Samurai
Posted: 2013-08-25T16:55:23+10:00 In:

When a senior member of a prestigious University is accused of sexual misconduct, the head of the Economics department must defend his long-time mentor, the Dean, who is accused of complicity by ignorance.

Complicit

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    7 Reviews

    1. Samurai

      This is a friend’s concept — just seeing if it can work…

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    2. Penpusher

      I guess questions that come to mind are:

      1) why not make the story about the Dean defending himself or the Economic senior defend himself – unless there’s some sort of twist – ie he defends the Dean only to discover he’s guilty

      2) why not make it a story about a man who everyone turns their back on in a time of need, this destroying everything he has, forcing him to fight back.

      Just a thought. Good luck

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    3. Samurai

      Thanks wilsondownunder.

      It’s a pretty tricky concept that we both know we haven’t excatly nailed yet (other issues as well — like the fact there are two ‘accusations going on…)

      Essentially — it would be a tragedy (I have spent the afternoon arguing the case against this, but not my baby… 🙂 ) Our guy struggles with either supporting the Dean (a publicly well loved, charismatic type) and in turn making himself complicit to the sexually criminal atmosphere, or, say and do nothing to support his mentor the Dean, but have the opportunity to become the new Dean (which he becomes in the end…) but finds himself in the scenario whereby he too is challenged with the machinations of power. A tad complex — but the theme is to show that INDECISION, or, the unwillingness to make a choice is in fact immoral with major negative consequences… Anywayz — appreciate your thought.

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    4. Penpusher

      Oh ok, we’ll perhaps allude to the moral dilemma then in the logline – a man must choose [insert here applicable] or risk [insert applicable]

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    5. Samurai

      Yes — you’re right — that’s what I think is lacking at the moment — need to make this dilemma clearer — a toughy. Thanks again!

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    6. Singularity

      Right: fundamentally, the guy is trapped in a dilemma, loyalty to the law or loyalty to friendship.

      However, “who is accused of complicity by ignorance” — is unclear to me. How can one be complicit in malfeasance if one knew nothing about? To have evidence for probable cause to suspect malfeasance and have done nothing is one thing, but I should think that ignorance is exculpatory.

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    7. Samurai

      Aye… there’s the rub, dpg… ignorance perhaps is not right word… maybe more to the point is that he turns a blind I to it — he knows, but does nothing. In Blake Snyder land it would fall into the Institutionalized basket.

      The germ of the idea came from a current government inquiry into the covering up of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church… Why set it in a University? I think my friend wants to deal with similar issues, but not in such an ‘on the nose’ way, if you know what I mean…

      Thanks for your, as always, insightful feedback.

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