Newsflash: Writing is hard
Whoever said ideas are a dime a dozen was either brilliant or clueless.
Or maybe there’s something wrong with me – it’s possible (no, really) – but I don’t think I’m alone here.
Ideas that truly can and should be movies are hard to come by. I’ve got scads of story chunks floating around in my head (I'm seeing a specialist), but none of those are enough to sustain a feature-length film. Not a good one, anyway.
(Yeah, I know, but still.)
I saw a quote recently over on Wordplay, credit to Isak Dinesen:
You should never get married or start to write a *novel unless you can't believe your luck.
*You’ll need to use your superior power of imagination to pretend she said “screenplay.”
You ever read loglines on any of the screenwriter websites? Some are interesting, but most… well, talk about impulsive drunken Vegas weddings.
Okay, back to me again…
A few of the characters presently doing the backstroke through my mind sometimes tug my mental sleeve and tell me about themselves, but so far, none of their stories makes me feel like I’ve won the intracranial lotto.
These diaphanous people do intrigue me enough to spend some time with them – just a first date, nothing serious, yet – to get to know them, hear about their adventures and find out if maybe there’s a movie to be mined.
One guy in particular, I call him Bill, is fascinating to me but I’m still looking for his world. I know most of his story, just not where it takes place or what it looks like. I think it has something to do with launching Something and that he and a handful of others have been working toward The Big Day for some time. I think everybody’s counting on him. It’s strange to have this dynamic so clearly in mind, yet still so unfocused as well. (Ref. earlier comment wherein I suggested there may be something wrong with me.) If y’all have any bright ideas about Bill’s world, I’m all eyes.
Oh – and if you only popped in to see what’s up with POOL BOY, I’m sorry you had to read all that to get to this: it’s still a go, still set to begin shooting in October. I’ll keep you posted whenever there’s new news.
Or maybe there’s something wrong with me – it’s possible (no, really) – but I don’t think I’m alone here.
Ideas that truly can and should be movies are hard to come by. I’ve got scads of story chunks floating around in my head (I'm seeing a specialist), but none of those are enough to sustain a feature-length film. Not a good one, anyway.
(Yeah, I know, but still.)
I saw a quote recently over on Wordplay, credit to Isak Dinesen:
You should never get married or start to write a *novel unless you can't believe your luck.
*You’ll need to use your superior power of imagination to pretend she said “screenplay.”
You ever read loglines on any of the screenwriter websites? Some are interesting, but most… well, talk about impulsive drunken Vegas weddings.
Okay, back to me again…
A few of the characters presently doing the backstroke through my mind sometimes tug my mental sleeve and tell me about themselves, but so far, none of their stories makes me feel like I’ve won the intracranial lotto.
These diaphanous people do intrigue me enough to spend some time with them – just a first date, nothing serious, yet – to get to know them, hear about their adventures and find out if maybe there’s a movie to be mined.
One guy in particular, I call him Bill, is fascinating to me but I’m still looking for his world. I know most of his story, just not where it takes place or what it looks like. I think it has something to do with launching Something and that he and a handful of others have been working toward The Big Day for some time. I think everybody’s counting on him. It’s strange to have this dynamic so clearly in mind, yet still so unfocused as well. (Ref. earlier comment wherein I suggested there may be something wrong with me.) If y’all have any bright ideas about Bill’s world, I’m all eyes.
Oh – and if you only popped in to see what’s up with POOL BOY, I’m sorry you had to read all that to get to this: it’s still a go, still set to begin shooting in October. I’ll keep you posted whenever there’s new news.
posted by Julie O'Hora at 3:55 PM
8 Comments:
"*You’ll need to use your superior power of imagination to pretend he said 'screenplay.'”
Uh, that should be "she said 'screenplay.'” Isak Dinesen was a pen name for a Danish woman named Karen von Blixen-Finecke.
Hollywood movies often get made with less than a slither of an idea ... witness anything with Rob Scheider
Webs- Ah, crap! Too obvious to pretend it was a typo, huh?
Thanks for pointing it out -- I'll fix it right away.
Pirates of the Carribean was inspired by a simple Disney ride. Sometimes you just have to ask a "what if" question. You know your character very well. What if he or she lose the house, the job or/and the partner? You can make a very long list of "what if's" and just go thru it. It's like using a specific kind of mindmap-technique.
reel fantastic, I think you meant Rob Schneider. Unless you thought of Roy Scheider but I don't think so.
when are they casting?
- Allen
You are my hero. You are in a position to brainstorming for results, and that may be convoluting things. Have a margarita. Or four. Bill will reveal all in time. Then you'll light the world on fire again.
Did I mention you are my hero?
ted
Suggetion -- change Bill's name just for a few days -- something he might secretly wish he'd been called instead of Bill -- and see if he doesn't reveal some part of himself he's been hiding behind his prosaic name.
I think this is something I've learned to hold myself up to more this year than ever...
Waiting with my ideas, until I know them well enough.
I used to fall in love with characters, and then try and find scenarios for them- now, I simply sit with the story and all of the people within it- until it's just there. So much so- that I've rewritten everything I worked on my comicbook (over two years or so) and change the focus...
writing is hard...
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