How to Write a Great Logline
How to Write a Great Logline: Formula & Examples
Before your favorite film was a draft one, or your passion project was being sent straight to an agent’s spam folder, it began as a simple idea. Whether you know it or not, movie loglines constitute a vital aspect of scriptwriting, and filmmaking in general.
In the exhilarating world of screenwriting, crafting a captivating logline is an art form in itself. Today, we’ll look at some of the greatest loglines with examples, teach you what to include to craft a perfect logline, and how to divorce the compelling from the mundane.
What is a Logline?
A logline is like that one friend who can sum up an entire crazy night out in one sentence. It's your film's story, distilled down to its purest form – a one-sentence summary (two sentences max, because let's face it, we all know that one friend who just can't keep it short). But here's the twist: it's not just about being brief. It's about being so intriguing, so tantalizing, that the listener's imagination goes off like a firework.
A logline isn’t a synopsis, a tagline, or a spoiler. It’s a formula that lodges itself into the recipient’s mind. It's your first step in turning that script of yours from a 'what if' into a 'what's next'.
Logline vs Tagline
But wait! What’s a tagline then? I thought they were the same thing?
A tagline’s job? To give you the vibe of the film or TV series in just a few words. It's like a teaser, often with a bit of wit or a clever pun.
Conversely, a logline doesn’t typically strut its stuff on the poster. Instead, it hangs out in more discreet places like IMDB pages or movie theater listings. This is the elevator pitch, used to sell the concept and intrigue the reader.
Let’s put this into perspective with some well-known American examples:
Alien (1979)
Logline: "The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating an unknown transmission."
Tagline: "In space no one can hear you scream."
The Truman Show (1998)
Logline: "An insurance salesman discovers his whole life is actually a reality TV show."
Tagline: "On the air and unaware."
See the difference? The logline gives you a snapshot of the story, while the tagline is all about trying to hook you in. And just for the record, neither of these should be confused with a synopsis, which is more like a detailed map of the film's story, presenting matter-of-fact coverage of the plot from start to finish.
The Mission of a Logline: More Than Just a Sentence
Who is a logline for then?
A good logline should be for everyone. If you’re presenting a showcase to bigshot producers or agents in Los Angeles or New York City, they’ll want a logline before they commit to reading your script. If you’re entering a film or TV show script festival or competition, the logline will be the first glimpse the voters get of your concept. If your film has been optioned and needs marketing, the logline will be released by the press to drum up interest!
It’s like your script's business card – short, snappy, and memorable.
Consider the logline the foundation of a script. It helps you work out what your film is at the basis, helps you market your premise to Hollywood and beyond, and grabs public attention.
Key Characteristics of an Effective Logline
There are core characteristics for a strong and effective logline.
First up, brevity. Think of a logline like a tweet back in the old 140-character days – every word counts. If you can nail your story in one sentence, you're golden. Two sentences? Sure, but keep it tight. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point.
Next, clarity. This isn't the place for flowery prose or a cast of thousands. Strip it down to the essentials, trim the fat. Only include your main character, the inciting incident, the primary objective, and the core struggle. (More on this in the next section.)
At the basis of a popular logline is the hook. What sets your script apart from countless others? It needs a level of intrigue – how is the hero going to resolve this conflict or overcome this obstacle?
A perfect logline should be unique. Ensure that a casual filmgoer checking listings or scrolling through a streaming network will do a double-take. Oh, that’s a concept I’ve never seen in film before.
The Logline Formula
Scrap the writer’s hat for a moment, drop the flowery language, and let’s tackle formula like we’re mathematicians. The formula you use is going to vary depending on your genre, but if you use the template below – you have a strong basis for a great showcase.
Begin by establishing your Character, Conflict, Concept. The Three Cs.
Let’s go back to The Truman Show. Character – Truman, an insurance salesman. Conflict – he begins to suspect that his life is an elaborate narrative construction. Concept – a satirical spin on runaway celebrity culture.
Here’s how these elements play into our logline formula:
“When [protagonist] encounters [inciting incident], they must [confront challenge] to attain [protagonist’s goal].”
When an insurance salesman begins to suspect that his world is a construct, he must attempt to escape in order to discover who he really is.
Look at Truman’s story through this lens: An ordinary insurance salesman begins to question the reality of his world. He needs to break out to truly understand his identity. This template shapes a logline that’s potentially more intriguing than the real thing. We’ve managed to weave in layers of conflict without outright spoiling the plot. Is his world a sham, or is it paranoia?
Focusing on Truman's inner journey towards self-discovery, rather than just his physical escape, adds depth to his character. It builds a bridge of empathy and relatability with the audience. By exploring his psychological trajectory, we create a character that resonates more profoundly with viewers.
We also provide an implication of the forces he’s up against, setting up an unspoken yet palpable opposition. It leaves much to the imagination, but suggests antagonism and subsequent stakes.
Main Character Focus in Loglines
When it comes to writing loglines, the main character is the story. They are your audience's guide, their reason to care. It's through their eyes that the film unfolds. Ensuring your protagonist is both relatable and has a clear goal is crucial.
Here's where the magic of subtext comes into play. A logline isn't just a bare-bones description; it's a teaser trailer in words, hinting at deeper layers. A seasoned reader will pick up on these cues. For instance, our "The Truman Show" logline doesn't just lay out a plot; it hints at a metamorphosis waiting to happen, it's not just about the external objective but an internal one as well.
It's not necessary to name your protagonist. "An insurance salesman suspects his life is a TV show" carries the same intrigue as "Truman, an insurance salesman, suspects his life is a TV show." It's about painting a picture that's vivid enough to spark interest, yet broad enough to allow the reader to paint their own mental images. So, focus on crafting a protagonist that acts as a compelling window into your story, a character that promises a narrative worth diving into.
We don’t need to include subplots. If your script is about Jack, a college football player, there’s no need to include the best friend, the high school sweetheart, or the German exchange student. These are tertiary characters. Let Jack have his moment in the spotlight!
The Importance of the Central Conflict
At the heart of every memorable logline is a compelling central conflict. This is the engine of your story, driving everything forward. Almost every script is built around a conflict, whether it’s internal, external, or a bit of both. Hook your audience, make them say “I’ve got to see how this plays out.”
Let’s take a look at Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
A prince cursed to spend his days as a hideous monster sets out to regain his humanity by earning a young woman's love.
This is a classic setup – a character in a dire situation must achieve something seemingly impossible. The conflict? It’s not just about breaking a curse; it’s about winning love without the advantage of good looks, a scenario ripe with tension and potential growth.
The central conflict is clear. For the Beast, it’s about regaining humanity in an unexpected way. For Belle, it might be about finding true beauty and love in the most unlikely place. Again, our conflicts hint at a deeper journey. The Beast isn’t just battling to break a spell; he's learning to love and be loved, beyond appearances.
Highlighting the Inciting Incident in Your Logline
Your inciting incident is perhaps the most important beat in your script, and this carries over to the logline. The inciting incident allows the plot to progress, and almost always involves your protagonist directly, allowing them to be swept up in the story’s direction. This momentum is crucial for the narrative and should appeal to readers.
Check out the logline for Legally Blonde, written by Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith.
When a blonde sorority queen is dumped by her boyfriend, she decides to attend law school to prove she would be an ideal wife for him.
Here, we establish that Elle is dumped (though we don’t know why) and decides to attend Harvard (though we don’t know how). This is vague enough that it depicts events while creating intrigue as to how they play out.
We have conflict – there’s an irony in juxtaposing the blonde sorority queen with the law school setting. There’s a subtextual journey, we understand her journey should be getting over her boyfriend rather than conforming to his expectations.
Best Logline Examples and Analysis
Now, let’s examine some examples of popular or successful films and their loglines. I’ve included some great movies with poor loglines. Disregard the quality of the individual film and try to analyze the example – what did you learn?
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope: "With the planet-destroying power of the Death Star, the Empire looks to cement its grip on the galaxy. Meanwhile, farm boy Luke Skywalker rises to face his destiny."
The Godfather: "When the aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty decides to hand over his empire to his reluctant youngest son Michael, his decision unintentionally puts the lives of his loved ones in grave danger."
Silence of the Lambs: "A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims."
Pulp Fiction: "The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption."
Titanic: "A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic."
Okay, now we have some examples, let’s dissect them.
Star Wars: Not bad, but this definitely feels like a logline that presumes you’ve already seen the film and understand the world it takes place in. We don’t meet our protagonist until the second sentence, we don’t know where he’s from – is he a farm boy from Earth? And most importantly – we don’t know what his ‘destiny' is, how it aligns with his inner goals, or what conflict this presents.
The Godfather: This is pretty good. We have an inciting incident, a consequence and conflict. However, why the decision puts the lives of his loved ones in grave danger is unclear, we don’t know what difficulties the protagonist must face to overcome this threat.
The Silence of the Lambs: This is exceptional. We understand the conflict, the clashing characters, the sacrifice required – all against the backdrop of a larger public threat.
Pulp Fiction: Here we have a highly unusual logline. It doesn’t focus on a protagonist, we don’t learn about the inciting incident, the central conflict, or the direction of the narrative. Calling the film tales of violence and redemption is a clumsy but effective way of illustrating the premise. A rule-breaking approach for an unconventional film.
Titanic: This one is a little basic. We understand the setting through historical context, but we lack an inciting incident and a central conflict other than the impending, inevitable fate of the ship. This is an example where the logline is more concerned with an atmosphere and setting than it is with narrative direction.
Creative Approaches and Breaking Rules
Act structure, classic heroes’ journeys, and happy endings – these popular principles are often considered ‘requirements’ in film, but many of the industry’s famous examples ignore or subvert these. Similarly, some of the greatest loglines break the rules we establish here.
In screenwriting, while structures like the hero's journey and act formats are common, some of the most memorable works break these norms. Consider "Roses" by Evan Twohy, which made the Black List in 2023 with its logline: "A married young man takes his girlfriend on a romantic getaway to a villa. There is a swimming pool." The intrigue here is in its brevity and mystery, leaving us questioning the conflict, the protagonist, and the significance of the swimming pool.
So, be creative, but try not to stray too far from the core rules and principles of logline creation. They’re tried and tested, and exist as a framework for good reason.
From Logline to Limelight: Your Screenwriting Path Forward
To wrap up, a great logline is your script's first impression, a compact yet powerful statement that can open doors in the film industry. Remember, focus on clarity, brevity, and a strong central conflict to make your logline stand out. Use your main character and their journey as the anchor, and don't shy away from creativity and even rule-breaking when it feels right.
If you're looking to take your screenwriting from logline to limelight, Kinolime is here to help. Our services are designed to polish your writing, sharpen your loglines, and guide you through the journey of bringing your script to life. Ready to make your mark in the world of screenwriting? Contact Kinolime today and let's turn your movie ideas into cinematic gold.
