Fun & Games

In screenplays the part of the story where it has broken into Act II, and before the story midpoint, this is often referred to as the "fun & games" part of the story. This is where the promise of the premise takes place. A break from the main story to see what the story idea is about. Like most I have lived a number of stories that were funny, sad, amazing, a bit scary, and what were I/we thinking.

Someone, not me, once said that comedy can help soften the seriousness of a drama, while drama can enhance the story a comedy is trying to convey.

Some could be made into stand–alone stories. Some could be wooven together into a long saga. But importantly, all these stories are true!

Many of these stories, if made into moovies, would find the usual players. Katherine Heigl, Martin Lawrence, Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, Salma Hayek, Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz, Will Ferrell, Tèa Leoni, and last but certainly not least, Steve Carell, could be the ensemble cast that convey these stories. I think I just dated myself!

The "Technicain" portion of this story would serve as Act 1. The very first easter egg would represent the opening image. My first jobs as summer relief and gopher would be the story's setup. My stint with Xerox would represent the result of the story's catalyst, my marriage and needing a steady income. But the debate would dictate that raising a family I needed more money, so I headed back to television and act 2. This time as a quaified technicain. The first series of stories found here would be the fun and games portion of the story.

So starting here I will answer some questions I have been asked in the past during a job interview.

What in your industry was much harder than it is today?: I was working at an NBC affiliate that ended up on the ABC Network.
What aspects of your job were you most uncomfortable with?: Well it involved a 20 minute, small as a coffin, elevator ride!
Have you ever worked at a startup?: Yes, and like most startups it didn't end well.
State a situation that turned out much better than first glance would indicate?: A production crew, not a small one either, where everyone was, or seemed related.
State an instance where you feel you should have caught on sooner than you did.: Guess it was an instance where I was "asleep at the switch."
What wouldn't you do today that you once did?: While it turned out OK, plenty could have gone wrong!
Have you ever found yourself in a strange cliché: Yes, and its on my homepage.
How do you handle inter‐department conflicts: Keep your
Do you have a incredibly unlikely thing that happened in your career?: You mean like being in the Ohio Lottery studio and winning that night?

My story's Midpoint would be when I decided I needed to go back to school. But first the section of my career that would be called "bad guys close in" would be the answer to the following question.

Have you ever been fired?: Yes. Have you ever had nightmares about a VTR?
Was school worth while: Yes. Midpoints in a screenplay can have highs and lows. My midpoint had both. School was the high part.

The second act generally ends with what is called the "dark night of the soul." This next answer definitely belongs here.

What is the hardest thing you ever had to do at work?: I told this story to try and not be offered the job

My third act began when I went to work at Sony.

What was your scariest meeting?: When summoned to New York to meet with the VP of ABC Engineering. He wanted to inform me personally that I was a moron!
In the television industry what player seemed to march to a different drummer than the others.: Well on the broadcast side it was the tiffany network, while on the vendor side it was one of my employers.
Site a couple books that you found interesting.: Actually there's four that I have read, end to end, multiple times. None of them recent, but to me there're timeless.
Was there a major contribution you made to the industry?: Well maybe not major, but useful. What the Chip makers were referring to when they said digital signals worked until they got down to 6dB signal to noise.
How did you become a writer: Accidentally
If you were going to write a book about the broadcast industry what would it be called?: To no one in particular.

At this point in time I would consider the story had come full circle, and it was time for the closing credits. But there was a sequel. I went from writing technical articles to books, and I became a freelance project engineer.

How did you become a project engineer?: Knowing a little about a lot!
Can you talk in front of crowds?: Yes. While once a wallflower, not anymore.
Did life on the job ever initate art?: Yeah, they made a movie out of the premise, after I had lived it!
What is the most incredible thing you've seen at work?: Not one but two things that shouldn't have been there!
What is your take on the business during your tenure?: Everytime I thought I understood it, I found out I didn't!
What is your take on todays technology?: My initial take is the "big crunch!"
What is your biggest regret?: Which is also my biggest failure. To tell the story of how a Canadain company took the name of a small town in Northern California, and how that company changed, and is still changing video and media technology.