# underplay, gap of mind



## InfraMan

Could anyone tell me the meaning of *underplay* and clear me *gap of mind* in the next paragraph?

The result has been a tendency to underplay the thought involved in craft or in a given film and often to depend on plays and films from elsewhere to supply the gap of mind in American drama.


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## VenusEnvy

InfraMan said:
			
		

> The result has been a tendency to underplay the thought involved in craft or in a given film and often to depend on plays and films from elsewhere to supply the gap of mind in American drama.


Underplay - minimizar 
Gap of mind - esquema de referencia

Lo siento. Es que, intenté a traducirlo, pero no fui capaz. Fue demasiado dificil hacer en español.    Pero, mi opinión sobre los significados de las dos palabras están arriba.


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## InfraMan

Gracias VenusEnvy.

Esta bien tu escrito en español solo le voy a hacer unos ajustes:

Lo siento. Es que, intenté traducirlo, pero no fui capaz. Fue demasiado difícil hacerlo en español. Pero, mi opinión sobre los significados de las dos palabras esta arriba.


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## gaer

InfraMan said:
			
		

> Could anyone tell me the meaning of *underplay* and clear me *gap of mind* in the next paragraph?
> 
> The result has been a tendency to underplay the thought involved in craft or in a given film and often to depend on plays and films from elsewhere to supply the gap of mind in American drama.


I've never seen or heard "gap of mind". And I did a google search. I only found 13 hits. I think it is a poor phrase to use. It sounds at best pompous to me. 

Gaer


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## te gato

InfraMan said:
			
		

> Could anyone tell me the meaning of *underplay* and clear me *gap of mind* in the next paragraph?
> 
> The result has been a tendency to underplay the thought involved in craft or in a given film and often to depend on plays and films from elsewhere to supply the gap of mind in American drama.


 
InfraMan;
underplay you got the meaning of...
gap of mind..I looked everywhere...and nothing..
even under American dramas...how to wright them...
and nada...
I tried..it is bugging me..so I will not give up..

te gato


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## gaer

te gato said:
			
		

> InfraMan;
> underplay you got the meaning of...
> gap of mind..I looked everywhere...and nothing..
> even under American dramas...how to wright them...
> and nada...
> I tried..it is bugging me..so I will not give up..
> 
> te gato


When you get only 13 hits on Google, it's a clue that you aren't dealing with a normal phrase in English!

Gaer


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## InfraMan

I think it's a very strange book, but it helps me a lot to know ideas from others. So I can get my own conclusion.


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## te gato

gaer said:
			
		

> When you get only 13 hits on Google, it's a clue that you aren't dealing with a normal phrase in English!
> 
> Gaer


Gaer;
Now you know why curiosity KILLED the cat...
te gato


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## cubaMania

De acuerdo.  'gap of mind' no es término conocido en EE.UU. Y también de acuerdo que la frase entera es escritura pesosa, no muy buena.  A veces no vale la pena luchar mucho para comprender algo mal-escrito.

Somebody just made up that phrase, I think, so the reader must interpret from the meanings of 'gap' and of 'mind' what the writer might have intended.


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## gaer

cubaMania said:
			
		

> De acuerdo. 'gap of mind' no es término conocido en EE.UU. Y también de acuerdo que la frase entera es escritura pesosa, no muy buena. A veces no vale la pena luchar mucho para comprender algo mal-escrito.
> 
> Somebody just made up that phrase, I think, so the reader must interpret from the meanings of 'gap' and of 'mind' what the writer might have intended.


What is "EE.UU"? I've seen it before. At any rate, I don't think the phrase even sounds good or smooth. Frankly, it sounds to me like a phrase translated literally into English!

Gaer


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## cubaMania

Hey Gaer,

EE.UU. is the abbreviation for Estados Unidos.  I see it written both as EE.UU. and EEUU.  I know that it's correct with the periods, and suspect it is also correct without the periods, judging from how frequently I see it written that way.  Compare USA and U.S.A. which are both in common use.  I believe the letters are doubled in abbreviation because it's plural, but I'll bet if I'm wrong someone will correct me in short order.


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## gaer

cubaMania said:
			
		

> Hey Gaer,
> 
> EE.UU. is the abbreviation for Estados Unidos. I see it written both as EE.UU. and EEUU. I know that it's correct with the periods, and suspect it is also correct without the periods, judging from how frequently I see it written that way. Compare USA and U.S.A. which are both in common use. I believe the letters are doubled in abbreviation because it's plural, but I'll bet if I'm wrong someone will correct me in short order.


AH! Okay, that's a good think to know. Strange, 
"Die Vereinigten Staaten", same thing in German, is not abbreviated. But usually I see "Amerika", perhaps also US (not sure).

Gaer


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## Chaucer

*"Gap of mind"* is a spontaneously created phrase used by this critic (critics are creative writers) to mean *the lack of intelligence* or *the gap/empty space* sensed (by this film critic) left by the lack of dramatized higher concepts in American film. The critic is saying that imported foreign films-- not American-- tend to have more intelligence in the writing and performance than, say, big American blockbusters that try to appeal to the simplest sensations in everyone to get everyone to pay for a ticket, resulting in a dumbing down of public taste and standards in films.

This is a legitimate phrase, created. It is well written. It may be pompous in attitude (it is a critic's opinion, after all) but not in concept. Writers create language. Now that this critic has introduced this phrase for public consumption, anyone else can use it now. I think those learning a new language (which I take care to consider myself) is not to assume because a phrase is not common in Google, that it is not correct. The reasons could be because it is incorrect, or, because a writer has found a combination and sequence of words that express something very well.


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## te gato

Hi All;

I also got a definition for this saying...after viewing pages and pages about this book..

Lance Lee..one of the authors of the book..said in an interview.."THE GAP OF MIND" was his way of saying that he wants the writers to create work outside and beyond the nonventions of standard hollywood fare.

te gato


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## cubaMania

Chaucer said:
			
		

> The reasons could be because it is incorrect, or, because a writer has found a combination and sequence of words that express something very well.


 
Or alternatively, it could be because a writer has found a combination and sequence of words which does not express anything in particular very well.

I often learn a lot from your posts Chaucer, but I disagree here with your conclusion, especially as stated with such certitude about something which is a matter of opinion not of fact.

I agree, though, that finding something in google is hardly the measure of its correctness or of its quality.


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## Chaucer

cubaMania said:
			
		

> Or alternatively, it could be because a writer has found a combination and sequence of words which does not express anything in particular very well.
> 
> I often learn a lot from your posts Chaucer, but I disagree here with your conclusion, especially as stated with such certitude about something which is a matter of opinion not of fact.
> 
> I agree, though, that finding something in google is hardly the measure of its correctness or of its quality.



If the certitude you refer to is the critic's concerning his opinion as not being fact, that would be another issue, and would not invalidate the effectiveness/legitimacy of the language he uses to express it.

I am wondering of if those having difficulty understanding "gap of mind" would have difficulty understanding "gap in understanding" or "gap in relations", which like "gap of mind", could be said as "lack of understanding", "lack of relations" or "(implied) disagreement", respectively; without resorting to Google to see if those "gaps" exist with enough frequency to be deemed correct usage... Just something to consider.

And I agree, sometimes critics-- film, food, cultural, etc.-- use and create a phraseoloagy that is so erudite and confusedly self-regarding in their attempt to be colorful and original, that it ends up saying nothing or something meaningless; similar in result to technical writers at the other end of the spectrum who try to take out all color and evidence of human origin un their use of language, making it equally pompous and opaque sometimes.


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## gaer

Chaucer said:
			
		

> *"Gap of mind"* is a spontaneously created phrase used by this critic (critics are creative writers) to mean *the lack of intelligence* or *the gap/empty space* sensed (by this film critic) left by the lack of dramatized higher concepts in American film. The critic is saying that imported foreign films-- not American-- tend to have more intelligence in the writing and performance than, say, big American blockbusters that try to appeal to the simplest sensations in everyone to get everyone to pay for a ticket, resulting in a dumbing down of public taste and standards in films.
> 
> This is a legitimate phrase, created. It is well written. It may be pompous in attitude (it is a critic's opinion, after all) but not in concept. Writers create language. Now that this critic has introduced this phrase for public consumption, anyone else can use it now. I think those learning a new language (which I take care to consider myself) is not to assume because a phrase is not common in Google, that it is not correct. The reasons could be because it is incorrect, or, because a writer has found a combination and sequence of words that express something very well.


Chaucer,

I just don't think this particular expression is clear, useful or clever. I also don't particularly like critics, since for the most part they make their living by PROVING how clever they are at the expense of other people who ARE creating. Critics rarely create anything. That's why they are critics. 

I see very little that is creative in most of what they write, and I see a great deal that is mean, condescending and arrogant.

Furthermore, although I think your interpretation of what this critic meant ("*the lack of intelligence* or *the gap/empty space"*) is probably fairly accurate, you are still interpreting it.

The bottom line is that you like the phrase, I don't. It's a matter of taste, nothing more. 

Gaer


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## Chaucer

gaer said:
			
		

> Chaucer,
> 
> I just don't think this particular expression is clear, useful or clever. I also don't particularly like critics, since for the most part they make their living by PROVING how clever they are at the expense of other people who ARE creating. Critics rarely create anything. That's why they are critics.
> 
> I see very little that is creative in most of what they write, and I see a great deal that is mean, condescending and arrogant.
> 
> Furthermore, although I think your interpretation of what this critic meant ("*the lack of intelligence* or *the gap/empty space"*) is probably fairly accurate, you are still interpreting it.
> 
> The bottom line is that you like the phrase, I don't. It's a matter of taste, nothing more.
> 
> Gaer



If its a matter of taste, as you say. Okay. Yet, because I said "gap of mind" was well written does not mean I like it. I don't like a lot of expressions, but that doesn't mean that they are not founded on linguistically accepted principles.


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## te gato

Chaucer said:
			
		

> If the certitude you refer to is the critic's concerning his opinion as not being fact, that would be another issue, and would not invalidate the effectiveness/legitimacy of the language he uses to express it.
> 
> I am wondering of if those having difficulty understanding "gap of mind" would have difficulty understanding "gap in understanding" or "gap in relations", which like "gap of mind", could be said as "lack of understanding", "lack of relations" or "(implied) disagreement", respectively; without resorting to Google to see if those "gaps" exist with enough frequency to be deemed correct usage... Just something to consider.
> 
> QUOTE]
> Hi Chaucer;
> I am not jumping down your neck or anything...but I was one of the ones that did not understand the term *"gap of mind"* I did look it up..In fact I googled..that sounds so...never mind..
> 
> I have no problems understanding the terms.."*Gap of understanding"...*I actually had a gap of understanding the origional term ..
> 
> It is actually out of a book..."Under Structure of Writing for Film and Television" by Ben Brady and Lance Lee...
> Lance Lee was the one that said..*Gap of mind..*and I gave the definition of what he ment in my other post...
> 
> Just incase anyone else had a *Gap of understanding*.....
> 
> te gato
> P.S. No offence intended..I just like using colors...


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## gaer

Chaucer said:
			
		

> If its a matter of taste, as you say. Okay. Yet, because I said "gap of mind" was well written does not mean I like it. I don't like a lot of expressions, but that doesn't mean that they are not founded on linguistically accepted principles.


I don't think anyone ever said that it is not based "on linguistically accepted principles"! We were simply trying to find out where it came from! 

Gaer


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## cubaMania

Chaucer said:
			
		

> If the certitude you refer to is the critic's concerning his opinion as not being fact...


 
Chaucer the certitude I referred to was yours, expressed in the way you phrased this:
"This is a legitimate phrase, created. It is well written." As an original entry I would not object to your phrasing, though I would still disagree with the opinion. However, as a follow-up post to posts expressing the opinion that the original sentence was badly-written, and together with the tone of the rest of your entry, this direct contradiction implies that we have opinions, but you have the facts. I'd suggest a response such as "This is a legitimate phrase, created. I disagree with you. I think it is well written." That would put your disagreement on the right footing, in my opinion.

At any rate, we have differing opinions on the quality of the sentence in question. I think it is unclear and ponderous, and you think it's original and well-expressed. It's OK to disagree. I enjoy discussion, including disagreements of opinion, and even have my mind changed sometimes. (But not this time.)

I anticipate continuing to learn from the many excellent contributions you make in this forum.

On Preview: Maybe the problem is the meaning of well-written. For me, well-written means much more than 'founded on linguistically accepted principles.' I think the phrase is badly-written because practically nobody is going to understand it without a great deal of effort, among other reasons. Witness all the whoo-haa surrounding it in this forum.

Once again, no offence intended or taken. We're just discussing here--an activity dear to my heart.

Saluditos.


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## gaer

Chaucer said:
			
		

> I am wondering of if those having difficulty understanding "gap of mind" would have difficulty understanding "gap in understanding" or "gap in relations", which like "gap of mind", could be said as "lack of understanding", "lack of relations" or "(implied) disagreement", respectively; without resorting to Google to see if those "gaps" exist with enough frequency to be deemed correct usage... Just something to consider.


Let's get back to the original sentence:

The result has been a tendency to underplay the thought involved in craft or in a given film and often to depend on plays and films from elsewhere to supply the gap of mind in American drama.

My interpretation:

The result has been a tendency to underplay the thought involved in craft or in a given film and often to depend on plays and films from elsewhere to supply the lack of creativity/originality in American drama.

None of the suggestions you mentioned is the same as my interpretation. I "Googled" to find out if this phrase was common, for no other reason. This very moment I "Googled" again, to see if "verbing" the word "Google" was rare. In fact, there seem to be about a half million references. 

That doesn't mean that "Googled" is correct usage. The fact that "gap of mind" hardly shows up doesn't prove that it is NOT correct usage. It COULD mean that it is very new, very original and very useful.

But doesn't the fact that you and I are interpreting the same phrase in a different way mean something? In fact, I believe "lack of creativity/originality" comes rather close to what te gato found. And I certainly did not make my guess from using Google. I guessed from context. 

Gaer


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## Chaucer

cubaMania said:
			
		

> Chaucer the certitude I referred to was yours, expressed in the way you phrased this:
> "This is a legitimate phrase, created. It is well written."  As an original entry I would not object to your phrasing, though I would still disagree with the opinion.  However, as a follow-up post to posts expressing the opinion that the original sentence was badly-written, and together with the tone of the rest of your entry, this direct contradiction implies that we have opinions, but you have the facts.  I'd suggest a response such as "This is a legitimate phrase, created.  I disagree with you.  I think it is well written."  That would put your disagreement on the right footing, in my opinion.
> 
> At any rate, we have differing opinions on the quality of the sentence in question.  I think it is unclear and ponderous, and you think it's original and well-expressed.  It's OK to disagree. I enjoy discussion, including disagreements of opinion, and even have my mind changed sometimes. (But not this time.)
> 
> I anticipate continuing to learn from the many excellent contributions you make this in this forum.
> 
> On Preview: Maybe the problem is the meaning of well-written.  For me, well-written means much more than 'founded on linguistically accepted principles.'  I think the phrase is badly-written because practically nobody is going to understand it without a great deal of effort.  Witness all the whoo-haa surrounding it in this forum.
> 
> Once again, no offence intended or taken.  We're just discussing here--an activity dear to my heart.
> 
> Saluditos.



I'll watch that. You know as I wrote that part, "It is well-written", and being quite aware of my every motivation for selecting every word that I set down in sequence, I sensed the opinion in it, thinking that a certain vagueness would get it by everyone. And if I let it go and didn't rewrite it, it was plain laziness on my part. I rail against authoritative sounding phrases myself. I'm glad you brought it to my attention here. I don't want to do what I object in others as doing.

And as for the ponderousness, I'll watch that too. I don't like ponderousness in others-- which is not to say elaboration and completeness of thought-- so I wouldn't want to be displaying that either. You know, I think, I'm am one of the most ponderous forum members. I just like to explain things as well as I can; but I have the flaw of not paring out the superflous and dead verbage, out of expediency. Notice taken. Thank you. But I'm human, I may relapse now and then.


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## te gato

Helloooooo;
Can we wade through all the testosterone for a moment here....

If anyone is remotely interested I found the meaning....

And if no one objects I will quote myself...

QUOTE...
I also got a definition for this saying...after viewing pages and pages about this book..

Lance Lee..one of the authors of the book..said in an interview.."THE GAP OF MIND" was his way of saying that he wants the writers to create work outside and beyond the nonventions of standard hollywood fare.UN QUOTE

So what he was saying was for the students..whoever...TO WRITE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX...

te gato


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## Chaucer

te gato said:
			
		

> Helloooooo;
> Can we wade through all the testosterone for a moment here....
> 
> If anyone is remotely interested I found the meaning....
> 
> And if no one objects I will quote myself...
> 
> QUOTE...
> I also got a definition for this saying...after viewing pages and pages about this book..
> 
> Lance Lee..one of the authors of the book..said in an interview.."THE GAP OF MIND" was his way of saying that he wants the writers to create work outside and beyond the nonventions of standard hollywood fare.UN QUOTE
> 
> So what he was saying was for the students..whoever...TO WRITE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX...
> 
> te gato



So, Te Gato, is it legitimate language use or not; is it original or plain bad language; leaving aside the critic's intended meaning. The non-native speakers are in a quandary about this phrase, which native speakers are in a position to clear up for them. That's all from me...


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## te gato

Chaucer said:
			
		

> So, Te Gato, is it legitimate language use or not; is it original or plain bad language; leaving aside the critic's intended meaning. The non-native speakers are in a quandary about this phrase, which native speakers are in a position to clear up for them. That's all from me...


 

Hi Chaucer;

Personally I think he took two normal sounding and explainable words from the English language...switched them around...to serve his purpose...

Although from the definition he gave himself I would not concider it a well used term...An origional yes..His Origional...

As for bad language...no...

As for an odd saying...yes...

Te gato


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## cubaMania

Chaucer said:
			
		

> ... And as for the ponderousness, I'll watch that too...


 
'certitude' -- I was referring to your post, Chaucer
'ponderous' -- I was referring to the original sentence submitted for translation

I can be ponderous too, and in this case I ponderously insist upon clarifying what I referred to as ponderous. Hah!

Now back to te gato and the original subject.
I hope the original poster, InfraMan, has been able to glean the meaning he was seeking.  "Write outside of the box" might still prove a bit dense for someone Spanish-speaking.


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## te gato

cubaMania said:
			
		

> 'certitude' -- I was referring to your post, Chaucer
> 'ponderous' -- I was referring to the original sentence submitted for translation
> 
> I can be ponderous too, and in this case I ponderously insist upon clarifying what I referred to as ponderous. Hah!
> 
> Now back to te gato and the original subject.
> I hope the original poster, InfraMan, has been able to glean the meaning he was seeking. "Write outside of the box" might still prove a bit dense for someone Spanish-speaking.


Good morning All;

Putting all sub-threads aside... 

To wright....do...think... "outside of the box"......is when you do something that is not of the norm.....

So therefore when he is saying for them (whomever) to wright outside of the box...he is saying that he does not wish them to do the same old Hollywood style of writing......

Example--Boy meets girl..boy and girl fall in love...boy and girl live happly ever after... (usual) awwwww.
Change up..Boy meats girl...boy and girl fall in love...boy ticks off girl...girl dies in auto accident...comes back to haunt boy for the rest of his life....and no one in the end is happy.... (my version..not intended to insult...harm..in anyway)



te gato


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## gaer

te gato said:
			
		

> Good morning All;
> 
> Putting all sub-threads aside...
> 
> To wright....do...think... "outside of the box"......is when you do something that is not of the norm.....
> 
> So therefore when he is saying for them (whomever) to wright outside of the box...he is saying that he does not wish them to do the same old Hollywood style of writing......
> 
> Example--Boy meets girl..boy and girl fall in love...boy and girl live happly ever after... (usual) awwwww.
> Change up..Boy meats girl...boy and girl fall in love...boy ticks off girl...girl dies in auto accident...comes back to haunt boy for the rest of his life....and no one in the end is happy.... (my version..not intended to insult...harm..in anyway)
> 
> 
> 
> te gato


 
"Out of the box", "thinking outside the box" could probably start a discussion of its own."

Gaer


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## Leopold

te gato said:
			
		

> To wright....do...think... "outside of the box"......is when you do something that is not of the norm.....
> te gato



Hi felina, I was just wondering... why do you always write "write" as "wright"??

Leo


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## gaer

Leopold said:
			
		

> Hi felina, I was just wondering... why do you always write "write" as "wright"??
> 
> Leo


Probably for the same reason I write "pround" for "pound". My fingers have a mind of their own. 

Gaer


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## te gato

Leopold said:
			
		

> Hi felina, I was just wondering... why do you always write "write" as "wright"??
> 
> Leo


Hi Leo;

Yes I do..In my dictionary --(Websters) to form (words, letters) on a surface with a pen... 


sorry to take so long to get back to you..
spent the day in hospital..some jerk decided
to total my car..with me in it! 

te gato


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## cubaMania

te gato, I hope you are OK (and well-insured.)

You aren't serious about 'wright' being a form of 'to write' are you?
Surely Alberta English can't be that different!


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## te gato

cubaMania said:
			
		

> te gato, I hope you are OK (and well-insured.)
> 
> You aren't serious about 'wright' being a form of 'to write' are you?
> Surely Alberta English can't be that different!


Hi cubaMania;

No I messed up..one time..but only one time!! 

Im Ok..I guess.. Whiplash, busted finger..
and I can't type at the best of times..
sore back..trashed car... but..i'm still here
to give all of you a hard time...
Thank you for the concern though...
His insurance....his fault...

te gato


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## ultravioleta

te gato said:


> Hi All;
> 
> I also got a definition for this saying...after viewing pages and pages about this book..
> 
> Lance Lee..one of the authors of the book..said in an interview.."THE GAP OF MIND" was his way of saying that he wants the writers to create work outside and beyond the nonventions of standard hollywood fare.
> 
> te gato


Me encanta la fuente de te gato, la mejor fuente: los autores! ya no leí el resto porque era mucho, con eso que investigó usted, es suficiente


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