Cognition
Callum.SPenpusher
Here's just the concept, not an actual logline What if currency never existed ? but instead we had to trade memory's ? Our whole life's are basically memory's, we never live in the present. So what if, in the future, all of society traded in run down memory's, stored in banks. The higher class members of society are ridden with memory's. Then you have the lower class people, left to rot on the street with no memory's what so ever. There is a corrupt government which steals taxes of memory from you every month, and if you run out of memory's, you are taken in to cell 5, also known as shutdown to be 'rehabilitated'. If you want a loaf of bread that would cost you a mere memory of the last 5 minute road trip, new Aston martin ? that could cost you up to a months worth of memory's, even more. Many of you may look at this concept and think ''what a load of shit'' but it's still early days, as i'v only just started developing it. Any constructive criticism will be great !
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This idea is a little tricky because at first glance it seems like the movie “In Time” but you are using memories as currency instead of time.
However that doesn’t mean the idea can’t work. Look at Armageddon and Deep Impact.
I do like the idea of being able to trade memories but the question is, why does the person who gives the memory lose it? Instead of having memories as currency you could just use the idea that you could sell your memories for money or trade your memories for other peoples memories.
Maybe there’s a guy who’s had sex with a famous actress and is trading the memory to people for their memories. However he discovers the memory of a girl being murdered. He doesn’t know who sent him that memory, (Because the person used a fake name) now he has to find out who the killer is.
Just an idea.
wow Richiev — that’s an awesome idea — reminds me of total recall, but a different twist — I’m also seeing Future Noir in the vein of Blade Runner… really cool.
Thanks Tony, I agree about the Total Recall/Blade runner points you made.
Hi guys,
I think that RichieV idea is the good way to explore this concept. …And he already gives us two loglines in accordance whith it!
I agree ! Great idea that is going to give me a ot of inspiration, not fair to completely steal that idea but it’s an inspiring idea to go with my concept thanks !
What about the memory exchange as a black market industry — like meth, heroin and cocaine?
And for the same reason, they are potent mind f***kers. Addictive; and you take your chances with the quality and purity of the memories. (After all it’s an unregulated market). You can have great trips down “memory lane” — or nightmares.
(Now about that memory of sex with a famous actress, Richiev? Name the actress and name your price!)
LOLOL i’m liking this idea guys, ill try get a screenplay written
Ok how about this, when ‘anthony’ goes to this underground market to escape the dullness of his everyday life, he offers the sex memory about but then is in a way ‘mugged’ by some lunatic down an alley and wakes up with the memory of killing the girl. The interesting thing about making films with the concept of memory is that you can change the time order to portray the aspect of not having memory. So not only does Anthony have no recollection of having sex with an actress, the audience has no idea
I’m worried this is going to sound too much like total recall though 🙁
Actually this sounds way too much like total recall
Do you mind if i expand on this idea ? I mean i think that would make a great story/film, but i’m going o expand on it instead of just copying your idea completely 🙂
The movies “Total Recall”, “Blade Runner”, “Paycheck” are all based upon stories by sci-fi write Philip K. Dick who was fascinated by the role of memory in identity and the manipulation thereof.
Hollyweird is fascinated by the concept, too, since they keep making movies pivoting on memory. Another movie adaptation where memory is pivotal is “Johnny Mnemonic” based upon a story by sci-fi writer William Gibson.
So there seems to be a ready market for a new twist on memory.
Ok here’s a new idea. Anthony (The self employed dealer) has little flashbacks hinting of his wifes murder. He believes that somebody shot her and stole the memory. Every night he searches the system ‘cognition’ to find the memory. One night he has a one night stand with an actress called ‘Leila’. the next day he posts it on Cognition and an anonymous user pops up. He offers Anthony $700,000 and an unknown memory. Anthony, being the risk taker, thinks that this unknown memory will be the murder and excepts. The money is transferred, and so is the memory. The memory is in fact his wife’s murder, it depicts him and his wife in their room and his brother having an argument with them, his brother then shoots his wife. The majority of the movie now is Anthony going on an action quest searching illegal Cognition markets looking for his brother, who is now a Memory Kingpin. Eventually he finds a man covered in scars on his face. This scarred man eventually gives Anthony the address of his brother, after being beaten up. Anthony finally gets to the users address, but here’s the twist, the person who opens the door is the actress, Anthony furiously enters waving his gun around asking for his brother. The actress, who Anthony has no recollection of (But we the audience do), Explains to Anthony what really happened, and that she is actually his wife. She transfers a memory to him, Anthony lays down and remmeber’s (Flashback). Anthony actually accidentally killed his Brother after his brother was arguing with him and waving his gun around. Anthony was so guilty and distraught that he told his wife (the actress) to take the memory, and on their anniversary, meet him and seduce him. The unknown user was actually his wife (The actress) who gave him the twisted version of the memory so that he would be led here, and hopefully understand the murder better and give himself in.
Here’s the other twist though, which i’m struggling to hint during the film, all of this was actually a set up by his brother to try and frame him for a murder he never committed, and never happened. the fact that his brother is pronounced dead anyway because he is a kingpin who is unknown by the authority, living under ground. The actress actress works for his brother, and his brother actually did kill his wife. To cover this up, his brother robbed Anthony of the memory, and told the actress to do the following to lead him to confessing to a murder of his brother, so that the authority would finally declare his brother dead so he can continue being the most powerful illegal user of Cognition.
There are many versions i could create instead of this, maybe the plot could be that he meets his brother and Anthony was actually the one who killed his wife, but was so guilty that he wanted rid of the memory until one day he could accept it and turn himself in.
Blade Runner is one of the best movies I ever saw!
What about the memories of murderers, terrorists, witnesses of crimes or protest marches, political opponents …?
And about the transmisson of memories to one’s lineal descendents ?
Maybe whe’d able to know who killed JFK, who was Jack the Ripper.
And “D?j? vu”? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A9j%C3%A0_vu#Links_with_disorders)
There are lot of things to do with Memories. It is inexhaustible.
>>It is inexhaustible
Agree.
And about this famous actress Richiev was talking about, it seems to me that she was sarah Bernhart in 1920 (uh… she was 58 and had a peg leg) 🙁
This is Callum btw – I have the story line now , I think the industry would be interested because it features themes such as love, action, the concept is fairly original, it features action and loads of twists