I wanted to post this to help members know the difference between a logline and a tagline.
A logline is a short summary of your script that you use to help sell a script (or attractive people to watch your movie/show/etc.).
A tagline is a short, catchy phrase (like you would see on a poster). Something like “This vacation is gonna be wild” (maybe a tagline for an Animation movie about wild animals taking a vacation).
For a logline, you want something like: “After ______ (the inciting incident/the event that sets the plot in motion), a _______ (the protagonist with an adjective) tries to _______ (goal of story) so ________ (stakes).”
Loglines are one or two sentences (a one-sentence logline sounds better and it takes less time for a producer, director, etc. to read it). You can add the antagonist in the logline. The inciting incident can also be at the end of the logline.
Avoid using “must” in loglines because “must” sounds like the main character is forced to do whatever the goal of the story is (instead of the main character doing it willingly), and “must” doesn’t sound active. Audrey Knox (a TV literary manager) also said this during a logline review webinar on Stage 32 (https://www.stage32.com/webinars/The-Write-Now-Challenge-The-Logline-Rev...). Instead of using “must,” use “attempts to,” “fights to,” “struggles to,” “strives to,” “sets out to,” “fights,” “battles,” “engages in,” “participates,” “competes,” etc.
Example #1:
“After a group of dog criminals arrives in a small town, an impulsive dog sheriff defends a dog treat factory so they won’t steal food that’s meant for hungry dog families.”
Example #2:
“A dysfunctional couple works together to survive against bears after they crash on an abandoned road miles from help.”
NOTE: Not all stories will follow this logline template. Biopics and documentaries might not follow this template. The overall logline for a TV show might not follow this template, but the logline for an episode in the show could.
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Awesome edification Maurice
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Taglines can be so much fun!
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You're right, Landis Stokes. Sometimes I write them for fun. Sometimes I use them when pitching.
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Thanks for sharing this Maurice Vaughan
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You're welcome, MB Stevens.
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This is cool Maurice. If I can add one thing.
In a logline by specific about what is happening. You can leave things unanswered in a tagline.
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Thank you for this.
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You're right, Craig D Griffiths ("In a logline by specific about what is happening. You can leave things unanswered in a tagline.").
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You're welcome, Thorn Dagron.
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Thank you, Maurice!
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You're welcome, Carina. Hope you (and everyone) are doing well.
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Great clarification
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Thanks, Ewan.
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Thank You for this
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Maurice: I'm amazed at how many writers don't understand taglines, loglines, and a synopsis. I regularly read loglines that are 75-word paragraphs. A tagline was really designed as an advertising hook for commercials and movie posters. For example, examine the 1978 John Carpenter film Halloween.
LOGLINE: Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night in 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
It's a single, high-concept summary of the film:
TAGLINE: The Night HE Came Home!
Not a summary of the movie but a phrase to intrigue potential viewers.
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You're welcome, Thorn Dagron.
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Summed up perfectly, Phillip. Thanks. Maybe this post and the comments (yours and Craig's) will help writers know the difference between a logline, tagline, and synopsis (and save them time in their screenwriting careers).
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Maurice, happy to do it.
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Francis Ford Coppola's "Dracula" still has one of my favorite taglines with only one word encapsulating the essence of the story "Beware"...
Ure woman, he'll seduce you, ure man, he'll defeat you...perfect!...I do movie posters sometimes with my graphics background, so I'm a succer for taglines...
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Cool, Kiril. Since you make posters, do you think there's a word limit on taglines?
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Just said it, Maurice...the lesser, the better, only one word, ure genius...
I think "Alien" crew used lady copyrighter for the famous one "In space no one hear you scream"...
I mean, I could sell a story to a dead guy with such a tagline :))
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I agree, Kiril. One-word taglines are gold. I meant, do you think there's a word limit on taglines as in too many words? Because a poster isn't but so big, and people read posters fast, then move on. So, I don't think a tagline can be too long.
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You're welcome, Mr. & Mrs. Wally Wu. How are you two doing?
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Hi Maurice, tag line? Interesting
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Hey, Billy Kwack. A tagline is something you'll see on a movie poster or movie promo (same with TV). https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/best-movie-taglines/
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Thanks, Maurice! Had "must" in there, not anymore =)
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Hi Maurice, I'll try to learn more about it
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You're welcome, Sam. It's not a rule to exclude "must," but I think loglines sound better without it (plus the two reasons I mentioned in the post).
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Great, Billy. Sometimes I write taglines for my scripts. Sometimes I do it for fun, and sometimes I use the taglines when I pitch scripts.