OK, I have to run this one past Dylan and the gang but I have had this idea that it would be quite interesting to release a simple, rather open to interpretation script for a 3 minute short and have everyone shoot in their own style with their own settings and actors, but it would be exactly the same short.

Why would this be interesting? Well, for me I would love to see how many ways folks can shoot a simple scene like this one:

Fade In
Car interior - afternoon (about 2:43pm on a Monday)

Mr. Smith - "Why yes dear, there does seem to be a dead body in the back seat."
Mrs. Smith - "One of yours dear?"

And so on.

I have said this in another thread before. I think I could learn a lot from seeing Ron Howard, Rob Reiner, David Lynch, Quinten and Rodriguez all shooting exactly the same thing. Can you imagine how the camera angles, lighting, characterization and even actors dress would be different for all those directors? That would be amazing to see for me.

Anyway, what does everyone think? I could write up a simple script outline and maybe talk Dylan into using something like this as a DVC?

If your interested, let me know by e-mail or here on this thread. If there is any interest, I'll write up a few scenes and we can give it a try.

Thanks,

Sean McHenry

We used to do an exercise like this in acting class. The same script, and the actors would all do completely different scenes. It works best when there is absolutely no stage directions, (dialog only), and the dialog is left unspecific.

No lines like:

Hit the Wrong key!

No lines like:

Why are you holding a gun to my head?

More lines like:

I've got it.
You sure?
Not really.

....
The unspecific lines lead to interesting variations.

Probably hard to have as a "contest" but it would be interesting as a kind of workshop where we afterwards could discuss and exchange ideas.

I think the idea sounds quite fun, though I'm not sure how much my opinion counts, being a non-contributing member of the boards...

I would tend to agree with Dick on the "no specific lines" idea, but I have to say, the process of trying to FIND interesting variations in specific dialog coule be quite entertaining, no? Using alternate definitions of the words "gun" or "head", for example (like a guy aiming a gun into someone's bathroom)? I sense comedy potential there. Maybe.

I've seen this done before in short film contests, with the basic script only, no characters or scenes. I think it would work well as a workshop, but might be a little more work rather than fun for a challenge, since it takes the most fun part of the creative process away.

Still, we could do it as a workshop/challenge, as long as I can enter! :)

I like the idea a lot. The educational value of seeing other people's interpretation is priceless. I was already imagining how I'd shoot it as I read through the post.

There's a slightly famous story about Alexandar Mackendrick's role in a movie called Dance Hall. The original writer had introduced a key scene that was 25 pages long. Mackendrick cut it down to one page, and the result would be perfect for this short contest idea.

Here is the final version of the scene
-----------------------------------
Young Wife
(negative inflection)

Mm-mm

Would be seducer
(questioning)

Mm-mm?

Young Wife
(quietly, with tenderness)

Mmm-mm

seducer accepts rejection, gets roller skates from closet and gives it to her

Young Wife
(giving the word several meanings)

Thank you.
-----------------------------------

FYI: Mackendrick was famous for drilling into his students that the skills that made you verbally proficient, would actually hinder your ability to be proficient in the language of images. As you can see he practiced what he preached.

The points you bring up Sean aren't bad ones but I have to say I don't think it would be as fun as it is now. My favorite part is getting together with my friends and laughing our heads of as we come up with about 100 ideas. Then we decide which one we should go with due to time restraints, feasibility of shooting it or whatever. I love thinking "I wonder what everyone else came up with for this?". That's a bulk of the excitement as well. The script would also have to be universal - I personally don't like movies about bodies really because forgive the pun but they've been done to death. If I were to get a script I didn't really care about, I probably wouldn't do it. I also tend to think that it would get boring. No matter HOW creative people got with it, if we get twenty entries they'd be dragging by the end, no matter who made them. I think the challenge is near perfect now. Just my two cents.

Ok then, the consensus seems to be not as a contest, but might make a good workshop exercise. I like that. Should I work up a few scenes to give it a shot then? I think we need a breather from DVC3 for a week or two and I wouldn't want to do this right before DVC4 so maybe I can get Dylan to get a rough idea of when the next one will be - I know it's to early to think about eh? (he said sounding a bit Canadian)

If Dylan can give me a round about date, I'll throw something together.

Also, no time limit per say. Just a rough timeline to get it in so we can all compare notes.

Sean McHenry

He mentioned 30th of october something. Around halloween. It would be cool to try.

The points you bring up Sean aren't bad ones but I have to say I don't think it would be as fun as it is now. My favorite part is getting together with my friends and laughing our heads off as we come up with about 100 ideas.

Personally, I'd argue that a workshop/contest like this would in fact remove the absolute least fun part of the process. Coming up with original ideas, planning, preparing...it's a chore for those of us who have never been able to do it well, and it's not the least bit enjoyable. You get together with friends and laugh at all the ideas you come up with, I get together with myself, get aggravated and break things when I can't come up with any ideas whatsoever. It's a real pain; I'm no good at inventing new material, no matter how hard I try. I want to touch, I want to operate, I want to assemble, I want to make, I want to, quite simply put, DO. I don't want to invent, think, plan, prepare, get ready. Necessary steps for an endeavor like making a film, sure, but hardly my idea of "fun".

Though I believe my points are moot, as I don't think Sean's idea is meant as a replacement for the existing contest, just more of an "aside" to the whole thing (though please, correct me if I'm wrong, Sean).

Coming up with original ideas, planning, preparing...

I'm pretty sure you'll have to plan and prepare no matter what. That part has to happen. Coming up with the ideas is the part that gets you excited about what you're making. The creative process is absolutely vital, however challenging. And certainly not all my ideas are good ones. We thought about a model who gets bitten by a vampire and can't have his picture taken anymore and it becomes a big dilemna. Then we even took it so far that his wife gets pregnant with a baby and goes for an ultrasound and the doctors can't see the baby. It's absolutely ridiculous. And we were laughing for it. I just think that film is all about creativity and it adds so much to the completion of your project. Not only did you make something, you made something that's YOURS.

That's a good point about needing downtime from the contests. I remember getting really burned out when I attempted to join 4 contests which were all scheduled in a row. My whole movie making team didn't want to see or hear from each other for about 3 months.

Something light, fun, and not so competitive in between might be just the ticket to refresh everyone's spark.

I'm pretty sure you'll have to plan and prepare no matter what. That part has to happen. Coming up with the ideas is the part that gets you excited about what you're making. The creative process is absolutely vital, however challenging.

Yes, yes, don't get me wrong, I recognize that--there's no getting around the invention of ideas, it's part of the definition of this medium. What I was responding to was the assertion that it's FUN, not whether it's vital. Both you and Dylan mentioned enjoying the process of creating, and I only meant to offer a differing perspective.

A process can be absolutely necessary and endlessly fulfilling, yet at the same time mind-numbingly boring, and incredibly frustrating for those who aren't terribly gifted at it.

We thought about a model who gets bitten by a vampire and can't have his picture taken anymore and it becomes a big dilemna.

That's got a ton of comedy potential! I like it.

My suggestions:
I'd give us all at least two weeks off from DVC3.
Have the script very very short, say one page.
If there is a location, set it in a house so everyone has easy access to it.
We can take turns writing the scripts (Sean, you volunteered yourself to write the first one. :)

Would this be completely different from the DV challenge? The DV workshop perhaps? Or would it be a new version of DV challenge?

my video workshop group did this exercise where we had one person shoot one cassette and pass it on to someone else to edit. then the footage came back to its original shooter for editing (which keeps the shooter honest, knowing they can just cough up a bunch of incoherent junk).

it was pretty interesting, to edit someone else's footage with no preconceptions about what was on the tape. next month i get to see the originator's edit of her own work, which she assures me will be vastly different from what i did.

there are all kinds of ways to conduct workshopp-y exercises which can result in all sorts of surprises.

i think dvxuser.com runs their regular contest this way, with a pre-existing script. might be downloading some of their old scripts for models of sufficiently vague dialogue.

personally, my shooting preferences run more towards documentary than narrative. i always enjoy the unanticipated surprise and serendipitous moments in making a documentary. so i like the DV challenge the way it is, because there are no attempts to dictate form.

my DVC 3 entry is a documentary-styled film and therefore more synchronous with my style and imho, therefore, a far better film than my last one. doin' what comes naturally.

scripts? SCRIPTS? we don't need no stinkin' scripts!!

I think I have gotten us going so I suppose I'll jump on the fence and come up with a one pager keeping all these ideas in. Some setting we all have access to. Characters we can mold. Dialog that's vague. Other than that, I'll just get a "seed" ready and we'll open it up and see what folks come up with.

Be assured, I am not trying to poach the idea of the DVC. Dylan and the gang are my heros for that. I see this as a fun exercise. We can run this in a few weeks, between DVCs. Heaven knows I need a break and I'm sure Dylan and the judging crew will to.

Maybe we'll just do a scene rather than try to have a finished short out of it. I know that means you have to work out of context to a concept as a whole but it's like an actors workshop in that respect I suppose.

I will come up with a simple script and in say 2 weeks time after the announcement of the winners of DVC3, we'll give the idea a go. I'll start a new thread then to follow and help out if I can.

I think it will be quite interesting. Not going for technical details or polish, just directorial, DP and LD differences we come up with. Different shot angles, lighting, acting technique, costuming, delivery, staging, etc.

Sean (watching Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii in the dark, working on the DVD of "Frame 37")

I like the idea...

Come up with a script or short story then have many different people make it into a short and see how different they all turn out.

OK folks. I have a small script seedling ready for planting. It's pretty vague. I have no specific setting except the front seat of a car, male and female character. No particular time of day or exterior setting. Dialog is sufficiently vague that you can do a lot with costuming, characterization and ambiance, etc.

The dialog could lead to lots of scenarios. I have 2 or 3 it could easily be a setup for. Some are obvious from the dialog but It leaves the door open.

Try not to embelish outside the lines of what is provided as far as dialog. There is plenty of room to show your direction.

Posted below.

NO timiline for this but I would like to get all the versions submitted way before Dylan releases the next DVC4. I will shoot my version and release it at the same time I get the others in. The whole thing, reading through it should last less than 1 minute. It's just one scene after all. Remember the point to this is to see how we all handle the same basic material.

So here is the seed:

---------------- start ---------------

One Page
by Sean McHenry

Fade In, front vehicle seat, female driver, male passenger.

Male, in passenger seat - OK, where do you want to do this?"

Female in drivers seat - "Well, what works for you?"

Male, "We can go almost anywhere. We can sit right here if you want?"

Female, "I don't think so."

Male, OK then, I know a place on 5th?"

Female, "I think I'll pick the place, if you don't mind?"

Male, "Hey, I don't really care where we go but, time is money you know?"

Female puts the keys in the ignition and starts the vehicle. "I have a place in mind."

Exterior, vehicle drives off, fade to black.


-------------- end --------------

So that's the whole thing. Go wild, go mild, go for the obvious or way out on a limb. Don't forget, there can be others in the vehicle. It could be a dump truck or a squad car or boat, daylight or midnight, comedy or serious.

Lets meet back here on October 17th? that's 2 weeks to shoot 30-45 seconds of stuff and edit it. Anyone need more time?

Start a sign up if you will in this thread so I know how many folks are interested in this thing.

Thanks all,

Sean McHenry

Anyone in this with me? Just curious. I know timing is a bit bad but hey, between DVCs is the best we can do. If nobody can join in right now, that's cool. We can save this idea for after DVC4 if you like. It will take more than just me doing it however or the idea behind it won't show through.

Sean

I'm in! So do we have to write up a more detailed script or just submit the video on the due date?

This is an awesome idea! When I was in Media class in high school, I really wanted my teacher (for future classes) to shoot a bunch of different footage and have the class, separated into groups, edit the footage to to their own interpretations to show the power of editing.

I like the idea too. I thought we had a small group of folks interested in doing this but I must have caught them all at a bad time. Feel free to shoot it and hang on to it. After we get about half a dozen folks with finished versions, I'll be glad to host them and make a sinple web page for them.

We need participation from all over to make this really interesting.

Come on folks, jump in any time. I'll kill the 2 week deadline idea. I don't care if it takes a month or two, I just want to see the results.

Socially and psychologically significant and revealing I think.

Sean McHenry

Just a few ideas to help get people motivated...

You know, you can use any vehicle. Boat, train, car, city bus, Llama...

You can have other people, animals, objects in the above vehicle.

The actors could be dressed in Shakesperian costume, clown suits, business suits or dressed for Halloween.

The point is for you to come up with the scene that hits your brain first. If you see a woman in a business suit and a man in a clown suit speaking with Hungarian accents and a large Crocodile in the back seat of their Rolls Royce - shoot it like that.

Please encourage people to join in. When I get 6 people telling me they have a short ready to be viewed, I'll build a website for them and even offer to host the videos for a while. We can all look at each one and talk about the different ways this was done.

I still think it is a social/economic experiment that should be done.

I have 3 interested parties so far. Anyone else?

Sean McHenry

Hey, Sean, sorry I haven't said anything here recently, especially after having been a supporter of this idea in the first place. Unfortunately, things have been busy around here in the real world, and I've been somewhat wrapped up. Not to mention I have no idea where I'm gonna get another actor, let alone a woman...:)

And I do believe I must eat my hat now, I placed too much faith in a script helping me gather ideas more easily; I'm just as stumped here as I would be if starting from scratch, to tell you the truth.

great idea actually. I had and idea like this for editors that I never got around to mentioning. Take some footage(eng/doc/efp/short) and send it to everyone that wanted to participate. Goal would be to edit it, and see who came up with the most interesting version.

Good idea though.

Just a question. Is the dialog the only thing that must stay the same or can this be changed a little?

I think as long as the context of the wording remains, I don't really have an issue with it. I know it's a bit dry but it's also pretty open to interpretation that way. Just consider the context and try to stay close I suppose.

I should be shooting my scene this weekend.

Sean

For Robert, and anyone else, just do what I do. Close your eyes and think of a genre. I'm particularly fond of Film Noir. Perhaps he is a private eye in a raincoat and hat, smoking a cigarette with a 2 day growth of beard.

She is a cool blonde (Brunette, redhead, etc) in a slinky dress and hat driving an old 50s car. In the backseat is a guy with his hands tied and a gag in his mouth, a place on his forehead where he was hit with the but of a handgun. A little trickle of blood oozing down from the cut on his forehead, his hair wild and tossled from the fight we just missed.

It's dark, there is one spot of light illuminating the scene. It's from high overhead, a street lamp. It's raining slow but steady.

Stuff like that. Hey, it's your direction, editing, camera angles, lighting, casting, props, etc. The idea is to do it the way you see this scene in your head.

Could be a guy in a clown suit and she is in a business suit, who knows what you guys will come up with. That's the idea. Do something you normally wouldn't do or think of.

Sean