I absolutely love movies, whether they're on the big
screen or coming to me through Netflix while I vegetate on my couch, I can't
get enough of them.
It's safe to say that I'm
a movieholic!
(I'm sure there are
plenty more of you out there)
The other day, I was
reading through some old writing I had done while I was still in high school
when I came across a vampire story (I'm pretty sure every teen goes through a
vampire stage) and as I read it, I got a strong sense of déjà vu, but
couldn't place it.
A
few days later, it finally hit me why the story had sounded so familiar...I saw
it in a movie!
(Not
my entire story, mind you, but just enough that I rolled my eyes and laughed at
young Crystyl.
I
guess everyone has to start somewhere.)
Well,
that got me to thinking, how much is my writing today effected by the media
around me?
Probably
more than you'd think.
Media
is everywhere now-a-days. With phones easily accessible,
we have media at our very fingertips; music, movies, art, books, you name it!
With
all that stuff flooding our world, it's no surprise to find traces of it in
your own work.
Movies
can be the simplest form of inspiration; what better way to get
an idea than by something you SEE with your own eyes?
The
longer I've been a writer, the more I find that I zero in on details. Doesn't
matter if I'm reading or watching something, I break down story plots and
predict outcomes (most of the time). I do this by thinking of what sort of
twist I would write into it, and most of the time it comes true. It happens
naturally now.
(If
you've even predicted aloud...you know that people don't always appreciate your
genius).
I
kinda think that becoming a writer has ruined a lot of things for me. Haha
I
don't bring this up to discourage writers from going to the movies or using any
media to influence their writing. Actually, I'm encouraging you!
Cinema
can help give you a different perspective and tips on those little details you
never thought about.
Nothing
really takes place of good old fashioned research; I think its safe to add
movies to the research pile.
For
example, say I'm writing a story set during the glory of Rome Hollywood
If my
main character was a soldier in the Roman army, there would be plenty of videos
to choose from to help me capture a soldier's passion and brutality. You can't always get that kind of emotion from
a Wiki page.
Also,
Google isn't going to help me come up with a wicked
awesome fight scene.
Since
I am not an actual fighter, I have to settle for the second best thing,
watching it! I can then take what I see and recreate an excellent fight for my
characters.
Now, I'm not saying you
should go and copy the plot and characters from the movies you watch...that is,
in fact, plagiarism.
BIG NO NO!
I feel the need
to reiterate, don't plagiarize.
Imagine how hard you work
to write a story, well that person worked equally as hard for theirs.
(Take it from someone who's a victim of this.) Respect each other.
Get inspiration, but
don't steal their idea, if you know what I mean.
Latch on to some details
and turn it into your own creation.
It could even be
something as simple as "I love how this bad guy cocks his eyebrow when
he's being maniacal". Then come up with an entire story with a
setting where that detail could be used. Make sense?
Media is an awesome
source for inspiration. Recycle, throw in details from numerous sources
(including your imagination), add your own flare and you've got a great idea.
Don't be afraid to use
what's around you; after all, you can only recreate yourself so many times.
Eventually, you need a boost from somewhere else.
