Screenwriting : When you come up with an idea for a screenplay, how do you know it's a good one? by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique

"The first screenplay I wrote this year was about a fire hydrant. Maybe I'm not the guy to ask."

Actually that line right there is enough to get me to at least look at the script. I remember the first time I saw the poster that said "Kevin James Zookeeper". It struck me that that was a concept that could work. I even laughed out loud. Unfortunately a lot got lost on the way from concept to execution.

However, to your question. No, I don't agree that sitting on ideas "makes them more worthy". But it might help you decide if they were ever worthy in the first place.

I literally get ideas in my sleep. For most of these, if they're worth it, I'll write out a rough treatment when I wake up. Sometimes I'll get just an brief idea, maybe I'll see an article about a real person, or maybe think of a title that I think would work. These I write down too. And I keep both the "treatments" and ideas on files on my hard drive. When I need something to work on I'll pull them out and look through them. And sometimes I wonder what the hell I was thinking when I created treatment. But other times I'll look at something that might be years old and think, "yeah, that is still a great idea."

I currently have 9 scripts in various stages of completion. In addition I have 2 dozen treatments and 89 ideas for treatments. I literally won't live long enough to complete these and I get new ideas all the time. Because of this, whatever isn't "worthy" probably will get pushed aside for something better.

Patrick: Great post. I never thought of it, but your point about not living long enough to see your all your ideas come to fruition is a great insight. The producer from Panay Films said the same thing about Harry the Hydrant. It was so ridiculous, he wanted to read it.

Of course it makes them better. Rewriting in your brain is far better than on a keyboard. I think quicker than I can type. I can run endless what-ifs. Not only that, if a story sticks around it must be good. Duds die of natural causes.

My solution is to only have good ideas ;-)

I've heard this a few times lately and I've never given it much thought. Like the quote said, I have to walk around with an idea for a bit before I write the first word. I have to see if it has laigs before I start walking it. :D

We're those kind of people who are naturally never satisfied with what we've written so if, when we write "Fade Out" (or whatever ending it required when we're writing something) and we're more than okay with it, that works. haha

If I have an idea I just sit down and start writing.

Some one steals it.

That is why I started doing adaptation. I can find stories that were already proven to be good.

"How do I know it's a good one?" A good one meaning, you can sell it easily? That's one of my key criteria when brainstorming concepts. The sorting-out coincides with crafting loglines. I wouldn't even start an scene breakdown, let alone a first draft, without being absolutely sure of the concept & logline (both showing the hook). This part takes time, and it should. Imagine how much effort ad agencies put into a slogan, a jingle, or a commercial.

I continue to ask myself (after it's been written) if it's a great idea... I just tend to flirt with the ones I can't stop thinking about. Wonder where that process started? Prob. around 13yrs old???

absolutely agree with this. I wrote my first screenplay over the span of a year and a half. While it isn't perfect and part of the lag was writer's block/newness to the platform, giving myself so much time I feel helped me come out on the other end with a really polished draft that accomplished everything that I wanted to from the initial idea spark. I don't think every idea requires this kind of percolation, but the more meta your work is the more time it takes to parse it all out.

I test the idea with my closest friends and family and gauge their reactions. If anyone is confused and/or bored by the initial concept, then it will need a lot of work or will just be scrapped completely. A sincere "I'd watch that!" is usually a good sign... I personally love it when those more familiar with the industry say things like, "If no one picks it up, would you consider making it yourself, or even trying to produce it in another medium (e.g. book, graphic novel etc.) because I really want to experience this story!" Preparing a scene and sharing it with my personal network is also helpful... If they ask, "Where's the rest of it?" or say "I want to keep reading," then it usually means I'm doing something right.

Pitch, pitch, pitch. Anybody, anywhere. Random people give the best feedback.

I'm still laughing about Phil's fire hydrant script

"... and also it allows you to be able to view your script more objectively." This is key!!

This is a wonderful topic! I tend to have the same mindset as Curtis here. By giving yourself time to think and let ideas develop and percolate, you only allow it to become more fleshed out and closer to its true potential. You also have some time to live with the film, and if it still means something to you after all that, you know you have something worth making!

Phillip - You are the right person to ask this question. Every writer I know generally has half a dozen or more story ideas a day. Most drift into obscurity, a few simmer on a back burner until they boil over or evaporate but from time to time, one springs into full bloom right away. I don't think there's a right/wrong answer.

I was impressed by your fire hydrant script. Has someone picked it up yet? I remain confident.

Doug: Thanks for the kind words. Harry just got read by a fairly well-known producer who thought it was funny and displayed "caustic wit" but not serious enough about being a crime drama. Since it's a comedy I don't think the guy quite got it.

Crime drama? The guy's nutz. I thought the wry comedy was wonderful. I envisioned it as a live action/animation (like Who Framed Rodger Rabbit). I just didn't want it to drift into an "R" rating that would limit its audience. My advice: clean up the sex and pitch it to Disney. Good luck with it.

Psst, forget Disney. the CEO of Disney just gave a keynote speech and revealed their movie lineup to year 2019.

Dan M - and how long does it take from spec script to screen? I think the timing is right - pitch it to Disney. Dam*, I wish they hadn't Disneyfied Pixar.

Philip, great question. I always just write a treatment out, and then see where it progresses from there. Some ideas hold at this stage for awhile, germinating, while I actually write a script on others. I don't think there's a real "science" or "metrics" in identifying a "good" idea.

Uncle Phil, have you seen Ghost Writer? Maybe he thought it was a little like China Town, or one of those old film noir detective movies… the humor there tends to dance the line between that and tragedy… something that used to be one in the same in the days of shakespere and corporal punishments such as drawing and quartering. Not a whole lot was funny that wasn't also true.

My ideas for a screenplays all SUCK which is why I prefer doing adaptations. The stories have adapted all have been tried and were already proven successful so that takes away a lot of the guess work which makes them less risky for producers and investors. Just my opinion of course.

I've got a screenplay idea that I swear is great, but I just can't get it out of me. It's nagging the crap out of me... but I've never abandoned an idea... so I'm totally conflicted.

Maybe that's the answer to your question? If you're conflicted about it, it might not be for you. My idea involves Arab Israel conflict and final peace in th Mideast... chances of it being made are probably next to nil... but I just HAVE TO KEEP ON IT.

I agree with dude.

This is one of those questions that I can honestly answer "It depends". Some ideas come and they go in the subconcious pile to mature...some ideas go into the 'I must start on this right now' pile, and some go in the pile that I know should never see the light of day, even though they sound good at the time in my demented brain.

I think being a writer is not just about creating, but about evaluating and re-imagining your own ideas and being honest with yourself while doing it. As we progress, we get better at it, but it's a constant balancing act between inspiration and viability.

In novel writing I used to chase each and every plot bunny when I started out. It's a fun distraction from getting the actual work done once you hit a roadblock. By now I have this folder called "wild ideas". I just leave a documents with a few notes in there so that the plot bunny leaves me alone, and I can continue with my current project.

In most cases, they just die, the plot bunnies. But some of them stay and grow strong in the back of my mind. These are the good ones I keep and actually work on.

Speaking as a newbie, it seems the high-concept ideas take more time to gestate. And while all stories have a theme, some are not the deep truths of the high concept. My .02.

Aw man, I have good half-dozen story ideas simmering on the back burners. Not ready to commit to any of them yet, but they're building flavor. Sometimes it's a single line of dialogue that will inspire me so to jump right in. Then there's no turning back :^}

just remember , someone pitched a shark tornado idea and big shot networks said no. 8 movies later Sharknado is a pop culture phenomenon. two weeks ago Hollywood Reporter said Hollywood is dead, all time box office low. Then, "IT" came out, broke box office record in one weekend.

No one really knows from the get-go, right? Personally, I don´t start writing before I actually can see the movie play out before my eyes, literally speaking almost. It helps to have a very visual mind. Ultimately, the execs that read one´s script decide if it´s good or not :) A lesson recently learned :)

Hey Uncle Phil - Every Idea I have for a screenplay must be a good 'un, or I wouldn't have thought it up in the first place. I got desk drawers chock full of wonderful ideas. (Ha ha.)

My guy calls me the "idea machine". Sometimes those ideas are good, sometimes they are bad, sometimes they are so far out there he looks at me with something close to fear.

When I come up with an idea, I put it in my notes on my phone. When I'm looking for a new script to write, I scroll through that list and usually confer with my guy about what might be the most viable. I do tend to sit on my ideas for a month or two, see if I'm still interested in them after I mull them over for awhile.

It's hard to say what's truly a "good" idea though. I've seen some great stories get ruined in the writing process, and seen the mundane turned magical by good writers.

I like what you´re saying there, Jody. I am pretty similar that way. Do you also find that sometimes some of those "outrageous" ideas evolve into something entirely different after a while? That has happened to me a few times :)