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Feb 22 / King Kaufman

Video: Doors are closing! What’s your lead?


It’s the second Bleacher Report Writer H/Q video about writing great leads.

In this week’s episode, our hero, a fictional character named King Kaufman, is writing about how Oregon has no chance to beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

That’s right! It’s a period piece!

Along the way he meets Man in Elevator, played by Keith “One Take” Thomas, and Entirely Reasonable Oregon Ducks fan, a stretch of a performance by Aron Glatzer.

There’s even an action scene filmed on the streets of San Francisco!

Here’s Part 1, but don’t worry, you don’t have to watch them in order for them to make sense.

  • Ken Kraetzer

    Good point the story must be based on what you would yell to your friend about an upcoming game. But then we are told to load up the heaadlines and opening sentence with keywords, team names, player names, etc that will be found by search engines. Is there a balance to follow?

    • Joel Cordes

      That’s the science. You’ve got to figure out how to fit those keywords into your hooky and direct lead. (which is the art part). If you’re telling readers EXACTLY what your article is about in those first 20-25 words, then your keywords will be included anyways as part of the lead/thesis.

  • Joel Cordes

    can one win a Pulitzer and an Oscar for the same piece?

  • Karlo Sevilla

    Another great video! Aron Glatzer can give Will Ferrell a run for his money! :D