2020 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge!
By: Scott Myers
Tags: Screenwriting, Hollywood, Screenplay, Fiction, Writing

Check out this word cloud from the 2020 Black List loglines, then write your OWN logline from those words to win some great prizes!

We did this the last few years and had a helluva lot of fun, so following in footsteps of Hollywood’s studios, it’s sequel time! Yes, it’s the 2020 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge!

Here is a word cloud based on the loglines for the 2020 Black List scripts, all 80 of them:

You can see the entire set of 2020 Black List loglines for the 80 scripts here.

Your mission for the 2020 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge should you choose to accept: Come up with a logline using words from the word cloud. Or loglines (you may enter as many times as you want).

NOTE: One way your logline will be assessed is by how many words from the word cloud you use in your logline. If only one or two, less points. If five or six, more points.

BIG NOTE: Please CAPITALIZE each word cloud word in your logline.

Example: A HIGH SCHOOL GIRL STRUGGLES with her MYSTERIOUS SECRET LIFE once she reaches COLLEGE: a SERIAL ASSASSIN.

That, my friends, is a truly crappy logline. However, it gets across the key CAPITALIZATION point. This helps in judging each entry.

How’s this for prizes:

5 Semifinal Winners: 1 free Craft class I will be teaching next year through Screenwriting Master Class. See schedule below. Each winner gets their choice of one class.

3 Finalist Winners: Free 1 script read + 1 month script hosting via the Black List website + 1 free Craft class.

1 Grand Prize winner: Free 2 script reads + 2 months script hosting via the Black List website + 2 free Craft classes.

Deadline for entries: Midnight (Pacific), Tuesday, December 22nd.

Winners to be announced Monday, December 28th.

ENTER BY SCROLLING TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, CLICK ‘WRITE A RESPONSE’, AND POST YOUR LOGLINE(S).

If you’d like to see some examples of previous Black List Word Cloud loglines, check out submissions here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Here is the schedule of the 10 Craft classes I will be offering in 2020:

January 4: Pixar and the Craft of Storytelling

Learn More

January 18: Story Summaries — From Loglines to Beat Sheets

Learn More

February 1: Handling Exposition

Learn More

February 15: Scene Description Spotlight

Learn More

March 1: Character Development Keys

Learn More

March 15: Create a Compelling Protagonist

Learn More

March 29: Write a Worthy Nemesis

Learn More

April 12: Scene-Writing Workshop

Learn More

April 26: Dialogue-Writing Workshop

Learn More

May 10: The Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling

Learn More

More details about the contest:

(1) “How many loglines may I post?” You can submit as many as you’d like. That said, even in a fun challenge like this, you should focus on quality over quantity.

(2) “Since there are less than 75–100 words in the word cloud, there is bound to be overlap with loglines. How will you sort that out in terms judging?” Good question. And hopefully a good learning point for all of us, the difference between the logline for Dude, Where’s My Car? — “Two potheads wake up from a night of partying and can’t remember where they parked their car” — and The Hangover — Three groomsmen lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him”. The focus on a lost groom due for his wedding is substantially better as a comedic conceit than simply looking for a car.

(3) “What about people riffing off earlier loglines?” Another good point and I will look more favorably on earlier loglines with similar iterations simply due to the earlier writer came up with the idea first.

(4) Since I’ll be the person judging the loglines — and just so you know — I put a premium on two things: Clever. Humor. If your logline shows a degree of cleverness with combining words from the word cloud, that’s a plus. Also, if you can make me laugh, that’s also a plus.

Bottom line, let’s remember this is supposed to be a fun exercise. The opportunity to get a free script read, web hosting or Craft class with me is a nice treat, but hopefully won’t create any ill will on the part of folks who don’t get selected. Even if you don’t win, you will have exercised your creative muscles, and that’s a plus for you.

FINAL REMINDER: Please CAPITALIZE word cloud words you use in your LOGLINE!!!

Let’s have some creative fun! Good luck!

CLICK ‘WRITE A RESPONSE’ AND POST YOUR LOGLINE(S).