Writer's Block?

[screenwright90]

Hi, I'm new here but I think this is the right place to post this thread. I have this great idea for a screenplay, but I can't seem to come up with many scenes to put in the movie. I have a few (about 6 pages worth) scenes written out, but I'm stuck after that. Since I want some ideas for scenes, here is the plot of my story:

Tim Edwards, the varsity quarterback, wins a contest where his band, ZForce, is flown out to LA to record a song/album. While in Hollywood, Tim sees a beautiful actress, and immediately becomes attracted to her. The actresss, however, takes to Tim as if he were another typical fan, and accuses him of stalking her. Eventually, she realizes that Tim is unique, and reconciles with him. They get married, and move to Oklahoma.

Here are the mini-descriptions of the scenes I have written out or ideas about how to do:

1. Tim breaking up with Chelsea Brooks, a brilliant girl. (I'm still trying to figure out how this ties in with the plot)
2. Tim breaking up with Emily Perkins, the varsity cheerleader captain. (Cliche, I know, but again still trying to tie it in with the plot)
3. Tim and the actress get married.
4. Tim meets Chelsea for the first time. (Once again, no idea on how to connect it to the overall storyline)

That's about as far I as got with the scenes. If you don't have any ideas, I'm really just looking for something like the mini-descriptions I gave above), how about asking some questions that need to be answered about the storyline, so I can try to base scenes off of those. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[BoOm_ThOuGhT]

There are some things I don't understand. Maybe it's the way you've describe them or it's just me.

I think you should start of by making the story simple (for now) and get rid of Emily Perkins. Is she really important to the story? To me Tim just seems like he would sleep with any girl, and I don't think that's a good choice to have the character come across like that.

Anyway, does Tim break up with Chelsea before or after meeting the actress?

- BoOm

 

[pusser]

Why have you gone ahead and written out some scenes that don't naturally fit into the storyline? I'd write out the storyline first, and then write/expand the scenes with peripheral characters. Hey, but that's me.

It's hard for me not to think about the movie ROCK-STAR in this scenario, but here are some options using everything you've mentioned:

Throughout his high school career, Tim Edwards, the varsity quarterback, has dated Emily Perkins, the varsity cheerleader captain.  Everyone thought they were a perfect match---king/queen of the prom---but Tim always knew there were bigger and better things ahead of him, and she always said she'd never leave their hometown, where she's a big fish in a small pond.  He went away to college on an athletics scholarship.

He's a big-man-on-campus, but even into his junior and senior years, he thinks back on Chelsea Brooks, a girl he first met her during college freshmen orientation. Their college careers took them different directions. He was afraid that he was a little too dense to impress anyone as smart as she. He fostered a reputation as a jock---and as a rock-and-roll bad boy. And she could never be into anyone like that.

Tim and his informal band, ZForce, put a video up on YouTube original music video contest, and it creates a sensation, and they win a trip to have their tune professionally recorded in Hollywood, where during the festivities Tim meets a beautiful actress. He's smitten. During their L.A. stay he tries to contact her several times, but each time he's either turned away or security escorts him away from her with prejudice.

He returns home to find his song climbs into the Top 100. ZForce is in demand, but it's all they can do to keep up with writing and performing, and he knows they need someone to handle their business affairs---someone they could afford, someone nice, someone smart, someone trustworthy....someone like....Chelsea Brooks. He asks her to help the band handle their scheduling and marketing demands as their regional following begins to grow. She reluctantly agrees, but as the band grows in popularity, Chelsea begins to see Tim as the good-hearted guy he really is, not the jock or bad-boy the public thinks of him.

Of course, his popularity reaches L.A., where the actress recognizes him, and being fresh off a break-up herself, she travels to one of their shows to give him the chance she wouldn't in L.A. He's still smitten, and Chelsea sees the actress as a threat....a golddigger....and it leads to her quit the band. The actress assures Tim that her agent can handle the job, and she begins to reel him in, unaware that her infatuation with his persona is not love for the real Tim. They hastily marry.

Weeks later Emily shows up at a concert. Tim's happy to see her and remember their adventurous youth together. The actress sees their affectionate interaction, and she reacts in ugly rage, belittling Emily, and insulting Tim when he defends her. They both realize the marriage was a mistake. She returns to Hollywood. Emily goes back home.

Shortly, in an interview, someone asks Tim if he has anyone special in his life. He says no....that he has really only loved one woman, and he let her get away while he was blinded by the bright lights of L.A. Chelsea sees/reads the interview, and she knows he's talking about her. She travels to where ZForce is next performing, and she arranges to get a pass backstage. After the performance, Tim goes to his dressing room/bus, and there she is, and they melt into each others' arms.

 

[screenwright90]

I really like that storyline. It still seems a bit cliche, but it's good. I'll probably use bits and pieces from it anyway. Right now, I'm working on a smaller side project, but hopefully I can get back into this one.

 

[pusser]

It IS a bit cliche....was just trying to work your existing scenes into a storyline. I'll post something shortly that does the same, but without being so hokey.

 

[director15]

Re: Writer's Block?

Hi, I'm new here but I think this is the right place to post this thread. I have this great idea for a screenplay, but I can't seem to come up with many scenes to put in the movie. I have a few (about 6 pages worth) scenes written out, but I'm stuck after that. Since I want some ideas for scenes, here is the plot of my story:

Tim Edwards, the varsity quarterback, wins a contest where his band, ZForce, is flown out to LA to record a song/album. While in Hollywood, Tim sees a beautiful actress, and immediately becomes attracted to her. The actresss, however, takes to Tim as if he were another typical fan, and accuses him of stalking her. Eventually, she realizes that Tim is unique, and reconciles with him. They get married, and move to Oklahoma.

Here are the mini-descriptions of the scenes I have written out or ideas about how to do:

1. Tim breaking up with Chelsea Brooks, a brilliant girl. (I'm still trying to figure out how this ties in with the plot)
2. Tim breaking up with Emily Perkins, the varsity cheerleader captain. (Cliche, I know, but again still trying to tie it in with the plot)
3. Tim and the actress get married.
4. Tim meets Chelsea for the first time. (Once again, no idea on how to connect it to the overall storyline)

That's about as far I as got with the scenes. If you don't have any ideas, I'm really just looking for something like the mini-descriptions I gave above), how about asking some questions that need to be answered about the storyline, so I can try to base scenes off of those. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

On number one you could have Chelsea become a famous actress.

Number two Emily and Chelsea meet up in Hollywood and they try to convince the beautiful actress that Tim is a stalker.

 

[screenwright90]

Well here's the new plot I came up with:

Tim Edwards, the senior varsity quarterback at Eastlake High, is dating Emily Perkins, the senior varsity cheerleader captain. They were the perfect match, homecoming king & queen, but Tim has to end their relationship since he receives a scholarship to play college ball out in California. Tim's band puts up a music video on YouTube, and it creates a sensation. The band gets a call from a record producer in L.A. to go out there and record a demo CD. While in Hollywood, Tim sees Chelsea Brooks, beautiful actress, and becomes smitten. Whenever he tries to contact Chelsea, he is either turned down or escorted away by her security. After hearing one of ZForce's songs on the radio, the actress decides to give Tim a chance. She goes to a gig that Zforce landed while in L.A. She hangs out with Tim after the gig, and sees his true personality. Tim and the Chelsea end up getting married 5 years later.

So what do ya'll think, and what are some scenes (and ways to do those scenes) that need to be put into this movie?

-Matt

 

[pusser]

Sounds familiar! ;^)

I think it's OK that it's kinda cliche, overall, but where you can make it interesting is in the side plots, in the pro/antagonists' personality faults, etc. I'll try and give this some thought the next day or two and offer some twists to make the straightforward plot a little quirky.