Hey guys, I was wondering if I could some advice on which film idea I should begin the writing process with. I want to start one of these along with finishing up some previous projects for the next five or so months. Stance- A young, shy but talented dancer joins a Christian dance group, traveling around the world spreading the word of Jesus Christ. Struggling for confidence and seeing the many terrors of the world, he will wonder if faith can really make a difference. Drama. Hope Champion- When an peaceful, normal, functional and overall happy life comes crashing down. Daniel must ways to believe in himself again, he soon realizes he was never happy at all, his life was a lie. Now he as to believe and just hope he can forge a better life for himself, against all the odds. The alternative, does not bare thinking about. Drama. Renegade- In the distant future humans have colonized a new habitable planet. Soon after there initial arrival began "the Origin wars" a deadly blood bath against the primitive but deadly aliens who call this planet home. The ordered government green lit the creation of class nine vector amour suits for specially trained soilders to wear, and after fourteen long years they succeeded, the war was over but the human population was low, likely to die. Strict laws and governmental policies had to be implemented to protect the future of the human race, survival of the fittest. However the people weren't ready to settle for this, and they had a voice, Sarah Carter. Following the elimination of primitives and cancellation of the Vector program, all suits were thought to be locked down, however several men had stayed on as hired arms. The best among them was named Jason, a loose cannon. He was given the mission to kill Sarah Carter, end the conflict, but he missed. Her husband took the bullet causing Jason to have major doubts about who's side he's on, he steals the suit and go renegade. Six years later and Sarah's rebellion is in full swing, something will have to give soon. The fate and control of the planet rests in the hands of one man. Sci-fi.
Screenwriting : Which movie idea is the best/ which should I write? by Jabari Sandy
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Hi Jabari. I think that you'll ultimately be the best judge of what you should write next. I would humbly suggest you write about the idea that you're most passionate about. After all, you're going to have to live with that screenplay intimately, and for a long while. I would point out that Hope Champion (as describe) looks like it might be cheaper to produce than the others (depending on cast size, locations, FX, etc.) . That might open more opportunities for an aspiring film writer. But again, I don't think that should be your only criterion. I could also say that Renegade would be the film that I'd most prefer to see. But that's just me personally. Other commenters will have other opinions on that. Best of luck in whichever one you decide.
Hey Ehrick, really appreciate you taking the time to read all that and comment, I am pretty passionate about all of them, all for different reasons. Yeah Hope Champion would be the easiest to either make myself eventually or market to production company's, but also I love writing sci-fi and action, then there is Stance which would have a lot of soul searching, my goal with that would be to create a more relatable representation of faith and exactly what it is, something I think is badly misunderstood. And thanks! good luck in all your projects aswell
Hi Jabari! I am a dancer and I love dance movies, so Stance sounds right up my alley. It could be like the Christian version of "Step Up." I think Hope Champion brings up some questions for me. I read "happy life comes crashing down" and the last line about the "alternative being too much to bear." and it made me confused. What's the alternative that is too much to bear? What's the conflict for Daniel? I am still wondering what the story is about so it might need more development to clarify where you are going. Renegade sounds like you have put the most thought into it. You have the most information down about it so you must be passionate about it. I say you write that and go full speed ahead. I love the concept but I wonder if because you call your person Sarah Carter, it sounds a lot like Sarah Connor from Terminator. Plus because someone has the mission to kill her and the "one man controls the fate of the planet" sounds familiar. You've got a great start. After you work on all of them I would like to read your work! :)
Just write. One of them? All of them? Just write. Write - write - write. Then you have something to edit. It seems 'Renegade' is the one you think most of.
To be honest of the 3 stance has the market right now. Christian religion movies are in demand on the ISA and Inktip.
I card out many stories. I'll have 15 at any one time. Some will progress into a script draft zero. Others get more work. But I always stop once I know what the story is about. That way I can come back to it with hope and success. Plus having multiple scripts/ideas on the go allows me to migrate ideas. If I write something really good. But not good in this story, I can move it and find a better home for it.
Hi Dawn, that's awesome! I'm actually a dancer too, I love street dancing! I only found out recently, I went to a Christian camp and lots of people thought I was good at dancing and I loved it, so that's how Stance started and that will deffo get wrote at some point. In Hope Champion Daniel's life falls apart, job girlfriend, confidence and the choice is either have hope for a better life or commit suicide because life sucks. I want to make this one because I think it can really help people in those situations which are important to me. I've started Hope Champion on the side since it was quickest to start. If I thought of Renegade a few months ago I'd be all over it, but I just finished God Complex, a sci-fi alien invasion movie, so I want a bit of a break from complex plots, especially since those movies are much harder to make .Good call, Sarah is often my default name for female characters, gotta try and avoid using it haha. Thank you so much I'd love to read some of your scripts too! Hey David, yeah that's what I usually do but I often loose focus on most of them or I end up writing them badly. Plus I currently have two sci-fi scripts going and I started doing a Pokemon fan script (that came out of nowhere) ;p all three will get wrote eventually though Hi Gregory, thanks that's great to hear! and I'm not surprised because there is a lack of positive films about my religion, Stance will be after Hope Champion and Renegade will enter "post writing production" Hey Craig, wow, I could never do that many at one time, maybe as I get better I will be able to handle more at once. At the moment I get too distracted, I suppose I could go the next when I get bored of the first one, but often I just get sick of writing completely if one script annoys me that day. I have all my ideas written down for the future, about 20 or so some will stay in the word document forever and some others will get wrote.
Thank you for taking the time to respond to all of us Jabari! That was so sweet! I understand your point of view so clearly now that you've explained it! I can tell that you are full of creativity and great ideas! When ever you finish your dance movie I would be honored and so excited to read it. Like I said I am a dancer and I have my own choreography business doing flash mobs! The movie Step Up Revolution is one of my favorites and it is so close to your movie except they are dancing for a different cause. Work on whatever makes you excited and then you wont get as bored with it quick. ( I have that same issue and I am writing 8 different screenplays right now) Shoot for the stars! The sky is the limit for you!
Come up with 100 great ideas and then select the best idea. Look for the concept that can be easily summed up in a single sentence that is not only exciting and interesting, it also allows the whole story to spring to mind. All three of these would be in my discard pile.
Dawn, haha of course, If someone takes the time to comment I will take the time to reply. I will rewatch Step Up and see what I can learn from it also getting the opinion of a dance professional would be awesome! William, thanks for commenting, all three of these would make your discard pile? :( I like these ones the most out of what I have so far (around 20 ideas), sometimes I can think of things on the spot but usually ideas need to come to me naturally. I think Renegade has the best global/hollywood concept as i'ts like Elyisum/Star Wars. Humans go to a new world, one man can save the world plus the Vector suits would be sort of like Bobba Fett's armor.
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Jabari, In my short time as a writer and here on Stage 32, I have learned that the only opinion that truly matters is your own. Your ideas are different than anybody else's and therefore cannot be measured as "good" to anybody else but you. When someone writes a "good" movie. 10 people might like it but 10 might say they don't. People might say whether it is marketable, relevant or suitable for a certain audience but that is also an opinion. Only listen to the people who give you helpful and constructive advice and critiques and remember that no matter how many award winning, established or produced, "successful" writers give you advice, march (and dance) to the beat of your own ideas. :)
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Thanks so much Dawn :) that's great advice and very true, in fact no idea can ever be "bad" cause it all depends on how it's told.
9 months to write Renegade? longer than I thought. It's nothing like that description now. Thanks for the encouragement people :-) the other two should be quicker.
1). Noticed this post is 9 months old - so hopefully, you're not still waiting for advice. 2). If you're blessed enough to have multiple ideas at the same time - and you're not being paid to write any particular one of them - ALWAYS write the one that you're the most passionate about at that moment in time. The one you would most like to see on the screen. 3). Ask the question generically - don't post a synopsis out in public of anything you have yet to write. Dangerous. Also - save a lot of space - no one gives a crap what the character's names are until the script is written. Don't make a thread full of absolute strangers pick and choose and do your job for you.