So we've got our concept, and we're able to articulate it in a sentence or two. Now, before we start working on all the moving pieces, I think it's important to lock down theme.
Because Plot is what happens, but Theme is what it's about. We're going to be faced with a lot of choices, and Theme is our North Star.
Classic example is the movie Tootsie. My understanding of the story is that the script had been floating around the studios for a while, but no one ever seemed to really nail it. Until Larry Gelbart said "this is about a guy who becomes a better man by becoming a woman."
Bam. They had their North Star, and it informed all the choices in terms of character and story.
In ECHELON, we know we're going to be dealing with elements of high-tech surveillance, hacking, paranoia, and being pursued by an almost technologically omnipotent adversary. And it will be cool to veer into the NSA, Fort Meade, and the ECHELON system itself. War Games meets Enemy of the State.
The other thing to keep in mind is that our main character is likely going to be living/acting counter to the theme for most of the story, then coming to embrace the theme for her ultimate victory.
So, given all that, I'll take a crack and offer up -- "You have to trust someone."
I see our main character starting out the story as cynical and mistrustful -- then she has that paranoia totally validated throughout the story -- but, ultimately, in the final showdown, the only way for her to win is to trust someone.
Or maybe it's something like "You need to physically connect", for which she'll need the physical help of other people to win her battle.
I know that's all very general, but that's my starting point.
-- Dave
Labels: Echelon, Enemy of the State, Theme, Tootsie, War Games
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