Hi party people,
Happy Monday!!
I have a question about loglines. I'm working on an animated series, and one of the things I realise I need to have is a logline for the whole series, vs loglines for each episode. Now, each episode I'm good with (because that's clear enough - what happens in each episode, just in a painfully small amount of words). But what about the series as a whole? The structure would be similar to Spongebob Squarepants, where the characters are recurring but each episode could in theory be standalone (aside from the odd cheeky two-parter). Does anyone have any resources to point me to so I can put something together?
Thanks so much in advance! Have a great writing week!!
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Hi, Amy Jayne Conley. Happy Monday! :D
You can see how I wrote my overall series logline and my pilot logline here: https://www.stage32.com/profile/811418/Screenplay/Fantasy-Stories
You can also check the overall series loglines for animated series on IMDb (www.imdb.com).
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Maurice Vaughan Thank you so much!! I'll take a look! I really hate writing loglines because I'm not very good at them. I live for a good waffle!!
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Amy Jayne Conley hi nice to see you!
I think whether it's a single-story episode logline or a short synopsis for a series bible, in my experience the logline like a web site is a living document.
It's easy to think we need to lock it in, but as long as it's something you're working on, it's flexible and subject to change, revision, etc.
It's tempting to want to perfect the logline and lock it, but I think being willing to revise your logline several dozen times or more is empowering because it reflects the growth of the story and keeps you open to more potential.
And yes if we are pitching you want it fixed, and yet even then the property will presumably go through lengthy development and more changes.
Yes it's great to show our confidence and authority, and yet I think multiple versions of these important summaries show us alternate avenues where the story can go?
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You're welcome, Amy Jayne Conley. Loglines are hard, but you can get better at them with practice.
I agree with what Daniel Stuelpnagel said ("It's tempting to want to perfect the logline and lock it, but I think being willing to revise your logline several dozen times or more is empowering because it reflects the growth of the story and keeps you open to more potential").
I love waffles. I had some this morning. :D
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Amy: When I write a series bible, I only do a high-level logline for the show. I provide a synopsis for subsequent episodes. If you're only pitching your show pilot, I suggest only inserting your primary show logline. You don't need loglines for each episode. For example, here are loglines from hit TV shows.
THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT:
Orphaned at the tender age of nine, prodigious introvert Beth Harmon discovers and masters the game of chess in the 1960s USA. But child stardom comes at a price.
ROYAL PAINS:
An unfairly discredited but brilliant diagnostic surgeon winds up working with his cheesy brother in the Hamptons as a concierge doctor to the uber-rich and ultra-elite.
THE BORGIAS
In the fifteenth century, Pope Alexander VI tries to control all power in Italy with the help of his several sons through murder, intrigue, war, and marriage alliances.
Best of luck with your project.
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I'd recommend looking at series bibles for Stranger Things and Batman: The Animated Series. Those have been recommended on some sites dealing with the subject.
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Well, it's been a while but you may looking for high concept more than logline. There's an old David Caspe Marry Me two page "pitch" that sold somewhere floating around on the internet. I'm a bit rusty and wear many different hats so to speak nowadays. If I remember right the high concept is within it. Good luck with your endeavors and I hope I didn't lead you astray.
Thanks so much for your help so far, friends! The issue I'm having is just that I have NO idea where to even begin - you've all helped me beautifully to find at least some starting point. You're all rockstars! I'm more than happy to keep revising the logline, it's just hard when the series will undoubtedly monkey-brain around the place. Like how do you pin that down?? xD It's all a learning curve.
Phillip E. Hardy, Prolifique Anthony John Orlando Thanks so much for your help, guys! I'll be sure to check those out. I didn't even think about series bibles! I thought those were just for live-action series!! :)
Here are some sites where you can read and download some series bibles. Find the one that is most similar to your series, use the same model or blueprint and you are half-way there. I hope it helps.
https://sites.google.com/site/tvwriting/home
https://www.simplyscripts.com/original-unproduced-scripts.html