i am trying to write a short about a teen who gives in to his friends and starts doing drugs, but then everything falls apart for him and he sees that his decisions have really messed up his life. the only problem is that i absolutely suck at writing dialogue, plus i need some more ideas to fill in the middle. the dialogue i can get over because i have a friend whos pretty good at that, but i really need some more ideas. if you can think of any please post them im desperate. this is going to be my first actual movie and i want it to be really good. thanks
Posts: 99 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: March 16, 2005
Originally posted by ktabes: Theres already 800 movies like that, most of them on the lifetime channel.
First of all, all the movies on lifetime are about wife abusers, and second of all if you are going to post, at least answer my question. i dont care if there are already 800 movies like that, i have the right to make whatever kind of movie i want to make. please stop posting stupid comments.
Posts: 99 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: March 16, 2005
For dialogue problems, what helped me a lot was secretely recording conversations with my friends and playing it back later when I was writing the script so I could get a more natural sense of how they talked. If I were you, I'd write about what you know, maybe base some of the characters off of your friends and then add the fiction part to it - which will give a more realistic edge if it's done correctly.
Originally posted by ktabes: Theres already 800 movies like that, most of them on the lifetime channel.
First of all, all the movies on lifetime are about wife abusers, and second of all if you are going to post, at least answer my question. i dont care if there are already 800 movies like that, i have the right to make whatever kind of movie i want to make. please stop posting stupid comments.
Ha! I like this kid. He makes me laugh. Welcome to the boards! Where in TN you from?
im just saying i saw your profile and your in high school, and is making a sappy drama about drugs really what you are interested in or are you just trying to make a student film to try and win awards. thats all.
ya, this isnt really a "new teen drug movie," its the same as eery other drug movie. but instead of bashign you for it ill tell u why its like every other teen drug movie. itll suck because ur making a film about drugs but (im assuming) ur not a drug user yourself. so what insight can you provide to the pitfalls of drugs? see, id rather see a drug user make a pro drug film, and show how hes upset about his parents breaking up, and depressed, and to gt over that he goes to his room and smokes up. i meen, he is depressed. maybe if he didnt have the drugs he would kill himself because thats all he has to live for. now i dont agree with drug use, or condone it, in fact i would like to see Canada and America get alot tougher it. but im willing to look at things from another point of view. you have to at least try to UNDERSTAND WHY they use drugs. otherwise it just looks like a thoughtless anti drug PSA (theyre all over). all of my films seem to contain drug use (even though i dont use drugs myself and have pressured my friends to stop who do use to stop). I also think you have a major plot problem with the kid leaving his friends to do drugs. in my opinion and experience, ppl use drugs to get in with a group, because their friends use drugs and tell them its good. iu dont know any drug users who actually end up alone because of the drugs. do you. what kind of ppl, drug users do u know? see, the problem is that what ur doing seems like a 2nd generation story. a 1st generation story is a film that takes reality and makes a film out of it, naturally there will be some stereotypes, but a 2nd generation story takes the 1st generation story, and treats that as reality. because it seems like this is somethign u pulled off of a Degrassi High episode from the 1980's. (note, 2nd generation films are ppl like Tarantino, they may be enjoyable, but they have no message other than "look I can write witty fun lovin pop culture refferencing dialogue!!!). anyways, u should do some research on this, go hang out with some stoners and ask them why they use drugs, and try to explore it. see, we all know the risks and pitfalls of drugs, and drinking and smoking for that matter. but nobody is exploring why ppl still use these substances. if you ask me, thats important, thats worht exploring. otherwise ur just going to have another 2nd generation teen drug short (likely to end in the kid's suicide, right?) and a standing ovation from ur community when they see it in ur school film festival, but u wont have a real effect on anyone, they wont feel anything, wont be forced to change or consider other aspects they didnt recognize before. ur film wont haunt them, and if urdealing with drug use it should. u should convince the audience and viewers that they themselves should start doing drugs, that the temptation is that powerful. just do something important because you care (because the whole anit drug thing can be done by joining ur high school leadership program who ill bet has a program that goes around ur school educating on how bad drugs are nad not to use them when in fact half of them are drug users themselves, thats at least how it was at my school.
Posts: 2173 | Location: n/a | Registered: May 06, 2003
first of all id like it if you dont judge me or my movies based on the fact that im in high school (by the way ive had 3 years of film/broadcast education plus two years of drama as well as having my own editing suite at home and my own GL2). you are right, ive never done drugs in my life, in fact im a christian and an athlete and promised myself that id not smoke, drink or do drugs, but 2 of my best friends are in jail right now, one for weed and the other for meth, and i watched them really mess up their lives with drugs and try and get me to do the same. i never said anything about my main character being alone, actually i said its his friends that get him to do drugs, and it is problems at home that really drive him to give into his friends. it dosnt end with him commiting suicide, it ends with him still doing drugs and spending every dime he has on them while his friends are in jail. now despite all this criticism i really want to thank you for your imput and all of the ideas. you were right about this just being for a film festival (not the school's but the Western Kentucky Film festival) but if i can do it right i would also like to send it out to colleges that ask for samples of work with aplications. For those who asked im from brentwood which is just south of Nashville but will hopefully be attending UCLA or USC for film school in fall of 2007. by the way, i think im going to take whoever said its advise and tape my conversations with my druggy friends, thanks.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Matt B.,
Posts: 99 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: March 16, 2005
o and by the way Hill Dawson Kane, i just read your profile, and almost any movie made that goes into theaters was made for money, just thought id ld let you know that the film industry IS a business and money is a big part of it.
Posts: 99 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: March 16, 2005
wow im posting a lot on my own thread but i was just wondering something. For me, music and lighting are what really makes or breaks a film, and is a big thing in a film that not many student/young film makers really dont understand (just watch the high school entries at your local film festival). does anyone know where i can get some advice on lighting techniques and where i can maybe get some lights to use? Id like to make lighting a big part of this production but really have no experience in the field, so any help is welcome, thanks.
Posts: 99 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: March 16, 2005
o and by the way Hill Dawson Kane, i just read your profile, and almost any movie made that goes into theaters was made for money, just thought id ld let you know that the film industry IS a business and money is a big part of it.
yes, film industry is business, but film is art. im not saying its wrong to make money off of ur art, but the film industry isnt so dedicated to what they do that they would, for example, put a film on this site for ppl to see for free. i mean, if u feel ur drug film is so important wouldnt u want as many ppl to see ur film as possible? so why not put it on a site like this. u would reach alot more ppl than putting a film in the theatres. its just that some ppl like myself are willing to work a minimum wage job for the rest of their life in order to make their films the way they want without having someone changing their vision in order to make it more commercial. money gets in the way when ur making a film for a major corporation whos idea of success is soley based on $$$.
i still think u arent getting to the root of the problem with why ppl use drugs, if u did than there would be some kind of solution for it, other than that its against the law (being addictive doesnt count because sop is chocolate, gambling, smoking, and drinking). i dont meen to say u should go out and try drugs in order to tackle this subject, u dont need to be gay to make a film about homosexuals, btu u cant just base it on YOUR beliefs alone.
Posts: 2173 | Location: n/a | Registered: May 06, 2003
Originally posted by Matt B.: For me, music and lighting are what really makes or breaks a film.
I dont care if lighting is good or the music, that stuff might help if your story is crap, but if you make a movie with a good story, then your all set.
Originally posted by Matt B.: o and by the way Hill Dawson Kane, i just read your profile, and almost any movie made that goes into theaters was made for money, just thought id ld let you know that the film industry IS a business and money is a big part of it.
ohhhhh....... uh oh. don't argue THAT with HDK Matt.... bad idea
Welcome to the boards.
I personally use those 500watt yellow and black halogen work-lights for all of my lighting. They're cheap, bright, and easy to transport.
| PerryKroll.com | TRC | "If not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled." Wodehouse
Posts: 5197 | Location: Tisch at New York University | Registered: June 03, 2003
I don't know what my opinion is worth here.... but I think that Lighting, a good story and wardrobe, are what really makes a film. Yeah music adds... but it is more like a bonus, because not all films have music... The reason I put wardrobe in there... is because all most all student films do not have a wardrobe, the usually run around in paints and a t-shirt.
My two cents.
-------------------------------- Medicine makes people ill, mathematics makes them sad, theology makes them sinful. -- Martin Luther
Posts: 17 | Location: On the little island | Registered: November 07, 2004
o and by the way Hill Dawson Kane, i just read your profile, and almost any movie made that goes into theaters was made for money, just thought id ld let you know that the film industry IS a business and money is a big part of it.
yes, film industry is business, but film is art. im not saying its wrong to make money off of ur art, but the film industry isnt so dedicated to what they do that they would, for example, put a film on this site for ppl to see for free. i mean, if u feel ur drug film is so important wouldnt u want as many ppl to see ur film as possible? so why not put it on a site like this. u would reach alot more ppl than putting a film in the theatres. its just that some ppl like myself are willing to work a minimum wage job for the rest of their life in order to make their films the way they want without having someone changing their vision in order to make it more commercial. money gets in the way when ur making a film for a major corporation whos idea of success is soley based on $$$.
i still think u arent getting to the root of the problem with why ppl use drugs, if u did than there would be some kind of solution for it, other than that its against the law (being addictive doesnt count because sop is chocolate, gambling, smoking, and drinking). i dont meen to say u should go out and try drugs in order to tackle this subject, u dont need to be gay to make a film about homosexuals, btu u cant just base it on YOUR beliefs alone.
i agree with the first part, but the sad thing is, some people see the film industry as just another job and dont see it as a way of expressing their feelings. a lot of the time a film has no important message and is just there for entertainment, but that is not a reason to not like it. sure the ones with some kind of message or artistic feel are the really good ones, but the fact that it was made to make money is not a valid reason not to like a movie. just like you, i think one needs to make sacrifices in order to stand up for what he/she believes, but working a minimum wage job to make movies the way you want to just seems a little excessive to me. no offence but dont you think a better sacrifice would be to make a movie that is comercialized, and then once you get your name out there and make enough money to support yourself and possibly your family THEN go out and make the movies that really matter to you? it just seems to me that you have an idea about what the film industry is and said that you will never be a part of that, but is that really worth giving up your dream of being a big film maker?
on the second part, why cant i base my film on my beliefs alone. you especially should understand this with your feelings of film as art, since art is all about the artists belief and feelings with little regard to what others feel about it, otherwise it would just be paint on a canvas. granted, paint on a canvas has entertainment value, but then its not really art is it?
i was trying to get away from the hollywood ending with this one and have the guy never resolve the problem since that is part OF the problem with drugs, but i guess you didnt catch that. The main thing im trying to get at with this film is that people make decisions in their lives that can sometimes ruin them and there is NO hollywood ending for them because of those decisions, in fact i think im going to title it just that, "Decisions".
I just want to add that my postings here are in no way personal attacks on the other users of these forums or their beliefs, this is just all part of my way of developing my script. If i have offended anyone i am sorry and appologize for it, but i am a very argumentative indavidual and that is one of the ways in which i express myself.
Posts: 99 | Location: Tennessee | Registered: March 16, 2005
First off, the “teen drug movie” is a genre so it doesn’t matter that it's been done a billion times, it matters what he brings to the genre.
Second, HDK is right, even though I think he’s Canadian, you need to put your p.o.v. into the piece or it will come off as fake. When you described being a Christian who's watching his friends struggle with drugs, this is the angle you should use as opposed to focusing on the kid having the issues. So you can express how you felt watching your friends problems instead of mimicking something you don't have first hand experience with.
Third, distributing films is a business, making films is an art form, of course they relate but don't split your focus so early on. Concentrate on your worldview, your knowledge of the craft (i hate when people refer to it as a craft oh well) and you'll find an audience eventually.
And fourth, people who write posts with numeric introductions for each of their points are retarded.
And don't forget what Goldman wrote "nobody in hollywood knows anything ever" so take all this advice with a grain of salt cause everyone including myself is pretty much full of s*it.
Just make your movie.
Posts: 584 | Location: Killafornia | Registered: July 02, 2004
Studentfilms.com Filmmaking Forums 
