Ideas. Hmm.

ChrisHurn

ChrisHurn

Well-known member
Okay, I'm sorry if this topic isn't appropriate - if it's a problem then please go ahead and remove it.

I am a student, pretty young at that. I'm not actually a writer, but some of you may know me as a composer (I scored 3 shorts for Sci-fest - picking up best score for CPU which also won Sci-Fest).

I'm trying to write a short 6 page script for a film for a national competition here in New Zealand. I made it to the finals last year, and now that I have seen the sort of people/films I'm up against and have had the awesome oppertunity of reading posts from great filmmakers here (plus watching a whole heap of films). I think I'm ready to tackle another film...

But the problem is, i've been looking at the same blank page in Final Draft for over 3 months. Nothing.

I've tried a few tricks I read in a screenwriting book - i've tried watching the sorts of films I want to make, but nothing comes to mind. Sometimes I get the occasional 'vision' or 'image' in my head, but it never expands to anything more than that - a still frame or something. Once I get an idea I'm usually fine, but at the moment I'm having real trouble.

Now by no means do I have a big budget (poor student here), or much experience. Heck, my first film was entering a 48hrs competition, and the other one after that was the one I talked about earlier.

This time I'd like to try something M. Night style. Mr Shyamalan is a very inspiring director to me. I'm not asking for someone to write a script for me, but I would very much like it if someone would maybe help spark off some ideas etc. To give you an idea about the kind of films I like:

Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Big Fish (and pretty much anything else by Tim Burton), Anything by M. Night. Lately i've been particularaly inspired by the film "Unbreakable". In fact, something with that mood and style would be really what I'm after.

In summary;
length needed: 6 mins
something like: unbreakable, m.night style, that sort of thing for this time.
actors: my young brother has been on some TV shows here, he's 13 and I wouldn't mind using him. I have some good friend-actors who are all around 17. Though basically I'd like to keep it to just a few main roles. Something simple, but effective.
I'm listrning to James Newton Howards music from the movie now. Such an effective score, frustrating that it's so inspiring for me (along with the film) but nothing really comes out.

Last week when it was pouring with rain I went outside and stood in it (I love the rain, especially in films). It sort of got my mind thinking, but nothing really specific came out of it. Occasionally I see people or things that spark things off, like once there was a man at 7am in a spooky dark raincoat walking his dog on the riverbank near my house. He stopped and looked at a tree for ages, it was foggy, and really creepy. Gave me a few ideas but nothing major.

Maybe you guys can help. I'm a point where i'm constintly living with films/images etc. in my mind (rain, houses, places, objects, sentances that dont make sense but 'Feel' really great, like awesome movie lines) but with nothing to link them to. It's frustrating.

Either way, thanks again EVERYONE for DVXuser, it has taught me so much about filmmaking over the last year. As an aspiring director and composer, I love this place.

Thanks.

-Chris Hurn
 
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Chris,

Make a list of your potential locations. Make a list of your potential actors. Make a list of your potential props.

Now, especially if your going for the "M Night" thing, you are going to want to play the "what if" game. Make a list of "what if's" (for example, "what if my brother could feel no pain"). Do not censor yourself. Just let your brain go all mushy and keep writing, no matter how silly it feels.

Do that for a few hours (yes a few hours) and you will find a gem amongst the trash.

Remember too, with a short script, you don't want to tackle too much. All you need is a simple idea.

Good luck,

Chris
 
Maybe it helps to forget for a while about movies, about your favorite director, about styles, atmospheres, dialogues. I have the impression you are forcing yourself too much with already developed stuff: It´s like forcing a tree back into a seed. Try the other way: Get a seed, in fact ANY seed and start writing, see how it develops. Write a short story and don´t mind if it´s for a book or for movie. Free yourself from your own, maybe limiting, expectations.
 
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Thanks for the replies guys.

I tried all your ideas, and today I thought of this.

What about a guy who can see people's immediate future? Like, when he looks them straight in the eye, he can see what's going to happen to them.

There's two ways of doing this:

1. One way is to have the guy able to see others futures. I was thinking he got out of a car crash with a broken arm or something minor, and as a punishment for something he did in his 'past' life (maybe he was always trying to 'peak' into peoples lives) - he can how see whats going to happen to them. (like, when they turn the corner, something bad is going to occur). The twist here would be that HE is actually the one controlling these things. And he has to live with that. He can't look people in the eye, or something will happen.

2. The other option Briceman helped me out with when we were talking on AIM, and that is that the fact that he can see what happens to people doesn't change - but he also tries to help them. Of course he couldn't help everyone and this could be a problem, but what if he saw a vision of himself going to hurt his girlfriend or wife or whatever (someone that would be introduced earlier)...and he has to get rid of himself in order to save a life. The idea of it being a punishment would still apply, I'm not sure I think I need a push along, some help. It would end with him having to make a descision, not showing you which one. Makes the audience decide what he's going to do.

-Chris
 
ChrisHurn said:
Thanks for the replies guys.

I tried all your ideas, and today I thought of this.

What about a guy who can see people's immediate future? Like, when he looks them straight in the eye, he can see what's going to happen to them.

There's two ways of doing this:

1. One way is to have the guy able to see others futures. I was thinking he got out of a car crash with a broken arm or something minor, and as a punishment for something he did in his 'past' life (maybe he was always trying to 'peak' into peoples lives) - he can how see whats going to happen to them. (like, when they turn the corner, something bad is going to occur). The twist here would be that HE is actually the one controlling these things. And he has to live with that. He can't look people in the eye, or something will happen.

2. The other option Briceman helped me out with when we were talking on AIM, and that is that the fact that he can see what happens to people doesn't change - but he also tries to help them. Of course he couldn't help everyone and this could be a problem, but what if he saw a vision of himself going to hurt his girlfriend or wife or whatever (someone that would be introduced earlier)...and he has to get rid of himself in order to save a life. The idea of it being a punishment would still apply, I'm not sure I think I need a push along, some help. It would end with him having to make a descision, not showing you which one. Makes the audience decide what he's going to do.

-Chris
Click to expand...

Not a bad start. Have you seen the dead zone? If not, don't. You wouldn't want to be influenced by it.

I think this is a good kernel of an idea. Maybe stay away from the killing the girlfriend/wife though. Seems like too much. Make it simple and reflective.

A guy in an accident wakes up in a hospital and can see the future. He tries to go about his life but can't do so succesfully because he is living his life days/weeks/years from now. He can't make out what is happening and what will happen. It all seems real to him. He starts to go mad and ends up at the hospital. The doctor says the same exact thing to him that he said when he woke from the accident. He spent the whole time living out the future in his head and now he has lost his grip on reality and is living out what he has already seen. Again. Just a quick idea. Maybe too much for 6 minutes, maybe not. Run with it if you want.

Funny, I'm working on my script outline now. Trying to hammer out the details and motivations and most importantly the ending and this just flows out. Damn it!

By the way are you booked up yet for Herofest? I will need a composer when I get my script finalized.:)
 
Thanks Alex,

I think you're right, maybe the girlfriend killing thing might be too far, but then I guess it depends on how it's potrayed. I was thinking maybe just a quick flash-foward of him about to do something bad. Maybe there's something else. The idea of him trying to help the people is cool, I don't want him to be potrayed as mad or in hospital or anything - I suggested before that his 'gift' could be a punishment for something he did before he got hit by a car, I'm not sure what though.

By the way, yes I'd love to help you with Hero-fest. Send me a PM about it sometime.

-Chris
 
Chris,

I think your ideas are very interesting. However, for a 6 page short, you are thinking too big, IMHO. You can still use the same idea, but think smaller, more intimate. For example, if it is about someone who can see the future for others, I would focus on the the discovery of that power. You should focus on one incident, any more and I think you will be rushing and any potential character details/nuances will be lost.

Good luck,

Chris
 
Thanks Chris -

My first film ever suffered a lot from too much going on, so thanks for that. I'll make sure I don't make that mistake this time. I want the character to start to have these powers after he is hit by a car or similar, maybe indicating a second chance at life. The whole idea would be this new 'gift' would be a punishment for something he did in his last life? (meaning, before the accident) Or something - can't think of how I would do that in so little time, or how I could come up with another similar reason why he has his "gift"..hm.

-Chris
 
Whatever you do you can't have him say "The ice is gonna break!"

How about he gets hands laid on him by a preacher who says he is now healed!
 
Writing

Writing

Chris,

A six-minute film means about six screenplay pages.

Pick up your favorite M.Night screenplay and see what
happens over six pages. You'll be surprised how little
story you get through in such a short time.

For example, by the end of page six in SIXTH SENSE,
Malcolm hasn't been shot yet. In UNBREAKABLE, they're
on the train by the end of page six, but it hasn't crashed
yet.

Six pages isn't much time.

So try to start the movie as late in the story as possible.
Later, even. Make the audience catch up on the backstory.
That saves pages and makes it more interesting.

Try thinking of the film as a list of moments you need to show:

1. Set up the characters and the situation
2. A big twist changes everything and makes things worse
3. False End - if the end is going to be happy, then things look bad here.
If the end is dark, things look pretty good by now.
4. Big Finish - M.Night's twist ending goes here​


Give that a try, and see if it helps.

.: popcornFlix :.
 
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