Film Blog: The Results Are In, And The Title Is…

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…well, that’s the thing — I don’t think we’re quite there yet. So I’m extending the deadline as far as physically possible — this Friday. More than 60 70 80 90 100 comments have been posted in the discussion so far, an overwhelming amount of input and thought, for which I can’t thank you enough — it’s been a brilliant discussion.

Below is my current shortlist — which do you prefer?

[polldaddy poll=5514762]

 

(What’s Janapar? A common Armenian word meaning road/route/way/journey, oft found loitering in native songs/poems/compositions)

The title will appear in this shot (ignore the low quality for now), directly after the opening scene:

Got something better? Please post it here or on the original discussion. Thanks once again for all the input so far — it’s been immeasurably useful.

Comments (skip to respond)

20 responses to “Film Blog: The Results Are In, And The Title Is…”

  1. I’m very happy with Janapar, but the subtitle really needs to give it some context, otherwise it’s entirely abstract (which the story isn’t). Something like Janapar: Beyond a bike ride, although I’ve been thinking about titles for so long now that I can’t tell what’s good and what’s bad any more!

  2. Baba Blacksheep avatar
    Baba Blacksheep

    Janapar:Under the Sky?

  3. I personally like Janapar, though I think it needs a subtitle to qualify it.

    1. agreed Tom. Maybe try combining some of the top 5/10..
      Janapar: beyond the road
      Janapar: beyond the bike
      Janapar: breaking the cycle
      Janapar: breaking the bike (joking)
      Janapar: into Armenia
      Janapar: explore/discover (this can be both about cycle and personal exploration/discovery)

      1. Some of these look pretty good now. For some reason makes me think of the film title — ‘the sheltering sky’ of course quite unrelated but a good film.
        Janapar: beyond the road is a great title, but maybe its a bit too interllectual sounding for general release thing

        Janapar: Beyond the bike is also great.

        Janapar discover is also cool

  4. My top 3 are:
    Breaking the Cycle
    Soul Cycle
    (these two do, as said, sound a tad pretentious)
    Janapar (sounds ‘real’, mystical and intriguing)

    or what about
    The Road to Armenia
    A Journey to Armenia

    1. Glad you like ‘Janapar’, Lance — it came out of you & Al’s Armenian word idea.

  5. In response to various things I’ve scratched several of the titles in this poll. Which leaves Tom’s Bike Trip as the favourite so far…

  6. Off The Map — not relevant enough to the story
    There And Back Again — same again
    Soul Cycle — soul? —– hmmm.….….…. i don’t think so unless you were wearing flares and a psychadelic shirt
    Tom’s Bike Trip- what about tenny.…. it precisely wasn’t your bike trip in the end which is the defining lesson from the journey that its not about one man versus nature… something like
    ‘get on your bike’,
    let’s all ride
    i think that cycling-centric title would work because it emphasises the experiential augmentation afforded by the bike and spreads a positive message. either that or a journey centric message, which is why janapur is not a bad title, humble and intriguing and a nod to armenia
    Janapar — see above
    Full Circle — just crap for this film, better for ranalph
    Breaking The Cycle — theoretically its good but it sounds awful and lacks punch.
    The Scenic Route — lame because it is so boring and nods towards the bourgeois fantasy of pedalling through pretty postcard views. something more to do with the serrendipituous nature of your meetings with tenny like ‘bike chance’
    Beyond The Bike — not bad but too much like the name of lance armstrongs book
    None of the above — i’m afraid you need to thing a lot deeper here.… and i aggree with the guy who said you need to think hollywood too… and the irony bit.. etc.
    turn back to me
    turn back
    the big turn off
    the road less travelled
    the road to your door
    wanderlove
    smoke me a kipper i’ll be back for breakfast
    i’ll be back
    astalavista baby
    baby come back bi bi bi bi biddi bi bi bi bi
    one big pedal stroke for mankind
    love pedals
    pedal love

    oh yeah and most successful memes are a description of the activity and the object.
    e.g. epicmealtime, ceiling cat, etc

    loving by bike
    pedalling love
    bike loving
    bike love
    love to bike
    love cycle
    cyclelove

    tom fell in love
    love won him over
    love over the bike
    love won over the bike
    bike vs love
    love or bike
    the road or love
    love or the road
    love track
    bike vs girl?
    girl or bike
    wife or bike
    stopped to get a wife
    stopped for a visa, got a wife
    i went to armenia and all i got was this lousy wife.

    1. Oh boy… I wish “Stopped for a Visa, Got a Wife” was on the poll. Or you could throw something cycling-specific in there like “Stopped Bike for a Visa, Got a Wife”.

      It’s catchy and sums up so much of what I’ve read about your trip into a nice and succinct title. I agree with pretty much everything Andy said in that the titles up for vote right now either have the wrong connotation, don’t say much, or both.

      Note: Before reading Andy’s comment I had already voted for “Tom’s Bike Trip” because it doesn’t try to be too clever and already has a good web presence

      1. Thanks Adam! My issue with something like that is that it’s an instant giveaway. It’s an answer to the question ‘what happens in this film?’, rather than prompting the imagination…

    2. I also don’t think we’ve got the right one yet.

      In response to the above, though, 

      - ‘Tom’s Bike Trip’ is heavily ironic and therefore quite appropriate. It’s personal & catchy
      — ‘The Scenic Route’ is also ironic, but sounds too much like a romantic drama with Julia Roberts & falling leaves
      — ‘Beyond The Bike’ — similar title to Lance’s book on world class athletic prowess? Big deal
      — cycle-centric title — doubtful, as it’s not a cycle-centric film
      — sounds like most ‘successful memes’ rely on catchy titles to disguise the fact that they’re disposable Youtube videos!

      1. 1.re: toms bike trip see my post on the other blog.
        2. agree re the scenic route
        3. your opinion but i picked up on it.
        4. funny that it does involve a lot of cycling nevertheless
        5. Disposable, maybe, popular, definitely.

        1. 4. It does, but it’s not about cycling any more than it’s about eating or sleeping!
          5. The title really needs to stand up in a programme listing or on a bookshelf, not on the internet as a social media meme…

          1. 4. I don’t agree with you that its not about cycling more than eating or sleeping purely considering the content of the film and the amount of times you / others appear on bikes.
            5. Sure but I think the categories of media are blurred considerably these days and some of the top internet memes are getting millions of views and funding from youtube- my point being that tv doesn’t rule the roost. Nevertheless, I agree that you are going for a particular style- that all the family would want to watch and tell their friends about.

          2. 4. My point is that the title should relate to the underlying theme/message, not the content…

  7. not a fan of any of them.… eek.

  8. Susan Gardiner avatar
    Susan Gardiner

    Have you thought of calling the film Ride Earth Tom?

    1. That was suggested… but I’m not sure it makes sense, or that it’s close enough to the point of the film, which is anything but what ‘Ride Earth’ set out to do!

  9. David Carter avatar
    David Carter

    Two wheels to joy. — my late entry 🙂