Sunday, July 17, 2005

Approaching the finishline...

Random thoughts on the new script:

Wrote 25+ pages for the movie for Velvet Steamroller. I turn it in this week for notes which are always fun.

But, since this is essentially my first draft, I already know the following:

1. Characterization/quirks are minimal at this point and need to addressed in further drafts. What's the point of a character if he/she can't be distinctive?

2. Dialogue needs to squeezed of all it's lifeblood, so just the essential pulp is there - the stuff that really matters. I am not a "dialogue guy" in the first place so this is very important. Most of the good notes I get for dialogue boil down to, "Great one-liner there." Most of my attaboys deal with my conjuring horrific imagery and suspense (on a budget), and true to my rep, I think people are going to think I live in an abattoir or something...

But, in finishing up this draft, I already know that these creatures will be different. They can be anywhere and anyone. The paranoia that will be evident in the final film isn't yet on the page, but it needs to be - kind of like Carpenter's THE THING. Horror and paranoia in a high tech setting. This is a step in the right direction.

Visually, I keep seeing the fight scenes from the recent Battlestar Galactica premiere - that whole washed out, shutter speed adjusted, high contrast jerky cam. Lots of angles and INTENSITY. The story structure itself isn't difficult, and it will be easy to follow, but when the twists arrive I hope they pay off like the Lotto. The cool thing about that whole BG look (especially those scenes they've had down on Caprica) is that they invoke uneasiness even when it's just dialogue. Odd angles and the stutter effect really make you feel the punches and the emotion.

That's what this movie is - a full round of punches.

Ding Ding. Round two comin' up...

2 comments:

Dave said...

Back in March, you mentioned that a D2DVD script should be no longer than 90 pages. What, in your estimation, would be too short? I'm working on a project that doesn't get past the 80 page mark unless I put in generic filler and B.S., and I'm trying to avoid that.

Cunningham said...

You aim for 90 pages, knowing that with editing and whatnot the picture will generally come out to be 96 minutes (TV broadcast length).

Are you absolutely sure it would be filler?