I am in a bit of a jam with my latest idea. I have 2 actresses and a vareity of locations to use. But how can i make a story with it. I was thinking ok having them lost together in the woods, having to live with one another, and when the opportunity to leave comes, they decide to stay. how can i make this more a of a reality?

Perhaps you are approaching this from the wrong angle. Some people start a script of by developing characters extensively and letting the narrative flow out of that character development. Other people start a script by writing out a specific scene or dramatic moment that is somehow ingrained in their mind; then they build off of that platform and alter it until a mature story develops. However, I'm not sure basing an entire story off of your available sets or locations is a good starting place. Then again, I guess it could work equally well.

Your premise of "girls lost in woods, live together, etc" is kind of generic and could potentially involve a lot of screen time in which nothing happens. But thats fine. Its a starting place. Starting thinking of specific moments that would make it unique, or think of something you can add to the equation that would build tension and conflict and make a more mature and guided story than just two girls living in a woods. Eventually all of these minor alterations and moments will build together into one solid idea.

first should focus on is what kind of story you want to tell.

1. who are you telling your story too? who's your audience?
2. what are you trying to tell?
3. what is the best way to tell it?
4. fill in the blanks (this is where your specifics come in)

i have my devoloped characters, and how they would theoretically react and act with one another in a given situation. Im just not sure how to develop my story and i dont wanna just give up on one idea, but i could change it, they live together in a house perhaps, im just not too good at writing, especially with confined ideas. I tend to need a lot of people i n a variety of places, which ofcourse is my downfall. so im trying to train myself to limit my characters and locations

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and we can discuss your project. Happy to help out or make suggestions.

A

Heres my final idea for a comedy. yes im attempting my very first comedy.

Girl dates guy. Girl loves guy. Girl moves in with guy. Guy is Schizophrenic. Girl afraid to leave guy cuz his condition. Girls bestfriend loves her and wants her for himself. Girl stuck between 2 guys. Girl decides not to date either guy and dates a girl instead.

Honestly, the whole schizophrenic part sounds much more serious than I think you want to it. I'd be careful with that area - not only may it not be funny, but it may be extremely offensive to some if done incorrectly.

But, for what it's worth, good luck! I'm still too frightened to attempt the comedy genre.

"Girl dates guy. Girl loves guy. Girl moves in with guy. Guy is Schizophrenic. Girl afraid to leave guy cuz his condition. Girls bestfriend loves her and wants her for himself. Girl stuck between 2 guys. Girl decides not to date either guy and dates a girl instead."

the girl doesnt want to udnerstand his condition and that maybe he does things differently like not celebrate Valentines day...she has on occasion said she's thought about other women. shed rather have a penii tho. the film could be about control. they pull up plants that are making the river trail look ugly.

i basically need some sort of comedy, but not too romantic. i hate romantic comedys, and their lame. but i basically need drama and comedy. and i dont know how to do it, im running out of ideas, i can add humor to anything, i just cant think of any good and normal. If i wanted to make a stupid film, i wouldnt have a problem, but im tryin to expand my portfolio and possibly enter more film festivals (over the last year ive been real slow with it)

First of all, you're talking in circles. Need to breathe.

Like it or not, you're writing a romantic comedy, and not all are lame. Many are, but not all. Here's your big chance to set a new standard!

Also, what do you want to be funny, the characters and dialogue, or the situations? Both maybe?

Who is your audience?

16 to 20?

25-35?

Very differnt perspectives on romance.

I have to agree that schitzophrenia may not be the best option for comedy. Come to think of it, the ease by which folks take offense these days, even a head cold is bound to piss somebody off.

Maybe make him a cronic liar, or have a phobia to something simple, such as pink, or sushi, or something like that. Hates books and she loves to read. All you really need is something that puts a real strain on the budding romance.

a

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Alex Whitmer,

I say you go with schitzophrenia.

At least you'll offence some people. It could save the day and do yourself some publicity.

i never realy thought about my audience. im going for the younger crowd though, so id say around 16 to 25, somewhere around there, not too old not too young. im not very sure where to place it.
im not a writer, but im tryin to figure it out.
but i think id like him to have some sort of odd phobia, something besides spiders.
so with this i think the situation will be funny, or something.

I guess ''not too young'' is a matter of perspective. 16 is young if you look at the average lifespan of 75 years.

Ok, so your audience is somewhere between 16 and 25. There is a big difference between these age groups. 16 probably still lives at home, and is hopefully still in high school. 25 has usually finished college, and is already living on there own. We call that life-experience!!

What is funny to a 16-year old may or may not be funny to a 25-year old. I'd narrow it further to either a teen comedy, or to a 20-something comedy.

That decision will be decided by the actors you have access to.

a

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com

it could go either way. my lead guy can grow a beard yet hes only 16, my lead girls are 16 and 17. they can look both older and younger. but i believe the story will come first. deciding on an age group may just mess it all up. i dont want some stupid romantic teen love comedy (id prefer not to make a fool of myself)
i really dont know, or care. i think i will write 2 stories, one based for 15-18yrs old and another based on the young adult college ages.
then i can decide which is better. but i dont want this to be just stupid HAHA humor, i like sudtle clever humor. think Amelie humor. Humorus but not Date Movie. i dont know much about romantic comedys, b/c i cant stand to watch them(the characters make me mad)

Amelie is a great story.

Ok, so story first, but you should have a rough idea who will ''most likely'' watch and relate to your film. Go for the 20-ish crowd.

Why is this important? Dialogue, mannerisms, etc of your character/s need to fit the situations.

a

well 20ish audience, lets develop the story. wht should be my action, climax and resolution. figuring those to work with a good ending are my problem. i could do so many different things but any combination wont really work with an ending that is satisfying for the audience.
girl dates guy
girl moves in with guy
guy has phobia
girl cant live with it b/c she loves what he fears
does she try to leave the relaitonship? or will she try to work with it? which would be better for a romantic comedy.

I still think you are approaching your story the wrong way. Don't limit yourself to a specific genre. If you sit down and think "I am going to write a romantic comedy" your finished work will most likely be impersonal and distant from you.

Excellent point by BinaB.

Having written a comedy for a 20 something audience that was to be acted by teen actors, I found most the actors thought the dialogue was ''lame''. They said 'real people' would never say these things to each other, when in fact they do, everyday. Life experience.

The point is, and as BinaB points out, you should write a solid comedy, and the actors will have to understand the dialogue and situations will likely be outside their realm of experience. But that's what acting is all about; One person with one reality being able to portray another person's reality in a believable manner.

However, movies do tend to attract certain audiences. The reason you find many romantic comedies lame is because they may be about people from either different backgrounds or differnt age groups. Notting Hill probably won't be funny to a 16-year old, and teen women mature far faster than teen men, and what a male may find lame, a female finds endearing. Just reality.

It does help to have a target audience in mind, but it should not limit the story by any means.

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com

how about we keep the actors out of this because they play no part in the story right now. writing help, not actors help.
no offense BinaB but that doenst really pertain to my questions
i think you need to either tell me something and stick with it or not AW cuz your telling me one thing, then turning around in the forums and saying the opposite.
My questions are about plot, audience is for young adults, somewhere around college age. a comedic story. not too romantic, but it does deal with a relationship.
how do i get a sucessful film out of my basic plot. again with the question.

girl meets guy
girl dates guy
girl moves in with guy
question? would it be more comedic for my audience to see the girl stuggling to leave the relationship, or stick it out?
what relieving ending could occur with each of those senarios?

It's not that I am saying one thing, then another. It's looking at the options from different angles.

Once you have looked at a number of approaches, you pick the one that best fits your plan, and your abilities as a filmmaker.

Now, I think it would far more comedic to have her try to get out of the realtionship, or at least out of living with the guy. Maybe she thinks she can salvage the love, but she moved in way too early. Needs to back it off.

How does she do it without hurting him -- if that is is her primary concern. Is it??

Once she succeeds in either breaking the relationship, or at least slowing it down due to some unforseen issue, such as his phobias, then we add the other girl, who she uses as an excuse to soften the blow.

You can add more comedy by complicating that relationship as well.

Two things you first need to consider; audience and page count.

Audience because of the dialogue and the situations, and page count because that reflects your budget and your skills in managing a film crew.

A ten to twenty minute film is a lot for a young filmmaker. Actors don't show up, cameras are't where they are supposed to be, and spontaneous changes in the script all occur beyond your control.

So, lets pretend this is a fifteen minute (fifteen page) short. To follow a story-telling sturucture, the first 5 or so pages will establish the relationship up to the point where she moves in.

The next 7 or so pages are the body of the story, and show the audience the problems encountered in a young romance. This should include the break-up and the beginning of the girl-girl affair.

The final 3 or so pages will pages will have the resolution, which could be the girl and the guy getting back together after they resolve there differences.

The twist is ...

the other girl doesn't like being used or brushed off ...

This makes the story somewhat unfinished, so the audience can create in their own minds how things might continue and or end.

A