Merry F#$%ng Christmas
Tim AucoinLogliner
A week before Christmas terrorists invade the North Pole and take Santa hostage, and the only cop that can save him hates Christmas more than Ebenezer Scrooge.
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my question to consider is what relevance does this guy hating christmas more, have to do with resolving the story?
Ie why should we care if he doesn’t like christmas. how does it serve the big concept of the story?
Would him hating christmas mean that he doesn’t do his job properly just cause its santa?
Think Lethal weapon and Murtaugh being too old for this shit.
Love it! It would make a good adult oriented CGI animated film…and I don’t mean porno.
That’s what I figured — just wanted to make sure. To most that probably seemed obvious (especially given the title) — but I just wanted to be sure. Sounds awesome.
Thanks for the feedback guys. Just to clarify: what I’m going for with this is a tongue-in-cheek, r-rated, over the top action-comedy. Not in any way a serious movie.
Hear hear… But isn’t also the key function of a longline to get someone with either the power and or money to read and hopefully produce said film? If I was lucky enough to be that person, you know, with money and or power the first thing I see when I read this longline is the poster. My first question (which was my first… And really, only question…) is what is the genre and who is the target audience. I think this is a fair enough question given the concept… As violent movies involving Santa are rare (maybe for a reason…)…
It may not be a bullet-proof logline. But it does what a logline is supposed to do: convey the core concept and grab attention.
The mere fact that it has spawned so many ideas and variations is a testament to the viability of the core concept. Ergo, I think it’s a winner.
…and just FWIW (even though the original logline ticks most boxes…):
‘To save a wealthy toy manufacturer from a group of terrorists in the north pole, a cynical special task force leader must first come to terms with the targets true identity… Santa Claus.’
Over 30 words, I know, and absent a ticking clock… but just thought I’d give it a shot.
And one other thought — what if it’s not that the hero hates Xmas (I can see both sides of the dpg/ Tim Logan coin…), but that he doesn’t believe in Santa (is Ebenezer-like as he detests everything it represents…) ? It would deal with another issue — If this very real cop (or whatever he is…) must tackle some very real terrorists (in a very real worId) I just can’t buy that his goal is to save a very mythical Santa, unless of course he is saving him in the belief that he’s just some fat old hermit living with a bunch of dwarves in the North Pole…
Anyway — I’ve ranted enough.
Hi Tim,
I just want to say first up that I think this is a snappy, intriguing, well constructed, and by going off most of the comments, well liked logline — but I do see some potential issues with it:
I’d have to assume, by going off the title and the fact that TERRORISTS have jolly ‘Ol Santa Claus hostage that this would not be targeted towards a FAMILY audience. As a parent, I wouldn’t want to put my kids through seeing that. A Christmas Carol has some terrifying elements, but still works for kids because at the end, apart from being a happy joyful ending with a great message, you can tell your kids that ghost’s don’t exist. Terrorists on the other hand…
The other issue I see, is that while the idea of smashing up the Xmas Fantasy and Action genre’s is what gives your logline a uniqueness, the first two installments of Die Hard take place on Christmas Eve, and every time I read your logline I see Bruce Willis as John McClane… (a 6th is currently in development…) — which renders it’s potential distinctiveness possibly mute…. Of course, just IMO… As dpg mentioned, this might also have something to do with his current Occupation…
So, if not family I’d assume the target audience would be the elusive 15-under 30’s… But do they go to see Xmas themed movies? Maybe — if done right. IMO, it could work if it was done with a Gothic modern day fairy-tale twist — and I’m reminded of Lincoln Vampire Slayer for some reason (not that that was particularly successful…), and in that light I see Tim Logan’s idea of making the hero Ebenezer possibly a good one. Also, putting this in the logline tells the prospective Producer/ Prodco/ Agent/ Reader what-have-you that THIS is the way you’re going — this is NOT a family movie, but can work… big time. Again, this is just one route I see it going. On the other hand — I could see it working as a family movie if done as a Comedy in the vein of something like ‘Elf’. All in all the logline ticks a lot of boxes, but there is some risk in terms of getting the genre(s) right… and I’d love to know which you were aiming for… (Yippee-ki-yay St Nicholas!) 😉
Good Luck.
Tim,
You have a point that the reference belongs in a pitch, but I don’t think that precludes it from a logline. You say it’s lazy, I say it’s efficient. Perhaps, we’re looking at two sides of the same coin.
I think it’s fine to use the reference in a character description or as dialogue in a scene, But in a logline? I think it’s lazy, it’s the difference between a pitch and a logline
I think the Scrooge reference works. It nails the cop’s attitude with the shorthand of an iconic reference. How much does the cop loathe and detest Xmas? More than the greatest anti-Xmas figure of all time– that’s how much. It sets up the the strongest possible conflict between how he feels about what he must do.
1. “Taken hostage a week before Christmas, Santa?s life depends on the only cop that hates Christmas more than Ebenezer Scrooge.”
Tim Logan’s idea:
2. “Taken hostage a week before Christmas, Santa?s life depends on the only cop that hates Christmas; Ebenezer Scrooge”
The scrooge reference is almost distracting but what if the cop IS Ebeneezer Scrooge?
Knowing that the terrorist attack is just before Xmas adds urgency (a ticking clock) to the predicament.
I like the concept. Do you think adding “a week before Christmas” is necessary? I like the time frame included but also like to the flow of the logline when it is absent.
When terrorists invade the North Pole and take Santa hostage, the only cop who can save him hates Christmas more than Ebeneezer Scrooge.
I like the concept but would be curious as to who the target audience is..?
Love it!
One minor question: Does it have to be a cop? Can’t be a special agent (CIA, FBI)? Or a member of special forces? (Like the Seals who took out bin Laden)