Fuzzy Orange Doomsayer
If you want to get a lot of readers on the Internet, use existing characters. If you want to get published (without getting sued for copyright infringement), use original characters.
Edit: Wait, this is a film? OC all the way.
edited 2nd Oct '10 11:20:50 AM by FeoTakahari
That's Feo . . . He's a disgusting, mysoginistic, paedophilic asshat who moonlights as a shitty writer—Something Awful
Space hobo
That's quite an interesting concept, I'd recommend you to use original characters, but if you really feel like poking at a certain character, you could always use an Expy.
Respect the Red Right Hand
Take the Alan Moore route: Write it with existing characters, if pitching it fails, expy them.
I spy with my little eye
Hey guys, thanks for replying! Yeah, for all intents and purposes, OC and/or Expy is probably the best way to go. Still, for some odd reason I've really set my heart on using existing characters. *shrugs* Don't ask me why, though that's the reason my world has the whole natural Portal Network thing going on — so there's a reason why all these characters are interacting. I think I'll take Ronnie's advice — write it with existing characters, if pitching it fails, expy them.
edited 5th Oct '10 4:02:19 PM by PumpkinLore
Say it once! Say it twice! Take a chance and roll the dice! Ride with the moon in the dead of night!
Respect the Red Right Hand
^It worked for Watchmen, it can work for you! 
On a more serious note, I can't wait to see what you create.
82123
Sounds awesome. A good tip: Make them different enough to stand on their own. Nobody wants to see "Superbman" be exactly the same as Superman because if they want to see someone perform Clark Kenting and fly around saving people, they might as well just watch Superman instead.
(Just an example, though you're free to use "Superbman" as a parody of Superman or something.)
oh, that's why I need this binary mind // ⌘
Fellow tropers, I need your help! I'm working on an animation Genre Deconstruction called the Animation Crossroads. Details on what I have so far here. Now, as you'll notice, I'm having existing charcters in this work alongside original characters. But here's the question:
Should I be using existing characters, or should I use entirely original characters for the story?
For the former, the advantage would be that the deconstruction would most likely have a bigger impact, since it's characters we know and love. But the latter has the advantage of more creative freedom, to be able to take the deconstruction futher then I would be able to with existing characters. I'm planning for a film trilogy, so the problem of Executive Meddling will be an issue.
Your thoughts?
edited 1st Oct '10 11:44:49 PM by PumpkinLore
Say it once! Say it twice! Take a chance and roll the dice! Ride with the moon in the dead of night!