Character Development

“Dear Mr. Brody” by A.M. Johnson - Review
Parker, I never meant for any of this to happen, to fall for you. It doesn't matter that we're both adults, or how much we want this to work. The college policy is clear. I can't see a way around this without one of us getting hurt. If I would’ve known who you were when we met online, I would have never pursued a relationship. I'm new to all of this, and besides my daughter, getting to know you has been the best thing to ever happen to me. But I can't make you hide again. I won't. It's not fair to either of us.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
Powerpuff Girls Leaked Pilot Review
Since the CW's announcement of adapting a live-action version of The Powerpuff Girls, one question has been on my mind for months.... Why? Seriously, those three tiny superheroes hold nostalgic childhood memories of Saturday afternoons, but my gut feeling was that this show was not going to go down well - creatively or critically.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
Character Coding in Fiction. Top Story - November 2021.
Something I’ve seen recently in online discussions is arguments about “Coded” characters. It seems like everything has to be coded as something, even when it's completely un-necessary or makes no sense.
By Natasja Rose5 years ago in Critique
The Broken Fantasy of Gossip Girl
In a time where social media has become quite literally a way of life, now more than ever seemed like a brilliant time to revive GG for a new generation. On paper, the show tackling current issues - Black Lives Matter, the Covid-19 pandemic, sexuality, social class and mental health - and Gossip Girl herself Kristen Bell reprising her narrating role, I had high hopes for this show.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
Fanfiction: The Free Writing School
The most valuable writing advice I ever got was "Don't give up your day job". As such, I didn't spent my post-high school years chasing a Creative Writing degree. I did an apprenticeship, followed by 6 - 12-month Trade School courses, interspaced with years in various Care and Retail industries, as well as a brief stinit in Education. Nothing glamourous or news-worthy, but that was never the goal. I just wanted a job that paid the bills and let me write.
By Natasja Rose5 years ago in Critique
The Wasted Potential of a Remake
A couple years ago, the 30th anniversary of Dirty Dancing was celebrated – by re-releasing the film in cinemas and also by doing a remake. This remake essentially followed the plot of the original film: While holidaying with her parents at a placid resort, Frances is smitten with the resort's rebellious dance instructor. Her father opposes their relationship which creates a rift between him and her. However, this was expanded into a three-hour movie event and the production added musical numbers.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
Elena Gilbert: The Death of the Protagonist
For six seasons, Nina Dobrev starred as the protagonist (as well as several other characters) of the CW show The Vampire Diaries - her character was often at the centre of many dramatic and tragic storylines. However, as a protagonist Elena Gilbert was more of the damsel archetype. A valid argument for this character could be that for the majority of the series, she was human and by default a weaker character in comparison to the supernatural counterparts.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
The Unfaithful Sequel
There are some films that stick with us, that can be watched over and over again. For me, it was Thomas Carter’s Save the Last Dance (2001) - there were many dance genre films around this time, but this is the one that started it all. Before Step Up or Honey, Save the Last Dance was the first to combine hip-hop and ballet in a film while tackling difficult and poignant subject matters.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
The Year of Horrific YA Films
During the in-between of the ending of Harry Potter and the dawn of YA fantasy adaptations, there were a few films that were poorly made as production companies jumped on this trend. While Hunger Games and Twilight were box-office hits among readers, two films in 2011 did not receive the same warm response.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
Mean Girls Missed the Mark. Runner-Up in The Most Overrated Challenge.
I want to start this off by saying that I LOVE "Mean Girls". It is possibly one of the funniest, and most quotable movies in existence. I watch it every time I see it on TV. I mean how many times can you set through the entire thing before it stops being entertaining and hilarious?
By Raine Fielder5 years ago in Critique
Rewriting the Harry & Ginny Romance
Although you can't fit everything on screen - one aspect where the Harry Potter film franchise failed was to really flesh out the relationship between Harry and his love interest Ginny Weasley. Michael Goldenberg (screenwriter for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2007) and Steve Kloves (screenwriter for the remaining seven films) had a few scenes to work with for this pairing - however, those scenes lacked the complexity or connection the characters had on page... Truth be told, Daniel Radcliffe and Bonnie Wright had little chemistry on screen.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique
The Golden Compass - The Failed Adaptation
As an avid reader, you learn to compromise when it comes to book adaptations. Obviously changes have to be made when taking a novel and rewriting it as a screenplay and mostly as long as the production stays faithful to the core of the story's DNA, fans are usually happy - there are even some changes where the screenwriter makes a scene or character dynamic flow better than it did on page.
By Ted Ryan5 years ago in Critique