political movies

[ajq32]

Hey im just about to finish up a script im happy with and i know that you should probablly devote all attention to one script at a time to make sure its best but you all know that ideas strike whenever they want and ive had an idea for a while now that i cant wait to get started on, im just afraid its been done so much that what i write wont be fresh enough or just be like everything else...i want to write something about skull and bones and political influences and secret lives of politicians, what approach would you take to a movie like this? What kind of viewpoint, how do you think i should go about it? Any suggestions i appreciate, oh yeah everyone on this board is the best i love you guys, youve helped me and everyone out soo much, thanks.:snoopy:

[wyzguy]

It could be someone who joined thinking this was going to be some kind of cool club and didn't realize that it was a sinister take-over -the -world organization.

Maybe an outsider, a matriarch of a family with traditional ties to S&B.

[nielsty]

Do you only know that it should be political? That's not much of an idea:-)

You can go in every direction you want to but what is the intersting approach for you?

Is it the system versus the ordinary man? The Fight for power? The lack of humanity? Or do you want to make something that is biased towards a certain ideology?

I would really like to help but if you don't know more than you do then it would be like passing on some of my own ideas because I like to write about political stuff too. I would much rather help you with a real idea - if you have an interesting conflict or something.

[scripter1]

Actually, first try to do a rundown of recent politcal movies. Check out their premises and see what has all ready been done.

THEN brainstorm different ideas. Write em down on cards and come up with all kinds of twists, what ifs. Even if they are stupid, write them down. Let em stew until one really starts to perculate.

You have a couple of...genres to choose from.
There is the conspiracy theory genre, the historical (real) genre, . . . .
uh there may be more but I can't think of them right now.

Fish out of water plots are always good.

[clockwork]

Conspiracy theory stories are always popular but to be effective they should try to at least acknowledge the current political climes. Trust in government is a bit low right now so there's good material there but I do feel Presidents and The White House and such have been run into the ground. As The Manchurian Candidate showed, there are serious concerns about multinational corporations who can operate outside of the law and within their own best interests just as effectively as any government. I wrote a political thriller which was used as my calling card script when I was first meeting producers which was a White House conspiracy flick. It was always very well received but I know that if it were going to be sent out again I would want to remove that element entirely and replace it with an Enron-style multinational.

Conspiracy theory flicks are a cliché-ridden mine field so you've really got to tread carefully and work on crafting something special.

[clockwork]

It's all The X-Files' fault.

[Odile]

Why not make a rewrite of Don Quichote?

Odile

[icerose]

Why not make a rewrite of Don Quichote?

Odile

Because he would have to buy the rights.

Also watch out because that sounds strikingly close to Skulls, there are three of them, I suggest watching them.

[xhouseboy]

Because he would have to buy the rights.



Are we talking about the classic novel here? Quixote?

If so, the rights are public domain. Copyright has long since ran out. Terry Gilliam and Johnny Depp started shooting a remake some years ago, but the project fell through.

If a different thing entirely, just ignore me.

[icerose]

Are we talking about the classic novel here? Quixote?

If so, the rights are public domain. Copyright has long since ran out. Terry Gilliam and Johnny Depp started shooting a remake some years ago, but the project fell through.

If a different thing entirely, just ignore me.

Oh, okay, didn't realize the works were in public domain. Ignore me then, plow on.

[nielsty]

I think the film company which was supposed to make the Terry Gilliam version still have the rights but Gilliam wants to buy it from them. Check out the fabulous documentary about the non making of the Don Quixote film "lost in La Mancha"

[xhouseboy]

I think the film company which was supposed to make the Terry Gilliam version still have the rights but Gilliam wants to buy it from them. Check out the fabulous documentary about the non making of the Don Quixote film "lost in La Mancha"

I've watched it a couple of times.

I assume you mean the 'rights' to Gilliam's script 'The Man who killed Don Quixote'. It was originally financed to the tune of $32m, but was beset by problems from the outset. Gilliam always claimed that his budget was only half what he would require to shoot such a project.

He's again trying to raise finance, and Depp is still interested. But he's probably going to have to raise a lot more this time around to keep his original investors sweet, all depending on what type of deal he struck with them on the first project.