I've written some really bad loglines in the past three weeks for projects I have yet to start. I've also worked on loglines for projects that I have already in progress. Interestingly I found that the loglines for the projects in progress are workable first drafts. I wouldn't want to use them to pitch anyone at this point, but I know that they are a start in the right direction and that feels good. Perhaps I'll implement a "logline of the day" program for myself to keep in practice.
I have had some distractions from writing in the past three weeks, apart from the usual job & family responsibilities. In the past three weeks I've learned that I love the community of people that descends upon Park City annually for the Sundance Film Festival. My partner and I went to the opening weekend of Sundance - it was our first visit - and fell in love. The films, the discussions after the films, chatting with people on the shuttles (is everyone at Sundance a screenwriter?), conversations at bars and events. It is hard to describe except that it felt like a homecoming for me.
Today I won't get any more writing done than this blog. A nodule on my left thryoid requires surgery (it's today) so I will be out of pocket for a week or two in recovery. I'm sure the writing will be here when I'm feeling up to it.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Loglines
So, a guy walks into an elevator and standing in front of him is Steven Spielberg. That happens everyday right? Well, it probably does. But how often is the guy a screenwriter who would love to pitch his movie to Spielberg ? Maybe once in a lifetime, if that, especially if Spielberg is willing to hear the pitch. The guy has only seconds. Will he blow it? I dunno, but I have read enough to know that the guy better have his logline in order or he doesn't have a chance in "h-e-double-hockey-sticks".
The experts generally agree that the logline needs to explain who the main character is, what her problem is & how she's going to solve it. Which means the folks writing the descriptions for TV Guide are getting all kinds of practice. If a logline is a one sentance pitch, then I want my loglines to have well-defined protagonists who are up against larger-than-life antagonists. I want my loglines to give a sense of the atmosphere and setting of my script. I want my loglines to identify the conflict between my protagonists and antagonists , to lay out what's at stake. I want my loglines to identify the genre of the script. I need my loglines to do this all in one sentance and I am so wordy that this leaves me feeling anxious.
Adjectives help identify the protagonist and antagonists with greater clarity. If the descriptive is juxtaposed to the goal, it can be used for greater effect. For example, the neglected farmgirl in the Wizard of Oz just wants to get back home.
It has to grab the reader, make the reader want to read the entire script. No pressure. It has to tell who the main character is, who the antagonist is, and what makes the script unique. It should emphasize the internal and external conflict. It should identify the sizzle: sex, greed, humor, danger, thrills, satisfaction. I have a lot of work to do....
What the experts are really saying is that the logline is the superobjective (or spine) of the story.
I finally decided I should just write a bunch of loglines: good, bad or indifferent. Practice is the way to go. I'll let you know what kind of luck I have.
So, a guy walks into an elevator and standing in front of him is Steven Spielberg. That happens everyday right? Well, it probably does. But how often is the guy a screenwriter who would love to pitch his movie to Spielberg ? Maybe once in a lifetime, if that, especially if Spielberg is willing to hear the pitch. The guy has only seconds. Will he blow it? I dunno, but I have read enough to know that the guy better have his logline in order or he doesn't have a chance in "h-e-double-hockey-sticks".
The experts generally agree that the logline needs to explain who the main character is, what her problem is & how she's going to solve it. Which means the folks writing the descriptions for TV Guide are getting all kinds of practice. If a logline is a one sentance pitch, then I want my loglines to have well-defined protagonists who are up against larger-than-life antagonists. I want my loglines to give a sense of the atmosphere and setting of my script. I want my loglines to identify the conflict between my protagonists and antagonists , to lay out what's at stake. I want my loglines to identify the genre of the script. I need my loglines to do this all in one sentance and I am so wordy that this leaves me feeling anxious.
Adjectives help identify the protagonist and antagonists with greater clarity. If the descriptive is juxtaposed to the goal, it can be used for greater effect. For example, the neglected farmgirl in the Wizard of Oz just wants to get back home.
It has to grab the reader, make the reader want to read the entire script. No pressure. It has to tell who the main character is, who the antagonist is, and what makes the script unique. It should emphasize the internal and external conflict. It should identify the sizzle: sex, greed, humor, danger, thrills, satisfaction. I have a lot of work to do....
What the experts are really saying is that the logline is the superobjective (or spine) of the story.
I finally decided I should just write a bunch of loglines: good, bad or indifferent. Practice is the way to go. I'll let you know what kind of luck I have.
My New Year's Resolution and the Year of the Earth Ox
They say that writers can't be afraid to "kill your darlings" so I've done some blog housecleaning, deleting the very few but rather inane posts I've written over the past couple of years. I kept the very first one I wrote and another that has personal meaning for me. And while I really haven't been a fan of new year's resolutions over the years, this year I thought I'd give it a try. I have been writing more and I resolve to blog more. I also want to learn to write really good loglines. It feels right since the year of the Earth Ox is upon us once again on 26 January 2009.
In general, eastern astrologers believe that oxen come into their own during ox years. Taking stock, examining where you are and where you are heading are supposed to be good activities for oxen in an ox year. (Aren't they good activities for anyone in any year?) Being a metal ox, I am supposed to be strong, hard-working and will do whatever is necessary to achieve my goals. Time will tell but one thing is for certain, it also continues to march on.
They say that writers can't be afraid to "kill your darlings" so I've done some blog housecleaning, deleting the very few but rather inane posts I've written over the past couple of years. I kept the very first one I wrote and another that has personal meaning for me. And while I really haven't been a fan of new year's resolutions over the years, this year I thought I'd give it a try. I have been writing more and I resolve to blog more. I also want to learn to write really good loglines. It feels right since the year of the Earth Ox is upon us once again on 26 January 2009.
In general, eastern astrologers believe that oxen come into their own during ox years. Taking stock, examining where you are and where you are heading are supposed to be good activities for oxen in an ox year. (Aren't they good activities for anyone in any year?) Being a metal ox, I am supposed to be strong, hard-working and will do whatever is necessary to achieve my goals. Time will tell but one thing is for certain, it also continues to march on.
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