Writers' Ideas

[Rhoda]

So it's more of personal thing than an occupational thing? Sounds good, he doesn't sound like he's restrained by his job.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

^ Exactly. That's what makes it so fascinating.

 

Honestly, the plot formulated in my head after hearing 2 lines from the Max Payne movie trailer:

 

Thug: "You a cop?"

 

max holds his badge in his hand, staring at it.

 

Max: "Not tonight."

 

And the story just came together in my head. Another plot point, the cop is no longer residing in the same city as the gangster. So, he travels to the city not only as an ex-cop, but an outsider. Cue awesome story.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake

[Rhoda]

The potential is vast too, as the ex-cop could possibly have access to his police car, police records and weaponry. Sounds like a great idea Don, I hope it comes together.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

Oh, trust me man, the ideas run amok in my head.

 

So many great things can be done. So much so that the potential to be an epic is really obvious. Hence, the fear that I may mishandle it. If I do decide to write, it's gonna have to be a labor of real patient writing and re-editing.

[Rhoda]

Well do take your time on it, it sounds fantastic. I have visions of this derranged cop driven by personal pain, chasing after this guy on foot wearing slacks and a Hawaiian shirt. No idea why, but I have the vision of corrupt ex-cops wearing really fruity shirts.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

Haha, I actually laughed out loud from that. Miami Vice came to mind, and bad mustaches...

 

But nah, it'd be a very dark, grim story. And he wouldn't be so much deranged, as very vengeful. Scorned, pissed, and itching for revenge, he proceeds down a long path of mind-games, obstructions, and chaos.

[Rhoda]

Yeah, I think it'd work a lot better if the ex-cop wasn't derranged, just driven by revenge and passion. Sometimes a story works better as a clear cut, straight forward narrative, rather than having to drag some element of insanity in there.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

For sure, but don't think I won't include savage acts of violence and themes of diminished mental states.

 

The protagonist is harboring a long-held grudge that's basically torn his life to hell. Revenge is all he can envision, all he can hope for. It's the only thing he has left.

[Rhoda]

So is it something that him and this criminal shared quite a while ago then? I think with something like this, a rather long period of time between the event and the hunt would work well, something like 8-10 years. Just random numbers I thought of, but I can remember something that happened 10 years ago and it's a f*cking long time, man. This would've eaten him alive at this point.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

Yeah, 8-10 years is far too long. It'll be shorter, a few years at most, and the gangster and the cop will have different recollections of each other.

 

The gangster, living a gangster's life, has seemingly forgotten the ordeal.

 

The ex-cop...has not.

 

Thus, the fun in the cop reminding him.

[Rhoda]

I suppose a few years is much more realistic, which is something you're going for here. The whole "ten years on" thing sounds rather cliche now that I think about it.

 

In other news, my Thousand Words A Week competition is now up in a seperate topic, anyone interested should have a look.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

Yeah, your topic looks pretty good.

 

On a side note, think of Danny Glover's cop character from Saw, only less deranged. Take away the craziness and replace it with cynicism and a merciless nature. That'll be my ex-cop.

[Rhoda]

Are you going to base the likeness of the cop on Danny Glover? That'd be downright awesome.

[Oxidizer]

Build up a backstory for your villain(s), it's [nearly] always good to know what makes them tick. But do so that you don't make it blatantly obvious; keep some mystique about their past.

[Hart]

 

For sure, but don't think I won't include savage acts of violence and themes of diminished mental states.

 

The protagonist is harboring a long-held grudge that's basically torn his life to hell. Revenge is all he can envision, all he can hope for. It's the only thing he has left.

Sounds like Paddy Considine on Dead Man's Shoes, but as a cop.

 

Your idea = awesome.

 

edit: Made me want to make a sig.

Edited November 14, 2008 by Hart

[Rhoda]

That's a good point, but how would you do it? How much do you go into a backstory without giving too much away?

[Oxidizer]

Easy, just write a small outline of what happened to the villain in the past that shaped them into the person they are in the present. Don't dwell on it, don't put that much thought into it yourself; incorporate his or her characteristics into the story realistically to that of what a person who has actually gone through those experiences would (a bit of research might be necessary). That's what I did with a baddie I got in the pipeline.

[Rhoda]

I always have trouble making sh*t like that flow. I enjoy writing backstories for my characters, makes writing easier, but when it comes to posting them I feel I'm taking a step sideways.

[QwertyAAA]

I think I've struck comedy gold.

 

 

Listen to this:

 

 

Hitler talking with either a stereotypical Scottish accent or a stereotypical Texan accent.

[Rhoda]

Hitler and a... wha...?

 

Are you serious?

[mark-2007]

I dunno. I think she may be trying to be funny.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

Are you going to base the likeness of the cop on Danny Glover? That'd be downright awesome.

No, not really. Just his situation and mental state. He won't be black either if that's what you were getting at.

 

As for the villain's past.... The protagonist is a crime boss of substantial stature, there isn't much need to do a Godfather II and explain his past and entrance into the criminal underworld. He's a typical gangster, ruthless, organized, cocky. I really doubt I'll give him much of a backstory, maybe a little something.

[Rhoda]

A lot of it could be told without disrupting any real flow. Scenes where the ex-cop's on his own could be a perfect chance to delve into his emotions. Isolation could bring out a lot of background exploration.

 

And not necessarily black, just that Danny Glover is a bad muhfuggah.

[Don Garcia aka NjNakedSnake]

Oh, I'll be definitely be diving into the ex-cop, the protagonist's psyche.

 

It's the antagonist, the gangster, that I have no real interest in doing a big back story for. And yeah, Glover is badass, but I'm going even more badass. Think more Mel Gibson from the first Lethal Weapon, suicidal and vicious.

[Oxidizer]

I extended AM to a 2-chapter, 3-scene thing as opposed to the one-shot it originally intended to be. It's more about violent pornography than snuff and focuses more on the voyeuristic side of the industry. I just gotta work out how I want these characters' personalities to be and then it's all systems go; I'm going with 'quality over quantity' this time. I'll keep you posted.

[QwertyAAA]

I dunno. I think she may be trying to be funny.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdist_humor

Look into it.

[mark-2007]

I dunno. I think she may be trying to be funny.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdist_humor

Look into it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense_of_humour

Try getting one.

 

Humour is, of course, a matter of opinion. But my opinion, and I'm sure it's shared by others, is that Hitler speaking in a Scottish/Texan accent isn't that hilarious.

[Oxidizer]

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdist_humor

Look into it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sense_of_humour

Try getting one.

Sorry, but I lol'd.

[Lochie_old]

I think I've struck comedy gold.

 

Listen to this:

 

Obama talking with either a stereotypical Scottish accent or a stereotypical Texan accent.

 

But srsly, penning down a few plans for YNAotD.

[mark-2007]

I think I've struck comedy gold.

 

Listen to this:

 

Obama talking with either a stereotypical Scottish accent or a stereotypical Texan accent.

 

But srsly, penning down a few plans for YNAotD.

Nah, I think George W. Bush would work better with the latter stereotypical Texan accent. Hilarity shalt ensue!

 

On another note, I guess I'm in a bit of a rut when it comes to writing. Even that 1000 Words a Week isn't helping.