Question 1

What is a logline?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A logline is an extremely brief—usually a single sentence—summary of the script’s plot that includes the story’s central conflict.

Question 2

How do you write an amazing logline?

Justin Malen · Accepted Answer

I definitely look at precedents. There are a lot of good sample loglines available online. Since I mainly write comedies, I usually try to convey the basic premise as succinctly as possible while still getting across that it’s going to be funny. It’s always helpful when the basic premise itself is funny.
I actually like writing at least a draft logline before I commit to writing a script because it’s a good test of how marketable the concept is. If writing the logline is really difficult, it tells me that it will likely be a harder sell, given what studios/Producers tend to look for.
Also, I read my draft loglines out loud to confirm they’re simple enough and would be easy for an Agent/Producer/Exec to pitch over the phone.

Question 3

What is an example of a logline?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

Reading loglines is a good way to learn how to write them, so here are some examples to start you off!
Rear Window (1954). A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
The Godfather (1972). The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.
The Exorcist (1973). When a teenage girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two priests to save her daughter.
Jaws (1975). When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community, it’s up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.
Ghost (1990). After a young man is murdered, his spirit stays behind to warn his lover of impending danger with the help of a reluctant psychic.
Silence of the Lambs (1991). 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.
Jurassic Park (1993). A pragmatic paleontologist visiting an almost complete theme park is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park’s cloned dinosaurs to run loose.
Groundhog Day (1993). A weatherman finds himself inexplicably living the same day over and over again.
Good Will Hunting (1997). A young janitor at M.I.T. has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories.
Django Unchained (2012). With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

Question 4

What are the three parts of a logline?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

Given that a logline is generally a single sentence, quite a lot is packed into it! To adequately convey what the story is about, a logline should include who the protagonist is, what they want, and who or what the antagonist is to that goal.

Question 5

Is a logline necessary?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

In a word, yes. Fair or not, a Screenwriter must be able to condense their 100-page script into a single sentence – both for themselves and for others.
A logline can help a Screenwriter stay on track while writing the script to ensure that it adheres to that original concept.
In addition, if a Screenwriter has the opportunity to pitch that script to someone else, a great logline can be just enough enticement to have that person request to read the entire screenplay.

Question 6

How do you come up with screenplay ideas?

Justin Malen · Accepted Answer

Coming up with ideas is my favorite part of screenwriting. Sometimes, the ideas come just by going about my normal life and trying to be observant–and asking, “Is that a movie?” (and I make sure to email myself those ideas whenever possible, before I forget)…other times, I’m actively trying to think of movie and TV ideas.
Since 100% original ideas are unfortunately difficult to sell, I do find it’s helpful to look at successful movies and question how they could be tweaked or modernized or combined with a different movie (Movie A meets Movie B) or done in a different genre.
Another thing that can help is walking through book stores and libraries (while they’re still around, at least), and seeing all the stories out there. Maybe you’ll come upon IP no one has optioned…or see something that sparks an idea for a movie (e.g., a travel guide to Greece could inspire a story, similar to actually traveling there–and it’s cheaper!)

Question 7

Are screenwriting classes worth it for beginners?

Thomas Bezucha · Accepted Answer

Absolutely. The more you can educate yourself the better. It’s a vocational skill. If you wanted to be a Plumber, you’d go apprentice with somebody.
It’s a unique format. You’ll learn things like how you start a scene at the last possible minute and end it at the first opportunity. You don’t need to see the guy park the car, walk up to the house, and go into the house. He can pull up in front of the house and then you can cut to him in the middle of a conversation in the living room.
And you understand what happened in between. You learn rules like that if you take classes.

Question 8

What is a premise and logline?

Anna Keizer · Accepted Answer

A premise is an idea for a movie. For instance, a killer shark holds an island town hostage over the Fourth of July.
However, a logline is a concise statement that summarizes what a script or film is about. In keeping with the above example, it would be: A police chief with a phobia of open water battles a killer shark with an appetite for swimmers and boat captains, in spite of a greedy town council who demands that the beach stay open.

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