Screenwriting : Who, or what inspired you to write your last script? by Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique

Sometimes, I'm inspired by the things I dream at night...:)

The latest script idea came from a dream (not mine but the man I work for)

A news story about a sudden, tragic & senseless murder was the seed for my present paranormal script. I also look to news stories for comedy.

Came up with what I felt was a cool title but had no story to go with it. Then agonized for days over what type of radically-different story I could do on a small budget in a contained environment. The answer came one day out of the blue as I was semi-asleep and just waking from a nap.

I secured film rights to two novels and teamed up with Judy Norton to adapt them into screenplays. We finished one and we are close to finishing the next one. After we are done I am not that motivated to write anymore screenplays.

A story I had been following in the news... at a film festival, a Native American fellow I know approached me to write (work for hire) a true story of the Standing Rock protests. Finished a rewrite this morning.

My best script came to me slowly over years while I went running. It's a redemption story about a long-distance runner.

What's good, Uncle Phil! Happy Sunday, Dogg! My latest script MAD MOUNTAIN MASSACRE is influenced by THE WAY OF THE GUN. I saw CHRISTOPHER MqQUARRIE'S movie doing MMM research on best movie shootouts and I loved it!

Then I studied why I loved it and why it didn't do well at box office. Which, by the way, CQ meant. He wanted to write a story Hollywood wouldn't buy - they bought it anyway.

Here's what I saw as component problems: TWO LEADS who hit women in beginning and get killed. TWO SCARFACES. DOWN ENDING. What if I change those components to TWO WOMEN - with story arcs - who live - UP ENDING. Like, THELMA AND LOUISE except they don't drive off cliff. Add a new story world. Add steroids. There you have it! I'm not out to reinvent the wheel. I'm out to have fun with it! That's what's up, Uncle Phil

My latest script, The Hole, was inspired by an article on Google, lol. I get my ideas from random sources of inspiration. Could be a person walking down the street. Could be something my kids say. Or could be something that just pops into my head. A scene, a line of dialogue, a dream sequence. Could be anything at all.

My first pilot idea came from a character voice - then I developed a story that fit it. My second pilot idea came while I was hiking. My 3rd pilot idea came from reading another pilot. My 4th pilot idea - I'm not sure where it came from haha. And I have a feature idea in my head that sparked from a true experience. They seriously come from anywhere!

I was doing script supervising work on a film and I told the director about my idea. His response was "You need to write that shit now." So I did. Tough love motivation.

Always in the shower. My water consumption is an issue.

Yes, Michael, a water resistant laptop would be gold!

Shawn: Word! I look forward to the day we meet in person and hang out. I always love your positive energy and spirit!

You never compliment my energy and spirit you heartless bastard!

Lol

Travis and Aray: You are beacons of creative light in an often dark world. Much love!

You artsy types are so charming with your apologies. I got tingly.

A trip to Israel inspired my latest screenplay which I'm still outlining. Travel seems to be a good source.

Although I do have one Syfy screenplay involving a trip to Alpha Centauri... can't say what motivated me for that one... it just kind of slipped out of me.

Got into a "relationship" of some sort. It made me lose myself for a while, fell into a depression, I made it through all that, and finally said, "what the hell, I'm gonna write about this." I needed that person to know what they put through.

A stint solitary confinement, inspired me to write to keep sane. :)

I am constantly bombarded by new ideas as my busy mind most often races through the day. I am a habitual people watcher and find that often just a bit of someone's near-by conversation can leave me with an idea festering. Ideas and inspirations come to me in the form of stories to tell, comedic or compelling one liners that I later surround with a story that fits or sometimes even characters that are dieing to be written. Ultimately my answer would be eavesdropping though it is not the only source of my inspiration. I also find joy in rewriting things that we love and know to work well.

One of Donald Trump's insane policies.

@jenny - that can be a 4 year long series!

(sorry - not hijacking this into a politics discussion)

I'm an adjunct economics professor, so many ideas come from the theories I teach. And they relate to everyday people. My current project looks at the nefarious underworld of international finance and exacerbated by central banks.

It's a story about betrayal. The main character's life was changed because of betrayal, and the world's population was betrayed by covert workings of the finance system. The protagonist, a reporter, must solve a mystery and expose the antagonists. In the process, he comes to grips with his anger over his personal betrayal. It's called 'First 100'.

Usually personal stories. Not only ones of my own, pieces of other people's stories that stick with me. Whatever lingers with me for days/weeks/months... are the ones I need to get out on paper...

I was editing my Graphic Novel when a photo from Pinterest showed up on my Twitter feed. I loved it. i saved it. I kept thinking about it. I made a tv pilot out of it. I really, really tried hard to ignore that photo, but this show beckoned to me. Now it's the best work I've done so far and it's a period piece so that surprised me as I thought I could never handle a period piece.