We've mostly all agree that a logline is essentially a marketing tool (for either a script or a film). I think of it as the bait when fishing for a Producer, Director or audience - set that hook tight. As a marketing ploy, can it or can it not end as a question? Com'on rule makers, speak up.
Thanx & tight lines.
As an audience everything that effectively tease my mind, works. But I can't recall any actual example.
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The reader needs to “want to know” the answer to any question, so the particular characters and their plight in log line, before any question must hook. Do we care enough to want to know? Studios/Agencies have certain rules for their readers “passes” as @Dan pointed out, but with Indie pitches there are no rigidly fixed grammar rules. Off course there should be a question in the readers mind ANYWAY, without the writer having to actually write a question ....?.... but on occasion this tactic may work. I have a short in production where the log line ended in a written question, admittedly not with a big studio, but not all producers are institutionalised. Seasons greetings All.
The synopsis of my Fantasy Novel ends in a question. However, I am only trying to instill a level of interest in a potential reader to hand over a relatively small amount of money to buy the paperback or the ebook. I don't want them to know everything from the synopsis. As a marketing tool for a book, it is OK.
I don't see a question in a logline as a terrible thing to do but I think I would be making a poor choice to lower my chances of gaining a producer's interest by committing an act that might be frowned on. The screenwriters 'chance' of seeing their 'baby' on the big screen is small enough without taking the extra risk of looking naive in the presentation of the idea.
I wouldn't end my feature movie logline with a question for two reasons:
1. I want the reader to read my logline as a descriptive statement of my script. Big money is involved. Any 'marketing' is in the interest created by the statement.
2. A question mark isn't necessary. A logline is short. There will be questions left in the mind of the reader regardless of my best efforts to briefly explain the plot.
I think it depends very much on the question asked. If the person you're pitching it to is at a point in his life (or even day) where he is afine to the question he might even stop the famous "1 minute pitch in the elevator" between two floors to have the time and peace to listen to your story. But isn't that the way even if your making a statement with your logline? (e.g. If they are bored with yet another of those "Instant Story - just add famous actor" scripts). I believe the question is about this: Are you in for the story or for the money? If the latter, stick to the traditional recipe. If, on the contrary, you want the story be told for it's own sake, then most likely you will only chase your potential investor with a classic logline. My five cents.
Looks like Dan & Laura have set the absolute rule - I'll just keep rummaging around in the studio until I find that darn rule book.
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Doug:
I look at a tagline as more of a marketing tool. I look at a logline as a succinct summary of what your film is about. However, if you can summarize your screenplay in a compelling sentence that's a question, then why the hell not?
Here's an example of what I'm talking about. Today, I mean this very day, I signed an option agreement for a screenplay I wrote called And On The Seventh Day. I've attached my screenplay poster (a marketing tool) with a tagline.
Here is the logline, which worked well enough to interest a producer in reading my screenplay:
A young man survives a massacre at a Nazi death camp, emigrates to Israeli, becomes a general and leads two generations of family into battle during the Six Day War
That's the basic summary of my screenplay.
Here is my poster tagline:
We shall not enter their land with its soil covered in sand, we shall enter it with its soil saturated in blood .
The tagline is actually a from a pre-war speech by Gamal Nasser, who was President of Egypt during the Six Day War.
That's the end of my story and example.
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Uncle Phil, That's pretty much my take on the subject...why not do whatever works?
Congratulations on your option. Keep us updated on its progress.
@Doug
Do you have logline with a question serving the purpose?
Doug: Perhaps the better way is to also answer the question. For example:
What should a girl do when her boyfriend cheats on her with her sister? Why, let him catch her in bed with his father, what else?
If we only asked the question, the reader would have no idea of where the story will go.
Doug:
Thanks. I'll definitely keep you posted. Happy New Year my friend.
Laura - point well taken.
Uncle Phil - yes please do.
https://www.inktip.com/article_single.php?a_id=81
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-DUE0rw2lw
In this case your logline intentionally raises a question that cries for different answers of its potential audience..
In other words... I'm not even sure that it is the logline/tagline that sold (optioned) your screenplay Phillip. For me it is the contradiction of someone surviving a deathcamp to end up fighting a war and taking lives. That's the painful irony. That's the hook that sold the story!
It's about the question of who's right and who's wrong. It's about the idea that 'the truth is in the eyes of the beholder. More general, it's also about the universal question: must men weighs war, take lives, for turf?
Your story lets me think of the tragic and ironic 'switch' in "The boy with the striped pyjama" and the irony of the contradiction in terminus in the Italian holocaust movie "La vita è bella". These sort of movies automatically set of a discussion about what is not 'literally' said'.
A lot of people are going to see "And on the seventh day" so they are able to take part in that discussion. To make their point, whatever that is.
It's about having a great idea and a solid reason for bringing that idea to the screen.
And On The Seventh Day.....?
Good job!
Nope. Leading or rhetorical Qs in loglines or blurbs are passe and irritating.
But Rutger Oosterhoff re: the Inktip article tip #3, it really does pay off drafting a half-dozen candidate loglines. I once worked up a Mad Libs-style template and tried various combos of different phraseologies and synonyms before settling in on a tight, low-wordcount final version.
I asked this question once to a teacher I had - he said no! The longline was the story. The question was the audience trap. Or the theatrical line.