Logline Writing Basics
This
is one of those aspects of being a screenwriter that I always struggle with –
compellingly summing up my story in a sentence or two. It sounds like it should
be easy enough, but a poor logline can be the Achilles heel of a great
script. If you can’t sell it in a logline, no one will give it a chance.
Here’s
an article from the
Story Bodyguard on writing a clear, concise, compelling logline:
When
you create your logline you are aiming for succinct and emotional. Choose
active, colorful verbs. The action of the story is what creates interest.
The
logline is about 35 words so every word must count to give impact to the
story. This is your quick pitch whether written or verbal. Give it
punch.
You
need to know the basic beginning, middle and end of your story as well as the
main theme (even if they change later) in order to write the logline.
Here’s
the formula Blake Snyder proposes, it’s a good one:
On the
verge of a Stasis=Death moment, a flawed protagonist Breaks into Two; but when
the Midpoint happens, he/she must learn the Theme Stated, before All Is Lost.
·
Right at the beginning your protagonist is stuck
somehow.
·
He/she has a flaw, weakness.
·
Something happens to push the protagonist into a
conflict situation.
·
At the middle the protagonist is challenged to
learn/get/implement the theme.
·
Because, otherwise, everything is lost.
Even
if the story itself is convoluted the logline is straightforward and hints
at the main essence of the story. Here’s the logline for Inception.
In a
world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a
highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves
executing his toughest job to date: Inception
Think about your story
and then write several loglines. You may end up combining different
elements to finally arrive at your best.
Beginning Screenwriting:
Creating Your Logline and Synopsis
One
your screenplay is complete, use a logline and synopsis for marketing tools.
They effectively and concisely tell your story. If well done, they incite a
person to request your script. Therefore, they are bait!
One
your screenplay is complete, use a logline and synopsis for marketing tools.
They effectively and concisely tell your story. If well done, they incite a
person to request your script. Therefore, they are bait!
TIP: A logline and synopsis are not included inside
of the pages of your screenplay. Creating
these before you write your screenplay, they are beacons. Your
logline and synopsis can keep you on track.
What Is A
Logline?
The
logline is the shortest written account of your script. It best conveys what
it's about. Also called a ‘one liner,’ but it doesn’t have to be exactly one
sentence long.
A
logline conveys the concept of your script, its beating heart. While a logline
relates the strength of your idea, it’s not the execution. Execution
shines through in your synopsis and ultimately, your script.
In
length, the logline is typically one or two sentences. It highlights the
dramatic core of your story. Most importantly, the purpose of the logline
is marketing. It compels a reader to read your script, or a viewer to go see
your movie. The best place to read loglines is IMDb or on sites like Fandango.
An example of a logline would be:
THE
MATRIX: A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature
of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers. (IMDb)
What Is A
Synopsis?
A
synopsis is a more detailed version of your story, and is a bit longer than
your logline. A synopsis comes in 2 lengths –1 succinct paragraph, or several
paragraphs, from 3-6, lasting about a page long. A word count would be from
300-500 words, approximately.
A
1-paragraph synopsis outlines the setup of your story, then what happens to get
it going, with your major character, their goal and the conflict.
A
1-page synopsis goes into a bit more detail, including a supporting character
or love interest, pertinent details about your antagonist. It includes more
twists and turns of your screenplay. Whereas the logline shows off the strength
of your idea, a synopsis gives you the opportunity to show off the craft of
your writing; for example, your attention to genre-related details.
Most
importantly, If you like a logline, you will want to read the synopsis, for
more detail. Typically a logline and synopsis go hand In hand. The curiosity
inspired by them both should spur a reader, whether producer, director,
development executive, agent; to request your script.
How The
Logline And Synopsis Are Used
Both
logline and synopsis are used as a development tool and a marketing tool. Since
it takes much less time than reading an entire script, they can be used to tell
the story of your movie, quickly. The logline relays the basics, and the
synopsis - in just a few minutes. You want them to pique interest!
·
Does she escape?
·
Who wins?
·
Will they fall in love?
·
Did the heroine survive?
This
builds that sense of ‘I wanna know what happens!’. It is this compulsion that
draws all of us to story telling, and keeps us hooked. Besides that, these
tools show off your writing.
Using Them
Separately And Together
Here
are 3 ways a logline and synopsis are used.
·
Before you’ve created a script, logline is written
to pitch your movie to others. You might test it out on strangers in line for a
movie, or send it to a few friends, like, hey, what do you think of this? Would
you go see that movie?
·
Once several people weigh in on your logline, and
like it, you would further expand the basic idea into a synopsis, a 3-paragraph
skeleton of the story. These guide your writing.
·
After your script is finished, and you’ve gotten
feedback on it, done a rewrite, and had it proofread: you send the logline and
synopsis to others as an introduction of your script – to market it.
Crafting
Your Logline
Author
of Save the Cat, the late Blake Snyder has become a pivotal figure
in teaching screenwriters how to structure and write their scripts. He has
referred to the log line as the DNA of a movie. That means that any time you're
working on your script, go back to the log line and it will help you keep focus
in your story so it doesn’t go off the rails. In the words of Stephen Covey,
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main
thing.
Here
are some approaches:
·
My story is a (genre) called (title) about (hero)
who wants (goal) despite (obstacle).” (Stephanie Palmer, goodinaroom.com)
·
When your main character is acted upon,
and something happens, he or she is forced to do__________,
in order to achieve ________and prevent _____________. (Marilyn Horowitz, www.marilynhorowitz.com/)
·
[TITLE] is a [GENRE] about when [INCITING INCIDENT
HAPPENS TO], a [PROTAGONIST] must [WANT TO ACHIEVE AN OBJECTIVE], or else
[STAKES WILL OCCUR]. Noam Kroll (noamkroll.com/)
If
your story takes place in the past or future, include that information. Ditto
for an unusual setting; outer space, or in 300 BC.
Crafting
Your Synopsis
The
point of a synopsis is that the reader can visualize the story. Your logline is
your elevator pitch, short and sweet – sparking interest. A synopsis is the
next step, building anticipation.
There
are two different lengths of synopses. Use the different sizes based on your
needs.
Each
synopses is used differently. The synopsis that most writers start with is 1
page-long. It has of 3-6 paragraphs, and is used to pitch with the logline. An
alternative length is the 1 paragraph. This condenses your story into 1,
succinct paragraph. Once you’ve created your longer form, 1-page synopsis, the
1-paragraph synopsis can be easier to tackle. Whether you use a longer or
shorter synopsis will depend a bit on the circumstances. If it’s someone you
don’t know, keep it short and use the 1-paragraph. If you’ve met and spoken
with the person, or you’re submitting something to a sales agent or
distributor, go with the 1-page synopsis, which provides more depth and color.
The
1-paragraph synopsis focuses on Act 1 and Act 2. The one-paragraph synopsis
consists of a very careful description of the first act, and then a wrap-up of
the rest of the movie. The first sentence includes the set-up of the first act:
who the main character is and the problem that drives them to take action. The
second sentence is about what happens in the second half of the first act. This
is the formulation of the main character’s plan of action. This is a cross
between art and science. Ultimately, try to choose evocative words that capture
the essence of the whole film.
Here’s an
example of a 1-paragraph long synopsis
THE
HUNGER GAMES. Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the
Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a
teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a
past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games
are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with
one another until one survivor remains. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen
volunteers in her younger sister's place to enter the games, and is forced to
rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former
victor Haymitch Abernathy when she's pitted against highly-trained Tributes who
have prepared for these Games their entire lives. If she's ever to return home
to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh
survival against humanity and life against love.
Logline Basics (Or, how to write the
best logline)
The easiest way to phrase your logline is to state the genre,
an attribute of the main character, and what the character needs to achieve to
meet a challenge. Of course, you may see your script as a slice of life or a
series of vignettes or something else that doesn’t lend itself to a clear
statement in this form, but attempt it.
LOGLINE BASICS
Brevity is an absolute necessity of creating a good
logline. You should go through many drafts to make sure every adjective is the
most perfect and evocative and above all accurate. Get out your thesaurus find
the best words for the job. You can’t afford a single extra character.
Choose your focus carefully. You need to pinpoint the most
important through-line of your story. What you pick must be dynamic: you
need to describe action, conflict, challenge.
The easiest way to phrase your logline is to state the
genre, an attribute of the main character, and what the character
needs to achieve to meet a challenge. Of course, you may see your script
as a slice of life or a series of vignettes or something else that doesn’t lend
itself to a clear statement in this form, but attempt it.
For example:
“The Last Thing She Did” is a romantic comedy in which a
ditsy writer struggles to overcome her reliance on a dead friend’s advice in
order to meet a deadline.
Try to avoid generalities. You want to nail what makes
your script unique, so don’t waste your time comparing it to previously made
films. Save that for your marketing pitch.
Your logline doesn’t need to tell the ending of the story. It
just needs to impel a producer or reader to make the effort to open it up. Show
you have an interesting and unusual protagonist who must meet an
unusual and interesting challenge, and you’re already ahead of the game.
So you say your script doesn’t fit into an easy category of
genre or have a single or readily defined hero or heroine. That may be the way
you think of your story, but another reader might have a different impression.
Try describing the action of your script to a friend and see what
shakes loose. It’s fine to know you’re written a masterwork that defies
description, but you won’t have much luck getting it made unless you can find
SOME way to explain it.
A Word about Plot and Character Vs Theme
The best loglines focus on character with an
emphasis on the major conflict or challenge that forms the central
arc of the plot. It’s good to include whatever details make your story the
most unique: an unusual setting or antagonist for example.
You may be tempted to make your logline about the
script’s theme instead but I recommend against this. Producers are
interested in the practical matters of who, what, where, when and why.
They are less interested in your philosophy on the nature of life or the
specific demon that drives your hero’s quest.
In my opinion, the easiest way to write a good logline is in
the form of:
[Film Title] is a [genre] IN WHICH a [protagonist]
struggles to [challenge to overcome].
Problematic loglines often use passive language and the
word about, which can find you expressing your intentions instead
of the action. Something you want to avoid at any cost is a logline that
focuses on how you intend the viewer to feel instead of what they’re going to
see.
For example (don’t do):
“The Last Thing She Did” is a transcendent human comedy about
the way we connect through laughter and memories.
Nice, but it doesn’t tell us a single thing about the script.
We don’t know who the characters are, what it’s about, where it’s set, and
we’re vague on the genre. When you use a logline, remember you are pitching
your story to practical people who want to know if they can make your script
into a film that they can sell. Save your beautiful writing for your dialogue,
and your writer’s commentary
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