The Joy of Having a New Script Idea
Sunday and Monday were days I used to dream about (and delight in) when I aspired to make it as a screenwriter. It had been a while since I enjoyed the delight of playing with a story idea and seeing the characters come alive in my mind.
A few years ago, when I was developing a short film with a straight friend, he offered an alternative version of our story which lent itself more to humor that the script I had written for him. His story had the same happy ending, the girl getting the girl, only they two lady lovers didn’t meet at a funeral.
Well, yesterday, shortly after seeing a friend on stage as part of the Young Playwrights’ Festival, I suddenly realized how to tell that alternative version–and to set up what could be a very funny story where love triumphs. Of course, I always need help writing funny, but my director friend has a good sense of visual humor, so should be able to add some laughs once I have put the story on paper.
As soon I figured out how to “crack” his story idea, the characters just emerged, each with his own strengths and with certain defining weaknesses, each of which (the weaknesses, that is) figure into the humorous and romantic denouement. It’s such a cool thing when you start playing with a character in your head and find it it necessary to turn off the radio or CD player in the car so you can listen to them speak. And then there are times when you welcome a red light so you can scribble your ideas onto a scrap of paper so as to preserve them.
After I started grad school and began blogging, I gradually began to abandon the idea of ever writing another script. But, these past twenty-four hours, when a new idea comes to me and just comes alive, I realize just how much joy there is in the process. And yes, there is work to follow, some of it tedious, but still it is a great experience again having a story idea. So, I guess just delight in it now because I realize how difficult it is produce a movie, especially if this idea grows into a feature length script.
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Didn’t David Berkowitz have the same problem?
J/k. It all sounds interesting.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 9, 2009 @ 5:02 am - June 9, 2009
I find I have more story ideas than I would ever have time to develop; even if I weren’t working full-time, single-parenting, and remaining active in my church.
Comment by V the K — June 9, 2009 @ 9:50 am - June 9, 2009
How you come up with all those captions every day, I’ll never know.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — June 9, 2009 @ 11:19 am - June 9, 2009
3,000 posts times 5 captions per post (average) means I’ve written over 15,000 captions over the last five years. 42 of which were actually funny.
Comment by V the K — June 9, 2009 @ 1:11 pm - June 9, 2009
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