KR movie plot - If I were writing it...

[rainman391]

Here is my plot if it were my movie. It starts Michael (David Hasselhoff) dreaming....off in the distant dusk dessert heat....a shape moving closer..sound grows louder alternating between michael and the scene in the dark where he first meets KITT....the scanner light starts moving back and forth in the dark....the car in the desert growing closer and the ear shattering scream of the turbine peiercing the night. He wakes up in a sweat...his home and family under attack. Son of Garth rebuilds and revives KARR to seek revenge against Michael. Comes after Michael. Kills his wife and one of his two kids. Michael still being hunted finds KITT body...thought to be destroyed.... abandoned in an old flag warehouse after a tip from an old friend or an old employee of Flag. Drags body out. Breaks into FLAG to retrive KITT from vault. Finds Bonnie as housewife somewhere and together they restore KITT. KARR attacks as KITT is near completion. Bonnie dies in attack. KITT/Michael barely escape. Michael finishes Kitt and sets out to stop/destroy Karr/Son in an epic battle at all cost. Film will be much darker with Michael finally allowed carry a gun. Appropriate occasional comediac/smart ass dialog with Kitt. Otherwise Film is dark. Also Michael allowed to cross certain ethical rules AKA Jack Bauer. There is your damn script. I will now head to my mailbox to await my million dollars.

[Nelson B]

And are you a member of the writers union?

[rainman391]

No....maybe I should....then I could get a raise... The WGA doesn't need to be involved. Last time that happened....Team Knight Rider...bunch of short bus retards...... The only person who needs to be writing Knight Rider is Mr Larson. Or someone who really loved the show and can make it modern without making it modern if you know what I mean.

If Glen Larson were not involved here is what would be going on.

1. Some back to the future fanboy would bastardize Kitt by putting him in a DeLorean

2. Michael would be doing coke off the dash and heading to rehab.

3. Bonnie would continue to wear baggy clothes. We can't have that now.

If I couldn't use the original cast which is what I would want and had to recast it with my one paragraph script above I would use
Michael - Tim Daly (an dark Tim Daly) longer hair with grey
Michael's wife - Virginia Madsen
Bonnie - 1st Rene Russo 2nd Elizabeth Shue
Garth Jr -1st choice - Timothy Olyphant 2nd Christian Bale

[rainman391]

I might also put Elizabeth Shue in the Michael's wife role. ahhh Elizabeth Shue....anyway back to work.

[snafu]

3. Bonnie would continue to wear baggy clothes. We can't have that now.

Gee, way to go to objectify women.
I'm really sorry, but this "we only care if we can see Bonnie's a$$" attitude really gets to me sometimes.
I hope they don't hire some blonde ditz to play Bonnie.

[rainman391]

Did you read who I would cast? I don't think Rene Russo or Elizabeth Shue qualify as ditzy. Both are smart, well acomplished actresses. You are a little over-sensitive. I don't think there is any guy on here or maybe even some women that wouldn't want to have seen a bit more of McPherson . Thats not objetifying. There is nothing sexier than a smart hot chick. I am married to one. Nothing wrong with dressing attractively or even showing a bit of skin. This women's femi power movement needs to take a break. We respect you just fine. Just stop complaining. Your picture indicates at least one of your parents did it with a horse. You need to probably address that before you talk about objectifying anything.

[snafu]

That's a mule, genius.

[rainman391]

Your absolutely right. I'm sorry you are a mule. However doesn't that mean that you are the ba$tard love child of a donkey (a$$) and a horse? Which may even be worse than than just the horse.

[msKEN]

Is this really necessary?

[Scott Kirkessner]

Rain Man, please do not disrespect and insult our members, especially SD Chick. She contributes a lot to our board almost every day.

She simply stated her opinion and you turned around and personally attacked her. Her reference to fear of a blonde ditz was not an attack to you, it was referring to the tele-film and the feature film.

This is not tolerable or acceptable. You are fairly new to our board with just five posts to your name, 40% of which contain insults to SD Chick.

Please learn to respect other people's opinions as we are all entitled to such. But when opinions turn into hate-speech as yours have, then we have a problem.

You are welcome to participate in our community and our lively discussion, but DO NOT insult our members.

Thank you.

-Scott

Your absolutely right. I'm sorry you are a mule. However doesn't that mean that you are the ba$tard love child of a donkey (a$$) and a horse? Which may even be worse than than just the horse.

[Shapeshifter]

Since some here seem to have the attitude that 'I can knock this treatment out before lunch, where's my check?' I thought I'd take you through the process of how a script like the one for the upcoming Knight Rider TV movie actually happens.

First of all, you have to be asked to write it. That entails a track record with the studio and the network, so they're willing to let you get involved with a multi million dollar project.

Then, you do research. It's possible that, if you're not Glen Larsen, you may not be up to speed on the Knight Rider mythology.

Next you write an outline. Not a one paragraph summary, but a detailed outline with all major plot points. This can run well over 10 pages, and you may have to do an oral pitch of this outline to the top studio brass, so you need to commit it to memory.

Once the outline is approved, then you write your first draft of the actual script. This can run, for a two hour pilot, around 90-110 pages. This will take weeks, if you're lucky (and good)

The script is then submitted to the Studio. The studio reads it, and gives you notes. These notes can address the dramactic (make this bigger, flesh out this character more) or the practical (Take out these characters or these scenes, you won't have the budget for them) but in any case, you must heed the notes. You re-write the script, and re-submit it, you get more notes back.

After several rounds of this, the script is approved by the studio. Then, it goes to the network, and the same process begins again. More notes, more rewrites. By the time this process of rewriting is over, and you have approval from both the studio and the network, your original script is hardly recognizable.

Then, you get your budget from the money suits at the Network, and it isn't enough to make the script that been approved. And they won't budge. So, you huddle with the directer and the line producer and you start cutting. You take out characters, you take out scenes, you figure out ways to save money. Meanwhile, since you now have a cast, you'd like to re-write some of the dialogue to play to their strengths, if you have time.

So, if you haven't blown your brains out yet just thinking about it, maybe you have what it takes to write a TV pilot. If not, don't give up your day job.

[Victor Kros]

First of all, you have to be asked to write it. That entails a track record with the studio and the network, so they're willing to let you get involved with a multi million dollar project.

Just a note, David Andron has no existing track record other then writing one show for "Raines" with Jeff Goldblum that disappeared so fast from the networks, few people remember it.

Secondly you're missing the "treatment" stage of your breakdown which happens after the outline is created and the pitch.

The treatment is typically the groundwork for the script itself and is submitted to the studio and must be approved before a script is drafted up.

I strongly agree that research is key to pitching/writing a good solid script that will sell.

So in closing

1. Pitch
2. Outline
3. Treatment
4. Script (First Draft)
5. Script (Revised) - By studio and director typically.
6. Shooting/Casting Script
7. Budget/FX Script
8. Final Script used for Principle Photography and Post Production.

I agree with the rest of your descriptions and would like to add that the reason your script may not be recognizable relies primarily due to budget constraints and the vision of the director who (usually) will bring in his own writing staff to polish a script closer to his vision of how he sees the film if he has the option to do so (like higher teir DGA directors)

This is why it's crucial for a scriptwriter to not get too attached to their work if they're starting at the bottom and typically unless you're a producer or exec producer you can expect your script to change dramatically in ways you never intended by the time it reaches the screen.

It really comes down to status and contractual terms of creative control.

A good reference for this sort of effect is to watch the movie, The Player

=VK=

[Lost Knight]

Since I would say about 85 percent of movies that come out these days are remakes, isn't this process much quicker in cases like that? With the exception of maybe a few minor changes here and there, writing a new script that's basically the same thing that existed once before seems a bit unnecessary.

[Victor Kros]

You're assuming that a remake is being taken directly from the original source material which isn't the case. Most remakes these days only borrow from concepts of the original material but many of the story forumulas used in the originals don't hold up to today's standards, especially compared to modern day technologies.

So no, I don't agree that remakes are easier to write scripts for then more original movie material. The fact is you can't just take an old script and adjust it slightly to make it work on today's screens.

Doesn't work like that because the audience's expectations and tastes change. That's why remaking existing movies/tv series is still a risk but one that studios are willing to take more because they can still repackage and re-release dvds (merchandising) to make up for losses at the box office when a remake feature film tanks.

Even if it's not successful at the box office, the after market of dvd rentals/sales is still a very profitable alternative.

=VK=

[rainman391]

You guys are taking this way to seriously. I wrote the posts as to how I would do it. I wrote some of it in a comedic way. I know all about the writing process. I have done it before which is why it is refreshing to me to "bang it out in 10 minutes". I am glad SD-chick has contributed to the board. But she sounds like a tough chick that can take care of herself including my child like "insults" This is a board about a TV show. Not middle east peace talks. We all love Knight Rider and are here to have fun. Anotherwords take a chill pill and go relax and maybe watch some Knight Rider. I was serious about the Glen Larson part. Its his baby.

[d_osborn]

... but many of the story forumulas used in the originals don't hold up to today's standards, especially compared to modern day technologies.

Yet 90% of the films that come out of the industry today are absolute trash. Go figure.

[neps]

You guys are taking this way to seriously.

I agree - why can't we all talk about how we would write the pilot - without any reality of the "official procedure." Is that not what Fan Fiction is about?

But still, some people don't like to be called a donkeys ass. So please be careful about slinging insults around.