Tips on writing a screenplay about…?
Question by Joy Totheworld: Tips on writing a screenplay about…?
A serial killer that is not cliche. Preferably a psychological drama, with horror. Something like ‘Silence of the Lambs’ or ‘Peeping Tom’. Oh my Gosh, the latter is a great movie. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it. It’s an acquired taste though…
I love horror, but I really don’t want to use the cheap ‘shock’ tricks that so many horror movies today use. Y’know the scary music, and the startles. I want my movies to be art.
I would like recommendations on film, and tips on making a brilliant movie. I had some great ideas, but some of my friends who are very intelligent said that they were a tad cliche. It made me sad. 🙁
Help, please?
sorry, wrong category. I meant to put it in ‘visual arts’. :/
please, help anyway, if you can
Best answer:
Answer by kls81
Watch some Hitchcock. Really, that’s the best way to go about it. Shadow of a Doubt and Strangers on a Train especially. (Despite its popularity, I would argue Psycho is not as strong as these two — and it used the ‘startle effect’ trick a lot more, although in its day it wasn’t cheap or cliche.) Hitchcock made art out of that genre. Other thriller films that aren’t serial killer films, like the original Cape Fear (not the schlocky De Niro remake), Touch of Evil, D.O.A., Sunset Boulevard, and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, should be required viewing as well. Also, even though it is very new in comparison, watch No Country for Old Men, which IS a serial killer film.
The brilliance in thriller films comes from the pace, not the serial killer or the conspiracy. You should always be aware of the tempo of your scenes, and make sure your audience both a) keeps on moving with your frightening scenes and b) has time to breathe between them.
Your most important character in a thriller film is generally the hero, not the villain. With regards to the hero, who is your audience’s viewpoint, you need to strike a balance between making him a real character and letting the audience see through his eyes. Take Clarice from Silence of the Lambs — she’s an individual, because she’s backwoodsy and folksy and yet a strong, intelligent agent, BUT she is also someone who has flaws and weak points, whom we can see getting scared in Jame Gumb’s house (whereas if she was a Steven Seagal character, we wouldn’t believe her.)
Just my $ 0.02.
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