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I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Paperlilies on Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:55 am
Ok... So!! I printed all the topics and all the replies from the plot/story/scripting forum, and read them all last night and today. (it took a while!!) (don't worry, I'll recycle the paper:P)
In conclusion to that, here is my general feedback:
-it's really not that important (at this stage of working out the story of the movie) how or why the zombies came into being. What IS important is what the characters do about it, how and why they do it and... having a beginning, a middle and an end. A LOT of the plot ideas here are just the beginning scenario, which does not a movie make!
-I think the 'people watch a video and turn into zombies' idea is really TOO 'The Ring'-like to ever work as a unique idea.
Ok so here is how it seems that the most people can get involved yet it still be a coherent film:
We have characters in different areas of the world, with parts of the film (ie, 3rd person movie story telling) shot there (ie, right now, UK and NYC). By this I mean, the whole thing is acted by a bunch of actors, with a proper camera crew etc. These characters and their stories, dealing with the zombies (I'm thinking they are probably regular shmo's like all (or most!
) of us).
Then the stories are interwoven via the magic of youtube! The way that would work is the characters would refer back to youtube/the internet and news bulletins and clips of zombie movies would be amongst the related videos. The focus of the film would then transfer to that 'watching youtube' kind of viewpoint, between NBC, Romero clips, and 1st person vlogs about zombie encounters. The film would then segway into the location of the vlogs, so the film would move from the UK to NYC for instance, and to a separate (yet interwoven) story. The different groups of people would perhaps find new ways of defeating the zombies, which they would then share with one another.
This idea could develop in a number of ways, but the main draw to this for me is that it ticks a lot of boxes: the multiple locations, multiple video types, multiple cameras/quality, and having a backbone to the different story-strands for things to hang off of (youtube (or generic video site we invent))
One way this story could develop is that these clips, of people reporting zombie attacks and sightings, would start disappearing from the internet, and even though our protagonists believe in the zombies, as they've been seeing them and/or fending them off, all the established media just laugh at them and think its just some silly 4chan meme type thing. And maybe we have news reports that poo-poo the idea of zombies, and say it's just a new kind of 'happy slapping', of kids pretending to be zombies, and posting the videos of them biting people online, and there aren't REAL zombies! And even though we know there are zombies, youtube and the powers that be keep removing the videos because they're seen as inciting people to be violent. AND THEN! Maybe the whole thing goes deeper, because its actually the governments who are making sites take these reports of zombie activity down because it's some sort of government conspiracy- perhaps they caused the zombies, and they've been trying to contain the breakout without public knowledge!!
Anyyywaaayys, there's my two cents after having read the rest of the ideas. I hope it makes sense!!
Another few ideas which I think could be fleshed out more are:
the idea of a movie told from the POV of a zombie. Perhaps they don't realise they're a zombie, and they just want to live a normal life, but everyone hates them and is scared of them but in their zombie-mind they don't realise that. Or maybe we could make it into a kind of allegory of the mindless zombieness of many jobs/modern life, where we have offices full of zombies who just go about their day despite being zombies.
The idea of the internet working despite worldwide apocalypse is a little far fetched, so perhaps the film focuses on someone trying to keep a server running despite everything, and communicate with the rest of the world?
The idea of a youtuber going offline for ages and then when people get so curious about what happened to them, they go in search and find that their town is quarantined and is full of zombies...
The first idea (youtube as the backbone that links all the stories) could potentially incorporate all the story ideas that are coherent with one another- ie, in Australia we have a group of people concerned about their online friend who has been AWOL from the internet and that plays out the 'quarantine' idea. Then maybe there's a group in Germany which plays out the 'saving a server' scenario... and so on.
Let me know what you think on these ideas!!
In conclusion to that, here is my general feedback:
-it's really not that important (at this stage of working out the story of the movie) how or why the zombies came into being. What IS important is what the characters do about it, how and why they do it and... having a beginning, a middle and an end. A LOT of the plot ideas here are just the beginning scenario, which does not a movie make!
-I think the 'people watch a video and turn into zombies' idea is really TOO 'The Ring'-like to ever work as a unique idea.
Ok so here is how it seems that the most people can get involved yet it still be a coherent film:
We have characters in different areas of the world, with parts of the film (ie, 3rd person movie story telling) shot there (ie, right now, UK and NYC). By this I mean, the whole thing is acted by a bunch of actors, with a proper camera crew etc. These characters and their stories, dealing with the zombies (I'm thinking they are probably regular shmo's like all (or most!
) of us). Then the stories are interwoven via the magic of youtube! The way that would work is the characters would refer back to youtube/the internet and news bulletins and clips of zombie movies would be amongst the related videos. The focus of the film would then transfer to that 'watching youtube' kind of viewpoint, between NBC, Romero clips, and 1st person vlogs about zombie encounters. The film would then segway into the location of the vlogs, so the film would move from the UK to NYC for instance, and to a separate (yet interwoven) story. The different groups of people would perhaps find new ways of defeating the zombies, which they would then share with one another.
This idea could develop in a number of ways, but the main draw to this for me is that it ticks a lot of boxes: the multiple locations, multiple video types, multiple cameras/quality, and having a backbone to the different story-strands for things to hang off of (youtube (or generic video site we invent))
One way this story could develop is that these clips, of people reporting zombie attacks and sightings, would start disappearing from the internet, and even though our protagonists believe in the zombies, as they've been seeing them and/or fending them off, all the established media just laugh at them and think its just some silly 4chan meme type thing. And maybe we have news reports that poo-poo the idea of zombies, and say it's just a new kind of 'happy slapping', of kids pretending to be zombies, and posting the videos of them biting people online, and there aren't REAL zombies! And even though we know there are zombies, youtube and the powers that be keep removing the videos because they're seen as inciting people to be violent. AND THEN! Maybe the whole thing goes deeper, because its actually the governments who are making sites take these reports of zombie activity down because it's some sort of government conspiracy- perhaps they caused the zombies, and they've been trying to contain the breakout without public knowledge!!
Anyyywaaayys, there's my two cents after having read the rest of the ideas. I hope it makes sense!!
Another few ideas which I think could be fleshed out more are:
the idea of a movie told from the POV of a zombie. Perhaps they don't realise they're a zombie, and they just want to live a normal life, but everyone hates them and is scared of them but in their zombie-mind they don't realise that. Or maybe we could make it into a kind of allegory of the mindless zombieness of many jobs/modern life, where we have offices full of zombies who just go about their day despite being zombies.
The idea of the internet working despite worldwide apocalypse is a little far fetched, so perhaps the film focuses on someone trying to keep a server running despite everything, and communicate with the rest of the world?
The idea of a youtuber going offline for ages and then when people get so curious about what happened to them, they go in search and find that their town is quarantined and is full of zombies...
The first idea (youtube as the backbone that links all the stories) could potentially incorporate all the story ideas that are coherent with one another- ie, in Australia we have a group of people concerned about their online friend who has been AWOL from the internet and that plays out the 'quarantine' idea. Then maybe there's a group in Germany which plays out the 'saving a server' scenario... and so on.
Let me know what you think on these ideas!!
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by bdl218 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:18 am
And Paperlilies spoke and it was the law.
The goal that should be established right now is to establish a backbone. You're right on with all those must fill boxes you brought up. I'm writing a backbone, I don't know if it will end being used or scrapped or whatever the powers may be will eventually decide but people need to start thinking of characters and ending then plot.
It's going to be mighty hard to write a script with the exact locations that end up being used (not to mention whatever youtube celebrities guest star) so I think the best thing at the moment is to leave these fields vague and carry on in terms of writing what will happen and what will be said. I have what I feel is a terrific and unconventional backbone for this thing, the world will find out what it is when I post my script.
The Ringu idea was an interesting one. Too close to the film, the problem I find with it is that it doesn't create or introduce an environment for the outbreak to occur but rather leaves many holes to be filled. The video element is a must have. The number one selling point to this film (besides the number of able bodies), is the youtube experience and connections that can be utilized.
In terms of actual production, I feel like it's going to be very hard to actually wrestle away the "Youtube" logo and name away from the men in suits but in a way this is another good exercise for the art department.
The Zombie POV thing is a must have I think. The thing that's going to have to be unconventional here is that traditionally zombies collapse and wake up mutated and well past the point of being human.
Great great idea about the saving the server thing. I'm thinking this is an excellent midpoint in the film. Losing communication temporarily means that everybody is on their own for a little while.
One last note, despite the fact that there's going to be alot of different crews helping doesn't mean that it's any more feasible to shoot in a whole bunch of exotic locale. Think of Romero's original, there were maybe three locations? The graveyard, outside, and the house. Locations (not crews helping, not segments) are going to have to be minimized as much as possible. (In other words, if you're switching to Germany, use maybe two or three locations and remove any ideas of shutting down a subway or deserted shopping mall)
The goal that should be established right now is to establish a backbone. You're right on with all those must fill boxes you brought up. I'm writing a backbone, I don't know if it will end being used or scrapped or whatever the powers may be will eventually decide but people need to start thinking of characters and ending then plot.
It's going to be mighty hard to write a script with the exact locations that end up being used (not to mention whatever youtube celebrities guest star) so I think the best thing at the moment is to leave these fields vague and carry on in terms of writing what will happen and what will be said. I have what I feel is a terrific and unconventional backbone for this thing, the world will find out what it is when I post my script.
The Ringu idea was an interesting one. Too close to the film, the problem I find with it is that it doesn't create or introduce an environment for the outbreak to occur but rather leaves many holes to be filled. The video element is a must have. The number one selling point to this film (besides the number of able bodies), is the youtube experience and connections that can be utilized.
In terms of actual production, I feel like it's going to be very hard to actually wrestle away the "Youtube" logo and name away from the men in suits but in a way this is another good exercise for the art department.
The Zombie POV thing is a must have I think. The thing that's going to have to be unconventional here is that traditionally zombies collapse and wake up mutated and well past the point of being human.
Great great idea about the saving the server thing. I'm thinking this is an excellent midpoint in the film. Losing communication temporarily means that everybody is on their own for a little while.
One last note, despite the fact that there's going to be alot of different crews helping doesn't mean that it's any more feasible to shoot in a whole bunch of exotic locale. Think of Romero's original, there were maybe three locations? The graveyard, outside, and the house. Locations (not crews helping, not segments) are going to have to be minimized as much as possible. (In other words, if you're switching to Germany, use maybe two or three locations and remove any ideas of shutting down a subway or deserted shopping mall)
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Adz! on Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:54 am
I'm not much of a writer... well actually I spose I am cos I did awesome on English in VCE but thats besides the point.
I think you're quarantine Idea is awesome the whole AWOL idea is a bit creepy... There's a lot of potential there for things like a live webcam stream that goes wrong, sightings, false news reports, people slowly starting to disappear, the world going silent....
I can see this as like a cloverfield - cross dawn of the dead film...
Maybe we should not actually show ANY zombies (like just their shadows or reflections on glass or water?).
The characters would be the main focus and how they act.
What you think paper?
remember: "the play is the thing" - william.s
I think you're quarantine Idea is awesome the whole AWOL idea is a bit creepy... There's a lot of potential there for things like a live webcam stream that goes wrong, sightings, false news reports, people slowly starting to disappear, the world going silent....
I can see this as like a cloverfield - cross dawn of the dead film...
Maybe we should not actually show ANY zombies (like just their shadows or reflections on glass or water?).
The characters would be the main focus and how they act.
What you think paper?
remember: "the play is the thing" - william.s
"If you're an alien how come you sound like you're from the North?"
"Lots of planets have a North!"
"Lots of planets have a North!"
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Loreki on Mon Jun 16, 2008 7:30 am
Well I'd agree lots of the plots are conceptual. Mine included. I think that's probably the place to start though.
A blow by blow plot with characters and twists is perhaps the next step after the conceptual decision. Normally writing something I might say "I want to write a zombie movie about the struggle of one man and follow him through the whole film relentlessly." Then I'd write. But with this, you have to clear the concept with like 200 people first.
Oh and random idea that i'll put here before i forget. It's not greatly relevant to the discussion but:
If we're having a London and an NYC group, each working together/sharing information via the internet to succeed maybe we could put a pair of siblings, a father and son, or other such relationship on opposite sides of the Atlantic. That way as well as demonstrating the ability to grow quite attached to people you've only seen on a screen, which is an obvious message for us to cover, we've got a more traditional element too.
Probably not a father/son/ Day After Tomorrow much? God that movie sucked.
A blow by blow plot with characters and twists is perhaps the next step after the conceptual decision. Normally writing something I might say "I want to write a zombie movie about the struggle of one man and follow him through the whole film relentlessly." Then I'd write. But with this, you have to clear the concept with like 200 people first.
Oh and random idea that i'll put here before i forget. It's not greatly relevant to the discussion but:
If we're having a London and an NYC group, each working together/sharing information via the internet to succeed maybe we could put a pair of siblings, a father and son, or other such relationship on opposite sides of the Atlantic. That way as well as demonstrating the ability to grow quite attached to people you've only seen on a screen, which is an obvious message for us to cover, we've got a more traditional element too.
Probably not a father/son/ Day After Tomorrow much? God that movie sucked.
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by blindmedia on Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:57 am
this is a reallty good basic concept but my only gripe whicgh maty seem pathetic is with most films that are based in more than one country they always use the uk and nyc
what about getting another area involved to?
that would be good also if this is the basis for the whole project then maybe its time to get a proper team together and then finally work on a basic script leading to choosing characters
what about getting another area involved to?
that would be good also if this is the basis for the whole project then maybe its time to get a proper team together and then finally work on a basic script leading to choosing characters
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by nvt1981 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:30 am
Paperlilies wrote:
We have characters in different areas of the world, with parts of the film ....
Do you want non-English speakers to speak English or their own mother tongue?
Paperlilies wrote:
One way this story could develop is that these clips, of people reporting zombie attacks and sightings, would start disappearing from the internet, and even though our protagonists believe in the zombies, as they've been seeing them and/or fending them off, all the established media just laugh at them and think its just some silly 4chan meme type thing. And maybe we have news reports that poo-poo the idea of zombies, and say it's just a new kind of 'happy slapping', of kids pretending to be zombies, and posting the videos of them biting people online, and there aren't REAL zombies! And even though we know there are zombies, youtube and the powers that be keep removing the videos because they're seen as inciting people to be violent. AND THEN! Maybe the whole thing goes deeper, because its actually the governments who are making sites take these reports of zombie activity down because it's some sort of government conspiracy- perhaps they caused the zombies, and they've been trying to contain the breakout without public knowledge!!
it might be also interesting who people blame for the existence of zombies or learn about their theories. here are my suggestions:
ordinary people: "it was the government to create those zombies - as you/paperlilies suggest"
catholics: "everyone who masturbates becomes a zombie"
politicians: "it is a virus created by our enemies from russia, china or any other non-English speaking country"
scientists: "it is evolution"....
Paperlilies wrote:
Another few ideas which I think could be fleshed out more are:
the idea of a movie told from the POV of a zombie. Perhaps they don't realise they're a zombie, and they just want to live a normal life, but everyone hates them and is scared of them but in their zombie-mind they don't realise that. Or maybe we could make it into a kind of allegory of the mindless zombieness of many jobs/modern life, where we have offices full of zombies who just go about their day despite being zombies.
If you want to make a funny movie we could make a plot about a "too friendly zombie" nobody wants to play with because he acts too friendly.
He travels around the world to find some new friends - i know it sounds too much like "Casper - the friendly ghost", but maybe we can grab some ideas of that film.
Paperlilies wrote:
The idea of a youtuber going offline for ages and then when people get so curious about what happened to them, they go in search and find that their town is quarantined and is full of zombies...
Some of us have an offline-life, too, haven't we?
Paperlilies wrote:
...Then maybe there's a group in Germany which plays out the 'saving a server' scenario... and so on.
Let me know what you think on these ideas!!
yeah, German youtubers will not be unemployed then
Last edited by nvt1981 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:33 am; edited 2 times in total (Reason for editing : some grammar mistakes)
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Paperlilies on Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:26 am
blindmedia wrote:this is a reallty good basic concept but my only gripe whicgh maty seem pathetic is with most films that are based in more than one country they always use the uk and nyc
what about getting another area involved to?
that would be good also if this is the basis for the whole project then maybe its time to get a proper team together and then finally work on a basic script leading to choosing characters
uh, yeah i know that but the reason for it in this instance is that the film has at the moment a director who happens to live in the UK and a director who happens to live in NYC. The fact that these cities are vastly populated is why the movie would be set there.
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Fuzileer on Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:51 am
Hey Lilly,
At first I was a bit concerend about your description above of what you expect from this - but then I thought; "hey - this will be original" and take a big view on these aspects.
However, with the constant flickering between different countries, I'm no longer sure whether this should be called a Zombie Movie, but more of a Zombie Series.
If we ever want the audience to connect with the characters then we'd have to either:
a) Cut back on characters and give fewer characters more air-time.
or
b) Make more than 1 film, in order to progress the story.
or
c) Not neccesarily make a movie, but a long series of interconnecting youtube videos (which could confuse the viewers in terms of finding where the previous video left off and where to find the next one).
From the sounds of things I suspect you've chosen C, and I'm a bit concerened about how effective that would be.
The only way to really make plan C work is to create a new youtube account (Called ZombieMovie or whatever) and upload differnet videos one by one called: "Part One" and "Part Two" etc.
I know this may sound confusing or even just plain obvious, but I'm just saying what I'm thinking, here.
However, you have got everyone together and I'm fully behind you on this, whatever decision you make.
At first I was a bit concerend about your description above of what you expect from this - but then I thought; "hey - this will be original" and take a big view on these aspects.
However, with the constant flickering between different countries, I'm no longer sure whether this should be called a Zombie Movie, but more of a Zombie Series.
If we ever want the audience to connect with the characters then we'd have to either:
a) Cut back on characters and give fewer characters more air-time.
or
b) Make more than 1 film, in order to progress the story.
or
c) Not neccesarily make a movie, but a long series of interconnecting youtube videos (which could confuse the viewers in terms of finding where the previous video left off and where to find the next one).
From the sounds of things I suspect you've chosen C, and I'm a bit concerened about how effective that would be.
The only way to really make plan C work is to create a new youtube account (Called ZombieMovie or whatever) and upload differnet videos one by one called: "Part One" and "Part Two" etc.
I know this may sound confusing or even just plain obvious, but I'm just saying what I'm thinking, here.
However, you have got everyone together and I'm fully behind you on this, whatever decision you make.
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by nvt1981 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:11 pm
Fuzileer wrote:Hey Lilly,
c) Not neccesarily make a movie, but a long series of interconnecting youtube videos (which could confuse the viewers in terms of finding where the previous video left off and where to find the next one).
i would say: each video, according to the chronology of the film may contain only one video response.
Fuzileer wrote:
The only way to really make plan C work is to create a new youtube account (Called ZombieMovie or whatever) and upload differnet videos one by one called: "Part One" and "Part Two" etc.
I know this may sound confusing or even just plain obvious, but I'm just saying what I'm thinking, here.
However, you have got everyone together and I'm fully behind you on this, whatever decision you make.
paperlilies has set up a new account already. Now the question might be whether she lets us all use her new account as those lonelygirl15 actors apparently (which i am not sure of) do, or asks us to send her our videos.
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by nvt1981 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:12 pm
nvt1981 wrote:Fuzileer wrote:Hey Lilly,
c) Not neccesarily make a movie, but a long series of interconnecting youtube videos (which could confuse the viewers in terms of finding where the previous video left off and where to find the next one).
i would say: each video, according to the chronology of the film, may contain only one video response.Fuzileer wrote:
The only way to really make plan C work is to create a new youtube account (Called ZombieMovie or whatever) and upload differnet videos one by one called: "Part One" and "Part Two" etc.
I know this may sound confusing or even just plain obvious, but I'm just saying what I'm thinking, here.
However, you have got everyone together and I'm fully behind you on this, whatever decision you make.
paperlilies has set up a new account already. Now the question might be whether she lets us all use her new account as those lonelygirl15 actors apparently (which i am not sure of) do, or asks us to send her our videos.
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Fuzileer on Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:49 pm
nvt1981 wrote:
paperlilies has set up a new account already. Now the question might be whether she lets us all use her new account as those lonelygirl15 actors apparently (which i am not sure of) do, or asks us to send her our videos.
I wouldnt do that - theres bound to be noobs about - I wouldnt risk it.
Plot ideas, etc
by dangermouse1001 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:12 pm
From looking at what everyone has written here, it looks like there are a lot of good ideas. However, like someone said earlier (sorry, i havent quite got the hang of quoting someone yet ) I think we need to go ahead and just choose an idea (obviously not now, as good ideas may still come in) and not get bogged down with like, 10 different ideas.
I'm not sure whether the friendly zombie idea would work - its a really cute idea, and I reckon it could be quite funny, but then you probably wouldn't be able to incorporate all the stuff about youtube, etc, cos then the movie would end up being ridiculously long!
Anyway, thats just me wittering away,
dangermouse x
) I think we need to go ahead and just choose an idea (obviously not now, as good ideas may still come in) and not get bogged down with like, 10 different ideas. I'm not sure whether the friendly zombie idea would work - its a really cute idea
, and I reckon it could be quite funny, but then you probably wouldn't be able to incorporate all the stuff about youtube, etc, cos then the movie would end up being ridiculously long!Anyway, thats just me wittering away,
dangermouse xHow's that for a slice of fried gold?
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Fuzileer on Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:38 pm
Why dont we just simply do a "Night of the living dead" thing for a majority of the story.
Its simple.
We get a house (in the countryside prefferably).
Board it up.
Comes under attack by zombies.
House falls down.
End.
Simple - effective - scary.
^^
Its simple.
We get a house (in the countryside prefferably).
Board it up.
Comes under attack by zombies.
House falls down.
End.
Simple - effective - scary.
^^
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by nvt1981 on Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:57 pm
Fuzileer wrote:Why dont we just simply do a "Night of the living dead" thing for a majority of the story.
Its simple.
ha ha, i am watching this film on my computer.
Re: I've read all of this forum! and here are/is my conclusion(s)
by Fuzileer on Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:26 pm
Heh heh, I'm currently watching the original dawn of the dead! XD
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