I think A Boy’s Life would be an interesting concept to pitch. First and foremost, I would focus on the story behind the script – this is its main strength. The tale of an alien left behind on a far away planet is an immediately captivating story, and the script does a good job creating relatable characters that an audience can easily empathize with. Relating this in an effective manner would be key to the success of the pitch. I would also be sure to point out that this is a story that is appealing regardless of age and gender, which means that the movie would have a huge audience to capitalize on. Also, the budget for this film would not be nearly as high as one would expect – the $10.5 million is only half of what previous Spielberg blockbusters like Close Encounters and Indiana Jones were made on.
Selling this movie would be difficult for a couple of different reasons. First, the protagonist is a young child, meaning the star of the film will have little experience or name recognition. However, this also means they don’t have to pay a big name star. Second, the other main character isn’t a person, but either a robot or puppet. This would have to be convincing, and our young, inexperienced actor would have to work with an inanimate object. I would point to the success of Yoda as evidence that E.T. could be a realistic and convincing character. However, the best solution to these problems is having a good director such as Spielberg already signed on to direct.
Andrew Erdal
Discussion Questions:
1. What is your favorite genre of film? What do you like about it?
2. Conversely, what is your least favorite genre of film, and why do you dislike it?
1 comment:
To be honest, I totally ripped my guts out trying to come up with a "favorite genre." It's not that I hate every genre, I just love movies that are well done, it doesn't matter which category they fall under. I would have to put Modern Epics, Westerns, Redemptions, Black Comedies, Thrillers, Musicals and Historical Dramsa all up there. I'm going to go with Historical Drama, however, because I am always fascinated to see different time periods and learn new things about the past. I already know my least favorite genre: Fantasy. I enjoy films that are realistic and subtle, and every fantasy I've ever seen is melodramatic and intensely emotional. I don't mind wizards and warlocks as long as they behave in a way I can recognize as a human being. Plus, fantasy movies just tend to be (dare I say it?) crappy. So maybe I'm biased.
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