Newsletter – January 24, 2025
PHOTO CREDIT: KeyifaDesign on Etsy
A few years ago when I was reviewing the edits for The Most Amazing Museum of Los Angeles I had a little daydream of a movie trailer for its sequel, The Most Amazing Museum of Chicago. I wrote up that daydream and I thought you might like to see the way ideas germinate in my writer’s mind.
I have my wife to thank for reminding me, “Write them down!” when I describe such visions. She knows that in a few short days those ideas will wash away like a sand castle at high tide. (It’s so good to be with someone who knows you that well!)
Lately little snippets of ideas have been knocking at my mental door and I’m starting to take note of them, so I’ll share more in the weeks ahead.
MAMCHI TRAILER
We see five young teens exploring the Museum of Science and Industry, sketch pads and pencils in hand, shouting with excitement at each new discovery. Their young teacher—who we only see from behind—hushes the loudest of them but seems tolerant of their enthusiasm. Suddenly one student, Brock (the jock) shoves another student, Jennae, into the bar of a door that should set off a fire alarm. Instead it swings open and we hear glorious harp music from the darkness beyond. Brock, Jennae, and the three other students are drawn irresistibly into the darkness. Their teacher rushes after them before the door can close.
When the door slams shut, pinpoint beams of colored light stream through the darkness. The students step into or wave their arms through the light and discover that they are plucking the sounds of the notes they represent. Each note reverberates on top of the next, pleasantly at first, but soon becoming discordant and loud, one continuing to play as another is added.
The noise level increases and the young teens try to avoid the random beams by jumping, pivoting, rolling, and practically dancing in an effort to avoid adding to the noise. They eventually retreat around their teacher in the middle of the room, the eye of the hurricane, where the lights and sounds keep their distance.
“What gives, Teach?” asks Brock breathlessly.
“What’s going on?” says Jennae, pulling her hands from her ears.
“Yeah,” says another student. “What is this?”
“I think,” says the teacher as the camera circles the group and reveals her to be Vanessa Shafer. “I think this is the part where everything will become…” She breaks into a smile… “amazing.”
TITLES: The Most Amazing Museum of Chicago, coming to theatres this summer.
BLACKOUT
Fun, huh? I liked that it was similar to the Howl of Mirrors in MAMLA but different enough to still be unique. I also enjoyed the reveal of the actress playing Vanessa, perhaps three years older than she was in the first movie, but instantly recognizable.
No one is knocking on my door to make a movie of the first book but I sure see one in my head, so writing this up as a movie trailer feels apt.
TTFN
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Eric Margerum 