Elevator Pitches For AFI 100 Films

  1. Clear: Title and Logline (1 line summary)- low IQ

  2. Concise: Brief Plot Summary (Beginning, Middle, and End / Don’t spoil any plot points after the midpoint of the film) - odyssey of business, football sports, love childhood friend jenny, war

  3. Compelling: Why you like this film? (Getting other people check out the film sometime) -

Forrest Gump

achieves remarkable success in various field

Forrest Gump

  • a gifted man who is an outlier to an average neurotypical

  • experiences an odyssey of experiences and successes and losses in life, something that an average human being can achieve

Brief Plot Summary

  • as a kid he was classified as below average of intelligence

  • however, he gets noticed by different people of his outstanding skills:

    • college football

    • army

      • vietnam war

      • spoke in DC where he met Jenny

        • they talked again but Jenny left

    • ping pong match in special services playing for wounded veterans

    • national celebrity

    • the watergate hotel scandal with the president

    • starting the shrimping business as promised to Bubba- Bubba Gump Shrimp Corp.

    • Apple Computer Inc. job

    • Runner for 3 years

    • Inspired people with slogan + shirt business

  • and then there’s Jenny. her girl. someone he always thinks of when the night is quiet and the house is empty. she comes and she goes but she never leaves in his mind.

Why do you like this film?

  • on the surface level:

    • it is entertaining

    • quite the variety of story plots due to his storytelling of his odyssey

    • humorous

    • full of wisdom

  • on a deeper level:

    • it makes you think that despite the limitations a person can have, you can achieve and attain anything you set your mind to as long as you see that limit as an advantage rather than a weakness…or you just don’t see it as a weakness at all and just… do it.

      • helps with imposter syndrome

    • you do everything in love, for love.