I need a lot of help.

[mthompsonfilms]

Okay, so I have been writing screenplays since I was 15 (meaning 3 years). I know, basically, how to write and some of my scripts are actually pretty good. But so far all I've written are short films. I actually filmed one and it turned out okay for something shot in ~5 hours for $0.00. I've started several features but I either decided that they weren't going as well as I'd hoped or got swept up with another idea/something else entirely not film-related.

But now I really want to write a feature. Nothing too long, about 90 minutes. Super low budget that I could film myself. I know basically what I want to write about. I'm pretty good at coming up with ideas, and I have a lot of good ones, but unfortunately I can never quite solidify them. I either only think of an ending, or a beginning, or just one scene. Sometimes only single lines of dialogue.

The film that I want to write is essentially a neo-noir. It is told strictly from the protagonist's point of view and involves him weaving his way through a compex web of mystery and deceit. The film begins when he wakes up from a drug-induced coma in a crummy hospital with no memory of what happened to him. The film ends when he is shot in the head unexpectedly by one of the antagonists. It cuts to black immediately, with no closure and certain parts of the film's mystery still unsolved by the protagonist and, thus, the audience. I understand this is outside the norm, that's sort of what I'm going for I guess; in a sense that I'd like my film to be memorable. Although that is certainly not the only reason I am killing the protagonist. I'm trying to keep the film as realistic as possible, and in reality, the protagonist would more than likely be shot and killed in his situation.

I know basically the first 15 minutes, the final 25 minutes, and about another 20 minutes in between. And 60 minutes does not a feature make. I am asking for your help in either fleshing out my ideas, giving advice on how to actually sit down and plan the film, and/or opinions on the story in general. If anyone is interested enough to contribute to my humble thread, I will make another post with more plot details. Until then, I apologize for the long-windedness.

Thank you in advance for any interest/assistance.

 

[Dreadylocks]

A couple things I do when I have writers block:

>Engage yourself in an activity that requires you to keep your hands busy, but your mind free. Something like doing the dishes or mowing the lawn. And just think. Think, think, think. Play the what-if game. And when you get an idea, just keep thinking about it until it reaches the point where absolutely *have* to write it down.

>I also like to do stream-of-consciousness writing. Open up a Word file and start writing everything that pops into your head, but try and keep it related to your film. No one needs to see this but you so put in everything, put in your entire thought process. For example, I'll just riff as though I'm you:

"I want to flesh out the neo-noir story that I've got. I need some scenes in between the one I already have. Should they have the main character in them? I think so. Ok, so let's put him in a restaurant. Is he alone? Yes. What is he doing is he reading? Writing?

Or maybe he's waiting for someone to arrive. A witness. Yes, I like that, let's run with that. What piece of information does the witness have? How is this going to help him?" etc etc etc

Then when I come up with something I really like, I switch over to my screenwriting program and write the scene or scenes that are in my head.

YYMV, but that's my method. Hope it helps!

 

[mthompsonfilms]

Thank you Dready. Sometimes when I think of an idea for a film that I can actually think of a beginning, middle, and end I do a stream of consciousness type thing and write up a one page synopsis, then go back and edit it later. Unfortunately, I haven't even gotten that far with this project yet, and it's the most important project I have ever started to work on because I'm actually going to make it.

 

[Alcove Audio]

I need a lot of help.

Sorry, I'm not a qualified psychiatrist.........

 

[SCRIPTMONK!!!]

I'm going to be cruelly honest here. Your first script is going to suck on toast anyway, so just WRITE the thing, and most importantly FINISH it. I'm not being a dick. Everyone's first scripts suck. It is a law of nature. My first script was unreadable. General wisdom states that a screenwriter must complete 5-10 scripts before his or her skills have come close to professional level. (Now before anyone brings up films like "Juno" or "Thelma & Louise" as an argument, I want you to think about how many years passed between these two films. Freshman success come only once or twice in a generation).

Your first scripts are a LEARNING experience. And you can't learn from writing until you bite the bullet and finish your script beginning to end. With every script you finish (w/ multiple drafts, that is), your writing skill will grow exponentially. It took me six scripts before I was good enough to get paid for it. Eight scripts before I deserved to get paid for it. You can't begin to grow until you put your worries aside about being good or bad, succeeding or failing, and just do it.

I realize you may love your first idea. And you may be repulsed by the thought of it being nothing more than practice. Don't worry. You can always come back that first script once your skills have developed and do another version where the idea really shines. Victory comes to the Tortoise, not the Hare.

One word of advice for first-timers: So many people attempt to reinvent the wheel on their first scripts. They want to do some whiz-bang whazoo concept that has "never been done before" that screws with linear time or tries to turn structure inside out or something along those lines because they want to be noticed. The thing is, unless you are some kind of kid genius like Orson Welles (and it seems a lot of people fool themselves into thinking they are - I know I did) you will not yet have built up the skill necessary to know how to pull something like that off yet. Keep things simple the first time out of the gate. Learn the ropes. If you want to become a concert pianist, you wouldn't start by trying to master Rachmaninoff. You would start with some simple Mozart pieces, and only when you have mastered that, move on to something more complex. Work and learn. Greatness is a long-term goal.

 

[Will Vincent]

before anyone brings up films like "Juno" ...

Juno is overrated.

Also many people in MN (myself included) are still displeased that she used that script as a ticket out of here, instead of making the film here, and then leaving -- especially since it's supposed to take place here..


I don't blame her for leaving, I'm seriously considering getting out of MN as well, but damn.


Aside from all of that, while Juno may have been a first successful screenplay for the ex stripper, Diablo Cody was writing (in various forms) for many years before Juno came about.

 

[mthompsonfilms]

Snip.

Thanks for the advice. I understand that a first script will not be a masterpiece. When I look back through some of the features I've abandoned, or short films I've written, I just literally cannot believe that I thought they were worth anything. Concept-wise they were good, but sometimes I am amazed at the ridiculousness of the dialogue, or the way I've tried to shoehorn in a scene I thought would be cool, or something like that.

But, as I said, I have written many short films and I know that I can, in theory, write decently well and that my ideas are solid. Also, I don't want to get paid for screenwriting. Or even directing for that matter. Hell, if someone offered to let me make a film I've written, I'd do it for free. Anyway, I'm writing this because I intend to film it myself. I'm not saying it's going to be especially good (written or, if all goes well, filmed), but I know that it will be what I want it to be, and that's really all I want.

I'm sorry if it seems like I'm sort of defending myself against your advice; I don't mean to. I guess I just like to explain myself. I really do appreciate what you've said, and it's certainly made me consider a few things. Mainly, though, I think you've finally forced me to just get on with it and actually begin writing (or, rather, outlining). Thanks, again.

EDIT: I just realized that my comments on making films for free, etc. could be percieved as naive. Let my just clarify that what I meant by that was that if a producer offered to produce my film but only on the condition that he owes me no money at all for it, but I still recieve artistic credit and freedom, I would have no problem with that.