So many toes, can't keep away from all of them

[ehingston]

We are surrounded so heavily by other filmmakers, writers, artists, singers etc. nowadays that it seems impossible to come up with an entirely original idea.

Every time I think of a great story and start putting pen to paper, I worry about getting too involved or excited about it in the fear that I'll see a film or read a book or hear a song that tramples all over it.

This question is aimed more at the writer directors out there but I was just wondering if any of you have the same problem and whether or not there is a quick way to make sure your idea is an original one.

[belovedmonster]

i think with writing especialy its very hard to be original at first. Just gotta keep going and hope you develop your own style.

I **** at writing, but one of the things i try to aviod at all costs is cliche.

[miker]

yep, i've definitely come across stuff that expresses my ideas better than I have.

the way to an orignal idea is the melding of existing ideas with you own unique style and direction.

you can be pretty sure that no matter what you come up with, shakespeare or the bible already has it covered.

[untamed_aggression]

Lousy people living before us and stealing our ideas.

[The Cavity]

Just write what you care about and don't worry about being original, it'll come on it's own through your own personal style of storytelling.

...and if that doesn't work, you could always get a job in Hollywood!

[twister!]

As somebody (in the advertising industry I think) once said: "The old boys stole all our best ideas."

There have been essays written too. One quite well known one called 'it's all been done' which says that there are only 30 (can't remember the exact number) stories and everything derives from those.

However, as the other people have said, it's all about bringing your own experiences to those stories that make them original.

[ehingston]

Its fair enough to bring out your own feelings, style, techniques and avoid cliche in the way you tell a story but if the subject matter has already been touched on before and you don't know about it, then you are in danger of looking like a copycat with no original ideas of your own.

For example, you think it would be a great idea to make a film about a man who has the ability to control the body of another person... then you watch Being John Malkovich. No amount of personal flair and home-made techniques will change the fact that it has ALREADY BEEN DONE.

[The Cavity]

Well, I guess you'd better tell that to Shakespeare, who's entire body of work was based on source material or stories that were already told. Or how about 90% of filmmakers in Hollywood today, who use novels, other films, god help us TV shows, or just about anything other than original material (including films nominated for Oscars) to make movies (see, it's true)?

The METHOD of telling a story is far more pertinent than the subject matter. If people think you are an unoriginal hack, it's because you're a bad writer, not because you leech off other ideas.

[emjen]

I had an idea a while ago, about a new way of fighting. It was a mix between using guns and hand to hand combat.

A week later there's Equilibrium.

Most of the ideas have been used. Just avoid the cliches.

"What, he will set out on a magical journey to destroy the embodiment of evil? I've seen it before"
"Oh, but there's orcs, hobbits and talking trees too!"