Where do you get your story ideas? I get mine from watching other films.

Life. The best stories will come from your life experiences - there's a reason most good directors and screenwriters are older.

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Originally posted by Cinematical:
Life. The best stories will come from your life experiences - there's a reason most good directors and screenwriters are older.

I couldn't agree more with the above statement. You should never watch other films, solely for the purpose to getting more ideas. You'd just be recycling old ideas. Instead, like he said, write what you feel and what you are interested in. Write what makes you feel that euphoric emotion. A good film elicits emotion marvelously.

i think that for me, stories come from the way i constantly ask "why?" to myself about everything in life....when i see something that looks like a way for me to answer this question, i make a film about it.

I am currently working on a short film based on a bathroom i saw. it was covered in typical vulgar bathroom graffiti...so i ask myself "why write this?" ... "why write anything?" so i created a story about two people who help eachother overcome the isolation they have created in their lives by communicating through bathroom graffiti....because it answers my question... in a way.

I try to make myself alert to what is going on around me and mindlessly wander and rabbit-trail from (usually trivial) events or situations that happen to stick out to me. Or I'll pace around vigorously late at night talking to myself. Or I'll clear my mind and just sit still in a place where there isn't anything to distract me.

From all of these, I almost always end up developing a distinct image or a specific line of dialog in my head that I get very passionate about. What I end up with is nowhere close to being a complete story. Its just a fragment of a fragment of a scene, but its bold and its vibrant and I love it.

After I've collected all these seemingly incompatible fragments, I start realizing the greater story that already exists that connects all of these pieces into one. And then all I have to do is uncover that story.

So essentially I binge on all these striking scenes and messages that I am literally aching to tell, and then purge them all out into a cohesive and powerful string that ties them all together.

braininabox...you just described my life... that is EXACTLY how i build my stories... i guess what i forgot to say earlier is that it isn't a process of really "thinking" about the scenes, etc...they feel their way out.

I should also say that the frantic pacing in the wee hours of the morning is the most exciting feeling in the world!

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Originally posted by Evan:
braininabox...you just described my life... that is EXACTLY how i build my stories... i guess what i forgot to say earlier is that it isn't a process of really "thinking" about the scenes, etc...they feel their way out.

I should also say that the frantic pacing in the wee hours of the morning is the most exciting feeling in the world!

I definitely agree!

Asking yourself what if, and pacing around the room is the way to go. Talking to yourself isn't crazy! It's freakin liberating! XD

On a side note:

Evan, I REALLY like your film idea. (start a thread, tell us more!)

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tell us more!)

why? so you can steal my idea???

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Originally posted by Evan:

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tell us more!)

why? so you can steal my idea???

It's probably best to keep our ideas to ourselves on forums. You really never know who might really steal them. :\ I've been around some pretty crazy people in my day.

I'm filmmaker that devotes his ideas to pictures. You see I'm also an amateur photographer and I'm always finding myself creating ideas and stories from the photos I make. I love the secretness of the post-production stage; no one knows the great work you've done until BAM! I love to see peoples reactions.

All of my stories and outlines I've ever created started with a character. The character itself started with a species, then a past, then a tragic personality that sets them up for strange encounters. Then I put them in setting... give them people to talk to, and the ideas roll out.

Most of these thoughts begin during the hours I lie in my bed TRYING to fall asleep... when I'm supposed to be sleeping, the only thing I can get away with doing is thinking. Start with a character and build... that's my mission statement.

Hope I helped -
Kim

I get a lot of my ideas from people I've met throughout my life. These people do not generally end up being exactly the same once the script is written, however there are elements of people that come in.

People around me always seem to have at least one interesting story to tell, that could be adapted into a film of some sort. My suggestion is to just ask people you know if they have any good stories. It's worked out fairly well for me, and it might be worth giving it a shot.

Hey Evan.

I agree with Celestially Eccentric. Keep your ideas with you.
You already talked too much. And, indeed it's a really good idea for a short film (or even a feature film). Of course, a good film is made of A LOT of good ideas. Keep walking. You need at least one or two plots merged on it.

Anyway, liked more your way of thinking on building a history. I'd love to talk more with you about BUILD IDEAS rather than about the ideas itself.
And Celestially Eccentric is actually a Celestial advisor... Where are you guys studying, or will?

Tks.

Sorry.

I didn't answer the quastion.

I get my ideas from MUSIC. Listing a LOT of music, my brain starts to work.

From the musics I start to build SCENES, that became the HISTORY itself. From SCENES and HISTORY I go to the CHARACTERS, what I think is the most difficult part.
Then I use a lot of time between the CHARACTERS and the HISTORY, and so I have a treatment.

Looks like this topic has been revived...

quote:

I am currently working on a short film based on a bathroom i saw. it was covered in typical vulgar bathroom graffiti...so i ask myself "why write this?" ... "why write anything?" so i created a story about two people who help eachother overcome the isolation they have created in their lives by communicating through bathroom graffiti....because it answers my question... in a way.

Evan, if you're still around. How this film coming along?

Evan: That is just about the greatest thing I've heard

I get ideas from situations and places. I was in a really western gas station with this little kid playing on the floor with a log a few weeks ago and made up an entire story about it

the idea is progressing ever so slowly...maybe it will be a real film by april or may...(sigh)...

thanks for the interest and feedback