General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPoll: I Have This Great Idea for a Thriller...
It's even got a title: "Relocation"
Plot synopsis:
A fairly conservative, mainstream small town in a somewhat-rural area of a pretty conservative state becomes the epicenter of an environmental and economic disaster caused by corporate indifference, greed, and malfeasance--a disaster that (due to deteriorating and inadequately-maintained infrastructure) could easily happen again, anywhere. The corporate Oligarchs and their helots in the government agree to "cover up" the horrific extent of the disaster, because if the nation became aware of it, they might face pressure to expend vast sums to renew the infrastructure and <gasp!> possibly demands for regulatory oversight and restrictions.
Assuming that the comparatively small conservative population of the area can have their silence bought with a "relocation plan" that would be cheaper than actually properly mitigating the disaster, compensating the victims, and implementing upgrades and safety procedures to prevent future similar incidents, the Oligarchs dispatch a team of weasels to implement the plan, clamping down a media blackout, enlisting local law enforcement, etc.
At first, all goes smoothly. Many local residents take the deal, agreeing not to talk to the media, not to publish anything (images included) connected with the disaster, and to take their families and a modest quantity of salvageable possessions, plus a seemingly "generous" check and "relocation assistance" in a wide variety of scattered locales throughout the rest of the country.
But some don't. And a few in particular, including a small cast of quirky, feisty individualists of mixed age, ethnicity, personality, and social backgrounds, decide to fight back.
I seriously think I could sell this as a mini-series. Maybe even a film script.
Also, I have NO IDEA what made me think of this. None, whatsoever. It's a totally wacky, wild, blue-sky story full of unrealistic conspiracy-type weirdness. I don't normally think like this, not at all.
Maybe I need a new tinfoil hat.
Whatcha think?
Could it sell?
Amicrazee?
interestedly,
Bright
2 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited | |
It's a gasser! I'd read it in a NY minute! Quit yer day job, write it, and get RICH! | |
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Might work if you could rush it into print in the next coupla weeks. After that, not so much. | |
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Good idea, but's been done. No one reads stuff like this anymore. Yawn. | |
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Maybe you are nuts. This is so wild and far-out no one would believe it. Why waste your time? | |
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You're definitely nuts. They'll kill you. Self-delete this post and go into hiding, NOW! | |
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Other: | |
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0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided. | |
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Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll |
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)Does the disaster cause a zombie plague?
TygrBright
(20,733 posts)Of COURSE it causes a zombie plague! That's just the "hook" needed to make it Prime Time!
And we'll have to work in a bit where some of the corporate weasels are actually zombies, maybe from a prior disaster/cover-up. A little zombie-on-zombie action.
enthusiastically,
Bright
protect our future
(1,156 posts)hurt your feelings, ZombieHorde, because I think you are cool, but I am so tired of zombies!
TygrBright
(20,733 posts)OK, if the "zombie" thing is past its sell-by date, how about some kind of were-phenomenon? Exposure to the toxic whatthefuckever gives people weird semi-super-powers but makes them hideously deformed? Maybe, turns them into....
DONALD TRUMP LOOKALIKES!?!? (for the guyz) or ANNE COULTER LOOKALIKES!?!?! (for the galz) or... hey, maybe a few galz end up with the Trump mutation? or...
OK, never mind. Not going there.
eyewww... I don't do straight horror fic.
Back to the drawing board.
We're wavering between "Tremors"-like tongue-in-cheek pseudo-horror with a satirical, social-commentary subtext, and "China Syndrome" political thriller-esque with a slight tinge of Robin Cook medico-horror.
Anyone else have a preference?
jauntily,
Bright
protect our future
(1,156 posts)with your original new term "toxic whatthefuckever" and getting worse as I read further.
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)'Cause if people turn into Trump and Coulter look-alikes, I don't want to see anybody doing the nasty.
TygrBright
(20,733 posts)But lots and lots of graphic, brilliantly-crafted dismemberment, disembowelment, catastrophic injury, etc.
No one minds that. It's perfectly "decent."
prudishly,
Bright
protect our future
(1,156 posts)I gotta drag myself away from this thread and away from DU or I'll get very little else accomplished today.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Maybe even provide a little comic relief.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)Zombies are more honest. Zombies don't care what I do in the bedroom. Zombies don't discriminate, though someone did post a hilarious video of racist zombies that were afraid of black people.
protect our future
(1,156 posts)protect our future
(1,156 posts)but I had to vote "other" because none of the choices seemed to quite fit. Love the title. The plot reminded me a little of The Stand (the first part of it) plus Red Dawn (the original). Yes, people love this stuff right now! I say go for it and have enough confidence in yourself to know you will succeed.
protect our future
(1,156 posts)autographed first edition copy of the book.
wandy
(3,539 posts)reflection
(6,286 posts)* Robb is a dingbat, and
* I like polls
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I can't in good conscience answer a poll without these options.
olddots
(10,237 posts)We'll go with 4 target audience endings before we decide what season it gets pushed for .Marketing will decide on product placement and back end profits for talent and banking.
TygrBright
(20,733 posts)...to help prep us for the pitch meeting.
extravagantly,
Bright
snooper2
(30,151 posts)on a message board without the audience falling asleep?
LOL
TygrBright
(20,733 posts)...some creative optical effects and stills design.
This is do-able!
Lots of split-screen, with one half showing "what it really looks like" and the other half showing what the weasels and their masters want people to think it looks like.
Could break some creative ground here, maybe even attract real SFX/design talent!
improvisationally,
Bright