Just to jump-start us on the comedic tone of Chance's spiritual journey, here's a possibility...
We open in Chance's apartment. Chance and Jimmy are watching "Pulp Fiction". The webisode starts with the opening music from the movie...and we see the last scene (in the coffee shop) where Samuel L. Jackson tells Travolta that he's giving up the life of being a hit man. Instead, he's going to walk the earth like Caine in "Kung Fu". Jackson's character became a changed man when none of the bullets hit them in the apartment (early in the movie) - that there must have been some kind of divine intervention that saved their lives. Jackson is now opting for the spiritual road. And he explores other possible meanings of the Ezekiel quote he recited during the movie.
Chance says that's what's missing in his life. He needs to connect with his spiritual side - if he even HAS a spiritual side.
Jimmy knows just the person Chance should talk to.
Then, when the audience expects to see Chance meet with a man of the cloth, we CUT TO the tattoo parlor.
To Jimmy - who already has a tattoo - this tattoo artist is like the Dalai Lama. It also reveals something new about Jimmy's character - and the tattoo angle is a twist in the story rather than a starting point.
Now, it's a matter of how committed Chance is to getting in touch with his spiritual side. Is getting tatted up really the best way? How does Chance become convinced to do it? Or doesn't he do it?
We also talked about the possibility of doing live action animation. We don't have to go there, but, if we want, a tattoo could come to life. The tattoo could be challenging Chance's commitment to spirituality. And Chance could be talking back to the tattoo.
These are just thoughts. Explore your ideas.
If you need me, I'm here, physically and spiritually - tattoos and all.
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11 comments:
Wow. OK, these are all hard! I've been reading them since being posted, and have no clue what to write. I'll try rambling for a bit...
I like the "Pulp Fiction" launchpad. People seem to connect with that movie, and it sounds like a good reference to the spiritual journey. Of course, there clud be a bunch of others we could consider as well...
Jimmy's surprise twist about the tattoo artist being the spiritual guide is great. And it actually hits on a couple different levels, as many see tattoos as spiritual anyway.
What would be our current idea for the fantasy then? Is it the tattoo coming to life? How about Chance is deciding what tattoo to get, or even whether he should get one at all, when he goes into a fantasy staring at a tattoo on someone in the shop (either the artist or a female!). Perhaps something in that tattoo (when it comes to life) convinces him that he is "good enough" and doesn't need a tattoo to connect with his spiritual side. But I guess he needs to be more proactive in discovering this for himself. Perhaps he is presented with a choice in his fantasy that parallels the choice to get a tattoo or not. That way, it has to come from him.
I don't know if I just added much, but I'll try to get some actual new ideas going and post them soon...
I'm torn between the idea of the tattoo coming to life or the idea we talked about it class of Chance getting a tattoo that he thought has one meaning and learning it has another a la the Britney Spears mysterious/strange mishap for the fantasy. I think both have great comedic potential and I really like the live action animation idea. I wonder if there is a way to have both?
What if the tattoo artist asks Chance to pick a tattoo and Chance asks what they mean, but the artist is like, "What do they say to you?" Then a series of tattoos could speak to him... literally. We could touch on Chance's fears. Then maybe he could pick one and then it ends up meaning something else.
The way I'm imagining it, Chance getting the tattoo would be part of the fantasy (so he's not actually stuck with it forever). The tattoo comes to life and follows him wherever he goes (possibly annoying him?) and that challenges his commitment to it.
Do you have tattoos, Mr. Keats? Haha
I laughed out loud when Jimmy thinks the tattoo artist is like the Dalai Lama.
So I will summarize what I am picturing base on what everyone has said.
Chance and Jimmy are in his apartment. They have finish watching Pulp Fiction (might be too long), and Chance has an epiphany. He thinks that maybe that's what missing in his life. He wants to connect with his spiritual side.
Jimmy brings him to the tattoo palour, where he introduces Guru Karpar. A tattoo artist and a practicing Guru of Hinduism. Guru Karpar tells Chance that getting a tattoo is one way to get closer to his spiritual side. And swayed, Chance decides to have one. When he is faced with some abstract design of a bird, he asks Guru what they mean. Guru in turn asks him, "what do they say to you." Chance is stumped. Chance finally picks 3 words in chinese beside a picture of the phoenix, because he thinks that like the phoenix, this is his new awakening.
The Guru asks him to wear the tattoo for a week stenciled in. And if he doesn't change his mind then, he will put the words in permanently. As Chance walk out of the tattoo parlour with Jimmy. He notices the stenciled bird wink at him. Suddenly, it is everywhere, flying in the sky, skidding behind a mail box, even sitting at the coffee shop. When Jimmy and him finally part ways, the bird calls out to Chance. the bird keeps sprouting quotes of spiritual texts like the bible, the Horan, and the many sutras. Chance asks the bird to leave him alone. But the bird trimphantly say, "You have to deal with your spirituality for life."
A couple of days later, Chance comes into the Nowhere. He literally looks like shit, with eyebags that took over his face. Turns out he has been kept awake for a few days, listening to the bird give him sermon after sermon. He tells Jimmy that he don't think spirituality is the way for him at the moment. Because like himself, the tattoo cannot decide on a religion either.
A chinese person who is sitting at the cafe, comes up to Chance, and tentatively mentions to him, "Do you know the words on your tattoo doesn't say phoenix? It says 'not dead bird'."
End
The main problem that I have is that at the "A couple of days later part" it seems too much happens off-screen.
Inspired by your thoughts...
In Chance's apartment, Chance and Jimmy are eating pizza, (two or three large pizzas), watching "Pulp Fiction".
JULES
First, I'm gonna deliver this case to Marsellus. Then, basically, I'm gonna walk the earth.
VINCENT
What do you mean, walk the earth?
JULES
You know, like Caine in "Kung Fu." Just walk from town to town, meet people, get in adventures.
VINCENT
How long do you intend to walk the earth?
JULES
Until God puts me where he want me to be.
Jules' words strike a chord with Chance.
CUT TO Chance and Jimmy in the alley behind Chance's apartment, throwing out the pizza boxes. While they stand by all the garbage, Chance tells Jimmy that he's convinced he needs to find spirituality, like Jules. Jimmy knows just the guy.
CUT TO the tattoo parlor. The tattoo artist is a gruff Harley-riding type - like Leonard Smalls (Randall "Tex" Cobb) in "Raising Arizona". But his words are pure poetry.
Jimmy thinks this guy is the messiah. Chance isn't convinced that Leonard should be his messiah - especially when Leonard tells Chance exactly what tattoo to get. (It's something ridiculous - like a smiling duck face.)
Chance doesn't see the connection between a duck and spirituality. But Jimmy tells Chance: "If Leonard says you need a duck, you need a duck."
Chance now has a smiling duck on his arm. It comes to life. It jumps off his arm and talks to him. "How do you feel now that you've found spirituality? It's something, ain't it?"
And it talks all the time. It's a complete pain in the ass. This isn't what Chance thought finding spirituality would be like.
Even when Chance is trying to sleep, the duck talks to him, keeping him awake. The duck tells him: "The great thing about spirituality is it never leaves you. Never never never."
Chance is beyond exhausted. He hasn't slept in days. The duck never shuts up.
When Chance returns to reality, he realizes that Leonard hasn't inked him yet. Chance stops him and says this isn't his idea of spirituality. Whatever spirituality means to the tattoo artist and to Jimmy is fine. But that's not what it means to Chance. It's not about having a duck on your arm.
CUT TO BLACK. We go into the opening music to "Pulp Fiction" and do the "Chance Encounters" title the same as the "Pulp Fiction" title.
May your ducks all be in a row, and may they all be smiling.
And the question was asked if I have tattoos. The answer is...
Yes.
Wait a minute. Is that reality or fantasy?
All I know is...
I gotta get rid of this duck.
This is certainly no bullshit ass-kissing, but I gotta say, I just love reading what you write, Bob!
Well put, and a really interesting fun idea.
That's all I'm gonna say now. I'll post more tomorrow...
I'm afraid I still haven't come up with much more for this.
I love the duck idea (and it doesn't even have to be a duck per se, but any character that would get to Chance), and how it encorporates into the fantasy. That scares Chance right out of tattoos and even spirituality itself (at least for the time being). It's a true "chance encounter" with both issues. He learns from it and moves on to face the next thing that comes at him in the next webisode.
It sounds about ready for a draft, and then we can work through it in re-writes...
I love this duck idea. The idea of this duck keeping him awake at night just pontificating and going on and on... I'm laughing already.
I liked the idea of Chance coming into the nowhere looking tired and out of it. Morgan or Jimmy could ask, "what the hell happened to you?" cut to: a flashback then where we see this duck just talking up a storm while Chance tosses and turns in bed trying to sleep. He could even try and shut it up by covering it with tape or smothering with a pillow in a moment of desperation.
It reminds me of an X-files episode where a man gets a tattoo, and the red ink that is used causes him to hallucinate that the woman in the tattoo is speaking to him and telling to kill. Obviously our show is far less dark, but I remember thinking that was an interesting premise.
I'm assuming the fantasy starts when Chance has the duck on his arm. I think we could find a way to fit Morgan into this episode, maybe in the fantasy.
Whether Chance gets the tattoo or not, I think I’m not sure what the overall goal of this episode is just yet? I’m not saying that to be condescending or anything like that, but I really can’t grasp the focus. Does he really want the tattoo or is he just trying to get one because “everyone else has or is getting one”?
I personally move for him not getting it because Chance doesn’t seem like he’s established a single thing he knows enough to get tattooed on his body.
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