I am a huge fan of the big ideas that strike when you least 

expect them to, which is why I recommend notebooks to write 

in, and lots of them.  I have dozens scattered all over the 

house, much to the chagrin of my wife.  I have to constantly

 work at organizing my thoughts, since I tend to scribble 

them on the closest available page.  

You can use whichever system is best for you, but when you 

have an idea for a movie, write it down.

Go through your writing ideas once per week or so and see 

which ones have meat and can be flushed into something.  

I generally have a decent movie idea every time I drive, 

which is why I choose to do so (DRIVE) with the radio off, 

alone with my thoughts.  This tends to freak out the passengers, 

like my wife, who immediately commandeers the radio upon 

entering my car.

But even there is a movie idea, a kernel, a nugget if you 

will.  

AN ADVENTUROUS HITCHHIKER GETS PICKED UP BY A WIERDO WHO 

STARTS TO HUNT HIM AS A GAME.

Could be psychological film.

Could be a SLASHER FILM.

Could be a really gross out horror film a la HOSTEL.

And all could be really low budget.

If you change the DRIVER to a woman, you've got a completely 

different movie.

Same if you change the HITCHIKER to a GIRL.

Or reverse the roles.  Now she's the stalker.  

It's a different movie.

Can you see how One idea generates four different movies?

How about PROM NIGHT which is released on DVD? 

The premise behind PROM NIGHT is A FEMALE STUDENT 

IS STALKED BY AN OBSSESSIVE MALE TEACHER.

You could write a very similar low budget version of the 

film and apply your own unique point of view to the story.  

Or you could change it up to create a new movie idea.

A MALE STUDENT IS STALKED BY A FEMALE TEACHER.  

(This one is pulled straight out of the headlines 

a la BETH ANN CHESTER.)

Or a Male teacher is stalked by a female student.

Or a Female Teacher is Hunted by an obsessed Male Student.

How about a Female Teacher obsessed with a Female student.  

Or Vice Versa.

Take it out of High School and put it in College.

Take it out of College and set it at Summer Camp.

Or put it all in a house and make the relationship tutor to 

tutee.

So how many movie story ideas is that?  Thirty -two?  A

re they all going to share similar plots?  

Sure, but if that's scaring you off, then you don't know jack 

about making low budget movies.  Go walk the aisles at your 

local DVD rental store and check the titles.  Read the back 

of the DVD covers and you'll see what I'm talking about.

You, as the low budget film director will bring your own 

unique viewpoint to the story, which will manifest itself in

 the camera angles, editing, lighting, pacing, etc.

The key is to keep your notebook handy to write down any 

movie ideas you come across.

Read the headlines and tie into them.  Two guys announce t

hey have a BIGFOOT CARCASS?  You have a boy who cried wolf 

story.  Make it funny and you've got an absurd horror comedy. 

(SEAN OF THE DEAD ANYONE?)

Do you need to tie into a news event that you can't recreate?

Set up two actors at a desk and shoot it tight.  You've got a 

newscast.  Go live to a reporter in the field and you have a 

whole new aspect of the story. 

Write all of your ideas down in a notebook, pick the best

 or most interesting ones to develop and then write the movie.  

Remember to use a simple 30 step formula.  The beginning is 

10 scenes, 

the middle 10, and the final 10.  

Each step is a scene, and each scene is 2-3 minutes long.

Keep the story moving forward and keep your protagonist in 

trouble until they finally figure out how to beat the killer.

Don't forget a sub-plot or two; if you have a student teacher 

stalker story, like the BETH ANN CHESTER story) then introduce 

a significant other for both.  Make your subplot as interesting 

as your main theme.  Think circles within circles. 

Finally the ending.  Go watch AMERICAN BEAUTY for a great 

ending.  Keep it unexpected, but don't force it.

There's your quick primer for finding awesome kick a** ideas 

for your low budget movies.  Start writing right now, 

or send me an e-mail if you want someone to write your movie for you. 

 Lowry.cd@hotmail.com and I'll even show you how to market your movie 

to make money!