If you can figure out how to tell a well-worn story from a unique perspective - like flipping the protagonist, point-of-view, or the entire world on your head - you've got a potential hit on your hand. Hollywood loves "same-but-different" ideas. An easy exercise is to write whatever pops into your head, stream-of-consciousness style. It's good to get in a habit of writing every day, even if it's just for 15 minutes. That terrible horror movie on Netflix could have an interesting idea that sparks the bonfires of creativity! Get in touch with your subconscious A theme or storyline your favorite film didn't quite develop could be you next big screenplay idea. Watch movies, especially bad onesĪlmost every movie, whether you consider it "good" or "bad," has the seed of a good idea in it. There are also things like story cubes, prompt decks, and online generators that can help jump-start the creative process. Once Upon A Time is a creative, collaborative storytelling game that forces you to incorporate certain elements before you can get to The End. Filled with absurd prompts and terrible cliches, you never know when the germ of a good film might take root. You never know where inspiration could be lurking. Pitchstorm is a fun party game tailor-made for writers and people in the film industry. Vin Diesel's The Last Witch Hunter was inspired by D&D character. As a bonus, most of these require you to spend time with your friends!ĭ&D is the OG of storytelling games. Recapture that creativity through games with a storytelling bent. Many a philosopher have waxed poetic on the boundless imagination of children. The internet is filled with film ideas just waiting to be discovered. People are made out of stories, so talk to real people about their wildest ER story, the most random encounter they've had, or their interactions with real live ghosts! Even semi-popular blogs can make an amazing story. really anything! Take inspiration from people. You always need to be able to answer these questions, "What's your next project?" or "What's your next screenplay idea?" That's why you should always have an answer ready to go it's even better if you have a few ideas on deck for an impromptu pitch.īut what can you do to get outside inspiration for film ideas?īooks, articles, Twitter, websites. Forming screenplay ideasīeing creative is hard, often exhausting, work especially when the life of a writer is churning out content on a consistent basis. Pre-existing IP are scripts that existed in a different form first, like a comic book, novel, or podcast. If you have an amazing high fantasy idea along the lines of Game of Thrones, The Shannara Chronicles, or The 100, you'll find more traction if it is a pre-existing IP. High Fantasy, which includes sci-fare like Star Wars, tends to be expensive and very risky. Almost every director will take a crack at one, but not many financiers are actively looking for a Western. These films are popular with actors, but without an A-list start they can be hard to sell and finance.Īs much as Hollywood loves them, Westerns tend to struggle at the box office. They tend to do very well in film festivals, but most audiences don't want the unrelenting drama of a Dogville or Melancholia. People tend to shy away from straight dramas because the critical acclaim they engender generally doesn't translate into box office numbers. Something small and quirky can get you noticed, but they're very hard to pull off. There are instances when smaller, offbeat comedies breakthrough like Napoleon Dynamite or Rushmore. And, since financiers and distributors maximize their profits by maximizing the number of people in theaters, it can be a tough sell unless a major comedian in the lead role is attached. Comedy is very culturally focused which can limit their appeal. Comedies and straight dramas are toughĬomedies are generally hard to set up without big names attached, in-part because they don't travel well. If you have a great idea in this space, there are people out there looking for them. This new crop is smarter and more self-aware than their 90's counterparts. With the recent success of films like To All the Boys I've Loved Before and Crazy Rich Asians, people are starting to embrace romantic comedies again. Paranormal Activity was made for $15,000 and grossed $161.8 million! People love to be scared. People love to watch it audience seem to have an endless appetite for it, and the return on investment can be massive. Horror is one of the most prolific genres out there.
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