jspeyerer

Sounds of the Season

We've talked before about the role that our senses play in memory retrieval and storytelling. In an earlier Christmas column, I suggested that you take notes about the things you notice during the holidays. These notable impressions came as a result of us... Read >

Yancy's Dog

Have you ever gone to bed with a problem weighing on your mind and awakened with the answer? Popular wisdom suggests that your subconscious was working while you slept and dug up the solution. I believe the subconscious is where old memories go to hiberna... Read >

Accidental Magic

Rob Legato was visual effects coordinator for the seasons 1987-92 of Star trek: The Next Generation. In an interview, he said that he much preferred using miniatures for shots of the Starship Enterprise and other outer space special effects as opposed to ... Read >

Squinting in the Moonlight

Do you squint in the moonlight because it's too bright? Neither do I. And neither does anyone else, except for the characters on TV shows from the 1950s and budget-sensitive (cheap) "B" movies. Why? Because of a cinematic technique called "day for night."... Read >

Shug, Dub, and Dabbs: What's In A Company Name?

If you recognize the words in the title as the first names of great character actors from the past, you're as much of a movie and TV geek as I am. But what part do their names play in designating the kind of roles they played? George "Shug" Fisher was ... Read >

Humor: Not Everyone Can Hear The Funny

By all accounts, the late movie cowboy Gene Autry was a fine fellow and a savvy businessman, having owned a record label, a production company, and a baseball team. He was as widely known for his westerns as he was for making a hit song out of "Rudolph, t... Read >

Cultivating Organic Humor

Humor is a funny thing. Everyone thinks they have a sense of humor, but not everyone is right. You can be an effective speaker even if you don't have a sense of humor, as long as you don't try to fake it. The audience can always tell. On the other hand... Read >

Doctor Who and Who Else?

Was the Lone Ranger really alone? No, he had Tonto. Sherlock Holmes, the world's first consulting detective, had Dr. Watson. The revived Doctor Who has his traveling companion, Rose, Martha, or Donna, depending on what season you're watching. And who was ... Read >

The Look of Appraisal

Eye contact in communication can be dicey. A look can be an invitation or an invasion, a challenge or an appraisal. A lot of appraising goes on in Los Angeles. I flew out there recently from Pittsburgh, visiting Diana, a producer friend of mine whom I ... Read >