Need help for mind control

[snowman]

I have a script that has the main character as someone who can control peoples minds. A producer read the script, said it was good but I needed a sort of "cryptonite" to stop this charcter from being able to control minds at all times.

I'm not coming up with any really good ideas except for sunglasses? Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

Snowman

[argo]

Well if it's a comedy, you could always go for the cliche tinfoil on the ol' noggin.

If not, perhaps he suffers from periodic migraines that block his ability. Or, if something external, then there's the obvious drugging of the hero -- if he's unconcious then he can't do squat.

Or, maybe you could go technical and have some sort of radio wave frequency interfer with his ability?

[TDWoj]

It doesn't work in the vicinity of active cell phones, maybe? May as well make good use of the most annoying invention in the world.

[echo2218]

How about unnatural fibers in clothing. Okay, unless they're wearing hats, it probably doesn't affect thoughts, but ...

Or how about ... hats

I have no idea.

[Jcorona]

I'm guessing he's the antagonist? If he is, I say he not have a "cryptonite" that stops him, but the hero have the cryptonite or himself be the cryptonite that stops him. I'd also make it to where the hero puts himself at risk whenver he tries to stop him. A weakness.

If he's the protag, I'd have it to where he must place the person in a certain place or under certain conditions first to be able to read his mind. Many ways to go about this and you can get creative. Examples: a person must have a shaved head, or must be upside down, or must be asleep, or must be having sex ;) , or it must be night, or must be day, or it must be in a library, or a bathroom, and on and on. Some silly ideas, but you get the point.

I hope it helps.

Good luck,

Corona

[Fortean]

I have a script that has the main character as someone who can control peoples minds. A producer read the script, said it was good but I needed a sort of "cryptonite" to stop this charcter from being able to control minds at all times.

I'm not coming up with any really good ideas except for sunglasses? Does anyone have any ideas?If the character has little trouble exerting their control over others' behaviour, a good "kryptonite" would be people who do not have control over their own mental functions, for example, people suffering from a brain injury, epilepsy, narcolepsy, or Parkinson's disease, (and, here's a link to an article today about another disorder in brain function (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4741340.stm)). There might be nothing more frightening to your character than the smell of "burnt toast," (which might presage the onset of his prey's grand mal seizure (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seizure)).

[VickiLee]

Well if it's a comedy, you could always go for the cliche tinfoil on the ol' noggin.



Hey, now....I happen to like that look. :D

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/Vicki35/VEGAS_1451.jpg


(I am the one on the left in the back - long story :rolling: )

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As far as the mind reading thing goes, a device that produces an electromagnetic current (those are real, my mom uses one) could conceivably block that ability. Perhaps a even alot of white noise - you know, clutter his brain with other signals...


Good Luck,

V

[Biohazard]

It doesn't work in the vicinity of active cell phones, maybe?

Then he'd never be able to read minds.

[madmaxmedia]

Maybe some kind of limiting factor to his ability, besides or in addition to the kryptonite factor?

I am surmising that the producer is wondering why the protag doesn't just control the entire world with this ability. I would just go to the bank, and get money. Or bet a bunch of money on the Super Bowl, and make Ben Rothlisberger throw a critical pick at the wrong time, etc. And talk about the chicks!!!

Maybe he has to be in the close vicinity of the people, or line of sight, or the person has to look into his eyes, etc. Whatever still works with your plot.

The kryptonite could also be a nice added element to give the plot urgency. So when the bad guys discover it in Act 2, we wonder how the hero is going to pull things out in Act 3.

[tabula rasa]

I like the ideas given, where he has to make eye contact, or actually touch the person (remember FALLEN where the human touch becomes deadly, as the demon can only jump between persons when they touch?)

There's an eerie scene in THE LAST WAVE (old Australian New Wave movie) where an Aborigine shaman alters a lawyer's consciousness by merely asking again and again "who are you? who are you?" in a droning, weirdly-emphasized hypnotic tone.

Everyone has some inner fear of loss-of-self-control ... that's a cool and spooky theme you're playing with. The more intimate or seductive the "take-over" trigger, or the more commonplace and unavoidable, the eerier.

THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE obviously uses a complicated 'post-hypnotic' set up ... but then builds tension by the waiting for the simple trigger ...

[Totiwos]

The TV series "Smallville" has used various things to stand in for kryptonite, so you might tune into some episodes or rent the season DVDs. The best form would be something that ties in directly to your character's ability. Did your character develop the ability to control minds within 100 feet when his car was hit by lightning? His "kryptonite" could be the scent of his now-dead girlfriend's perfume, a mental block. Make it personal to your story.

[wcmartell]

I just wear a tin foil hat - that usually stops them.

Actually, the real answer can probably be found in your theme (that's where I find all of my answers). I'm jotting notes on a futire script about sleeper agents in the USA and the theme is about how everyone pretends to be something they aren't - we all wear some sort of public mask. So one of the good guys end up being tracked by the villains by... a homing device hidden *behind the face in the photo* in an heirloom pocket watch. The face masks the homing device. So I'd look at your theme for the answer - that way it fits the rest of the script and comes directly from the story.

Also - I think the idea of conditions on the mind control is probably a good idea - whether it's someone asking if you'd like to play a game of solitaire or touching the person (the way Johnny touches people to read their minds in THE DEAD ZONE) or whatever. That way you don't need kryptonite (which would be pasted on) but you do need the situation to be right for the mind control to work.

- Bill

[Totiwos]

Oops, just read Bill's post. I should probably clarify that I thought the producer was looking for a metaphorical kryptonite, not an actual physical substance. I may have misread the original question.

[wcmartell]

I thought metaphorical Kryptonite, too. Just *something* that creates a condition so that this guy can't control everyone all of the time.

There's a book by Alfred Bester called THE DEMOLISHED MAN about a future where the thought police can actually read *everyone's* minds and knows when you're gonna kill someone... So the protag has to figure out a way to get past the thought police if he wants to kill his enemy. His solution? He comes up with one of those can't-get-it-out-of-my-head musical jingles to "cloud their minds". I think that's the kind of thing the producer is looking for... and that's a big creative element. Something for the writer to figure out.

- Bill

[YACAM]

Vicki,

You're a cute lil' gal.

But..uhmm.. if that's your mom sitting behind you to the left. you'll need more tin foil.. something to do with fruit trees.. and the fruit not falling far from the tree...

Mind control, I suppose it exists.. metaphysically(did I spell that right).

It's kind of like going to a bar and you see one nice person amongst a bunch of idiots.

I could be wrong.. I was pub crawling on the lakeshore in Toronto.

[snowman]

Thanks for all the wonderful I ideas, I didn't think I would get such a response. Actually the story is about a small dog who has the ability to control minds. He doesn't actually read them but can make them do whatever it is he wants them to do, but the producer said there needs to be a way to stop him at times because it causes no conflict with the goverment agents that are after him.

They eye contact think sounds good, the producer said it might work if he could eat a food like pizza that would disble him, but not so sure that one works well?

Does anyone think an electronic collar might seem plausable?
This is geared for a younger audience so I dont' want it to be to technical?


Snowman

[Jcorona]

snowman, just off the top of my head, maybe something to do with a dog bark? Or a bone? Something that dog's love or need to do but fits your story. Or something connected to why the agents are after your dog that fits your story. Just some quick thoughts.

Good luck,

Corona

[whistlelock]

How 'bout this; just because he can do it doesn't mean he wants to do it. Maybe he hates it. hates that part of himself and refuses to use it at all. Maybe it takes a literal threat of death for him to use his powers?


or



Using his powers brings him closer and closer to death. Each time he does it, he risks dying right then and each time he does so it becomes more and more likely that he will die.

[TheKeenGuy]

A brick wall... a brick wall... I must think of a brick wall...

[Deus Ex Machine]

What Bill said, it's all about theme.

[snowman]

Thanks for all you who took time out to reply with your creative and thoughtful ideas. I like the ones that are simple like sunglasses and helmets as it's for a children audience and I will carefully see how each idea might work inthe plot before I do the rewrite and hopefully I'll pick the winning one.

Thanks you guys, you are the greatest!

Snowman

[YACAM]

When I was a Lil kid... there was this guy from Germany. his name was Helmut.. he worked in construction... his wife was a major horny type sleaze chick. anyhow he wore this helmet called Helmut...

[Jabomb]

What if the dog controls the minds of everyone EXCEPT the person who owns him? He is man's best friend after all. Makes it sort of ironic because he can control everyone except the one he loves most, the one he would die for. The mind is always servant to the heart.

Creates conflict as well since his owner would eventually learn about his ability. Initially the owner (lets say Jim Carrey) keeps him caged away from creating chaos, then he discovers HE can control the mindcontrolling dog to his advantage (get dates with Starlets, make Brett Favre throw 19 interceptions in a game etc...) Life is grand for the terrible twosome and there are comic moments of them fending off Government agents like making them strip at a Weight Watchers clinic or something.

But eventually the Government learns the dogs Kryptonite-- the owner Jim Carrey. The key is for them to gain control of Jim somehow. The Government threatens someone he loves-- like his girlfriend or parents. A slave to love himself, this forces him to give away ownership of the dog. Jim orders the dog to serve another-- the evil CIA agent. The dog resists but always obeys the will of his master. Then the government controls a cute furball that is more powerful than any A-bomb.

Only one question left unanswered. How do you get the master back with his beloved mind controlling mutt before the Government agent turns the whole world into a bunch of Automatons? I dunno but it's gonna be ruff, ruff, ruff...

[VickiLee]

Vicki,

You're a cute lil' gal.

But..uhmm.. if that's your mom sitting behind you to the left. you'll need more tin foil.. something to do with fruit trees.. and the fruit not falling far from the tree...



Thank you, yacam and NO - that is not my mother. :rolling:


snowman,
This story reminds me of "The Cat from Outerspace", one of my very favorite movies.

I like the idea of the dog only using his powers to protect innocent children. What if he can easily use his powers with kids (because they are more malleable) but when he uses them on adults it makes him very weak (thus vulnerable)? Just a thought....not controlled by a dog. I swear.


V

[snowman]

Actually the dog, a toy fox terrier uses his mind control to help a dysfunctional famiy to over come their problems. The idea actually came from our own tft who sits and looks at me and whines and stares until I get up and get him what he wants. He does practice mind control but its for his own benefit. I wanted something geared for a young audience as there is just not too many made for them today.

But the Jim carrey things sounds good, it's just a bit to far from the story I have written. But since the dogs owner ( an eight year old) does need help he needs the ability to control her mind. Of course the producer who read it, liked the story, he just said it needed more "showing the kids problems a bit more, and then something to stop the dog at some point from being able to control the mind" I'm thinking since a dogs arch enemy is a cat, mabye I could use the family cat to stop him? What do you all think?

Snowman

[Jabomb]

What gave the dog these powers?


Did he dig up a bone from the remains of a mind-controlling race of aliens? Lap up a puddle of waste from a scientific experiment that wears off every 24 hours? Eat from Merlin's magical mortar? Whatever gave him these powers in the first place might give you the idea of how to take them away.

[Charli]

Polyester and Barry Manilow music. That should keep 'em out.

Charli

[VickiLee]

Polyester and Barry Manilow music. That should keep 'em out.

Charli

Hey hey hey, I LIKE Barry Manilow and without polyester an entire decade+ in history would be MIA. Of course research has shown that polyester is actually derived from the cockroach, which may explain why cockroaches (and your old leisure suit) could survive a nuclear holocaust....

V

[joeld42]

Perhaps people can shield themselves from the mind-control powers of this canine with the help of the dog's natural enemy: cats. Everyone has observed how cats emit a kind of aloofness energy field, and this field could easily interfere with canine mind control.

Of course, the anagonist could pick up on this, and have a snarky cat with him at all times. Or maybe he already has one, just because he's evil (and therefore, a cat person). Then the hero-dog's challenge would be to separate the antagonist from his stalwart right-hand cat. Not an easy task.

That was just what popped into my head when I read your premise. Cute premise, btw.

Joel

[Edit: I only noticed that you already thought of cats after I posted this.. In that case, consider this a second vote for the idea.]

[canusaycarpaltunnel]

Hey, how about he looses his power whenever the family cat is around?

The mangy cat can be the antagonist. Whenever the dog is about to succeed in his plans, the cat shows up and thwarts him. The dog must therefore defeat his human and feline foes! Purrfect!