Where are all the new ideas?

Okay. Let's get ideas 101 out of the way. There is nothing new under the sun. The Old Testament nailed that a couple of thousand years ago. But it seems that the entertainment industry is having real problems in coming up with new ideas. This was endemic across the pond. We're used to films turning into franchises which generally (Godfather excepted) are not good ideas but the current fad for 'reboots' or remakes as we used to know then is starting to move from irritating to depressing. And is infecting that small remnant of what was once a British film industry. Hard on the heels of the putative 'Professionals' movie, we now have the announcement of casting for the new 'Sweeney'.
What chance do new writers with new(ish) ideas have when no one seems to be willing to take a risk on exposing audiences to a story and characters that they haven't seen before?

No idea.

I hadn't heard about the Sweeney film. Sounds like just as terrible idea as the Professionals.

Surely only a matter of time now until they do a Minder film.

It seems to be a purile desire to say "ooh how would this look with proper special effects?"

I'm probably in the minority but I prefer good TV drama and comedies to seeing a film. It's much more comfortable indoors.

With your fleecy non slip social services slippers? Tartan blanker and enema?

But what if the film is on telly?

Quote: Chappers @ April 4 2011, 5:24 PM BST

I'm probably in the minority but I prefer good TV drama and comedies to seeing a film. It's much more comfortable indoors.

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I do agree sometimes. Seeing a film at the cinema is more exciting, but can be utterly ruined by things beyond your control. There's no noisy chavs at home.

Yes, it is sad what's happened to the British film indusry. And I'd agree that the big Hollywood studio "tentpole" movies are pretty tedious and unimaginative. But they have been ever since Star Wars came out in 1977 and the film industry decided en masse they'd stop making grown up movies and aim most films at 13 year old boys.

Having said that, every year there's still plenty of good stuff coming out. Last year had Inception, which proved you can do a smart blockbuster. And this week, we had Source Code, that does the same. Plus there's always French, Italian, German or South Korean cinema, which also churns out some excellent stuff.

I do despair as remake after remake is wheeled out, and I agree with KL, what chance for the new writer trying to get a break with their project?

Problem is that both TV & Film companies want bankable, instant hits where there has often been a big buy-in by Joe Bloggs already.

It's also the same with casting both on telly and cinema...same old feckin faces! Particularly Jimmy (blimmin) Nesbitt.

Of course there's nothing new under the sun and the old Hollywood 'studio system' has been about for yonks. It's just maybe that the 'Stars' of today aren't what the stars of those times gone by where.

Quote: Griff @ April 4 2011, 6:42 PM BST

That's life though innit. As a new writer, you're not only competing with other new writers, you're competing with the most experienced and successful writers in the business, plus all the dead ones who might have left a body of work that could profitably be reused. And you're not just competing in your genre. Sitcom writers are competing against Mad Men and The Sopranos and meanwhile the whole TV/radio/film industry is competing against music and novels and sport and restaurants and pubs and porn and stamp collecting and f**k knows what else for a slice of people's time.

I'd give up if I were you.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8arvEzHsA8

Quote: Chappers @ April 4 2011, 5:24 PM BST

I'm probably in the minority but I prefer good TV drama and comedies to seeing a film. It's much more comfortable indoors.

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ITV's special offering for next year - a new Titanic to be written by Julian Fellows.
They'll bore you to death at home as well.

Quote: Griff @ April 4 2011, 7:43 PM BST

I rather liked Gosford Park.

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I'm not saying you're not allowed to like Gosford Park. But that the next project is one that has been done a couple of times before. Its TV execs playing safe. But I'm not getting het up over TV, although given the opportunity I could start a thread on domestic TV cops versus europlods, I'm irked not just because its remakes, but because its remakes of things that weren't actually very good in the first place.
And yes, occasionally we do get something new like the Matrix but then it get cloned.
Is it too much to ask that perhaps someone could commission a film which has a comprehensible plot (Beginning, middle and end. Preferably in that order), actors who can act rather than just having great teeth and hair and possibly some new talent in front of the camera who isn't genetically related to Will Smith?

(Resist Griff. I know you're dying to say it.)

Quote: chipolata @ April 4 2011, 5:59 PM BST

Plus there's always French, Italian, German or South Korean cinema, which also churns out some excellent stuff.

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South Korean cinema?

Quote: bigfella @ April 4 2011, 8:28 PM BST

South Korean cinema?

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Racist.

Give me a few recommendations.

Quote: bigfella @ April 4 2011, 8:40 PM BST

Give me a few recommendations.

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The Host. Oldboy. Chaser. Thirst.