Screenplay
June 6th 2008 09:03
Truth is always stranger than fiction. When writing fiction you must always be careful to maintain credibility of plot. Fiction must be believable. Life has no such constraints.
Here is the outline of my latest screenplay, a fiction that may stagger. But allow me the poetic license to tell you a fantastic story.
A dynasty (to be) of racehorse trainers. The father (let's call him Dick) is a passionate horseman who would rather be with a horse than any wearisome, troublesome human. He is not a bad father, but a tough and stubborn character who expects obedience and application from his three sons (let's call them Tony, Chip and Rick). The boys grow up enjoying the busy spaces of racetracks and stables and are on the go from early morning to night. Each boy a modern day Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn.
As they grow it is Rick who has the same love of horses as the father, but not the same manners and conservative style. His differences will be perceived by the father as a lack of ambition. Rick will fall into a relationship with a beautiful Jamaican woman (let's call her Denise, a preferred middle name) with a penchant for drugs. Their time together will be erotic and erratic; needles, pipes and pillow-talk, fun and misadventure. A child will be born, but Rick will not be sure if he is indeed the father (in our story Rick is at first tragic, but ultimately an heroic figure, who will see the child as his own without hesitation or reservation. It is a detail that doesn't matter to him). Dick will deem this situation, and assess his son's attitude and indifference, as that of failure. He will want nothing to do with mother or child. And (by association and infection) also his weak and gullible son. He will kick him (kick them all) out of the family home.
Rick will move to temporary accommodation with his seriously flawed Jamaican beauty. They will love and fight, and fight and fight, and soon she will flee their motel room with their child and go to live with another man (her 'next and convenient' man). Rick will then move into a barn on the racetrack. He will live rough and need to borrow money just to get by. But he is around horses, and in that sense both happy and at home. One of our pivotal characters will later quote: "I think he was a horse in another life."
The screenplay will focus on the gradual redemption as Rick gains a training license, and finds a significant benefactor with faith in his innate ability to understand and train horses. He will be provided with the opportunity to rise above his drug and gambling addictions (oh yes, he bets so big it even scares him at times). But it won't be plain sailing. Although he will become the leading trainer over time (say, on three occasions) he will also be banned for using prohibited substances. It is the return of the drug 'motif' to our story, although this time a controversy about providing a drug for those (animals) in his care. Will he ever be drug free? A Tarantino turning circle of events.
But not so straightforward a story that goes from rags to redemption to riches. Denise Toyloy will be brutally murdered by those she would deal with in the drug world. Her friends her assassins. The man she now lives with will come home during the act of murder and be bashed and left for dead (though he will not die. We can tell other aspects of our story through his eyes). Her tiny daughter left unharmed, but left for many hours in the presence of her dead mother and the seriously injured boyfriend.
The baby (Molly we will call her, like her mother rejecting a first given name of Catherine) will thus return again to her father. And then this family of rejected son and reconnected daughter will be eventually rewarded with a special horse. A gift (or curse?) from the Gods. Rick will call daughter Molly his "good luck charm'. The evil and sadness they have endured recedes. This horse will show no signs of malice and it will be safe and relaxed in the company of people. It will have special character. And this horse will run so fast that it leaves others in its wake. A champion for all to see and admire. And it will attempt to win the Triple Crown and be favourite to do so after demolishing all of its rivals in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. After decades of waiting for a new hero this horse is to be a saviour to racing (to Rick).
I haven't finished the outline yet. Not sure of how to conclude a fascinating story. I might reintroduce the spectre of drugs. I could spoil the happy ending in this way; or by introducing a spoiler horse from another country to defeat it. Maybe too far fetched; I mean I could introduce a Japanese horse into the context - but who would believe?!
I don't really know (yet) how to end this story. I don't want to stretch credibility so far that the producers 'run a mile' (sorry, a racing joke). The father son scenario I think I can convince. Living in a stable like a horse?...yeah, I can carry that off. The drug aspect with beautiful exotic woman is a real Hollywood green light...I've got Halle Berry pencilled in...she can play Jamaican no problems. I'm sure I can make this work.
But the damn ending! Is it a fairy story with happy ending, or Grimm horrible outcome? I'm sure if I think about it a bit longer I will nail the finish (nail...horseshoe...oh, I'm just too funny for words...). We creative types love the challenge of creating new fiction. Imagination is wonderful.
So that's my first draft. A quick outline that could make me Rocky rich.
(producer's notes: nice outline Leonard. Halle has shown some initial interest, but we will need to make the murder and drug aspects the prime narrative. Also, Halle does not wish to die in the film. She is happy to do some scenes with the horses, but not have it as a prime focus. Also - she wonders - if it is possible to substitute dogs for horses? And maybe not racing dogs, but those cute show dogs. Can you write three or six possible endings with the above scenarios? thank you, Dino).
The conclusion to this tale will be presented to us this coming weekend. A tale of drugs, murder, rejection and redemption.
I'm sure someone is already writing the Hollywood screenplay of Rick Dutrow Jr and Big Brown. But if not, I am willing to volunteer. The ending will write itself.
Here is the outline of my latest screenplay, a fiction that may stagger. But allow me the poetic license to tell you a fantastic story.
A dynasty (to be) of racehorse trainers. The father (let's call him Dick) is a passionate horseman who would rather be with a horse than any wearisome, troublesome human. He is not a bad father, but a tough and stubborn character who expects obedience and application from his three sons (let's call them Tony, Chip and Rick). The boys grow up enjoying the busy spaces of racetracks and stables and are on the go from early morning to night. Each boy a modern day Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn.
As they grow it is Rick who has the same love of horses as the father, but not the same manners and conservative style. His differences will be perceived by the father as a lack of ambition. Rick will fall into a relationship with a beautiful Jamaican woman (let's call her Denise, a preferred middle name) with a penchant for drugs. Their time together will be erotic and erratic; needles, pipes and pillow-talk, fun and misadventure. A child will be born, but Rick will not be sure if he is indeed the father (in our story Rick is at first tragic, but ultimately an heroic figure, who will see the child as his own without hesitation or reservation. It is a detail that doesn't matter to him). Dick will deem this situation, and assess his son's attitude and indifference, as that of failure. He will want nothing to do with mother or child. And (by association and infection) also his weak and gullible son. He will kick him (kick them all) out of the family home.
Rick will move to temporary accommodation with his seriously flawed Jamaican beauty. They will love and fight, and fight and fight, and soon she will flee their motel room with their child and go to live with another man (her 'next and convenient' man). Rick will then move into a barn on the racetrack. He will live rough and need to borrow money just to get by. But he is around horses, and in that sense both happy and at home. One of our pivotal characters will later quote: "I think he was a horse in another life."
The screenplay will focus on the gradual redemption as Rick gains a training license, and finds a significant benefactor with faith in his innate ability to understand and train horses. He will be provided with the opportunity to rise above his drug and gambling addictions (oh yes, he bets so big it even scares him at times). But it won't be plain sailing. Although he will become the leading trainer over time (say, on three occasions) he will also be banned for using prohibited substances. It is the return of the drug 'motif' to our story, although this time a controversy about providing a drug for those (animals) in his care. Will he ever be drug free? A Tarantino turning circle of events.
But not so straightforward a story that goes from rags to redemption to riches. Denise Toyloy will be brutally murdered by those she would deal with in the drug world. Her friends her assassins. The man she now lives with will come home during the act of murder and be bashed and left for dead (though he will not die. We can tell other aspects of our story through his eyes). Her tiny daughter left unharmed, but left for many hours in the presence of her dead mother and the seriously injured boyfriend.
The baby (Molly we will call her, like her mother rejecting a first given name of Catherine) will thus return again to her father. And then this family of rejected son and reconnected daughter will be eventually rewarded with a special horse. A gift (or curse?) from the Gods. Rick will call daughter Molly his "good luck charm'. The evil and sadness they have endured recedes. This horse will show no signs of malice and it will be safe and relaxed in the company of people. It will have special character. And this horse will run so fast that it leaves others in its wake. A champion for all to see and admire. And it will attempt to win the Triple Crown and be favourite to do so after demolishing all of its rivals in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. After decades of waiting for a new hero this horse is to be a saviour to racing (to Rick).
I haven't finished the outline yet. Not sure of how to conclude a fascinating story. I might reintroduce the spectre of drugs. I could spoil the happy ending in this way; or by introducing a spoiler horse from another country to defeat it. Maybe too far fetched; I mean I could introduce a Japanese horse into the context - but who would believe?!
I don't really know (yet) how to end this story. I don't want to stretch credibility so far that the producers 'run a mile' (sorry, a racing joke). The father son scenario I think I can convince. Living in a stable like a horse?...yeah, I can carry that off. The drug aspect with beautiful exotic woman is a real Hollywood green light...I've got Halle Berry pencilled in...she can play Jamaican no problems. I'm sure I can make this work.
Halle Berry
But the damn ending! Is it a fairy story with happy ending, or Grimm horrible outcome? I'm sure if I think about it a bit longer I will nail the finish (nail...horseshoe...oh, I'm just too funny for words...). We creative types love the challenge of creating new fiction. Imagination is wonderful.
So that's my first draft. A quick outline that could make me Rocky rich.
(producer's notes: nice outline Leonard. Halle has shown some initial interest, but we will need to make the murder and drug aspects the prime narrative. Also, Halle does not wish to die in the film. She is happy to do some scenes with the horses, but not have it as a prime focus. Also - she wonders - if it is possible to substitute dogs for horses? And maybe not racing dogs, but those cute show dogs. Can you write three or six possible endings with the above scenarios? thank you, Dino).
The conclusion to this tale will be presented to us this coming weekend. A tale of drugs, murder, rejection and redemption.
I'm sure someone is already writing the Hollywood screenplay of Rick Dutrow Jr and Big Brown. But if not, I am willing to volunteer. The ending will write itself.
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