. As a general rule, the more the price goes up, the higher the quality of the components used to make the instrument and, usually, the better the sound. But this is not always true (this goes for any guitar, not just Strats).
I used to work at a music store in Buffalo and one of my duties was maintaining the hundreds of guitars we had hanging on the walls. I got to know those guitars rather intimately and knew which ones felt and sounded the best. And it was never the most expensive ones. Though the pricey guitars sounded and played wonderfully, they weren't necessarily the best in the store (though certainly worth the money). It's also how I was able to tell which customers were the serious players and which ones were just wannabes. The real players would always ask me, if I had a choice, which guitar I would buy. Wannabes (and the occasional collector) always went for the price tag. *
One of the most amazing things about the Stratocaster is how it helps define the musicians who play them. These guitars have become physical extensions of the players themselves to the point where seeing them without a Stratocaster makes them appear naked. The instrument has become such a significant part of their personas that seeing them with another instrument feels like you are staring into a bizzarro world where everything is somehow wrong. Don't believe me? Look here and tell me what you think. Doesn't seem quite right, does it?
I readily admit that my taste in music is not only poor, but also dated. The examples below of Strat players and their Strats in action are pretty one dimensional, so if you know of any others that should be recognized, let's hear about them in comments. Have a great weekend everyone.
* My favorite story regarding the sound quality of a Stratocaster involves Steve Vai. While recording the song "The Boy From Seattle" ( a tribute to Jimi Hendrix) for his Alien Love Secretsalbum, he scoured the land for the perfect Stratocaster. After play-testing hundreds of Strats, he finally settled on a cheap Mexican made model he found in a pawn shop because it simply had the best "Strat" sound.
** David Gilmour is the proud owner of the Fender Stratocaster with the serial number 001 (which, incidentally was NOT the first Strat ever made).
I had to nag Waid into blogging -- and now he's enjoyed the feedback from you fine folk enough that he's been inspired, in a ridiculously short amount of time, to launch his own blog over at MarkWaid.com .
In the tradition of most group blogs, Mark will crosspost on both sites, with the subject matter kind of differentiating out as he establishes his own site's persona. Waid Wednesday will continue here, along with other tidbits he thinks fit here rather than there. Toss both sites on your reader to make sure you miss no Waid-y goodness.
When I talk to aspiring comics writers, they’re often most mystified not by the scripting (there are plenty of script books out there) or the language (most anyone who’s interested in doing this for a living already knows what a “panel” is, what “balloons” are, etc.). They’re freaking out because they don’t know where to start. Almost no comics editor will read a spec script cold; whether you’re angling to sell your own series or write for an existing property, you need to start with a Pitch, generally followed by a Proposal.
The Pitch is your first chance to demonstrate your understanding of the Economy Of Storytelling--that you know how to pace a comics story and have some clue as to how much fits on the page. And no editor will have faith that you can squeeze a complete story into a hundred panels if you can’t squeeze your idea into two pages. True story: back when I was on staff at DC, a well-meaning but green freelancer sent me his pitch for his creator-owned series. It was sixty-two pages long. Worse, because this writer was friends with my boss, I was forced to actually suffer through this paper cinderblock, and it was arguably the most miserable experience with fiction I’ve had to this day. I would honestly, truly rather read Moby Dick backwards than crawl through a sixty-two page document that was sixty-one pages too long, and even if it had been filled to the brim with moments of staggering brilliance that would humble Jack Kirby and Alan Moore, I still would never have been interested in seeing it published because I had zero confidence that the writer could demonstrate any sense of economy in his storytelling.
(Footnote: Three years and four editors later, the series was actually published, and I would swear to this day under oath that its eight relentless issues actually weigh more than eight issues of any normal comic.)
The Pitch isn’t about story so much as it is about testing the waters (oh, how clever a metaphor that will appear to be in a moment). A Pitch Document explains, in broad strokes, the characters and the story and the “feel” of it all. (Is it drama? Comedy? Crime? Romance?) Not too much detail is necessary at this point; all you’re really trying to do is gauge the interest of whoever’s reading it. Make it enticing, show confidence, and for the love of Murphy, keep it short. By way of an example, here’s a write-up (done with artist Mike Wieringo and, sadly, declined) that I worked up a few years ago when I was asked to pitch for Aquaman. It is not a perfect example of a Pitch Document if what you’re pitching is your own concept--this document builds on preexisting knowledge of who Aquaman is, basically, and what he can do--but read it for form and feel.
AQUAMAN Mark Waid/Mike Wieringo Preliminary Pitch for a One-Shot/August 3, 2003
I am so sick of people making fun of Aquaman that I’m beginning to take it personally. For the last ten years or so, the way we’ve been scrambling to combat Aquaman’s “Dork of the Sea” image--and I’ve been guilty of trying this, too--is by making Aquaman increasingly darker, grittier, and tougher, the brooding, angry king beset with trouble. Each incarnation of the character seems grimmer than the last, to the point where all that’s left for us to do is give him two hooks. And a peg-leg.
Yes, the seas can be turbulent and stormy, but y’know what? Far more often, the ocean is a universal symbol for peace and contentment. It’s a calming influence. If it weren’t, Bermuda would be deserted and Hawaii would be an industrial trade port. It is most people’s “happy place.” Yes, the ocean is the set piece for “A Perfect Storm,” but it’s also the world of “Finding Nemo” and “The Little Mermaid.” I have never yet met anyone of any age who didn’t come away from Sea World envying the guides who swim with the whales and porpoises. I propose we turn this “grim Aquaman” paradigm around for a one-shot and see what happens.
Our POV character in this story is a female marine biologist--and since Aquaman’s turf covers the world, there’s no need to make her American. (In fact, Russian is preferable--I’ve been doing a lot of reading about the culture of Russian courtship, and that could really play in nicely.) At any rate, our biologist--let’s call her Yelena for now--may have heard the name “Aquaman” here and there, but to her, he’s about as real and significant as, say, German football stars are to you and me.
Yelena’s work is done with grungy old equipment and spit-and-bailing-wire technology, the best she has to work with. Her whole world has a gritty feel to it-- --so when this bright, blond, shining knight of a man pops out of the water and into her life, she’s addled simply by the contrast. Their paths cross, and she’s drawn into an Aquaman adventure that takes us out on (and under) the water.
Yelena’s not reluctant. To Yelena, this “Aquaman” is, yes, mysterious like the sea--but in a warm, enticing way. To Yelena, he is otherworldly, like a fairy tale character come to life. He rarely speaks (though when he does, he’s staggeringly charming), he lives in the water, and he smiles. Constantly. In fact, at first, Yelena has a nearly impossible time taking him seriously. He’s like a walking cartoon.
And yet...the more she gets to know him, the further she’s drawn out of her world and into his, she’ll come to realize that there’s something going on behind those wide eyes of his. Looking in them, she sees peace and confidence; looking through them, she’s gradually introduced to an underwater world of absolute wonder, a place that is far more colorful and in tune with nature than is her own gritty lifestyle. Once she surrenders to the implausibility of it all, she’s rewarded a thousandfold, and so are we. Aquaman’s joy becomes her joy becomes our joy.
There will be no mocking. NO jokes about how “dumb” talking to fish is. Anyone with a keyboard can make cynical jokes. That’s easy. What’s harder is reminding you why, when you were a kid, you thought the idea of living underwater or riding on the backs of whales WAS cool. We can do that. We can remind you, and Yelena’s awed voice will be there to back us up.
* * * * * * That’s a sample Pitch Document. Breezy but with some personality to it. Not specific on story but strong on concept. Text broken up into chunks so it’s more inviting to read. Again, you’re just exploring an editor or publisher’s interest at this stage. If they’re intrigued by the Pitch, they’ll ask you to put together a Proposal.
Always with the conference room scenes. Good Lord, it's dark in there ...
The Mile High Job is one of those episodes that seems so simple. It begins with us in the writers' room cheering "They're on an airplane, and have to pull off the con before they land! It's practically a bottle show!" and ends with a 70-foot replica fuselage on the soundstage. Oh, and we had to build an airplane bathroom with wild walls, because you just can't get a camera in there for the beautiful fight carnage.
Interesting dynamic in this ep, actually, and one of the episodes you can see the various creative styles of the writers really highlighted. The Notorious B.E.R.G. wrote this one. She favors contained spaces and an active victim/surrogate victim in the con. Chris Downey likes the "setting" episodes -- "It's a wedding! It's a --" -- whoops, spoiler, never mind.
I tend to construct the villain plan absent the heroes, then drop them in. Also, I favor multiple little cons on the way to the big con -- witness the pilot, Homecoming, and the season finale, along with various tweaks along the way. A lot of times I start with "What will we steal?", while Chris starts with "where are we?" There's a fair bit of cross-pollination in the room, of course, and we've spot-welded our approaches several times -- Berg and Chris worked together on The 12 Step Job, while our Filthy Assistant's first script, The Juror #6 Job, shows the taint of both Chris and I.
Layered on the plots, of course, are the stories. Which, as we all know, are not the same thing. Homecoming was about the team learning that being good guys is a lot harder than being bad guys. Two Horse is about dealing with your past. Bank Shot is all about the team growing up, cementing the family bond -- the 'kids' having to pull off the gig on their own. Miracle is about faith and hubris, of course, and you can go on and on. We don't like to lay it on too thick, but the team story is the top layer. End of day, it's very hard to get the audience to give a shit about the vic-of-the-week. In 42:30 they just don't have the screentime. So tying our guys in -- in hopefully non-hacky ways -- is the key to the show's emotional grounding.
For what it's worth, Mile High Job is a trust episode betwen the rest of the team and Hardison. I'd put it in the first half of the season arc. For those of you playing the home game, Bank Shot is the swing episode -- the transition to where the team is fully invested in each other, and walking away is not really an option.
Unless somebody really, really screws up.
Right, questions ...
Richard Jensen:Question about the fight scene. How much is written in advance and how much is blocked out in the shooting?
Depends on the fight scene and who's writing it. Usually we drop one signature bit in there, just to create a framework. Hold on ... let me pull up a pdf of Bank Shot. Tweak the formatting a bit ...
EXT. STANTON PARK - MOMENTS LATER At the black SUV, THUG #1 stays in the driver's seat, THUG #2 and the head METH DEALER approach the briefcase. They pop it open on a nearby trash can.
THUG #2: It's more than we asked for. METH DEATHER: Well, ain't that punk just full of surprises.
A BANG as the rear door pops open. Reveal ELLEN CLARK [mid- 40's, a cut over her left eye presumably from battling the thugs during her capture]. She's gagged and her wrists are duct-taped. She bolts from the SUV, manages to make it a few steps, but stumbles. Instantly the Meth Dealer is over her. He draws a REVOLVER, moves to pistol-whip her.
METH DEATHER (CONT'D): Where the HELL you think you're going, old lady? Where the --
A hand CLAMPS on his raised wrist. He looks back. REVEAL Eliot, holding the Dealer's raised gun-hand.
ELIOT: Hey, what smells like crank and screams like a girl?
Before the Meth Dealer can reacts, Eliot KICKS out his right knee. The Meth Dealer SCREAMS like a girl and collapses. Eliot casually turns to the other Thugs as he empties the chamber to the revolver, letting the rounds fall.
ELIOT (CONT'D): Hmm. Right answer.
Thug #2 rushes Eliot. Eliot moves inside, one-two-three brutal blows, then aikido-flips the guy into a mid-air spin. Thug #1 is halfway out the driver's side door when Eliot closes and KICKS the door, slamming the Thug into the door frame. The SUV door swings open, allowing Eliot to SLAM the door on him again. As that Thug drops, the first one attacks from behind -- Eliot spins, PUNCHES through the window, grabs the THUG and SLAMS him up against the door by pulling his shirt.
As the last Thug drops, Eliot notices little BAGGIES OF METH scattered on the ground. He kicks one idly, turns back to Ellen Clark. Eliot crosses to Ellen, crouches. Throws on his most charming smile. She pulls off her own gag.
ELLEN: Who are you? ELIOT: Well, ma'am. We'd be the cavalry.
Not exactly as played, but close enough. Charlie Brewer then turned this into something about 300% more complicated and cooler. They tend to fall on either side of this in level of detail.
R.A. Porter:... I was also amused by the foley work during Eliot's knife conversation.
If there is one thing we can teach you, Spec-Monkeys, it is this: foley + volume = comedy
Sapphire Smoke:By the way, those bridesmaids dresses were disgusting looking, PLEASE tell me that was the point of them lol. You mentioned about scenes/lines being cut for time and stuff, are there any particularly good ones you wish ended up making it in this episode or any of the previous ones?
They were as intentionally ugly as our Costume Designer would let us get away with. I, personally, always marvel at that awful tradition.
I don't miss anything in particular. [EDIT: Actually, three things worth discussing, but they're spoilery. We'll do it tomorrow.]
It's worth noting that in the middle Nate/Sterling scene in Two Horse -- the one at the stable office -- Sophie, Parker and Hardison are actually crammed in that closet directly behind Sterling. The scene started as a comedy scene, and ended up in editing as a dramatic scene.
Alan Scott: Also, some of us haven't been exposed to your Holmes/Watson rant--and if we didn't want to hear you rant, we wouldn't be reading your blog.
Commenter ajay pretty much nailed it: Absolutely. At the beginning of "A Study in Scarlet", Watson has just returned from Afghanistan with a nasty case of PTSD. He went straight into the Army from medical school, and straight to Afghanistan the next year. So he can't really be more than 26 or so when the novel starts - Victorian doctors went to university at 18 or so and studied for five or six years. And Holmes is about the same age if not younger - he's studying at the university, he's had no previous job that anyone mentions, and Watson doesn't describe him as significantly older than himself.
John Watson is a twenty-six year old combat hard-ass with mujhadeen shrapnel buried in his leg (or shoulder, depending on the story), not some foppish fuckwit with a bowler hat. Sherlock Holmes is your substance-abusing perpetual grad student solving cases for the London underworld/working class that the cops won't touch. THAT'S why everybody fucks up Holmes and Watson including, probably, my favorite writer in the world.
About two years ago I was developing that version of Holmes and Watson with a director to do a TV pilot, and our agents correctly argued that no network was really looking for that. However, it's my fondest wish to someday do that show.
Oh, and they're women. Did I mention that?
Maybe, someday.
kinesys:Also: Much love for Dan Lauria and Nicole Sullivan. I love seeing the comedic actors that you're pulling out of your hat and giving them the opportunity to pull out some dramatic chops. I actually did NOT recognize Dan Lauria at first.
More on the way. Brent Spiner was nice enough to drop by. Wheaton owes me one if we go a second season.
billjack:I've noticed some inconsistency in the characters' skills--most notably Parker can act and improv this week when her inability last week was a plot point. How do you keep track of each character's strengths and weaknesses in their skill-sets? ... Are you tracking changes in the characters' skills over the season (as you clearly are with the relationships)? Many shows end up with every character just good enough at every necessary skill as the plot requires them to be which would be a shame to do with such clearly defined characters as these.
The assumption is that most of them have Thief 101 skills. However, they all have their strengths, and you won't see a ton of crossover. Sophie and Parker do the lifts and pickpocketing; Eliot never touches computers except when it's a plot point that he has to; Hardison is the only hacker and never does sleight-of-hand, etc. and can't pick a lock. We wound up giving Eliot and Hardison more con stuff because, well, Kane and Aldis are just really frikkin' funny. You will note that Eliot is almost never part of a long con -- short scenes only.
There is a definite arc to Parker's ability to roleplay throughout the season, and Sophie's tutelage is one of the little relationship runners. It pays off in a big way in an upcoming episode. You'll note that usually, even when she's good, she's very close to blowing it at all times. Same thing with Eliot and Hardison cross-pollinating skills as their relationship -- I wouldn't call it a friendship -- evolves over the course of the season.
Joseph:Any other ideas for the DVD release - cut scenes, video diaries, commentaries. I cannot wait for this release! Have you thought of doing any podcast commentaries?
We've got a ton of b-reel, and that'll be a big part of the next few months, putting that together. We may do podcasts as a dry run for the DVD commentary, if people are into it.
Mitchy:This might have been filmed earlier but the Hardison/Parker scenes still zing as much as last week; is that a pairing that hit the ground running for you and the script writers or was it just luck that paired them up so often in these first episodes?
No, we intended that relationship when we developed the show, and once we saw the chemistry in the pilot we were relieved that we could explore it. Nothing worse than trying to force a relationship on characters who just don't click organically. On the other hand, the team kind of naturally splits along those lines: Nate and Sophie doing brainwork/long con, Parker and Hardison doing insertion/security work, and Eliot beating the shit out of somebody.
Warlach:That said, just a quick question: surely the mirror in the cabinet where you first see Hardison place a bug would make the device pretty obvious?
It's a reactive alloy that will blend in with the wood grain and -- HEY! LOOK OVER THERE!
Kevin:The plotting on this episode seemed a little shaky to me. In addition to what Tal_Kaline noted above, there were a number of inconsistencies that seemed unrealistic ...
We freely admit, this one was our big-comedy "farce with guns." We kind of cashed our Big Comedy card with this one. But frankly, it was worth it. The Fun Train will NOT BE STOPPED!!
All right, I need to get to bed, because some of us are writing six more goddam episodes. Thanks for watching, and we hope you enjoy tonight's Leverage-y diversions. Consider this your episode Open Thread.
Well, is there ? I'm going to venture a highly uneducated guess and say no, but it's fun to speculate. A nice roundup of "where we are now" comes from Phil Plait over at one of my favorite blogs: Bad Astronomy.
And if you're looking for the thrill of discovery a little closer to home, there is a fascinating series of posts over at Scientific American called Dispatches from the Bottom of the Earth . A scientist by the name of Robin Bell is documenting the expedition to study a mountain range hidden beneath the ice sheet in Antarctica. Mountains of Madness anyone?
We also seem to have taken one step closer toward invisibility. The military applications are pretty obvious, but I'm curious. What commercial uses would there be for this technology? So tell me, Monkeys. What would you use an invisibility cloak for?
(And let's try to avoid the "sneaking into the girls' locker room" type shenanigans, for decency's sake. If you need invisibility to see someone naked, it's probably safe to say that your kung fu is not strong. Nor your use of teh Google.)
