Your Stage : Loglines, Loglines, Loglines by Brian Elias

Brian Elias

Loglines, Loglines, Loglines

Hey All! It's that time again. Brian has no ability to come up with good loglines so he cries out for help.

HELP!

Anyway, here's the logline to my new rom/com:

A hopeless romantic falls into a coma and his ghost tries to help a cynical widow keep her lighthouse cafe and home that’s been in her family for generations by scaring off potential buyers. He soon discovers that not only has he fallen in love with the widow who no longer believes in love but that the lighthouse itself holds its own secrets. Now he has to unravel the truth, get the woman he loves to love him back and stop her from selling her heritage away to a sneaky banker before he wakes up.

Beth Fox Heisinger

Well, that’s not a logline, it’s more of a short synopsis, which is fine for when a synopsis is needed. But for a logline, you gotta whittle that down to the main narrative only, no sub-plots, in a pithy sentence using as few words as possible.

Beth Fox Heisinger

About the premise... if in a coma and still alive, then that’s not a “ghost” but rather an astral projection, right? Lol!

Brian Elias

Yeah. Definitely an astral projection but I felt like that was going way too deep into a light hearted premise. Tonally it felt off

Brian Elias

Thanks for you're incite, Beth. Much appreciated!

Beth Fox Heisinger

Sure, you're welcome. :) Just for example, as a starter, you could do something like:

After an accident, a man falls into a coma and discovers he can project his consciousness. He uses his ability to help the woman he loves, but if he doesn't wake up in time they both could lose everything they hold dear.

It's "okay" but still a bit long at 42 words, typically 35 or less is ideal. But maybe the example helps to get the wheels turning to explore different logline options. Two sentences are fine if need be, but again, just keep it as short and succinct as possible. Best to you!

Beth Fox Heisinger

Lastly, here's a pdf of Christopher Lockhart's paper on how to construct a logline. I find it helpful maybe you will too: http://www.twoadverbs.com/logline.pdf. ;) Good luck!

Chad Stroman

I would need a couple more details. How does he come be to be in a coma? How does he know this lighthouse and keeper before?

That said, here's a stab at it (it's Halloween after all).

After an accident leaves a man in a coma, he finds his spirit has become disembodied but has certain "ghostly" powers. As a ghost he becomes entranced by the life of a cynical widow and the lighthouse that has been in her family for generations.

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