![]() Some are low-budget (YAY!) some are mid-budget (YAY!) and some are even big-budget (YAY!) There are many films being released over the next few months that are unlike any films that you've previously seen. (No dissing MOW's.but that's pretty much their purpose.) That should be the definition of a logline - at least for writers who are trying to break into the business and who aren't doing remakes or extremely formulaic stories best suited as MOW films for predictable cable viewing. The CONTENT of a logline though.you need to make a producer say "that's interesting and unlike any of the thousands of loglines that I've read before in that genre.I want to read that script now." The FORM of a logline is pretty well-established and is easily accessible. Ideally, when you explain the world, they should illuminate the characters inside them and not (in a more literary way that runs counter to commercial storytelling) compete for our attention. This maybe bad news, but its what makes log lines challenging. But, the prevailing rule of thumb is that you need to make strangers (execs, actors, busy people with money on the line) care about your story without them knowing anything about you, so - they need to see a compelling character and then want to know more. However, when you are writing a character in a world that is itself new/needs to be explained/has a whole ranges of ideas and exciting hooks that you want to clarify, this can compete with the traditional mold of the logline. Why is your story special, not like everyone else). I have always heard that a logline should be CHARACTER, CHARACTER, CHARACTER - that the internal struggle should be embedded in there somewhere, and then also twist/hook/irony of the story (ie. That's where you are able to bring your true writing talents into play. Often it leads to them talking about a script they are looking for. The entire point of the Logline is to get them to discuss projects with you. Deliverance meets Lake Placid.Ī bit of run-on is fine, as long as it flows when you say it, or they read it. The tighter the better.Įxample: An alcoholic probation officer takes a group of delinquent teens on a rafting trip that goes horribly wrong when they anger poaching red necks. Don't worry about the location, unless it directly relates to the true point of the project. Having sold more than 36 scripts in the last 6 years (and a ton of others prior to that), you need to focus on the story in no more than 2 sentences. This is exactly what you may want to consider when writing your logline. The logline tells you the consequences of the protagonist’s actions. It identifies the press agent who is the damaged protagonist controlled by the antagonist, the ruthless columnist. “A press agent, hungry to get ahead, is pushed by a ruthless columnist to do cruel and evil things, and is eventually caught in the web of lies that he has created.” Look at this logline from the classic film “The Sweet Smell of Success” Then summarize your story in a sentence or two. ![]() When you write your logline, try to include protagonist, antagonist, obstacles and challenges. If your logline is bland, why would anybody want to read your synopsis, let alone your screenplay? Without performing the first two steps correctly, the third step will not happen. The third step is getting someone to read your screenplay. ![]() The second step is getting someone to read your synopsis. You have limited time to grab someone's attention. ![]() Think of your logline as if you were trying to craft a hit song. First, keep them around thirty words or less, +/- five words. I post this when folks ask for logline assistance:For many writers, loglines are a serious challenge.
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