How to Write a Logline
Before you start work on your Hollywood-busting screenplay, you'll need a logline. It's a one-sentence summary of your movie that entices someone to read the entire script.
A good logline is short, sharp, and sells your story. Loglines explain the key parts of your screenplay—like the main character, inciting incident, central conflict, and antagonist—in a tight, hooky sentence. Because loglines are short, it's easy to crank lots of them out in a short space of time. But writing the perfect logline can be a painstaking process that brings you to tears.
A logline is not just a summary, but a siren call to your audience. It's what will make a producer pick up your script instead of another. It should capture the essence of your story's drama, the stakes involved, and give a taste of the narrative voice. Think of it as the elevator pitch of your screenplay, the golden ticket to getting your foot in the door of the movie industry. Crafting a compelling logline requires you to distill your complex, nuanced story into a single, powerful sentence. It's about finding the perfect words to convey a whole world of emotion, action, and intrigue.
Don't worry—we're here to help. And we've got some famous logline examples from screenwriting pros to inspire you to greatness. Onwards!
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Screenwriters don't include loglines in the writing process for fun—they serve an important purpose. When done right, a great logline can set you up for filmmaking success.
Get noticed
You often need a logline to get into screenplay competitions or film festivals. Both can be perfect places to show off your work to a roomful of Hollywood buffs. And, if your logline's on point, it'll help you stand out from the crowd.
Perfect your pitch
Writing a simple logline forces you to work out exactly what your story is about. Being able to sum up your story in a clear, concise way is super useful for when you start taking meetings about your screenplay.
Sell your script
When you begin the process of getting producers, agents, and managers in Los Angeles and New York interested, your logline will be one of the most important things to include in your query letter. Producers often use a logline to court studios, financiers, and other people who might take a shine to your script.
A simple logline formula
Much like a good pasta sauce, you only new a few ingredients for a tasty logline. Four, to be precise:
- Inciting incident
- Main character
- Central conflict
- Antagonist
Once you've got those four ingredients, you can put them together in different ways. Like this, for example:
When inciting incident happens, the main character decides to do central conflict against antagonist.
Most screenwriters advise writing loglines that are only one sentence long. Some people say no longer than 30 words. But if your movie is on the complicated side, you might need to stretch your logline to a couple of sentences.
The inciting incident is the event that kicks off your story, the spark that sets everything in motion. It's what disrupts the world of your main character. The main character is the heart of your story, the person whose journey we're invested in. The central conflict is the crux of your screenplay, the primary challenge or problem your main character faces. The antagonist is the force that opposes your main character, whether it's a person, an institution, or even an internal struggle.
A good logline blends these elements in a way that's intriguing and concise, giving just enough information to hook the reader's interest without giving away the entire plot. It's a balancing act between being vague and being overly detailed. Your goal is to entice and intrigue, to make someone want to know more about your story.
Consider the tone and genre of your movie as well. The way you word your logline should reflect the feel of your film. A comedy's logline might be lighter and more humorous, while a thriller's logline could be tense and mysterious.
Ultimately, crafting a logline is an art form in itself. It requires creativity, clarity, and a deep understanding of your story's core. With practice and these guidelines, you can create a logline that captures the essence of your screenplay and piques the interest of readers and potential producers alike.
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Eight tips for writing a great logline
1. Write a logline, not a synopsis
A logline is a snappy summary of your film. A synopsis, however, is a blow-by-blow explanation of the plot. Make sure you follow the logline formula and you'll be a-okay. Think of your logline as the heart of your story, distilled into one compelling sentence that captures the essence and uniqueness of your film. Avoid getting bogged down in plot details and focus on the core concept that makes your story stand out.
2. Don't write a tagline either
A tagline is a pithy line that gets people excited about your film. It's similar to a logline, but not the same. We'll use our favourite film, Rocky, to explain:
“A small-time boxer gets a one-time chance to fight the world champion, attempting to go the distance and restore his self-respect.”
Tagline: His whole life was a million-to-one shot.
The difference lies in the focus: a tagline is about evoking emotion and intrigue, while a logline provides a clearer picture of the story.
3. Sell the main character
Your logline is the perfect time to sell your main character, and be super clear about who they are. A despotic ruler. A loyal young soldier. A gifted wizard. When it comes to loglines, adjectives are your friend.
Here's an example of a logline that sells the main character, for The Pianist:
“A virtuosic Polish-Jewish pianist struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.”
4. Don't use names
Instead of using names, describe your character in a way that immediately paints a picture. Remember, your logline may be the first introduction to your character, so make it count.
Although Jack Sparrow is a household name now, no one knew him before Pirates of the Caribbean. So there's not much point using his name in the film's logline. Instead, he's referred to as 'an eccentric pirate':
“A plucky blacksmith teams up with an eccentric pirate to save his lover from the pirate's former shipmates, who are now undead.”
5. Think about your character's #goals
Your story is defined by the actions your characters take. The best loglines say what the main character wants, and what they'll have to do to get it. Here's an example of goal-driven logline from Little Miss Sunshine:
“A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.”
6. Use the active voice
Make your characters' actions and decisions the driving force of your logline. This gives a sense of immediacy and engagement. It's okay for the inciting incident to happen to your character, but you should always talk about what they do in the active voice. Like this example for Django Unchained:
“With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.”
7. Raise the stakes
If you want your reader to care about your logline, it's vital to make sure the stakes are high. A sense of peril—like the risk of death—is always a big help. High stakes create tension and interest. Make sure your logline reflects the urgency and importance of your story's conflict.
Like this movie logline for Speed, which raises the stakes with the detail about the bus needing to stay above 50 mph:
“A young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.”
8. Tear up the rulebook
While we've given you a crystal clear logline definition, and tips on how to write one, there are always exceptions to the rule. Hollywood script readers see a lot of loglines, so just make sure yours stands out.
If your story demands a unique approach to the logline, don't be afraid to break the mold. Stand out by being true to the spirit and tone of your screenplay. Remember, the ultimate goal is to pique interest and convey the essence of your story in a memorable way. You got this!
Examples of loglines
The Godfather
The ageing patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
This logline concisely depicts the transition of power in a mafia family, focusing on a young man who reluctantly inherits his aging father's criminal empire, signaling a dramatic journey into a world of power and moral conflict.
The Hangover
Three groomsmen lose their about-to-be-wed best friend during drunken misadventures in Los Angeles, and have to retrace their steps to find him.
This logline sets up the premise of a comedy about three groomsmen who, after a night of heavy drinking in Los Angeles, realize they've lost the groom-to-be. It promises a chaotic, humorous adventure as they scramble to retrace their steps and find their missing friend before his wedding.
Jurassic Park
During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok.
This logline describes the core plot of a thrilling adventure: a state-of-the-art theme park, home to cloned dinosaurs, faces a catastrophic power failure during a preview tour, leading to chaos as the once-contained dinosaurs are set loose.
The Lion King
Lion cub and future king Simba searches for his identity but his eagerness to please others and penchant for testing his boundaries sometimes gets him into trouble.
This logline captures the coming-of-age journey of Simba, a lion cub destined to be king. It highlights his quest for self-discovery, balancing his eagerness to impress with his natural curiosity, which often leads him into challenging situations.
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.
This logline sets the stage for a sci-fi action film where a computer hacker, guided by enigmatic rebels, uncovers a shocking truth about his world and his critical role in a rebellion against its oppressive controllers.
Napoleon Dynamite
A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while dealing with his bizarre family life back home.
This logline introduces a socially awkward teenager navigating a school election and his unusual family life in a small town, blending humor and character exploration in a unique coming-of-age narrative.
Pulp Fiction
The lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.
This logline hints at a multi-layered, stylized narrative, intertwining the lives of various characters in a crime-ridden world. It promises a gritty and intense exploration of violence and redemption, told through Tarantino's distinctive, dialogue-driven storytelling.
The Shawshank Redemption
Two imprisoned men bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency.
This logline suggests a deep, emotional narrative set within the confines of a prison. It focuses on the enduring friendship between two inmates, highlighting how their relationship evolves over the years and becomes a source of comfort and moral upliftment. The story delves into themes of hope, resilience, and the redeeming power of human connection, even in the bleakest circumstances.
Rear Window
A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
This logline sets up a Hitchcockian thriller where a wheelchair-bound photographer, confined to his apartment, becomes embroiled in a suspenseful scenario after suspecting a neighbor of murder, blending themes of voyeurism, tension, and psychological intrigue.
Silence of the Lambs
A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.
This logline sets up a psychological thriller, where an FBI cadet must navigate a tense, manipulative relationship with an incarcerated killer to catch another serial killer, delving into themes of darkness, manipulation, and the psychological complexities of confronting evil.
American Beauty
A depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis decides to turn his hectic life around after becoming infatuated with his daughter's attractive friend.
This logline introduces a darkly satirical exploration of suburban disillusionment and personal crisis. It centers on a middle-aged man's tumultuous journey to rediscover meaning in his life, sparked by an obsession with his daughter's friend. The narrative delves into themes of desire, societal norms, and the often-hidden dysfunctions of seemingly perfect suburban lives, all woven together with a mix of drama and biting humor.
Star Wars: A New Hope
A spirited farm boy discovers powers he never knew he had when he teams up with a feisty princess, a mercenary space pilot and an old wizard warrior to save the galaxy.
This logline sets the stage for an epic space adventure, introducing an unassuming young man who embarks on a transformative journey. Joined by a diverse group of allies, including a rebellious princess, a roguish pilot, and a wise, aged warrior, the story blends elements of classic hero's journey with thrilling space battles and a timeless struggle against oppressive forces. This narrative framework lays the foundation for a tale of self-discovery, camaraderie, and the fight for freedom in a vast, fantastical universe.
Titanic
A seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
The logline for "Titanic" sets up a poignant romance between a young aristocrat and a poor artist on the ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic, blending a tragic love story with the historical backdrop of the ship's legendary sinking, and highlighting themes of class disparity and fleeting moments of beauty and love.
Turn your logline into a story with Boords
Once you've sold a hotshot producer on your story, you might need a storyboard. Boords is the online storyboarding app for creative professionals, designed to simplify your pre-production process. Seamlessly transition from a compelling logline to a visual narrative with Boords. It offers an easy-to-use interface for creating storyboards, scripts, and animatics in one unified space.
As you move from the written word of your logline to the visual impact of a storyboard, Boords is your go-to tool for bringing your screenplay to life.
