plot Worlds Saddest Painter

[sfoster]

A big art installation in NYC skyscraper.
Brian unveils his latest painting to a fawning crowd - A large 8x10' work.

The crowd weeps at the sadness and beauty of the painting.
"I dont want to live anymore" someone walks to the edge of the skyscraper and leaps to their death.

The painting becomes a viral hit and sells for 10 million. The artist becomes famous.
It haunts him that he killed someone - it inspires his next painting.

Two dozen people at the viewing kill themselves.
"It's my greatest work! I will continue to make paintings and bring my art to the world. It's the only thing that makes me happy!"

At last he creates the greatest painting of all time.
300,000,000 suicides.

"I'm so proud of my art, it really makes people feel something!!
I used to be so depressed Now I've never been happier" he says.

 

[pedramyz]

I’ve posted a lot of stories in the last month and this idea about the painter has gotten the best response. So my instinct is to keep him a painter. It appears to resonate with people.

He is still a a painter.

 

[sfoster]

He is still a a painter.

Ivr been plotting assassin school for girls all week. And started a second assassin story yesterday. Don’t need a third lol

 

[pedramyz]

Ivr been plotting assassin school for girls all week. And started a second assassin story yesterday. Don’t need a third lol

fair enough.

 

[Feutus Lapdance]

Thanks man . No I'm doing my compulsory military service right now. We don't have access to internet at the military base. I'm on vacation right now

Is that 2 years or 18 months?

 

[pedramyz]

Is that 2 years or 18 months?

21 months.

 

[sfoster]

O love the idea sfoster. Reminds me of my own paintings...... I recognise myself in the protagonist.

This is a character driven story about internal conflict.
Finally he is validated as an artist. People pay millions for his labor. But he is literally killing people with it.

As I said its a character driven story though - can you tell me more about the protagonist ?
Since you recognize him.

 

[Feutus Lapdance]

Hahaha......I did do art school. I recognise him as myself. I made depressing art installations and paintings. Wanted to communicate feelings of surreal and dread into the audience. (that's how I did feel ad the time) .... the art installations pusht me into the direction of movies. Now I only paint as a hobby. Perhaps I was looking for a way to communicate to the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind fascinates me....I'm not religious but I think the subconscious mind is linkt to a world that is immaterial.

 

[sfoster]

Wanted to communicate feelings of surreal and dread into the audience. (that's how I did feel ad the time)

Do you know why you felt that way? surely surreal and dread is not the only path to the subconscious

 

[pedramyz]

Hahaha......I did do art school. I recognise him as myself. I made depressing art installations and paintings. Wanted to communicate feelings of surreal and dread into the audience. (that's how I did feel ad the time) .... the art installations pusht me into the direction of movies. Now I only paint as a hobby. Perhaps I was looking for a way to communicate to the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind fascinates me....I'm not religious but I think the subconscious mind is linkt to a world that is immaterial.

No wonder you like David Lynch so much . Have you tried transcendental meditation?

 

[pedramyz]

As I said there are a million ways to go with this. I could give you some suggestions but I do not yet know the outline of your story. So Does his paintings need to go viral in your story? Mass suicide is a must? What's the message you want to get across?

 

[pedramyz]

some internal conflict off the top of my head :
1. His depressing paintings have caused the love of his life to be on the verge of suicide. He must decide: his art or her? or How to undo the effect when people are exposed to the painting?
2. The protagonist has grown up knowing only suffering. Because of that he's always dreamt of creating something that makes people happy, relieve the tension. Like an escape route. But the only thing he loves and knows and is good at is the dark stuff in his paintings that cause people to commit suicide.
3. Sick mom disapproves of his sad paintings that cause suicide. He's made a promise not to paint anymore of these after the first suicide. Now he must decide : Paint a new one that kills some but gives him the money to save the mom? or Let the Mom die and spare the people his art?

 

[sfoster]

As I said there are a million ways to go with this. I could give you some suggestions but I do not yet know the outline of your story. So Does his paintings need to go viral in your story? Mass suicide is a must? What's the message you want to get across?

I'm confused. I posted the outline to the story in original post of the thread.
everything since we are just bouncing ideas off each other and exploring the concept

i think this is best as a character driven piece instead of plot driven
and also think twilight zone / black mirror. his paintings start killing people after he is visited by jordan peele and now he is in the twilight zone.

 

[pedramyz]

He wakes up in the hospital greeted by a doctor that tells him on his request they have performed a surgery on him to forget his past ( Like the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind). His past is shrouded in mystery. He's been given money and everything else he needs to be able to live a happy life. He doesn't know/ remember how he achieved all this. The itch comes in to find out about his past again. During his journey, although he has everything everybody dreams of, he still attracts and perceives only the negative in life, as if he's wired to do so. A quote by schopenhauer comes to mind ( Used recently in the Dark tv show season 3 ) : " A man can do what he wills. But he can not will what he wills". By the end of the movie he realizes there is no escape from creating these depressing paintings that have caused so much human loss. That is the only thing he loves and gives meaning to his life. Now he must decide : Paint and let others commit suicide, or commit suicide himself.

 

[sfoster]

He wakes up in the hospital greeted by a doctor that tells him on his request they have performed a surgery on him to forget his past ( Like the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind). His past is shrouded in mystery. He's been given money and everything else he needs to be able to live a happy life. He doesn't know/ remember how he achieved all this. The itch comes in to find out about his past again. During his journey, although he has everything everybody dreams of, he still attracts and perceives only the negative in life, as if he's wired to do so. A quote by schopenhauer comes to mind ( Used recently in the Dark tv show season 3 ) : " A man can do what he wills. But he can not will what he wills". By the end of the movie he realizes there is no escape from creating these depressing paintings that have caused so much human loss. That is the only thing he loves and gives meaning to his life. Now he must decide : Paint and let others commit suicide, or commit suicide himself.

I hate amnesia tropes
anyway i think youre missing the heart of this story which is about the internal conflict - coming at me with a suggestion of a character that isnt even aware of his past or feelings shows youre not getting it

 

[pedramyz]

I hate amnesia tropes
anyway i think youre missing the heart of this story which is about the internal conflict - coming at me with a suggestion of a character that isnt even aware of his past or feelings shows youre not getting it

I'm just brainstorming, man . The first 3 suggestions specially number 2 involves a great deal about his past.

 

[sfoster]

I'm just brainstorming, man . The first 3 suggestions specially number 2 involves a great deal about his past.

#2 an artist that has always dreamt of creating something happy is the exact opposite of what this character is tho

 

[pedramyz]

Whatever the conflict you should come up with a strong enough motivation to propel him to show the paintings to others. Sure he can not help himself painting. But no one has forced him to show the paintings to others. Van Gogh is known as the most depressed painter in the world ( Although his paintings aren't like that) the only thing in life that gave him a purpose and an escape route was painting. After failing to sell his paintings he decided to continue on painting but instead stacking all of them in his basement and not show it to anyone. Only after his death he got famous. So whatever the reason, his motivation for showing his paintings to the world should be quite strong and justifiable.

 

[pedramyz]

#2 an artist that has always dreamt of creating something happy is the exact opposite of what this character is tho

He's always dreamt of it but he can't help create something so depressing that causes people to commit suicide. Because of his past he is propelled to do so. It's a natural human response: What we do not have we yearn for.

 

[pedramyz]

You can add a rival character. Both fighting for the highest prize in an exhibition. He excels at painting so depressing paintings that causes suicide, the rival excels at painting so disturbing paintings that causes people to go on a killing rampage. Unaware of the consequences they keep on racing which eventually costs 300,000,000 lives. In the final moment he gets so close to winning but also realizes what he's done. Should he forfeit or should he keep on going?

Another one : Two psychopath painters judge the value of their art by the amount of lives their work can claim. Rivalry starts. One makes depressing paintings that causes the suicides, the other disturbing ones that causes the rampage and insanity. More of an outline rather than an internal conflict.

 

[Feutus Lapdance]

No wonder you like David Lynch so much . Have you tried transcendental meditation?

Yes. It helps me against stress....