I’m working on a professional wrestling script… I have so many ideas for this script.I am taking real life wrestlers stories and picking and choosing what aspects of their lives and careers I want to incorporate in the story. I am tweaking parts of their experiences and making them original stories to piece together to make one wrestlers whole story. So what I need help with is… The logline- essentially it is going to be all the troubles this wrestler faced before becoming a wrestler-all of the ups and downs of his career- all of the crazy road stories—the family dramas- the effect living on the road has on his personal life- his underdog story- the tragedies… But how do I say all of that in a sentence? How do I say that He grows up poor and steals (like the rock)leading to multiple arrests, He commits a murder as a young adult(like scott hall)turns to wrestling after being spotted in a gym body building (ultimate warrior and sting) and becomes a hardcore wrestler because he was an underdog that in-ring was not the most technically sound (mick foley) and becomes one of the most over the top flamboyant gimmicks in history/lives the gimmick (undertaker) and gets into financial and legal troubles/loses a son, gets into a plane crash etc etc etc (like ric Flair) How do I say what this story is about without listing everything the show will offer?
Screenwriting : Logline help by Christopher Cafiero
Other topics in Screenwriting:
Check out Trending Discussions
Register / Log In
1 person likes this
@Christopher the options for log line change depending on whether he was served justice for his early crimes. EG Did he reform from his early mistakes or has he always been badass on the road not yet found out? Yes he made it big despite a disadvantaged youth but success does not explain character arc. I’ll give you several options for a log line once I know more.
2 people like this
Hey, Christopher Cafiero. I remember you talking about this project a couple months ago. It sounds like a really exciting project. You don't want to overcrowd your logline. What you don't put in the logline, you can put in the synopsis.
Here’s a logline template that might help:
“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.