NationStates Jolt Archive

Hello, People of NationStates.
My Scout group were wanting to make a cheap, low-budget film for a difference and, because I've racked my brains :headbang: to think up a decent story for the film and failed miserably I was wondering if you could help me.
There are certain things that the film has to fulfil, a type of performance criteria:

The film should be about a war or have lots of violence.
It should be low cost (but I'll sort out that)
It shouldn't be too ambitious with aliens or explosions or nukes.
The cast will be 13 year old Scouts (but they can pretend to be adults.)
There shouldn't be loads of people because they are just 11 scouts or so.


So thank you very much for you time, and get thinking.;)
If you have any queries about this 'film' please ask me.

Hello, People of NationStates.
My Scout group were wanting to make a cheap, low-budget film for a difference and, because I've racked my brains :headbang: to think up a decent story for the film and failed miserably I was wondering if you could help me.
There are certain things that the film has to fulfil, a type of performance criteria:

The film should be about a war or have lots of violence.
It should be low cost (but I'll sort out that)
It shouldn't be too ambitious with aliens or explosions or nukes.
The cast will be 13 year old Scouts (but they can pretend to be adults.)
There shouldn't be loads of people because they are just 11 scouts or so.


So thank you very much for you time, and get thinking.;)
If you have any queries about this 'film' please ask me.

Its should be about how a scout leader tocuhed his scoutees "incorrectly" and the scoutees seeking revenger

Its should be about how a scout leader tocuhed his scoutees "incorrectly" and the scoutees seeking revenger

No way, man. I am one of those scoutees!

No way, man. I am one of those scoutees! You could be the scout leader, and anyways it not like you actually have to touch the other scoutee.:rolleyes:

Hello, People of NationStates.
My Scout group were wanting to make a cheap, low-budget film for a difference and, because I've racked my brains :headbang: to think up a decent story for the film and failed miserably I was wondering if you could help me.
There are certain things that the film has to fulfil, a type of performance criteria:

The film should be about a war or have lots of violence.
It should be low cost (but I'll sort out that)
It shouldn't be too ambitious with aliens or explosions or nukes.
The cast will be 13 year old Scouts (but they can pretend to be adults.)
There shouldn't be loads of people because they are just 11 scouts or so.


So thank you very much for you time, and get thinking.;)
If you have any queries about this 'film' please ask me.
Your first criteria makes the remaining criteria hard to achieve.

Keep it simple, look at what you have and what you're capable of.

I guess if you're just going to show this to yourselves it doesn't really matter, but if you're going to subject others to this...different animal.

Why does it have to be war? What are you trying to say about war, what are your attitudes? Is it because you want to play soldier? Are you just playing out "Rambo" style superhero stories, glorifying war and 'warriors.'

Are you driven by a desire to expose the harsh, brutal realities of war? Have you thought of the impact of that image if delivered by 13 year olds?

Is it war to promote war? The idea that sometimes there is nothing but a violent solution? That those that commit violence for a 'good' are somehow intrinsically different and better than those they commit violence against? Again, have you thought of the impact this story would have done by 13 year olds? Sort of "Lord of the Flys" kinda thing.

Have you thought of an abriviated adaptation of Lord of the Flys?

Are you looking for a Bugsy Malone effect? Do you know that movie, with a young Jodie Foster..?

Too many questions.

Your first criteria makes the remaining criteria hard to achieve.

Keep it simple, look at what you have and what you're capable of.

I guess if you're just going to show this to yourselves it doesn't really matter, but if you're going to subject others to this...different animal.

Why does it have to be war? What are you trying to say about war, what are your attitudes? Is it because you want to play soldier? Are you just playing out "Rambo" style superhero stories, glorifying war and 'warriors.'

Are you driven by a desire to expose the harsh, brutal realities of war? Have you thought of the impact of that image if delivered by 13 year olds?

Is it war to promote war? The idea that sometimes there is nothing but a violent solution? That those that commit violence for a 'good' are somehow intrinsically different and better than those they commit violence against? Again, have you thought of the impact this story would have done by 13 year olds? Sort of "Lord of the Flys" kinda thing.

Have you thought of an abriviated adaptation of Lord of the Flys?

Are you looking for a Bugsy Malone effect? Do you know that movie, with a young Jodie Foster..?

Too many questions.


I don't glorify war at all. I am actually a pacifist. The main reason is that we enjoy making films to inspire other wannabe film-makers in the troop and most people want to be soldiers. I like the idea of Lord of the Flies (supposed to be a reference to Beelzebub) and whilst reading the book I thought that would be a good idea.

Oh, and the film would not be for a proper audience. It's more a sort of joke.

Oh, and the film would not be for a proper audience. It's more a sort of joke.
You could do a parody of Iraq/Vietnam wars, you could do alot with that

Oh, and the film would not be for a proper audience. It's more a sort of joke.
This makes all the difference in the world. Then just have a blast and don't worry about it. What you do won't really matter.

If you're inspiring other filmmakers, though, you don't want the inspiration to be, "Well hell, we could've done better than that..."

Though that is a form of insperation...

You could do a parody of Iraq/Vietnam wars, you could do alot with that

That's a decent idea, a bit like 'Dead Ringers'.

This makes all the difference in the world. Then just have a blast and don't worry about it. What you do won't really matter.

If you're inspiring other filmmakers, though, you don't want the inspiration to be, "Well hell, we could've done better than that..."

Though that is a form of insperation...

They will be in the film so it will be a team effort. Really I want to produce a film that looks good and is exciting to watch but light-hearted at the same time.

That's a decent idea, a bit like 'Dead Ringers'.
*Wonders what the hell "Dead Ringers" is but has an idea it could be like M*A*S*H*?

*Wonders what the hell "Dead Ringers" is but has an idea it could be like M*A*S*H*?

If you were English you would know, but basically it is an impression and parody show where a group of six comedians dress up as Bin Laden or some other famous leaders and mock all the events of the week.

If you were English you would know, but basically it is an impression and parody show where a group of six comedians dress up as Bin Laden or some other famous leaders and mock all the events of the week.
Ohh, we have a show like that here in New Zealand called Facelift where they get actors to put on masks of famous people and make fun of them/current events... I love TV!

They will be in the film so it will be a team effort. Really I want to produce a film that looks good and is exciting to watch but light-hearted at the same time.
Alright, here's some things to remember-

- DO NOT use the camera mounted mic. It can hear the camera.
- DO NOT use the camera mounted light. Look up three-point lighting. It's really basic and most films use something more complex, but it will look better than no lighting or random lighting.
- Master shot, then coverage. (everyone in one shot, then individual shots)
- Match edits on movement.
- Camera sees a lot, be subtle.
- Don't shoot into the sun. Seems like a no brainer, but I've seen it soo many times. By people already in film school.
- Plain white walls make your film look like a porno. So does room echo, hang blankets to kill the echo.
- Record 'room tone,' about a minute or so of track of just the room with no movement or dialog. Use that as bedding for your scene so the white noise won't fluctuate noticalby with each dialog cut. It'll make more sense when you put it in there.
- Camera moves are a delicate balance and can tell the story. They can also be overdone. If you worry about both then you'll probably hit it just about right.

Have fun.

Hello, People of NationStates.
My Scout group were wanting to make a cheap, low-budget film for a difference and, because I've racked my brains :headbang: to think up a decent story for the film and failed miserably I was wondering if you could help me.
There are certain things that the film has to fulfil, a type of performance criteria:

The film should be about a war or have lots of violence.
It should be low cost (but I'll sort out that)
It shouldn't be too ambitious with aliens or explosions or nukes.
The cast will be 13 year old Scouts (but they can pretend to be adults.)
There shouldn't be loads of people because they are just 11 scouts or so.


So thank you very much for you time, and get thinking.;)
If you have any queries about this 'film' please ask me.

Keep it simple, get it right :)

I'd do something like: during the next _big_ war... our story looks at a bunker full of people (could be soldiers, civilians, a community/apartment block bunker)... their descent into paranoia and madness as they get cabin fever, all the little niggling resentments between them come bubbling up in an orgy of bloodlust.

Stuff to consider would be: what sort of war is it? As it's set a little in the future - or an alternative history/present - are there any social differences; do they all live underground to escape the poison gas, wear lead aprons to protect them from acid rain etc etc.? The bunker-people represent the wider society, so you need a mix of personality types and agendas. What do you do when your society, your little bunker, starts developing crazy people - how do you deal with them, and why?

This lets you get away with one basic set (big on boxes, metal shelving to store supplies, ropes, blankets, maybe a radio that 'malfunctions'/gets beaten with an iron bar by one of the first guys to go crazy :p ), and if you keep the lighting fairly dark with lots of shadows, the violence will be more realistic without you having to pay for special effects!