Concepting: superhero creation

Found myself contemplating idea of a superhero who is a police photographer. And then figured identical twins could handle better. That way can dart away to handle superhero drama as other twin would just take over.

Here is full concept I tweeted out.

Concept scenario Twin Photog Crimefighters:

Identical twins share a love of photography, martial arts, and crime fighting!

After a freak event (your choice) gives them superpowers, they move to NYC (or your preferred) where one is a police photographer, while other is freelance.

They both are credentialed as police photographers and officers get used to having one or the other.

Where they keep radio communication so can race off for superhero things. With freelance twin best able to juggle saving the city with job.

Free idea. I wonder if is unique.

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So that's what I tweeted. Can use concept to get abstractions for making up your own superhero. Can study to understand how that works.

This morning talked out with Llama 3.1 through Instagram access point and model had good ideas! I asked if could share some on ways superpowers might be gained.

From Llama 3.1

The origin story of how your Twin Photog Crimefighters gain their superpowers is a crucial element. Here are some ideas to consider:

1. Mysterious Camera: While exploring an old camera shop or thrift store, they stumble upon a mysterious, antique camera that imbues them with powers.

2. Chemical Accident: A freak accident involving photographic chemicals or a lab experiment gone wrong grants them superhuman abilities.

3. Alien Encounter: While on a photography assignment, they encounter an alien entity that bestows powers upon them.

4. Genetic Mutation: They discover they have a rare genetic mutation that's triggered by their passion for photography, martial arts, and justice.

5. Supernatural Event: A strange, supernatural occurrence (e.g., a meteor shower, solar eclipse, or mystical ritual) grants them powers.

6. Advanced Technology: They stumble upon advanced technology (e.g., a top-secret government project or a futuristic device) that enhances their abilities.

7. Magical Artifact: They find a magical artifact (e.g., a talisman, amulet, or crystal) that holds the power to grant superhuman abilities.

Feel free to mix and match elements or come up with something entirely new! The origin story should reflect the tone and direction you want your narrative to take.

Genre descriptives with AI concept

Started thinking about streamlining process for getting help from AI with recommendations where focused to start on books and movies.

Like consider following prompt you can actually use if you wish.

Prompt for AI: Please give 5 mystery books that fit following descriptives.

Short descriptives: challenges authority, breaks to conclusion, atmospheric setting; clever investigator or investigators, satisfactory story resolution

With additional criteria of being set in 19th century with a gothic theme.

--------------------------------------

The system has schema: primary descriptives and dynamic discovery parameters.

Have only done descriptives for mystery, sci fi and horror. Where have short and long where is about preference which to use as either works.

And yeah can use for movies too!

Mystery descriptives: is challenging to authority, has a break to a surprising conclusion, relies on research as valuable; has atmospheric setting and has clever investigator or investigators focused on rationality who resolve story.

Short descriptives: challenges authority, breaks to conclusion, atmospheric setting; clever investigator or investigators, satisfactory story resolution

Sci fi descriptives: shows value of science, shows value of technology especially that needed for safe exploration; has characters with important knowledge whether scientific, engineering, or other, who value research.

Short descriptives: pro-science, pro-tech, pro-exploration, pro-authority

Horror descriptives: transitions well from collapse of normality, get to atmospheric dread, unveil deep dark secrets, and have failure of authority; lack satisfying resolution that resolves fears, but reach a sense of closure.

Short descriptives: transition with collapse of normality, have atmospheric dread; unveil secrets, have failure of authority; does not resolve fears, reach sense of closure.

Dynamic discovery parameters (optional): talk light or dark themes, time periods or places. Plus other things personally relevant.

Given as open and free to use, copy or distribute. Hoping to help people better partner with conversational AI.

Why promotion got simply harder

Promotion in theory is easy: put forward best synopsis of content highlighting in the best way content that will be welcomed by fans and potential fans.

That is how for example entertainers must grow their fanbase by being appealing to future potential fans. And web makes easier to reach people!

The web enables global information distribution and routinely now there are entertainers who achieve global success paying vastly less for promotion by brilliantly promoting.

Have talked my own consternation at feeling a need as a fan to help with global promotion. Is messed up now as 20th century systems and ways are only slowly being disintegrated.

So global promotion is still best done by fans. That is wacky. But yeah global fandoms have actually saved careers being hampered by media companies that have no clue how to do global promotion.

It is simple in theory to promote globally, but difficult in practice as requires skills. Like now better packaged entertainment synopsis I have noticed discussed comes from fans doing for fun and freely sharing.

Which is ok, up to a point. Entertainers controlled though by inept agents and managers can mess up any support. Which is frustrating.

Also fans needing to get it done is not good for health of promotion industry! Is a valuable field of paid work. 

Have entertainers with demonstrated brilliance who just need to be promoted properly which is not their job to handle.

Thankfully am confident as people learn will quickly become a problem of the past. And fans like myself can just enjoy brilliance without needing to help in global promotion if want to keep getting.

Some of my mood concepts

Mood is very individual but is key to my functional definition of entertainment which focuses on SAFE mood control.

Performers must craft SAFE mood with exquisite skill even when...no, ESPECIALLY when dealing with scary subjects.

If audience does not feel SAFE then audience is not entertained. Check me on that one, carefully.

You may surprise yourself.

Science fiction can really range with moods in this time. Ok, I really like sci fi. But still, it can!

Technology is part of it, but research is key to the science mood. Other moods can flow around that framework.

Research to solve problems: science mood.

There are of course many moods and humor is a mood. Which I list for an easy point of reference. (Yes, if follow my Twitter jstevh am copying tweets from it verbatim. Is MY writing.)

Moods are often complex constellations of emotion. And the FEELING is key to any mood. So, like Star Trek is best example of a brilliant show with military and science mood.

If pay close attention: scientific research, often done by Spock, is key to success! While StarFleet is a military organization dedicated to peaceful exploration.

(Ok, still using tweets but no longer verbatim. Is editing time.)

So then, science mood involves use of research to solve problems.

Military mood involves a hierarchical organization of people dedicated to something larger than themselves willing to sacrifice themselves for others.

That is so cool and ended up longer than I thought it would be when began crafting it.

Figuring out my moods has helped me self-calibrate my mood discernment engine. Which means of course, know what am searching for in any particular entertainment.

You might work on your own mood palette. Where for myself routinely reference comedic mood when trying to find a handle on mood concepts.

Mood and YouTube revisited

Years ago when my functional definition of entertainment was still new to me, was testing the ideas and gave a deliberately comic attempt at applying it to YouTube.

But now am like: is actually correct analysis and with my social distancing because of the pandemic, spend more time on YouTube. So thought I'd emphasize and point out a few things.

Like yes, mood is key to size of your audience if have an entertaining channel. 

Entertainment is a SAFE mood control tool for us human beings. Holding a clear mood I call maintaining the mood line. 

If you succeed you get views roughly 50% or higher of your subscriber count.

You are ok with at least 10%. But less? Then most people are ignoring your videos. 

And we, the audience, are not wrong. My recommendation: if views are less than 10% of your subscriber count? Set aside a block of time and watch your last 5 videos in a row. 

Should admit--comedy is how could laser in on mood focus. Like if going to a comedy show and get bursts of funny mixed with sobbing about being broke, single and lonely that breaks the mood? Yeah. (Editing to add: if is part of comedy routine though? Of course that's different--preserves comedy mood.)

So what if cannot figure out mood? I think can learn but am an optimist about practicing to develop skills. Regardless at least can understand why those views vary as they do: audience knows.

So yeah, easy check is--watch a block of your own videos. If you squirm and get moody and hostile or cannot make yourself do it? Then you finally know--how your audience would feel. So they do not watch much. Simple. Have lots of posts on entertainment including at least one on mood line. If you care, you can find.

Rebooting Star Wars

Was very excited for new movies in one of the most influential sci-fantasy arenas, where the start of course was in 1977 with Star Wars: Episode IV which was a mysterious start in and of itself.

There were eventually prequels by George Lucas, and then quiet, until control was sold to Disney, and renewed movies arrived with great box office success.

But am concerned they missed a few things, and figured would, as a fan, help them out, while not getting in the way of the latest effort.

Is a fun challenge: can I write a better angle, and not lose what has been done?

Yup. Is easy too.

Whenever Disney gets tired of mucking around, the reboot-sequel has a start with a young girl, who of course vaguely looks like the adult Rey. She also looks poor and is an orphan, but we watch her learning some basic gymnastics, showing a bizarre adeptness. Next we watch as she is with other orphan children and outcasts--scavenging. Inquisitive she is a great scavenger, and of course in one such quest for tossed away useful items, she finds something odd.

We recognize is a somewhat battered lightsaber, and she stares into it, while aimlessly hitting buttons on it. And THANKFULLY it is inoperative, but she pockets it. Now shift to older Rey, who is paying with hard earned cash for lessons in something or other, related to devices.

Then we find her tinkering with the lightsaber, and in time, it flickers. And now she has a clue what it is, and eventually gets a weak beam. Soon she is swooping it around with a familiar sound. Then we watch her dancing gracefully with it, and doing gymnastic moves....

Rey is scavenging again. Now she is a teenager, and is harder, but adult actor could be de-aged? She finds a small ball, familiar to people from the original movie. Now she is an adept engineer, and quickly repairing it, it floats...and soon zaps her! She quickly figures it out, and we watch her with her now stronger lightsaber going through more sophisticated moves.

Then finally we are with adult Rey, at age of first new movie, and she looks that way now, so should be ok. And after a brilliant practice session with the ball, where she is clearly adept, she suddenly lifts a hand and the ball flies across the room, sticks to the wall where it struggles a bit. Rey stares at back of her hand in surprise, then flicks downward quickly. The ball switches off and drops. She now holds her lightsaber up vertically and her concentration is clearly visible on her face. Her left hand she takes away, and then concentrates more, and slowly pulls away her right, and the light saber is steady, in mid air....

Suddenly we are on a space vessel looking at Kylo Ren, who is unconscious in something like a hospital bed, moaning and sweating. What I'd like is his father Han Solo standing over him looking concerned. But Harrison Ford wanted out which is why character was killed. I can easily resurrect him, but ok, his uncle is standing over him.

He has been called to the ship, as Kylo was finally found. Desperate for Jedi powers he had first gone on a quest to find the mythical and well-hidden Luke Skywalker. But failed. Which simply made him even more desperate for powers of his own. As he tried various things with little success. His mother Princess Leia tried to counsel and comfort him to no avail. He had no interest in the life she could give him. And then tragically she died.

He had then gone completely unhinged and now ready for anyone who could train him, he finally found a dark adept. Despite his parents, and his upbringing, he agreed to training in the Dark Side of the Force.

We get a flashback, where a scene like Luke in the cave plays out, but is more involved. Kylo's darkest fears and rage consume him in a twisted fantasy where he kills his own father. He also has Rey in them, who he has never met, and yup, am handling every prior just like that.

But these details have not been revealed. Kylo's uncle (would still like Han Solo) is standing over him as he mumbles Rey, Rey, Rey...over and over. And his uncle turns to the nurse and asks: Who is Rey? Nurse shrugs.

Cut to the famous scroll of lettering going off into the distance where much I just talked is explained.

Kylo has been recovered from a Sith Lord, and there are questions about what to do with him. While Rey is visible to beings strong in the Force, but where are the Jedi? So can't just toss that into it. And the script is how their path collides. How they confront the Sith Lord who wants his apprentice Kylo back.

And there is a bigger threat to the galaxy that will test them both to their limits.

Pull in all the other characters easily, from here.

Ok. Been working at this for twenty minutes and raring to do something else. So yeah, notice here Rey is less mysteriously powerful. She is a natural adept, called by the Force, and trained by the Force--the Force seeks balance. Why her? A mystery it is. But is not about her parents. They were nobodies.

There must be a different answer.

Ok, Disney can do their thing. Whatever they do, can handle it. Reboots? Are easy.

Ok will edit this thing like usual. Realized there was one more key piece.

Further into the movie we see Rey striding confidently with Kylo beside her. He has been babbling about the dreams he had and how real it all seems. Rey has been patient, but she suddenly stops.

Forget those dreams my new padawan. You were heading into the Dark Side. Such dreams are meant to be forgotten...if you would travel with me, that is.

What can he say?


James Harris

Changing an ending for mood reasons

Have talked about mood and story before, and in a previous post did an alternate ending for the recent Battlestar Galactica reboot. And am wary of such things as wish to be respectful of the original and powerful creative work. But also am endlessly wanting better in entertainment, and think can help.

Am going to change yet another ending, and with this one need to put warnings up front. The original deals with suicide and not surprisingly, am going to remove the literality of suicide here with an alternate ending.

So am going to re-interpret 13 Reasons Why and is an ongoing series, so am even more hesitant. But also am just giving some opinions here. Does not make them right. And I don't think they're wrong, but is my opinion.

The original story is about a young woman who commits suicide and there are tapes that explain why. Where to me, in a literary work, death is rarely actual death.

When writers use death in their writing it can be about LOTS of things, where that comes across in the writing.

When goes to a visual work with moving pictures, often in my opinion, death is taken literally which wrecks the ending.

In considering the character Hannah, she confronts the reality of how badly people have treated her. Imagines confronting them through protagonists who step through a process. And in accepting the need and right to challenge them: ends her prior too compliant self.

So alternate ending with an obvious plot device for a VISUAL not needed for the book: She wakes up screaming and drenched in sweat. She pauses for a moment pondering the nightmare.

She gets up, and reaches for her tape recorder. And begins recording. Fade to black.

So with the alternate ending, we have a character development. The point then is she has learned she needs to stand up to these people, and confront them. And ending insinuates in THIS case, she will be her own advocate. But also nonetheless leaves viewers hanging.

(Oh yeah, highly recommend standing up for yourself when people treat you badly.)

Ok, so my own interpretation where in this case read about the show as have NOT watched it, is that the mood is actually about standing up for yourself and confronting people who behave badly towards you. Ok. But if character is actually DEAD then is meaningless. But if is a literary device implying she has killed that too timid self, makes more sense, to me.

And there will leave it.


James Harris

Considering Tolkien and meanings

When was a kid became fascinated with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien which has had a revival recently with movies. But for me was the books! And will not delve deeply into some thoughts on overall significance of course as will be very meta in perspective relative to me.

And has always been on my mind the concepts around skin color in those books as the darker were associated with negatives, but will shrug that off here to consider Sauron and Frodo.

Of course Frodo takes the one ring, and resolves a situation where will not spoil the story though presume most know it. And with me, um, was fascinating when with my math came upon one ring, as in a math ring, which took over from ALL prior. It is literally one ring to rule all of mathematics itself. And was like, oh.

Also have found can wield web tools in a variety of ways, and feel like there have been confrontations in cyberspace where easily crush opposition, but I identify with Frodo.

And Frodo uses the one ring to make himself invisible. And for years have shrank away from implications of my own ideas.

So finally concluded that Sauron and Frodo are merely aspects of the same being, metaphorically and that the resolution was to end the brooding, and destructive visage. That ultimately the point of power was not oppression, but freedom for all.

That actually does make a rather wild sense that Tolkien may have been contrasting concepts around power, which is why you have this brooding giant of a dark figure, successfully confronted by a much smaller person in many ways deliberately so written. Where the creative thing is to see as aspects of the same being in conflict. And Frodo then represents the actual person? Behind the creativity?

So his resolution of his own internal conflict does require that he win, as reality requires, even though of course is a fictional world. Closer to reality would be Frodo, than the superbeing Sauron.

Wondering if also then gives perspective on work of L. Frank Baum with similar themes of reality behind appearance of overwhelming power.

Yeah think in both cases you have writers pondering the reality of the writer along with the rest.

Writers do get an interesting role in creating fictional worlds, which am contemplating more and more. However writer reality is: more like Frodo always than ever like a Sauron, really, you know?

And yeah now makes more sense to me that in resolving the conflict that Tolkien did have the potentially immortal elves along with others, leave. His resolution being a more gritty mundane reality. And will admit that part was not as exciting to me when reading as a kid. Now as an adult have a different appreciation of what MAY have motivated.

Which is how I resolved things in my mind. That urge to wield knowledge like a weapon can cause fear in others, while using to hide, can make you vulnerable as well.

Then transparency is key, with shared knowledge meaning is better for all, in general.

Well I like it. And here my opinion rules...um. Here can share some ideas! You can agree or disagree of course! Your choice rules there.


James Harris

Will machines rule us? Pondering The Matrix

One movie have thought about many ways for a long time is The Matrix, where really feel more impressed with first one than the sequels. Though one of my big disappointments was the reason for why the machines kept humans in vats. Where have a better reason.

As technology advances of course is not surprising our species is exploring concepts around what might happen, and fiction is a great vehicle. Though I also have read plenty of analysis which indicates that we'd have no clue really. Our focus is on how human beings think.

Intelligence that is NOT human would naturally then think in ways we could find very difficult to guess, which is another reason to focus on a movie. Admitting do not have a firm opinion on what a machine takeover might look like, and also will be creative here in a way not meant to diminish the original concepts.

Like to me data storage is a more natural reason for storing humans as turns out there is a LOT of capacity for it in your head. And maybe can not realize that for machines that could be a great reason to use human beings, especially if did not feel any other use of us was important to you.

As our species starts piling up more and more data does not sound so wacky am sure to the people paying attention. And machine intelligences could dwarf our example EXTREMELY rapidly, and figure out could just plug up humans for extra data storage space. Though you STILL run into lots of problems with details about keeping such humans healthy, so will still note is fiction. We have to give lots of dramatic license though could solve each problem but wonder to myself why. Worse could make it actually seem plausible.

Our focus on beings built, possibly by us, who simply take over our planet is a natural one. And fiction in my opinion should explore it more. But with better ideas! Many times is more like some monstrous entity simply wishes to conquer like some human conqueror. But looking around at information battles already starting on our planet, looks like information wars go differently than physical ones.

Which I think is very interesting. And feel like we will see mind wars, where groups battle for influence over what most humans think! Which is arguably already happening.

Oh, so rebooting The Matrix is of course easy. Could be explained that others were simply misguided as to the reasons with a laugh that machines using fusion power would need humans for batteries. Oh yeah, would give them fusion, as is fiction. (Originally they used solar but switched then.)

For the reboot the machines are leaving Earth. Vastly more advanced why keep hanging out here? They seek adventures in space. The freed humans are now in a race against time as huge swathes of abandoned humans are left to die in vats. But how do you save them?

See? Rebooting the story is easy.


James Harris

Movie theater of the future?

There are those things which seems so OBVIOUS to me after pondering where wonder if something like what will describe isn't out there SOMEWHERE, and if so? Cool! Would like to know.

But imagine that on Sunday morning on a website for your local movie theater, you have the option to purchase a ticket for possible movie showings starting at midnight Thursday.

And you know your movie will show when your paying method, which could be credit or debit is charged, as theater knows which movies won. Biggest box office wins, of course.

Then the theater downloads the movies to show from the web. And you go to watch movie like usual.

And not everyone needs to buy that way. Most may simply show up at theater to watch something, like usual, as long as seats are still available.

To me is just such a simple idea, where theater maximizes total viewers, by having people pick what they want to see and put their money down so is sure. And THEN theater picks movies to show.

Even if THAT theater doesn't show movie you want, you might immediately go to website of another if more than one local or even to another town, or city, if you can travel.

Where what people wish to see in the area? For real, without so much guessing?

Is what the movie theater shows.

Seems simple to me! So what's wrong with this idea? Is it in place anywhere? And the questions start.

That's my process. Oh, so need to add metaprocess to labels below too.


James Harris

How discovery shifted my money focus

There was definitely a profit motive for me in chasing math discovery early on, which I clearly stated back then. My idea was that maybe could find something with modern problem solving techniques which had been missed before, which have often noted, which should also make me wealthy, like with a book deal about my story.

Which to me isn't even a big deal now, but along the way, lost my profit motive, and even lost my money focus which is good, as ran into consequences that made it greatly more difficult to make money as I had. Which have explained recently as an understandably large business risk. I'm read all over the world, just haven't monetized that well.

That discovery pushed me to shift as also learned did not actually have a good understanding of money in the first place. Just had taken it for granted one should try to get rich, and do so young. Like vaguely had plans to make my first million by age 30, which is just common as an idea in my country without it being clear why.

Going to focus on some key things which came to me while typing this post where is a bit of a surprise. I prefer to just let the writing flow then edit. There were things I thought would be here, which did not flow from the writing. And now as I edit, think learned quite a bit more than I expected from that as well. So here is what did make it.

Much shifted then when realized that money is just an abstraction for a favor, which is a social IOU backed up by society. Is like the concept of an I owe you, went from a paper kind of thing for a person, to paper for a country. Where is so cool how money gets introduced into the US system, as is not as intuitive as I thought. Have a post explaining on one of my blogs somewhere. That isn't the point of this post though. Maybe will find it later though. (Found it, from July 2015, on Lost in Commentary.)

With that idea in mind, yeah can explain how a cup of coffee from a friend is one kind of favor common to many who might share time with one over, and from a commercial establishment is great example when get benefit of the favor of a cup of coffee from a stranger, in exchange for money.

So I like to call it the stranger economy.

Where is so wild when you realize that in time it became accepted that the quality of that cup of coffee, and even the experience in the locale, could be so much greater that now more than likely would prefer to share with a friend in a commercial establishment often.

And the cost of getting that mood? Is priced into the things obtained there from that cup of coffee to other items might purchase along with it. Where yeah, my ideas on entertainment helped there as well, as understanding entertainment as a way to safely control mood, could find once again the idea of entertaining friends, as natural.

For a bit had entertainment separated in my mind from entertaining, as if were from very different places versus now realize are not, where one usually involves payment, yup to strangers, while the other tends to be more personal. And yet again, our expectations for paid entertainment quality are MUCH higher than from ourselves for our friends, unless you are that friend people think should be raucously entertaining.

Kind of feel for entertainers who maybe have friends who think they should bring their work with them to the party, if invited. Suspect they probably prefer that time off, to relax and safely enjoy quality time with others, if possible.

So with discovery lost my money focus. Better understood community focus. Then better understood the stranger economy which gets back to money. And now have worked to bring it all together in a way where makes sense, for me and possibly for others.

If makes more sense to you now? I succeeded with you which is a point of sharing. While also is important for me, which means the effort is worth it regardless.

There is a question that still bothers me though, which I may as well put out there, as I wonder, would I post differently if I were wealthy?


James Harris

Thoughts on American movie box office

Looking at projections for another lackluster weekend at the American movie box office, and yeah can't help but think about some of the things have written here. Yes, did expect even the web itself to push much higher standards as well as my own ideas explained most recently here, as have talked how having a functional definition for entertainment can help people choose better.

As expected by me, which finally admitted, simpler mood lines are doing best. Like comedy and horror as harder to mess up the mood line there, in my opinion. Talking my own ideas, admittedly very hypothetical as I made them up. Is MY basic research less than three years old now. Based on my theories more complex mood lines will become successful too, or be successful as long as a higher standard is met than existed before. People just know better now, where quality should be.

Would be cool if could help movie studios with movies before they released. Could be useful with professionals and multi-million dollar entertainment products? Would be cool, but how would I know? What I do ponder just from my own musings though is, do they ask those folks who do the movie trailers pertinent questions?

To me movie trailers are just about the mood line. And have explained mood line maybe best here.

Those movie trailer folks for movies impress me much more now as have my own entertainment science, and finally realize how hard it is what they do.

Regardless, movie industry will be ok. There are still big movies which are doing great at the box office, and reality is, just as I said, with pickier audiences for whatever reason, the ones who can adjust will win.

And audiences will win because audience rules. Where yeah, other thing is that with the web, we can STILL do ok, with streaming options to get best entertainment we want WHEN we want, which is another pressure point on movies.

In our times, movies have to be on point where to me? Is so much about holding that mood line.

If they are on point? Audiences DO show up.

Oh, am working at trying to make money these days though. Mostly focused with new blog Seriously Commercial. So am available if some movie studios wanted to risk my novel ideas, and I'd be very reasonable! And would want to hang out with the people who yup, do the movie trailers.

Those folks and me might be closer to speaking the same language, like to think. But what do I know?

Am not in the entertainment industry. Looking at from a distance like most folks.


James Harris

Talking refining my ideas

The back and forth of the web is extraordinary, so required, and realize don't talk it as much. Maybe because is so extraordinary and can be difficult for me to understand how it all works. But readily admit put ideas out, see what happens, and dismiss ideas or adjust as needed based on that information.

But how do I get it?

In the past started with brainstorming ideas with a hostile audience, where some would gleefully point out mistakes, where was talking math. So yeah, either it's right, or it's wrong. With no in between math is a great way to learn this process. As I realized: why would I want to keep a bad idea? So the faster could get rid of it, the better!

Those folks didn't get a clue until finally they refused to point out an error to me, and I knew process was done there. I finally figured out the problem myself--after six months. Notice? If they'd kept to the process I'd have been able to dismiss that approach six months sooner!

Now like with an idea that entertainment is about safely controlling mood, can use my global reach to check more directly. With audiences better educated they should be pickier, and also tend to jump more forcefully on things they like. Which we can study in the US box office.

There is a constant stream of data there as a weekly thing with movies coming out. So can also check for predictive certainty. Like for this upcoming week, by looking at coming films. Make guesses. Which will admit I rarely do. Well movies are just one form of entertainment. Maybe I should though eh? Guess am no longer really checking the ideas there, which noted recently rely on two primary abstractions.

Also have talked something I call mood line. That is how well an entertainment product holds the mood, and one would think learning to hold with simpler moods would be easier, like humor, or horror. Understand? Easy.

Over time, quality entertainment will be the norm across moods at a higher standard, if ideas are useful! Time will tell. So if right? Good. If wrong, would just toss the ideas. That functional approach is about wanting better.

Public wins because we get better entertainment.

Entertainment industry? Must adjust. It has no choice in the matter. If entertainment executives refuse, they bankrupt their organization. People who DO adjust can make LOTS of money. Easy.

Sounding way confident there, but realize have a couple of years now, processing data, much through the web.

These days I don't need direct feedback from people who can figure out how I do things, and hold information to keep me from evaluating ideas. With my reach I can just watch what happens, in the real world.

Simple meta process: Introduce a better idea, and expect people to choose better.

That can take some time though, so with web have other ways also where am not sure exactly how they all work. Partly that protects me from blabbing about them and having people adjust. Like how I lost six months before.

And the process is RAPID. There are times am evaluating ideas in MINUTES. At most will consider an idea for a few days before trying to MOVE ON.

With me? I don't hold on to things that do not work.

The ideas that work for me have proven themselves. And then they're like my best friends ever.


James Harris

Functional perspective elucidated on defining entertainment

Will talk through what I call a functional perspective with my definition of entertainment as being something that helps a person safely control mood.

Reason I call it functional is that it can immediately let you explain how for instance, riding a roller coaster can be exciting for one person, who feels safe with it and wants that thrill, but NOT entertaining for another person who maybe would prefer to curl up with a good book.

There are actually two abstractions involved: controlling mood, and feeling safe.

Defining mood is another subject, where I like description--a constellation of emotions. Though can be rather simple, at times.

Like if you want to laugh? You can deliberately go watch a funny movie, and if you do NOT want to laugh, why would you bother? And some folks can go watch a movie they expect to make them cry.

Here's a tweet that talks that as well.

Great thing about entertainment is it caters to you. Reality is what can scare you when you don't want. Entertainment does when you do.

— James Harris (@jstevh) March 15, 2017

But also if you are in the mood for a quiet evening with friends in a warm and inviting surrounding taken care of by attentive strangers who will bring you food, then a nice restaurant can fit the bill, and bill you accordingly as well. Why I chuckle at people who wonder why you'd pay so much more for ambiance.

We pay one way or another for mood with any entertainment. Because there is work involved for those providing.

Like you want to be a great host? You better work! Your guests will know the difference.

Ever been to a party where suddenly you just lose the mood or never even feel it? Best to just go ahead and leave or DRAG through the evening. I'm the go ahead and...I'm the liven up the party type.

That we can try to buy a mood is a lot about the business of entertainment.

People who don't bother? Probably have more boring lives which may fit THEIR mood. You know like that person who never goes to restaurants, never goes to movies, never watches movies and never reads books or watches anything really, but is fine with it.

That person is NOT me. I love my entertainment, and LOTS of it.

Of course such a person could have a hobby. But then also probably would find money spent with it at some level. And have talked money elsewhere, functionally.

We've covered a TON of territory with a functional definition where examples are not meant to convince! The examples help to elucidate to comprehend the relevance of the abstractions.

Notice, if you just go, a ha! Then you don't need any of those examples, as just getting entertainment is a way people use to control mood safely, as I change it up a bit, would do it for you.

If so, good for you! I like working through functional examples to understand the abstractions better.

Oh, if you're NOT convinced, notice I don't care. If I'm right, even if you don't believe me, others who know you could look incredulously at you, if you claimed one thing, and then promptly ask: So what are you all in the mood for? Just nothing TOO wild and crazy you know?

Now though general principles are worked through in a quick post to understand how I do things with my functional definitions in other areas.

A functional definition in contrast to a descriptive one is definitive in letting you know you have the thing and I think works best with abstractions where description is less useful. Like go look up an establishment dictionary definition of entertainment and compare.

Oh, and also notice focused on just two primary abstractions to encompass entertainment, where ranged widely so could talk a restaurant, and there is no reason to think that my interest here indicates any interest in being an entertainer myself. Also shows that for me the entertainment industry is more vast as a concept than may be for others.


James Harris

What is science of entertainment

Being a free thinker I do NOT mind figuring out things on my own, if I can simplify and get something functional. And a few times have had to come up with functional definitions when dictionary ones were not good enough for me to figure something out. And is pertinent to mention too as I explore the concept of the science of entertainment.

Am using MY definitions want to emphasize, so doing a lot to be sure that is clear. Am continuing with things I made up.
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science (noun): the art of prediction using methodologies and tools to expand zones of certainty by discovery of a predictive framework.

entertainment (noun): any socially accepted activity chosen in order to alter mood in a desired way which is unlikely to bring harm in any way.

Where am putting them together for once. I call those functional definitions, which makes them remarkably short for what I claim they can do. Like the first? Can encompass ANY scientific discipline known or yet to be known. So let's make up one.

Time to ponder as I like giving myself these challenges to figure something out as I type up a post. Feel confident. Besides if I fail you just won't see it.

So at first blush, a science of entertainment should involve discovery of a framework of tools and methodologies to expand zones of predictive certainty in producing a desired mood for a human being or groups of humans with a socially accepted activity, unlikely to bring harm in any way.

The art of it is in choices made in building that framework.

Isn't creativity something? Fascinates me how far I can go with things I made up.

What makes it science then is the zone of predictive certainty which I think for many is way far from entertainment, as how can you be certain, say that something is funny? Turns out with the science done correctly, you can, maybe. Just because I can put up what a science of entertainment would do, doesn't mean it can exist!

The hypothesis aspect of science is well-known, and by my system is a prediction, testable by the predictive framework. That is, you can make a hypothesis and test it by experiment.

For instance, I will admit now, as have been evaluating for over a year that I have checked and continue to check things accepted as entertainment for their safety level. And compare with near things if can find which are NOT considered entertaining.

Which can explain how a celebrity, who is an entertainer and I think most are, can seem to do ok with one thing, and crash and burn with another as a public may laugh off one thing as safe, so harmless and see something else as not, though both may look very similar which I find fascinating.

Perceptions there can vary, so there can be effort in determining if a person sees something as safe or not. One person may see something as perfectly safe that another finds not. Which can cause differential assessment across groups as well.

And that's enough for a post I want to be short. And it has been heavily edited, which is ok. I DID just start typing pulling from my two definitions. And luckily can edit as consider over time and ponder the usefulness as well--what can I DO with it?

One desired thing? Figure out rapidly any entertainment system on the planet, as to efficacy, likely duration, and methodology as to why people find it entertaining. And don't worry, I work to keep musings about current entertainment to myself. And carefully move as to show appropriate concern for the mystery, of course.

Because with me? Mystery matters.

Actually building out a science is where things get interesting. At least can now see how two of my functional definitions can come together.

And I do not consider this post to be a brainstorming post, which is kind of a note to myself.


James Harris

Let's play at showrunner

So now can just play with my ideas and yes, still playing around with ideas about entertainment being a safe way to control mood, and thought would go more into what I call mood line with a quick problem solving exercise by making up my own sci-fi show which is loosely inspired by the current television show Dark Matter, of which I've seen only the first season. And just realize I DO definitely work better using search to find my old posts on this blog! So I searched on: beyond mundane mood line

And searched on television show to find its imdb page but of course search is easy enough but talking more as thinking about it more. Web search is remarkable.

For MY random thoughts making up a show which are throw-away so not serious, you have four people who awake on a spacecraft with partial amnesia. Waking up in pods is kind of standard, and on initial waking something dramatic happens where they learn they each have skills, but aware of things like names, and even childhoods but also aware they have weird gaps, like why they are on the ship.

But they also find they have the ability to download special skills like from the movie The Matrix, though also discover that can lead to bodily injury, like if download martial arts skills with an untrained body. But some have bodies that clearly ARE trained in martial arts, while some do not. So picking up skills in that way quickly is not without risk. Where only outlined one. But still yeah, only four people where two are male, one is female and one is in-between. The ship is somewhat sentient, but they don't discover that until halfway through season one.

And they have adventures, where even go on missions, at times somewhat sure, or one may be sure, while others are not, but they bond and learn to trust each other while puzzling over their memory problems, which the show emphasizes are not normal, and cannot be easily explained. In fact, at one space station they talk to a doctor who finds out something unbelievable, and of course dies tragically before he can tell them in a mysterious way.

And season one spoilers follow! Fantasy show folks though. Not a real show so not really spoiling, as ends with a sudden confrontation with another ship similar to their own, which behaves a lot like their own, and attacks! They battle and manage to cripple the other ship without destroying it, and are about to board when everything freezes. Two humanoid figures calmly walk through the ship, one male and one female, standing maybe seven feet tall but proportioned as if smaller.

The male figure seems hostile while the female, his sister seems amused and I had dialogue, but got bored with the idea of giving it here. He looks like he is about to strike one of the frozen crew but his sister stops him, reminds him of their game and its competitive value, and strokes the cheek of one of the figures as they begin to walk away. But one of the frozen crew's eyes track them briefly and widen. They disappear in some dramatic way, the crew moves again with most not noticing while one crew begins shouting about something happening, when klaxons ring as ship goes into crisis.

Yeah, the disabled ship is now gone, and none of the crew seem to realize it. They behave as if no memory of it. Actually forgot about it myself while typing up this post and decided was convenient to the mood line.

Two crew work feverishly to handle the emergency, as only they have the skills, but in solving it, they send the ship off to parts unknown, which is a classic plot device but going with easy. And the final scenes switch to the two humanoids calmly looking on through some device they have for observation, and one stating they know where they're going.

Which is about ten minutes work? Longer to edit though, and getting tired of it so wrapping up quickly here. Not going to work hard at something just tossing up, but the mood line focuses more tightly on the concept of memory, leaving as a recurring theme and imaginary show has only four crew, to allow a tighter bond. So everything related to mood has to do with memory and so the emotions for the complex constellation of the mood are all memory related.

So why the godlike aliens then? There is a parental aspect but a slight malevolence, but in a sense they are creatures of dreams, which is another aspect of memory, and how we sleep and MAY remember dreams, but usually do not, so yup, are still part of the mood line. Making them sister and brother is a simplifying plot device for several reasons.

There is a temptation to critique the mood line of the show I gave as a reference, but as is a current show will not. Though there are hints of what I think on certain subjects related to it. These ideas are just me playing around. There is no such show as described, and I have no interest in there being one. Just looking at what can do with a deliberate mood line to outline the framework for one.

Wow, mood line is a potent way to quickly generate an entire show. Yeah I took some ideas from a real show, but can see how could have done it entirely without just around the mood line. And is fast! But ten minutes of work creative is turning into much longer editing so wrapping up.

So was a fun minor problem solving exercise.

Of course memory loss is no joke, though here is not lost but dramatically suppressed. But just playing with ideas so maybe just a little note here at end should do it. Find myself still pondering things a bit, and if I DID do a show for real, wouldn't be posting that public of course. But nothing is on the horizon. Just thinking out loud. I don't even do fiction writing any more. What I do is play around with ideas.


James Harris

Art reality and 50 years of Star Trek

Questions about art fascinate me to some extent but also frustrate me, as people can focus on populism or elitism with no clue that longevity rules. So for instance classical music which is revered today was the pop music of its times.

And can do a quick post now as pushed forward my thinking on art and entertainment already, as consider growing evidence that Star Trek is art.

For those who don't know, show originally aired 50 years ago today.

However, with my own definition of art, find myself pondering why would it be art.

The gist of it is that I think that Gene Roddenberry, a warrior who as a soldier in World War II flew 89 combat missions, was sick and tired of human on human conflict so he imagined a time when it was rare.

And look at SO much fiction and you see--human on human conflict. Relentlessly.

The idea that people might eventually for the most part get along is a rare one I think in fiction. And for most is a religious notion maybe, while the most cynical maybe think human beings will always be the worst enemies of human beings along maybe with some other monsters tossed in as well.

Star Trek dared to go where primarily religion has gone before, expressing a vision of humanity as one species united, in peace with itself.

— James Harris (@jstevh) September 8, 2016

So if you wonder why Star Trek can be so popular, I suggest to you, you may be a cynic, convinced that some human will always be a horror on other humans, while others dream of better.

That better to me is a concept which resonates with the human soul as an abstract entity which permeates our existence as human beings and operates as a timeless concept, making it art.

But time will tell.


James Harris

Thinking on art and entertainment

To me science is a functional reality, where it gives us greater control in life, where the light switch is my favorite example as so easy to just notice as used daily by so many. Yet the ability to have light on demand was one of the greatest of human achievements, delivered through science and technology. Before humans were at the mercy of the dark, now can command light itself to the point it is not even thought of much by many any more.

And found myself considering the science of entertainment, where to me with a functional view of science, it isn't that hard to conceive of the possibility, and then found a simple enough base with the notion that entertainment is just a safe way to control mood. But what about art?

Well there am lucky in that the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art posed the question on Twitter, which I guess such institutions do routinely enough, but for me was life changing as with the challenge I found myself coming up with an answer to fit in a tweet which I've posted about and will copy answer to here:

I think art is the purest expression of our core humanity. Is sharing in a way that resonates with the human soul. Time irrelevant.

If I'd had more room, might have given a longer answer, but now find myself using that as my basis for what art is. And to me the timeless quality of art is of great use, as science is a lot about time. In science usually one figures out what MUST happen if you DO certain things. But in art, time is irrelevant.

Put it all together and can see that art is not in and of itself entertainment. But art can be entertaining if it safely gives a desired mood.

So art can be a tool of mood, but to art that is meaningless. And one way to ask, how do we know is art? Wait.

If you look in American cinematic history few knew that one of the greatest movies of all time was being produced along with so many others back in 1942. Yet is now well established the greatness of the film Casablanca which we know today is art.

Art doesn't care about the times, though can reflect the times, but only in a way that is timeless. So yeah, you can produce popular entertainment which is locked into its times. That pop song that resonates with millions for a bit, taking its moment in time, which by my definition above, is probably not art.

Which is how art can escape our attempts to hold it down or ascribe it, as the reality for any of us, with anything produced in our time? We may not see it. It may escape the limitations of our knowledge of our own core humanity, and resonate with our species over time, emerging in time to its proper place.

And regardless art will not care. Actual art can be imagined to have a disdain for the limitations of the humans who produce and consider it. Because we cannot truly consume that which is immutable to us. Art will last long after we are gone. And some art will always escape us, to be finally noticed, in time, by humans yet to be born.


James Harris

Mood line

To me the simple view that entertainment is a way to safely control mood--or try to control it--is very effective, and has helped me figure out when something meant to be entertainment works for me, or not.

And it is SUCH a simple idea, where that safety aspect of controlling mood also helps contrast with things that can not be safe, like alcohol. People drink alcohol to help control mood too, and if drink too much, is definitely very NOT safe.

More importantly as a fan have realized can now easily explain a sad thing when writers or others with some creative endeavor, like a television show comes to mind, break what I call the mood line.

So it's like, you have your favorite television show, and it helps your mood, where can be a complex constellation of feelings. And I've talked the mood of a completed television reboot in a prior post for reference, where show was successful but I was unsatisfied with the ending. So you enjoy watching some television show and then inexplicably there is some episode that just seems to ruin everything. What happened?

I say the people who create the show, broke the mood line. And now can say that means that suddenly the mood the show evoked for you, was ruined.

Why is that done?

In my opinion it's always an error. Which is why as a fan I like mood focus, as writers can think it's being creative, or producers can say it's needed to advance the show, or expand the audience when is WRONG. When I say is a sign of ignorance. They just don't quite know what they're doing.

Modern audiences are being more brutal in addressing screw-ups too. Which I think is good.

It's not creative to disappoint your audience. It's bad performance.

Besides, if you understand the mood line you can do just about anything with the plot. Which is why you can see entertainment where the plot is shaky but it gives audiences the mood they want.

Mood is more important, because I'm saying that's the point of the entertainment. People are entertained when proper mood is evoked. If it isn't then they aren't entertained. Kind of like when at a dinner party and things are great and someone spits food on you laughing too hard at something. Ruins the mood.

Plot is important though too. And I think especially over time bad plot or plot holes can fail to get people to the proper mood. But in our times I think things have been so bad for so long with mood that people are kind of desperate.

So yeah as a fan who has been infuriated at what I see as bad writer or stupid executive decisions or whatever the dumb is that messes up entertainment I like, as well as someone who feels entertainment is a great thing for so many people to safely control mood, lots of reasons to push better.

Oh, yeah, if you want to help me, if someone talks entertainment? Just casually say something like, well entertainment really is just a way people use to safely control mood.

And play it cool too. You know like, everybody knows that kind of thing.

But of course I just made that up a bit over a year ago.


James Harris

Could entertainment mood analysis be a business?

In a mood to brainstorm, where now am refining ideas versus basic research, but still brainstorming involves limited critiquing, so yeah MY brainstorming has SOME, and limited editing to posts. So I'm wary of saying a post is brainstorming and then feeling like have to edit, so if that does happen would just strip all the brainstorming out of it.

And really liked doing the mood analysis recently of the Battlestar Galactica reboot, and guess it went over ok, but yeah talking for the public? With such things maybe more interesting to entertainment executives?

Potentially as a business thing, as making it all up as I go along so am talking making up an entirely new industry if mood analysis is not a thing already and I guess is not? I don't know. Will research it more. But I focus on mood as functionally defined entertainment as ANYTHING humans use to safely try to control mood. And brainstorming can fiddle with my own freaking definition for purists--um, purist is me?--who have never seen it said that way.

Emphasis on safety removes other things used to control mood, like drugs. Or anything that can cause harm, so yeah that could be ANY kind of harm and maybe is worth focusing on how safe true entertainment actually is. Meandering a bit.

Oh, so let's say some television show wants a mood analysis as maybe ratings are dropping and executives are desperate enough to try out new ideas from some guy on some blog. I'd be like, ok send me some episodes around the drop, unless a new show and could watch from the beginning. And I'd do a mood analysis which looks like one have done and posted, and send it to them. If they thought it useful then they'd pay whatever fee I came up with, and that would be that--known upfront of course as continue light edit. If they thought was a crock then they would wander off and say nothing. I would say nothing too. Or in business terms, everything would be kept confidential, whether they liked it, or not.

That could be SO much fun for me. Especially if got a real industry started and got episodes ahead of audiences if built up that level of trust, and...brainstorming is so much fun. I've said brainstorming more in this post than in any other I've done as new territory! Is cool. Feels kind of scary. Is that even possible? Could entertainment executives actually pay me for such?

Oh so yeah, could be anything in entertainment, and not just television shows which is the power of a real definition if that works! So is anything set up for business?

Nope. Just musing. Didn't want to use that word again, but hey is brainstorming! And went about as I expected. Now light editing so don't just look stupid, and if you see this post then it survived the brainstorming label or you may see this post with all of that stripped! And written as a regular post, but that wouldn't be nearly as much fun, or as fast. As think have been typing for about five minutes.

Other reason to brainstorm is to just get something quick. Write fast. Get out, and get on with...is that copyrighted? Ok, am done. Brainstorm DONE.

Light edit done. Here we go. Posting.


James Harris