After his father gives him a job at their small-town newspaper, a conceited journalist buried in debt investigates a sports drug scandal that implicates his athlete brother.

>>I prefer moral dilemmas

Ditto.

I think that is a question for logline's author.

Personally, I prefer moral dilemmas, and I would twist this story that way: Poor journalist gets the time of his life investigating a huge drug scandal but when he discovers his loved brother is implicated in, he needs to find a way to please his demanding boss and conceal his brother crimes. Or something like this. No father in this version. However, that would be a different story.

What do you see as the fundamental subjective or thematical issue that arises in uncovering the scandal? The challenge to his conceit to pursue the story, no matter where it leads? The moral dilemma he finds himself caught in?

Or?

>>>>That?s enough as motivation for me.
>>But is it enough for the audience?

It would be great to know the answer :)

>>Conceit is a good enough to kick start the story. But?
>>Will the audience be satisfied with mere conceit as the reason he doggedly pursues the story?
>>What happens to his conceit after he finds out his brother is implicated?

That's a great question. I feel that there will be something more than merely conceit - something that is hidden in hero's relationships with father, brother, maybe something from the past. Something that will push the story further. You are right - conceit could be not enough for the whole story but is it enough for a logline?

Clarification:

Conceit is a good enough to kick start the story. But...

Will the audience be satisfied with mere conceit as the reason he doggedly pursues the story?

What happens to his conceit after he finds out his brother is implicated?

>>That?s enough as motivation for me.

But is it enough for the audience?

He is a journalist, so curiosity is in his blood. That's enough as motivation for me.

However, you are right that motivation is still not clear. Discovering that brother is implicated in drug scandal is an important plot point. I can't be sure whether it's a first turning point or a midpoint. Does he start investigation AND THEN he finds his brother is implicated in? Or does he start investigation BECAUSE he finds his brother is implicated in?

>> but he is conceited ? he can?t leave it. So as he investigates

No positive motivation for his investigative reporting, the virtue of integrity?

Correct me if I'm wrong. I see "buried in debt" and "conceited" as two strongly connected elements to create conflict situation.

Hero is "buried in debt", so he needs to work. He investigates scandal that implicates his brother, so making this scandal public means troubles not only for his brother but also his father. This could lead to losing his job. Any other guy would withdraw, but he is conceited - he can't leave it. So as he investigates more and more he gets more and more in troubles.