Good afternoon. It is I, Gigi the parti poodle introducing my novelist who, by the way, was not happy about with me ripping up her robe a bit this week. I don’t know why she’s so upset about it. She left it on the bed where I sleep and as far as I’m concerned whatever garment is left on the bed is my playground. In fact, I must say my expert touch made it better. Now it’s one of a kind. No one else has their robe ripped the exact same way. My novelist also wanted me to tell you she is going to add a section at the bottom called Smart Films for Smart Kids in which in addition to her Stream of the Week she is going to recommend one kids film on streaming right now. Anyway, without further ado, here is my novelist.
It has been interesting observing human behavior during the Covid-19 outbreak. And might I add useful knowledge to use for character study. Especially how the idiosyncrasies of personality traits have come to life during this strange time. Since sensory people take up 75-80% of the population, the way most human beings view the world is by touch, taste, hearing, sight, and smell. If a danger or for that matter a remedy cannot be detected by the senses it must not exist. This would account for some of the protests going on right now. Or more specifically the citizens who want the country reopened. Some of them do not believe the virus is deadly. Others do not believe it is real and apparently like to push forest rangers into lakes.
Intuitive personality types both the thinkers and the feelers on the other hand are used to using their imagination and view the world from a standpoint of possibilities as opposed to the concrete. Many times, I have heard scientists talk about the value of imagination and how without it is difficult, maybe impossible, to be a scientist. Intuitive individuals can see things in their mind’s eye and can postulate possibilities. By that rational, intuitivists are naturally more likely to believe the virus is real and deadly. But they only take up 20-25% of the population.
Now, this is not to say there are not sensory personalities who do not comprehend the danger of the virus. In fact, 60% of people polled support the staying home restrictions. Also, many people in the medical industry are SJ (sensory judgement). In fact, it is quite common amongst doctors, nurses, technicians and so forth. Surgeons are more likely to be SP (sensory perceptive) due to the visceral nature of the job. But then there is the other 40%. 32% of people polled are worried more about the financial state of the country than the virus.
Also, extroverts both the sensory version and the intuitive version are having an especially difficult time right now. In fact, I saw a big sign on someone’s lawn this week which said, “I Am Bored”. This is because extroverts physically gain energy being around other people. The distance is making them bored, tired, cranky, wrestles and in some cases careless. They may be going to the grocery store a little too often or thinking six feet is the maximum rather than the minimum, meeting people online who are toxic or setting up ski jumps on their roofs hoping they hit the swimming pool correctly. One of my biggest terrors is what is going to happen when extroverts emerge from their forced hibernation and start hitting the dating scene once again? What kind of madness is going to ensue from that? How steep are crime rates going to rise? I also wonder what kind of traffic the porn sites have been getting. Apparently, they have been running specials.
We introverted personalities on the other hand are enjoying the whole social distancing immensely though we are profoundly sad for people and their families who are suffering with Covid-19. In opposition to extroverts our energy is drained when we must spend time around people. We are immune to the misery extroverts are experiencing right now. Being able to cross the street and not talk to someone is presently considered a common courtesy. Avoiding sitting in a crowded room and engaging in stupid mindless chit-chat is valiant. Finding a project to do other than wasting your life socializing is productive. The world at present is our oyster.
A great movie and book that shows the clash of introverts and extroverts under pressure is The Flight of the Phoenix. It’s not streaming for free on Netflix or Prime right now, so I won’t put it in my Stream of the Week section. However, if you can get your hands on the original film with James Stewart on say…YouTube, I recommend it highly. Essentially a plane with several passengers on it crashes in the desert. They will all die if they cannot get out. In Susan Cane’s book Quiet, there is a simulated version of this concept done at an ivy league school. Let us just say the inability for society to listen to people who are introverted, not charismatic but knowledgeable is chilling…and timely.
While your waiting for my next post you can check out my book Chicane now available on Amazon.
Also, this week’s ScreenwritingU Friday noon free teleconference class is called Creating TV Series That Sell. The link to join the class is here.
STREAM OF THE WEEK: MOVIES THAT ARE ACTUALLY FUNNY PART TROIS: THE KEVIN SMITH DOUBLE FEATURE EXTRAVAGANZA: CHASING AMY & ZAC AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO-Netflix
When Kevin Smith makes a good film, he makes a great one. If you have never seen Clerks, it is required viewing. Make sure you see the alternate ending. Unfortunately, Clerks is not streaming on Netflix or Prime right now. But luckily two of his best ones are…but they’re not for kids.
Chasing Amy: Thoughtful comedy just doesn’t get better than this. With it’s fantastic dialogue and heartfelt storyline Kevin Smith weaves and directs a love story for the ages. Comic book artist Holden McNeil (Ben Afleck) and his longtime buddy and co-artist Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) attend a comics convention and meet another artist, Alyssa Jones (deftly played by Joey Lauren Adams). Much to Banky’s vexation Holden is instantly smitten with Alyssa and the three of them go out for drinks. Most of the conversation is between Banky and Alyssa with Holden begrudgingly sitting on the sidelines. Then Holden discovers something unanticipated about Alyssa and the story takes a sharp turn which profoundly challenges all of them. An absolute must see.
Zac and Miri Make a Porno: Don’t let the title fool you (and it is a great title). This one is well worth the watch. Down and out Zac (Seth Rogan) and Miri (terrifically played by Elizabeth Banks) have been best friends for years and live together as roommates. They attend their high school ten-year reunion and meet up with former classmate Brandon and discover how lucrative the adult film business is. Zac concocts a desperate idea: what if he and Miri made a porno movie? And what if they film it in the coffee house he works at? And what if they did a sex scene together? Rounded out by an engaging motley crew Zac and Miri Make a Porno is a wonderfully raunchy romp.
STREAM OF THE WEEK EXTRA-CHRISTINE-Netflix
I am going to recommend one last film which is not a comedy, but it is leaving Netflix Streaming on May 16th and I wanted to give it a mention because it is probably one that gets overlooked. It’s a 2016 film called Christine and no it’s not about a car. It’s a true story about a woman named Christine Chubbuck who worked as a news reporter for Sarasota, Florida in the 1970’s. She is highly intelligent, ahead of her time and very misunderstood. When she finds out some of the team from the station is being promoted to a station in Baltimore, she does everything in her power to get the job. Christine is brilliantly played by Rebecca Hall and when I first saw the film, I was certain she was going to get an Oscar nomination. But alas the Academy passed her over. This film much like the one about the car is not for the squeamish. But it is well worth the watch if you can catch it before May 16th.
SMART FILMS FOR SMART KIDS-HUGO-Netflix
Hugo is a gorgeous looking and highly engaging film based on the children’s book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. It is beautifully directed by Martin Scorsese and tells the tale of an orphan boy named Hugo who lives in a train station in Paris in the 1930’s. His father left him a mechanical man, but he does not have the key with which to make it work. Hugo gets himself in dire straits when he meets a stern shopkeeper named George. Hugo finds out George has a plucky goddaughter named Isabella he takes care of who joins forces with Hugo on their search for the missing key. Rarely do we get a kid’s film these days that has as smart a story so vividly brought to life that both adults and children can enjoy. Sacha Baron Cohen also terns in a terrific performance as a bitter station inspector.
Gigi Catches Air 