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When to Write a Logline. Loglines can be useful at many stages throughout the creative writing and marketing process. Before you write, Loglines can lend you clarity about your plot. During writing, it can keep you focused on what’s important in your story. And after you’re done, it can help you pitch and sell your story. BEFORE You Write.
- Use An Active Voice
- Craft Compelling Protagonists
- Portray The Inciting Incident
- Tell A Story
- Include Irony
- Name The Stakes
Just like your high school English teacher told you, avoid using a passive voice at all costs. Active voice raises the stakes and engages the reader—that means characters doingsomething, rather than something happening to them. Look at two different versions of the logline to “The Godfather”: 1. Passive: “Control of a clandestine empire is transfer...
Kick off your logline by introducing your protagonist(s). Don’t waste precious words providing character names; instead, describe their fascinating qualities. An adjective or two and the proper noun that best represents them works well. For example, the logline for “The Godfather” opens with “the aging patriarch,” which clearly identifies and descr...
Name the catalyst that sets off the action in your screenplay. Look at the logline for “The Help"—"An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid’s point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis." The inciting i...
The logline should create a clear narrative that intrigues the reader—without spoiling the ending. Do this by clearly describing the protagonist’s goal and the central conflict preventing them from reaching this goal. Case in point: The logline for “Bird Box” says that “a survivor and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety.” Safety i...
Summon your inner Alanis Morissette and use the conceit of irony to show that your story is original and unexpected. Highlight the contrast between your main character and the dramatic situation they face in your story. The logline for “Miss Congeniality,” for example, explains “an ugly duckling FBI agent goes undercover as a contestant to catch a ...
High stakes leave the reader wanting more—meaning they want to read your full screenplay. Take the logline for “Back to the Future,” for example: “A young man is transported to the past, where he must reunite his parents before he and his future cease to exist.” Once you’ve finished the first draft, request feedback from people you know and trust, ...
- Share the Core Concept, Not the Story. Loglines are a necessary evil in Hollywood. And many perceive them as being "evil" because they feel that the industry is asking them to condense their one hundred page script (give or take) to 25-50 words.
- Start with a General Logline Structure. To get a feel for how a logline should read, start with a basic structure. When [INCITING INCIDENT OCCURS]... A [CHARACTER TYPE]...
- Stay Within 25-50 Words. Less is more. Industry insiders don't have time to read a synopsis or treatment. They need to make decisions quickly because there are so many screenplays that they need to get to during their day-to-day schedule.
- Avoid Character Names. This rule can be bent, but you can make more of an immediate impact by using character types rather than character names. This offers the reader an instant protagonist description that they can envision for casting.
Apr 26, 2018 · What exactly is a logline and how do you write a good one? Script Editor Joe Williams explains on our blog with lots of great examples.
Jul 17, 2018 · So now let’s go deeper into each of these specific three stages you should use when writing a logline. How to write a logline step #1: add protagonist. A concept, story, or plot isn’t much without a protagonist to identify with, and this should be the first thing you establish.
Apr 27, 2020 · It's really simple — you need a protagonist, a goal, an inciting incident and conflict. logline components. writing A logline. Identify the protagonist. What’s their goal? Inciting Incident. Conflict. Let’s use our Titanic example from before to see how the writer considered all four of these components.
May 22, 2024 · You should write a logline at both the beginning and the end of the writing process. Initially, it helps clarify your story’s focus and direction. At the end, it ensures your finished screenplay remains true to the original vision and helps refine your pitch for industry professionals.
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