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A podcast about pitching story ideas.

Here Comes The Pitch #1 Stuart Johnson

Apr 22, 2018

Introduction: Hello everyone, this is episode one of Here Comes the Pitch, a podcast about pitching story ideas. I'm your host Derk Harron, and in today's episode I will be pitching a scary monster story called C'thulhu Lake to my guest, Stuart Johnson. I would compare this story to movies such as Jaws and Godzilla. Well, without further ado, here comes the pitch.

Derk Harron: Uh, so how was your new years? What did you end up doing?

Stuart Johnson: Um, we went to a rooftop party in downtown Phoenix and, um, my brother proposed to his girlfriend there.

Derk Harron: Well, that's awesome, man.

Stuart Johnson: Really crazy. And you know, he accidentally ordered a couple of bottles  alcohol, they were like $300 a pop. Luckily my cousin was there to help us out on the bill.

Derk Harron: Oh Jeez. Well that's the, uh, that kind of a

Stuart Johnson: It was fun.

Derk Harron: memory. A monumental, uh, well, especially for your brother. That's, that's pretty cool man. So it was interesting to kind of witness something like a pivotal moment for a couple or someone. Um, so, but yeah, $300 bottles of alcohol

Stuart Johnson: is a bottle of alcohol that you could go to the store, like you could go to walgreens and probably get it for like 40 bucks, but they charge you, they charge you like $300 when you get there.

Derk Harron: That's bottle service, as they call it.

Stuart Johnson: That's highway robbery is what it is. So

Derk Harron: what we're going to do is I'm gonna, uh, I'm gonna Pitch First, but um, what I wanted to kind of get into, um, was that I think that there's some comparisons to other stories. Um, you know, it's specifically a movies that come to mind. Uh, there's one movie uh that comes to mind because it's like a complete homage to that movie. Um, but what it leads into could be anything and that's where I'd like to pitch it to you and then we can kind of grow upon that. But, uh, before I get into that, um, you've seen Jaws, right? OK. So, um, what was your, like first memory of seeing Jaws? Like when, um, were you young? Were you a young kid?

Stuart Johnson: I was pretty young. My mom used to watch it and she probably was always, probably only know that she didn't know I was watching.  It frightened me, you know, and something that even today still lives with me when I go to the ocean just because in the back of my mind I'm like, but what about Jaws? You know? So, uh, yeah, that's basically then in. That's the crazy thing about the movies that it kind of lives with you still, you know,

Derk Harron: Yeah and it's one of those movies that kind of grows on you. Like every time that you see it you are recognize something different. You recognize that it's not necessarily about the shark, it's about like these three guys and, and the differences in their lives and how they're just completely different from each other and how they have like sort of different motivations about if they find this, this the shark, what, what's, what's there? Um, I don't know. Uh, would you say like their goal, I guess, you know, you have the sheriff who just wants to like protect the people.  You have the scientist who wants to study it like, and then you have the hunter who just wants to kill it and that's

Stuart Johnson: who is worried about the bottom line.

Derk Harron: Yeah, exactly. So there's, there's like several different characters of like dealing with this problem and then it's, it's more about the relationship and friendship that they, uh, Garner through this process. Um, but it's also a scary movie and it's also the, um, they call it the movie that coined the phrase blockbuster. So I don't know, it's, it's one of those movies that like, I think at a young age I didn't appreciate, you know, I think that it was kind of boring. And then I think that it, it, uh, it got to a point where as I got older I started to like understand why it's such a great movie and why it's such

Stuart Johnson: is exactly why I still get it now.

Derk Harron: But, um,

Stuart Johnson: did you ever worry about all the back story behind it? Like all the drama that was going on behind the scenes?

Derk Harron: Um, I know a little bit about like how, um, you know, the, the shark didn't work very well. Um, I actually heard about how the shark was actually supposed to be in the movie a lot more and um, that Spielberg just couldn't get it to work. It kept sinking or um, you know, um, and whatnot, and it actually made the movie better, uh, that it wasn't in it so much that it like, that's what creates the tension

Stuart Johnson: or the most of the unseen. Yeah, the monster kind of thing.

Derk Harron: Right. And then, and then that's what gave him the idea of focusing on, uh, you know, the, the civilians and their, of their reaction to something that that's so sinister that that's in the water.  And I think that's what scares people the most is like, like knowing that there's something there but not being able to see it. But like um fearing because

Stuart Johnson: That's why every time I'm in the ocean and I feel something on my feet, anything, I'm like, I'm out of here.  Get me out of this water, right now.

Derk Harron: So, um, I, it's a monster movie, like to its core, it is a monster movie. Um, and uh, I think that that's where I'm going with this. Um, but, uh, so I'm just going to pitch it to you. Cool. All right. Um, so the story takes place in east texted east, east, Texas and uh, there's a, a huge lake that's called the Sabine Lake, um, it's, it, it, it actually borders between Texas and Louisiana and it's a huge lake. It's like 14 miles long and seven miles wide and it's kind of like a little tourist attraction. Um, there's a small community that lives around it. Um, and what's interesting about it is that there's this thing called the Sabine pass, which actually kind of leads in to, uh, the golf of Mexico.  So it's a salt, a salt or um, salt, water lake and uh, so a lot of people like to fish in it because like, you know, you have like those kinds of fish and, and um, but um, what the story is about is that like the community that lives there have started to see sightings or there's been like kind of stories of like this creature that uh, sometimes pops up and has been feeding off of livestock that um, these small farmers in the area, um, have. And um, and like, uh, there's this meeting that takes place, like it's a community meeting where, um, you know, police are there like a, a Port Arthur police, which this is a real place and everything. And I thought I did a little bit of research. I think that it's, it's a little interesting, uh, area and then also like the US Coast Guard is there of course because like, you know, people use the pass to get into America as well.  So like, and also kind of like being aware of like the Gulf of Mexico and like the possibilities of people trying to get into United States. So there's, there's kind of this weird community that has, that has like a, you know, the government and military is also a part of but it's never been like a, such, like there's never been really a problem. And, and the thought that like there's this creature that like, you know, is, is it's killing small animals. It hasn't killed anybody you know. And, and it's only of course seen at night and like, and so like people have like been, you know, pretty much just saying that like, like it's this big foot, it's like this to the local legand, local legend, but it's, it's recent. And like, um, so there's this guy that stands up at the meeting and tries to explain to them that this is the thing that's been around for a long time. It's just now it's finally made its way to  land and it's something that we need to worry about. And you know, he's, he's kind of like this amateur scientist. He's not a very, like a sought after person in the community. He's Kinda crazy. But what was interesting is that the only person that's ever actually visually seen this like crazy and, um, and that, that's what this farmer is trying to plead to the people is that like, you know, my, my wife, you know, like she went, you know, bat shit crazy and uh, and this is a problem and we need to figure it out. And so, so this guy tries to tell this story to like this, this older community, um, that, uh, like, have you ever heard of the story of C'thulhu? Um, have you ever heard of C'thulhu, like, uh, that the HP Lovecraft story C'thulhu is like, he's Kinda like this ancient cosmic, um, entity that I'm in, some of HP Lovecraft stories is like, especially, um, um, in the mountains of madness of that it's like this, this, this monster that's, um, that's sleeping and that one day he will wake up and it's like Armageddon, you know? And uh, and like some people like worship him and everything like that, but it's just something like that. It's inevitable that at some point C'thulhu is going to wake up. And this guy actually I wanted to kind of tell you as well that like I've been kind of developing this into a comic book and yeah, I actually got to, um, there's this comic book challenge called the 24 hour challenge.

Stuart Johnson: Actually just started watching a little documentary on that.

Derk Harron: Oh yeah, the one that I'm a part of the web series?

Stuart Johnson: It's on, it's on, actually, it's on Hulu. So documentary about the 24 hour comic books on in Seattle I think.

Derk Harron: Yeah, there's um, I couldn't really tell you about the this history of it. Like you probably know more than me right now, but um, there's this guy Russ Kazmierczak he's been doing it for years where like he devotes one day, 24 hours to like making the comic and he, he actually gathered us up like four artists and then like, ah, videotaped us for 24 hours. Um, uh, making our own comic. Spoilers, I wasn't able to finish. I feel like, you know, I, I came up with some pretty quality stuff other than like the quantity that's asked for. Um, but, um, so let me show you a couple of pages of like what I was drawing. Um, so with this guy tries to tell the people is that, um, there was an, you know, there's, there's the thought of like, there's this huge asteroid that killed all the dinosaurs, right?  And um actually, um, this, this, this, and this happened this last, this past year that like, um in the south, excuse me, of, uh, the golf of Mexico. That's where they think that the, the, the, the asteroid hit. And um, they recently started drilling in that area too. Like to possibly figure out, um, you know, to prove more behind the big bang theory that like the, that this asteroid, which they call the Planet Killer, um, is true in that this is a, this is where it landed,

Stuart Johnson: Is it underwater now?

Derk Harron: Yeah, it's really crazy, man. Like, um, if you, uh, look at it because it's like a, I think it's called like the ChickaLobe peninsula and um, it's like these huge rings, like, so that when it hit it, like created these like craters and uh, and so it looks like this, like spiral island kind of thing.  And it's weird. It's very strange looking like, um, and so they just recently started drilling to like help try to prove that theory that that's what killed the dinosaurs. So this guy tries to tell these old people, is that, that this, this, this asteroid was actually, uh, a being from another world and that, sure, the impact did wipe out a lot of the dinosaurs, but it was C'thulhu that actually made the dinosaurs extinct. He actually ended up feeding on them and, and until they were completely extinct and so he pretty much ate all the dinosaurs. And then what he says is that, uh, it went back to sleep, you know, like it came to our planet if fed and now it's hibernating. And so it's been like, you know, hundreds of millions of years have passed and, and we're messing with it's home. And this thing that like is starting to show up is like one of its children.  It's one of its babies. And like if we've woke that up, there's the possibility of waking, you know, mama up. And so what we need to do hopefully is to stop this drilling. He's already been trying to do this. Like, you know, of course he's like this kookie scientists

Stuart Johnson: The drilling is actually potentially disturbing this

Derk Harron: Disturbing the nest that uh,C'thulhu, uh, is where he is or she is. And um, yeah, the babies are starting to wake up and so his, his, his proposal is to uh, capture the baby and then take it back to where the nest is and then release it and hopefully it'll go back to his home and like, you know, everything will be fine, you know? Uh, but so of course nobody believes him, but there's this like kind of rookie US Coast Guard member. She is just like, well, if this is what needs to happen than I'm willing to do it.  And I thought that maybe like that's like maybe the daughter of like, uh, her mother went crazy. And so like, she's like, uh, trying to help out that she's. So vested in this community because she grew up there and luckily she was a stationed there as well. And uh, and so she's willing to help and she has a boat. But it's like not the greatest boat. It's a, it's a, it's like An, an old, a netting boat, a trawler and uh, so she's willing to allow him in the scientists, uh, to, to go on this trip, but he's not necessarily a hunter. He doesn't know how to like hunt this thing, so they need to recruit a hunter and that gets into uh, this I think interesting and funny character that, uh, he's kind of like the local drunk, but he's also, um, he does have like a history in the town.  And so like we go to the bar, you know, he's trying to ask for another drink. Bartenders cutting him off. He's like proclaiming that I caught this huge shark that uh, you know, is behind the bar mounted behind the bar and uh, no, it's not even that big, but it was in the lake. So that's why like people were, uh, I think that's another way of hinting towards Jaws like this, this, this, the shark that was like terrorizing a drawing that connection with marsh. And then, um, and then the amateur scientist shows up and he's like, oh, I'll get the next round. And then he, you know, kind of recruit him, you know, tells them this like crazy story. And of course he's laughing at him and then like, and then he says, well, I'll pay you then. And then he's like, you got a boat. And then that's when the boat is like pretty much introduced and everything. Um, so while they're on the boat, he ends up telling the story because I did mention that like, he, he has like a past but this thing. And uh, he ends up telling the story about how he was a child. Um, him and his father are out into the Gulf of Mexico. um fishing his, his father was kind of a drunk, had fallen asleep and didn't realize that his child was like kind of playing too close to the edge of the boat, uh, with some toys and ended up like a pretty much about to fall in. And then this tentacle comes in, like grabs him and he thinks I'm, that he was a goner. You know, like at one point, you know, his, uh, his dad wakes up, realizes his son's gone is also pulled in.  And, but there's like this, um, when he was under the water and the creature had touched him with its of its tentacle, like there was this like telepathic connection with the creature and it, and that's how he's able to like, prove that what he, that story that he originally told is true, that like he saw this vision and he knows that this is leading to the, the end of earth. If we don't try to do something, um so. He takes it very seriously. And, and the thing is, is that like, you know, his, his father was killed. And so he, you know, he thinks that like in a way he feels that uh, um, maybe because he was innocent that the creature allowed him to live. And it's funny cause like I, I just recently thought of this like maybe the hunter guy, it's just like, well maybe he just realized that there was a bigger fish to feed on which was your father and let you go so that he could focus on that. And then, you know, like it's just a way of him like a, uh, I don't know, just feeling like maybe everything that I believe in is like a, um, he's contradicting, um, this, this is another huge like splash page is kind of cool. Like of course, since we know that the, the, the, the, the, the monster had been feeding on pigs from the farm, that that's what they do is they ended up putting some pigs down in a, in a net and to like lure him. I'm so, um, so they ended up catching it of course, and they're bringing it back to it's possible home. And of course what happens, and this is what would be the end of the first issue is that Mama's woke up you like. So it's, it's an inevitable. Like now we're at a point where now we're dealing with is huge creature.  And um, so I guess that's where I need help, you know, like I don't know really where to go from here after that. We've, this, as you can tell, it's like, this is definitely an homage to Jaws is following the same tropes. And, and a storyline as Jaws, but where could it go from here is the, like the interesting part. And, and, and I think that that kind of plays, you know, I see this as like now becoming like this huge monster movie, you know, like Godzilla or, or King Kong in a sense where now it's earth versus this entity, this, this massive agent, cosmic creature that uh, you know, how do we fight this thing? Where would you see this kind of going?

Stuart Johnson: Um, I would say, I mean, I mean it would make a great movie. I think, um, and I mean he's probably seen stranger things, right? So, you know, the episodic nature, these things, sometimes we can't work as well. And comic books obviously are episodic. Yeah. So, I mean it would just depend on, you know, what kind of meeting that you're trying to, you know, um, executed in a movie. If I'll expect in the movie that they meet the monster, then there's going to be some huge battle. You know, that's going to be a finite thing. Like at the end of this movie is going to be taken care of, like in some way or shape or form, but if we're going to do a TV show then we can kind of piece it out, you know, dragging on a little bit

Derk Harron: or it could be almost like a, the, the, the season finale where you were away, like where we go from here, you know, cause it. Yeah. I think that I'm building that relationship with the community and that there is kind of like this governmental, um, element to it as well. And I think, um, yeah, I like the idea of Stranger Things.

Stuart Johnson: Stranger things is obviously it's inspired by the eighties, eighties, ET and that kind of thing that, that filming style. And it would be really interesting because, you know, in Jaws was in the seventies and it has a distinct visual style, you know, to make a TV show that has that same kind of style. So yeah, you

Derk Harron: could even. Yeah, like he gave it could be because I believe a shoot, wasn't it a Jaws came out. Ah, wasn't it in the seventies, I believe it was 75 I think. So, um, this was, this is interesting to, uh, that uh, you know, they would play older movies in theaters, like for, for years to come. And uh, um, my mom actually told me that, uh, that the first movie that she ever took me to, like when I was like a baby, I was just an infant was Jaws, like she had never seen Jaws in the theater. So like she actually went with her mom and they watched it. And so I, that's funny that, that, that's the first movie theater experience I had was Jaws, like I didn't know that. And so it's funny that you brought that up in my, my mom told me about that.

Stuart Johnson: It's not about this so sub-regional, it's just like how you feel about something is the reason why you want a certain direction is sometimes you don't even know why.

Derk Harron: Right? Yeah, I, it's a, it's a part of my past that I wasn't aware about and, but yeah, and, and now like finding out about it and that uh, you know, like a movie like Jaws that actually I took my step son to see it on the big screen and like to see him jump from a movie that came out in 1975. Yeah, like there was points where he. And then he was even afraid of the water because of this movie.

Stuart Johnson: Funny thing about old movies and like they still work. When I was young, my mom would, she would always watch the young class. She always watched older films as a kid, like in black and white. Maybe I was like, Nah, I'm not really interested. Like this is boring to me. But now like getting older, I'll go back to the movies to watch them. And they were very compelling. You know, you don't really understand that as a kid, why these things are so compelling. But once you become like mature enough and you go back, it's like Oh man, it's still works. It's black and white, but that's cool. Like I kind of see what they're trying to do here. And so it was that same kind of thing with Jaws is like all those little moments, those jump scares and stuff, they still work. Great. Yeah.

Derk Harron: This was, this was also a, the interesting thing was that, uh, I actually pitched this idea to DeShawn last night, kind of like a preliminary pitch before I pitched it to you and um, he kind of came up with these really interesting ideas that like, um, that what if, you know, since we know that C'thulhu is like kind of like this apocalyptic creature that wiped out the dinosaurs. What if, you know, there's this huge war of course, and we're to the point where we're going to lose. Like we've, we've, we've, uh, we've used all of our options and now it's gotten to the point where, you know, we're going to have to use nuclear warheads and, and this is going to lead to the end.  We weren't prepared in this situation and we, I, uh, he wanted just earth to loose that it was inevitable that there's no happy ending. Um, and I was like, and then I kind of pitched him like, well, what if like we feel like we're at the end and then there's like kind of like this kind of Galactic C'thulhu police that like kind of come down and they're aware of like when this, like an entity like him wakes up on a planet and, and their, their mission or goal is that they want to take it out, you know, because these are the survivors of other planets that were destroyed, destroyed by this, this, this entity. And that like, um, you know, like you could think of us as kind of like this parasitic a, you know, a race that like has like over populated in is like draining the nutrients of our planet. And so it's, it's maybe a good thing that like, uh, something like C'thulhu would wipe us out so that the planet can start over and then, uh, you know, grow again. And then whatever evolves from that, um, you know, then it's inevitable. Like C'thulhu will come back and then wipe them out. And it's just this ongoing cycle. But it's, it's the galactic police that like, are trying to stop that, that uh, they've, they've been battling this thing for a long time now.

Stuart Johnson: Just an idea. I'm on that front know just to have. That would be interesting if you had a character like a character that we don't know is one of those guys in the beginning. You kind of like undercover guiding this process a little bit long, but you don't know you got, you don't ever really get that idea until the end when you kinda revealing, oh, this guy is not what he seems, you know, he's something else.

Derk Harron: He was already kinda sent there as a way of like making sure that this thing never wakes up

Stuart Johnson: or that when it does wake up that there's some type of like contingency plan, you know, ready to go, you know, that would be kind of cool to see that character on the shadows.

Derk Harron: That's cool. I like that. Like, that. They're just going to like this mole. I like that. Uh, so where, where does DeShawn said that that should lead to, is that they do kill this thing like that and they feel like that it's over and that like they have saved earth, but that was just one of it's uh, you know, older children and then then the huge C'thulhu that that actually is the mother wakes up and then it's like this galactic, uh, C'thulhu police are just like, sorry guys, there's no way to save you, we're out. We'll go on to the next mission and they ended up taking some of the humans along with them that they feel are where the best warriors of this planet and now they continue their um, you know, their mission to rid the universe of these, these giant monsters and stuff like that.  And that's where we could like continue because I think that um, what DeShawn likes is kind of like this more, uh, expansive. Well, he, he, he, he, he, he actually wanted to end it. Like, he, like I kind of pitched him the idea of this galactic police and like to extend it because he was just like, it should just end, it should just be the death of mankind and that's how it should end. And like it. So it's a standalone story. And I was like, well, since it is like a comic book, I, I, I'd like to have an idea of like maybe where we could, you know, uh, extended off to, uh, and, and then he liked the end of the idea of like, this galactic C'thulhu police. Uh, because another thing too is, like I mentioned with a at the very beginning was that there was this woman that goes insane because like they, um, one thing that HP Lovecraft talks about is that like, even um looking at this creature and it drives you insane.  So I thought like maybe like, you know, if you look at straight in the eye, then that, that'll drive you insane. Um, so that's like another problem they have to deal with. And I think that that would be an interesting sub-plot is like that. Like, you know, uh, like the world is so focused on social media and so like looking at pictures of it, uh, it starts to drive everybody insane as well. So that like kind of like leads to further reason why we die as well is because that will now our attacking each other because of, of the madness that it's driving.

Stuart Johnson: What would be your ideal medium for this? Like your dream?

Derk Harron: I liked that. Um, it's, you know, there's this, there's this, you know, huge story arc, but like there's also like these mini story arcs that like it, um, you know, once again it's about a boat and catching the creature, which is like an homage to Jaws.  And then there's the next step, the next story arc, which would be like a big monster movie like Godzilla and then getting to the point where they're not going to win. And then taking it the next step where now there's this galactic police that will help out and uh, and then inevitably it doesn't work out. And then that's a whole other story arc from there. And I think that it's like, it's three big acts that, uh, are like movies in itself, movies, but there are, yeah. But they grow on each other and they're connected and everything. So once again, like I feel like it's like an homage to the blockbuster. It's like this is, this was the beginning of Jaws was the beginning and like, and from there is what it became like for instance, like a monster movie that like, like, you know, like studios pour hundreds of millions of dollars into it and then we take it to the next level is just like this apocalyptic war with like um, other races that are helping, um, to rid this, this a cosmic entity that's, that's taken over the, the, the universe.  Slowly but surely a little bit by little bit. So I don't know, like I just never actually thought of it going that far. And like I had the idea of a, just the boat and uh,

Stuart Johnson: and, and maybe maybe just maybe it is just a boat for a while, you know, and trying to just build off of that a little bit by little bit.

Derk Harron: Yeah. I think that one thing about a comic book, uh, is the series's and um, just the, the idea of, uh, trying to tell a story through a, you know, that's both visually and, you know, then there's also the writing side of it, um, is that stories are told so quickly. I'm like, um, I have this other podcasts that I'm working on, um, where like, um, my friend is like a screenwriter. He actually, he's, he's directed two films, one like, um, had some success. Uh, and then, and then another one is that it's just stuck in like, um, the amount of developmental hell.  So, um, and uh, what he, he, he, he enjoys but also is an unfortunately, uh, uh, like I guess like a bad thing about comics. Is that uh yeah, like if you tell too much story so quickly and um, cause like I've showed him some comic book series is where it's like I always just four comics and like it should have been expanded a little bit more and I think that that's what Hollywood already is doing. Like they've, they've, they've realized that, that um, movies and television series is um, uh, they're, they're looking towards, you know, the comics and everything and seeing that like, wow, these are these big stories that are like kind of little stories in this huge universe of, of other stories and how they all relate to each other and, and where they can expand to.

Stuart Johnson: It's crazy. I feel like these movies like these marvel movies and stuff or like are like the new comic books, you know, that there our era back in the day you would go get comic books for your Superheros and they were all connected and he would collect them and everything. And now comic books all while still important. Now I feel like it's our generation's comic books these movies.

Derk Harron: Yeah, I think that, uh, it's unfortunate too because like, ah, just a lot more expensive that, you know, people, it's, it's, it's, uh, I guess people aren't reading as much. They're not reading comics. Uh, it's, it's, it's kinda crazy that like, yeah, like, um, like DC and Marvel have been struggling over the years. You would think that they would be making a ton of money because of like how popular it is with movies now, but like they're still struggling.  Um, because uh, like people are like, why do I need to read the story when I could just see the movie? And then it's like, well, but there's so many other stories that like you could enjoy.

Stuart Johnson: It was Kinda like the, the anime thing, which is like comic books back in the day. Where like, we, there's no way for us to really do this on the big screen. Like we have to draw to be able to, we still want to show you what our what vision is and everything. So we're going to draw it for you and you're going to be able to piece it together that way. And amine was kinda like, well we don't have the big budget that, you know, the Western world has at this time. So we're going to draw it in and do it, create our own cinematic experience through cartoons and animation. And it was always like a compromise, you know, like, we can't do this, so we're going to do this. And still get it to you, you know, and now it's like not so much of a compromise as it, like you have to spend all this spending all this money now to give you exactly what it is like we've been building for this so long,

Derk Harron: like technology is so great. But um, but it costs so much money, but it's also,  um,

Stuart Johnson: but those, those limitations that you've played that you are placed in our through ours is like, shows you how great, you know, people can be in those boxes that they place themselves in. Like in the comic book field, you know, we have great artists and great writers that really pushed the boundaries of what comics can do in an animated, the same thing. And within those confines they create really great stuff. Really good to see that.

Derk Harron: Yeah. And I, I just, I, it's, it's unfortunate because I think that, uh, we're, we're at an era right now where um comics are taking a lot of risks, um, um, with their characters and stories and, and unfortunately like ah, the audience that they're writing towards like can like banish and like be so hate, like a can hate, like these big ideas that uh, like I kind of flipped thrown into the pond so to speak. And like I'm so passionate. Well, yeah. And I think that like, yeah, it comes down to like a, um, fans being so passionate about like a franchises and uh, and characters. And so like when like big changes are made, they're just like, nope, last jedi.  That would be like a whole podcast in itself that like, I, I'd like to touch on with you, uh, because we recently saw it together and like just, um, at first you weren't the biggest fan of it. But, uh, and then like I guess I was trying to lead you to the dark side that like, yes, this Ryan Johnson has is, has taken some big chances. And, and we have to remember that maybe we shouldn't focus so much on like these, the older characters in the original story and

Stuart Johnson: I just keep telling anybody that it's fun at the end of the day, that's what you go with movies for.

Derk Harron: So pick it all day you can and you know, I have my problems with it as well, but, but once again, like you go to movie to laugh and have a good time and see where the story takes us and some people just won't get over certain things that uh, that movie does.

Stuart Johnson: I saw it again, I saw it a third time, third time a kind of knows some things that kind of made it a little bit better for me, like one of the nit picky side. But yeah, I mean it's really not a bad two hours and 40 minutes to, you know, sit there and watch a movie.

Derk Harron: It's a longer one too and I think that like it gives you a lot of story and I feel like you get your money's worth with that movie.  Well thank you for being on the show. I think that's a good way to end it. And uh, the next episode um, I'll have you back and you'll be pitching me an idea for a story. So hopefully you guys will check it out. Real quick, um, is there any like websites or anything that you want to kind of like plug

Stuart Johnson: If you guys if you guys want me to just check me on instagram it's SJ Alexander writing.

Derk Harron: SJ Alexander writing, don't you have a, um, a website too?

Stuart Johnson: That one's still in the process of.

Derk Harron: It's still in the process. Okay. Alright? Um, cool. Well, um, next episode will focus more on you and, and uh, and what you're bringing to a Here Comes the Pitch, cool. Alright.