Are there any tricks when it comes to writing loglines? Are there things you would consider unprofessional? I've been working on one logline and can't seem to figure out if it's good or not.
Logline: A spiritually confused girl who suffers from pyromania wants to let go of her past mistakes while one ignorant member of a group of Satanists, that she newly befriended, tries to use those mistakes against her.
Lisa, how do you feel about this for a logline?
"A spiritually-confused pyromaniac wants to let go of her past mistakes...miscues that a newly-befriended Satanist is out to avenge."
For me, sometimes the loglines work out nicely...other times, I've got to work like the Dickens to get the loglines to flow. But as long as I can provide a protagonist, a goal, and an obstacle for the protagonist to face, and restrict the logline to forty words or fewer, I've got a chance.
All the VERY BEST to you, Lisa!
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Well for me, Not so much, for me I always write what ever is on my mind that has to do with the story on both the logline and synopsis.
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lookup Chris Lockhart. Story Editor for William Morris Endeavor. He wrote an article explaining the how and why of loglines.
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You have a lot going on in that logline and I'm not sure what the goal is and what is important to that goal. Is her being a pyro important? Is it tied to her past mistakes? Did she burn something down? Kill someone? If the pyromania doesn't really matter, then don't mention it. Same with being spiritually confused and/or Satanists. You need to narrow it down to what matters to the story. The two formulas I go off of are:
Inciting incident+protagonist+action+antagonist or Protagonist+action+antagonist+goal+stakes
Something like: A reformed pyromaniac trying to let go of her past unknowingly befriends one of her victims who is out for vengeance.
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Maybe something along the lines of...
"A young pyromaniac currently experiencing a faith crisis (or you could say "questioning her belief in God) makes friends with a group of self avowed Satanists. Things go wrong (instead of "things go wrong", put here what happens to evolve her friendship with the Satanists) when one of her new friends tries to exploit/prey on her fire-starting tendencies/addiction for their own ends (or whatever goal that person has).
Good luck!
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Yes, the trick is to visit www.logline.it
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Here's Christopher Lockhart's paper on how to construct a logline: http://www.twoadverbs.com/logline.pdf. ;)
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Try this - "A pyromaniac, seeking redemption, is tricked into committing atrocious acts by a Satanist who she believes is trying to help her overcome her past."
Send me an email
craig.griffiths@griffithscreative.com.au and I’ll send an ebook on loglines.
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Yes there are.
Inciting Incident + Protagonist + Action + Antagonist.
https://s.studiobinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/How-to-Write-a-Com...
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Hey Lisa, great to have you here! Did you know that Stage 32 Script Services offers a service where a Development Executive actually writes a logline for you? If you are having trouble this might be a good way of tackling the problem. I hope that helps! Feel free to contact me at j.mirch@stage32.com with any other questions!
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Great tips. Loglines are critical to get right, constantly improve and update!
Hi Lisa. As I have done for a few folks on here, I can send you a Logline Helpsheet I put together for my clients and Philmscribers some time ago. Message me - and of course anyone who's interested - if you'd like me to email.
I hate writing . Like I loathe doing it with every fibre of my being. Having said that; I have found over the years that the LA Screenwriter logline feedback and contests they would run to be very helpful.