Project Appleseed

Our Welcome Center => Appleseed for Youth => Topic started by: ndrifleman on March 20, 2012, 10:42:43 PM

Title: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: ndrifleman on March 20, 2012, 10:42:43 PM
Greetings all young(ish) Appleseeders,

I am an instructor from ND, and am also a student filmmaker.  Here in the upper Midwest, we've developed a small network of people interested in filmmaking and together we successfully completed our first project last year.  We've continued to increase our technical knowledge of the subject, and are presently working through various screenplay ideas for our next film. 

At the moment, one of the more promising ideas involves a 15 minute dramatic short.  It tells the story of an 18 year old instructor who is thrown into a situation requiring him to take over as Shoot Boss and be the sole instructor for an event.  Much more, but I'm still in development mode.   The message of the film is along the lines of "life is rewarding when you step out of your comfort zone."

What I need is your help--particularly those of you who are instructors.  What stories can you tell me of times when you had to step out of your comfort zone by being part of Appleseed?  It may involve something that transpired at an event, or something that happened elsewhere: at home, or travelling. 

Looking forward to hearing some responses!  Sincerely,

Jonathan Bartlett
20 years old 

P.S.  If this story idea moves forward, I plan to ask counsel about every Appleseed aspect of the film from instructors in other boards.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: techres on March 21, 2012, 09:15:08 AM
PM inbound.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: Barbie on March 21, 2012, 10:36:10 AM
Quote from: ndrifleman on March 20, 2012, 10:42:43 PM

What I need is your help--particularly those of you who are instructors.  What stories can you tell me of times when you had to step out of your comfort zone by being part of Appleseed?  It may involve something that transpired at an event, or something that happened elsewhere: at home, or travelling. 

I have to throw my $0.02 in on this one, although not from an instructors standpoint, but that of a shooter.  When I read "stepping outside my comfort zone" I thought right back to a December shoot where there were only 4 shooters on the line.  The weather... not sunny and warm!  It was cool, there was a steady rain, the line/range was a muddy pit fit for hogs, and our AQT's were lucky to make it back to the line from where we posted them in one piece.  Despite all this, we carried on like it was 70* and sunny! Definetely not weather I'm used to shooting in, but you learn to adapt!

It was a great weekend! O0 
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: AFTERMATH on March 21, 2012, 10:31:29 PM
Jonathan,

I know someone who's really stepped up to the plate. 
Practically isolated from the rest of the country, in a lightly populated, hard-working part of the upper mid-west.  There were no Appleseeds in his state - so he stepped up.
When the first shoot came he shot Rifleman, and by the end of the weekend he dawned an Orange Hat.
He continued to press hard getting more Appleseeds in his state, and working to fill the line.
Appleseeds came and went and before you knew it - he was a Red Hat/Shoot Boss/State Coordinator.  He continues to step up, practically a one-man operation he sets up events and runs them.  Events that sell-out.  He hasn't received as much help as he should, but he's persistent.  In nearly excessive humility, he's taken on all of this responsibility.  And as far as I can tell, hasn't made a single complaint.
I won't embarrass him by mentioning his name here - But I have a feeling you might know who I'm talking about. 

;)
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: Western Rose on March 22, 2012, 01:10:50 AM
Message sent.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: ndrifleman on March 22, 2012, 09:12:12 AM
Thanks--I'm keeping track of everyone's ideas for reference!  If anybody else has ideas, let me know.

Jonathan
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: aragornelessar86 on March 22, 2012, 02:58:48 PM
Out of curiosity (and please don't think I'm trying to dissuade you from making this film by asking this question), what is the goal that this film is intended to accomplish? I'm missing something I think.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: ndrifleman on March 22, 2012, 10:34:57 PM
Sure, good question.  My intention was to use a unique means of communication (a fictional story) to draw interest in Appleseed, and perhaps more importantly motivate young people to step up and "do hard things."  Don't settle with the immaturity of the average American youth.

The message is broader than Appleseed itself, although that will be the context.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: George Hacker on March 22, 2012, 10:44:48 PM
Perhaps write from the perspective of the young person?  Start with a typical self-absorbed adolescent who goes to an AS because they think it was fun.  Adults treat them with respect and help them start shooting.  Perhaps have your character attend multiple AS'es, each time growing in their sense of accomplishment and self respect.  Finally, they "get" what AS is about - posterity = them!

Of course every good story needs to have some conflict.  Maybe the protagonist comes from a broken home that has an anti-gun parent?  They don't get the marksmanship nor do they understand the history part.  Somehow our hero overcomes all odds and becomes an AS IIT who leads their friends out of the typical American slumber.

Just throwing some ideas out there...

- ShadowMan
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: ndrifleman on March 23, 2012, 09:44:40 AM
The more ideas, the more we have to work with.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: aragornelessar86 on March 23, 2012, 02:46:29 PM
Ok, and that's what I assumed. I think that setting it in an AS context will actually make the message less accessible to many of the people who most need it. Young folks who have attended an AS event have already started the steps, whereas anyone who hasn't been to an event will have very little reference for the story events, and will be less likely to receive the full impact of the message.

If it were me making the film, I'd set it in some sort of apocalyptic setting (very popular theme right now), and the main character would be female (boys generally won't need much pushing to go to a weekend full of shooting guns, girls often will). I really like the main message of getting out there and getting active, and showing how that activity can make a truly critical difference, but I think the setting needs to be made as relevant to as many young people as possible. Even with as much ground as we've gained, I don't think AS provides that relevance.

Just my .02.

P.S. You might also be able to draw some advantageous story elements out of the huge popularity of The Hunger Games among the Jr. High/H.S. set.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: Roland on March 23, 2012, 02:49:06 PM
I second what Shadowman said. Especially since the first part is basically my story. I don't have any specific advice, but if you have specific question about that viewpoint, please pm me.

Roland

(16 years old)
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: aragornelessar86 on March 23, 2012, 02:52:19 PM
Also, I hope my comments won't be misconstrued as diminishing any of the outstanding work done by our members. I hugely admire what the individuals in this organization do and have done. I was just thinking out loud about how to give the film as broad an appeal as possible.
Title: Re: Appleseed Dramatic Film Ideas
Post by: ndrifleman on March 24, 2012, 10:45:50 PM
I appreciate all the constructive criticism I can get!  To be honest, the reason this general storyline was appealing to me was because I personally encountered that situation.  I was a 19 year old Red Hat who was expecting to be working under a long-time SB at an event, but recieved a phone call the night before saying it was all up to me--and I'd never run a shoot before.  This actually happened twice (no discredit to the SB's; they couldn't avoid the situations they were in), and the second time also was a stretch for me as I lived out of my car in a city for the first time.  I also unexpectedly had to serve as the sole instructor for the latter event. There were so many incidents that stretched me during those two periods that it marks a key "growth" period of my life, and I'm thankful for it. 

I'll take the suggestions you give me, work up more details, and post it for review when ready.