An Obeah Woman leads a bioweapons collector into the Ta?no ?Land of Souls? to find the cure for a deadly virus he helped create
KaznatsLogliner
An Obeah Woman leads a bioweapons collector into the Ta?no ?Land of Souls? to find the cure for a deadly virus he helped create
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Who’s the protagonist, the woman or the man?
And who are the Obeah and where is Taino? ?Be specific –yes– but with terms that don’t leave a logline reader scratching his head or googling to find out the answer.
wow i am shocked Obeah woman isnt well known after Pirates of the Caribbean, ?Obeah are sort of like shamans ?but much older and some of it is similar to voodoo but it is still distinct, I cant’t even say a female shaman because the word for that is even more obscure, ?it is mudang. This is the problem of writing a historical novel, it is impossible to explain the terms and concepts in a 25 word hook, Taino were the Indians that met Columbus and were enslaved, ?Most died from diseases and starvation and that is why the Spanish and French began to import black slaves from Africa, to replace the ?Caribbean island natives they had slaughtered. ?My Obeah Woman is also a nun and a pediatrician but try that in a hook and see the response. You know about the Tainos ‘Land of Souls” even though you may not recognize it as that. I’m sure you remember the creation myth about a Great Sea Turtle carrying the world on its back, The sun and stars seem to go underground and the Taino ‘Heaven’ or ‘Land of Souls’ is just like the Mayans, it is underground. The sacred places were entered through caves and Cenotes. Taino are NOT Mayan nor are they Aztec but they share syncretic myths that seem similar like the tales of a world wide flood in many cultures. We already determined that the bioweapons collector is a poor protagonist ?but the Obeah Woman is virtuous and kind. That may be a poor hook but it is precise. ?If you think this bad wait until I actually use Hispanic myths, the culture is full of odd names that represent terrifying beings and places. ?So, here is the best I can do even though it isnt exact:
A Medicine Woman leads a Bioweapons Collector into the sacred caverns of the “Land of the Souls”to find a cure for the ?virus he created.
Kaznats:
You got me. ?”Pirates of the Caribbean” is a franchise I have studiously, religiously, faithfully avoided. So I am unqualified to render a judgement call on “Obeah”.
But if I were a betting man I would cover all bets that 98%+ of the people who read that logline won’t get the reference to the Taino. ?So I suggest you explain in the script but leave it out of the logline.
>>This is the problem of writing a historical novel, it is impossible to explain the terms and concepts in a 25 word hook
Well, it’s certainly a challenge.
FWIW: I faced a similar problem in rendering a logline for my current project based on real people, real historical events. ?My first draft, a “just the facts” version was something like this. “The true story of the militant feminist who fought for the passage of a Constitutional amendment guaranteeing all American women the right to vote.”
I know, I know. You can hardly wait to see the movie.
As if!
I finally realized that ?a “just the facts” summary of ?history wasn’t good enough for the purpose of a logline. ?And what is the purpose of a logline? The purpose of a logline ?is to sell the hook, not tell the history; to advertise the sizzle. not describe the steak.
I offer for your consideration my current version of the logline, which pitches the hook, the sizzle.?
I read this and it is correct. I worked with DNA for nearly 20 years and all life is created by 4 simple compounds that are represented by A, C, T, G ?in DNA. ?My story has to do the same. ?I really liked this article.
Screenwriting guru Blake Snyder has often referred to the log line as the DNA of your film, and I believe that statement to be very true.
http://www.indiewire.com/2014/01/how-to-write-the-perfect-logline-and-why-its-as-important-as-your-screenplay-31710/
A- antagonist
C- main Character
T- time or when
G- Goal
A?Bioweapons Collector makes the hazardous journey through?sacred caverns of the ?Land of the Souls?to prevent ?a pandemic ?from the ?virus he created.
This is simple and direct, it has the
protagonist- bioweapons collector= C
when- after the virus he created= T
Goal- to??prevent a pandemic-=G
antagonist- its the virus, antagonists don’t have to be human, they simply oppose the goal of the protagonist= A
hook- a bad ass seeks redemption for the evil he caused by going on a dangerous pilgrimage. ?All done with only 25 words ;
I ?am starting to believe the serial nature of my novel could be easily adapted for TV like the show ‘Lost’ or ‘The Walking Dead’ I may have to consider having a separate query for a film agent
>>> makes the hazardous
I suggest ?must make? instead. A logline is more effective when it conveys a sense of urgency.
>> the serial nature of my novel could be easily adapted for TV
Definitely a burgeoning market. We?re in a golden age of serial drama. We?ve had some healthy debates in this forum about whether the same loglines guidelines apply to a series or franchise with dozens of episodes extending out for years.
I think that in most cases they do. But there may be exceptions or special considerations. Research continues. Even if different guidelines apply for serials, the same word constraint, alas, still applies. That seems to be the nature of the beast ?er, business.
Funny I originally used ‘must make’ because it added urgency but then changed it. So I guess I finally nailed that logline:
A?Bioweapons Collector must make the hazardous journey through?sacred caverns of the ?Land of the Souls?to prevent ?a pandemic ?from the ?virus he created.
and just in case that didn’t work I also decided this is fine:
When a bioweapons collector resurrects a deadly virus, he must seek the aid of a shaman to find a cure before it creates a pandemic.
I have also been researching high concept ideas and sure that isn’t for the writer to decide but I do wonder if the high concept question can be raised in the query. Here is what I believe is my high concept question:
What if scientists were able to resurrect an ancient virus and it escaped the lab during testing.
That is the very premise of my story that is loosely based on an actual account. Are you allowed to posit questions like this in query letters?