Monday, April 25, 2005

LET THE DISC/ontent BEGIN!

The loglines are posted below. Let the commentary, name calling, whining, and bitching begin!

Oh, and to all the winners and honorable mentions - Congratulations!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

these are really good log lines--- good job and now i have to go rewrite mine

Anonymous said...

Bill --

This was a lot of fun and honestly a lot more instructive than I thought. Writing loglines isn't a subject that's well-covered in any screenwriting books that I can think of. So it's nice to get some real world feedback.

CD

Anonymous said...

Bill: Thank you for taking the time to do something that benefits us much more than you. I must have read over thirty books on screenwriting and fiction writing but this "exercise" was the best in terms of developing a logline. The difference between the logline I submitted and my new one, based on what I've learned, is terrific. Thanks again! - - JJH

Cunningham said...

For the 2nd contest, I'm going to have the tequila IV'd directly into my neo-cortex (wherever that is)and proceed from there. Slap five or six nicotine patches on me (six, definitely six) and I'm good to go.

Some people have raised some interesting questions about all this. I look forward to seeing people's comments about the individual loglines.

But first, coffee...

Cunningham said...

Gary - I'd have to say no. Here's why: a good logline inspires questions in the reader already, why start off with one? I don't think it gets them "engaged" as much as you may think it does - but of course, there's always exceptions to the rule.

I follow the way I was taught, which was through Writer's Boot Camp. Most of my loglines follow a WHEN/THEN pattern: WHEN this happens, THEN our hero must do this (and overcome his inner weakness) to save the day. Now I can flip that around, but I try to remain true to that framework.

Roger Alford said...

Great feedback on the loglines! That alone is worth its weight in gold. Script Magazine's latest issue (Batman Begins cover) has a good article, too, but I'd have to say that the Before and Afters presented here are far more valuable. And it's free advice, to boot.

Anonymous said...

Aaah, faaak!

I stop reading the blog for a couple of weeks and I miss a contest?

What happens next time I skip a few days, you give away free hookers and candy?

I suppose I have to enter the Nicholl now.

This sucks...

Cunningham said...

Tom - ya wanker! How did you know I had those "prizes" for the winners of next year's contest?

Nichol = entry FEE.
DISC/ontent = FREE!!!
(and with DISC/ontent you only have to impress one cantankerous industry fart - me!)

DISC/ontent should be like your comics and DVDs- an addiction you can't give up no matter what your wife/girlfriend/rubber doll says. That's why I always say, "Stay tuned!" you never know what can happen.

Coming up soon: What I do after I finish a first draft.