Scenarios

[jmtorres]

You know how they say there's really only 5 stories being told and retold?

From The Areas of my Expertise by John Hodgman, p.44-45.

	Man/Woman v. Man/Woman	Man/Woman v. Nature	Man/Woman v. Society	Man/Woman v. Him-/Herself	Man/Woman v. Cyborgs
100	Boy v. Girl	Mountains thwart progress.	A stranger comes to town.	Triumph over ennui	Threat of cyborgs from the future
200	Cop v. Rookie	Zoo animals attack zookeepers.	A town springs up magically around a stranger.	Success thwarted by phobia	Threat of present-day cyborgs
300	Magicians v. Detectives	All animals attack all humans.	Society persecutes inventor of revolutionary fabric or vehicle.	Hero must choose between excellent sexual partner and stable companion.	Return of Civil War-era cyborgs that are powered by steam
400	Teacher v. Unruly class; both learn lessons.	Hunted by tornadoes	Self-satisfied loner flouts irrational laws, reveals absurdity of society, congratulates himself.	Past life reasserts itself.	Cyborg fights the man within.
500	Pursuit throughout life by a French constable whose determination exceeds his reeason	Volcanoes come to town.	Hero is chased by townspeople bearing torches.	Hero wonders if closest friend is actually archenemy, then lives in fear.	Many seeks control of his own cybernetic brain.
600	Country mouse v. City mouse	Only partially blinded bear seeks revenge.	Person living in a two-dimensional world encourages embrace of third dimension and is shunned.	A horrible physical deformity is overcome, only to be revealed that it is all in the protagonist's imagination.	Only the hero can see the cyborgs who secretly run our government and media.
700	Devil worshippers v. Apartment dwellers	Wilderness becomes crucible in which asthmatic learns to grow beard.	Conscience prevents acceptance of Soylent Green.	Only partially blinded bear overcomes need for revenge.	Family pet discovered to be cyborg.
800	Rivals in business become partners in bed.	The ocean arrives to put an end to well-laid plans.	True talent overlooked in favor of kiss-asses.	Struggle to overcome the effects of brainwashing/hypnosis	Young, handsome cyborg Army officer kills own family, blames hippies.
900	Former lovers who are archeologists seek same ancient curio.	Petty jealousy inspires tireless pursuit of whale.	Numbering system for clones proves problematic for non-clones.	Everything turns out to be a dream.	Man creates cyborg who wishes to be a real boy.
1000	Evil cousins thwart romance.	Saint Bernards come first as rescuers, then reveal themselves as enemies.	Shark loves Jet (all can be Man v. Nature or Nature v. Technology).	Body part is severed, gains mind of its own: Watch out.	Cyborg servants turn on master.
1100	Professional debunker v. Popular spoon-bending psychic	Snakes lie in wait.	Child raised by Saint Bernard assassins seeks acceptance and forgiveness in human society.	Hero in coma seeks to solve own murder, discovers culprit is himself.	Cyborgs seek fortune on Broadway, settle for bartending gig, and learn much about human life.

I think many of these would make excellent writing prompts. I also want to play Jeopardy guessing the more specific ones, ergo my extra label of moolah.

Man v. Man for 500, Alex. What is Le Miz?

Comments

[gisho.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. We should play Blackout Drabble Bingo with these!

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

Blackout Drabble Bingo?

[gisho.livejournal.com]

Yes. Try to fill in every square with a drabble on that theme. I think for something this size you'd have to to a cooperative open game, like the old Thousand Ficlets.

... I bet we could do it, too. The bunnies are already gnawing at my ankles.

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

Hee. Feel free to go for it. And recruit.

[stariceling.livejournal.com]

I have no idea what this is but it sounds kinda fun. o.0 Writing the drabbles, I hope?

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Former lovers who are archeologists seek same ancient curio.

For some reason, that makes me randomly giggle. It's so oddly *precise*.

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

What is Indiana Jones, Alex?

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Aha! Of course.

[tamtrible.livejournal.com]

Man vs Nature for 1100 is Snakes on a Plane, right?
And I think Man vs Cyborgs for 900 is basically Pinochio (spelt badly, but...)

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

Probably not specifically, this book predates that movie.

[princessofg.livejournal.com]

followed your link from synecdochic's comments to her post on plot... thanks; this is hilarious and also helpful!

where do i sign up for the jeopardy game?

*cheers*

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

*snicker* Feel free to leap in with any you know.

[cimadness.livejournal.com]

v Nature for 1000 might be Cujo.

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

*cracks up* For serious? I had just about convinced myself that couldn't be real.

[cimadness.livejournal.com]

Well, it's only one Saint Bernard, and I'm not sure if it initially turns up as an apparent savior (haven't read the book), but I'm guessing that's what it's referring to.

[plsteward.livejournal.com]

Man vs. Society for 200 = Bridgadoon?
Man vs. Man for 400 = Most if not all inspirering tv movies about inner city teachers.

God this was so funny and is giving me ideas that I don't need right now.

[jmtorres.livejournal.com]

Stand and Deliver! etc.

Someone suggested Man vs. Society for 200 was the end of Blazing Saddles.

*grins*

[meadowlion.livejournal.com]

Man/Woman v. Society for 600 -- what is Pleasantville?

Man/Woman v. Him-/Herself for 1000 -- what is Idle Hands?

[bouncy-penguin.livejournal.com]

I'd guess that Flatland is what was intended for the first one, though Pleasantville's a good call actually.

v. Him-/Herself for 300 is the book I'm trying to write, and for 100 is the story I'm living in trying to get it written.