The stories of the future will take place in 2020
Many things happened this year that might blow what is to come in the rest of the decade out of the water. We had a lockdown for months to fight a new virus that has created the most widespread pandemic since the Spanish flu in the early 20th century. There was a presidential election that has been a complete embarrassment for the U.S. on all sides. Race relations in this year were tense. Both sides of the political spectrum viciously fought for dominance by any means necessary. There is a lot that you can write a compelling story about with layers upon layers.
We even had an economic downturn that led us to the worst economic crash in 12 years. If the recession had been any worse, the United States would have entered a second Great Depression, where family members would have to go far away to find work or struggle to make ends meet with the shutdowns in place.
The idea of someone stuck at home with only a few people, only allowed to go out if absolutely necessary, may not sound exciting, but it is very dramatic. This scenario acts as a blank canvas, it is incredibly easy to introduce conflict and interest in the story with conflicting personalities between characters or dramatic financial issues. There will likely be many coming-of-age type stories in the future that take place in 2020.
Many aspiring filmmakers will seek to share their stories or have been inspired by experiences they have encountered or heard about this year, and it will be surprisingly easy for them to do so. With the majority of people stuck at home, they do not have to look for any special locations, and numerous technical advantages come with not being able to see people’s lips move when they speak if they go outside (such as being able to record audio after in a controlled environment). There is an audience, enough logistical advantages and more than enough opportunity to provide new spins to old stories. It is almost inevitable that this will be a popular year for films to take place in.
2020 has truly been a landmark year. It is as if a decade of events were crammed into a single 365-day arc around our star. This year is truly one that will never be forgotten, and the entertainment stemming from it will outlast the people who lived through it.
