Coming up with a title

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  • #16
    Re: Coming up with a title

    I feel most comfortable when I have a title I like, that resonates for me. I've had pieces change title for various reasons, and I always feel a little adrift until I lock onto to something that works. But the first title hasn't always been the best one.

    I'm working on a piece my kid off-handedly suggested a title for over a year ago. I loved his title (he said last night he'd forgotten he'd done it and he can't even remember why he thought of it. He's never read a word of it.) but I couldn't figure out why. It's been the working title for some time, even though I couldn't quite explain it. But last night, a light bulb went on and it clicked in. And now I love it even more, since the whole theme coalesced for me.

    It may not make sense to anyone else, or be the world's greatest title, but for me, it's like that rope in the blizzard that gets you from the outhouse back safe inside. (I'm not sure why I'm picking that particular metaphor. Must be all the Juno stuff.)

    PS. I love 'Forty Acres and a Duel.'

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    • #17
      Re: Coming up with a title

      Originally posted by carcar View Post

      PS. I love 'Forty Acres and a Duel.'
      Thanks! I think it says "Oscar!" ...I picture kind of a Color Purple meets Django

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      • #18
        Re: Coming up with a title

        I am killing myself right now trying to come up with a title for a thriller about a corrupt federal judge.

        Thematically, it's about how corruption is an unavoidable by-product of the human condition, so I need to figure out an new, better way of saying something about 'necessary evil' or 'lesser of two evils' or 'my enemy's enemy', etc.

        But I stink at titles, and I've resigned myself to that and just figure I'll call it something generic until someone smarter than me gets hired to fix it.

        But to the OP's question, it seems like every time I hear a title I really like (eg. Days Of Wine And Roses, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Gone With The Wind, Something Wicked This Way Comes, etc.) it turns out to have come from a poem.

        I should have studied poetry more.



        Edited to add: The original titles for Gone With The Wind were: Bugles Sang True, Not in Our Stars, and Tote the Weary Load.... so now I don't feel so bad about the garbage I come up with.
        Last edited by kintnerboy; 01-27-2015, 10:54 AM.

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        • #19
          Re: Coming up with a title

          Originally posted by carcar View Post

          PS. I love 'Forty Acres and a Duel.'
          I also like "Is that a knife in my back?" too, for some reason. I guess I'm just weird.

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          • #20
            Re: Coming up with a title

            Titles:
            Calibrating Justice
            Leveling Justice
            Peeking Justice
            The Price of Justice
            The Cost of Justice
            Professional Justice
            The Business of Justice
            Originally posted by kintnerboy View Post
            I am killing myself right now trying to come up with a title for a thriller about a corrupt federal judge.

            Thematically, it's about how corruption is an unavoidable by-product of the human condition, so I need to figure out an new, better way of saying something about 'necessary evil' or 'lesser of two evils' or 'my enemy's enemy', etc.

            But I stink at titles, and I've resigned myself to that and just figure I'll call it something generic until someone smarter than me gets hired to fix it.

            But to the OP's question, it seems like every time I hear a title I really like (eg. Days Of Wine And Roses, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, Gone With The Wind, Something Wicked This Way Comes, etc.) it turns out to have come from a poem.

            I should have studied poetry more.



            Edited to add: The original titles for Gone With The Wind were: Bugles Sang True, Not in Our Stars, and Tote the Weary Load.... so now I don't feel so bad about the garbage I come up with.

            Last night in San Pedro

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            • #21
              Re: Coming up with a title

              Originally posted by kintnerboy View Post
              I am killing myself right now trying to come up with a title for a thriller about a corrupt federal judge.

              Thematically, it's about how corruption is an unavoidable by-product of the human condition, so I need to figure out an new, better way of saying something about 'necessary evil' or 'lesser of two evils' or 'my enemy's enemy', etc.
              Sounds intriguing. Some suggestions:

              Rights and Wrongs
              No Man's Law
              All Fall Down
              Dark Justice
              Truth and Consequences
              Beneath the Law
              All's Fair
              Shades of Gray (it's different enough from that porno that's opening on Valentine's Day, right? )
              "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.-- Peter De Vries

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              • #22
                Re: Coming up with a title

                Unjust
                Scales of Justice
                Blind Justice
                With Liberty and Justice
                Somebody's Justice
                The Path of Justice

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                • #23
                  Re: Coming up with a title

                  I like a few of those... I also like the idea of juxtaposing a line from a nursery rhyme (All The King's Men) or something else a child would recite (the pledge of allegiance) with some messy adult business.

                  Thanks people!
                  Last edited by kintnerboy; 01-27-2015, 05:10 PM.

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                  • #24
                    Re: Coming up with a title

                    Originally posted by kintnerboy View Post
                    I am killing myself right now trying to come up with a title for a thriller about a corrupt federal judge.
                    "Gone With The Gavel"

                    ... just kidding. Maybe this:

                    "No Judge, No Jury, No Justice"
                    Last edited by Clint Hill; 01-29-2015, 07:20 AM.
                    “Nothing is what rocks dream about” ― Aristotle

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                    • #25
                      Re: Coming up with a title

                      Originally posted by kintnerboy View Post
                      I am killing myself right now trying to come up with a title for a thriller about a corrupt federal judge.
                      I'd go for something mirroring these reality judge shows like Judy and Render (is that his name?)

                      here's afew anyway ..

                      Judge Sinister(maybe find a better second word).
                      Trial by Error.
                      Who are you to judge me? (haha)
                      Judging by your standards (haha)
                      The Man In The Golden Wig (don't know where that came from)
                      Judge, Jury, and on the payroll

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                      • #26
                        Re: Coming up with a title

                        Judge Not...

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                        • #27
                          Re: Coming up with a title

                          Judge Dread

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                          • #28
                            Re: Coming up with a title

                            Originally posted by TheKeenGuy View Post
                            Judge Not...
                            Judge Knot

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                            • #29
                              Re: Coming up with a title

                              Originally posted by Joaneasley View Post
                              Unjust
                              Scales of Justice
                              Blind Justice
                              With Liberty and Justice
                              Somebody's Justice
                              The Path of Justice
                              With Liberty and Justice for Null

                              Last night in San Pedro

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                              • #30
                                Re: Coming up with a title

                                Originally posted by sherbetbizarre View Post
                                Judge Dread
                                LOL, I'm dying here.

                                I imagine the Judge Dredd being killed and then brought back to life as a zombie.

                                To OP:

                                try: "Suggestive Movie Title "(exactly like that -- word by word ). Just kidding.

                                But if the method of choosing a title based on a phrase or thing from the screenplay, try something in Latin or try to come up with a title reffering to a different domain than that from the movie and brainstorm words that can link the both domains.

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