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Not sure about screenplay idea

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pacey1800

Hi everyone,
I know I've talked about filmmaking here, but I've also done some screenwriting in the past. I took a course at my local community college, and from there I entered a short screenplay in the PAGE Awards competition, and it advanced to the second round. I have had, for the past few months, an idea in my mind for a screenplay about a reality TV star accused of murder, and the media circus that surrounds it, from the crime itself, to the pre-trial publicity and the trial itself. As I see it, it's a story told from multiple perspectives, from the suspect herself, to the attorneys, to an up-and-coming reporter who sees this as her chance to break through in the industry. A lot of this material was inspired by past celebrity scandals and trials, mainly the OJ Simpson case (and as a matter of fact, upon seeing the recent documentary on ESPN about the day of the chase, a story idea came from that to where the suspect in my story would do something similar, at the same time of another important event).

I just don't really know where to go with it, like should it be a theatrical movie or a miniseries for TV? I have a rough outline for the plot but it doesn't contain the chase-like event (or as I'm thinking right now, she barricades herself in her house on the day she is scheduled to turn herself in to police, and a storm of media descend on the block where she lives). I also don't really know about courtroom procedure, as silly as this sounds, like when does an attorney object to another attorney's line of questioning, etc. I'm also concerned mainly about dialogue, because I just don't really know how to pull off subtext or how to not make anything sound "on-the-nose". I know how to tell a story visually, and ways to visually reveal character, but dialogue is not one of my strong points. Does anyone have any advice on these points? If so, please let me know. Thanks.
 
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Sounds like it would be a candidate for the "Rashomon" treatment. Just do the trial; the witnesses tell their different stories and the media circus happens around the trial.
 
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Yeah, that's kinda what I've been thinking. I've also thought about it being a whodunit, focusing only on the crime itself and possible suspects, but at this point I think it might work out for at least a TV movie or something, I don't really know if it would be a good idea for a theatrical release, but I have had some other ideas for screenplays going around. The execution of the ideas, in terms of plot, is something I have not been sure about, regardless of idea, mainly because it seems like I can write a good first act, but then it gets bogged down in the second act and then loses steam completely toward the end. I've tried reading books about this, and it's like no matter how simply it's explained, it still doesn't make sense to me, especially what's written about dialogue.
 
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It definitely has a TV-movie vibe going for it. There's certainly nothing wrong with that.

I like the Rashomon treatment as well.

And the execution of a good idea tends to be the tricky part for me, too.

Heh.
 
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pacey1800 said:
I just don't really know where to go with it, like should it be a theatrical movie or a miniseries for TV?
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All scripts will go through extensive rewrites after the sale.
Especially one from an previously unproduced writer. The
other harsh reality is it's impossible to make a miniseries
sale as an outsider.

So you should make your choice based on what is best for
YOUR vision. If you feel the story needs several hours to
work then you must write it as a miniseries. If you can tell
part of the story (but still with a beginning, middle and end)
as a theatrical movie, that would be the way to go. Then when
it's a big hit you can expand it to a TV series.

pacey1800 said:
I also don't really know about courtroom procedure, as silly as this sounds, like when does an attorney object to another attorney's line of questioning, etc. I'm also concerned mainly about dialogue, because I just don't really know how to pull off subtext or how to not make anything sound "on-the-nose". I know how to tell a story visually, and ways to visually reveal character, but dialogue is not one of my strong points.
Click to expand...
The way you become stronger in your weak points to to practice.
Write everyday. Then set the script aside and read it later. Then
rewrite.

You know what? You may never get really good at dialogue and
pulling off subtext. But you might get really good at it. Over time
you can research courtroom procedure. You can even speak to
attorneys. Maybe not right away - that's something you can do
once you get everything written. For now, just write the courtroom
procedures as you see them on TV or other courtroom movies. You
can work on making it authentic later.

Unless you are very different from all the writes I know or have read
about, writing this script is going to take you a lot of time - perhaps
a year, maybe even a couple of years. You have time to work on your
weak points and on your courtroom procedures.
 
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Media is REALLY hard to write. I'm doing a feature right now with a reporter as a main character and it's a pain in the ass trying to develop a personality for a character that spends most of his time asking other people questions. It would be really easy to end up with a passive protagonist. Beyond that, research and interviews can make for some boring scenes if you aren't careful.

If you do go through with it, plan on doing a lot of flashing back or making some fascinating exposition. I'd go rent Chinatown and Citizen Kane to see the 2 best approaches to similar investigation scenarios.
 
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I'm doing a feature right now with a reporter as a main character and it's a pain in the ass trying to develop a personality for a character that spends most of his time asking other people questions.
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For starters you should watch "Network", "Broadcast News" and "The Paper".
 
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As Directorik stated, what's important is to write. It takes a long time to develop all the skill sets needed to pull a screenplay off. Most of us aren't willing to, or are unable to put in the necessary practice time. Four or five hours every morning and you'll see some good results in a year or two. Then you just have to bone up on social networking skills, courage, and the ability to handle repeated defeats.

While this thread is rolling on these wheels, I'd like to put an Idea out there.

I've been toying with an idea I'm calling the Candid Candidate, where the American people are made to hate what is deemed at the beginning of election season as their perfect candidate. Putting up a good defense, the candidate has a camera crew on him 24/7 in order to prove that he has nothing left in his introverted billionaire life but the desire to improve his country.

I'm talking about a candidate that makes the kind of speeches we'd all THINK we'd make if we had a podium in front of us. How honesty and a lack of pandering backfires in a political climate of soundbites and networks. I'm having a hard time coming up with an ending that wouldn't be a downer, but it's not my main project at the moment so I haven't brainstormed much. What do you think, hive mind?

Yay/nay?
 
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Alcove Audio said:
For starters you should watch "Network", "Broadcast News" and "The
Paper".
Click to expand...

It's funny you mention "Network" because that happens to be one of my favorite movies, and it is one that I personally suggested my college screenwriting class study. Another good movie about the media I've seen is "The China Syndrome", though it's been a while since I've seen it. I'd like to see "Broadcast News" too, and I've heard about "The Paper", so whenever they come on TV I will be sure to check them out. I think "Broadcast News" comes on the FOX Movie Channel all the time, so I will be sure to look for it. As for the legal stuff, it's just one part of it, because it's part of a much bigger story, between the suspect, the lawyers and the reporter. I know I've spoken a lot about documentary filmmaking here, but something tells me I feel a bit more comfortable as a writer, because despite whatever difficulties I've had in the past, it is something that comes more naturally to me.

About two weeks ago, I went to the movies for the first time in a while, and admittedly I have not seen a lot of current movies that I've had any interest in seeing. I saw "Burlesque" and I'm sure that that's not really the best example of screenwriting anyone could find, but as I watched, I also paid attention to the sequence of events. I figured out what the crisis was at the end of the second act and how it was resolved in the third act, and from there I wanted to apply what I learned into my writing. Also, I have several books about screenwriting, as well as TV writing, and last night I read a chapter in one of the TV books about TV movies, and that it works generally like a regular theatrical movie in terms of structure (3 acts) although it would be more like 7 if it was for basic cable, but the book generally said to keep it in the 3 act structure so it might be saleable outside of the TV market. I personally don't think that there's anything wrong with it being a TV movie, and I am sure that it will work out regardless of the market itself.

Anyway, thanks very much for all the advice you've all given me, and if anyone has any suggestions on movies to watch in order to help me get better as a writer, or scripts, or anything else, please let me know. Thanks.
 
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I was very disappointed with "Vantage Point". I was very caught up until I found out what the "plot" was and it was so unbelievable I just tuned out. I watched the rest of the film but I was pulled out of it by then.
 
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I think I might turn the story into a limited miniseries, mainly in episodic form, with a continuing story arc for each character. I haven't really figured out how to plot everything out, and I haven't really come up with any backstories or biographies about my characters, but I do plan on doing so. Somehow, I am seeing this as maybe a 3 or 4 part miniseries because of the amount of story. It's just a matter of writing it out and plotting it out. I do have one question, though, if I were to stay writing for TV: how would I go about creating a spec script? I think drama is probably the only genre I can do comfortably, I do have an idea for a comedy but it just seems so hard to pull off that I might need a writing partner for it. This concept I've been talking about here would probably best serve as a writing sample that I could just save for later, because it's very unlikely that anyone would buy an original idea right off the bat, as I've read before. I also know that I would not be submitting a spec script of a show I watch to that particular show itself. Does anyone have any suggestions on what shows I should watch and maybe try to attempt to spec? Please let me know. Thanks.
 
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Ccolebrook said:
What's the plot of Vantage point? Spoil it for me because I'll likely never see it.
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The assassination of the US president in Spain as seen from various viewpoints. When the information is put together by a Secret Service agent
we find out a double was assassinated. Somehow - it's never explained - the terrorists know that a double was being used and staged an overly complex assassination plot as a distraction so they could kidnap the actual president.
Quite unbelieveable.
 
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