plot

Taking back control

Maximum Z 3-D, Avatar, James Cameron, outlines, plot, Robert McKee, screenwriting

Super-busy this afternoon, so not much time to work on LUCY.  I did, however, discover a solution to a problem that has been bothering me for a few days.

I can’t remember exactly how it goes, but there’s this screenwriting tenet that basically advises the writer to not let the characters take over how the story progresses.  It’s up to me to steer things the way they’re supposed to go.

And when I was working on the handful of scenes I developed yesterday, I wasn’t the one in charge.  After I wrote out my little 1-2-sentence scene description, something felt…slightly off.  How would I get Lucy out of this set-up and closer to where I want/need her to be?  And didn’t we just finish up a thrilling action sequence?  There needs to be time to let the audience catch their breath.  I’m not Michael Bay, storming from one hard-to-tell-what’s-going-on sequence to the next.

I was NOT driving this bus, so to speak.

Although I was busy doing other stuff today, I used every chance I had to think about where I left off in the story and what was wrong with it.  It took a while, but I realized why I was stuck.

I had too much going on.  The story needed to slow down.  And since another screenwriting tenet is “kill your darlings,” that’s what I’m going to have to do with the couple of scenes I worked on yesterday.  While the idea of Lucy joining up with a wagon train of Mormons may seem brilliant now, I want to avoid falling into the trap of “then this happens, and then this, then this and then this…” and work more on making it “this happens, which leads to this, which leads to this, etc.”

Much as I dislike Robert McKee, he’s got a valid point with his rule that one scene should lead into the next; don’t just have things happen at random.

That’s what I need to focus on for the time being.  I’ve got a lot of ideas and potential happenings ready for this script, but I want it to flow along…organically.

Like no other scene could follow that one EXCEPT the one coming up next.

My work is so cut out for me.

Movie of the Moment:  It seems like HBO is running AVATAR every 5 minutes.  I saw it in the theatres and came out thinking DANCES WITH ALIENS.  Same plot, but very good in execution.  I turned it on today as the military is flying in to destroy the giant electric weeping willow.

Since she has no desire to see it, I briefly explained to K what was going on.  While the story was a bit on the familiar side, I really give Cameron credit for making it look fantastic.  It was fun playing ‘real or cg?’

It was also a little evident that this was made for 3-D.  There are lots of obligatory “in your face” shots, but watching it today I was reminded of how he uses it to make everything seem real.  The little floaty glow-in-the-dark mushroom/dandelion things.  Particles of dust in the air.  The 3-D is there to emphasize the scene, not cash in on a hopefully-dying trend.

Which could be why when you see ‘in 3-D” at the end of a trailer, chances are fairly high the audience will let out a collective groan.

Studios take note: 3-D only when necessary!

Oh, and original stories of interesting characters that don’t treat the audience like idiots.   Yeah, I know. Dream on, kid.

Goodbye progress!

Maximum Z outlines, plot, story

And hello writer’s block!

I’m about 7 scenes into Act Two, and just couldn’t think of what happens next.  I hate that. I’ve got a few ideas, and I keep going over them in my head to determine whether they work or not.  Fortunately, this is not the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last.  I’ll work my way through it, but boy is it frustrating.

Even worse, I thought of a way to bring in my highly-awaited bounty hunter character, but until I figure out what happens to my protagonist, I can’t do anything with him.

Part of my problem is I overwrite when I’m still in the planning/outlining phase.  You’re supposed to know what the point of the scene is, or at least, what happens to advance the plot.  Sometimes I do, but more and more often, I go way beyond that.  I add snippets of dialogue.  I put in action.  One primary reason for doing so is I think of something that really helps the scene, and if I don’t write it down now, I’m going to forget about it later.

If I can contain myself enough, or at least self-edit, while I put each scene together, it may help move things along.

I’m also reminding myself to not let the story veer off in an unexpected direction that will change everything.  I know where I want to go, but need to stay focused in order to get there.

-I also got some very good notes on Act One from another writer friend.  He had some good suggestions regarding slightly changing a few things, including one I never thought of which would really help in condensing the story as well as speeding things up.

Tomorrow: back on track!

A few steps forward

Maximum Z 3 Stooges, loglines, outlines, plot, research, screenwriting, script doctor eric, story

Just a handful of scenes on LUCY today. I’m trying to work out the transition from the opening of Act One to the page 45 twist.  It’s coming together.  Slowly.  Confidence levels still pointing upward.

I was able to fix my time problem by eliminating the California aspect completely and having it all take place in .  That Denver/Rockies climax still sounds pretty good.

-I got some good feedback regarding my 3 Stooges idea from yesterday.  The story is possible, but it would be difficult to avoid having it turn into a Stooge-ish comedy.  Consider this one officially backburnered.

Movie of the Moment: Nothing right now, but I got to see the trailer for next year’s THOR movie.  It looks okay, but there’s no sense of excitement or thrills I got from the first IRON MAN.  Where’s the powerful aura of gods on Earth?  Of an ages-old story that still holds up in modern times.  It’s Kenneth Branagh, for crying out loud!  I want Shakespearean drama from an Asgardian aspect!  So far, I ain’t seeing it.

-I think I’m officially done with entering the logline contest.  I didn’t win again this time, and I haven’t been very impressed with some of the recent winners.  Besides, I’d rather focus on LUCY and my other stuff anyway.

-Got a note from the director.  He says production is wrapped, and now he’s dealing with post.  No idea when it’ll be ready.  I wonder if he’ll follow through with the release party thing.  Hope so.

And that was the easy part!

Maximum Z Harry Potter, movies, outlines, plot, Richard Curtis, screenwriting, story, train, westerns

I must have gotten more done on the first act of LUCY last week than I thought, because I didn’t have to spend much time on it today, and for the most part, it’s done.

Hooray for me.

While I’m extremely happy with the way everything’s working out so far, I’ve also been mulling over what happens in Act Two, aka the vast wasteland.

It is somewhat daunting to be starting on the bulk of the story, which is why I’m really glad to be fine-tuning everything now.  I can figure out what works and what doesn’t.  I’m also really glad I set up those plot point milestones, which will help me get where I want to go.  That western and train checklist has also come in handy.

I’ve started plotting out what happens as Act Two gets underway, but still need a plausible way to get to my page 45 twist.  Somewhere in there I’d like to introduce my bounty hunter character (and I already have his name ready).  What would be even cooler is to somehow tie him in to what we’ve already seen, but I think I can do that too.

Movie of the Moment:  I took V to see HARRY POTTER 7 yesterday.  A little long, but seems like a nice start to wrapping the whole thing up.  I remember when the book came out, a reviewer commented on “HP and the never-ending camping trip.”  Which was on full display.  Despite the occasional question (“What did he say?,  What does that mean?, etc”), V seemed really enjoy it.  I’m sure we’ll see part 2 next summer.

There was also the requisite GREEN LANTERN trailer, which V was very excited about.  I am also guilty about that, despite Ryan Reynolds still being better for the part of Barry Allen rather than Hal Jordan.  But that’s what they get for not asking me.

I did watch PIRATE RADIO earlier today.  It was a blast.  I didn’t realize Richard Curtis wrote and directed it; he wrote FOUR WEDDINGS & A FUNERAL, NOTTING HILL and wrote and directed LOVE, ACTUALLY.  After I learned that, I could see similarities between some of the films.  Multi-character storylines with one main character tying the whole thing together.  And he collaborated with Rowan Atkinson on some of the later Blackadders, so you know his comedy skills are top-notch.

But getting back to PIRATE RADIO.  Lots of funny stuff, most of it possibly true, and just a fun story.  It also had the requisite happy ending, but I won’t say how.  Suffice to say, what led up to it was unexpected, but it all fit together very nicely.

A good guy needs a bad guy

Maximum Z outlines, plot, screenwriting, story

I may have had a brainstorm regarding my antagonist.  A really good one.

I’d mentioned before about the good suggestion from the writing group about how maybe the guy who steals Lucy’s train is somehow connected to her past.

A good idea.

As I’d also mentioned, I’ve been struggling with a more…tangible goal for Lucy besides catching the real thieves.

So today in the traffic studio, I worked on fine-tuning the opening sequence, which took a little longer than expected.  Almost there, though.

But while I was working, the idea about Lucy’s goal kept creeping into my mind.  I also kept going back to her history with the antagonist.  What would it be?  Details are still forthcoming on that one.

I also stumbled onto the idea of having the antagonist play a more significant part in Lucy’s past.  A really significant part.  On several levels.

I’d go into more details, but I’m still working on it.  Suffice to say, this could represent a significant development in terms of what Lucy wants.

And it could be the break I’ve been waiting for.