Unproduced Screenplays and Loglines
I also saw the benefit of the site as a promotional tool for my screenwriting. Over the course of the first year, I have enjoyed interacting with other writers discussing the craft of writing loglines as well as developing individual loglines I published with various producers.
Unproduced Screenplays and Loglines
After publishing over 200 original loglines I decided that collecting the majority of what I had published online into a printed book would make a handy desk reference that those in the film industry might enjoy. This is that product. Every logline presented in the main genre sections are free to be developed by anyone.
The purpose of this book is twofold: to serve as a reference guide for writers who wish to perfect the art and craft of writing loglines, and to provide inspiration to those seeking content.
Unproduced Screenplays and Loglines
The importance of a strong logline cannot be underestimated and many times the logline is the only exposure a writer may have to producers, agents, and managers. If you only have one first impression-in this case only 35-40 words-it had better be great.
The loglines in this book are freely available as they are, or you may use them as a starting point for your own original story. Have fun. Mix and match. Change up genre and write your own stories. I would love to hear them. (Send them to me @LoglinesRUs.)
Unproduced Screenplays and Loglines
What follows is a discussion on what defines a logline and how to write one that will hopefully get you noticed. This is followed by an opening section where I have included a handful of loglines from popular films with which you may already be familiar, so you can get a feel for how the logline compares.
The genre categories include all of the original loglines published on LoglinesRUs. The final section, Logline Laughs, is filled with twisted and hopefully humorous loglines for well-known films to illustrate that, if you have a warped sense of humor, you can describe a film accurately but not with the same intent and context as the original filmmaker planned. These I include just for fun and because it is a good writing exercise (at least if you want to exercise you comedy muscle).
Unproduced Screenplays and Loglines
I listed the loglines into genre categories for easy reference. One reader may only be interested in Comedies, while another prefers Science Fiction, or Horror. Whatever your taste, there are bound to be a number of loglines that will entertain and hopefully inspire you.
Some loglines could easily fall into multiple genres and in some cases I have repeated a logline in a second genre where I felt it was important to note. I chose the primary genre to list a logline based on the most predominate theme and tone for the film as I intended when I wrote it.
Unproduced Screenplays and Loglines
Of course, the purpose of this book is to inspire you to create, so please feel free to take a logline you find here and switch genre or combine with another idea to create something wholly original.
What is a Logline? A logline is defined as one sentence that provides enough information about the protagonist, antagonist, setting, genre, and story that the reader can fully grasp what the film will be. Daniel Manus, the founder of No Bullscript consulting service says, "A logline will inherently get across a project's structure, hook, genre, tone, dilemma, major conflict, climax, and character arc." All in under 40 words!
Like the art of haiku, writing loglines is a skill that must be practiced and honed in order to compose well. For instance, writing a logline will cause you to focus on the utmost specifics and essence of your film without all the miscellaneous details. Writing a good logline will cause you to purely define the heart of your story and will help you in understanding what your theme and primary story is. This should help keep you focused as you sit down to write your screenplay. If you find yourself straying from the original logline, you need to carefully consider if you are deviating from the true heart of your story, or, if your logline correctly describes the film you wish to write.
Robert Kosberg, known as the Pitch King, is quoted as saying, "Screenwriters usually focus on the craft of screenwriting…plot, developing characters, but these all fall aside if the initial concept is not clear. Find great ideas. Keep asking yourself, Do you have a good idea here?"
I personally make writing the logline one of the first steps in outlining and preparing to write a script. I know if I can tell my story succinctly in 35 words, then I have a clear grasp of what the story, conflict, and theme are.
Screenwriters should also become proficient at writing loglines because the logline is what you will pitch to attract a potential producer, agent, manager. That's right. The 35 – 40 word sentence will be the determining factor as to whether your script will be read by a production company or languish on your computer's hard drive.
Let's talk specifics. What makes a good logline? Does it have a format? Here is a list of the basics which all loglines must include: The genre
Time period (if period piece)
Setting (if important)
The protagonist
Set up the inciting incident
The main conflict
What the protagonist must accomplish
What, or who, stands in their way from accomplishing goal?
The hook. What makes your story different?
A logline should illustrate that your story is an easily understood concept. The logline should be provocative. Would you want to see this movie based on this description? Would actors want to star in it? You must include character (protagonist and antagonist) plus conflict. What is the jeopardy? What is at stake?
A bad logline would be vague and discuss the theme and tone without giving any detail of the story itself. Never state the theme of the film. A logline should not include, "a deeply moving love story…" or any editorializing on the author's part. Focus on the concept and characters.
Would you want to read a screenplay based on this logline?
"A wonderful heartfelt tale of love, loss, regret and ultimately reconciliation in Alabama."
No, but this might make you want to read more: "After leaving her redneck family to reinvent herself as a socialite in New York and becoming engaged to the mayor's son, a hard-working woman must return to Alabama to finalize her divorce where she learns a secret about her estranged husband."
This describes the film Sweet Home Alabama starring Reese
Witherspoon, Josh Lucas and Patrick Dempsey. Which logline do you think better describes the film and could possibly get a producer's attention?
Ultimately the logline for your story should be unique but familiar. You want your story to grab the reader's attention but not be so different from anything they have read before that they cannot understand the story. Essentially, you want to show: when this happens, this person must (insert verb here) before (or else) this consequence occurs.
There are a few set rules to writing a logline. It must be only 35-45 words long. It must be only one sentence long. (Any longer and it becomes a synopsis. Any shorter and it becomes a tagline.)
There are also a few rules of thumb which will guide you to writing stronger loglines, but these are not hard and fast rules.
"The first few words of your logline should basically tell us what the general world of your screenplay is and what the inciting incident is that thrusts us (and your protagonist) into the story," describes Manus. "The first few words can also set up the stakes of the story."
Use active and action words, not passive words. Words such as "after," "when," or "as" are great to begin your logline followed by words such as "forces," "must," "discover," "uncover," "expose," "destroy," or "prevent," illustrate what happens to the protagonist and what must be accomplished. Then end with "before," "or else," to show what is at stake; the jeopardy.
For example:
"After such and such…"
"When such and such…"
"…then (protagonist) is forced…" "…then (protagonist) must discover…"
The second portion of the logline tells the reader who your protagonist is and what they have to accomplish in the second and third act to achieve their goal. This is also the time to describe who opposes them and what is at stake (the jeopardy).
When preparing to write your logline, answer your questions about your film. If you can't, go directly to jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. While there, work on your film's outline until you can answer these questions.
Who is your main character?
What is he or she trying to accomplish?
Who is trying to stop him or her?
What happens if he or she fails?
Writing a strong logline is also a good time to flex your proverbial "verb" muscle. Use words that are visual and dynamic to describe your character and the scene. You have only 35 words – make every one count.
Use verbs such as "battle," "grapples," "jousts," "duels," "spars," "scraps," "clashes," in place of "fights," "opposes," and "contends with."
Your words should be exciting! The logline should end with the jeopardy; what is at stake. Never give away the ending. You want the reader to want to know what happens. Leave them wanting more. After reading your logline, the desire should be so strong to know what happens to your characters that they can't wait to read the entire script.
But, do not write rhetorical questions as part of your logline. Never, ever, never. Did I mention never? This is not a logline:
"What would happen if you were a young boy tired of being small who wished to grow up and be big, and your wish came true?"
Instead, "After making a wish at a fortune teller machine, a young boy becomes a grown man overnight and must cope with finding a place to live, finding a job, and adult relationships, with only the help of his ten year old friend." ~ Big
Here are more examples of good loglines from famous movies. Can you guess the film?
• A police chief, with a phobia for open water, battles a gigantic shark with an appetite for swimmers and boat captains in spite of a greedy town council who demands that the beach stay open. (35 words)
• A Parisian rat teams up with a wanna-be, no-talent chef, battling convention and the critics to prove that anyone can cook and open their own restaurant. (27 words)
• A lawyer who loses his ability to lie for 24 hours, clashes with his ex-wife for the affection of their son and the healing of their family. (26 words)
• A young farmer joins the rebellion to save his home planet from the evil empire when he discovers he is a warrior with legendary psychokinesis powers. (26 words)
Answers: Jaws,
Ratatouille, Liar, Liar, and Star Wars.
Evolution of a Logline I wanted to briefly illustrate the evolution of writing a logline. What follows is an example of the many drafts that might go into honing a strong logline that hopefully illustrates the difference between so-so and superb. I will also explain the reasons I made the various changes.
In this case, I was asked by a writer to critique and rewrite a logline for a script he is writing. The following logline is owned by Laughing Dragon Entertainment, LLC.
1st draft provided by writer: "A lonely science teacher dies and goes to summer camp, where he learns to connect with others and in the process alters the future of humanity." (26 words)
This is fine, but does not establish an inciting incident or conflict. We know who the protagonist is (the lonely science teacher). We know the setting (summer camp).
2nd draft: "When a lonely science teacher dies and goes to summer camp, he learns, with help from supernatural beings, how to connect with others, in the process altering the future of humanity." (31 words)
Better. I boosted the inciting incident (the death) and established that the story takes place after this event by beginning the logline with "When." This sets up the second act, but what about the third act?
We now know the protagonist is not alone (supernatural beings), which provides a sense of genre and we have an idea of the story (protagonist has to learn how to connect with others).
But there is still no sense of conflict or jeopardy. 3rd Draft: "When a lonely science teacher dies and wakes up in a campground, he must learn, with help from supernatural beings, how to connect with others before the Grim Reaper comes for him." (32 words)
All right. We are starting to get a sense of conflict, jeopardy and danger. The Grim Reaper is coming! Final draft: "When a lonely science teacher dies and wakes up in a campground, he must learn, with help from supernatural beings, how to connect with others to alter the future of humanity before the Grim Reaper comes for him." (38 words)
In this final draft, I added back the phrase "to alter the future of humanity" to establish the stakes of the film. This elevates the tension and establishes a goal for our protagonist. This also creates a purpose for the story. If the teacher is dead, why does he care to connect to others or alter the future of humanity? This is why I added "must" (the imperative) and "the Grim Reaper" (the jeopardy). Now there is conflict and a goal. We have established the inciting incident, the second and third act.
Television Loglines Writing a logline for a television show is a bit different than writing for film. The logline for a television show must illustrate how the story will be able to span multiple episodes and seasons and must include a larger hook and the world (or setting) in which the show will take place. You can write one logline for the pilot and another for the series. Less focus is placed on the character and more emphasis is made of the setting which allows for multiple stories to take place.
Television loglines may also include some details about the method by which it is produced, such as single-camera, or reference other films and shows.
Everybody Loves Raymond
A likeable husband's tolerance and marriage are tested by the constant intrusion of his overbearing parents and dim-witted brother.
The following are examples of loglines for pilots from the 2013-2014 season. Trophy Wife
A reformed party girl finds herself with an instant family when she falls in love with a man who has three manipulative children and two judgmental ex-wives.
Mixology
A high-concept, single-camera comedy set in the world
of a sexy Manhattan bar, chronicling the exploits of
singles in search of love — all over the course of one
night.
Almost Human
An action-packed buddy cop drama, set in the near future, when all LAPD officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids.
Sleepy Hollow
A modern-day supernatural thriller based on the legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Undateable
A young ensemble centering on a group of friends dubbed the "Undateables" whose lives are altered when a more confident character enters their world.
The Blacklist
The world's most wanted criminal mysteriously turns himself in and offers to give up everyone he has ever worked with on one condition: he will only work with a newly minted FBI agent with whom he seemingly has no connection.
Conclusion Ironically, it takes longer to describe what a logline is and how to write a good one (1,867 words) than a logline is ever allowed to be.
Being able to write an outstanding logline is not only an art, but a sign of a true wordsmith. It shows potential buyers that you understand your story as well as the craft of screenwriting and can ply your trade professionally.
I hope you enjoy reading the following loglines. I don't imagine this is a book you will pick up and read from cover to cover (although you could). Feel free to skip around, read only the genres you like, or read one a day as they were originally published. However you wish to utilize this resource I do hope you will be inspired to write your own loglines.
I would love to read them if you do and am available to critique and consult on loglines. I can be reached via my Twitter account
@LoglinesRUs.
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