Rod Serling, the American screenwriter & television producer best known for The Twilight Zone, fielded questions from students about the whole art of writing for television. In the clip above, he gives a rather dramatic response to the question, “Where do ideas come from?” (They come from the Earth… They’re in the air. And, to put them on paper, you bleed!) If you keep watching, the conversation with Serling continues for a good while. This contribution was sent to us by Elan, who dates the clip to around 1972. You can always write us and suggest a link here.
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Ideas… are where all progress begins, and where the creative process calls Home…
The American Way…
Copyright 2009 Michael Gibbowr
Ideas and opinions are a dime a dozen
Seems someone’s always got something to say
Pick the topic and you’ll hear a rant
Seems thoughts are no longer held at bay
Use to be there’d be some substance
In conversation and dissertation
But now all too often what we hear
Is hardly worth our contemplation
So let’s say we kick it up a notch
And converse on real Healthcare Reform
Not exchanging rhetoric
But actionable ideas outside the norm
Let’s say we discuss National Debt
And practical measures for Economic Stability
Not get caught-up in another blame game
But common sense solutions that hold up to Constitutionality
Let’s say we look at Immigration
Without the bias of either side
And get back to issues of National Security
While restoring National Pride
Let’s say we exchange Rational Ideas
That enable the “Working Class”
Start holding Washington Accountable
And make them Represent what “The People” want at last
Yes, ideas and opinions when Expressed Intelligibly
Speak louder than Rhetoric’s’s Irrationality
And sure, being Passionate about our Views Is Good
But let’s say we present “Opinions” as we should…
Clear and Concise…
Open to Reasonable and Rational Debate
Without the Partisan Guile
Disrespect and Ideological Hate
Let’s say we Say What We Mean
And actually Mean What We Say
Doing it with Vigor and Respect
Focused on Solutions… The American Way…
~
You’re welcome.
Listen, When I Think Of Rod Serling, He Will Break My Heart.