That's why clever is the wrong route - in my opinion. As someone once said:

Each film is interlocked with so many other films. You can’t get away. Whatever you do now that you think is new was already done in 1913. Martin Scorsese

I wonder if there is at least one example of a ventriloquist film that could be considered similar to The Beaver. Kyle has some kind of deal for a series with Fox. He'd be a good guy to get an interview with. I hear that he can be bribed with candy.

I have a completed UFO hoax script that was started (and pitched) prior to the balloon boy thing in Hollywood. Reading it might make you think it is somehow derivative of that event, but it definitely isn't. Any reader types out there send me an email if you're interested in the concept It has a Michigan setting and a moderately low budget.

Kyle Killen has a blog at: http://www.thelettereleven.blogspot.com/

@itstartedwithawindmill: Thanks for the heads-up re KK's blog.

You're welcome.

@itstartedwithawindmill

Don't go as narrow and you'll find it.

A man at the end of his rope creates an alternate personality that....

You have described the "same but different" objective perfectly, and motivated writers to achieve it.

On another blog, I've been trying to explain what to do with the ideas inside your mind to transform them into "same but different" - the actual mechanics of thinking these thoughts in sequence to achieve the objective you pain so vividly.

In other words, I'm trying to explain to new writers how to do what you've explained that we must do.

Here's one of my posts:
http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2009/02/dissing-formula-novel.html

And here's one using the film SNOW DOGS to generate other stories that are "the same but different."

http://aliendjinnromances.blogspot.com/2009/06/snow-dogs-and-happily-ever-after.html

We need to think of these "same but different" stories as utterances in a conversation.

Each writer is conversing with other writers - as if at a cocktail party, and the audience are the kibitzers.

"The same" part is that the writers are conversing, communicating on the same subject.

"The different" part is that as with cocktail party conversation, when it's really good, really engrossing, so interesting you forget to drink your cocktail, it's because the subject is evolving, unfolding, -- not wandering or changing abruptly, but blooming to reveal the core of the matter.

Learning to write "the same but different" scripts is just like learning not to be a nerd at the party and not to yank the conversation onto yourself.

Jacqueline Lichtenberg
http://jacquelinelichtenberg.com