So i have this idea for a short film, but im still trying to get the story build, here is what i have so far. What do you guys think ?

Brent and James are two roommates in their mid 20s, they both have aspiration of going to college but neither of them have the funs to support them. They go to the local library and start doing research on the quickest ways to make money, after reading books after books they stumble upon a book called “Extortion is Underrated” wish explains what extortion is and how a lot of people avoid it thinking that I will never happen to them. After they both read the book, they come to an agreement that even though its criminal crime it’s the only way they can improve their life and get the funs to go to college. They start doing their research on people that seem to have a lot of money in order to find someone that will actually pay, they find a few candidates but they have no dirt on them in order to pressure them, or scared them into paying the money, so they start realizing that is harder than they think, but after almost giving up on this plan they realize that the perfect candidate lives right next to them, its their neighbor, he is a big business man in their town and if there is someone they know something bad about… is him, their key “thing” is that they know he is having an affair outside his marriage and that’s what they can use in order to extort him.

I got a couple points.

If they are poor and unable to afford to go to college how are they neighbours with a rich successful business man?

Also a rich guy having an affair and guys blackmailing him about it is pretty straight forward but I dont see how the book is needed.

Maybe you should come up with a little more dirt for the business man, affairs sound so overdone. Just a suggestion.

Simply put, make the characters more developed/unique and make their ties more complex.

why don't they just become successful through crime?...they will be making enough money to go to college, right?