Does anybody here have any methods or tips on how to come up with ideas? My buds and I have been sitting here for alomost three hours and nothing good has come up. So if anybody has any cool brainstorming methods or anything please post.Any help would be appreciated.

I usually lay down on my bed in the dark something eventually comes up. Or also when I'm sleeping. One word of advice, is to always have something to write with and write on by you at all times. You never know when you can get an idea.

cool we'll try it.

What I do is I listen to music and that really helps me to come up with ideas. I play images in my mind going along with the music. But I don't know, thats me.

B.Miossi

Check out: http://www.studentfilms.com/film/get.do?id=788

I watch movies, then I usually have a bath so I can relax and the only thing working is my mind.

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Originally posted by Ryan Gordon:
One word of advice, is to always have something to write with and write on by you at all times. You never know when you can get an idea.

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omg soo true. i know ive had so many ideas, but forgot them. ive wised up and i keep a pad of paper next to my bed. a small pad in my pocket, and a marker in the shower. i get so many ideas in the shower, but by the time im dryed off, its gone. i write it on the tiles until i get it on some paper, then wash it off. thats how i came up with the film that i sent to all my colleges

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Originally posted by Mr. Blonde:
I watch movies, then I usually have a bath so I can relax and the only thing working is my mind.

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That might not be good, because usually what happens is you come up with an idea similar to the movie you watched and it ends up being a cheap ripoff or something.

I think sitting down and brainstorming is a waste of time. Or, it just never got me anywhere. I just go about my life and let ideas come to me naturally. That's how I get my best ideas and, I don't mean to brag or anything, but I think I've come up with some bloody good ideas that way.

the ideas come to me when i'm doing other stuff and not trying to think of them.

seriously, i'll be reading a book, or a magazine like popular science, or watching a movie, or walking somewhere and i'll see something, or read or hear a line, and an unrelated image will just pop into my head, and i write it down asap and build a story around it. its not inspired by what i was doing, its completely unrelated, but my mind needs to be concentrating on other things for this to happen.

Ideas come from anywere, wether it be reading the paper, walking around town, your friends or family, watching the TV (news etc.) or from listening to music. Ive found that listening to music helps me the most because without music in a movie, is not really a real movie in my opinion, music is a massive part of movies in our day and age.
Also taking the dog for a walk seems to work for me.

I think it helps to listen to music, I mean if I'm listening to the right song at the right time an idea will just pop into my head, and if it doesn't work at first I keep listening to it untill I can think of a way to make it work. This usually works for music videos but I think it works for Movies as well.

sometimes I will come up with a title first, then work in the plot after, so that at least if you have a title you like you can always make a fake poster first and at least have some fun, for example: I once came up with what today is one of my favorite titles, "Drunk Indians." Now the funny is the story I eventually came up with for that title had nothing to do with Indians (aboriginal/native or whatever the politically correct term is, (trying not to be racist cause im not) it changes all the time here in Canada), I eventually had to change the title to make it correspond somehow with the story, but that worked for me

I walk around down New York city and visit all the cool alleys (http://www.forgotten-ny.com/Alleys/Soho/soho.html) whilst wearing a suit and tie smoking a cigarette, listing to movie scores or instrumental songs (The Album Leaf is a great band for that kind of stuff, as is Mogwai). I usually bring a notebook, an iPod (or CD player, walkman, whatev), and a cheap disposable camera. If I have an idea for a story or a bit of dialogue I'll write it down, and if I have an idea for a shot I'll take a picture. Bring a friend, if you can, to bounce ideas off of. The best time to do this is at noon, when the sun is high in the sky. You have the best lighting, and the most time before it starts getting dark. If it's raining, don't let that stop you, but wear a jacket. If it's raining don't smoke, it's a waste of a perfectly good coffin nail (that's the title for my next film, which was inspired through this method) if it gets wet. It's also good to make a list of all the materials and props you have before doing this, so you know exactly what you have to work with. Chinatown is also a great area to scout, as is Lincoln Square. After scouting, get something to eat and brainstorm either with your friend or by yourself. Diners are good, but greasy noodle shops are recommended. Of course, it all depends on what kind of movie you want to make. Good luck.

3 hours isn't long enough for an idea.

3 years, and then you're starting to get what MIGHT be a good idea.


ideas should come from everything. from living, from smells, colors, tastes, sounds. what germans call ZEITGEIST. it's the experience of things that should motivate what you want to show.

A film should reflect the Filmmakers visson of the wrold, just think about the way you look and feel things, the way you exspreces things, and then tell a story based on that information.

the best ideas come from life experiences, me and my friend just think of ideas out of nowhere, sitting in a bathtub or a room with the lights out is probably the worst way to think of ideas, and never write after watching a movie, you'll end up stealing everything.

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A film should reflect the Filmmakers visson of the wrold, just think about the way you look and feel things, the way you exspreces things, and then tell a story based on that information.

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I think that's basically it, as well as when you're most emotional. Like if you see a picture, here a song, or are feeling extremely crappy or glad, you'll get lots of ideas based on your mood at the time.