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harvp46 |
TITLE |
Lead | |
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For a romantic murder-mystery ghost story, would the title "FADE OUT" be considered excessively cheesy?
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ReidWrite |
Re: TITLE | ||
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I wouldn't worry about the cheese factor of the title.
Is the story and/or writing cheesy? That's what I'd be worried about. |
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ajaxblu |
Re: TITLE | ||
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harv, there are three projects with that title listed on IMDb.
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engnorway1 |
Re: TITLE | ||
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Besides, if you sell it to Megamoze the first thing he's going to change is the title.
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harvp46 |
Fading Out | ||
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Well then, how about "Awakenings"?
And if that's already been taken too, how about "Once Upon A #$!&^%!$# TIME"?? I really wish other writers would stop stealing my ideas! |
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John Belkewitch |
Re: Fading Out | ||
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I don't think it's a cheesy title. I also don't think it screams: romantic-ghost-murder-mystery. What about Getting Bob's Ghost ...?
I believe Awakenings has been used before (De Niro and Williams). |
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doc thompson |
Re: Fading Out | ||
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I tend to agree with JB here, but I would avoid the progressive verb tense thing he suggested in jest. That's been so heavily used in recent years that it's earned a good lampooning, IMHO.
[insert verb]-ing [insert person/posessive] [insert McGuffin or sumpin'] What I've found useful, at least as a working title, is to take something concise from the actual script (a bit of dialogue, or a particularly representative bit of action/description) and use that. I think it can also help as a touchstone while writing. Think about a "working title" that reflects what you think is going on in the story you are writing now, and keep changing the title as the clarity of your narrative improves. This can also be fun and serve as a source of inspiration. |
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John Belkewitch |
Re: Fading Out | ||
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Good advice from doc.
What are some of the themes your story touches upon? |
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harvp46 |
Title | ||
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Doc's advice is extremely useful and I'll try it out. I thought of "Shallow Grave" as another possibility, only to find both a 1987 and 1994 movie by that title on imbd.com. Incidentally, movie titles can indeed be legally recycled; they are not copyrightable, but it's confusing and probably bad form to do so, I suppose.
The film starts out in well-worn fashion: Writer in southern mansion trying to focus on his masterpiece is driven out in terror by the shenanigans of a very angry and nasty phantasm. The twist begins when he indignantly decides to go back inside and tough it out. Ghosts, mystery, murder, sex and romance. "This is the one they'll remember me for". I'll say no more since one or more of you would doubtless steal the concept before I can complete the script, like always. |
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doc thompson |
Re: Title | ||
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There you go. Sounds a bit like The Shining with some southern gothic flavor. old school southern goth: William Faulkner new school southern goth: Anne Rice Now, there's a rich mix - King, Rice, and Faulkner. There's a title in there somewhere. And a good story, too, no doubt. Look into the Faulkner angle. It might help dispell (no phantasmagoria intended) the cheese-factor that drawing too heavily on King or Rice will lead to. *stuffs ghastly ideas in a gunny sack and runs off with em'* |
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harvp46 |
Working Title | ||
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Thanks to your advice I came up with "Cat's Eyes", which indeed has linkage to the story (the ghost, beautiful, black and young, has catlike eyes). The only major non-foreign film using this exact title was a 1980's Stephen King TV movie anthology of 3 stories which, ironically, I actually saw at that time.
As an aside, I've had a thinking man's post-apolocalyptic genre script looked at by two significant production players via referrals through friends/relatives. They gave me kudos and advice. Neither one sent a check. Great to be a creative genius! |
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doc thompson |
Re: Working Title | ||
Quote: Two nibbles, but no bite? That sounds pretty good, actually. Be patient. Quote: |
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