How to Suggest a Story for Production

Of course, there can never be any guarantee your idea will be used, and its very possible (even likely) you won't even be credited with the idea (if, for example, your idea is a common one or suggested first by others) but ideas for producible stories or scenes are welcome.

Suggestions for Making Suggestions

To be producible, given the existing facilities of Studio588, not to mention the kind of production budgets that allow a lunch of peanut butter but not tuna sandwiches, an idea should fit within the following guidelines.

Number of characters.

One or two. Performers can be expensive, so this is an important one. One is the ideal, from a budgetary standpoint, and two may be more practical for story telling. Its pretty hard to tell a real story using dialogue from a single performer, though not impossible.

Length

Figure on a maximum of 20 minutes, with 12 to 15 as your target. Shorter scenes can certainly be done, but are less efficient because more scenes are needed to make a DVD and it takes a lot of time for cleanup and re-preparation between scenes.

Sets, Props and Wardrobe

Try to be as specific as possible in describing these. Items or wardrobe are not really so expensive if they can be purchased at the local Walmart store. On the other hand, things like period costumes will probably have to be hand-made for a shoot. Sometimes it is possible to buy period costumes, but only sometimes. If you really want a scene with a Roman toga made out of rubber, maybe you might want to consider making the item yourself and donating it. Try to keep the set and props as simple as possible. Building an entire Polynesian village is probably a bit too expensive to be considered, but perhaps a circle of torches and a drum or two is within reason.

Don't damage the performers or the pits

Scene elements that put the performer's well-being or health at risk are simply not going to be done. On the other hand, sometimes things can be simulated with a little thought, so don't let this issue stop you completely from submitting an idea. Do try to avoid anything that will require the pit to be re-built after a scene. For example, we are not going to dump coloring agents or food into the pit.

Multiple shooting venues

Doing a story requiring use of a shooting venue other than Studio588 is very likely to be a major problem for a commercial producer. It means hiring a performer for a second day (for the same story) and it means hauling equipment, crew, and so on to wherever that second venue might be. On the other hand, some producers (the non-commercial ones, in particular) may be using a close friend (wife, girl friend, etc) as their principle performers, which may mean shooting a scene or two at a second location is not so difficult to arrange. Use of a second venue can contribute a great deal to a story, as well as to character development. Therefore, the suggestion of multiple venue story suggestions is to be encouraged, but probably should be limited to scenes using just one main performer. Try to be as specific as possible in suggesting how that second venue ought to look.

Script/Storyboard

Some producers prefer to work from nothing more than a very simple scenario description; leaving the rest of the details to the director. That is the way we usually operate ourselves. Others will prefer much more detail, especially with respect to dialogue. Fell free to submit a suggestion in whatever degree of detail you like. However, the chances of your suggestion being used are probably enhanced by a detailed description with some indication that you will yield to changes desired by the director. That way, the director can work as he/she sees best.

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