Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Over the past few years I've become a fan of David Mamet ...

... who, I have become thoroughly convinced, is probably the single best screenwriter and director in film today.  I have watched almost everything of his I can get my hands on and I don't remember a single project that I did not enjoy.

At this link is the text of a memo, in screaming caps and bad punctuation and everything, that Mamet sent to the writing staff of his TV show, The Unit.  There is sufficient weirdness in it to keep you captivated all the way through.  And if you're one of the two or three remaining radio people in the STL market, you might pay special attention to what Mamet has to say about keeping the audience's attention.

If you're into creative writing, it's a must-read.  And if you don't know who David Mamet is, check out his IMDB page.

Then let the viewing begin...and I should mention that the clip below contains some pretty rough language and might be considered inappropriate for the workplace (even though it sounds like a Clear Channel sales meeting) or around kids of a tender age.