Lack of Originality?

[FTL]

Lately, it seems as if the only fan-fics a person can produce is one that consists of paper thin stick figure teens, the already done a million times scenario, the babysitting deal, etc.

I know some like to ‘go back to the basics,’ but it seems to me when ever that is tried by some, that it just doesn’t work well.

Usually, coming into this forum and seeing a new script posted, or a story, anything, it always involves the return of Tommy and John, or some other character. Add Michael into the mix, with some teens you don’t care about and a half-ass idea, and all you got is a script containing carnage and boredom. There’s probably 95% of material out there like that.

I just want to see something new. Like Spirits of the Dead by Remicis. Yeah, a reporter uncovering a dark story and getting closer to the truth might seem like it’s been done before, but it was the way it was done, the way it was put together, that kept me interested.

I’m working on my H9, and I can say by far it’s completely different from what I see nowadays. No shitty teens, no extra thought on how brutal the death scenes are gonna be, no lines that don’t sound like real things that people would say. Less Michael and killing, and all character, dialogue, and atmosphere. …So does anyone have an original thought in their brain?

[ten31]

I have a script at a small production company at the moment. They requested my script after liking my synopsis. I sent them the script and got back a few notes on how they liked it, but if I could make it a little more generic. That they DTV market doesn't like to see anything new and original. I was amazed at their response.

[MMyers89]

Well, my script does have alot of what you mentioned, teens, babysitting, Tommy and John. But I am still focusing around characters, atmosphere, and story. I also am only going to have 3 to 4 deaths in it, and all are not very gory. I have gotten alot of feedback from alot of people that say they like the atmosphere, that there is a foreboding sense througout my script. I dont know if you have read mine or not, but if you haven't you should check it out and tell me what you think. I'm open to criticism.

[boogeyman87]

I've got some non-halloween related ideas that i think are good but i wouldnt share them yet. As for my story it doesnt have tommy or john, but it does have lindsey wallace. So not sure whats your take on my idea. I dont know if you've read what i have so far from my story .(sorry i cant remember the people who commented) so if you havent then i suggest you do and then you can tell me if i suck at originality or not. Its cool if you do, i'll just stop writing.

[FTL]

Originally posted by boogeyman87
I've got some non-halloween related ideas that i think are good but i wouldnt share them yet. As for my story it doesnt have tommy or john, but it does have lindsey wallace. So not sure whats your take on my idea. I dont know if you've read what i have so far from my story .(sorry i cant remember the people who commented) so if you havent then i suggest you do and then you can tell me if i suck at originality or not. Its cool if you do, i'll just stop writing.

Fucking lame. No matter how bad somebody says your work is, never ever quit on it. You do it for yourself, not for anyone else, even if it does lack quite a bit...just work on it.

Anyway, to Halloween Shadow. I remember reading your first material you had posted on the old board, but I had never checked anything new since I wasn't pulled into it. I gave it a complete read just now and I can't really say much until I see more, except that I did spot the stereotypical characters (asshole jock, the principle, etc.), and that the current angle with Darren being followed (and the last cliff hanger), should be worked on. It gives me the feeling that there are plenty movies/scripts out there with the same idea as you though.

[boogeyman87]

Originally posted by FTL
Fucking lame. No matter how bad somebody says your work is, never ever quit on it. You do it for yourself, not for anyone else, even if it does lack quite a bit...just work on it.

Anyway, to Halloween Shadow. I remember reading your first material you had posted on the old board, but I had never checked anything new since I wasn't pulled into it. I gave it a complete read just now and I can't really say much until I see more, except that I did spot the stereotypical characters (asshole jock, the principle, etc.), and that the current angle with Darren being followed (and the last cliff hanger), should be worked on. It gives me the feeling that there are plenty movies/scripts out there with the same idea as you though.

Ya, honestly i'm just trying to get it done because 1. its only the first draft, and 2. i never finish my storys. I've had 3 total and this is the only one i've written more than 2 pages for. I wouldnt stop writing all together if you or someone didnt like it , but i would stop the story. I'm writing for you guys . I'm kinda into it , but i'm more into writing to please people than to please my self. I please myself with my poems , if you take alook at them. Also i did but those characters in there on purpose because its stereotypical and their real life characters in everyday life. I'm trying to fix it for you guys and make it the best i can bring to the table.

[FTL]

I say avoid the stereotypical characters and easy to dispose of teens. Write something that's gritty, something that will make your balls tremble and blow you away in the end. I hate following the same old cliched horror formula. In fact, I'm dead against it. But that's just me. Maybe there's 3 or 4 other people..

[boogeyman87]

Originally posted by FTL
I say avoid the stereotypical characters and easy to dispose of teens. Write something that's gritty, something that will make your balls tremble and blow you away in the end. I hate following the same old cliched horror formula. In fact, I'm dead against it. But that's just me. Maybe there's 3 or 4 other people..

Well was there anything in my story that i did right? Cause i'll keep those things and throw out the rest. Start from scratch. I'm serious though, was there anything that you thought was good that i could take note of .

[MMyers89]

FTL, have you read any of mine yet, if so what did you think?

[triefy]

I was working on that Halloween Requiem film. And I'm revising things around. However I'm not a good screenwriter so thats where my problem lies. The Idea I have will either get me bashed by Halloween Purists or will be embraced. Either way I think its a interesting concept. It's not going to be like H3, but it does get away from the norm and goes back to the source.

[triefy]

I forgot to mention, I will be shooting some footage this halloween and over the weekends I will be doing tests. I will probably ask for input as well.

[Beau]

Im currently writing two horror scripts at the moment, one a friday the 13th script another......( not telling ).
Anyways i hope to become a director.

[Hall9ween]

I really liked Zombie Commando's ideas on the UHMB, of children going missing near Halloween.

I was going to write it so it focused on the main character of one of the mothers of the hostage children.

Many people on the old board said they did not like this idea, 'cause it "wasn't Michael's style", and that it was "too different". I just thought stuff it, 'cause I thought it was a really good new fresh idea. I might start writing some stuff down for this soon.

[FTL]

Originally posted by Hall9ween
I really liked Zombie Commando's ideas on the UHMB, of children going missing near Halloween.

I like most of his ideas. He's always coming up with something new and fresh, and that's needed.

[Thrillogy]

i think some ideas are all used up nowadays. its hard to come up with a stellar idea such as ANOES, F13, and TCM.

[Thrillogy]

Originally posted by Hall9ween
I really liked Zombie Commando's ideas on the UHMB, of children going missing near Halloween.

I was going to write it so it focused on the main character of one of the mothers of the hostage children.

Many people on the old board said they did not like this idea, 'cause it "wasn't Michael's style", and that it was "too different". I just thought stuff it, 'cause I thought it was a really good new fresh idea. I might start writing some stuff down for this soon.

ZC is a brillaint writer. we need something new and fresh. his idea was quite good IMO

[boogeyman87]

I had an idea a few months back. It came from a dream that scared the crap out of me. I also just started something else , but i'm not sure if i'm gonna write more to it. I wish i could give you guys something great to read.

[albinofats]

I had an idea for a halloween movie that got away from the norm. It didn't have teens being killed or any of the generic crap. My idea is based on an oil rig in the gulf of Mexico during a tropical storm. Michael winds up on the rig and stalks the six or so people on it. Having no means of escape or contact with the mainland, the workers have to fight him or die. I thought it would be kind of cool to get Michael out of the small town and put him in a situation where his prey can't run or get into cars and drive away, and it would make it plausible that he woul dbe able to walk as he does and catch them. Plus, you add the claustrophobic feeling of being in a contained space.

Just an idea. The main character is what I'm really planning on focusing on. This is his story, not Michael's, much like the original was Laurie's story.

[Franchise]

That's a damn good idea. Wish I had thought of it. It'd bring it back around to what the story is about. It's not necessarily about Myers, but about the mood and conflicts of characters.

[freethy]

Originally posted by albinofats
I had an idea for a halloween movie that got away from the norm. It didn't have teens being killed or any of the generic crap. My idea is based on an oil rig in the gulf of Mexico during a tropical storm. Michael winds up on the rig and stalks the six or so people on it. Having no means of escape or contact with the mainland, the workers have to fight him or die. I thought it would be kind of cool to get Michael out of the small town and put him in a situation where his prey can't run or get into cars and drive away, and it would make it plausible that he woul dbe able to walk as he does and catch them. Plus, you add the claustrophobic feeling of being in a contained space.

Just an idea. The main character is what I'm really planning on focusing on. This is his story, not Michael's, much like the original was Laurie's story.

I personaly don't like the idea of it being set on an oil rig, but you have definatly got the right idea in terms of mood and the idea of it being in a confined space where escape is out of the question. All in all though, it is a damn good idea.

[MMyers89]

Originally posted by Franchise
That's a damn good idea. Wish I had thought of it. It'd bring it back around to what the story is about. It's not necessarily about Myers, but about the mood and conflicts of characters.

Thats what I tried to do in my script, and I hope I pulled it off. Its a story about friends, and they happen to get stalked by Myers. I didn't focus on a story about Myers. I hardly ever follow him around in my script, he is usually in the background when I am following characters.

[FTL]

Many say that. It's just how it turns out in the end that proves whether you can succeed in that territory.

[JR-STALLION]

Originally posted by FTL
Lately, it seems as if the only fan-fics a person can produce is one that consists of paper thin stick figure teens, the already done a million times scenario, the babysitting deal, etc.

I know some like to ‘go back to the basics,’ but it seems to me when ever that is tried by some, that it just doesn’t work well.

Usually, coming into this forum and seeing a new script posted, or a story, anything, it always involves the return of Tommy and John, or some other character. Add Michael into the mix, with some teens you don’t care about and a half-ass idea, and all you got is a script containing carnage and boredom. There’s probably 95% of material out there like that.

I just want to see something new. Like Spirits of the Dead by Remicis. Yeah, a reporter uncovering a dark story and getting closer to the truth might seem like it’s been done before, but it was the way it was done, the way it was put together, that kept me interested.

I’m working on my H9, and I can say by far it’s completely different from what I see nowadays. No shitty teens, no extra thought on how brutal the death scenes are gonna be, no lines that don’t sound like real things that people would say. Less Michael and killing, and all character, dialogue, and atmosphere. …So does anyone have an original thought in their brain?

I very much agree with what you have said. It's nice to know that there is someone who sees things like this from the same perspective as I do. This "originality problem" isn't only with this franchise, and not only with this genre, but with other genres' today too. They just keep fleshing out movies that have nothing original to them. They don't make movies the way they used to nowadays. And it's gonna take writers like you and me and the very few that are out there to balance this out.

[Johnathon]

In my H9 script, I have the teens (well, college students) in mine, but mine has a little more mystery and atmosphere. It's hard writng a Halloween script and not be generic or unoriginal. It just comes up when I'm writing it. No one can top Remicis and EOTL's Spirits of the Dead.

[Johnathon]

I'm also looking over my script and it kinda reminds me of Candyman 2. The main character finding out things about her family and its history. There's some unoriginallity.

[JR-STALLION]

Okay, I've read "Spirits of the dead" and I must admit...it was a damn good piece if work. Couldn't have asked for better. But mine, I have to be a little conceited here, but my take is far better, if not on the same level. My story breathed fresh air back into the whole saga. People who've asked to read it, found that it was VERY original and frightening.

[H-field Hero]

Better than spirits of the dead? Thats a bold claim. Spirits of the dead is both a great story and very well written.

When I get time to do some leisure reading, I may have to check your stuff out.

[Mark Warner]

Originally posted by JR-STALLION
Okay, I've read "Spirits of the dead" and I must admit...it was a damn good piece if work. Couldn't have asked for better. But mine, I have to be a little conceited here, but my take is far better, if not on the same level. My story breathed fresh air back into the whole saga. People who've asked to read it, found that it was VERY original and frightening.

That is QUITE the bold statement. Spirits of The Dead was probably the best piece of Halloween fan fiction I've read.

I'd like to see your story sometime. See if it lives up to your hype.

[Johnathon]

Originally posted by JR-STALLION
Okay, I've read "Spirits of the dead" and I must admit...it was a damn good piece if work. Couldn't have asked for better. But mine, I have to be a little conceited here, but my take is far better, if not on the same level. My story breathed fresh air back into the whole saga. People who've asked to read it, found that it was VERY original and frightening.

That's very arrogant. Remicis and EOTL don't go around saying theirs is better, but it's still pretty damn good.

[JR-STALLION]

Oh don't get me wrong. Maybe I got off on the wrong foot in saying that "mines is better." It was arrogance on my part to say that. If I have to reword what I said in my original post, I'd have to say it's just as good as "Spirits of the dead." Their take is genuin and what can I say really good and I got to say mines is up there with theirs.

[boogeyman87]

I think you have the right to claim such a thing. I'm not going to call you arrogant.

[Bucky-lives]

I won't call you arrogant either either. But Spirits is the best i have read.

[H-field Hero]

Absolutely. I wasn't trying to say in my post "how dare you say anything is better than spirits of the dead". Spirits of the dead is merely a Halloween story written by a couple of fans. Nothing says it can't be out done. I was just pointing out that if you say yours is better, then you have your work cut out for you.

[Johnathon]

Originally posted by JR-STALLION
Oh don't get me wrong. Maybe I got off on the wrong foot in saying that "mines is better." It was arrogance on my part to say that. If I have to reword what I said in my original post, I'd have to say it's just as good as "Spirits of the dead." Their take is genuin and what can I say really good and I got to say mines is up there with theirs.

Well, I think everyone's writing is good. Most of the writing here is better than the writing they used to make some of the sequels. I'm sure yours is good. I think mine is good. I think everyones is good.

[EvilOnTwoLegs]

I just want to see something new. Like Spirits of the Dead by Remicis.
I just realized that my name isn't anywhere to be found in this passage. Shit, you collaborate on a well-respected piece of fan fiction, and this is the thanks you get...total neglect. :bang: heh heh

[Rabbit in Red]

Talking about un-originality, I started reworking the Halloween series from a contemporary view. I went into it writing a trilogy. Halloween III would have been a different take from both H4 and H20. Instead of Myers surviving or vanishing. He is dead. Four years after the initial incident, a slew of murders occur during the days leading up to halloween. Trick-or-treating is banned and a town meeting is held to decide what to do with the old Myers place. I won't ruin the ending, since I might get around to finishing it, but its a mystery flick about who the murderer is.

[MichaelJrdnMyrs]

I think one of the most difficult things on this earth to write would be a Halloween sequel that is fresh, intriguing, yet still meshes in with what has gone before it.

[ITSMEBILLY]

Well I thought Scratch's ideas where very original. For those of you who dont know Scratch pened Halloween 4's novel, he at one point had a chance at Halloween 9 but something went wrong. :(

Any way Ive been thinking about using Scratches idea for a Halloween script. I very long ago wrote a Halloween 9 and 10 with all the hallmarks of unoriginality.

Bring back Tommy, tying up lose ends, Thorn ect it did have some original stuff and after half the script spent making Bustas charactre more human then I killed him off.

But Im really seriously thinking about doing this idea justice the way that Scartch intended.

Guess I should ask his permission though.

Any comments?

[MichaelJrdnMyrs]

How did Scratch's interpretation of Halloween 4 differ from the movie?

You could still bring back Tommy, do more with Thorn, etc. The difficulty is in trying to come up with an awesome idea to plug them into that feels like it fits in the Halloween universe.

How did he intend to do them justice?

[ITSMEBILLY]

Yes he did he intended to do the whole series justice. His H4 novel was the movie to the power of ten. His idea with stuff like thorn was to reinvent to an extent what we learnt. So Im guessing he was gonna rid us of the gentic test tube babies bit.

He planned on bring back Rev Jack Sayer too as well as some other chararcters.