Congratulations! You have completed your latest script and are now ready to send it out into the wider world. Your work is done. Or is it? Just as as you prepare to send it on to your agent, friend, producer, or colleague you realise you have to write a logline for it. It鈥檚 a task that feels far away from creativity and requires you to channel your inner to make it as exciting as possible. What do you do next?
What is a logline?
In its simplest terms, a logline is a one (sometimes two) sentence summary of your script or TV series. Unlike screenplays, virtually everyone has some kind of experience in reading them or devising them whether they know it or not. Every time someone asks you down the pub what a film or TV series is about, your answer is likely to be a slightly less polished version of a logline. You see one whenever you scroll through film or TV listings or whenever someone recommends a work to you.
At the same time, aside from describing what the work is about, a logline should, where possible, persuade said reader/viewer that the work they are about to encounter is going to be enjoyable, compelling or funny. How many times have you flicked through several TV listings or and made your decision while comparing just a handful of sentences? If you are sending the script for someone to read, think what mind-set you want to put them in before they turn to page one. In the film/TV industry, it鈥檚 not just writers who have to put them together: agents write them to entice producers, producers write them to draw in executives, executives write them to hook their bosses etc. Like treatments, nobody really 鈥榚njoys鈥� writing them but they are a necessary evil.
Loglines are traditionally one-sentence long. It is possible to write two if your work demands it and the sentences are short but this should be avoided if you are able to, as you risk going into synopsis territory. That said, it doesn鈥檛 hurt to be a little specific when distilling your idea to ensure that it sounds distinctive. For instance, "a comedy series set in a fictional Brooklyn Police Department" is an accurate though uninspiring logline for . A better one would be, 鈥渁 talented but immature Brooklyn detective comes into conflict with a new serious and stern commanding officer鈥�.
Traditionally, loglines could or should contain the following.
- The time period 鈥� where is this work set? This mainly applies to period films where the setting itself is important to the drama or comedy of the piece. For instance, if your film or TV series is set in Cold War East Berlin, the chances are the story itself is going to be quite high-stakes. If you鈥檙e writing a comedy series, the setting itself could be a world where humour could arise, such as a nondescript office in Slough.
- The protagonist 鈥� who is this story about? Often there is no need to name the protagonist unless they are a real-life figure (for instance, you wouldn鈥檛 write a logline for without mentioning Winston Churchill). Sometimes, it doesn鈥檛 matter - a logline for would work just as well whether you name Tony Soprano or refer to 鈥榓 mafia boss鈥�. Many loglines will mention who the protagonists are and what kind of emotional qualities they might have. For instance, 鈥渁 police detective battling their own inner demons鈥�, 鈥渁 surgeon struggling with alcoholism鈥�, 鈥渁 failed musician stuck in the past鈥�, 鈥渁 cutthroat journalist鈥� etc. If you have multiple protagonists, think about what links them (for example, 鈥榓 team of British explorers鈥�, or 鈥榝ive members of a lottery syndicate鈥�).
- The antagonist 鈥� what does our lead character come up against? This could be a typical baddie 鈥� a serial killer, terrorist, or monster 鈥� or something more down-to-earth, a friend, rival, boss, or spouse. The antagonist may also be within the protagonist themselves, as is often the case with stories of addiction or depression. Often the precinct itself serves as an implied antagonist, particularly if you are writing something set within a war, a prison, natural disaster or a bureaucracy.
- The goal 鈥� what is the protagonist trying to achieve? Are they looking to solve a crime, find happiness, escape danger, or secure a promotion?
While it鈥檚 worth going for as many of these above qualities as possible, sometimes it might not be possible or even necessary to cram them all in. A perfectly acceptable tagline for might be, 鈥淭he crew of a space merchant vessel are forced to fight for survival when a seemingly indestructible creature sneaks onto their ship鈥�. There is no mention of Ripley or the emotional journey she undertakes as this film doesn鈥檛 necessarily need it (unlike with the sequel, , where the character鈥檚 redemption is front and centre).
Drama vs. Comedy Loglines
Loglines for dramatic projects are traditionally easier to write, particularly if you are working within a clear genre. Whether it is film or TV, there is the need to establish setting, protagonist, antagonist, and goal using the various attributes listed above. Essentially, it needs to be 鈥榙ramatic鈥� 鈥� what sources of conflict will our protagonist come up against and how might they be able to overcome them?
Comedy loglines can be slightly trickier. There is a temptation to write a sentence that either contains a joke or is inherently funny in its own right. This is not strictly necessary for comedy loglines; they only need to demonstrate to the reader that said film or TV series could yield humour. For instance, this logline for , 鈥淔riends Tim and Daisy, 20-something North Londoners with uncertain futures, must pretend to be a couple to live in the only apartment they can afford鈥�, is not exactly 鈥榝unny鈥� but you can see that humour can arise from the series it describes.
Your logline should also match the tone and spirit of the script you are sending in and sometimes this means you might have to specify that your script is actually a comedy if the premise does not inherently suggest it. For instance, the logline for Mum on the 大象传媒 website says, 鈥淪itcom following a year in the life of Cathy as she moves on from the death of her husband鈥�. Without the word 鈥榮itcom鈥� this could easily be read as a drama series. The same would also be true if you were writing a logline for without specifying that it is a 鈥榮atirical comedy鈥�.
Examples of Loglines
Here are a few examples of effective loglines for film and TV programmes as sourced / tweaked from various online resources...
- 鈥淎 young soldier in Vietnam faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man鈥�
This logline gives you the protagonist, the setting, the antagonists (both the implied Viet Cong due to the setting, as well as the soldier鈥檚 own demons), and sets up an emotional journey for him to undertake.
- 鈥淲hen a kidnap spirals out of control, Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood comes face to face with the man who destroyed her family鈥� Happy Valley
A very simple logline but one that effectively and succinctly sets up the detective, her mission, the location, and her emotional backstory.
- 鈥淎 young F.B.I. cadet haunted by memories from her childhood must confide in a manipulative psychopath to help catch a serial killer who skins his victims鈥�
This gives us the protagonist, her emotional demons, the conflict with Lecter, and her ultimate goal of finding Buffalo Bill.
- 鈥淎 mosaic of interconnected characters search for happiness, forgiveness, and meaning on one day in the San Fernando valley鈥�
While a film like Magnolia ostensibly resists an easy logline, this simple sentence serves to set up the location, timeframe and themes in a broad, yet effective manner.
- The socially awkward head writer of a sketch comedy show, must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star, all while trying to run a successful television show without losing her mind.
This logline gives us the setting, the protagonist, her personal qualities, the antagonists, while also hinting at the humour the series will show.
Logline vs tag lines
Another flag to be aware of is the difference between 鈥榣oglines鈥� and 鈥榯aglines鈥�. While loglines certainly do have a commercial purpose, taglines are very much within the realm of marketing departments and are typically a snazzy, funny, or compelling phrase designed to accompany a poster. Unless your tagline somehow manages to summarise your script鈥檚 narrative you should always avoid using them as your logline, no matter how sparkling the sentence sounds. 鈥淎 love story in reverse鈥� is an accurate summary of but if you鈥檙e going into a script cold it doesn鈥檛 tell you as much as, 鈥淎 father recounts to his children, through a series of flashbacks, the journey he and his four best friends took leading up to him meeting their mother鈥�. To use three more examples...
- 鈥淗e鈥檚 got a really BIG secret鈥� is the tagline for , while 鈥淎 teenage boy who wishes to be made 鈥榖ig鈥� wakes up the next morning to find himself in a body of an adult鈥� would be its logline.
- 鈥淏e afraid, be very afraid鈥� is the tagline for , while 鈥淎 brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant fly after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong鈥� would be the logline.
- 鈥淓veryone wants to be found鈥� is 鈥檚 tagline. Its logline is - 鈥淎 faded movie star and a neglected young woman form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo鈥�.
Logline Resources
Unlike with treatments, the internet is filled with examples of good loglines, most of which have been written by the general public. IMDb, particularly the project鈥檚 main page (i.e - not the plot summary section) is a very good resource for this. Film/TV listings online, in magazines, and on streaming services are another excellent resource. I would also recommend looking up films and TV dramas on the 大象传媒 iPlayer website, as most of these remain on the site even if the programme has expired. Not all of these are relevant, as they may mention acting or directing talent, but there are still plenty of useful examples on there.
The official website for a specific programme may also contain a helpful one-line summary of the series in question. Even the first paragraph on a project鈥檚 Wikipedia page might sum a work up as well or better than an official logline. Don鈥檛 be afraid to look at your script鈥檚 influences and see how others have written loglines for them online. If you have written a crime script, look how others have written loglines for Sherlock, Luther, or . If you have written a romantic comedy, look at loglines for , , or .
Lastly, it鈥檚 worth bearing in mind that loglines are not just for the reader but can help you improve as a writer too. They can serve as a handy tool to make you step back from the script you have written and distill it into its purest form. If your logline sounds exciting then signs are looking good that your script might be as well. Good luck!
(Editor's Note: When you enter a script into one of our opportunities you need to include a logline in no more than 400 characters.)