Short film serial internet thing idea in the crime genre

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

Every now and again I make short films. I've even got one up on Youtube. Unfortunately, it's been seen by less people than the video with the possessed cat. Given I think I'm more talented than a wailing cat (albeit only marginally), I've been trying to come up with a new film idea to take Youtube by storm!

...

...

Turns out it's not that easy. I have decided that it should be a serial of 3-5 minute installments and that it needs to be funny. More importantly, it needs to be cheap. But it still needs something more, something like... a genre.

Hey, crime's a genre! Excellent.

However, absolutely everybody on Crimespace is going to know more about crime than me and the kind of conventions that would be good to poke fun at, so this is a request for any and all suggestions and maybe, just maybe, you'll get to see them brought to life in fuzzy, badly-acted, cheaply-shot internet video goodness.

And yes, I know the obvious thing to do would be the adventures of crime-solving cat (which would probably be a handpuppet due to the lack of budget for animatronics or a real cat), but I'm looking for out-of-the-box thinking here.

[Sandra Ruttan]

Everyone on Crimespace will know more about crime than you? Come on - you've been to Harrogate!

I think you should team up with John and make some Hardboiled Jesus movies.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

Hardboiled Jesus might work and we did discuss possibly shooting the interview with God we did, though in both cases I have concerns about being strung up by an incensed mob carrying flaming torches, pitchforks and wearing 'Jesus hearts you' pin badges. Though I reckon I can run faster than John, so it might be okay.

[Sandra Ruttan]

They won't chase you Vince. They'll just pray for you.

Hey, there's a parody you could do, The Praying Detective. All of a sudden there are shafts of light and a heavenly choir humming in the background as your protagonist receives divine insight.

Then maybe you could build up to an extra special episode, where PD meets HJ. Who will prevail? And of course they'll both be stomped by King Kong.

Fortunately for HJ he's gotten over death before. PD will be toast.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

Hmm, King Kong could pose some interesting technical challenges. Though a bit of forced perspective, Mr MacBeard in a monkey suit, we could probably pull it off.

[Sandra Ruttan]

MacBride in a monkey suit? Oh come on man - you MUST film this!

[Mike Stotter]

Now if you were at Harrogate in 2006 - did you have you camcorder with you, did you get any footage of a rather drunk Ian Rankin at the Quiz? That would be good up on YouTube.

[Vincent Holland-Keen]

I didn't have my camcorder - it's expensive and I try to keep it away from drunkards and crime writers - but I think Sandra bought one along. I'm not sure if she taped the quiz though.

[Sandra Ruttan]

Ian would kick my ass if I turned over any incriminating film of him.

I do have footage of Mike Stotter...

[Sandra Ruttan]

You should see the video I have of Mark, John, Al, Steve, Richard Burke and...

Oooohhhh. I just had an idea. ;)

[Mike Stotter]

Footage of me? I thought I'd kept a low profile.

And I know Ian isn't camera sky. Did you see his cameo appearance in The Reichenbach Falls? I'm sure Alfred Hitchcock would be pleased.

[Sandra Ruttan]

They haven't shown it over here yet, and as far as I know there's no internet bootleg copy. Dammit, the criminals are so unmotivated these days.

[Graham Powell]

A couple of suggestions:

1) Please do not do another THE CHEAP DETECTIVE / "Guy Noir" hardboiled private eye parody. Please!

2) Film GO TO HELENA HANDBASKET.

3) Run it by Rickards first. If he likes it, toss it out.