I'm pleased to announce that yours truly is hard at work writing, "The Commune III." Already got "The Commune" and "The Commune II" done. So why do a third?
Glad you asked. Well, for starters I did leave "The Commune II" open to a follow-up script...
2nd I got a new idea to explore. Yep, "The Commune III" will be decidedly different that either "The Commune" or its sequel.
Besides, I actually like the genre I'm working in: dark sci-fi.
So what is dark sci-fi? Hmmm... Well, I guess that's up to SOME debate, but from my way of looking at things:
Dark Sci-fi Movies: Movies made with a sci-fi twist that has some edge and horror to it.
There, that wasn't so hard. Movies that E.C. Henry is familiar with, likes, and would place in the dark sci-fi genre:
- "Planet of the Apes" (1968)
- "Beneath the Planet of the Apes" (1970)
- "Alien" (1979)
- "Blade Runner" (1982)
- "The Matrix" (1999)
- "Minority Report" (2004)
- "Prometheus" (2012)
- "Predator" (1987)
- "The Terminator" (1982)
Lots of space accented movies here, but that's not a pre-requisite for this sub-genre. Rather what you're looking for is feel, and a specific range of special affects. The "feel" is one of heightened horrific expectation. Taylor discovers that Landon had his brain operated on by Dr. Zaius. That's kinda dark. In "Minority Report," that Steven Speilberg directs a trio of pre-cogs are kept in water and maintained by a keeper so they can be watched for their "visions" of crimes in the local area about to happen. Then there's the sequence where Tom Cruise's characters gets someone eyes put in his skull so he can avoid retina scans that are done in pubic. More dark stuff. How about in "Predator" when occasionally you get to see in inferred like the alien does. Now THAT'S a cool affect, especially for it's time.
Part of the reason I feel the need to differentiate dark sci-fi from the rest of it because so much sci-fi out there lacks real edge. Take almost any "Star Trek" movie. Definitely sci-fi, but also soft sci-fi, where the emphasis is on the journey and exploration, as opposed to delving into darker subjects like all of mankind being reduced to being functioning power source battery to keep AI machines running: the greater arcing story of "The Matrix". Some people even consider "Guardians of the Galaxy" sci-fi. Try holding that one up to Ridley Scott's "Prometheus" and see how it holds up!
So why exclude "Aliens" and "Terminator: Judegment Day"? I loved "Aliens". It is one of my favorite movies of all-time. I just think will all the emphasis on the crew, that it took away from the alien and their affects. Same with "Terminator: Judgement Day". That movie had more of emphasis on John Connor winning offer Arnold Swartzeneggor's character than on the greater story of the new bred of Terminator coming after John. Again. LOVED "Terminator: Judgement Day" it just has a different affect its trying for.
High concept is a hallmark of dark sci-fi. In dark sci-fi movies big central questions are raised. (And it doesn't get any bigger than a 36 point font, that was a joke by the way) Where do we come from? Are we perverting science to achieve horrific results. Can we trust technology?
I know what I like and I know I like it. I like movies with edge and ones that can put you on the edge of your seat.
Hopefully when I'm done with it "The Commune III" will be a stand-alone movie WORTHY of being mention amoungst the likes of "Planet of the Apes" (1968), or "The Matrix" or "Prometheus". I always aim high no matter what I'm writing. As of March 7th I've got 71+ pages written on "The Commune III"'s first draft. Just trying to lay down a story from beginning to end. It's far from perfect right now. But it's got an awesome 1st seen, pre-dawn shoot out. And I've got lot of pockets of thrills and chills after that. This will probably be a three drafter. Will probably take three drafts before I have this ready to show. Hopefully I can finish the first draft this weekend, that's my goal. Gunna take a lot. But I think I wrote twenty pages yesterday. Another 16 or so today. For me this RECORD output. Not a draft that I would show Steven Speilberg, but his time will come. He-he-he.
To me that's where the real writing is. It's in your first draft. Can you finish the sucker? Seriously that's most of the battle right there. Editing is a grind and it's importance cannot be overlooked, but you gotta start somewhere and real writers write firsts drafts where previously there was nothing. After editing Thars for so long, I really needed this. Needed to prove to myself that I can still do this kind of stuff; write new material.
So I'm writing dark sci-fi, and having a lot of fun with it. Still waiting to hear from this job when my start day will be. Got a killer job that just waiting on a background check...