Hi guys! I'm Martin Mururu, your friendly neighborhood screenwriter from Nairobi. I'm on a mission to conquer Hollywood, one sci-fi script at a time!
Why sci-fi, you ask? Well, my dear friends, I simply can't resist the allure of the vast universe out there, where anything is possible. And if I can't explore it in real life, I might as well do it through my writing, right?
I have another confession to make - I have a weird obsession with Mr. Bean's car. Yeah. That lime-green, tiny, clumsy little vehicle makes my heart skip a beat every time I see it on screen. I mean, have you ever seen a car that was so hilariously uncool and yet so endearing?
So there you have it, folks - I'm a sci-fi geek with a soft spot for Mr. Bean's car. But don't let that fool you - I'm dead serious about breaking into Hollywood and making my mark on the industry. That's a HUGE shot because I'm just starting out. But I believe that I'll get somewhere. Just finished my second script and I keep learning. Glad to be a part of the Community.
4 people like this
Hi Martin Mururu! Did you know the Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest is going on right now? You should check it out >> https://www.stage32.com/happy-writers/contests/7th-Annual-Sci-Fi-Fantasy...
1 person likes this
Thanks Emily
1 person likes this
Martin Mururu Hi Martin, it’s good to see you on the IYW. What’s that second script about? Have you thought of having a script read on Stage32?
2 people like this
Hi Geoff! Great to 'meet' you. I'm a newbie here at Stage32 and still trying to get around places. The script read sounds Super! I'll surely get to that. The second script leans a wee bit on Fantasy but here's the logline...
"A Diary that grants anything written on it is discovered. Ashley has to find and destroy it before what her vengeful ex wrote comes to be. Dave will stop at nothing to secure the Diary and bring back his deceased fiance."
1 person likes this
Great to meet you, Martin Mururu. I liked Mr. Bean's car growing up! He has a regular lock for the door. Haha
2 people like this
Hi Maurice Vaughan I just wondered if you could share your formula/insight into loglines, one more time please? Pretty please?
2 people like this
No problem, Geoff Hall. Here’s the logline template:
“After ______ (the inciting incident/the event that sets the plot in motion), a _______ (an adjective and the protagonist's position/role) tries to _______ (goal of story) so/in order to ________ (stakes).”
Loglines are one or two sentences (a one-sentence logline sounds better and it takes less time for a producer, director, etc. to read it). You can add the antagonist in the logline.
The inciting incident can also be at the end of the logline: “A _______ (an adjective and the protagonist's position/role) tries to _______ (goal of story) so/in order to ________ (stakes) after ______ (the inciting incident/the event that sets the plot in motion).”
Avoid using names in a logline (unless it's a Biopic or a famous story -- like a fairy tale). Use an adjective and the protagonist's position/role instead of a name.
Avoid using “must” in loglines because “must” sounds like the protagonist is forced to do whatever the goal of the story is (instead of the protagonist doing it willingly), and “must” doesn’t sound active. Audrey Knox (a TV literary manager) also said this during a logline review webinar on Stage 32 (www.stage32.com/webinars/The-Write-Now-Challenge-The-Logline-Review-with...). Instead of using “must,” use “attempts to,” “fights to,” “struggles to,” “strives to,” “sets out to,” “fights,” “battles,” “engages in,” “participates,” “competes,” etc.
Example #1:
“After a group of dog criminals arrives in a small town, an impulsive dog sheriff defends a dog treat factory so they won’t steal food that’s meant for hungry dog families.”
Example #2:
“A dysfunctional couple works together to survive against bears after they crash on an abandoned road miles from help.”
NOTE: Not all stories will follow this logline template. Biopics, documentaries, and Experimental scripts might not follow this template. The pilot logline and episode loglines for a TV show might not follow this template, but the series logline could.
1 person likes this
thank you so much Maurice Vaughan that is wonderful. Hi Martin Mururu Maurice is a real professional and he's helped a lot of people with their loglines. I hope you find it helpful.
1 person likes this
You're welcome, Geoff Hall. I appreciate the compliment.
Hope the template is helpful, Martin Mururu.
2 people like this
Ahh this is quite helpful, Geoff. Thank you very much Maurice, the template sounds so much better than the format I used.
You're welcome, Martin Mururu.
1 person likes this
Rock on, man
1 person likes this
You do you.
2 people like this
Hi Martin Mururu ! Here's a blog post on navigating Stage 32 that will help. www.stage32.com/blog/navigating-stage-32-for-your-best-experience-3095
Martin Mururu you are welcome, Martin. Maurice is the king of the logline!