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> Screenplay Fodder: News That Should Inspire!

Man dismembered and cooked after sex games
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120125-40333.html

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ACT I: Provocative proposal for a lurid invitation made.
ACT II, Part I: The table is set, the guests c... come together, the game goes...
ACT II, Part II: ... awry. And then it goes very, very, very wrong before the descent into abomination.
ACT III: Desperation and capitulation opens the door to discovery and scrutiny.




Wellspring of source material: http://www.dailyrotten.com/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/weird-news/

http://www.chron.com/news/bizarre/

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/archives/weird/

http://www.sfgate.com/weird/

http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NEWS20

http://www.fark.com/

http://www.newsoftheweird.com/archive/index.html
 
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THIS popped up on my FB newsfeed today... from three different people! Definitely should be made into a movie...

In fact, I might write it myself!

Wow! I'm amazed that with todays surveillance technology it's still difficult to find a big ship like that. And I'm amazed that something like the Canadian government just cuts derelict ships loose in the ocean. Shows what I know about maritime practices.


Star Tribune/AP: Police: Art thief among suspects arrested in theft of Stradivarius violin in Milwaukee
 
Alright, fellas... Let's See How a Twofer Looks!

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Police: Art thief among suspects arrested in theft of Stradivarius violin in Milwaukee
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/music/243941081.html?page=1&c=y

CRIME/THRILLER
ACT I: Shadowy illicit art collector tips off fading art thief of Stradivarius violin heist opportunity with cash reward upon delivery.
ACT II, Part I: Ingenue musician marked, watched, studied, then after a wonderful show is stunned, and robbed of the violin.
ACT II, Part II: Law enforcement interview and interrogate, identify probable suspect, pressured by insurance company/bounty hunters/superiors, red herring is a bust. Art collector nearly closes loose end with thief.
ACT III: But red herring is an associate that knows someone who leads investigators to thief. Art collector turns up missing, presumed dead.




Mexican forces struggle to rein in armed vigilantes battling drug cartel

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/17/world/americas/mexico-michoacan-vigilante-groups/

ACTION/CRIME

ACT I: Quasi ad hoc security organization contacts town officials at key drug traffic point about services offered, declined, cartel attack, services accepted.
ACT II, Part I: Amid federal scrutiny and opposition security makes plans, measures implemented, direct contact with cartel. Success!
ACT II, Part II: Greater cartel contingent released, security calls reinforcements, government weighs in, misinformation/misunderstanding/betrayal/deceit threaten to destroy everyone's goals - except the cartel.
ACT III: Terms agreement made, all out three-way assault a success. Temporarily. A larger cartel has just had it's rival crippled.
 
IDK. This stuff just beats the sh!t outta me. Crazy.

iPhone with killed ‘Flappy Bird’ reaches $90,200 on eBay
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/themar...ith-killed-flappy-bird-reaches-80000-on-ebay/
1,027
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I know there's a good story in here about addiction, but I might have a little difficulty in finding it.

I'm thinking the best route would be to follow several stories concurrently and how they intersect, a la 'Traffic', 'Requiem for a Dream', 'Crash', 'Syriana', etc.

I think I can see three stories here involving a winner, a loser, and a getting by-er.

CRIME/DRAMA
ACT I: Game developer (D) pulls game, drug junkie (J) in dire straights, casual gamer (G) begins downward spiral into deression & addiction.
ACT II, Part I: D reconnects with his family & friends, J's poverty leads to clarity & purpose, G begin's OCDing on game fix.
ACT II, Part II: D discovers family & friends are in absolute disarray, J's sale of phone is rife w/ trepidation & fiscal peril, G steals phone - arrested.
ACT III: D rebukes hiding back in game development and commits to salvaging his family & friends, J hit's paydirt then drug binges and dies, G sells her home and assets to acquire phone w game.
 
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It's a Believers vs. Satanists Two-fer!

Saints-and-Sinners-Web.jpg

Researching this... : Feb. 17, 2014
http://abcnews.go.com/US/snake-handling-pentecostal-pastor-dies-snake-bite/story?id=22551754

I ran across this: May 30, 2012
Snake-handling Pentecostal pastor killed by rattlesnake bite
http://content.usatoday.com/communi...stal-pastor-killed-rattlesnake/1#.UwPsrPldV8E

Hmm... a head on accounting might be a wee dry.
How about we add to it a little...

SCIFI/FANTASY
ACT I: George Went Hensley commands a particularly rousing sermon thus drawing Satan's attention and a curse levied.
ACT II, Part I: Hensley is bit, briefly blames his congregation, and the curse set in motion before he repents a moment later.
ACT II, Part II: Generation after generation of followers along one family line has it's Pentacostal snake handling pastor father's die of snake bite as long as they have male heirs. Devout sister wives come to a crossroads over how to break the curse. The betrayal of the faith is broken despite Satan's best efforts otherwise.
ACT III: The husband they have plotted to save is deceived into fathering a child, gives a rousing sermon, and the curse is yet again fulfilled - and passed onto his unborn son.

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Man, 42, lured in Craigslist ad by Newlywed 'thrill killers' was
STILL ALIVE - choking and gasping for air - after being stabbed
20 times as couple searched for place to dump his body

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...list-Newlywed-thrill-killers-stabbed-him.html
1,173
CRIME/DRAMA
ACT I: Antags marry, discuss various demented plans of interest, agree, then launch internet classified ad.
ACT II, Part I: First potential victim is a bust, second a near miss, third one's a thrilling also near miss.
ACT II, Part II: The antag couple retools their "rules of engagement", fourth potential victim meets all criteria and is brutally near-slain. Antags panic - they hadn't planned what to do next!
ACT III: Body is dumped, law enforcement called, rudimentary police work bags the couple PDQ. Cell confession opens the opportunity to subsequent stories of gruesome past like-events.
 
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Sorry Ray, mind if I throw a few in? :)
No, sir!
By all means - toss out as many inspiring news events and avenues of cinematic story pursuit as you can!




Here's one that'd take a rather bit of effort to wrangle into a single 110 minute film:

'El Chapo' Guzman: How the world's most wanted drug lord was finally busted
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/world/americas/el-chapo-capture/

And combine that with

Drug lord's wife has twins in Los Angeles County hospital
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/wor...-coronel-twins-lancaster-antelope-valley.html

And: http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/19/world/americas/mexico-el-chapo-daughter/index.html

Foundation/background material: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/24/local/la-me-cartel-20110724



There's just a lot of information to coherently cram into a screenplay.

This would make for a good thriller, probably be best served being from multiple POVs, much akin to 'Heat' except without the tidy ending since Guzman was captured alive.
 
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H. F. S.

The Man Who Spent $100,000 on Surgery to Look Like Justin Bieber
http://www.hollyscoop.com/justin-bieber/man-who-spent-100000-surgery-look-justin-bieber.html

:no: He didn't?

:yes: He did.

Anyways.

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FANTASY-DRAMA
ACT I: Phil becomes blindsided starstruck with hot celeb paparazzi darling Justin Mianus, wants to become him.
ACT II, Part I: Begins with the easy accoutrama and sh!t, unhappy with results. Family gravely concerned.
ACT II, Part II: Surgery, expensive surgery, of dubious results, seems to be the only thing that satisfies Phil - and ostracizes him from family and friends. Justin rebuffs his adoration sending Phil into a tailspin.
ACT III: Phil "Mianus" acquires new family and friends in therapy and social outings where he is accepted and loved for who he is.

Alternate dark ending.
ACT III: Phil "Mianus" stalks Justin, paparazzi mistake Phil for Justin - as well as Justin's deadly stalker who shoots and kills Phil, who dies with validation that he has achieved his goal to become like Justin and die for his hero.

Epilogue: Justin publicly appreciates the extreme fandom but in private really doesn't give a sh!t.
 
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Utah woman admits to killing six babies inside her home, investigators say
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/14/utah-woman-admits-killing-six-babies-inside-home
1,858
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SciFi Horror

ACT I: Psychotic depressed woman delivers infant, places it bucket in garage, discovered by neighbor.
ACT II, Part I: Woman arrested, jailed, more dead infants discovered, woman escapes jail by unknown method.
ACT II, Part II: Woman rearrested at home, discovered to be pregnant again (wasn't yesterday) by investigators, abducted by aliens in presence of investigator.
ACT III: Lab reports indicate infants father is "inconclusive", other family members also being abducted for alien reproduction experiments, investigator now pregnant.
 
Follow Up Story Intel:

Here's one that'd take a rather bit of effort to wrangle into a single 110 minute film:

'El Chapo' Guzman: How the world's most wanted drug lord was finally busted
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/23/world/americas/el-chapo-capture/

There's just a lot of information to coherently cram into a screenplay.

This would make for a good thriller, probably be best served being from multiple POVs, much akin to 'Heat' except without the tidy ending since Guzman was captured alive.

Happenstance found some additional reference material:
The Execution of Two Chapos
http://www.borderlandbeat.com/2011/09/execution-of-two-chapos.html
"The men admit to working for Joaquin El Chapo Guzman himself. They describe their duties as halcones or at one time riding in the convoys when they were asked to do so."

Falcons (Spanish: Halcones): Considered the "eyes and ears" of the streets, the 'falcons' are the lowest rank in any drug cartel. They are responsible for supervising and reporting the activities of the police, the military and their rival groups.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_cartel

>>NSFW video<< Which I honestly advise sensible people not watch. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=94f_1343002966&comments=1
 
A 12-Year-Old’s Trek of Despair Ends in a Noose at the Border
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/04/2...-ends-in-a-noose-at-the-border.html?referrer=
2,075
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Fantasy Crime Adventure
I imagine parallel stories from multiple vantage points with only one being reality based, and it would be perilous and disheartening.

ACT I: Illegal immigrant parents have delusions of their life, the life of their daughter in her homeland, and of the trip ahead of her when they pay $20,000 to have her smuggled to them.
ACT II, Part I: The grandfather does and doesn't undstand why she left, the child tells of her grand adventure and her travel companions.
ACT II, Part II: The government is out to capture the girl and her travel companions, but they outsmart the police and army! But in the end are betrayed and caught, then tortured and murdered!
ACT III: The parents are assured by the smugglers that for another payment their daughter can make it safely to them. Instead, after payment they are seized by the police, told that their daughter has been slaughtered as an example to others, and they must remain slaves here forever!

All of which is just insane delusion and fantasy.
 
This is old news but I just came across it. and woah, what a story!

James Hydrick nationally appeared on tv in 1980's "That's incredible!" where he demonstrated his telekinetic powers to much awe. He said that anyone could develop these abilities through kung fu and special techniques, and he gained national fame and a following. He began instructing children in these special techniques. Later he was revealed to be a fraud and was sent to jail for sexually assaulting nearly a dozen young boys.
 
Ha! Haven't seen this thread.

Here's an oldie (2010 news story) that I've held onto, thinking I might do a rip-off of Weekend At Bernie's::

"Two women have been arrested at an airport in Liverpool for attempting to smuggle a 91-year-old man onto a plane.

A dead 91-year-old man.

The female relatives of the deceased, aged 41 and 66, tried to get the corpse onto a flight bound for Germany, by dressing him in sunglasses and sending him through check-in on a wheelchair.
 
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