You go inside the movie theatre and sit down in the plush seat. You’re enclosed in cool darkness. You smell the buttery scent of popcorn. You hear the crinkling of packages being opened—skittles, chips, gummy bears, etc. There is a low murmur of excitement all around you. The lights begin to dim. Then all goes silent. You see nothing now; everything is pitch black. Your heartbeat hangs midair in suspense. The trailers play. Your heart still is hanging. Then trailers end. Your heart starts thundering. Loud, exciting, quick music begins to play, before these words appear on screen: FEATURE PRESENTATION. All goes dark again. This is when you start tearing up, when you feel a lump in your throat, and you turned to whoever is beside you and whisper: “This movie is based on my book!” You shut up and fix your eyes back on the screen. The screen widens, heightens. The corporations who bought the screen rights to your story shows up:
If this was the beginning to the movie adaptation of your book, what, in your imagination, would be the first scene that follows, on which the names of the actors/actresses show up? Mine would be a scene of carriage wheels rolling, the vehicle coming to a stop, a gentleman stepping out, followed by the very first paragraph of TRC: As he walked down the street, the heel of his boots rang against the cobbled ground glistening in the rain. The street lamps did little to ward away the darkness of the evening, leaving his countenance a shadowed mystery. Only when the cheroot he was smoking glowed of brilliant red did it light his features enough to reveal a pair of gray eyes. While this scene is rolling, the actor’s name ‘James Purefoy’ would show up, and for director, ‘Andrew Davies’ (I know, big dream…but I’d rather not limit myself to a small one).
Confession: When I go to movie theatres, I do tear up, because I DO imagine my book turning into a movie. Tell me I’m not the only one….
June Hur 
You’re totally not the only one! I’m a really visual person, so I see a lot of the stuff that happens in my books as if it were a movie playing in my head. Someone once actually told me that I write very cinematically (is that even a real term?), meaning–reading my stuff was like watching a movie unfold in their head.
As for an opening scene, yours is AWESOME! I think that’d be a great way to open up a film.
If QoG were a movie, I’d stick with my original vision/version (as opposed to the version that’s going out to publishers right now). Clouds/mist would fill the screen as the opening music starts, and the camera would move through the clouds, and shift to reveal that it’s following an eagle’s perspective, flying high above…the bird would swoop to the side, gliding through the mist, and through the clouds would emerge the film’s title…As the lettering fades away, we’d see the ground below–rocky and mountainous and barren, and as the eagle slowly descends towards it, so would we…etc, etc.
I guess there’s a reason that opening was cut by my agent (as nothing happens, and it’s boring), but I sort of like the image of being taken from one plane to another, and descending into another world.
Hope writing is going well!
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ooh I just got the shivers reading your opening. Well, if your book ever turns into a movie, you can give the director that first chapter you had to omit. It’s lovely. There’s just something so inspiring about seeing the world for the eagle’s eye.
same here. I see my story as a movie. It’s hard to write otherwise. It’s not as fun. This is why I tend to like listening to soundtracks while I write. I’m guessing that goes the same for you?
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I haven’t really thought much about making mine into a movie. Though I do tend to see things in my head like movies, both when I’m reading and when I’m writing.
I think it would open just with the class getting out. Calanthe would walk out the door amid the other students, chattering wildly. She’d walk down the street, the camera would cut down to a shot of skirts fluttering in a slight breeze, which is where we see the names Rose Byrne and Henry Cavill, and as the names fade away we see the title, Shards of Memory, appearing as though being written by a quill…and as Calanthe walks down the street toward home, “directed by [insert director here]” appears, followed by names of the other cast members. And while all of this is going on, the opening theme is playing in the background, with a prominent oboe solo.
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Nice! I like the idea about the fluttering skirts. Very beautiful. I was just wondering, since your story isn’t set in a certain time period, what would the school look like? Hogwarts? or something more modern?
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I sort of picture something similar to Oxford: http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/03/117103-004-35E6732D.jpg
In the second chapter, I believe it is, Calanthe and Vantandal are walking outside. And Oxford definitely has the air I imagined as I wrote that scene.
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Oxford looks friggin beautiful! This would definately be a nice place to start your story off in
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^_^ ….I think about this almost every day.
I think WW would start with Sophia running down the hall – away from the library – with Will chasing after her (their first library scene when he was with his mistres??) Because I think it’s a key scene – Sophia always running away form her problems and Will chasing after her.
OR! It could start with a mysterious scene where somebody’s breaking into a house searching for something, but we can’t see their face and then somebody else (whose face we can’t see either) shows up also searching for something and the two end up fighting… until one jumps out the window 🙂 Then switch scenes to a bright and cheery day
fun!!! 🙂
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The first scene would be a rather romantic, symbolic scene, eh? I like it. I’d be hooked right away.
As for the second scene, I like it too! I think I’d know one of them is a woman as her slender figure would be discernable. And it’d be funny to, to switch the next scene to a bright and cheery day. The contrast would be hilarious
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It would!! I would love to make a trailer for WW like that but I don’t know how to lol.
It would,lol, it would be kind of misleading and you’d be like…what just happened???
ahh but now you have me thinking about a trailer….I’m off to ponder.
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I’ve said this before but…Please, pretty, pretty please make one! You can use this site to convert YouTube videos into whatever format you need for your movie maker…
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I felt that way when I saw the trailer for the first Narnia movie. The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe was the first chapter book I ever read.
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omg! lol that was the first book I ever read too!
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Hah, I love imagining my stories as movies. Although I write too many of them (and finish none) to have a fixed opening in my mind.
Your opening made my heart swell a little. I could so see a close-up of Lucas’ boots “ranging” against the cobblestone as he descends the chaise. And then the honey-coloured atmosphere of the brothel, and how it exudes heaty liasons and drunkeness. The slurs and laughter. SO AWESOME! And when Lucas goes in – he’s so alluring and mysterious, clean cut with broad, male-ly shoulders…AH, so cute! I think I’d book the whole cinema out so I can watch TRC by myself, and swoon without embaressment.
If I had to imagine an opening, the movie companies would be Pathe and Working Title, because I don’t know, I always see them sponsoring artistic, grungy-cool movies. Like Girl with a Pearl Earring. For my current story, the male protangonist would probably be played by Orlando Bloom (recently, I had a random dream about him and now I find him uberly HOT! don’t laugh), but that may change depending on my current fad.
😀
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Pathe! Yes! They’ve made a lot of nice movies. I believe that many of the costume films I saw was sponsored by Pathe…not sure. But in my mind Pathe=period movies.
Your current story as in..”X”? How’re you doing with that story.
Oof. You make me wish me wish TRC were a movie right now! Actually, I don’t know. I just want to watch any kind of period films. There aren’t many these days…I hear period films are expensive to produce…
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I think I’ve paused “X” for now…I just don’t feel the motivation to write it. I think the problem is is that I didn’t know what direction the story was going in. Tsk, tsk. But I’ve started a new one, called “Faux”. I have a vague beginning, middle and end in mind, so hopefully it will work out. :S
PS. I heard about your fainting spell…gosh, how scary! I hope you’re better now.
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Is your new story up on FP? No point asking.Will go check it out right now.
I did this blood test and they say nothing is wrong with me…so odd!
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What’s the site?? I’m excited now..it’s all playing out in my head..especially the masquerade
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Yes…Yes…and…yes! All the time, whatever I’m writing. It’s fun isn’t it? :))
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great fun! I wish to see more period films, adapted from contemporary books
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Kid all of us got a dream; even us old folks. I’ll make a deal with you. Whenever your book gets made into a movie I want an invite to the premier and I’ll do the same for you. See you there at both flicks.
Dr. B
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Tee-hee
Doctor, if that day ever arrives, you can expect a ticket. When your book gets turned into a movie, could you provide me with two more tickets, as I’m sure my parents would love it. I’ve been telling them about your blog and had them “oooh-ing” and “awwww-ing”
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It’s a deal. Me and Marfar will make you and your folks our professional courtesy guests.
Dr. B
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Wow, that would be my dream! Actually, it is, no…it’s a goal. I want to get my novel finished and published (I have a long way to go, but it’s not impossible)and, well, the movie might me a kinda far away dream, but “there’s not such thing as the impossible”.
So, keep writing and hoping, everyone!!!
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Wow, that would be my dream! Actually, it is, no…it’s a goal. I want to get my novel finished and published (I have a long way to go, but it’s not impossible)and, well, the movie might me a kinda far away dream, but “there’s not such thing as the impossible”.
So, keep writing and hoping, everyone!!!
Take care,
http://xxhawkeyexx.wordpress.com/
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Sorry… a double-post…
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No problem at all 🙂
Yes, I hope we both accomplish these goals of hours! I hope to see a trailer of your book someday on some Trailer site.
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Thanks! 😀 I wish the same for you!
Just keep writing, and realizing your goals! Good luck, take care.
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