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The SCAMPER technique, brought to you by the crazy creative wizard Alex Faickney Osborn, isn't just your strange run-of-the-mill brainstorming tool.

It's like a treasure map for your mind! Osborn, a wordsmith and advertising guru who coined the term "brainstorming," gave life to this unique method t...

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The SCAMPER technique, brought to you by the crazy creative wizard Alex Faickney Osborn, isn't just your strange run-of-the-mill brainstorming tool.

It's like a treasure map for your mind! Osborn, a wordsmith and advertising guru who coined the term "brainstorming," gave life to this unique method that's all about juggling ideas and turning them into magical creative sparks. I've been using and want to share it with you. All it takes is contemplating each letter in SCAMPER. This came from the 1930s-40s, not modern day.

SCAMPER, the seven-letter creative technique, stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to Another Use, Eliminate, and Reverse (or Rearrange). It's like a creative juice for your brain, encouraging you to take an ordinary idea and twist it, shake it, and flip it around to discover hidden gems. I am a person who has used to suffer writer's block. No longer. Why? Because, I feel the creative process is infinite in nature to me. The book Breakout Principle helped.

Osborn's mission with the SCAMPER technique was to set your creativity free from its mind cage! By urging you to play with the elements of an idea or problem, SCAMPER is like a friendly nudge from your mischievous muse. Swap this for that, mix and match, adapt to new adventures, or even toss out the fluff – it's all part of the enchanting SCAMPER dance.

So, whether you're a storytelling magician or a cinematic worker, the SCAMPER technique is your secret spellbook. It's your ticket to thinking beyond the mundane, sparking innovation, and sprinkling your projects with a dash of whimsy. By embracing these enchanting principles, you and your creative crew can embark on epic quests and conjure up captivating tales within your chosen realms.

S - Substitute is the first word. This involves replacing or changing elements of the concept or problem with something different.

C - Combine/Combining ideas are necessary. It encourages merging or combining elements from different sources or ideas to create something new.

A - Adjust or Adapt! It focuses on adapting or adjusting the concept to different situations or contexts.

M - Mutate or Modify! Involves changing or altering various aspects of the idea, such as its shape, color, or structure.

P - You can Put to Another Use! This encourages us to think about how the concept can be used in a different context or for a different purpose.

E - Can you Eliminate? Involves identifying and removing unnecessary or redundant elements from the idea.

R - Can you Reverse (or Rearrange)? It prompts you to consider reversing the order, process, or perspective of the idea or problem to generate new insights

You just have to ponder each element. Reflect on each one as it relates to element of your script. You sit and ponder on each one. Then go through each element of your story or script.

Doug and Rich were an unlikely duo, but fate brought them together in a way that would change the course of their lives.

It all began when I met Rich through work. He was a good friend, the kind you could count on when times were tough. Through Rich, I was introduced to Doug, a screenwriter in his mi...

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Doug and Rich were an unlikely duo, but fate brought them together in a way that would change the course of their lives.

It all began when I met Rich through work. He was a good friend, the kind you could count on when times were tough. Through Rich, I was introduced to Doug, a screenwriter in his mid-60s with a passion for storytelling.

One day, Rich convinced me to call Doug and offer him some advice on navigating the cutthroat world of screenwriting. Having already completed a script for a full-length feature, I had some experience to share. When I finally connected with Doug, I asked him a crucial question, "Doug, did you copyright your script? Have you protected your work?" Doug assured me that he had taken the necessary steps to safeguard his creation.

With a sense of responsibility, I urged him to put his script out into the world, to shop it around. He hesitated, fearing that someone would snatch it away. But I encouraged him, explaining that once it's protected, he should do his best to share it with the world.

Weeks passed, and I tried reaching out to Doug, only to be met with voicemail every time. Something felt off, and my intuition told me that something was amiss. I shared my concerns with Rich, who promised to investigate.

Weeks turned into months as Rich tirelessly tried to contact Doug, but his efforts were in vain. In desperation, he reached out to Doug's daughter, who managed to contact the owner of the condo where Doug was staying.

The heartbreaking truth emerged—Doug had suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. His dreams of bringing his script to life were buried with him. It was a poignant reminder that our time is limited, and we must seize opportunities when they arise.

Tragically, Rich also fell victim to a massive heart attack last October 2022, leaving me in shock. Doug’s script actually landed in my possession legally. I am going to let it go quietly to its own death. Instead, I decided to write a script dedicated to Doug and Rich. I never finished it. I am going to.

For a while, I put screenwriting on the back burner, but as Arnold Schwarzenegger once said, "I'll be back." I realized that life is too short to let our dreams die with us.

Doug and Rich's stories serve as a poignant reminder that we must pursue our passions and never let them fade away, for we alone hold the power to bring them to life. This is 100% a true story.

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Mario Leone

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2 people like this
- Jim Boston
- Maurice Vaughan
1 year ago

Doug Nelson I have been writing since 12. I have suffered until I read this book. Then gone! When I used to get writer's block. I changed my patterns. I get away from the material. I go outside. I go...

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Emma McBean

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3 people like this
1 year ago

This is such a useful technique and unique way to think differently about the story structure to expand our thinking outside of the box more. I will refer back to this article, well written

Geoff Hall

2
2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Mario Leone
1 year ago

Mario Leone Writer’s Block? Me neither, Mario.

Lisa Lee

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1 person likes this
- Maurice Vaughan
1 year ago

Mario Leone, thanks for the great advice!

David Abrookin

Thanks for sharing, Mario Leone! This is great!

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4 people like this
1 year ago

Oh man, thanks for sharing that! Very powerful message and also so sad. Really needed to hear this message. The take away message "if not now, when?" I hope you will finish that script dedicated to them and no doubt it will be very moving.

Maurice Vaughan

My condolences to Doug and Rich's families, @Mario Leone. Your post is a great reminder to do things now. I think it's wonderful that you're dedicating your script to Doug and Rich. Looking forward to seeing the movie.

Benjamin Elliott

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2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Emma McBean
1 year ago

Thank you for sharing Mario Leone. I look forward to seeing this.

Debbie Croysdale

@Mario Thanks for the poignant share. Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. So true we must seize the day. Time waits for no one. What if’s? and fear of unknown repercussions regarding decisions about our work can gnaw away at our confidence but we can’t let them win.

Peter Bartels

3 months ago

Hi all I have had materials requested from a pitch session but have been unable to upload the documents. Has anyone else had a similar problem with the submit button not working?

Sandra Isabel Correia

Hi Peter Bartels, if you had problems, please, send a mail to support@stage32.com reporting the situation and asking for help! I never had that problem, but our team will help you!...

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1 person likes this
- Sandra Isabel Correia
3 months ago

Thank you Sandra Isabel Correia

Thank you again, Sandra Isabel Correia - I've emailed both support and writerhelp with a screenshot. Happy holidays :-)

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1 person likes this
- Peter Bartels
3 months ago

You are welcome Peter Bartels and you did well!

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2 people like this
- Emma McBean
- Maurice Vaughan
1 year ago

I think a good approach is what I call “Writing Recycling.”

You can strip things out. And then sew them back together.

But you can take those recycled pieces and throw them into another document for future projects. Just change the name. Change the setting and so on…

Unless your commission to do so… if you sold 10 Scripts then maybe you have the reputation to pump out great sc...

Niki H

Great reminder Mario, thank you. It's also a great reminder to let the story go where it needs to, not force it to go somewhere because there are things you hold too dear.

Bill Brock

As a huge cinemaphile, I've endured COUNTLESS "darlings" in many films and often wondered, "Why weren't THOSE darlings killed?"

@Mario Great points. Another phrase I like which similarly describes thread point is from a lesson with Director John Boorman (Deliverance, Exorcist 2 Heretic, Point Blank, Queen & Country) “CUT OUT THE DROSS!”

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2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Matthew Parvin
1 year ago

Here is the 4 min scene leading up to that one.

https://youtu.be/tO-JAtMTwoI?si=Gauuuv7QzBrDazeu

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth

Nailed it. Loved it!!

Kiril Maksimoski

I remember first time seeing "When Stranger Calls" from 1979...I forgot the rest of the movie after the 20 mins opening....iconic...

1 year ago

Great scene that slowly builds, Kiril Maksimoski! What's really scary is, where did the clown go????

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2 people like this
- Jim Boston
- Mario Leone
1 year ago

Loved this, so encouraging. Writing can be a vulnerable act but yes so important to separate ourselves, our identity from our scripts.

Angus Sinclair

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2 people like this
- Matthew Parvin
- Rutger Oosterhoff
1 year ago

Very true. I am more of a singer/songwriter than a writer per se, but for what it is worth to get myself through the inevitable relentless sense of rejection that goes with the business, I always try to remember a very simple truth : art should always be its own reward. Everything, and anything else that results from the act of bringing your ideas to fruition is just a gift. The real tragedy would be not being able to do what we do! The reality of whether one's work is finally recognised or not in this sense matters little: can you imagine taking a pill that empties your soul of your imagination, anaesthetises the pain of your endless inner drive to make sense of the world through your own self-expression? Of course not. We must be proud of ourselves for having had the conviction and dedication to have taken our own ideas to their natural conclusion. I always try to embrace this truth, and accept the inevitable cost of this (the self-doubt, the creative dead ends, the perception of investment of time, money and energy for nothing), because I know in my heart I wouldn't have had it any other way anyway. Legion are the highly “successful“ people in this world who go through life with the regret that they never felt any real calling beyond the struggle for material gain and personal comfort (If there's one thing worse than having a hard path in life, I think it's having no path at all). There are many who would give their eye teeth to feel the empowerment of having a personal road to self-betterment and self-discovery they could really believe in. As artists of all shapes and colours we have indefatigable belief, curiosity and ambition in spades, and so are (to me) as rich than any man might be, and should be content to have the opportunity to try again each day. We must do what we do because we have to, and not because we want something out of it - the rewards will never meet the level of our expectations , but I do believe they will be enough. In reality I know my theory doesn't pay the rent, but it helps me to keep me pushing at what I do. Bon courage one and all

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2 people like this
- J. Austin Gentry
- Matthew Parvin
1 year ago

I can second Dan. The script I finished earlier this year for a hire, I did cold blooded, no strings attached.

However, later I found the story particularly amusing and original and it somewhat grown...

J. Austin Gentry

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1 person likes this
- Matthew Parvin
1 year ago

Kiril, on to the next one. As we sometimes have to kill our darlings, we also have to sell the homes they live in. There are volumes in your telepathy waiting to step on to that A-train.

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1 person likes this
- Mario Leone
1 year ago

I like that "Mortal Kombat" and the fight choreography, Mario Leone. Hanzo/Scorpion is my favorite character, so it was great to see him/his family get a lot of attention in the movie.

Is "Yule Be Sorr...

yeah, it was a short film. Just as a portfolio piece.

I'd watch a feature version of that, Mario Leone.

we did the concept of a porch pirate! Someone who dresses up as the mailman and steals packages. lol

That could definitely be a feature, Mario Leone. Action Comedy. Santa gets fed up with porch pirates. Haha

What I find most interesting about the Scream script, is the difference between how it's written(with basically no direction for Stu) and how Matthew Lillard plays it @Alicia Vaughan.

Dan MaxXx, I think the only thing I've seen that she's worked on is American Horror Story.

Emma McBean, I read the book Bird Box. I should read the script just to compare the two.

Mark Deuce, good suggestion! Blade is going on my list of horror movies to check out.

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1 person likes this
- Lisa Lee
1 year ago

I saw "Freddy vs Jason" in theaters, Lisa Lee. It's gonna be fun to read the script so many years later. Thanks for starting this post. I have a lot of Horror scripts to read now....