From Script To Screen - Story Ideas 1

  Following the tutorial today regarding the basis of the story, I feel I have a clearer idea of a plot line, character and the time period. For the time, I was thinking of post WW2 (around 1945 onwards), and the character is a retired Bomb Disposal Expert. This mean the character would be a bit older, and most likely male due to the war involvement.  For the theatre placement, London seemed like quite a good place as there is a lot of victorian and low key theaters there, like The PlayHouse Theatre.

  For the story, knowing how it is going to end (Act 3) is going to make the development much easier. So, this is a case of working backwards. I know I want the bomb to not go off or be a close call, so this means that there is success in deactivation or is a dud.  Also, I have to think about if it's going to be a comedy or drama. Having the older character is more leaning towards Dad's army, Mr Bean and Charlie Chaplin, but comedy has to be captured correctly.

 What follows is a couple of possible story plots, hopefully one of them is good for expanding.

   
   *BDE short for the main character*


    Story Ideas

 1.  -Retired BDE enters local community theatre as a caretaker., wants to reopen it for community,
         - Theatre is Dark. Notices hole in the ceiling, keeps walking and trips over bomb while looking               up.
        - Bomb starts to tick.
        - BDE starts to panic and opens the bomb hatch to look at wires.
        - BDE notices a load of props in the corner and sees some reenactment swords   .
        - Uses one to cut wire, bomb ticks faster.
        - BDE decides to run out of theatre and dives to the ground.
        - Nothing happens.
        - Local drama teacher goes to walk past, BDE jumps up to stop him.
        - Teacher laughs and continues to go in regardless of BDE protests.
        - Teacher brings bomb out, and shows BGE its a prop.


  2.  - BDE and dog enters shut down theatre, reminiscing about when he use to play there as a young boy.
          - BDE dog runs off, barking happily.
          - Dog comes back with something in mouth, unsure what it is BDE tries to take it but dog resists.
          - Pull game with dog ensures.
          - Once object obtained, BDE notices its a bomb (dog please with itself).
          - BDE used rusted sword on the theatre wall to cut the wires.
          - Bomb still ticking, decides to throw it down the hatch in theatre, dog manages to whip down before it closed.
          - Dog brings bomb back.
          - BGE throws it back down hatch and slams it shut and covers.
          - Nothing  happens.
          - Confused, opens hatch again and dog runs back down to retrieve bomb.
          - BDE looks at wires and see that the timer is not connected, and fizzled out.

 3.    - Retired BDE using a metal detector around abandon theatre.
          - Metal detector goes off outside theatre.
          - Starts digging till comes to a clink.
          - Pulls up mud covered object, starts cleaning it to discovers it's a hand bomb.
          - In shock drops it.
          - Bomb start to tick.
          - Picking up bomb again, realises there is no pin.
          - goes into bag that items found goes in, finds a sword keyring the right size.
          - Places keyring into the lock, but bomb still ticking.
          - In panic runs into the theatre, sees a hole in the heavy wooden stage and throws it in.
          - Get outside door and closes it just in time, gets knocked over by door flying off hinges due to impact.
          - BDE ok but building even more condemned.

 4.   - During WW2 air raid, local community taking cover in darkness of local theatre.
         -  Hears whistling from the hatch, hears a massive crash then nothing.
         - Once safe, people start to leave the shelter, notice bomb in middle of theatre.
         - Retired BDE walks up, inspects it, and over confidently says its a Dud.
         - Thuds bomb a few times with hand, then starts ticking.
         - BDE lifts hatch and starts to pull the wires that meant to disarm, bomb hisses and ticks faster.
         - BDE notes sword in the theatre, scrambles to grab it.,
         - BDE runs back, lifts sword over head just as bomb timer comes to end, and rams sword into the timer, keeping its suck at 1 second.
         - Locals all come out of hiding and praises the BDE. Receives local reward a few days later at the theatre, with bomb still in slight.
     

 I feel some of these can be a good start, but it will be figuring out which on and placing more details in. Also, next will come figuring out the main character, his attitude, style and backstory.  For this, more research is going to be needed.