Evergreen, Ever More: What's an "Evergreen" Script?
Ever heard the term “evergreen” and thought someone was referring to the seasonal scent of a fancy hand soap? No? Just me?
Jokes aside, evergreen usually refers to any kind of content designed to stay relevant for a long time. For example, a list of celebrity breakups over the years might be evergreen, whereas a news piece about one specific couple breaking up is not.
So how-to guides, tutorials, FAQs, listicles—they’re all often considered evergreen. But what about evergreen scripts?
While you might have an excellent idea for a story about an issue of the day, it’s also worth writing a sample or coming up with ideas for evergreen topics.
But why? Because ...
- There’s always a market for it. These kinds of films are more able to find viewers. Perhaps it’s four-quadrant, perhaps it’s good for dates, perhaps it’s something else—but evergreen movies don’t have to rely on of-the-moment jokes or hot topics.
- It’s more likely to sell. Being able to sell your script as something that will make money, forever, is a lot more pleasing to a producer’s ears.
Okay, you say, you’ve convinced me. What the hell am I supposed to write?
Consider the following as thought-starters. Notice how many of the examples combine genres—remember that “evergreen” simply means it’s not tied down to a specific pop culture moment, political movement, or historically accurate retelling.
Horror! It’s a mainstay for a reason—horror reflects people’s trauma, represents our deepest fears, and transcends language. Scary is scary, no matter where you live. While you may want to infuse your horror film with culturally relevant touchstones or witty dialogue, it’s still going to work internationally. Plus, it’s got a rabid fanbase and a wide swatch of people of all ages watching. And you don’t need your horror to be just a slasher. Look at Heretic for a recent example of thought-provoking horror with an excellent script that did well at the box office.
Examples: Halloween, The Substance, Get Out, Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Alien, The Babadook, The Omen, Longlegs, The Conjuring, 28 Days Later
Holiday movies! The holidays come around every year like clockwork. That means a holiday film is also coming around every year. Why not take advantage of the way time works and come up with a story that fits in somewhere between Thanksgiving to New Year’s? Please note this does not mean you have to come up with a corny Hallmark movie. You absolutely can if you want! But a holiday movie simply means it’s taking place at that time and has some holiday elements thrown in. Heck, a Valentine’s Day is a holiday movie. So is a St. Patrick’s Day movie, an Arbor Day movie, a Casimir Pulaski Day movie—well, maybe that one is just for Sufjan Stevens.
Examples: Love Actually, Elf, The Holdovers, Gremlins, The Holiday, Home Alone, Carol, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Independence Day
*by God, some of you will insist I list Die Hard, so here you go, Die Hard is on here.
Themes that stand the test of time. Okay, that admittedly sounds extremely pretentious. But films with themes about the universal human experience tend to do very well. Who would’ve thought the hero’s journey is a hit! Think of stories with themes like “war is hell,” “be yourself,” or “love conquers all.” This is also the type of film idea that’s ripe for remakes and reinterpretations. Even if the film takes place during a certain time period, it’s the emotional states of your characters that will continue to resonate, even if their fashion choices become woefully out of date. Hey, there’s a reason Christopher Nolan is remaking The Odyssey!
Examples: Casablanca, 12 Angry Men, The Shawshank Redemption, Children of Men, The Princess Bride, Star Wars, Heat, The Matrix
“Feel-good” movies. You know how you have that one aunt who thinks horror is too scary, doesn’t love prestige drama, and isn’t super into raunchy comedies, but they’ll rave about a film where a fledgling sports team finally wins? That’s what I mean by “feel-good.” It’s movies where your character(s) or situation dictate that the ending will generally be happy, and the characters will have learned what it takes to persevere against the odds.
Examples: Angels in the Outfield, Rocky, Patch Adams, Hitch, Big, CODA, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Dark Waters, October Sky, Remember the Titans
“Sad-cry” movies. The number of times I’ve been on an airplane and seen someone bawling their eyes out at a sad movie is staggering. Some people love to laugh, while others love to finally express their emotions healthily by watching sad stories that literally make them tear up. Star-crossed lovers, romantic dramas, and movies where teachers really make a difference are par for the course.
Examples: Marriage Story, Irreplaceable You, Dead Poet’s Society, Blue Valentine, The Farewell, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Stories without elements that can date them. I don’t know about you, but I chuckle whenever I see a car phone in a movie. How quaint! Ideas that don’t use trends or reference specific events that have recently occurred are a good start towards evergreen storytelling. (While not a film, "Severance" excels at creating an “unmoored from our current reality” feeling.) And if you’re worried about your sci-fi idea won’t hold up, dwell on if the story takes place in a near future distinctly different from ours.
Examples: Napoleon Dynamite, Her, Blue Velvet, The Incredibles, It Follows, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Truman Show
Action. Again, kicking ass is kicking ass, no matter what language you speak. And kicking ass is a hoot to watch in the thee-ay-ters! While their budgets can balloon, particularly for major set pieces like flying out of an airplane or blowing up a submarine, action films are considered evergreen thanks to their consistent pull to the box office, global appeal, and crystal clear set ups of good versus bad. And did I mention the ass kicking?
Examples: John Wick, Kill Bill, Total Recall, Hit Man, Taken, The Fugitive, Gladiator, Monkey Man, The Bourne Identity, Point Break, The Terminator, Oldboy
Redemption arcs. It might sound like a cop out, but strong, flawed characters with clear goals who change throughout their journey will always work. And what if those flawed characters start as villains and end up as heroes? We love to see it!
Examples: Good Will Hunting, Mad Max: Fury Road, Liar Liar, Despicable Me, Groundhog Day, Rain Man, As Good As It Gets, Edge of Tomorrow
Now go forth and find an evergreen path for your compelling and carefully constructed script!
*Feature image by fran_kie (Adobe)
