Afraid to write whats already been done

nouou

nouou

Well-known member
My weekend job is working at a trucking center on the weekends, which includes offices/warehouse/loading dock. I have keys to the building, and I'm contemplating wether or not to write/shoot some sort of comedy shot entirely at this location. I have some good ideas, but the only thing stopping me... is Clerks. Kevin Smith's first film, which I am a huge fan of, makes me not want to do this. Hell, if I saw a film like one I'm describing, I probably wouldn't watch it because it'd seem like just another ripoff, I don't know though.

I'm thinking just go for it... what do you think?
 
i say go for it, granted Dontae and Randall make the whole movie, i'm sure you can make something great.
 
Give it your own spin. Why not ? How many "ripoffs" of Shakespeare or Sophocles have there been ? The great stories are timeless, and if you can make a great story happen on a loading dock, bravo, my friend. :grin:
 
I am sure an analysis of Clerks would show that it could be considered a ripoff of some prior classic general plot theme. There are no truly original stories, only variations on basic plot and story themes. Go for it, put your unique twist on it, your characters, your story world, your variation.
 
Watch other movies that use the same location (like the awesome Punch Drunk Love). There's tonnes of different things to do. I think think of a few story lines already off the top of my head.
 
Trucking center - convenience store.

Completely different places, completely different jobs...

Come up with some unique characters, and whatever the over-all story is, and I don't think anyone will think Clerks.

I have a project I'm going to write about my years working the midnight to 9am stocking crew at Safeway grocery. Not 2 guys like Clerks, a group of guys (and at one point a woman). And not interacting with crazy customers - the store is closed. And a big part of the story is a new manager who is a complete @ssh@ole - and how these misfits react to him. The two main plot threads are the new manager (and the rebellion he causes) and the lead character who writes jokes for a local comedian and dreams of writing for the Tonight Show (and an escape from the job). Now - there might be a hint of OFFICE SPACE in there, but nobody's going think this is a rip off because all bosses are idiots and everyone has some dream to escape their job. (Oh, title is NIGHT STOCKERS). (And plot owes more to COOL HAND LUKE than any other movie - the graveyard shift is the prison... and my protag just wants to escape.)

So, figure out who your characters are and what they want and what the story is (so that you have an ending) and write it and shoot it!

- Bill
 
Well apparently there are only 15 different types of story and any script written will fit into one of these original structures.
So give it ago, nothing you can write will be truly original as everyone takes inspiration from somewhere and if it does turn out quite similar to Clerks then call it good practice and commend yourself for writing at Kevin Smith's level.
 
HerzogisGod said:
to think Kevin Smith is the "be all end all" of anything makes me laugh. He's mediocre...at best
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Well I guess like most things film related its quite subjective... for someone like me whos just starting out screen writing (I've only been doing it for a few months) writing at any professional screenwriters level would be an achievement.
Thats not to say anyone on here cant write professionally, Ive been really impressed with the scripts Ive seen so far!
 
You are making a BIG mistake if you don't do your film.

There are tons of examples of stories that have been retold and have worked and been good simply because they are well done. Some have a bit of an original twist and some don't.

"Hoosiers" is a good example. Formula underdog, David VS Goliath sports story (basketball) where you even know what the ending is going to be (which team will win) but it works great because it was done well in all areas.

Do it, Do it, Do it!!!
 
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