Story Signal - Gauge your story's potential

Section 1: Story Fundamentals

Title *

Sub-Genre: Science Fiction (optional)

Select all that apply

Hard Science Fiction
Interstellar, The Martian, 2001: A Space Odyssey

Soft Science Fiction
Arrival, Her, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Space Opera
Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy, Dune

Cyberpunk
The Matrix, Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell

Post-Cyberpunk
Her, Minority Report, Ex Machina

Biopunk
Splice, Gattaca, Annihilation

Military Sci-Fi
Edge of Tomorrow, Starship Troopers, Aliens

Time Travel
Back to the Future, Looper, 12 Monkeys

Alternate History
Inglourious Basterds, The Man in the High Castle, Watchmen

Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic
Mad Max: Fury Road, Children of Men, A Quiet Place

Dystopian
The Hunger Games, V for Vendetta, Snowpiercer

Utopian
WALL-E, Star Trek

First Contact
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Contact, Arrival

Space Western
The Mandalorian, Serenity, Cowboy Bebop

Planetary Romance
Avatar, John Carter, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Steampunk
Hugo, Wild Wild West, Howl's Moving Castle

Dieselpunk
Captain America, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Atomic Age/Atompunk
The Incredibles, Fallout, Them!

Climate Fiction/Cli-Fi
The Day After Tomorrow, Snowpiercer, Geostorm

Sub-Genre: Fantasy (optional)

Select all that apply

High/Epic Fantasy
The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Game of Thrones

Low Fantasy
Pan's Labyrinth, Midnight in Paris, Being John Malkovich

Urban Fantasy
Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Hellboy

Portal Fantasy
The Chronicles of Narnia, Coraline, Spirited Away

Heroic Fantasy
Wonder Woman, Willow, Excalibur

Sword and Sorcery
Conan the Barbarian, The Beastmaster, Red Sonja

Dark Fantasy
The Shape of Water, Crimson Peak, The Witch

Grimdark
Game of Thrones, The Witcher, Logan

Romantic Fantasy
The Shape of Water, Edward Scissorhands, Stardust

Historical Fantasy
Pirates of the Caribbean, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, The Brothers Grimm

Contemporary Fantasy
Ghostbusters, Enchanted, Practical Magic

Mythic Fiction
Clash of the Titans, Troy, Immortals

Fairy Tale Retellings
Snow White and the Huntsman, Maleficent, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Wuxia
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero, House of Flying Daggers

New Weird
Annihilation, Sorry to Bother You, Swiss Army Man

Sub-Genre: Hybrid/Crossover (optional)

Select all that apply

Science Fantasy
Thor, Star Wars, Guardians of the Galaxy

Superhero
The Dark Knight, Avengers, Black Panther

Magical Realism
Big Fish, The Green Mile, Life of Pi

Slipstream
Donnie Darko, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Weird Fiction
The Lighthouse, Color Out of Space, Mandy

Gothic Science Fiction/Fantasy
Crimson Peak, The Shape of Water, Edward Scissorhands

Paranormal
The Sixth Sense, Ghostbusters, Poltergeist

Dieselpunk Fantasy
Sucker Punch, The Rocketeer, Captain America

Tone *

Themes *

Select all that apply (at least one required)

Identity – Who am I? Who can I be? (Moonlight, Lady Bird)

Power – Who has it, who wants it, how it changes people (House of Cards, Dune)

Survival – Literal or emotional survival (The Revenant, The Last of Us)

Redemption – Making amends or starting over (Gran Torino, Unforgiven)

Love – Romantic or familial, healthy or toxic (Normal People, Everything I Never Told You)

Loss – Grief, change, letting go (Manchester by the Sea)

Coming-of-Age – Growing up, transformation (Eighth Grade, Boyhood)

Rebellion – Fighting the system, taking a stand (The Hunger Games)

Justice / Revenge – Getting even or righting wrongs (John Wick, 13th)

Belonging / Alienation – Fitting in, finding one's people (Fleabag, CODA)

Memory / Time – Exploring time, memory, legacy (Arrival, Memento)

Technology vs Humanity – Future, ethics, dystopia (Her, Ex Machina)

Faith / Spirituality – Questions of belief, meaning (The Leftovers, Silence)

Logline / Short Summary *

Longer Synopsis (optional)

Section 1: Story Fundamentals

Follow-up Discussion