How Important is a Movie Title?

Some movie titles stick with us, many are meant to grab our attention and all should give us some sense of the story we are about to see.  But what's in a title?  How important is a title really?  If you ask a studio executive, the best title would be one that has a “2” after it.  Meaning a follow up to a highly successful film property.

That's a given, but what about those first movies, and the thousands of independent movies that get produced each year?  To properly study this, we have to go back to the 50's, 60's and 70's.  This was the height of the drive-in era, which led the way for exploitation films.  That is when independent companies like American International Pictures and producers like Roger Corman would make low budget movies that often promised more in the poster and title than the movie delivered.

Movie's with titles like The Beast With A Million Eyes (1955), I Was A Teenage Werewolf (1957) And The Fast and the Furious (1954). Yes, you read that right.  Long before the massive Universal Studios franchise, that title raced across movie screens.  That was one of the many movies Roger Corman made that was released through American International Pictures (AIP).

Neal Moritz, one of the producers of The Fast and the Furious (2001) was planning this full throttle car movie and he said “We need a title like AIP would have done in the past.”  That old title from the 50's jumped out at him.  The next step was to work things out with Roger Corman so they could use the title.  They were able to trade top quality stock footage in exchange for bringing back that title in a big bad way.(1)

It did not take long for AIP and Corman to earn a solid reputation with exhibitors and movie theaters.  They were eager to screen their next hit movie.  Sometimes they would just start with a great title and poster campaign and then write the movie around it.  

Famously, Roger Corman pre-sold War Of The Satellites (1958) based on the the title alone, largely do to the space race in America that was making headlines.  With the deal freshly inked, he scrambled to have a screenwriter write the script in a few weeks and then quickly produced the movie.

The modern day equivalent of starting with a perfect title and poster is using SEO (Search Engine Optimization.)  Basically, this is using analytics to pick a title that yields high internet search results. Having a title and subject that ranks high for SEO is a big advantage. That is what the producers and distributors I worked with on my first feature Cam-Girl were well aware of.

People tend to search the term “Cam Girl” or "camgirl" on the internet, go figure.  This certainly helped generate over three hundred thousand views for our movie trailer and encouraged people to watch Cam-Girl for free on Tubi, Youtube or to buy the Blu-Ray/ DVD on Amazon.  Being aware of this new form of marketing is essentially for filmmakers and creatives alike.

This was part of my consideration when I wrote a new Action/Comedy screenplay titled Rage Moms.  Not only is this a buzz term that grabs attention, it fits the story and the turbulent times of the year 2020.  I'd want to see a movie titled Rage Moms, wouldn't you?  

While the free wheeling Drive-in theater days are long gone, independent production companies like The Asylum continue to carry the torch.  The example we all know about it Sharknado (2013), a wild, two million dollar smash hit which spawned a franchise for The Asylum and SYFY network.

Sharknado started on the strength, or some would say absurdity of the title.  There was a circuitous route to get it made however. Several years prior, Anthony C. Ferrante pitched Sharknado to The Asylum, they passed on this initially.  But Anthony still loved that title, it stuck with him.  So he wrote a reference to a “Sharknado” into the dialogue of Red Clover (2012), AKA Leprechaun's Revenge. When an executive at SYFY watched that movie and heard this line they thought it would be a great idea foe a movie.

SYFY eventually talked with The Asylum about their desire to make a movie titled “Sharknado.”  Now that money people had the idea, it is no surprise that The Asylum wanted to move ahead.  They went out to actors such as the leads Tara Reid and Ian Ziering with the title of “Dark Skys.”  

This came back to bite them one day on set when some of the actors heard the title would actually be Sharknado.  It briefly shut down production because they did not want to be in a movie with that title... at the time.  From there, the rest is history.  For more great incite you can read my interview with Thunder Levin, the screenwriter of Sharknado on OCmoviereviews here.

Similar to Sharknado, another way to know you have a winning title is if it grabs your attention and tells you what the hook of the high concept movie is.  Examples would be Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), Death Race 2000 (1975), Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Snakes on a Plane (2006).  That last one in particular has a very interesting story behind the title.

The original draft of Snakes on a Plane was sent around town with the title of “Venom” in 1995.  Legend has it, the title became Snakes on a Plane when studio executives were joking around after hours talking about the craziest scripts that were making the rounds in Hollywood.  The project eventually landed with New Line in 1999 and was pitched around as Snakes on a Plane.

Famously, Samuel Jackson agreed to star in the movie as soon as he heard the title.  Later, Jackson insisted that title not be changed after he was attached.  This is the exact opposite of the Sharknado title conflict.  It begs the question, would these movies still have been hits without these shocking titles? We'll never truly know, but one thing's for sure, the people involved with these movies do not want to go back in time to find out.

- Curt Wiser is a Writer/Filmmaker living in Los Angeles.  He also works in Visual Effects and writes Movie Reviews/Journalism for OCmoviereviews.com.  

(sources: 1: Entertainment Weekly 5/25/2016 by Darren Franich)  

HOW TO TAKE REJECTION AS AN ARTIST

     The most important thing we all learn as artist of any form, is that rejection will be part of the deal.  Near constant rejection in fact.  An understanding of this harsh reality is the first step, dealing with it properly is the other.  Even the biggest names and best works have to carve through an avalanche of rejection.  Here are a few examples that will put your mind at ease.

     We all know of Sylvester Stallone and his breakout performance (and script) from Rocky.  What is less publicized is that the executives at Warner Bros. at the time loved the script, it was a go picture but...... Stallone said he had to play Rocky, he wrote the part for him to play, and the Studios said no (go to 1:28 in the video).  They not only said no to him as an actor over and over, but they offered him more money in return for making the movie without him playing the lead.  This former Rambo star stuck to his guns and the rest is film history as we know it.   Now, can you imagine another actor playing Rocky? Just look at the career Stallone has as well.  

     Take the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black.  At one point you could have taken it because nobody else would.  One of the shows Executive Producers, Jenji Kohan has said that she pitched the series to every network in town before it landed on the office desk at Netflix.  This is a long running, Emmy Award winning show here.  I can’t speak for them but I have a feeling Netflix is happy Kohan faced that rejection before the show was produced with them.

     Dr.Seuss, as the story goes his first book was rejected by 27 publishers before one said yes.  I am sure his estate is glad that he pressed on with the submissions to publishers and made it 28.

     Lordof the Flies, before it was made twice as a movie it was a WilliamGolding novel.  This brilliant piece of literature was treated like the pig on his fabled island, his novel was rejected 20 times before it was published.

     Being an Artist, I liken it to a bull rider.  Oh yeah, you will be thrown off, crashing to the ground with a face full of dirt, but to make it you must get back in the saddle.  I endured six years of rejection until Cam-Girl, my third screenplay was the right script that was read by the two produces it took to believe in it and make it happen.  Before that I even wrote a non-fiction book that was rejected everywhere, and that is good because that Work was substandard.  For some of you this will be hard to accept, but there are many reasons for constant rejection in the Entertainment field, and one of them is because approximately 90 percent of the scripts that are written, or people who ever attempted acting are just not good enough.  That is exactly why you need to keep at it if you ever want a chance to succeed.  You should get better, you will get better, but you must be fully dedicated and have a hunger to learn about your craft.

     Some other things that make rejection a necessary part of the Entertainment world include, all the agents, producers and star actors out there are just too busy to consider every pitch that floods their email and social media every day.  Rejection is the industry’s way of thinning out herd for them.  It is a vetting process, also, it only makes sense that they would be more interested in a project that was referred to them by a friend or have prominent people already involved.  Besides that and the time factor, the other other reason is legality.  It goes without saying that lawsuits are very common these days, so professionals and business entities need to shield themselves from that.

     Okay Curt, I get it, now how do I deal with the rejection?  The answer is simple... and complex.  It has to be something you find on your own.  There are many ways people rise up from adversity, some work even harder, some let off steam at the gym, some vent about it through their art, others find comfort talking about it with loved ones or friends who also work in that field.  There are plenty of film groups, writers’ meet ups and Acting schools that can be your outlet for this.  Find what works for you, because much like rejection itself, the art of dealing with is a part of the deal if you want a career.

-Curt Wiser is an author and the Writer/Director of the suspense movie Cam-Girl now on DVD and Amazon Prime.

TOP 10 FILMMAKING PODCASTS

These days aspiring filmmakers really have no excuse not to be prepared and well informed.  Whether it's the droves of articles, books, feature commentaries and FREE Podcasts on the subject, it is almost too much to choose from.  A nice problem to have.  On the podcast side, this should make it a little easier for you.

This list is NOT RANKED in any order, these are what I feel are the 10 best podcasts that consistently cover the subject of film and film making.  In full disclosure I have been a guest on three of the podcasts listed here to promote my first feature Cam-Girl.  I note which ones they are and promise you that did not affect my list.  These are all exceptional podcasts, so I was thrilled to be a guest on even a few of them.


1)     The Movie Crypt
Your two hosts are high level horror filmmakers.  Adam Green is best known for the Hatchet franchise and Frozen (2010) - Not the Disney movie.  Joe Lynch has directed such movies as Everly (2014) with Salma Hayek and Mayhem (2017) which starred Samara Weaving and The Walking Dead's Steven Yeun.  So clearly Adam and Joe are industry professionals, but above all they are close friends.  This dynamic makes for entertaining and informative conversations with a different film industry guest each week.  For the more dedicated fans, you can provide questions for them to answer on the show or get some time to talk with Adam and Joe if you contribute to their Patreon.  They even set the record for the worlds longest podcast last year when they hosted a 48 hour marathon to benefit the Save a Yorkie Rescue Foundation.

2)      Indie Film Hustle
Alex Ferrari, is a self starter and the host of this podcast which truly lives up to its name.  Much like his resourceful guests, Alex puts the "H" in Hustle.  He produces at least one podcast episode a week, publishes a gambit of helpful articles and social media posts through his IndieFilmHustle.com brand.  If that was not enough, he recently wrote/directed/shot and produced his debut feature, a comedy called This is Meg.  Alex Ferrari has even been generous to use his experiences from making that movie and seeing it through distribution to better inform his listeners, who he calls "The Tribe".  His web site is a one stop shop for the podcasts, filmmaking resources and other services he provides.  This podcast is helpful and often inspiring for filmmakers and creatives alike.

3)     Selling Your Screenplay   (I am the guest on Ep. 135 - Listen here.)
This one is by screenwriters, for screenwriters.  Writing is my favorite part of the process, so naturally I was drawn to this podcast.  Your host, Ashley Scott Meyers has been a working screenwriter for nearly 20 years, with his first produced script Dish Dogs (2000) starring Shannon Elizabeth and Matthew Lillard, up until the Crime Thriller The Pinch (2017) which he also directed and produced.  What I enjoy most about the Selling Your Screenplay Podcast is the variety of screenwriters he has on.  The guest could be anyone from first time indie filmmakers like myself, to Hollywood power players like Max Landis Bright (2017), Chronicle (2012) and Chris Sparling Buried (2010), ATM (2012), The Sea of Trees (2015).  Ashley Scott Meyers is quick to ask the questions you want to hear, such as how these screenwriters got their first script produced and how they landed distribution.  This confirms that no two success stories are the same.  Hearing these fast paced interviews will remind you of the one thing all these screenwriters have in common, they never gave up, never stopped writing.

4)     Scriptnotes
On the other end of the spectrum we have Scriptnotes.  This podcast too, is focused on the craft of screenwriting, but this one is hosted by A-list Hollywood screenwriters John August Go (1999), Big Fish (2003) and Craig Mazin Scary Movie 3 (2003), The Hangover Part II (2011).  They sometimes have guest on but usually Craig and John answer listener questions and talk about the art of writing or give tips on how to work within the Hollywood system.  When they do have guests, these are BIG names like Rian Johnson, Writer/Director of Looper (2012) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).  This show gives you a different perspective on the industry from people who are usually inaccessible, that alone is reason enough to give it a listen.

5)     The Dave Bullis Podcast  (I am the guest on Ep. 168 Listen here)
Coming at you from Philly, PA is The Dave Bullis Podcast.  Each week Dave interviews a different person working in the film industry.  These guest work as Actors, Writers, Directors, Cinematographers, or even prominent Producers like Cassian Elwes The Butler (2013), Dallas Buyer's Club (2013).  What makes this show so fun is that Dave has a relaxed interview style, it is a conversation you are listening on.  It is the kind of tactic that can make a guest feel at ease and maybe talk about more than they planned on.  Dave has worked in production for around ten years now and boldly shares some of his horror stories and victories from that experience.  His credits include Writing/Directing a pilot episode for a TV series Game Over, which has been described as Clerks in a video game store.  He recently make the Game Over pilot available to watch on YouTube, you can watch it here.  A personal favorite of mine is the intro and outro Dave Bullis uses for each show, but I'll let you be the judge of all that.

6)     Film Threat
This podcast is a film review show.  At least one of these review podcast should make the list, I am happy to make it Film Threat.  The name comes from a popular indie magazine on filmmaking which was launched in 1985 and published into the 90's.  Sadly the magazine went away but the web site survived and now, after a successful kickstarter campaign Film Threat is back in podcast form.  Your hosts are Chris Gore, who is the founder of Film Threat and Co-Host Anthony Ray Bench.  They review all types of movies, from Blockbusters, to obscure cult hits.  Sometimes they record the show at conventions, which is a treat.  There is a cluttered mess of film review podcast out there, maybe too many.  I listen to some others, but I prefer Film Threat because of their tastes and the indie roots.  Movies - Movies - Film Threat!

7)     Q & A with Jeff Goldsmith
Your host is...... you guessed it, Jeff Goldsmith, who is the creator of Backstory Magazine.  In each episode Jeff interviews a major filmmaker in front of an audience after they all watched that filmmaker's latest movie.  He asks the usual fanboy questions such as "What was your budget?" or "How many days did you shoot?"  Yet the show also digs deeper in the analysis of the movies and the people behind them.  At the end of the show, the filmmaker takes questions from the audience.

8)     On the Page  (I was a Guest, Edited and Recorded Ep. 533 - Listen here.)
Pilar Alessandra is your well qualified host of the On the Page Podcast.  She has worked as a Story Analyst for Dreamworks SKG and is the author of The Coffee Break Screenwriter (now in its second edition).  Pilar sometimes has screenwriters, script consultant or other creatives on as guest.  The rest of the episodes is Pilar giving you a free lesson on the art and craft of screenwriting.  This podcast is fun to listen to and is very informative.  The opening theme song is also catchy.... careful, it might get stuck in your head (still worth it).

9)     Hilliard Guess' Screenwriter's Rant Room
I'm actually listening to an episode of this while I'm writing this.  My immediate thoughts are, Hilliard and his Co-Host give you the cold hard reality of writing for film and television.  They do not pull any punches and are not afraid to deliver it with an expletive or two.  That makes this a fresh voice on the subject.  The podcast also can occasionally deal with diversity and working as a minority in the industry, since Hilliard and others on the show know that from experience.  For a fun experiment, listen to a Scriptnotes episode and then the Rant Room back to back, it might feel like a punch in the face (in a good way.... I guess?)

10)    The Treatment
Your host is Elvis Mitchell, a well spoken, well read film critic who has written reviews for LA Weekly and The New York Times, just to name a few.  Elvis interviews big Hollywood names with a class and intellectual tone that is truly unique to this show.   You may have heard o some of these names, among his pasts guests are: Guillermo Del Toro, Sofia Coppola, The Coen Brothers and Jordan Peele.  This podcast is definitely last but not least on this list, well worth a listen.

There you have it.  I hope this list was helpful.  What are your favorite podcast on this subject?  Feel free to tell me one I left out in the comments.  Here are a few honorable mentions that did not make my top ten.

- BlackList Table Reads: This is a full reading of a screenplay by actors with sound effects, music and all.  It sure beats squinting at Courier font on white paper for hours on end.

- The Nerdist: With host Chris Hardwick (Often the guests are Film/TV related)

- The Nerdist Writers Panel

- The /Filmcast: Movie Reviews

- The Business: Industry News.

- Film Trooper Podcast

- The No Film School Podcast

- One Star Cinema: Play it in sync with the Netfilx movie they are watching and enjoy.  This is commentary Mystery Science Theater 3000 Style.

- How Did this Get Made?: Comedians roast a movie in front of an audience.

- The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast
  

Curt Wiser is a published Author and filmmaker.  He wrote and directed the suspense movie Cam-Girl which is available to DVD, Amazon Video and other streaming platforms.