Week 3 - Friday Assignments

Writing Workshop -

It was another rainy night as Eddy pulled into the dimly-lit parking lot of his apartment complex. Struggling with carrying all of his bulky video-production equipment, he made it to the building in good time without being too soaked from the outside precipitation. He pushed his wet, brown hair out of his eyes back off to the side again. Eddy sighed as he looked up with big eyes at the menacing flight of stairs he had to climb, and then back down at the equipment bags he needed to carry up them.

After reluctantly doing so and making it to his apartment, he found his roomate and fellow co-worker Arnold sitting lazily on the couch, his legs on the coffee table as he watched television.

"Did you get the shot?" asked Arnold.

"I was late," Eddy curtly responded, "But what difference does it make. I don't see how footage of the airplane taking off makes that lousy story any better."

"You look like a mess. Work must've really took a toll on you today." Arnold stated, describing Eddy's apperance. His tie had become partially undone and his bright reporter attire was faded and wrinkled.

"It's the life we were chosen for, Arnold."

"We really need some better news stories. Ones that don't require us to be at a time and place all the time, always in a rush, and on top of that, something in the least bit interesting for christ sake!"

Eddy proceeded to sit down and watch the 10:00 news of the rival TV company. It was something Arnold usually picked apart and teased, being that their newer outlet was considered more 'amateur' than the reputable, long-time standing station the two belonged to. Eddy was more calm about it and respected their efforts. He was surprised that Arnold was keeping his mouth shut tonight in particular. Their top story was that of a big-time prisoner's escape in Marquette, and that he was on the loose.

"That's the kind of story we need!" Arnold exclaimed.

Surprised, Eddy responded, "What? They just reported it, and what more is to the story than that until the guy gets caught again?"

"No, I mean, we follow every step the guy takes, and chronicle the whole thing up until he gets caught. Noone usually does that, it'd make a great series of news reports!"

"It could be dangerous, and on top of that, it's risky. We can't even guarantee that we'll have enough content for the stories each time."

"We can make up whatever the hell we want and go by what the police is up to! Don't you see, it's not like your story where we have to be someplace, we just report wherever, whenever, after the fact, and there's bound to be something big that'll happen!"

"Well, as long as we confine to some proper news-reporting etiquette, I guess I'll go along with it."

"That's the spirit! I'll get writing."



Story Idea 2 - "Eminence"

My second story idea is yet another result of my movie-watching and reading habits that I've talked about in earlier blog posts. I believe I mentioned earlier I really like plots where multiple things are happening simultaneously - where different individuals and groups who may not know each other or know of their immediate involvement in a situation are intertwined in a series of events relating to a common goal or single item, like two of Guy Ritchie's most popular films "Lock Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels" (the plot mainly focusing around two rifles) and "Snatch" (plot focusing around a diamond).

The idea is (I haven't fleshed it out entirely and am in dire need of further ideas for it) that there is a great technological advancement/invention created somewhere by someone who is essentially an amateur that will change everything as we know it. Possible ideas could be a cure for a disease, a weapon, an artifact - something of great importance and value. Then, information about it begins to leak, and many different parties wish to obtain it for their own personal needs or wants, whether they be for good or for bad. If it were a new and terrifying weapon, for example, criminals would want it for their own diabolic plans, a government would want it for use in their military, robbers would want it to sell it for a load of cash, a world peace group would want it to never surface, etc... And here's the catch - in a very Alfred Hitchcock fashion, this item of huge importance somehow ends up in the hands of who is basically an innocent bystander. All the weight falls on his shoulders. He would be the "average joe" type main character. He has to figure out how to clear himself from the situation and more importantly, what to do with the item. There will be a number of options for him and he has to choose what he think will be best for him personally and what would be best for the world. What he ultimately decides will alter the story's conclusion. It's a good skeletal idea, however, I'm not exactly sure how I'll be writing the events in detail. I may wish to only explain the narrative through the main character and not look into other perspectives from the interest groups. I love the idea concept but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make up for it in solid substance from point A to B. It could definitely work, though.