Idea for Movie/Series but Unsure Where it's Heading

[SaberFan22]

Hi,

I'm an aspiring writer for film and television and had an idea for a premise I think could work really well if written in the right way. As a huge fan of both the Jurassic Park movies and the monster movie genre, I came up with the idea of what would have happened if the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs never hit, and eventually humans evolved and ended up co-existing with these beasts, and had their own civilisations with huge protective walls and stuff, and people trained especially to kill any that come nearby etc (sounding like Attack on titan now haha), but the trouble is I don't know where I'd be going with it. To me, I can't write something if I don't know the end goal, and wondered if you guys had any suggestions on where this could lead?

Thanks so much

[Jev Moldara]

Not sure where it could lead, but you should definitely explain, in great detail, how 1) the ancestors of humanity survived with what amounted to a planet of giant predators, and 2) How the dinosaurs did not evolve into their own intelligent civilization in the approximately 65 million years between the time the meteor was supposed to hit and today, especially considering that the first hominids to extensively use tools only came about 1.4 to 2.4 million years ago, and also that Homo sapiens sapiens (modern man) is only about 150,000 years old.

Not trying to dissuade you here, but this is something that a serious reader will want to know. You have to not only tell a good story, but also make it plausible. I believe you can do it, and I'm willing to bet that if you can figure out where they are all coming from, you can also figure out where they're all going to.

As they say... the past informs the future.

[LivingBrain]

I think what will most help you is figuring out what message you want to get across. In my own writing experience I've found that knowing the themes of my story and the ultimate statement I want to create helps me figure out what I want my ending to be. For example, I had one superhero story where I wanted to deconstruct the comic book genre, and then reaffirm the good things about it in the end by reconstructing it. I ended up having my main character serve time in jail for her actions, but come back as a fundamentally better person more willing to invest time in her community and others. By showing the negatives of the violence within superhero media and then condemning them I was able to do the deconstruction I wanted, and then by making her a more kind and hardworking person after the fact I was able to reconstruct it by saying that the goodness superheroes inspire is what makes them worth it in the first place.

If you can figure out a theme from this setting (which, if I were to throw up a quick idea, would have to be something on the societal level; perhaps making the humans ultimately coexist with the dinosaurs to show how humanity can get along with their environment?), then I think finding a direction for it will come much more easily.

[Darth Tepes]

This isn't to discourage you but your starting premise is the same as the pixar film The Good Dinosaur.  If you haven't seen it watch it and see which direction they went.  See if it can give you a hint of what you want to answer that they didn't or a direction you could steer clear of.   Another good Dino/Human thing to see is the 90's Cartoon Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and it can maybe give you more ideas on where you might like to go..here is the first episode...

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkfYopvHSD0" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkfYopvHSD0</a>

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

Maybe Pangaea separated, the dinosaurs died on the continent where a smaller meteor hit, allowing humans etc. to develop there, but dinosaurs persisted on other continents until all the continents came back together, and humans put up their walls. The walls aren't about keeping the dinosaurs out. They're about keeping people in, isolated and under control. The dangers within just may be greater than the dangers outside. It's the story of freedom and how it goes along with personal risk and responsibility.

[Jev Moldara]

The Dinotopia series is another place to look for a different take.

[Darth Knox]

If you are having problems writing a script, may I suggest you check out the youtube channel Film Riot. lots of great information on there about the writing, shooting, editing process. I found the channel extremely helpful when I was writing the script for my Star Wars fan film (that I am currently on pre-production of). Here's one of their videos.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyTWBf5z_4g" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyTWBf5z_4g</a>