Say hello to FISBO

FISBO The Fishing Boat

A character idea I developed from one of my previous stories posted here on my blog about a legendary fishing boat. Although, I didn't want Fisbo to be an old boat, I wanted him to be admired by children. In the story of the 'Legend on the Clarence', the boat survives all major floods in its time and a strong little boat. I wanted to adopt the idea of Fisbo being a little boat, but I thought the flood concept could be a flaw of Fisbo.

"FISBO the fishing boat is a cute little boat owned by Shipbuilder Mr Fredrick in Harrington. He goes out catching fish everyday and is a really friendly boat. Fisbo's best friend is FROG, a young green frog who Fisbo rescued from a floating signpost in the middle of the river.

One thing that Fisbo doesn't like is floods.

One previous day, Fisbo crossed the river with Frog to pick up a crate and bring it back to Harrington. As Fisbo was making his way back across the river, a flood came and a log rammed his hull. The log put a hole in Fisbo's hull and he started to sink, but luckily he just arrived to the dock. Mr Fredrick quickly tied him down so he wouldn't float away. From that day on Fisbo became afraid of floods."

He likes the colour blue and is very friendly. Fisbo has other boat friends on the river near Harrington: BILL THE TUGBOAT, JESSE THE FISHING BOAT, GUS THE PADDLE-BOAT AND BOB THE TRAWLER. Occasionally, Fisbo will see STEVE THE BATTLESHIP when out deep sea fishing.

My iconic image for 'Legend on the Clarence'

Here is my iconic image for Story 2 class.

This is a moment that the legendary fishing boat rescues 12 flood victims on the river near Taree NSW 1950.

This story is only fictional. We were to observe our environment and find things that would trigger a story idea. I was on my way into Sydney CBD on March 8, 2013 and I saw a Countrylink advertisment. In this picture was the Clarence River with a fishing boat on the far right. The boat triggered an idea for a good story.

The story I came up with:

"In the the early 1900's, the community of Grafton needed a fishing boat to bring in food for the area. A member of the community volunteered to build the boat because he comes from a line of shipbuilders. The man put his love and dedication into the fishing boat. Upon completion of the vessel, the man dies of a heart attack. The new boat is given to the community, but the mayor of Grafton passes it back to the family of the man who built the boat; as long as the family dedicates their services to the community by fishing for the local area. The family agree and the family fishing business starts in the area.

The boat becomes legend in the area as it has survives major floods and lasts longer than any vessel every made in the area. Stories are told in the district that the spirit of the man who built the boat is what keeps the boat alive. The family who own the boat believe it also. In 1950, a major flood hits the area, where 1000 cattle drowned and the vessel rescued 12 flood victims near Taree.'

This is what came out of a simple one photographic image. I'm pleased with this movie idea.

I created this image in Photoshop. I gathered some images that I needed from the internet I then manipulated them to create the image you see. The boat in the image I created from scratch, I used reference photos for the boat.

A Picture Speaks A Thousand Words

My idea for this post was to look on the internet for an image because I believe story ideas can come from a simple picture/ photograph.

I found this image because I found it an interesting piece that can be an idea for family or mother and daughter story.

In this image, the mother watches her child, pondering on the beautiful memories when she first came into the world, seeing her first steps or the day her daughter first spoke the word, 'mummy!'

Looking at the child, she looks as if her mind is elsewhere. What is she thinking about? Mum and dad? School? Her friends? She looks content and comfortable.

This image is a beautiful picture of a mother and daughters love for one another. Love is grand! Love makes the world go round.

Let's make some interesting story ideas out of this image.

What if this is the last happy moment together as mother and daughter, and tomorrow the daughter is killed by a drunk driver as she is crossing the road to go to school?

What if this is the last happy moment together and tomorrow the mother is shot dead in a bank heist?

Maybe this is a shot moments before their home is raided by a group of drug dealers looking for the husband of the mother; and the mother and daughter are taken to a secret location and then held from ransom, and the husband has to find a way to pay the money, or his family will be killed.

I could go on and on picking out ideas for a story and I have only just used one photograph. Imagine the possiblities in many other pictures like this one.

Since this post, I believe a photograph is a great place to spark an idea for a story.

Wasp in the train

Wasp On a Train

March 8, 2013 - Observation for story ideas

On a different train travelling home. At one station, a wasp enters the train. Hmmm, I watch him for a while and then I decide to move to the next carriage.

I opened the doors between the carriages, walked through and sat down. Suddenly I sense a little anxiety, 'Hope that wasp doesn't follow' I say to myself. The doors were taking time to close. I wanted the doors closed, so the wasp doesn't come in.

'Close damn it, close.' I say in my mind.

The doors slowly close. 'Hurry up, damn it!'

I imagined that I was someone running away from a monster. I was afraid and allergic to this monster. If I let it get me, I will surely die. So here I am, I got away from the monster and I am sitting down. Although, I can hear him, but too afraid to look.

The only thing that stands between me, my freedom and the monster is the closing of these doors.

The doors are wide open. 'Come on damn it!' I hear the screeching of the monster. The doors start to close. You can sense the coming freedom and you can sense the coming monster at the same time. You can see the freedom coming, but you don't know when the monster will appear.

Airport Tunnel story idea

Airport Tunnel Story Idea

March 8, 2013 - Story idea - Observation for story - Trigger for story

I was on a train heading home from the city (Sydney). The train that I was on was heading to Revesby and I planned to travel to Wolli Creek to catch another train to Penshurst. This train travel through the airport tunnel.

The train enter the tunnel and I got this vision. We are watching the train enter the tunnel, we continue looking at the same shot. 5 seconds later there is a loud bang. We hold this image of the tunnel entrance.

Do we immediately think the train has exploded? Something has happen to the train comes into mind. The train entered the tunnel, then 5 seconds later we hear an explosion. It has to be the train!

What if, it was a bomb exploding in the tunnel? If so, where did the bomb come from? Who put it there? And why?

A bomb doesn't just simply show up in a tunnel. Someone had to put it there.

It couldn't of been some Joe Blow of the street, it could of only been someone with the knowledge of a bomb. Or could it? Maybe that someone used an ordinary Joe Blow to plant the bomb. Do his dirty work. Maybe Joe Blow is the bomber.

I thought this was an interesting trigger for a story.

Countrylink Grafton poster on train

Countrylink advertisement for Grafton

March 8, 2013 - Story ideas - Observation for story

I was on the train into the city from Penshurst and I saw a Countrylink ad advertising Grafton. The image is of the Clarence River in Grafton and a boat is docked to the shoreline.

What interested me in this image was the boat. The boat looked old and been in service for decades, been through all the major floods and survived.

What is its story? What has it been through?

When I saw this image, I could see a story of a legendary boat that has been through considerable odds and has survived to this day. Any other boat would of sunk, broke apart or just simply gave up the ghost. No this boat was built by a dedicated ship builder in early 1900's and has been passed down from generation to generation. Used to rescue flood victims on the Clarence and used to haul fish.