Title First or Title Last?

PhenomenalOnePictures · Jul 13, 2014

I've always found it curious to look at other people's creative processes and to see what they do.

That being said, I wondered this, do you, my screenwriting compatriot, write a story/outline/rough draft from the title or build up to it out of an idea?

Personally, I've found that working from a title gives you a sense of direction, you know where you wanna go and how you want to go. I've re-titled ideas after I get deep into an outline, but it's never been writing out the idea and decided on a title later.

So, what works for you?

harmonica44 · Jul 13, 2014

I think it's best to come up with the sense of direction first, because what if in the end, it turns out that the title's sense of direction is not as good as it could be?

Cryogenic · Jul 13, 2014

It depends. I start some stuff off a title. I have some I start with ideas and come up with the title. Just whatever happens to fly on that particular project.

Beatlesfan1225 · Jul 13, 2014

It really does depend on the project. Personally, I'll be driving down the road, and randomly, I'll think of a great title, and it ends up being a song on a record, for me. I had one record titled 'Broken Heart Gadgeteers' and another called 'Static on the Water' - both of which the title came first and the song built around the vibe of the title.

I avoided it more on my new record that comes out this week, since I self titled it. However, I still had some songs that spurred out of great titles. My creative process tends to navigate towards finding a nifty/unique title for the emotion/direction I'm trying to convey, and then I run with it.

hawklight · Jul 16, 2014

sometimes the title might change as the script does

SamuelAtkinson · Jul 16, 2014

I normally get a solid idea first before touching the dialogue/script. Then as I'm working on the script, the title develops with the story so to answer your question... I guess both, just all depends on how my brain is ticking!

dahwws · Jul 16, 2014

I always come up with my title and logline first, and if part of the way through or at the end I think of a better title, I'll change it.

Jijenji · Jul 17, 2014

I definitely wouldn't say you need it in the beginning, but at some point you should "know" your story.
Concept, logline, everything.

The title should reflect that.

I think it's helpful to have a title that matches your logline, know the story you want to tell, and then write or re-write the script.

ChimpPhobiaFilms · Jul 17, 2014

There's really no set in stone rules over when you should come up with a title & log line. You can come up with one first, then right a screenplay around it. You can write a screenplay & come up with a title after you write it. You can be in the middle of writing and come up with one. The best thing that you can do though is have a title that suits your film, and that sounds interesting enough to take a look at. You'd be surprised as to how much title (and log line) matters.

Wolverine237 · Jul 17, 2014

I always start with a character.

The title comes afterwards inspired by the character's external/internal problem, journey, growth, hope, endeavor, dream, story.

DeadChannel · Jul 25, 2014

I can never come up with titles. I start out with a crappy script, which repeatedly gets re-written until it's not crappy (and usually much more complex)

Ride the Pen · Jul 25, 2014

I see it like this: I have all the writing process long (rough idea, outline, writing, corrections) to choose a title, and that also means my brain is constantly at work subconciously! It will usually come up with something great! If not, I have to help it out a little bit.

Titles are important, so be picky! A good title is one with some mystery, but not try-hard mystery, if you know what I mean. And of course, it should just sound good. Sound cool. Yeah!

Don't underestimate the power of your little grey cells!

cameronchapman · Jul 26, 2014

For me it totally depends on the project. Sometimes a title will come to me, but more often than not, titles are a really difficult thing for me.

My current screenplay started out with the working title "supernatural road trip movie" because that was the best I could come up with and I needed to refer to it by something. The working title has since been changed to Not Like This, which is a line from this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRWeJabSozw

The main character's name is Nikki, and this track is on my playlist for the script (I create playlists with the right vibe for whatever I'm writing; this particular screenplay includes tracks from Sasquatch, Roadsaw, Dixie Witch, Mellow Bravo, Waylon Speed, Supermachine, Chrome Division, Freedom Hawk, Fireball Ministry, Bloodhorse, Throttlerod, White Dynomite, Cask Mouse, The Byrds, and a few others).