![\"\"id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371779981205936850\"](\"http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_O92IeCnKPWQ/SoxlbpdVmtI/AAAAAAAABgY/6yAdAjuC-4A/s1600-h/Shrooms.jpg\")
The other day I sent my assistant to buy crimini mushrooms at the store. She came back empty handed. I couldn\’t believe the store wouldn\’t have crimini mushrooms and I made her go back again. She came back empty handed again. At this point I began to question why I had hired her in the first place, explained I had seen them there just yesterday, and sent her back one…more…time. She came back without them again. As I was contemplating the best way to find a new assistant, it dawned on me that when I was saying crimini mushrooms, I actually meant portobello mushrooms. I was the idiot, not her. And now, when she doesn\’t understand something, or I don\’t know how to explain something, we just say \”mushroom.\”
This got me thinking about the power of misunderstanding and mistaken identity, particularly in films.
In Slumdog Millionaire the authorities believed Jamal is a criminal, in Galaxy Quest extraterrestrials believe that Jason is actually a space commander and in Aladdin Princess Jasmine thinks Aladdin is wealthy.
Take a moment to think of your own script and the relationship between two of the characters. Could some sort of a misunderstanding help to heighten the conflict?
Maybe a mother finds drugs in their child\’s room and doesn\’t believe they\’re just \”holding it for a friend,\” someone overhears a conversation and misunderstands it, or a character on a date misinterprets what the other person really means.
Let me know what you come up with.
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In "Racers Edge" there is just such a scene. the father, written for Chris Columbus and based on his character in American Beauty, is a cop trying to catch a drug dealer and finds a stash of money in his son's room. He knows the kid is up to something and there is a tension in their meeting because the audience nows what the kid has been up to but the drama happens when the father grills him and he evades the truthful answers. Is the volatile father going to flip and beat his ass, or is the kid now fully a biker gang member going to return the favor if he lays his hands on him. Script made it to the Lit dept. of UTA but got passed because the actor who got it to Mitch Gos sett was pegged as the lead. I think had he not been involved like that something would've happened. Will pass it to another Mitch soon, Galin, of The Stand fame. Say a prayer for me, I will be leaving the phone company next year after a 30 years stint. Hope the writing hobby can become the profession after that. :-)
Michael James
Great observation, Michael! Good luck with the writing. Please keep me posted on your success.
– Marilyn
Thank you! The exercise really helped me out with my little short. I have now added in a bit of intrigue to my silent-comedy where I may have a girl runaway and fall in love with a bicycle messenger circa 1920, and he is blamed for her kidnapping but the audience will know he is a fumbling and innocent sweetie.
Needs more work…
That's great to hear! Let me know about other little insights you get along the way.
– Marilyn