Script Frenzy: The Title and Lines

If you've been following my profile over at the Screnzy Scufforums (And, really, who isn't at this point?) then you know we've had some changes done. Oh, not actual progress, I've just switched the name of my script. From “The Pact” to “Unbound”.

The Pact was always a bit of a placeholder but, in the beginning, I thought it was a nice way of summing up the bond that I was planning to have between my main characters. You know, sounded like “The Fellowship” or something else “fantasy-esque”. But it means, basically, that there's some kind of contract that those characters agree to and would lead people to think that's what the movie's about. Well, let me tell you, there's nothing like agreement as far as my main characters are concerned. So I really needed something else.

I did a bit of brainstorming and came up with “Unbound”. Which, oddly enough, hasn't been used by any major movies as far as I can see. Outside of this one about an underground DJ that I've never heard about. But it's a nicely vague title that also plays on some of the thematic motifs I've been working with. The concept of breaking out, of escaping, of reaching for freedom is one that I've tried to build on throughout the script.

It means something and it doesn't sound bad, so I'm happy there. Titles are a pain to come up with. But they're also the first thing that most people are going to stumble upon when they reach your script. Coming up with a good one can make or break a work, if you ask me. Something effective can draw in as many people as a good review or an interesting trailer. At the very least, it gives you a foot in the door.

It's not the only thing, though, so while I was being bored out of my mind during class tonight, I filled the margins of my notes with ideas for pitches and taglines and loglines. I also came up with an idea for a poster but I think I'm going to wait until I'm actually done writing the thing to work that up. I've put the new ones up in my profile but here are some other ideas I had. Again, with the loglines, the idea is to keep things to 25 words or less.

Loglines (ie what you use to describe your script when you're pitching it.):

• The old king is gone. The last hope has died. But people can still dream of freedom.
• With the old king gone can two fugitives from an unjust law trade the kingdom's last hope for their freedom?
• On the run. On their own. On the wrong side of the law. And on each other's last nerve. These two are the last, best hope to piece the kingdom back together.
• Finding themselves on the wrong side of the law, the mismatched pair of a soldier and a sorcerer find their fates in one another.

First one's a bit of a reworking of my original logline. Still think the first half is strong, it's just not closed off well enough. On to the taglines, though:

Taglines (ie what goes on the poster or in the trailer.):

• Some chains are harder to break.
• The hardest chains to break are the easiest to find.
• Love. The hardest chain to break.
• They can escape a cage, but can they escape themselves?
• The only thing they can't escape is each other.

Yeah, bit of a theme there, but that's probably a good thing.

I know which ones I like but if you've got any favorites, let me know.