Screenwriting Poll
- Thread starter indietalk
- Start date
For me the ideas have always been the easy part. Give me a blank sheet of paper and ten minutes and I'll come up with five great ideas for a movie. I think this is the reason that you can't copyright ideas, anyone can have an idea for a film, book, novel.
The difficult part is the execution of that idea and I believe the most challenging part of that process is the script. What makes it challenging, is not so much the technical aspects of writing, but just the incredible amount of insight into people that writing a screenplay requires. To create a story that resonates with people and characters that have any kind of depth, means constantly seeking to empathise with the rest of humanity and more importantly understanding ourselves. The greater our depth of understanding of ourselves, the great the depth and understanding we can apply to our characters.
The difficult part is the execution of that idea and I believe the most challenging part of that process is the script. What makes it challenging, is not so much the technical aspects of writing, but just the incredible amount of insight into people that writing a screenplay requires. To create a story that resonates with people and characters that have any kind of depth, means constantly seeking to empathise with the rest of humanity and more importantly understanding ourselves. The greater our depth of understanding of ourselves, the great the depth and understanding we can apply to our characters.
Sitting at my computer - though not in a typical way.
I've got an 80GB drive on my network filled with old time radio shows, mainly mystery/suspense programs. Listening to audio as opposed to watching film or video sparks my imagination and I end up visualizing the action.
What's really amazing is the depth and breadth of the plot and characters in these old time radio shows. Most range from 2 minutes to 60 minutes, and that's pure dialogue of course, and it's incredible how much story gets packed into that amount of time.
Anyway, listening to old time radio shows isn't my only source of ideas, but it's got to the most prolific source. I also enjoy reading older short stories - Algernon Blackwood being one of my favorite authors.
I've got an 80GB drive on my network filled with old time radio shows, mainly mystery/suspense programs. Listening to audio as opposed to watching film or video sparks my imagination and I end up visualizing the action.
What's really amazing is the depth and breadth of the plot and characters in these old time radio shows. Most range from 2 minutes to 60 minutes, and that's pure dialogue of course, and it's incredible how much story gets packed into that amount of time.
Anyway, listening to old time radio shows isn't my only source of ideas, but it's got to the most prolific source. I also enjoy reading older short stories - Algernon Blackwood being one of my favorite authors.
I
iriscape
Guest
i basically find ideas everywhere...all of a sudden something will hit me, during the day whether someone said something or I see something interesting, i will keep those dialogue and images in mind.
--Iris
--Iris
I picked "anywhere, and i jot them down in a small pad or device I carry." Here's why:
I've always known that an idea can come to me at any time or any place. Sometimes the idea would come from listening to a song, or from eavesdropping on a conversation. Sometimes the idea would be a simple image or an entire scene.
It's like Clive said, ideas area dime a dozen and that leads us to the execution.
The trouble for me was that sometimes I would forget these ideas. I recently started toting a small 3X5 notepad with me everywhere and writing down ideas as they come. This is nothing new, and I can't believe it took me so long to take the advice of every writer that has told me to do this.
It has done three things for me: 1) it helps me remember ideas, 2) it helps me link up ideas (I wrote down a line of dialogue a week and a half ago, and yesterday one of the characters in the script I'm writing decided to say that line.) and 3) it keeps my stories fresh - by constantly coming up with ideas for a story, the creative process stays on it's track.
Now, this doesn't mean that I don't come up with ideas at the various other places and times listed in the poll, but it is probably the best answer for me.
Poke
I've always known that an idea can come to me at any time or any place. Sometimes the idea would come from listening to a song, or from eavesdropping on a conversation. Sometimes the idea would be a simple image or an entire scene.
It's like Clive said, ideas area dime a dozen and that leads us to the execution.
The trouble for me was that sometimes I would forget these ideas. I recently started toting a small 3X5 notepad with me everywhere and writing down ideas as they come. This is nothing new, and I can't believe it took me so long to take the advice of every writer that has told me to do this.
It has done three things for me: 1) it helps me remember ideas, 2) it helps me link up ideas (I wrote down a line of dialogue a week and a half ago, and yesterday one of the characters in the script I'm writing decided to say that line.) and 3) it keeps my stories fresh - by constantly coming up with ideas for a story, the creative process stays on it's track.
Now, this doesn't mean that I don't come up with ideas at the various other places and times listed in the poll, but it is probably the best answer for me.
Poke
I get the best story ideas while with others.. not necessarily brainstorming (though that's what I chose) but just talking.. something will hit me, and I might bounce it off them and stuff.. ok I guess it is brainstorming, but it doesn't START that way...
Usually involves a lot of "what if" questions.
as for dialogue goes, my best ideas just come to me through the writing process. The character will 'tell me' they what they need to express, and in what way... then poof, there's a bunch of dialogue. When I'm writing dialogue I find it best to visualize someone actually saying those lines as if it were their true feelings. The reaction is easy, just see yourself as the character being yelled at, etc.. and react naturally.. I dunno. I guess that's it. it's hard to explain.
Good poll topic though.
Usually involves a lot of "what if" questions.
as for dialogue goes, my best ideas just come to me through the writing process. The character will 'tell me' they what they need to express, and in what way... then poof, there's a bunch of dialogue. When I'm writing dialogue I find it best to visualize someone actually saying those lines as if it were their true feelings. The reaction is easy, just see yourself as the character being yelled at, etc.. and react naturally.. I dunno. I guess that's it. it's hard to explain.
Good poll topic though.
Ideas come at me from all kinds angles.
1. News stories - a great starting point
2. Life stories from friends and families - listen to the stories they tell. There could be a movie in there
3. Stealing from other movies - now I don't mean stealing, but some movies sometimes have subplots or little asides that don't get explored and I think to myself "Hey that would make a better movie that the one they made."
4. National Public Radio - listen to "This American Life"
5. In the shower - sometimes original idea come up, but most of the time I work out plot points.
Scott
1. News stories - a great starting point
2. Life stories from friends and families - listen to the stories they tell. There could be a movie in there
3. Stealing from other movies - now I don't mean stealing, but some movies sometimes have subplots or little asides that don't get explored and I think to myself "Hey that would make a better movie that the one they made."
4. National Public Radio - listen to "This American Life"
5. In the shower - sometimes original idea come up, but most of the time I work out plot points.
Scott
I carry my Handspring Visor around with me for just this purpose. I have no idea where the ideas come from exactly, but they just pop up. Does anyone experience that? Sort of a tiny flash of insight. If I don't write it down, it's gone forever.
As for hashing out the actual script, I often watch movies/read stories with similar themes, and I pay attention to people who might live in the script. Then I try to get to my computer as fast as possible after jotting down the idea, since normally it's some sort of intuition that remains in me, and I can't really bring it out until I'm working on the screenplay itself, or on the film itself, in the editing room or behind the camera.
As for hashing out the actual script, I often watch movies/read stories with similar themes, and I pay attention to people who might live in the script. Then I try to get to my computer as fast as possible after jotting down the idea, since normally it's some sort of intuition that remains in me, and I can't really bring it out until I'm working on the screenplay itself, or on the film itself, in the editing room or behind the camera.
coming up with ideas...
I've actually taught screenwriting and one of the questions I get the most from people taking the class is:
"Where do you get your ideas?"
I have an 18 year old Day Runner binder that I take with me everywhere I go. I watch people, listen to conversations, watch body movement, etc. I love diners... Lots of great stuff in them. Gotta write a scene that takes place in an emergency room? Go sit in one for a couple of hours on a weekend... Ideas are EVERYWHERE but in the classes I've taught, I usually give everyone a handout containing the following information:
News: Go through an entire newspaper every day if you need ideas. An actual headline might give you an idea instead of the story it headlines for. Hell, even Dear Abby might contain a letter or advice that stirs up your imagination. The point is to browse through the entire paper. Magazines. I seem to always find the best ideas from magazines that I would never purchase on my own. That's why I actually look forward to sitting in the dentist or doctor's office. I've found ideas from "Boys Life" as well as Redbook... LOL. I recently read a super short article from one of our New Mexico newspapers that talks about several hundred women's bodies found in land site in Guatemala. Just so happens, I am now able to use this news worthy article/event in a script that I'm currently writing... Lots of different magazines at the library as well. Pick up a science magazine and read an article and come up with the next "Primer." Read an article in a magazine and ask yourself, "What if?" *NOTE: Mentioned below. Don't forget the news on television. Lots of great stuff there too.
What if: Start asking yourself "What if?" --about the things around you in everyday life. What if my wife didn't come home tonight? What if my son was arrested at school for kicking a teacher's butt? What if my wife's best friend hit on me? Asking "what if" can really stir up some great ideas...
History: When was the last time you picked up a history book? My current script is about a modern day Apache so I went out and read all the history books I could get my hands on... I even spent a couple of hundred dollars buying some that nobody has in the bookstores... So while I was learning more about my subject matter, I also learned about a black slave who was instrumental to the conquistadors in discovering new regions on this continent. This story has NEVER been done and it is simply outstanding. The actual history is the screenplay... This is a screenplay that Wesley Snipes would kill for since he's trying to branch out with new roles (if he can get them...).
Fear: What are you afraid of? What's your mother and father afraid of? Fear is conflict and conflict is story. Don't just dwell on physical fears but emotional fears as well. Jot down a fear and ask "What if?"
True stories: Certainly the news section covers this but I mean on a more personal level. For instance, has anyone seen "The Straight Story" on IFC? Richard Farnsworth came out of retirement just to make this film about a brother who had a falling out with his other brother like 30 something years earlier. One day he decides to go see his brother after all these years and mend the fences... Only one problem... He can't legally drive. What does he do? He builds himself a trailer and hooks it up to a riding lawn mower and drives the rig several hundred miles over something like 3 months to his brother's home in another state. True story. Great film.
Special communities: There are always ideas laying around special communities. One such community we see a lot of films about are cops... Think of all the other communities out there! Football. Baseball. Hunting. Fishing. Science. College. High school. Truck driving. Hospital. etc. etc. etc. Find a community and you'll find an idea for a story especially if you start asking "What if?"
Characters: Like special communities but simply broken down even more... i.e., doctors, lawyers, cops, criminals, politicians. Again, simply ask "What if?"
Change it around: That's right... Hollywood does it all the time... Why can't we? Take any friggin' Hollywood movie and simply "change it around." You've heard about Outland being pitched as High Noon in outer space... That's all you have to do. Swimfan is Fatal Attraction set against a high school swim team star. National Treasure is an Indiana Jones film. Simply take any film that you really like and change the background and characters i.e., change it around. This gives you an idea. Don't simply copy the other film but take this idea and execute it so you tell an equally entertaining story.
Flip it for real: Just like Fenster said in "The Usual Suspects" --you can take just about any idea that you come up with and FLIP IT. Maybe the exact opposite of that great idea contains yet another great idea for another film...
Predictions: Yeah, take a book, a news story, a film, a magazine article and try to predict what's going to happen before you get to the actual ending. Many times you can create an outstanding idea simply by trying to predict the outcome of a current story you are already involved in.
Update classic stories: Again, Hollywood does it all the time... Movies like "Roxanne" and "O" are simply modern spin offs of the classics... You can do it too...
Hope this helps somebody out who's on the lookout for a good idea...
filmy
I've actually taught screenwriting and one of the questions I get the most from people taking the class is:
"Where do you get your ideas?"
I have an 18 year old Day Runner binder that I take with me everywhere I go. I watch people, listen to conversations, watch body movement, etc. I love diners... Lots of great stuff in them. Gotta write a scene that takes place in an emergency room? Go sit in one for a couple of hours on a weekend... Ideas are EVERYWHERE but in the classes I've taught, I usually give everyone a handout containing the following information:
News: Go through an entire newspaper every day if you need ideas. An actual headline might give you an idea instead of the story it headlines for. Hell, even Dear Abby might contain a letter or advice that stirs up your imagination. The point is to browse through the entire paper. Magazines. I seem to always find the best ideas from magazines that I would never purchase on my own. That's why I actually look forward to sitting in the dentist or doctor's office. I've found ideas from "Boys Life" as well as Redbook... LOL. I recently read a super short article from one of our New Mexico newspapers that talks about several hundred women's bodies found in land site in Guatemala. Just so happens, I am now able to use this news worthy article/event in a script that I'm currently writing... Lots of different magazines at the library as well. Pick up a science magazine and read an article and come up with the next "Primer." Read an article in a magazine and ask yourself, "What if?" *NOTE: Mentioned below. Don't forget the news on television. Lots of great stuff there too.
What if: Start asking yourself "What if?" --about the things around you in everyday life. What if my wife didn't come home tonight? What if my son was arrested at school for kicking a teacher's butt? What if my wife's best friend hit on me? Asking "what if" can really stir up some great ideas...
History: When was the last time you picked up a history book? My current script is about a modern day Apache so I went out and read all the history books I could get my hands on... I even spent a couple of hundred dollars buying some that nobody has in the bookstores... So while I was learning more about my subject matter, I also learned about a black slave who was instrumental to the conquistadors in discovering new regions on this continent. This story has NEVER been done and it is simply outstanding. The actual history is the screenplay... This is a screenplay that Wesley Snipes would kill for since he's trying to branch out with new roles (if he can get them...).
Fear: What are you afraid of? What's your mother and father afraid of? Fear is conflict and conflict is story. Don't just dwell on physical fears but emotional fears as well. Jot down a fear and ask "What if?"
True stories: Certainly the news section covers this but I mean on a more personal level. For instance, has anyone seen "The Straight Story" on IFC? Richard Farnsworth came out of retirement just to make this film about a brother who had a falling out with his other brother like 30 something years earlier. One day he decides to go see his brother after all these years and mend the fences... Only one problem... He can't legally drive. What does he do? He builds himself a trailer and hooks it up to a riding lawn mower and drives the rig several hundred miles over something like 3 months to his brother's home in another state. True story. Great film.
Special communities: There are always ideas laying around special communities. One such community we see a lot of films about are cops... Think of all the other communities out there! Football. Baseball. Hunting. Fishing. Science. College. High school. Truck driving. Hospital. etc. etc. etc. Find a community and you'll find an idea for a story especially if you start asking "What if?"
Characters: Like special communities but simply broken down even more... i.e., doctors, lawyers, cops, criminals, politicians. Again, simply ask "What if?"
Change it around: That's right... Hollywood does it all the time... Why can't we? Take any friggin' Hollywood movie and simply "change it around." You've heard about Outland being pitched as High Noon in outer space... That's all you have to do. Swimfan is Fatal Attraction set against a high school swim team star. National Treasure is an Indiana Jones film. Simply take any film that you really like and change the background and characters i.e., change it around. This gives you an idea. Don't simply copy the other film but take this idea and execute it so you tell an equally entertaining story.
Flip it for real: Just like Fenster said in "The Usual Suspects" --you can take just about any idea that you come up with and FLIP IT. Maybe the exact opposite of that great idea contains yet another great idea for another film...
Predictions: Yeah, take a book, a news story, a film, a magazine article and try to predict what's going to happen before you get to the actual ending. Many times you can create an outstanding idea simply by trying to predict the outcome of a current story you are already involved in.
Update classic stories: Again, Hollywood does it all the time... Movies like "Roxanne" and "O" are simply modern spin offs of the classics... You can do it too...
Hope this helps somebody out who's on the lookout for a good idea...
filmy
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow, FilmJumper, thanks for that. I think I'll paste that into my PDA for quick reference. I normally intuit my inspiration but it often helps to have explicit guides when the inspiration is running dry.
I too get ideas in the car too. I have a long commute and often listen to Audio Books, but ideas will hit and I will have to turn them off and listen to music and think. And then scenes come together and I am off - but the hardest thing is too put them down on paper. But once I start writing I rarely get blocks. Just making me write is a chore enough.
But ideas Haunt me regularly - I mean sometimes I can just look at one thing or one word and develope a story around it.
I am sure most of you know what I am talking about. Anyone up for a little contest - that would make me write! Nothing big - a 1-2 pager under a different link in this forum - if its okay with the Admin?
let me know.
But ideas Haunt me regularly - I mean sometimes I can just look at one thing or one word and develope a story around it.
I am sure most of you know what I am talking about. Anyone up for a little contest - that would make me write! Nothing big - a 1-2 pager under a different link in this forum - if its okay with the Admin?
let me know.
I actually came up with a pretty good story the other night while sleeping.. Pretty much the whole first act just played out in a dream. Unfortunately, like a moron, I didn't write it down when I got up, and can only remember vague fragments now. 
Voice recorders...
When things like that happen... And they do happen all the time, I try to have a recorder around to tape the idea while it's fresh. Then, when I have time, I will transcribe the idea from tape into my binder.
Something to think about...
While not every idea will make a great film, think about combining several of your ideas together to make a film... Kind of like Pulp Fiction. Another thing to do for those of you who are writing disabled (LOL) is to get yourself some folders and have them handy while you read magazines and papers... Just tear out the article and stick it in the folder. I call it an "idea morgue."
A simple little voice activated tape recorder can be pretty cheap, fits in the palm of your hand and can be carried around with you everywhere. Give it a try... In fact, at Sam's Club right now there is a digital voice recorder for around $45 that is really small and works extremely well and records for about 2 hours... I bought one for my wife for lectures at school but the more I see her work with it, the more I want one...
filmy
Will Vincent said:I actually came up with a pretty good story the other night while sleeping.. Pretty much the whole first act just played out in a dream. Unfortunately, like a moron, I didn't write it down when I got up, and can only remember vague fragments now.
When things like that happen... And they do happen all the time, I try to have a recorder around to tape the idea while it's fresh. Then, when I have time, I will transcribe the idea from tape into my binder.
Something to think about...
While not every idea will make a great film, think about combining several of your ideas together to make a film... Kind of like Pulp Fiction. Another thing to do for those of you who are writing disabled (LOL) is to get yourself some folders and have them handy while you read magazines and papers... Just tear out the article and stick it in the folder. I call it an "idea morgue."
A simple little voice activated tape recorder can be pretty cheap, fits in the palm of your hand and can be carried around with you everywhere. Give it a try... In fact, at Sam's Club right now there is a digital voice recorder for around $45 that is really small and works extremely well and records for about 2 hours... I bought one for my wife for lectures at school but the more I see her work with it, the more I want one...
filmy
Here's a fun site.
It's a random logline generator. Not necessarily the perfect way to generate ides, but fun nonetheless.
Poke
It's a random logline generator. Not necessarily the perfect way to generate ides, but fun nonetheless.
Poke
