Testing the Idea Darin, Bryan, Jonathan, Amy

Your Story The story should be straight and to the point. It can’t be confusing and messy. After you have come up with a story idea, you obviously have to test it.

The Testing Exercise 1)Write screenplay idea on sheet of paper 2)Needs to be original, interesting, and has to evoke emotion 3)Has to include - your story name - genre - description of your hero - something that happens to them - solution - the plan - the obstacles

Example The Fugitive is a drama about an innocent doctor who after being wrongly sentenced to be executed for killing his wife manages to escape and needs to clear himself by finding the real murderer. This becomes increasingly difficult because a determined police detective is hot on his trail.

Tests 1,2,&3 Test 1 Be honest to yourself Exciting, original? Complex, simple? Test 2 Ask friends Is it similar to a previous movie? Check their interests in movies Test 3 Check with other people People who read novels Show them your idea and other ones Listen to their ideas

Selling The Idea To Others

The Bad Things They don't seem to get it Their eyes glaze over You have to explain it more than once They think of problems with your logic They mention another movie or book that sounds exactly like it

The Good Things They become visibly excited They start offering additional ideas They can imagine which big stars should play the roles They ask to be kept informed of progress They offer to help or finance it

Self Problems The Problems of no Business It takes a lot of people to make a film. If you can't give an exciting pitch for your film you aren't going to be able to get a crew or actors who are excited and do a good job. It's expensive to make a film. You aren't going to get financing if the film doesn't sound exciting. If you can't even write a two-sentence description of your idea that sounds interesting do you honestly believe you can make a two hour feature that people will want to see. Even art needs an audience. How you think about the movie Over-confidence Don’t care about other people’s opinions

Audience Four Quadrants Men over 25 Women over 25 Men under 25 Women under 25 MPAA Think about the rating G (General Audience) PG (Parental Guidance advised) PG-13 (Parental guidance under 13) R (Under 17 and requires adult) NC-17 (no clearance if 17 and under 17)

Moving On Idea was great or not Don’t be disappointed Don’t quit Persistence

What the four audience quadrants?

MEN OVER 25/UNDER 25 WOMEN OVER 25/UNDER 25

A movie should be complex and unoriginal (T/F)

FALSE

What are four things the testing exercise needs?

CHARACTER NAME GENRE CONFLICT SOLUTION

What do you do in Test 2

Check with friends or relatives

What are two problems if you have no business?

They don't seem to get it Their eyes glaze over You have to explain it more than once They think of problems with your logic They mention another movie or book that sounds exactly like it

Can you be 17 and go to a NC-17 Movie? (t/f)

false

What are three good things that can happen?

They become visibly excited They start offering additional ideas They can imagine which big stars should play the roles They ask to be kept informed of progress They offer to help or finance it

Which MPAA movies can a 14 year old go to by himself?

G, PG, PG13

Which MPAA movies can a 13 year old go to with a parent?

G,PG,PG13, R

What are some self problems that can occur?

How you think about the movie Over-confidence Don’t care about other people’s opinions