New Project Underway

I’m starting to work on a new project that I think is going to be a lot of fun. Basically, I’ve got some time on my hands as a I need to let a few things simmer. First, I’m still waiting for my buddy Ryley to look over my current draft of Bystander. You hear that man? I know you’re reading. I need some feedback so I can tell if I’m moving in the right direction. Second, the psychological thriller “Syndrome” is at a standstill while I try to figure out how I want to end it. I’ve got some ideas, and about 80 pages or so down on paper, but I want to let them simmer a bit longer before wrapping up the first draft. Third, the NASCAR movie, although 85 pages in, is still not ready to move forward. I’m just not there yet, talent wise and experience wise, to properly tackle the issues that need to be addressed in the second half of the film. In addition, I’ve got a lot of stuff I need to speed up in what I’ve written. I’ll probably go back to that after I get back from the race in July.

So, here is the premise of the new film… I’ve always been a fan of the Wyatt Earp mythos. I’m also a big fan of anime, or at least good anime. I was watching Ghost in a Shell 2 the other night, good flick by the way, and got an idea. What if you were to do the Wyatt Earp story set in a Ghost in the Shell type atmosphere? So, I’m doing some research right now on a few things. First, I watched Tombstone last night (which is Wyatt Earp, but not historically accurate) and took a lot of notes on how they tell that story. I rented the Kevin Coster version of Wyatt Earp, which I’ll watch next, to get their take on the story (which is supposed to be more historically accurate). I’ve also rented the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for some more anime inspiration, and will probably rent some Trigun DVDs as well (a quasi future/western themed Anime).

My take is this, in the future Japan is the techno industrial center of the world, and is a real multicultural country, with Tokyo as it’s central hub. Cybernetics and mixed human/android technology is the norm as most people have technological implants and enhancements of some sort. The level of enhancements varies with the average person having basically a computer type implant in their brain (an internal computer so to speak), police and soldiers more advanced implants and possibly physical enhancements as well (robotic arms, eyes, etc), and there is a serious black market for super big time enhancements that almost blur the line between what is human and what is an android (think Ghost in a Shell, not Robocop type stuff). This is far enough in the future that traditional country dynamics have broken down in favor of large city states basically run by corporations.

There was a fierce war between three city states (Neo Angeles, New Atlanta, and Republica Mexicano) in the recent past. Neo Angeles, who until the war, was a neutral trade based city, asked Japan for assistance. Japan sent over a group of super soldiers (Project Blue) created to help end global conflict. Their intelligence, and physical abilities (think hulk/super man type strength and indestructibility with professor Xavier type brains) were far beyond anything currently anywhere else in the world (Japan is not an aggressive city state, they don’t start wars, they end them quickly, and with overwhelming technology and force). These super soldiers are equipped with “whir” suits, so called because there is a brief “whirring” noise that can be heard before they power up. To the naked eye these soldiers are normal; however the technology and power they have is so secret, that no one but the top engineers in Japan’s Advanced Technology Division (ATD) truly know the limits of their power.

The war was ended quickly, with the soldiers becoming legends among men and stories of their abilities spread across the glode. However, with time, these soldiers became feared and people wanted them destroyed because of the possible threat they posed to the world and those who could use them against us. Japan agreed to disband the Project Blue, and helped hide the identities of the soldiers and create new lives for them in various parts of the world.

The story picks up with Hiro Jinkawa arriving in Vegas Proper to start a new life. It is obvious that Hiro is hiding from something, but what that is not revealed. Hiro will be the base for the Wyatt Earp type character. Basically, Vegas Proper is the world hub for sex, drugs, gambling, and all other pleasures anyone can seek (think Las Vegas times ten, almost a caricature of what it is now). Hiro figures if there is anywhere he can start over without anyone asking any questions it’s there. Shortly after trying to begin anew he is faced with a crime syndicate lead by a man with quite advanced cyber enhancements, and his 2^nd in command reminds Hiro of someone from his past. Hiro avoids getting in the way of their wrongdoings but eventually will be faced with a choice.

Within this world the Wyatt Earp story will place out with some twists and turns. There will be little concentration on telling anything in detail about how the world got to where it is, as that’s not really important. There will also not be much concentration for explaining the drastic leaps in technology. Things are just the way they are, and these people are just trying to live in it. All of the main characters in the Wyatt Earp mythos will be represented, or at least most of them, but Hiro’s past will differ, in many instances drastically, from that of Earp.

At any rate, I’m working out the story in my head and my research can only help this out. I’ll post more as I get it down.

-Steve