Action/Thriller Writing: The DIE HARD Method
June 9th, 2009
Think back to the mid-90s and after DIE HARD and LETHAL WEAPON became big hits and established a new genre of Action/Thriller writing. Looks at this list of films that went into development immediately after DIE HARD became big.
Do the following:
1) Look at the "Concept" and the "Plot" for each. Think about your story idea for your Action/Thriller and how you could describe its "Concept" using the "Die Hard method" (establishing the tone of your story using a Die Hard dichotomy.) Now writer your "Plot" using no more than 2-3 sentences and following the examples below.
then
2) Look at the ones that made it out of development hell and on to the Screen. Do you see any consistent pattern?
'DAYLIGHT' (1996)
Concept: Die Hard in a tunnel.
Plot: A chemical explosion seals a New York City tunnel. It's up to a medical worker to get everyone out alive.
'EXECUTIVE DECISION' (1996)
Concept: Die Hard on a plane.
Plot: A terrorist's followers take over a plane carrying a U.S. senator. They'll blow up the plane unless the President frees their leader.
'TURBULENCE' (1997)
Concept: Die Hard on a 747.
Plot: A psycho killer does in everyone on board except a female flight attendant and a child.
'SUDDEN DEATH' (1995)
Concept: Die Hard in a sports arena.
Plot: A firefighter with a troubled past races against the clock to find his daughter, kidnapped during a hockey game.
'NO SAFE HAVEN' (Not Produced)
Concept: Die Hard on Martha's Vineyard.
Plot: A disgraced ex-Marine redeems himself when he goes to the rescue of the President's wife and daughter, who are being held captive by a David Koresh-like cult leader on a stormy Martha's Vineyard.
'OFF THE GRID' (Not Produced)
Concept: Die Hard at a dam.
Plot: It's the Canadian military to the rescue when a terrorist group seizes control of the world's largest dam and threatens to blow it sky-high.
'PLATFORM' (Not Produced)
Concept: Die Hard on an oil rig.
Plot: An underwater demolitions expert fights a terrorist takeover of a deep-sea platform.
'SUSPENSION' (2002)
Concept: Die Hard on a bridge.
Plot: It's rush-hour madness as terrorists (again) take over New York City's George Washington Bridge, threatening to detonate a bomb and kill thousands of New York-New Jersey commuters.
'THE ROCK' (1996)
Concept: Die Hard on Alcatraz.
Plot: An FBI agent and biological weapons expert teams up with a good-guy convict — the only survivor of an Alcatraz prison escape — to quash a plan to destroy San Francisco.
'AIR FORCE ONE' (1997)
Concept: Die Hard on yet another 747.
Plot: Terrorists led by a disgraced ex-Navy SEAL commandeer the U.S. President's plane — not to mention the President himself. ''The reason we're using the President is because of Air Force One,'' says producer Mimi Polk Gitlin (Thelma & Louise). ''It's an amazing piece of machinery.''
'VERTICAL RUN' (Not Produced)
Concept: Coming full circle, it's Die Hard in a high-rise office building.
Plot: An office worker finds himself pursued by mysterious gunmen (actually government agents) who have infiltrated the skyscraper.
'HIGH ROLLER' (Not Produced)
Concept: Die Hard in a Las Vegas casino.
Plot: A down-on-his-luck gambler and the daughter of a Vegas kingpin work together to save her kidnapped father.
The DIE HARD Method is what producers used to consider when looking at developing a new action/thriller movie. How does the script or pitch fit into the paradigm of DIE HARD?
Even today, though not near as dominant, producers still love to find something with a fresh and new spin off of DIE HARD, a proven winner.
Why was DIE HARD so good and why did it establish this new methodology? At the time it was not the typical action flick. The hero gets bloodied, beaten and almost dies numerous times! Think back to the action/thrillers before it, and they were dominated by caricatures.
For more take Action-Thriller Writing Class via 4Screenwriters.com, professional quality classes designed by professional writers!
Comments
Only logged-in members can comment. You can log in or join today for free!
Advertisement
