Story: After many years of economic chaos in the United States, a dictator was able to rise during our most vulnerable period. Learning from history, the dictator outlawed the creation and bearing of arms throughout the United State because of his fear of rebellion. He also isolated his citizens by blocking out foreign world from the media and the internet, and banned the teaching of history that predate his ruling. Fifteen years later, a young boy fascination of a primitive homemade explosive from the gas pressure of chlorine had led him to discover a hidden online document with vast ingredient and step-by-step instructions of how to make homemade arsenals. Making him one of the few in the United States that have the knowledge to create arms, and start a revolution. This is the idea of a screenplay i am planning to write. It has a very unique setting and story to it, but i can't think of a good body for the story that can be entertaining, and still keep the reader/viewer on edge. I'm struggling with the idea of what our main character can do mid-way in the story. He evidently going to try to ignite a revolution, but how? Any tips and comments would be appreciated. I'm just having one of those times when my brain completely shuts off.
sorry to have to point out the obvious, but if you want to be a writer/screenwriter, you're going to have to come up with your own plots... that said, all knowledge of how to manufacture weapons is not going to just disappear in only 15 years... it would take generations of total isolation [which would be impossible, with over 5,000 miles of border with another country to the north, and 3,000+ to the south] for no one to be left who hadn't had the knowledge handed down in one way or another, so that premise simply won't fly...
As mammamaia said this is for helping with small details, not thinking of the plot for you. However I will give two bits of advice. Firstly, the time gap should be bigger. It's not realistic for all knowledge of arms-crafting to have vanished in 15 years. Make it like a hundred years at least. Also the very fact that he has the knowledge to build guns makes it easy for him to have people rally around him, so he can build his revolution on that. The details are up to you.
Yeah i figured that i would get this kind of reply. I do agree that i should work on my own plot and asking for help is evidently unprofessional. Sorry that i didn't clarify on my first post, but this idea is sort of like a practice idea and this will be my first practiced screen play. I am able to come up with the plot myself, and i have thought up of a good body structure. The fifteen year is just a number I wanted to post for readers on this forum to visualized, but obviously you guys are right, fifteen year is an absurd number of years for a entire civilization to completely forget how to make one of the most important invention in human history. I just thought it would be fun to post my practiced idea and discuss about the story or brainstorm about the actual story itself. I might have posted in the wrong section of the forum, if this is the case i do apologize. I might have misled everybody in my thread post. Do forgive me, and Thank You for reading.
Hey huyt_tran Just an idea maybe the boy could come across a sleeper cell of former military unit who are forming a resistance against the new regime. During there time under ground they have turned into more of a guerilla outfit who live wild. And this boy has come across information where they can get some materials/equipment to complete an arsenal which has looked jaded due to lack of the above. The boy could form a relationship with some of the group some strained and aggressive and maybe a love interest etc, all just off the top of my head so no offence taken if you don't like it.
Hm, a question: if the dictator destroyed all knowledge on building weapons, what is the actual threat of the regime then? I mean, if there is no weapons, there is no military. And no police. Except, of course, if they use clubs and bows and arrows. And that is enough weaponry to fight a rebellion! Not to mention that you are going to portray a seemingly pacifist society as the 'bad guys', which is quite cynical...
