After the chart below of random story ideas, there are some ways to combine them into fast film scripts and example films to watch for more ideas. These environmental story ideas for student short films are evolving and will be added to over the course of the next year.
Any questions or story feedback requests from this group of schools can be sent via email. Please put DASP Story, SMUD Story or TOY Story in the subject line, so that I know your email is not junk mail, and let me know which school you attend. It would also be helpful to know who the main character is, their plot goal, antagonist, theme and conflict for your story idea if possible to help with the feedback process. Please thank MyFlik in your film credits if you end up using any story ideas we help inspire.
Characters
Set Ideas
Antagonists/Conflicts
Plot Goals
Visual Story Ideas
talking tress with DV parts (tree + lips)
tree farm
roots
To explain how shade treees work
Animated 2D, DV, 3D School House Rock type film (see example YouTube videos below)
talking houses
hot ugly houses with no trees
blocked views
To educate people on shade tree
Interview a shade tree about how it works
actors dressed as trees
cool pretty houses with shade trees
maintence
To explain how well shade trees work
Place a DV face on a tree DV clip or a photo
animated 2D or 3D tress
before and after house with trees
upkeep
To show the best places for shade trees
Do a singing tree farm story where a group of trees explain how they work like a musical
tree lovers
shade tree convention
people who do not like trees
To explain shade tree planting to kids in simple way
Play with the sound of trees, branches in wind, creaking branches, blowing through leaves
cool looking happy people with trees by house
houses on fire with no trees
Merge narrator voice with the sounds of leaves moving
hot irritated people by house with no trees
houses in ice cubes with trees
Shoot a bunch of slick and beautiful shade tree shots with a voice over explaining how they work
tree army
treehouse
Do a fake ad for shade trees
Super hero shade tree
SMUD tree farm
Show how a funny or interesting character's life changes by learning how shade trees work
tree teacher
famous trees
Have an ridiculous expert give a funny tour of a shade tree farm or house
shade tree family
funny tree expert
tree fanatic - crazy about loving trees
two shade trees talking near a house about how they work
shade tree investigator (CSI spoof)
Tree farm workers
School House Rock Film Examples: The following cartoon short films "How A Bill Becomes A Law" and "Conjunction Junction" are great ways to convey a process with of lots of information at once. How can you update the look and feel of the films below using DV, 2D and 3D combinations or styles? How could you come up with a catchy song that rhymes to explain how windmills work?
Fast Tree Shade Film Ideas:
1) Show a really hot and sweaty funny character outside a house without any trees talking about all the horrible things that have happened because the house is just too hot. Really exaggerate the ideas. Then show a cool and happy version of the same character later with shade trees talking about how much better his life is now. Use changing house images in the background. Kids could be fighting in front of the hot house and playing on the trees in front of the cool house laughing.
2) You could also do a series of funny monologues with different outrageous characters talking about how much their lives have improved since they got shade trees telling wild stories about before and after.
3) Do a shade tree monologue where the tree talks about his friends and how hard they work to provide shade. Maybe the tree talks about a loved one being cut down to make room for a view or what it is like to be a dedicated shade tree on a mission.
4) Do a superhero shade tree story where the goal is to plant as many trees as possible or save hot houses from high utility bills. Think of funny names such as Super Shade, Wonder Weeping Willow, Bonzai Birch, Shade, Wonder Treeman, Wonder Treewoman. Use Hero Journey plot points and digital effects.
Watch some movies below from the online Story Engine on Storytelling Goals, Creating Themes and Using Symbols and Metaphors. These short films are samples from the new 20 hour step-by-step "Writing A Great Script Fast" DVD Workshop:
Follow along and create a great film or story idea fast! Download the Workbook PDF fileor DOC file to edit. You can also use a notebook or paper and the Online Workbook or watch it in 20 Steps.
Sample Movies
Below are some sample movies from the 94 minute version above on Storytelling Goals, Creating Themes and Using Symbols and Metaphors. These short films are part of the new 20 hour step-by-step "Writing A Great Script Fast" DVD Workshop:
Learn how to include themes in your films and stories in this free sample movie from the new step-by-step "Writing A Great Script Fast" DVD Workshop:
Learn how to use Metaphors and Symbols in your films, animations or stories from the new step-by-step "Writing A Great Script Fast" DVD Workshop:
Writing A Great Script Fast Makes Screenwriting Easy!
