So I had an idea for a small project. It would essentially work as an ongoing boardfic (a story involving characters based on board members), where one person starts it (me) and each person adds a bit more and the story goes wherever contributors decide to take it. As it's a movie, those taking part would do a scene or two each, either taking an existing plot thread and building on it or introducing a new one (although obviously in moderation, otherwise things will get overly complicated). You may incorporate elements of whatever genre you so wish (action, thriller, horror, romance, epic, etc) even if it means that a scene is in complete contrast to the one before it. It can vary drastically in tone and seriousness, but you should know that if we decide to do this, I for one will be writing a completely ridiculous opening scene. Basically it's about showing off what you can do in each of the genres and doing with it what you like. There's no specifically set theme and no set length. The main thing I hope will make this more interesting than a conventional group boardfic is that how you present your scene(s) is up to you. If you want to stick to traditional prose, that's fine (as long as you keep in mind that it has to work as a movie, so lengthy exposition won't work). You can also write it as a proper film script, or if you're more artistically inclined you could do a storyboard or a comic strip or an animation or anything else that comes to mind. There will be some necessary rules and guidelines in order to stop the thing from falling apart, but I'll post those once we've seen how many people are interested. If anybody is, we'll have a list of contributors and work our way down it to prevent crossposting. As traditionally people sign up for things and then disappear off the face of existence, for each person a maximum of two weeks will be given for them to at least show up and post to say that they still plan to contribute. If you know you won't be able to contribute when it's your turn because either you're busy with life or you just don't feel you can add anything at that point, say so and we can move you to the end of the list or alternatively remove you altogether (as we'll have to do if we get people disappearing for long periods and end up with dead weight on the list). So. Anybody tentatively up for it? If you have any questions, ask away.
OK, some rules/guidelines... As ridiculous as the plot gets, we don't let it degenerate into something that's just a complete mess. It's about taking a story thread (or introducing a new one) and doing something with it. You can take it in a completely new direction, but don't run it into the ground. This includes things like gratuitously killing off characters, introducing too many new characters too fast or throwing in cheap revelations/plot twists that serve no purpose or just aren't credible within the story. This is obviously going to depend on personal judgement to a large extent. You can be as silly as you like, just don't kill the thing. If you decide to join in, your scene or scenes have to be substantial. They don't have to be long, but they do have to take the plot thread you've chosen to continue somewhere. Cliffhangers are fine, but try not to use any that will overly restrict what the next person can do. And no leaving final sentences incomplete for others to finish. You finish your scenes. Although this is fundamentally a boardfic, the 'movie' should stand on its own as something that would be enjoyable for someone who doesn't know us (newbies, for example). Board in-jokes and Pratchett references are fine as long as the scene still works independently of knowledge of specific books or running board gags and they don't obscure the plot. Otherwise we'll end up with the kind of thing highlighted in the first point. That's about it, as far as I can see for now. If anything else becomes problematic or emerges later on, we can add new guidelines if we need to.
I am very interested in this but know by now that I can't be relied on to follow up on these things. :sad: So it's probably better if I just watch.
I can join... It can fill in those long, lazy days at work when i should be doing something productive but just can't get up the energy.
Amen to that. I'll treat it like a do most other movies- that is, sing along if it's a musical and occasionally throw popcorn. =)
I think we have enough people to at least get it started. Keep signing up anyway if there's anybody else, and I'll post the first scene as soon as I can.
The List (assuming I didn't just kill it already): Katcal Maljonic Hsing Delphine Electric_Man Spiky Plaid Orrdos Mynona OmKranti
Awesome scene Chris! I'm so tempted in drawing it. (Using your script, I'm crap at inventing my own stuff) One suggestion though: Why don't you split the thread in two* (Or just repost the Script part in a new thread)? That way you can keep the technical part separate from the story. Easier read for the audience. * One of the mods could finally test the power of splitting threads.
Yeah, good idea. I'll do that now. Edit: I tried to alter this thread title to 'Unseen: The Movie - Behind the Scenes', but it won't change it in the Boardania index. Help please, mods?
Also, do you really think they would SAY "lol" in a movie? I mean, really? Edit to say, funny stuff though, I think this is going to be bizarre to say the least. Good one Chris!
I know, I know, we also said the maximum delay was 2 weeks, so for energy saving reasons please turn off that thing !
Posts in response to scenes can probably go in the other thread so it's easier to follow what's being responded to.
Aww, you were too quick! Admit it, you had that extract lined up for years, before this was made, before you joined this board! Nothing else explains how you could do something that good in such a short space of time...
Nothing else except finally admitting that I'm a litterary genius... I did have some ideas for the next episode for Pirates kicking around somewhere in my empty brain though, and it kind of had a few of the same elements in it.
Hsing's next on the list, but she did say something about not being able to do it for three weeks. Honestly, I didn't expect progress to be this fast. Hsing, do you want to be moved to the end of the list?
Look, if she's going to be so inconsiderate as to not receive message board updates directly to her brain, that's not my fault! (Also, I hadn't realised she'd actually gone yet.) P.Sizzle: Ella, your turn!
The updated list... Electric_Man Spiky Plaid Orrdos Mynona OmKranti Delphine (gone until Tuesday) Hsing (gone for 3 weeks) Chrisjordan Katcal Maljonic Ella has been sent to the bottom by request. Ben, you're up.
Ahhh my cunning plan to be bumped towards the top of the list by taking out the competition has come to fruition... Now for Ben mwahahahaha!
Chris: I hate you. I've just spent an hour going through Power Rangers Fan sites. AAAAAAAAAARGH! Ye Gods! Mal: I owe you an apology. I've found, in my search for Eldorado pictures, several mentions of a 1970 Front wheel drive Eldorado. I'm getting really good at painting dust clouds.
If you have some nice reference pics of the rangers... Please mail them to me. Are they 1st/2nd/3rd generation? Zeo? Turbo? Original Sendai? (Things you pick up...) How the hell am I supposed to know you're MMPR-fan? Working on page 2. The Om-monster is turning out hilarious.
Well obviously you want the original [wiki]Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers[/wiki] as that's the one I watched and therefore all subsequent versions are vastly inferior. Image references: Hya bitches. Tyrannosaurus, bitches. Anything else?
That second one is awesome! I thought all your saturday evenings were spent looking up Power Ranger Pron? ;-)
Will I get zapped with a strange alien weapon if I say those zords look just like transformers to me ?
Seeing as I must have watchad as many MMPR episodes as I have Transformers episodes (i.e. none), I was quite proud at having spotted that...
Dude, thats so fracking awesome! Not only do I scare small children, but I also drive a cool car. I rule.
Mal elaborated on the costume in his scene. Oh, and: *echoes Om's sentiments* (The real Om, not the movie Om.)
Ben does that mean you have bunked off your tutn to me? Or did you just misread the list and didn't notice it was your turn? let me know and I'll see if I can get something up by tomorrow because all of these cool pics are very inspiring
