Categories: Drama
(Based on my own true story) An autistic artist recognizes that as he gets older he increasingly exhibits genius level intellegence despite his decreasing ability to verbally express himself. As he begins to solve the world’s most distructive problems in his mind, ultimately will the solutions ever be accepted in time to save humans from themselves?
Many good points made by Dkpough1 and DPG, worth studying this thread in more detail.
However, I'd like to add a few more helpful pointers to the mix. You seem to be attached to this description:? "...The world is on the verge of making technological advances that will dramatically effect everything and everyone worldwide..."
I presume you mean that scientists and organizations, worldwide, are researching and developing technologies that have the potential to wreak havoc. If this is the case, can you specify the one scientist, or one company, that's developing the most dangerous technology? This could be an inciting incident for the MC to take action - stop the technological development.
On a side note, as there is a lack of detail specified in the logline and you seem to be still developing the concept as a whole, have you considered a different medium?
Film requires you work within specific conventions, and to your admission you're still living the story, which means these conventions may not be observed in these early stages of development. Seeing as you also want the audience to grow with you as the story develops, I think this would make for a good web series. In a web seires you can explore the narrative in any way you see fit, and find an audience that would appreciate it.
Based on a true story in a world where technological advancements implements a A.I. system that challenges the relevance for human existence, an autistic savant uses his emotional intelligence to create a ubiquitous mobile app to protect mankind from a digital holocaust.
(To all who read this logline: I'm curious to know your opinion on whether you prefer this loosely based version of my life, or one within a medium where you could follow my true experiences as my life progresses? Thanks!)
(Revision)
Based on a true story in a world where global technological advancements inadvertently implements A.I. technology that challenges the relevance for human existence. An autistic savant understanding the impending threats, uses his emotional intelligence to create a ubiquitous mobile app in order to protect mankind from a digital holocaust.
I know This is closer to what everyone is asking for when structuring my logline....
Based on a true story in a world where global technological advancements inadvertently implements an A.I. technology that challenges the need for human existence. An autistic savant understanding the impending threats, uses his emotional intelligence to create a ubiquitous mobile app in the hopes it establishes the solutions to protect mankind's humanity from a digital holocaust.
But, as of now I still don't want to make up anything for the sake of creating a conventional story. I'll probably use both this one and one that conveys my real experiences to see what happens.
I understand that you want to make it as accurate as possible, but like DPG says, or at least something like it: reel life=/= real life. Story is conflict. If in the part of your life you're basing this on doesn't have dramatic conflict, change the story to make conflict. Add in someone/something to give it conflict. The producer probably won't care much about how true it is. They want to make money, using your idea. Which means it has to be accessible to the audience. Which means conflict, a tightly plotted story, and the climax, the victory or failure. To be blunt, if filmmakers are willing to change the details of the life of someone like Abraham Lincoln, Alice Paul, MLK, in other words, someone who is famous and made a huge impact, they won't care about the details of your life. So unless you write an autobiography or choose to release your work for free, or you become the top dog, you have to answer to people looking for a story that will make money. Doesn't matter if it's a book, comic, TV show, movie. Someone's going to examine the story of your life and cut out what they deem unnecessary. You can argue, "That's important!" But they won't care, whether it's a studio exec, a producer, a publisher. ?The thing they care about is how much money it will make.
So, keeping in mind that the conflict is the story, what is that conflict? Who are the two sides?
I agree with the above comments. Especially that for a logline, "The world is on the verge of making technological advances that will dramatically effect everything and everyone worldwide." Is too vague. ?And honestly probably unneeded. If you state a specific technological advance the specific effect that the character is trying to fix, then it will be good for a logline.
For example, if a company has made an app that breaches privacy.
The true story of when a tech company releases an app that is able to access all of the cameras in its vicinity, an autistic savant must....
This version dangles the hook right in front: a true story. Then, it has a specific antagonist: the company, and if you wanted to be more specific you could use a high-ranking person within that company. And it also has a specific problem the company is causing.
So, ?in your story, what is the specific problem? What is the?specific threat it poses to society? The?specific action which ?leads to the protagonist trying to find a solution?
Also, what country is this set in? You mention dictators.
Hello,
I personally like when a logline can describe the basic plot of the movie in terms of main character's goal/obstacles.
"the world's most distructive problems in his mind": first, I'd like to know what specific problem or I don't know if i'm interest or not in the movie; secondly, "in his mind"? What do we SEE in the movie? The main character face while he's thinking? :)
The idea of a movie about an autistic artist in very interesting but the logline is not yet there to structure the idea into an understandable and cinematographic form.
The more I think about this, the more accurate I want to be. This is it. Lol!
(Based on true events)
The world is on the verge of making technological advances that will dramatically effect everything and everyone worldwide. An autistic savant understanding the impending threats, uses his emotional intelligence to create a ubiquitous mobile app in the hopes it establishes the solutions the world needs.
Okay, it's clearer now. To establish the goal you use the inciting incident. ?What specific action is going make the character spring into action? (Ex: Bruce Wayne's parents are murdered in front of him.)
Now, you said "Establish world unity by creating a ubiquitous intelligent agent" ?What is this intelligent agent? ?How will it establish world unity? Basically, who/what is the antagonist causing the need to establish unity, who is causing conflict? Now here is where my earlier point comes in about taking liberties, even if there isn't someone/something(such as a government agency or group or something) in real life, for dramatic effect you can create one who creates the conflict.
A logline is 30 word or less description of the essence of the story. But you're still giving too much information. In simple terms:
Inciting incident:?When...(a specific action that logically leads to...
Action: An autistic savant must...(what, specifically does he do? What is the intelligent agent? Describe what it accomplishes, and how it leads to him being able to achieve...
Goal:? To establish world unity.?(what does that mean? What is the world divided because of? What problem is he fixing?
You don't need backstory, no questions at the end, in one sentence, less than 30 words, what is the story about?
Hope this helps.
