Video Production I

Creative Hook Line

*A good logline doesn't tell someone too much. It's always good to leave a little something to the imagination

*Take Your Pitching to the Next Level

*"High Concept Idea"

*First of all, what is a hook line?

*A hook line is exactly what it sounds like – a line that will hook someone into wanting to read your book. It is basically the same thing as a logline, which is a one line summary of a screenplay or script. Since we are creating these for a novel instead of a script, we’ll call them hook lines. They can run two or three lines, but no more than that.

Dull logline: A woman plots to murder her sister.

Intriguing logline: A woman obsessed by jealousy plots to murder her sister, who married the man she loves.

Dull logline: Two lovers plan to flee from their feuding families who forbid them to marry.

Intriguing logline: Two young lovers living in a ghetto defy their feuding families' ban on marrying and plan an escape that propels them toward tragedy.

Young lovers defying their feuding families is not unique. But, putting the lovers in a ghetto setting and adding the element of tragedy to their escape plan gives the story an interesting twist. It's Romeo and Juliet in a ghetto, a setting that helps add conflict to the story.

Dull logline: A woman confronts her past when her illegitimate daughter shows up after twenty years.

Intriguing logline: A minister's wife confronts her long-buried past when her illegitimate daughter shows up after twenty years.

*How do you create a hook line?

*This is actually easier than it sounds. You do not need to condense your entire book into one sentence. But you do need to give enough information that the agent/editor/curious acquaintance you are addressing gets the gist of your book and is interested enough to want more.

*Elements of a Hook Line

*Characters – Who is the main character? What does that main character want? What is his/her main goal?

*Elements of a Hook Line

*Conflict – Who is the villain of the story? Or what is the main obstacle to the main character obtaining their goal?

*Elements of a Hook Line

*Distinction – What makes your book different then all the rest? What is the unique element of your story that makes it stand out? Is your book a romance between a young man and woman? What makes them different?

*Elements of a Hook Line

*Setting – for a novel, adding a little about the setting, time period, and possibly genre (if it’s not obvious) is a good idea. For example, the hook line for my book, which is an historical romantic suspense, could begin “A young woman in Victorian England…”.

*Elements of a Hook Line*Action – Your hook line needs to have action,

excitement. For example, which hook line catches your interest more? * A woman has an affair and runs off with her new beau.* A neglected wife and mother has a torrid affair with an

ex-con and kidnaps her children as she flees across the country with her lover.

* The difference is the inclusion in the second example of action and description words. The woman becomes a “neglected wife and mother.” She has a “torrid” affair. The beau is an “ex-con,” implying a world of danger and crime. She doesn’t just run off, she “flees,” kidnapping her children in the process.

*A 17th Century tale of adventure on the Caribbean Sea where the

roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow joins forces with a young blacksmith in a gallant

attempt to rescue the Governor of England's daughter and

reclaim his ship.

*A young man and woman from different social classes fall in love aboard an ill-fated voyage at sea.

*When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek his revenge.

*An Epic tale of a 1940s New York Mafia family and their struggle to protect their empire, as the leadership switches from the father to his youngest son.

Script Proposal

*Is a type, or categorisation of film

*Documentary

*Drama

*Crime

*Romance

*Action

*Sci-Fi

*Comedy

*Horror

*Thriller

*Biodata

*Characteristic

*Style

*FlawsCharacterization or characterisation is the art of

creating characters for a narrative,[1] including the process of conveying information about them. It may be employed in dramatic works of art or everyday conversation. Characters may be presented by means of description, through their actions, speech, or thoughts.

About

Age 35

EthnicityEnglish

Role Dr.No, John Strangways

Status Dead

Summary

John Strangways was the MI6 representative in Jamaica. He investigated reports about the island Crab Key and took rock samples, thinking they were radioactive. He brought them to geologist and friend Professor Dent to be analyzed, and was later killed after Dent reported the events to Dr. No, the owner of Crab Key.

Played by Timothy Moxon

Appears in Dr. No (1962)

The Character in the Movie

In the 1962 movie Dr. No, John Strangways was the MI6 representative in Jamaica. He often played cards at the Queens Club in Kingston Jamaica with Professor Dent and two officials from the island. His character was similar to that in the novel, except in the movie he wore no eye patch. Every Night at the exact same time, Strangways would leave the Queens Club and drive to his bungalow out of town. His secretary would have the equipment ready so he could promptly make a report to HQ.

About

Age 20

Role Bond Girl, Allie

Status Alive

Summary

Honey Ryder (Spelt Rider in the novel) was the leading Bond girl in Dr. No (1962). She was played by Ursula Andress, however due to her strong accent she was dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl. She was diving for shells at Crab Key when Bond first saw her. The character is famous for her entry to the movie, walking out of the sea in a white bikini.

Played by Ursula Andress Appears in Dr. No (1962)

The Character in the Movie

Honey Ryder was the leading Bond girl in Dr. No (1962). She was played by Ursula Andress, however due to her strong accent she was dubbed by Nikki van der Zyl. Earlier on in her life she travelled all around the Caribbean with her father, a marine biologist, studying the plants and fish in the many corals they visited. Her father died mysteriously when visiting crab key, an island just of the coast of Jamaica, although Honey knew it was no accident. Dr. No's men had killed him.

*Rule of thumb: You should only name three characters in a short synopsis – usually, the protagonist, antagonist, and possible love interest/side-kick/contagonist. All other characters should be referred to by their roles (e.g. the waitress, the mother, the basketball player).

Fill in the Blanks

1. Opening image

*An image/setting/concept that sets the stage for the story to come.*Long ago, in a galaxy far away, a controlling government called the Empire takes control of planets, systems, and people. Anyone who resists is obliterated.

Fill in the Blanks

2. Protagonist Intro

*Who is the main character? Give 1-2 descriptive words and say what he/she wants.*Luke Skywalker, a naïve farm boy with a knack for robotics, dreams of one day escaping his desert homeland.

Fill in the Blanks

3. Inciting incident

*What event/decision/change prompts the main character to take initial action.*When he buys two robots, he finds one has a message on it – a message from a princess begging for help. She has plans to defeat the Empire, and she begs someone to deliver these plans to a distant planet. Luke goes to his friend and mentor, the loner Ben Kenobi, for help.

Fill in the Blanks

4. Plot point 1

*What is the first turning point? What action does the MC take or what decision does he/she make that changes the book’s direction? Once he/she crossed this line, there’s no going back.*Ben tells Luke about a world where the Empire rules and Rebels fight back, where Jedi Knights wield a magic called the Force, and how Luke must face Darth Vader – the man who killed Luke’s father and now seeks to destroy Luke too. Luke refuses, but when he goes back to his farm, he finds his family has been killed. He has no choice but to join Ben.

Fill in the Blanks

5. Conflicts & character encounters

*Now in a new life, the MC meets new people, experiences a new life, and meets the antagonist/villain.*To escape the desert planet, Ben and Luke hire a low-life pilot and the pilot’s hairy, alien friend. Luke, Ben, Luke’s robots, the pilot, and the hairy friend leave the planet and fly to the Death Star, Darth Vader’s home and the Empire’s main base.

Fill in the Blanks

6. Midpoint

*What is the middle turning point? What happens that causes the MC to make a 360 degree change in direction/change in emotion/change in anything? Again, once he/she has crossed this line, there’s no going back.*Once on board the Death Star, Luke discovers the princess is being held as a hostage. He and the group set out to find the princess, while Ben sets out to find a way for them to escape the base.

Fill in the Blanks

7. Winning seems imminent, but…

*What happens that makes the MC think he/she will win? She seems to have the upper hand, but then oh no! The antagonist defeats her and rushes off more powerful than ever before.*After rescuing the princess, Luke and the group try to escape. Ben sacrifices himself so they can flee, and Darth Vader kills Ben. The group flees the Death Star on their own ship.

Fill in the Blanks

8. Black moment

*The MC is lower than low, and he/she must fight through the blackness of his/her emotions to find the strength for the final battle. What happens here?*Luke is devastated over Ben’s death, and he is more determined to fight Darth Vader and help the Rebels defeat the Empire. Luke joins the Rebel army, and helps them plan an attack on the Death Star’s only weakness.

Fill in the Blanks

9. Climax

*What happens in the final blow-out between the MC and the antagonist?*The Death Star arrives in space near the Rebels, and the attack begins. Luke joins the assault team of fighter ships. The Rebels suffer heavy losses, and soon Luke is one of the few remaining pilots and ships. He takes his chance and initiates the final attack. Guided by Ben’s voice and the Force, he manages to fire the single, critical shot to explode the Death Star.

Fill in the Blanks

10. Resolution

*Does everyone live happily ever after? Yes? No? What happens to tie up all the loose ends?*With the Death Star destroyed and the Empire severely damaged, the Rebels hold a grand ceremony to honor Luke and his friends. The princess awards them with medals for heroism.

Fill in the Blanks

11. Final image

*What is the final image you want to leave your reader with? Has the MC succumbed to his/her own demons or has he/she built a new life?

*Though Luke is still sad over the loss of Ben and his family, he has found a place among the Rebels, and with them, he will continue to fight the Empire.

* Putting It All Together

Long ago, in a galaxy far away, a controlling government called the Empire takes control of planets, systems, and people. Anyone who resists is obliterated.

Luke Skywalker, a naïve farm boy with a knack for robotics, dreams of one day escaping his desert homeland. When he buys two robots, he finds one has a message on it – a message from a princess begging for help. She has plans to defeat the Empire, and she begs someone to deliver these plans to a distant planet. Luke goes to his friend and mentor, the loner Ben Kenobi, for help.

Ben tells Luke about a world where the Empire rules and Rebels fight back, where Jedi Knights wield a magic called the Force, and how Luke must face Darth Vader – the man who killed Luke’s father and now seeks to destroy Luke too. Luke refuses, but when he goes back to his farm, he finds his family has been killed. He has no choice but to join Ben.

To escape the desert planet, Ben and Luke hire a low-life pilot and the pilot’s hairy, alien friend. Luke, Ben, Luke’s robots, the pilot, and the hairy friend leave the planet and fly to the Death Star, Darth Vader’s home and the Empire’s main base. Once on board the Death Star, Luke discovers the princess is being held as a hostage. He and the group set out to find the princess, while Ben sets out to find a way for them to escape the base.

After rescuing the princess, Luke and the group try to escape. Ben sacrifices himself so they can flee, and Darth Vader kills Ben. The group flees the Death Star on their own ship. Luke is devastated over Ben’s death, and he is more determined to fight Darth Vader and help the Rebels defeat the Empire. Luke joins the Rebel army, and helps them plan an attack on the Death Star’s only weakness.

To escape the desert planet, Ben and Luke hire a low-life pilot and the pilot’s hairy, alien friend. Luke, Ben, Luke’s robots, the pilot, and the hairy friend leave the planet and fly to the Death Star, Darth Vader’s home and the Empire’s main base. Once on board the Death Star, Luke discovers the princess is being held as a hostage. He and the group set out to find the princess, while Ben sets out to find a way for them to escape the base.

After rescuing the princess, Luke and the group try to escape. Ben sacrifices himself so they can flee, and Darth Vader kills Ben. The group flees the Death Star on their own ship. Luke is devastated over Ben’s death, and he is more determined to fight Darth Vader and help the Rebels defeat the Empire. Luke joins the Rebel army, and helps them plan an attack on the Death Star’s only weakness.

With the Death Star destroyed and the Empire severely damaged, the Rebels hold a grand ceremony to honor Luke and his friends. The princess awards them with medals for heroism. Though Luke is still sad over the loss of Ben and his family, he has found a place among the Rebels, and with them, he will continue to fight the Empire.

*FINAL WORD COUNT: 452

*Outline given with proper formatting

Refer to *.pdf

* Reference to libraries, websites etc

* Style of film

* Characterisation

* Lighting Mood

* Write based on facts, and have reasons, not IMAGINATION Only (e.g cancer, eye transplant, kidney failure etc)