The Mortgage Loans Market Blog

Voice communications and data technologies have been converging for several years. PBXs, which have historically been voice-only products have evolved and now offer dialer features. Dialers and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases have also evolved and can now be linked seamlessly to PBXs. Today some of the most interesting products fully integrate the PBX, dialer and CRM technology into a single box in new exciting ways. DialResults is on the forefront of this innovative change. The result for call centers is a system with more advanced capabilities at a lower cost. DialResults – Helping Move to the Digital World DialResults uses IP enabled Predictive Dialer technology that is fully integrated with digital PBX switch technology. This technology will greatly improve efficiency, convenience, and cost effectiveness in a contact center environment. It does this by providing a fully converged communications solution today and platform for the call center of tomorrow. DialResults is enabling today’s solutions, and tomorrow’s, by supplying open standards for your contact centers’ converged communications no matter what type of calling environment you need: support centers, lead qualification, collections, mortgage or just general CRM applications. DialResults converged applications are available today and can be tailored or customized specifically for your type of call center business. With DialResults you will see an increase in customer satisfaction and a major return on investment in both human and technology resources. DialResults will also provide you with a competitive advantage right now, and in the future as you add additional fully converged call center applications. DialResults is ready now. DialResults Converged Communications: Efficient, Convenient, and Cost Effective DialResults VoIP predictive dialer and IP enabled PBX solutions are exciting technologies that promise to make your call center business dramatically more efficient, convenient, and cost-effective. DialResults, which bases both voice and data communications on a single infrastructure allows greater contact center efficiency. A single network environment significantly reduces integration. The result, with DialResults systems is greater productivity and a faster return on investment. DialResults Web-Enabled, Multimedia Contact Center When a call center uses DialResults Web-enabled technology, customers can send email, participate in conferences, talk live over the Internet, be guided through Web page content, and chat online. If they need more information about one of your products before making a purchase, they can click a push-to-talk button on your company’s Web site to activate a phone call – possibly over the Internet – and talk to a live agent who can answer questions and close the sale. A push-to-talk option can bring the web to life and capture customers during the “critical moments” of a purchase decision. Multimedia contact centers can receive queries via phone, fax, email, or the Internet; allowing customers to contact you in the way they prefer. Since it is more convenient to reach your organization, customers are more likely to do business with you – instead of your competition. Your salespeople will be able to close more new business and generate substantial repeat business. Whether you are new to converged communications, want to add additional capacity or enhanced functionality, the fastest and easiest way to get started is to call sales at 1-888-839-3613 or read more about convergence at http://www.dialresults.com/emerging.html

Whenever there is a complaint about monitor
contrast problem i will check on the flyback
transformer ABL (automatic blanking limiter)
circuit.
Sometimes a weak picture tube might caused
contrast problem. If the picture tube is
good, i will go straight to the contrast
circuit. The question is how do we find
where the contrast circuit located? Simple,
if you have a datasheet for the video pre-
amplifier ic, definitely you can find the
contrast pin. For LM1203N video pre-amp
ic the contrast pin is located at pin 12.
Replace this ic or trace from this circuit
to find the cause of the contrast problem.

From experienced, usually capacitors shorted
and resistor turned into high ohms were the
caused of the problem. A video pre-amplifier
can also be defective. To confirm whether is
circuit or ic problem, just solder out the
contrast pin and switch on the monitor. If
the monitor display normal picture (contrast ok)
then suspect the abl line circuit. If it remain
the same (dim contrast) replace the video
pre-amp will usually solve the problem.

The contrast signal came from one of the pin
(leg) of a flyback transformer which we called
it as abl pin. Many technicians have the
difficulty to trace the abl pin because
usually a flyback transformer consist of around
10 pins. Some pins are B+, GROUND, AFC, ABL,
X-RAY PROTECT, VCC, to HOT, HEATER, horizontal
centering and etc. But there is one and simple
way that i’m gone to show you how to locate the
abl pin. Use two analog multimeters set to x10kohm
range. Connect it in series (+ probe to – probe)
and measure the flyback transformer from anode
(the red cap) to all of the pins under the
flyback. You have to desolder all the pin or
just remove the flyback from the mainboard in
order to get an accurate reading.

If either one of the pin shows a diode
reading that is the abl pin. The reason we use
two multimeters is because the flyback circuit
internally have couple of high voltage diodes
connected in series. If you have a schematic
diagram or any monitor or television
troubleshooting book, you will see that the
internal flyback diode are connected in series.
By connecting two meters the ouput from the probe
is around 24 VOLTS which is enough power to check
the flyback internal diodes. After you have
determined the abl pin, you can proceed to follow
the line and find the bad components that cause
the contrast problem.

Television or tv flyback transformer generally
have the same design compare to monitor flyback.
Whether it is a montblanc flyback transformer,
rca, mitsubishi or sony flyback the checking
usually is the same.

About the Author

Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more electronic repair information please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repair-articles.htm

When you are just about to start to play cricket it is not always straightforward to tell what you should obtain. If you go into a sports retail shop & ask them what you need, you will in all probability finish up coming out with a significant amount of kit. With this in mind, it is prudent to clearly understand what you may want before you go shopping. That way you are more likely to get what you require, rather than what the shop owner thinks you require.

Below, is more or less an entire cricket equipment list, you do not need everything on this list, as numerous organisations will lend you equipment particularly at youth level: Click here to find great deals on cricket equipment and accessories.

Cricket whites, cricket bats, balls, helmets, gloves, batting (wicket keeping) inner gloves, wicket keeping gloves, batting pads, wicket keeping pads, box, chest pad, arm guard, inner thigh pad, cricket boots (bowling boots; batting boots), box (groin guard), stumps and bails.

For most of the sports events you participate in you will require your own set of whites. Cricket whites contain white cricket trousers and cricket shirt. Make sure that you buy a suitable set of cricket trousers as well as a nice white cricket shirt & jumper as it can quickly turn cold if you are standing out on the field for a considerably long time particularly if you are playing in England (the start and end of the cricket season are the coldest).

If you can not borrow kit from your club the other most critical items of equipment are a cricket bat & box. A high-quality cricket bat is necessary if you aim to score countless of runs & is a very personal piece of cricket equipment, spend several hours picking your bat, if possible you should go to a store and pick one up before you buy so you know how it feels to play with. As soon as you know what you want you can often buy bats online significantly cheaper). You need a good box to protect your groin from the ball, as getting hit down below’ is particularly painful, so investing in a good box before you start is a clear must – you can’t bat without one.

When you’re studying for your CCNA exams, you’re going to study the theory of technologies we basically take for granted in networking. CSMA/CD is one of those technologies. It works beautifully and you don’t even have to configure it. But to be an effective network troubleshooter (and to pass the 640-811, 640-801, and 640-821 exams), you have to know Ethernet inside and out, and that means knowing CSMA/CD.

The first Ethernet standards were 10Base5 and 10Base2. Network devices such as hubs, repeaters, and switches weren’t in the picture yet. The sole physical components were the Ethernet cards in the computers and coaxial cable. The cable made up a bus that all the connected devices would use. (This type of bus is referred to as a shared bus.)

If only one of the hosts on this network wanted to send data, there would be no problem. When two hosts would send at the same time, though, a collision would occur. When the signals would collide, both would be rendered unusable. A standard had to be created that would have the hosts follow rules relating to when they could send data and when they could not. This standard is Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection, referred to as CSMA/CD.

If two of the three computers on this segment send data at the same time, a collision occurs.

To avoid this, CSMA/CD forces computers to “listen” to the Ethernet before sending in order to make sure that no other host on the wire is sending. When the Ethernet segment is not busy, the device that wants to send data can do so. The sender will then continue to listen, to make sure that sending the data didn’t cause a collision.

If a collision is heard, both of the senders will send a jam signal over the Ethernet. This jam signal indicates to all other devices on the Ethernet segment that there has been a collision, and they should not send data onto the wire. (A second indication of a collision is the noise created by the collision itself.)

After sending the jam signal, each of the senders will wait a random amount of time before beginning the entire process over. The random time helps to ensure that the two devices don’t transmit simultaneously again.

In a separate tutorial, we’ll discuss more Ethernet fundamentals and values you should know for your CCNA exams and to be a more effective network troubleshooter.

To your success,

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (http://www.thebryantadvantage.com), home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. Video courses and training, binary and subnetting help, and corporate training are also available. Pass the CCNA exam with Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933!

For my FREE “How To Pass The CCNA” or “How To Pass The CCNP” ebook, write to chris@thebryantadvantage.com!

Your core is made up of the often neglected abdominal, lower back, and oblique, or rotator, muscle groups. Most of our movements originate from the core as it is a major link between our upper and lower body. It is also responsible for stabilization and is a key factor in developing power, speed, quickness, agility and coordination.

A strong core is essential for good posture and is vital in protecting the lower back from injury. On top of all of that, having a strong set of abs and lower back just looks good!

Perform all exercises using slow and controlled motions while focusing on the muscles intended to be worked. Do not use jerking types of motions. Stop immediately if you feel any pain or discomfort. Always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.

1. Foot Tapper, (Oblique Exercise) – Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor about six inches apart and your knees bent. Position your feet fairly close to your body, arms at your side, shoulders on the floor or close to it and chin tucked. Squeeze your left oblique (side of abdominal) and tap your left foot with your left hand. Do the same with your right hand and continue alternating back and forth. Tap each foot 10 times. To increase the difficulty reach under the legs and tap the opposite foot.

2. Bridging, (Lower Back Exercise) – Lie on your back with your feet shoulder width apart, flat on the floor with your knees bent. Place your hands on the floor next to your hips. Contract the low back muscles and lift the hips off of the floor until your torso and thighs are in a straight line. Hold for 5-10 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat 5-10 times. A pillow is optional.

3. Lower Body Crunch, (Lower Abdominal Exercise) – Lie on your back, bend your knees toward the ceiling and raise your feet off the ground. Your thighs should be at a 90 degree angle at your hips with your feet close to your buttocks. Place your hands flat by your side. Roll your hips and knees toward your chest while contacting the lower abdominal muscles. Return to a 90 degree angle and repeat 10-15 times.

4. Planking, (Total Abdominal Exercise) – Start in a traditional push-up position with your back straight. Place your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders. Tighten your abs and lower back and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat. To isolate the upper or lower abs slowly extend one arm or leg out off the ground at a time alternating all four. A towel under the elbows is optional.

Do you feel tired and un-refreshed on waking in the morning?

Do you stay that way throughout the day?

Do you have difficulty concentrating during the day?

The World Health Organization says that one-third of the world’s population experience insomnia at some stage in their lives, with approximately five per cent needing medical treatment!

To avoid medical intervention, try these natural techniques and remedies, and help put your insomnia to rest.

1. Relaxation Relax before going to bed. Do some deep breathing, listen to soft music. According to Dr. Timothy Sharp from Sydney University, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine will also help.

2. Bedtime routine Develop a bedtime routine so your body knows it’s time to go to sleep. By winding down your physical activities and following a set routine prior to bed, your body will start to associate some of these actions with going to sleep. Start with a cup of hot milk. Milk contains a protein called tryptophan, which helps to promote sleep. This can be substituted with chamomile tea, which is known to calm the nerves. Follow this with a hot bath or shower, the heat will help to lower your internal body temperature, again telling your body to go to sleep.

3. Your bedroom is for sleeping only Make your bedroom your sleep-room. Turn the lights off as soon as you get into bed. Don’t read, eat or watch television in your bedroom, or do any activity that is not sleep related. Make sure the room is dark and cozy; include extra pillows on the bed and even some teddy bears. Make your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary, a room that you will instantly feel secure and comfortable in, and best of all, a room that you will crave to sleep in.

4. Calm down and clear your mind Clear your mind of the day’s activities or things that are due to be done tomorrow. Write a ‘to do’ list for the following day. Organize uniforms, lunches, etc … the night before. Make arrangements earlier than usual so you don’t worry.

5. Give time back to yourself Instead of trying to cram as much as you can into the day then find you haven’t left much time to sleep, try to find short cuts or solutions to give a little time back to yourself. Make a double casserole and freeze half for another night. Spot clean the house as you go. Have more barbecues, using paper plates (less washing-up). Offer to pay the kids, or the neighbour’s kids, to do some extra chores.

6. A balanced diet helps to make a balanced mind If you’re lacking in essential vitamins and minerals your body cannot operate at its best. Throw out the junk food and fizzy drinks, and make a new start to good physical and mental health. Add in some regular exercise and watch your body respond with some improved sleep.

7. Don’t lie in bed if you can’t sleep If you don’t feel sleepy enough to drift off, your mind will probably anguish over the fact that you can’t get to sleep. This will only make it harder to get to sleep each time you experience this. Get out of bed and go into a different room. Do something to distract yourself until you do start to feel sleepy and then try to sleep again later.

8. Medications may interfere with your sleep It has been shown that some of the medications below may cause sleep problems. Check with your doctor if you are experiencing insomnia and are also taking any of these medications – amphetamines (diet pills), antidepressants, beta blockers (heart and blood pressure), cimetidine (ulcers), clonidine (blood pressure), cortisone, diuretics (fluid), levodopa (parkinsons), methyldopa (blood pressure) and ventolin (asthma).

9. Above all: de-stress Sharp says that stress is the worst cause of insomnia. Use some of the techniques above and try to remove as much stress out of your life as possible, and finally put your insomnia to rest.

Ever wish you could take harsh words back? Do you wonder how you could have prevented an impending conflict? How could an argument turn out to be a hidden treasure?

We cannot always use the following principles, we are only human, but you will see they work. You will also notice that you can learn from arguments and even diffuse them into mild disagreements.

Firstly, let’s look at the structure of an argument. An argument is a difference of opinion, and nothing more. It is actually healthy to listen to outside opinions and learn from them. Personally, I get tired of hearing my own thoughts and want to hear fresh ideas. Sometimes you can put a “new spin” on a fresh idea and come up with a compromise.

Successful marriages, businesses, and governments are all built on an exchange of new ideas. If someone takes the time to display a difference of opinion, they actually care for you to some degree. For example: If you did not care, why would you bother to open a line of communication? When you do not care for someone, you look at communication, with him or her, as a waste of time.

Some of us look at conversation with a ‘win or lose” frame of mind. If we lose, we must “save face,” and if we win we must savor every minute of victory. This is a big mistake to put your ego in the “driver’s seat.” The ego will never be guided by wisdom, it is too busy protecting, posturing, and thinking about the next victory. Think about your words and how powerful they are to those who care about you.

So, what does this have to do with Yoga? It specifically has to do with Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action and is based upon the universal principles of many religions. Written teachings on this subject can be found within the Bhagavad Gita.

Living for the ego will contribute to your self- destruction. Living for more victories and material, will always leave us feeling a want for more. Look at the incredibly wealthy: Are they happy or wanting for more? Many of them seem very thirsty for true love and heart felt gratification.

However, helping your family friends and associates will leave you feeling gratified, right now. A Karma Yoga practitioner lives for the higher self and the Supreme Being. Sound familiar? It should, since it is a universal principle which we have all been taught.

We cannot always practice understanding, loving kindness, and forgiveness, but we should try each and every moment of our lives.

© Copyright 2005 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

(Culled from My WriteWell Magazine by Arthur Zulu. To read the rest of the magazine, goto: http://controversialwriter.triod.com)

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, the bard of Avon couldn’t sign his name, yet possessed the highest vocabulary of the English language.

JONATHAN SWIFT, author of the satirical blockbuster, Gulliver’s Travels, was a madman, and before he died set aside funds for the building of a hospital in Ireland for “lunaticks & idiots.”

JOHN BUNYAN, the village pastor, wrote, The Pilgrims’ Progress, the most widely read book on earth after the Bible, when he was jailed for twelve years and six months in Bedford as a non-conformist by the Anglican Church of England.

JOHN MILTON, the tyrannical father, dictated the classic Paradise Lost to his hapless daughters because the poet was blind.

J.K. Rowlings, the single mother who wrote herself out of the dole with the Harry Potter books, is richer than the Queen of England.

THEY WROTE WELL

CHARLES DICKENS, the best novelist England has ever produced, and the author of the autobiographical work, David Copperfield, known for his exaggerated narrative style.

CAMARA LAYE, the Guinean born writer of the masterpiece, The African Child, for his pathos.

TOM WOLFE, the man in white, author of A Man In Full, for his effective characterization.

LEO TOLSTOY, the Russian author of the best novel in the last century, War And Peace, remembered for his graphic description.

CHINUA ACHEBE, writer of the internationally acclaimed Things Fall Apart, for his dramatic prose.

NEWS FROM THE WRITING WORLD

Cartoon of Prophet Muhammad Sparks Protest

Twelve caricatures of Prophet Muhammad that appeared in the best-selling Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, has incited a wave of Muslim protes worldwide. The offensive caricatures in an ilustration book by Krae Bluitgen, had the Prophet brandishing a sword in one cartoon and carrying a bomb in another.

Many people have lost their lives in the protest and world leaders have been calling for calm.

Fifth Harry Potter for Movie

Millions of fans across the world are eagerly awaiting the adaptation of Rowling’s fifth book — “Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix.” Stay tuned.

Liking Wins Noma Award

The 25 th Noma Award for publishing in Africa was won by a Camerounian writer, Werewere Liking. The winning entry, La Memoire Amputee (Broken Memories), published by Nouvelles Editions Ivoirien nes, Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire in 2004, beat 898 other titles from 12 African countries.

“Werewere Liking’s novel” says the jury’s citation “is a remarkable achievement illustrating the potential of African literature to renew and regenerate its form.”

The award presentation is scheduled for June 17–20, 2006 in Cape Town, South Sfrica, at the venue of the first Cape Town Book Fair, under the auspices of UNESSCO.

The Noma Award, named after its founder, Shoichi Noma, was established in 1979 with a mission “to promote writing and publishing in Africa and give a voice to the continent from within,”

The cash value of the award is $10,000.

CRACK YOUR RIBS!

Loud, mad, or sad The psychology instructor had just finished a lecture on mental health and was giving an oral test.

Speaking specifically about manic depression, she asked, “How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair weeping uncontrollably the next?”

A young man in the rear raised his hand and answered, “A basketball coach?”

Giving sad news to a troop The Captain called the Sergeant in. “Sarge, I just got a telegram that Private Jones’ mother died yesterday. Better go tell him and send him in to see me.”

So the Sergeant calls for his morning formation and lines up all the troops. “Listen up, men,” says the Sergeant. “Johnson, report to the mess hall for KP. Smith, report to Personnel to sign some papers. The rest of you men report to the Motor Pool for maintenance. Oh by the way, Jones, your mother died, report to the commander.”

Later that day the Captain called the Sergeant into his office. “Hey, Sarge, that was a pretty cold way to inform Jones his mother died. Couldn’t you be a bit more tactful, next time?”

“Yes, sir,” answered the Sarge.

A few months later, the Captain called the Sergeant in again with, “Sarge, I just got a telegram that Private McGrath’s mother died. You’d better go tell him and send him in to see me. This time be more tactful.”

So the Sergeant calls for his morning formation. “Ok, men, fall in and listen up.” “Everybody with a mother, take two steps forward.” “Not so fast, McGrath!”

WAKE UP CALL!!

“The greatest trouble with many of us is that we do not believe enough in ourselves.”–Orison Sweet Marden

“No one is ever defeated until he has accepted defeat as a reality.”–Napoleon Hill

“God can only bless you plan and direct you in accomplishing it if you have one.”–John L .Mason

“Men who sit on the fence stand the risk of being crushed from either side.”–Chinese proverb

“Tough times don’t last but tough people do.”–Robert Schuller

“Success is moving from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”–Abraham Lincoln

“Acts of the Apostles was written because the Apostles acted.”–Anonymous

WRITERS’ PARLIAMENT

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Send your brief reaction to the above question. All comments will be freely published on this page.

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When you make the decision to put your own home lab together for your CCNA and CCNP studies (a very wise decision, if I may say so!), the hardest part is figuring out how to spend your budget. Do you spend it all on the routers and go with a cheaper 1900 switch, knowing that the 640-801 (CCNA), 640-821 (Intro), and 640-811 (ICND) exams now place a premium on knowing the ins and outs of a 2950 switch? Do you buy a frame relay switch? Do you buy an access server?

One factor to keep in mind when you’re starting to put your lab together is that you don’t have to put it all together at one time. With some careful planning, you’ve got a lab that you can use for your Intro studies, perhaps add a router or two for ICND study, and then some more devices for your CCNP study.

Of course, it also depends on your budget. If you’ve got upwards of $500 to spend, great! If you don’t, that’s okay. The key is that you’re going to work with the real deal instead of simulation programs. And remember that you can always sell the equipment when you’ve achieved your certification goals. You’re basically renting the equipment and then passing it on to another CCNA or CCNP candidate.

Let’s take a look at several different toplogies, from basic to more advanced.

One router. You’ll have to keep the configurations pretty basic, but getting started with one router is still a start. You can practice setting passwords (and password recovery, perhaps!) and become acquainted with the hardware. You can practice setting the hostname and working with many global configuration commands. There are obvious limitations, but the big plus here is that you’ve
gotten started working with real Cisco equipment.

Two routers. You can do more with two routers than you might think. Make sure the first two routers you buy have serial interfaces. You can then purchase a DTE/DCE cable and practice working with directly connected serial interfaces. This is a valuable skill to have on your Intro and ICND exams. You can put PPP on the direct connection and practice working with PAP and CHAP, not to mention the vital troubleshooting command debug ppp negotiation.

Two routers, one switch. Your first two routers should have serial and ethernet interfaces. You can connect your routers to the switch via their ethernet interface in addition to the aforementioned directly connected serial interfaces. You can create loopback interfaces on both routers and then practice advertising them via RIP, IGRP, EIGRP, and OSPF. If you can, make sure to get BRI interfaces on these first two routers as well. The cost of an ISDN simulator might prevent you from running ISDN at first, but plan for the future now.

It’s best to spring for a 2950 switch if it fits your budget. That switch has an IOS as opposed to the menu-driven 1900 switches, so the practice will come in handy on exam day. If you simply can’t afford it right now, a 1900 switch is certainly better than no switch at all!

Three routers, one switch. I would consider using the third router as a frame relay switch. If your first two routers each have two serial interfaces, as well as the third one, you can buy a couple of additional DTE/DCE cables and configure your own frame relay cloud. The config for a frame relay switch can be hard to find there is one on my website you’re welcome to.

Four routers, one switch. This setup would allow you to have three routers communicating via the frame relay cloud, two routers connecting through their directly connected serial interfaces, and at least two of the routers communicating through the switch. Quite a setup! I’ve got plenty of labs you can run on such a setup, and you could even create your own.

Five routers, one switch. At this point, you should consider an access server as your fifth router. An access server is a Cisco router with the capability to connect to up to eight other devices via an octal cable. Not just any Cisco router can serve as an access server, so make sure the one you buy for this purpose has the proper async port(s).

An access server prevents you from having to continually move the rollover cable into the console port of the router or switch you need to configure. Once you have one, you’ll wonder how you lived without it!

From this point on, you can add a second switch or an ISDN simulator. The second switch gives you the opportunity to practice influencing root bridge elections and configuring VTP an ISDN simulator will give you priceless practice with ISDN in your home lab. (Don’t confuse an ISDN simulator with a router simulator. An ISDN simulator basically acts as the phone company in your practice lab.) New ISDN simulators can run up to $2000 easily there are many used simulators on ebay and from used Cisco equipment vendors.)

I know exactly what you’re going through when you make the decision to build your own lab I’ve been there myself. I hope you’ve found this article helpful in making a decision on how to get started. If you have any questions about a network topology you’re considering building, please let me hear from you at chris@thebryantadvantage.com . I’m glad you’ve chose to put together you own CCNA and CCNP home lab, and I’ll be glad to help with any questions you may have.

To your success,

Chris Bryant

CCIE #12933

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (www.thebryantadvantage.com), home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate CCNP Study Packages. Video courses and training, binary and subnetting help, and corporate training are also available.

For a FREE copy of his latest e-books, “How To Pass The CCNA” or “How To Pass The CCNP”, send a request to chris@thebryantadvantage.com today !

ADAPTATION 101

Brimming with confidence, you’ve just signed the check purchasing the rights to adapt John Doe’s fabulous, but little known novel, Lawrence of Monrovia, to screenplay form. Suddenly, panic sets in. “What was I thinking? How the devil am I going to convert this 400-page novel to a 110-page screenplay?”

The answer is: “The same way you transport six elephants in a Hyundai… three in the front seat and three in the back!”

Old and very bad jokes aside, how does one pour ten gallons of story into a one-gallon jug?

In this article, we’ll take a look at this challenge and a few others that a writer may encounter when adapting a novel to screenplay form.

CHALLENGE NUMBER ONE – LENGTH Screenplays rarely run longer than 120 pages. Figuring one page of a screenplay equals one minute of film, a 120-page screenplay translates into a two-hour motion picture. Much longer than that and exhibitors lose a showing, which translates to fewer six-cent boxes of popcorn sold for $5.99 at the refreshment stand. It took the author of your source material 400 pages to tell the story. How can you possibly tell the same story in 110 pages, the ideal length for a screenplay by today’s industry standards?

And the answer to this question is no joke. “You can’t! Don’t even try!”

Instead, look to capture the essence and spirit of the story. Determine the through-line and major sub-plot of the story and viciously cut everything else.

By “through-line” I mean, WHO (protagonist) wants WHAT (goal), and WHO (antagonist) or WHAT (some other force) opposes him or her? It helps to pose the through-line as a question.

“Will Dorothy find her way back to Kansas despite the evil Wicked Witch of the West’s efforts to stop her?”

The same needs to be done for the major sub-plot.

“Will Dorothy’s allies achieve their goals despite the danger they face as a result of their alliance?”

One workable technique is to read the book, set it aside for a few weeks, and then see what you still remember of the story’s through-line. After all, your goal is to excerpt the most memorable parts of the novel, and what you remember best certainly meets that criterion.

In most cases, everything off the through-line or not essential to the major sub-plot has to go. Develop your outline, treatment or “beat sheet” accordingly.

CHALLENGE NUMBER TWO – VOICE Many novels are written in the first person. The temptation to adapt such, using tons of voiceovers, should be resisted. While limited voiceovers can be effective when properly done, remember that audiences pay the price of admission to watch a MOTION (things moving about) PICTURE (stuff you can SEE). If they wanted to HEAR a story they’d visit their Uncle Elmer who drones on for hour upon hour about the adventures of slogging through the snow, uphill, both ways, to get to and from school when he was a kid, or perhaps they’d buy a book on tape.

The old screenwriting adage, “Show, don’t tell!” applies more than ever when writing an adaptation.

CHALLENGE NUMBER THREE – “LONG-THINKING” Some tribes of American Indians had a word to describe those of their brethren who sat around thinking deep thoughts. Literally the word translated to, “THE DISEASE OF LONG-THINKING”. Quite often, lead characters in novels suffer from this disease.

“Mike knew in his heart that Judith was no good. Yet she caused such a stirring in his loins, he could think of nothing else. He feared someday he would give in to this temptation named Judith, and his surrender would surely bring about the end of his marriage!”

If adapted directly, how on Earth would a director film the above? All we would SEE is Mike sitting there, “long-thinking”. That is not very exciting to say the least. And as mentioned previously, voiceovers are rarely the best solution.

When essential plot information is presented only in a character’s thought or in the character’s internal world, one solution is to give this character a sounding board, another character, to which his thoughts can be voiced aloud. Either adapt an existing character from the novel or create a new one. Of course as always, you should avoid overly obvious exposition by cloaking such dialogue in conflict, or through some other technique. Even better, figure out a way to express the character’s dilemma or internal world through action in the external world.

CHALLENGE NUMBER FOUR – WHAT STORY? Mark Twain is quoted as saying about Oakland, California, “There’s no there, there”. Similarly, some novels, even successful ones, are very shy on story and rely for the most part on style and character to create an effect. Some prose writers are so good at what they do, that their artful command of the language alone is enough to maintain reader interest. Such is never the case in screenwriting.

Successfully adapting a “no-story-there” novel to screenplay form is a daunting task. One approach is to move away from direct adaptation toward, “story based upon”. Use the brilliant background and characters created by the original author as a platform from which to launch a screen story. In fact, if for any reason a screenplay doesn’t lend itself to screenplay form, consider moving toward a “based upon” approach, rather than attempting a direct adaptation.

Congratulations! You’re now an expert on adapting novels to screenplay form! Well maybe not an expert, but hopefully you have a better understanding of how to approach the subject than you did ten minutes ago. And if the subject still seems too daunting, you can always get professional help as outlined on our web page http://www.coverscript.com/adaptation.html

Copyright © 2004 Lynne Pembroke and Jim Kalergis, Coverscript.com