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Home » Blog » Q&A: Need help with story for my film class project, any suggestions to improve my idea?

Q&A: Need help with story for my film class project, any suggestions to improve my idea?

Question by S: Need help with story for my film class project, any suggestions to improve my idea?
I’m a senior in high school, taking a film class. I need to make a film for the course. I wanna make something big (by my standards), about an hour film or so. I’ve done many short films so I view this as the best time to start to step it up. Well I want to go the route of making a drama with some action. I’m trying to find a story that I can make a good film out of on a budget next to nothing. Well here’s the story I have so far. The movie is meant to be a drama with lots of emotion, with several sequences of action.

Three best friends, Jack, Randy, & Bobby. Bobby is murdered (the film opens with his wake). Jack and Randy set out to find the man who murdered him. Turns out that Bobby got caught up in the largest organized crime ring in New York City. Jack & Randy go through several run-ins with members of the ring in order to find who killed Bobby. The twist is that Randy was actually the killer, and in the end, Jack kills him.

It’s pretty standard, but it’s something I honestly believe I am capable of filming using “movie magic” techniques lol. What I’m asking you guys is, how can I make the story better? This is a first draft all the way, so I’d love any kind of input anyone would have so that I really knock my teacher dead. Thanks to anyone who has any ideas.

Best answer:

Answer by bublatnh
Your story plot is so common that special effects, etc are what will make it stand out. Devlop your plot so there is a lot of suspense. don’t let people figure out “who dun it” until the very end. Create a false layalty between murdered friend and murder. Keep it strong until Randy is “found out”. Then flip to Randy’s story and build the drama of why he did what he did and how he feels about it all. and what about Jack. what’s his take on friend killing friend in the end. Is he suspicious at all in the beginning, does he get suspicious as the movie develops. What kind of conflicting emotions does this bring out in him. good luck

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Filed Under: The Filmmakers World Tagged With: FOR DIRECTORS, Minor Actor/Model Release

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