My Idea

It's the day after the pitch - I didn't get chosen but I thought I'd still put my idea up on here.

My idea was inspired from a legend in Plato's book "The Republic". The legend is used as more of an example, kind of debate-fuel for further discussion. The title of the legend is "The Ring of Gyges"

Briefly, it is about a shepherd named Gyges who is out herding his flock when he stumbles upon a cave. In the cave he discovers a golden ring, and upon further investigation he realises that it gives him the power to turn invisible. He then makes his way to the city, eventually seducing the Queen and obtaining her help to kill the King, and become King himself.

Upon explanation, Socrates claims that any man would do the same. The main thought was that; if one doesn't have to fear the consequences of their actions, they would not be moral. And that people only do things to uphold their social status and opinions others have of them. If you can get away with it, you'd do it! It's a rather dark interpretation of human nature. My story opposes this claim!

My story is like a fable, or a fairy tale, and as such it would be explained in a storybook like fashion, with narration (I usually don't like narrated stories, but feel it's fitting here and would speed up the storytelling process). It's set in an almost fantasy setting, like the middle ages but with a fairy tale twist. The main character is a large-chested lumberjack, your typical everyday man, with a wife and children. He sets off on his way, like usual, towards the woods. The backgrounds are important here, I would have everything dynamic, rustling trees and wind. He eventually comes across a shrine or a temple of sorts. A magical looking place. He investigates inside, and eventually finds a magical device, maybe a stopwatch or something alien looking. It gives off a golden glow that glances off his face as he looks at it, amazed. Upon using the device, he realises that it has the power to stop time. This is where it cuts back to the scenes of nature, still now, birds mid-flap, and the trees no longer rustling. After the imagery of the trees it goes back to our lumberjack, different now, the glow of the stopwatch has changed to a red glow, and the lumberjacks face is contorted and an evil sneer passes across it. His eyes glint, and violent imagery starts to appear before his eyes - escalating from bad to worse. Things like stealing his neighbours prized pumpkin, or peeking at his friend's wife when she's changing, eventually leading to murder or worse! Coming back to the lumberjack, we see his expression change as he tries to overcome his internal struggle. Eventually he snaps out of it, and demolishes the device with the flat of his axe.

SPOOF ENDING - He leaves and realises he forgot to un-stop time! Starting a new quest to find another device....... but that's a story for another day!