B-4 I got hooked on writing screenplays,
I dabbled in the format of straight-up fiction.
I wrote about 30 typed pages for an as yet
uncompleted Sci-Fi novel entitled 'The Big
Gong Theory', but around that same time,
a little show called 'The X-Files' hit the
airwaves and delved into all the esoteric
and occult subject matter this book was
about (albeit in a different way). The
simple premise was that an Asteroid
collision with Earth set the planet to
vibrate millions of years ago, which
splintered different vibratory
realities off into their own
dimension, most being
invisible to our meager
5 senses. But NOW,
all the vibrations
were re-merging
into the same
plane, like
flattening
a photo-
shop
jpg
or
A Gong Coming to a Stop~!
This cover helped me 'work through'
certain concepts, and continues to
ignite ideas on this super-cool
subject.
1st sketches
The ideas are just as fun to read about as the completed projects. This project doesn't sound like anything I remember from the X-Files.
ReplyDeleteI was curious about your screenplays. do you still dabble in film?
The Asteroid part isn't an X-Files theme, but all the ensuing aliens, faeries, monsters etc., were a large part of 'The Big Gong Theory' so I abandoned it. It was kinda like Dante's Inferno in a way, also. I may yet complete it ;~j
ReplyDeleteI haven't made an artsy film in a looooong time. Currently, I write screenplays for my own pleasure, then enter them in competitions. Trying to wrap up my 6th & 7th feature length ditties by the end of Summer. When I have finished my 10th, a few years from now, I will march out to Hollywood or NYC and start pounding on doors. I want to feel like a real screenwriter, with the commensurate confidence of a true professional, before tackling the industry.
I saw a dvd in the 'adult' section based on this...it was called the 'Big Dong Theory'...
ReplyDeleteNice final design and lovely realism on the gong lighting.
That's interesting! The film you did in the 80s when you were a teenager shows the potential you have. I bet your newer stuff is excellent.
ReplyDeleteI made 3 screenplays for fun. 2 are not quite finished. The completed one is 100 pages. I was thinking about doing a puppet version when I got all my ducks in a row.
yeah, I love the idea of using puppets~ like 'Thunderbirds Are Go' or 'Team America'.
ReplyDelete100 pages is the perfect length~! The industry standard states that 1 page is equivalent to 1 minute of screen-time, give or take a little; so 100 pages would be roughly 100 minutes. My big problem is that I always write way too much, and then editing down becomes a real painful chore~!
That's what I was thinking, the Thunderbirds puppets. They would be fun to make.
ReplyDeleteI have a book called Elements of Style for Screenwriters. I tried to follow the standard industry rules as far as spacing and margins and whatnot. I read that about the 1 minute per page philosophy. It seems like a good rule of thumb.
Editing IS painful. You hate to cut something you felt was important enough to write down. I compare it to cutting a chunk of flesh out of your child. Maybe you can save your chopped chunks for another screenplay so you don't waste anything.