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The Unknown Screenwriter » The Unknown Screenwriter Forum

1. 

   WoodySr
   Member

   Reputation:15

    

   I'm in the middle of rewriting my first script and I've just realized that my "age" might be showing.

   My story is not really dependent on "when"--70's-80's-now-- it happens, but maybe my personal experience is...

   I'm thinking that since I'm not a cell phone addict, Facebook user, Twitter guy, etc. that it might show in my characters lives. I'm well aware of what is going on, but to use this stuff in practical terms...I'm lost!

   Would it be better to have the story take place in an earlier time period when I'm more comfortable using the mores of that time vs. doing my best to tell it in this period?

   Any opinions will be appreciated...

   Posted 9 months ago #
2. 

   Susan P.
   Member

   Reputation:208

    

   Hi WoodySr,

   My response is that it entirely depends on content. You could easily have a film come out 'today' and not reference any form of social networking - and it all being fine and dandy. IF you had two characters in different geographic locales and communicating you may wish to consider Twitter et al but, in my view, it's not absolutely necessary. My current script has two individuals communicating via webcam but they only do that because it makes perfect sense and has been done 'in the real world - in the setting' many times before. I would not introduce Twitter or Facebook just to show I was.. 'hip'..um..'sick'? :)) That would be gratuitous and would stand out awkwardly I believe.

   In sum, do you have a direct need to display knowledge of social networking? If not, don't worry about it but perhaps consider outdated language forms. I mean..is "cool" still 'cool'? :)

   I rarely find Twitter (for example) shows me anything but traditional language with the caveat that #hashtags et al are important to understand. But few scripts would need to go into this level of detail.

   I'd just tell your story and allow a review to pick up on such issues where they appear outstanding.

   Posted 9 months ago #
3. 

   James Patrick Joyce
   Member

   Reputation:79

    

   WoodySr -
   I'm thinking that since I'm not a cell phone addict, Facebook user, Twitter guy, etc. that it might show in my characters lives. I'm well aware of what is going on, but to use this stuff in practical terms...I'm lost!
   Would it be better to have the story take place in an earlier time period when I'm more comfortable using the mores of that time vs. doing my best to tell it in this period?
   Any opinions will be appreciated...

   There are a number of factors that can effect this.

   If you are trying to tell a story about teens and for teens, then it behooves you to find out what teens are like, now. Setting it in another time can eliminate certain problems, but that only suggests that your story is very general. I'd hope that a teen story set in 1977 would not be exactly the same (minus tech) as a teen story set in 2007. Different worlds, issues, attitudes.

   But if you look at most movies... I don't see a lot of online networking, in general. It usually doesn't matter. In the 1990s there was a LOT of networking/meet-and-greeting going on through print-and-phone communities. You set up a profile, paid for a print ad and chatted on the phone. Didn't see a lot of that in movies, though.

   Where it matters is things like thrillers and such. If you have a bunch of teens being stalked and they don't have celphones and PDAs and everything else... well... you need a damn good reason. The entire lack of networking tech amongst modern teens would be the equivalent of "I'm going into the attic alone, to see if the killer's there." In other words, it beggars belief.

   If you have a story about adults... you still can't have professionals with no tech. One guy, sure. A group? Nope. No one will believe it. Again, dropping back a few years would resolve this.

   Couple things to think about:

   If you set it in the past, even 20 years, you REALLY jump the budget up. This is an issue, as regards sales. A queit domestic drama may be cheap to make, until you make it a period piece.

   If you are telling a story about kids... ask yourself why, if you don't really have much knowledge about what those kids are up to, these days. Maybe you actually WANT to tell a story about YOUR childhood. In that case, it may be relevant to set it back then.

   Don't have an average teen looking for a payphone (and easily finding one), because you don't use a cellphone. And be wary of cheesy excuses for the lack of one, as well.

   Posted 9 months ago #
4. 

   James Patrick Joyce
   Member

   Reputation:79

    

   And if you think of "Juno", which was successful both as a script and as a movie, the highest piece of tech that Juno used was a Hamburger Phone.

   And "Brick" took place in a special world where only one Cellphone existed. Everyone else used payphones.

   Posted 9 months ago #
5. 

   WoodySr
   Member

   Reputation:15

    

   Hi Susan & James,

   Thank you both for your opinions...

   James, one of your comments in particular hit home. Budget! I'm a businessman and expenses always factor in business decisions. Yes, Hollywood is "art", but it's also a business.

   My script is an adult fantasy, so I can probably handle the current tech issues. My first draft had a few references to cell phones, email etc. I just had a thought that maybe going back to when I was in my 30-40's would be more effective. James, you fixed that!

   Thanks again...Now if I only had a better ending...

   Posted 9 months ago #
6. 

   James Patrick Joyce
   Member

   Reputation:79

    

   WoodySr -

   Thanks again...Now if I only had a better ending...

   If you have a problem with your ending, try this:

   Sit back and consider what ending you'd like to have, regardless of the story. Even if it simply wouldn't work, with the story that you've told.

   What would be your ideal way to end the story?

   Now, what would have to be changed, for that ending to work? You may be surprised to find that it doesn't take a lot of work, to get there. At any rate, a good ending is very important, so even a lot of work is worth it.

   Posted 9 months ago #
7. 

   Susan P.
   Member

   Reputation:208

    

   "Now if I only had a better ending".

   What is the flaw you believe is currently there? For example, are you thinking it's cliched? Or...?

   Posted 9 months ago #
8. 

   WoodySr
   Member

   Reputation:15

    

   I appreciate your comments on my "ending" problem...

   Please understand that I've been working on this rewrite for a l o n g time. Due to other committments, I haven't had the time I'd like to spend on my script, but that is changing.

   My point is that maybe I've been looking at the same ending ( changed a few times in the rewrite process) for so long that I now think it's just okay. It doesn't seem to have that "Oh my God" feeling.

   An example would be that oldie but goodie, Field of Dreams. I've seen grown men cry at that one (me included).

   Maybe I have to finish the rewrite--and stop outlining--and send it out for critique. Who knows...It might be better than I think.

   Posted 9 months ago #
9. 

   Susan P.
   Member

   Reputation:208

    

   WoodySr .. Sometimes we can become too close to a work to really see it with a certain objectivity any more. A review process may be very useful for you at this stage.

   Posted 9 months ago #
10. 

    luna
    Member

    Reputation:38

     

    Woody, for what it's worth - I am the 'web 2.0' generation, and to be honest with you - none of the people I know actually use facebook/twitters/smartphones as much as the media makes out. But I am not a teenager, so perhaps I am too old to 'get it'. Brothers and sisters of my friends are teenagers, and they also seem to take the hype quite lightly, living online is still something considered to be dorky. In Europe...

    Cellphones are cool cause they have cameras... if you figure out how to work it before the next model hits the market! We're all lost... I don't buy the 'web 2.0' hype - it's all marketing.

    Posted 9 months ago #
11. 

    James Patrick Joyce
    Member

    Reputation:79

     

    luna -
    Woody, for what it's worth - I am the 'web 2.0' generation, and to be honest with you - none of the people I know actually use facebook/twitters/smartphones as much as the media makes out.

    The "web 2.0" generation would actually be teenagers, for the most part.

    And this discussion forum is an example of what that term is supposed to mean. While you don't participate in facebook/twitter/etc, they are the main examples of what web 2.0 is about. Interactivity.

    It's not hype. It's a demonstrable change from the web of the late '90s. It's real. But anything that we don't actively experience will seem less real.

    However, that serves the point. If his characters are all teenagers even you, who admittedly don't particpate, are aware that teens do.

    An example would be "watch the tape and die". (The Ring?)

    Now it's, "open this email and die". (can't recall)

    My failure to remember the movies involved speaks to my subjective appreciation of the movies, but the details are changing. "The Ring" is already hopelessly anachronistic, only a few years after its release.

    Posted 9 months ago #
12. 

    James Patrick Joyce
    Member

    Reputation:79

     

    If someone wants to do a movie that will grab the current zeitgeist, they'd probably do well to come up with something, like:

    #Die Today

    "When people respond to an anonymous Twitter poster, they begin dying in mysterious ways. A lonely computer hacker is the only one to see the pattern... moments before 5,000 responses. Will he stop it before #DieToday makes the internet a wasteland?"

    Of course, I also don't twitter, so I could have the name-tags wrong.

    Posted 9 months ago #
13. 

    Bear
    Member

    Reputation:23

     

    As far as twitter goes, I don't really see it being a necessary inclusion in any story set in the present. At best, someone might get a message that effects the plot. "Hey, Ricky got a new car. Let's go for a ride." And they crash and die. At worst, the characters would experience frequent interruptions from tweets reaching their PDAs. Once you introduce something like twitter, it can't just stop suddenly after it helps the story. It's a commitment that you probably want to avoid. I doubt anyone would raise a flag if you omitted twitter from a story altogether. Likewise, if your characters never discussed facebook or myspace or even email, no one would care. The goal, I think, should be to include just enough technology to make it realistic and believable but not so much that the technology interferes with the story. Remember, films are alternate realities. On the other hand, if a character is in a situation where a specific piece of technology would obviously be employed, you either need to allow them to use it or explain why they cannot.

    JPJ's points make sense. If you want to write a movie that revolves around a certain piece of tech, you need to exploit the nuances of that technology and incorporate them into the plot ... but the story is likely to be outdated very quickly. I doubt twitter will exist in ten years. Certainly not in the form it is now. Five years might even be pushing it. Stick to the timeless elements of your story and let technology creep in when it has to.

    Posted 9 months ago #
14. 

    Susan P.
    Member

    Reputation:208

     

    As adjunct topic, as a Twitter user I have come across a great indie movie site, some wonderful Nollywood filmmakers (I'm always up for such things), a good and expanding footage 'bank', film noir devotees, a clever LA comedy group et al. I talk to people beyond the industry but most of what I listed lead me to watching clips, short films or seeing resources that I welcome viewing/having.

    Whilst sexting, cyber stalking et al are real and worrisome for many 'young people', the impression of those tends to cloud what value some social networking can offer. People can so look down their nose at anyone who uses Twitter but to group all users into one collective is problematic. I don't allow applications to rule ME but I use THEM to serve my interests.

    I believe Bear is right though in saying it won't be around long - and I know sooner or later I'll become bored with it because my gains will reach saturation point and then it will seem more a habit and a task than anything enriching.

    What IS interesting is seeing how 'celebs' use Twitter. There's some real insights to be had if you spend the time looking.

    Posted 9 months ago #

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