That's it, I have to run this by someone.

[guanin]

Okay. So I have this idea that came into my head completely unauthorized while researching for my Tudor novel and I tried to ignore it at first, but after I talked to my cousin (the entertainment business one), she suggested that I start practicing some script ridding, maybe think of some feature film ideas or whatnot, so I decided to start developing this one since it's the only one I have apart from period drama or silliness depending on my mood (but this cinematographer magazine said that period films are a tough sell unless you nab a famous director with pull), so in the interest of keeping things viable this one is set in the present day. And by viable, I mean that the setting is the only viable thing in it. It's also set in London, which is distinctly not here. The only justification I can argue is Stranger than Fiction, which was probably helped a lot by Will Ferrell at the box office.

I'm avoiding mentioning the idea, aren't I? I mean, I like it, though I'm not sure if it isn't a little silly. Though silly is good, right? Though it's not meant to be silly. I don't think.

Anyway. A writer's Tudor era characters come to life. *nervous grin* Okay, the point was, I kept imagining all the culture clash someone from the Tudor period would have these days in our water drinking, scantily clothed wearing, religion free for all world (animal rights? What the hell you mean animal rights?) and I need some way to bring them here, and I don't relish going sci-fi and claiming time warp, cause, well, I find that pretty lame. And I always wanted to write a Pirandelic story ever since I first read Miguel de Unamuno. There's more stuff getting slowly fleshed out, but that's the gist. Good? Horrible? Are you kidding me?

Comments

[c-quinn.livejournal.com]

My only caution would be that, in stories of this vein, they can become too much of a parody (even when that seems to be the intention). The characters are rarely treated with respect and, instead, become exaggerations. The responses aren't realistic, even for a fantasy. There's no... grounding. There's just a smug cuteness; if that even make sense. It's a tough sell--but, if it can be done properly, it could be a very interesting idea. I know I would want to see it. That's a wonderful era to pull from.

[guanin.livejournal.com]

But it's not meant to be a parody at all, actually. What I have right now is very much a drama even if there are comical situations (poor ms. writer probably thinks she has schizopheria at first, because clearly her characters cannot be standing in front of her). And its just as traumatic for the characters, who, as far as they know, are real people snatched from the midst of their lives into this really freaky world. The characters are a recently married couple, arranged marriage, hardly knew each other beforehand. He's in love with someone else, but daddy said "hell no". She's not the widlly romantic type, so she went along with the marraige alright, but does find it annoying that he's constaly pining after someone else. That's what I have so far.

The problem is all my ideas are tough sells. Outside of fandom, I just don't do formula. It doesn't happen. This is actuall one of my sanest ideas.

[c-quinn.livejournal.com]

Even if it's not a parody, it can still become one just by virtue of the idea itself. Because you're asking the audience to suspend their disbelief and, often, they can't in situations like this (if only because other attempts have been so bad. Kate and Leopold, anyone? Not exactly the same thing but time-travel-fish-out-of-water notion can be difficult to believe). I'm not trying to be discouraging. On the contrary, I'd like to see this done as it could be fun. I just wonder if it would work better in novel form, as opposed to script form? A book would allow more room to maneuver the idea, I think. But, again, I hope you can do this. I'd enjoy it. :)

[guanin.livejournal.com]

Well, it is Pirandelism. It's not so much suspension of disbelief as an entirely different perspective on reality and what makes someone real, especially when it comes to the relationship between character and author. I really have been wanting to write Pirandelism forever, just never got an idea. The problem with those other movies is that the characters always get adjusted way too quickly and I hate that. One of my aims here is precisely to not do that, which makes it tough as hell because the culture clash is enormous.

I'm also thinking of the novel, thing, but the problem is that I very much need a script to at least form a portfolio and I already have two novels on the back burner and one I'm actively working on. That one, which is much more fleshed out, takes priority over anything else except for short stories I can show people or scripts for portfolio/cred purposes. I can't work on two novels at once.

[c-quinn.livejournal.com]

One of my aims here is precisely to not do that, which makes it tough as hell because the culture clash is enormous.

If you can manage that, then you'll be far ahead of other movies. It will be difficult but you do understand that it's important; which others seem not to.

I do understand you not being able to make this a novel. Hopefully it will at least come quickly to the script format so you can have a product to show.

[guanin.livejournal.com]

The culture clash was the original idea. The driving force, really.

I do kinda want to, but between this and my current one, yeah, I like my current one more (and not just because my main male character looks like CE, since it was inspired by Elizabeth.).