What's in a name?

I’m hacking through my outline with a machete and trying to apply all thought I’ve recently learned. Everything looks good and I’m eager to start draft number three. However there is still one thing that stabs in my brain. What to call it?

Many say that a name is the least important thing in a script. They are right in the sense that it should never be an excuse for you not to write.

However, a name is everything. People do judge books by their covers and people do judge scripts by their titles.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone where they reference a title and you have absolutely no clue what that movie is, or even who’s in it? Some titles are generic and easily dismissible. Failure to Launch, Next, Panic, Someone Like You. Other titles spike your attention. Black Snake Moan, Pulp Fiction, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Die Hard. I don’t know anyone who actually saw Snakes on a Plane but everyone knew about it.

My particular working title was, Craven. I figured the word itself was a nice little one word title that would conjure images of fear. At the very least I figured people would associate it with Wes Craven and get a sense of the movie’s mood. Instead I found myself in conversations like this.

“Craving?”

“No. Craven.”

“What’s that?”

--Sigh. (where’s a dictionary when you need to throw one?)

Obviously not a good title if you find yourself having that conversation more than once. So the hunt for a new title began. What’s more the first draft of my horror movie had somehow turned into a thriller. How did that happen? Not to worry though. I love thrillers and I hate horror movies. Oh. That’s how it happened.

I began an extended effort with the thesaurus, dictionary, and bouncing ideas off of my co-workers. I kept coming close but it just wasn’t right. I have easily named other scripts. Titles that I am very proud of. Why was this one so hard?

There was one title in particular that I loved but I had not tested it on my crew. I guess I was too afraid to have it shot down by my friends. But in desperation I served it up with a lackluster pitch. My friends perked up. What was that? And just like that I had my title. It was perfect.

So how did I arrive at my newly beloved title? I’ll tell you because it’s not the first time I’ve used this method to name a script.

If you’re having title issues try this. Forget about the story, the idea, or the theme for a second. Pin point that one spark that caused the story. What was the motivation for there even being a story? Often this will lurk within the antagonist. Other times it could be an object or the protagonist’s flaw or want. Whatever it is must be simple.

Once you find this simple motivation you can use your talent to translate it into a wonderfully creative title.