Over Christmas, we watched “Die Hard” and “Unstoppable”, and it got me thinking about something I don’t usually write—an action thriller. It reminded me how watching certain films can suddenly open a creative door I didn’t expect.
Has watching a movie ever inspired you to explore a genre outside your norm? What was it—and did you follow through?
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Not a film but a TV show.
Funnily enough, I had never watched Supernatural until last year. Not even one episode. I knew about it, of course, but had never actually watched.
After the first three episodes, I looked at my husband and said, "This show was on for 15 years and the writing was this bad? How?" and after episode 5, I said, "Okay then. If this made it on TV at any point, I've got this in the bag."
And yes, I followed through. I wrote the first four episodes of The Regal Scale and the pilot to Spirit Farms.
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Rom-Com movies like Shallow Hal and Hitch, Leonardo Ramirez. I came up with two script ideas for Rom-Coms and outlined one of them. And I just remembered I wrote a Rom-Com feature script way back. One location, micro-budget script. I don't have the script anymore, but I remember the concept. I could write a new script.
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I've never watched Supernatural Elle Bolan. But I am astounded as to how long it lasted.
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Rom-coms are so much fun to watch Maurice Vaughan. We don't watch enough of them because we're always in the scifi/fantasy/action space. Having said that, "The Wedding Singer" is my fav.
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@Leonardo, it's... Something.
Don't get me wrong! The show had magic! But the magic was in the casting choices. And the writing got better over time. The first season particularly was so, so bad. I only watched it because my husband is a huge fan and he insisted haha. Like, he goes to cons and all. It's nuts.
But I studied it simply because I thought it was badly written in the first few seasons. I used that show kind of like a case study, trying to figure out exactly why it became so successful despite the cliches and awful dialogue.
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I didn't mean my comment to disparage the show Elle Bolan. I meant that it's wild that it gained such a massive audience to make it last that long. Most shows are written badly in the first season or so until the writers find their footing. Pretty much every single Star Trek show followed that. The first season of Seinfeld was pretty bad in comparison to later seasons as well.
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I remember watching The Wedding Singer, Leonardo Ramirez. The Rom-Com I wrote way back is a traditional Rom-Com, but one of the script ideas I have is part Sci-Fi and Action.
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The Wedding Singer was such a good rom com. Just adorable. 50 first dates was cute too. That duo had something magic in front of the camera. The rom-com power couple of that time. Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler had that era in the bag.
Leonardo Ramirez, I didn't think you were at all! I was correcting myself - I wasn't disparaging the show either but it read like I was. It was a huge success. And yes, it's common for the first few seasons to be rough. And I did watch it 19 years after it came out (holy crap). But man, the first season is so bad. I was floored. I said, "Really?" More during that first season than I ever have haha.
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50 First Dates was another good one Elle Bolan You have me intrigued about Supernatural now. I'll have to go watch at least the first episode. And Maurice Vaughan - I think that if I ever wrote a rom-com, it'd have to be set in the 80s.
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A Period Piece Rom-Com. I don't think I've heard of one of those, Leonardo Ramirez. I'd watch it.
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OK now you're making me feel old Maurice Vaughan...period piece? LOL
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Haha Sorry, Leonardo Ramirez. I consider stories told in the past Period Pieces. Not like the 2000s though.
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The 80s were such a fun time Maurice Vaughan. I miss the simpleness of it. The downside is that there was less opportunity then. Still...good memories.
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"I miss the simpleness of it. The downside is that there was less opportunity then." One of those things could be the focus of your Rom-Com, Leonardo Ramirez. Or both things.
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I've played against type/had an out-of-genre experience several times lol. Don't remember where it came from initially but my novel The Book of Lies is something I definitely haven't written before or since (I think it counts as a psychological thriller? Even if only because the protagonist is going insane and therefore a highly unreliable narrator while the world around him is falling apart). I also don't usually write romantic comedy and I've given Lunar Window such a makeover (I still say at its core it's a social satire). Both projects were unbelievably difficult lol since my main genre is drama with surreal elements and often doomed love affairs (though because they're still things I wrote there's still a clear psychological bent for both of them since I can't not get into my characters' heads one way or another).
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It's a thought Maurice Vaughan - a good one. It's so outside of my wheelhouse though.
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An "out-of-genre experience" Banafsheh Esmailzadeh - that's hilarious!! And hey, I'm with you on how tough it is to journey outside of your lane. I think there's a reason we're born with a certain DNA for genres.
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It's worth a try, Leonardo Ramirez. And you could add another genre(s).
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lol thanks Leonardo Ramirez, I first saw such wording on TV Tropes and I love it, perfectly describes the phenomenon XD and definitely it's tough. I always say I don't write horror or erotica and yet I found I can actually do both of them pretty well, but no way will I ever accept being called a horror or erotica writer lol or even a romcom writer. In fact I flat out wouldn't accept being called any kind of genre writer since my actual scope is so big and despite me saying several times drama is my best one.
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It's definitely a clever saying Banafsheh Esmailzadeh. Great point Maurice Vaughan
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Leonardo Ramirez Every time I watch a fantastic dark, slow burn thriller I want to write another one. I did follow through a few years back, but maybe another one is due...
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It's been a while since I've watched on Juliana Philippi. Love 'em though. Not sure if these qualify as slow-burn but "Butterfly Effect" was one I enjoyed. "Premonition" as well.
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Die Dard is not a Christmas movie!
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https:...
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That was hilarious Rutger Oosterhoff! I hadn't seen that clip!
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This thread really resonates with me. I'm currently finishing a historical drama, and stepping outside my usual comfort zone has been both terrifying and creatively freeing.Sometimes the unfamiliar territory brings the most honest work
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So glad it did Nani Gogua. And I couldn't agree more in that what sometimes makes us uncomfortable brings out the most raw honesty. I wish you all the best with your historical drama.
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Leonardo Ramirez "Butterfly Effect" yes, slow, intense...I just watched a new one with Lilly James and Riz Ahmed, on Netflix, "Relay"...super well done, and interesting. It's about this man who helps whistleblowers be "safe" from big money companies after they either blow the whistle, or decide to sort of blackmail them, return the evidence, and disappear, but he gets, well...won't spoil. It definitely inspired me to continue just creating, and writing screenplays from that place that makes so much sense for me, and then, that's when the story takes off...make sense? LOL!
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I just watched the trailer Juliana Philippi and it looks pretty good. Saved it to my watch list. The names sounded familiar and I recognized Riz Ahmed from "Rogue One". He was awesome in that. I'll give it a watch!