Screenwriting: How To Write Compelling Loglines
Loglines are a great marketing tool for screenwriters and filmmakers alike. A logline is a one to two sentence synopsis of a screenplay or film. Here are a few tips and guidlines for writing clear concise and compelling loglines.
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I can write 350 pages in a manuscript, flip that into a screenplay... "Cut.. Cut... Cut it to the bone!" but a "Log-line" kills me every time... I need to work on that... This was really helpful and as alway very entertaining... Love that!
I'm an inspiring screenwriter and I have to say that your videos are great tools to learn from. I've learned more watching your videos than I did reading hours of screenwriting books. Thank you for the videos.
Nailed it. I have read and viewed so much on writing loglines, but this one cut straight to the chase. It was a logline in itself - short, sharp and to the point. Well done.
My friend and I are taking turns setting writing challenges for us both to complete and the first is to write 2 compelling loglines. This helped so much! Thanks!
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
You're welcome. Thank you for watching.
Great as always! I knew about "bringing your screenplay down to one sentence" to serve both as a summary/short synopsis and as a sales pitch. Thanks for getting more in depth!
THIS video is a classic, i still refer back to it from time to time from my university days
Thanks a lot man, you know, I want to write a story about a woman who starts her own business to help her family and I had a lot of ideas like characters, plots, themes, even scenes, all of them in the air going to nowhere and I knew I could not start anything until I find a decent logline to begin from. Really, this video opened my eyes and helped me to understand that what I need is to think about more concise and attractive ideas for my story. I'm starting again but I'm sure it will be better this way, starting from a logline which has the requirements to guide my script. Thanks again and greetings from Mexico, now I'm addicted to your videos.
Thanks, man! This my first time learning about log lines.
I remember watching this video a while back. Now that Im in scriptwriting at FSU Im using your videos to help me figure shit out. I just started this week and my first longline is due tomorrow. lol * *face palm* * Thank you for making these videos!
Dude your videos are great motivator for me. I watch pretty much everything you have. Great to see how things have evolved for ya pal. Best of luck to ya.
Good stuff. Time to rewrite these loglines. I wrote my first 4 screenplays without loglines or synopsis. For me, it's easier to flesh out a story and write the logline and synopsis afterwards.
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing Jonathan :) You gotta do what works best for you.
This helped me understand Loglines for my first creative writing class on screen writing this semester. Thanks so much.
Hmmmm That log line is about eight years old. I never thought about having the protagonists name in there. Excellent point as usual, thanks. Even though Salem was a friend of mine that was KIA in Nam and Justice or the lack of it, is part of the story line, no one but me would know that until they watched the movie. My line of thought was people would want to know why didn't he come for twenty years, and what battle at home was so important that it made him come back?
I've been into filmmaking for like 3 years mow and I've never heard of a logline! You are so informational1 Thanks!
When your college teacher recommends this video in 2021 ... Already subscribed baby LOL
@PlayFourFilms
3 жыл бұрын
Mine too, @UCLA Extension?
"Obstacle". Holy shit. But thanks, this was pretty awesome.
You killed this explanation, thank you
What's the log line for unsound?
This has been a great explanatory video !! you explained it better than most executive professors !
Best explanation of loglines I've ever seen.
man i just watch 5-6 of your videos and im learning so much thanks for these awesome video
1:41 Obstacle*
this is what i needed for my next short film!! thanks man! (you are right i dont need go to film school, we have D4darious school)
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Lol thanks Zs. It's always good to hear from you. Good luck with your next short. Send me a link when you upload it!
@ZsStudio
10 жыл бұрын
I will ^^. still have time, hahaha! Shooting in April in Hong Kong。
My preferred logline for The Wizard of Oz: Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets and then teams up with three strangers to kill again. :-D (credited to Lee Winfrey, Inquirer television writer). Great vid, by the way!
"A broken writer must agree to work with a privileged rival on a play in order to escape the trap of poverty and loneliness" is that good or bad?
@subscribetofluffyenderpug
5 жыл бұрын
I like it
@koketsok1513
4 жыл бұрын
sounds like a good watch,would be an epic action or animated film
@Flashbagfolly
4 жыл бұрын
Go for it.
@TomEyeTheSFMguy
3 жыл бұрын
@@koketsok1513 why would it be action?
@JonasPolsky
2 жыл бұрын
A desperate writer is forced to work alongside his bitter rival in order to escape the grips of poverty.
Thanks. Even though I'm not sending my script to anyone bc it's a stopmotion film this still helps a lot.
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Your welcome sayianbiju. Glad you enjoyed it.
I thought that the logline for The Wizard Of Oz was "Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets then teams up with three strangers to kill again". ;)
haha you got the elevator line from Save The Cat didn't you? Keep up the good work!
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
***** Many people refer to the logline as the elevator pitch actually. It's a perfect way to describe how much time you have to pitch.
@beebuzz959
6 жыл бұрын
Rudahms the elevator line existed long before Save the Cat did... and so did "save the cat". It was actually called "wag the dog".
@beebuzz959
6 жыл бұрын
Rudahms if you read enough about screenplays you'll run into them both. And as useful as Save the Cat is, if you're realize interested in doing this, it's far from the many books you should probably read.
You are great brother I learned a lot from you
"A team of scientists create a hybrid monster in their quest to end Alzheimer's disease."
Very useful and helpful information in all your videos. Thanks D for all your knowledge and inspiration .. i'm working on my loglines now.
Great educational piece
Awesome - this REALLY helped. Thanks!
Very good video!
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Steven Smith Thank you Steven! I'm glad you found it useful.
Yes. It's a good thing to remember that your log line is not carved in stone. We have to keep in mind that story changes throughout writing. I had times when I thought I am writing one story appeared to be another and at the end I had two different stories. Great video, man. Are you planing to make this channel in filmmaking educational?
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Loglines do continually evolve. I'm still covering my filmmaking journey with our film, but I also like sharing information that I've learned and experiences that I think others could benefit from. Thanks again for commenting NicolovsVideo.
@writertao101
7 жыл бұрын
D4Darious A perfect woman with a perfect life wakes up in a futuristic hospital suffering with amnesia. She soon discovers nothing in her life has been what she thought it was.
My AV students are enjoying your videos
Your channel has helped me a lot, thanks! I was wondering if you could possibly make a video on creating posters? That would be great, thanks for all your help
Thank you. Im having trouble with my Logline.
Very much so helpful! Continue making great videos bro because you are great!
The crux of all stories hangs on Redemption.
Great video, very helpful! Thank you.
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
LisaLisa You're more than welcome LisaLisa ;)
Dear Lord did you kick ass with this! Thank you!!
Great info thank you
Love your vlogs. Great work!
Very helpful video!
Great information
Nice! I didn't know that about using names. Thanks a lot.
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Your welcome epic =)
@MaltipooStore
10 жыл бұрын
Nice! l didn't that names. Thanks You now Sir
GREAT THINGS TO THINK ABOUT .....THANK YOU....
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching Dj!
Thanks. This will help with my 1st assignment.
Thank you.
I should've had you write my logline...
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
It just takes practice =). I use loglines because I really like their power to grab your attention. The more you work at it the better you'll get.
solid shit, man -- well spoken in front of the camera too -- like writers that speak quick -- although, half the target audience won't know who Davy Jones is -- ones that do will think it's 1/4 of the Monkees -- or a Brady Bunch cameo
Excellent.
Great video!
well done
Dude, this is so good! Thank you!
thanks, great info, i never even thought about this
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
You're welcome Britt =)
Thank you so much..
Yo D, Here's a log line I wrote about 6 years ago for the same script. I found it in an old email I sent to myself. What does it take to end a war? The brother they thought died in Vietnam returns home twenty years later, to fight one last battle. No names and it raises more than one question. Good advice as usual. Thanks.
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Shavian1 Thank you Shavian! Definitely sounds interesting, still a bit on the vague side though in terms of the nature of the conflict =). What's the last battle?
@Shavian1
9 жыл бұрын
D4Darious LOL Damn! That's supposed to be the hook. Aren't you interested in finding out why he would wait 20 years to come home, as well as what the last battle would be? Don't worry I'm going to hire you to Direct as soon as I hit the lottery :)
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Shavian1 ha thanks Shavian. waiting 20 years to come home is interesting. I didn't have a problem with that aspect of it =)
@beebuzz959
6 жыл бұрын
Shavian1, that's interesting but we have no idea he waited to come home, so it's not a hook. I thought he was a POW or something. It's interesting, but there's no conflict or smoking gun. Nothing that evokes emotion or a need to know more. I struggle with loglines myself, and I think most writers do, so don't take it as an insult as it's for nothing to do with your story, and I'm just trying to help.
Darious, I got one. An energetic, fast-talking, psychic politician, racing to become the next U.S. president, has the unique ability to detect lies the moment they are spoken, which he uses to his advantage against his political opponents, however, he cannot lie himself, opening the door for his rivals.
Great, I get it now.
You’re brutally to the point, you come across as a guy who doesn’t have a moment to waste.
This video is useful now I know what to write for my logline on a feature script. Thanks D4Darious. I want to know one thing but its a stupid question. I would know that lol. Does short screenplay have to write a logline?
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Koulla Theoharous You don't have to, but many people do. I worked out a logline for mine just so it's easier to explain what the short would be about to others.
@19GirlBad
10 жыл бұрын
D4Darious Cheers :D
Very very very helpful!!! Thanks a lot!
Thank you for your advices, this really helped me out! Keep up the great work! ~Mohammed
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
Glad you found it useful TUC1!
Very helpful. Thank you
Excellent! Thank you!!!
ha nice sounds effect at beginning hilarious
very helpful mate! cheers
I wish you could teach everyone else on here how to edit their tutorials
I've actually been in situations where log lines would be helpful. I'm pretty good with word too, so I'll experiment a little.
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
It's definitely worth looking into. Thanks for commenting!
Any tips on writing an effective synopsis?
Is the setup for sci-fi movies like Star Wars' A Long Time Ago In a Galaxy Far Far Away?
Can I just say bless you while chuckling?
Really impressed.. Do you write loglines or do you know a person who does.
" Two cowboys falls in love, with each other. " I bet that sold right away.
If you are writing a screenplay that includes a twist should it be written into the logline?
Twenty years after being declared KIA in Vietnam, Salem Justice returns home to fight one last battle.
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Shavian1 Definitely gives you a clear idea of what it's about. You don't wanna use names in your logline though if you can help it =)
great video
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Darth Bruce Thank you Darth Bruce =)
mine goes like this: "in which a messed up boy gets another chance but realizes life will always be cruel"
The Fugitive is a great movie.
quick question. when describing an antagonist could it be plural? would I have to point out one character or could I point out a antagonistic force?
Hey Darious, thanks for this! That was very helpful, educational, and informative! I look forward to seeing more of your videos! You just earned a new subscriber! :) Also, are loglines helpful for short stories and novels?
I have a 45 page script but as of a few hours ago no Logline, can you help me please?
Nice video dude. Loglines can be hard to do, especially when you dont know what the " clear objective " is yet. =P
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
It can take a while to come up with a good logline for a story you're thinking of. If you're having way more trouble coming up with a logline for a story, it's a good sign that your story may need some tweaking.
Thanks for the informations, though they raised even more questions in me: In writing what I hate most is the exposition. I like it most when information is given in action scenes, not expository scenes. (For example the chase scene in Terminator.) But what about the setup in loglines? How important are they? If I want to write a logline for a SF/F story, is it preferred to use the first sentence as a setup ("In world where…" or "In a time when…")? Or is it better to put as much information as possible in the actual logline itself (the 2nd sentence) and have the setup as short as possible? How much of the genre conventions should be in the logline? For example if I write a fantasy script, should the logline include "In a fantasy world" or "In a magical medieval world" or should the logline only contain information that isn't self evident from the title and the genre? What if it's part of a franchise? Should the logline assume that people already know the established franchise or is it meant to people who have no idea what I'm talking about?
@D4Darious
10 жыл бұрын
The setup is only important if the story takes place in a world that's VERY different from ours. Not every sci-fi or fantasy would need a setup, just the ones that are hard to understand without one. If your story doesn't require a setup then you don't need to use one. Most of the time you get a sense of the genre based off of the premise of the story or idea, so don't worry to much about using special words or anything.For example, If the logline states a "star fighter must....", we're gonna know it's a sci-fi just by the fact that it takes place in space. As far as franchises, you only need to communicate the synopsis of the film you're working on. If it has franchise potential then you can talk about that, but you don't need to communicate that it's a franchise in the logline. If it's a logline for a movie that's apart of an already established franchise then I think people will assume that based off of the title. If they can't, then you can tell them is't apart of a pre-existing world or a series of movies, but again, you really don't have to state that in the logline. Hope this helps =) and thank you for commenting.
10 жыл бұрын
D4Darious Thank you very much, it's way clearer now.
Hey D4Darious i have a burning question that annoys me, when you write for a movie or any other medium, do you have to write a story then the script or would you write down like a brief summary if you wish then do the script. hope this makes sense just really confused thats all. thanks
Just subb'd. Nice channel. I've used some of your info from your videos. Thanks!
You should make a video about "How to make an awesome trailer", or something :)
Can you use the name if your film is named after the character?
@beebuzz959
6 жыл бұрын
Danae' Latrice, the reason to don't want to use the character name is because at the logline level there's no room to give the description needed to refer to them and also make it clear. That's why historical figures are acceptable, because they need no explanations. But if you use for the name of the script as the character's, if it can be stated clearly it should be fine. But why would you title your script by her/his name? Titles are extremely important! And you want a great one! I suggest you look into how to come up with titles.
@samwallaceart288
6 жыл бұрын
Beanie Green What about "Batman", "Citizen Kane", "John Wick", "Forrest Gump", "Rambo", or "Rocky"? Those movies did ok and were named after the character. Using the character name is good if the name is the title; it helps clarify who you are talking about as being the main character. Or, if the villain is the title, then it builds up a drama in saying that the main character will have to fight against the movie's own title, somebody that must be important. Take "Terminator", for example. "A man from the future must save the mother of future humanity from an evil known only as The Terminator... the movie is called the Terminator: fighting this villain is so hard it takes up the entire movie."
I've got my idea for my movie and have the screenplay half way done but I can't for the life of me write the log line.i've already written it four times
A stubborn paratrooper is forced to break protocol to save a doomed commercial air flight from a deadly piranha infestation before the flooding cabin makes the plane crash. The movie is called Fish on a Plane.
I've been getting into screenwriting a lot lately, how is this for a logline: "A popular ice-cream man in a small town in Tennesee is offered a job of ice-cream man in Los Angeles, California, now with a new flavor of competition."
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
RedRocketFilms Add in the main conflict or antagonist that the ice-cream man faces and you have a stronger logline =)
@scifielements
9 жыл бұрын
RedRocketFilms in a world, where ice cream isn't the only flavor in town, a man clings to his small town ideals amidst the fast-paced, competitive world of the big city.
I'm making a film for my school, and I'm in the middle of my script, and I'm bored with the script . I'm at a part where it's not as exciting and involves calm dialogue. so I'm afraid it won't be as good as I want it to be. any suggestions?
@allenli7603
8 жыл бұрын
Skip it n go back to it later. You don't have to create the things in order. Not sure if you still need an answer.
does it absolutely need to be 25-50 words?
Beast
“After suffering a freak accident during a swat raid gone horribly wrong, a mild mannered policeman becomes a superhero to save his city from a sinister crime lord’s hostile takeover plot.”
@chrisr6538
3 жыл бұрын
Sounds like a great concept! Might be able to cut "hostile takeover plot" to allow yourself a little more freedom, but really great!! Best of luck with the project!!
@MalleySimpson
3 жыл бұрын
@@chrisr6538 how about this, “After a life-changing incident at a raid gone wrong, a softhearted police tactician becomes an audacious masked avenger to defend the city from a sinister crime lord.”
@chrisr6538
3 жыл бұрын
@@MalleySimpson WOW! Awesome!! Wish you all the best with the project!!
are those even prescription glasses?
I wonder what would be the logline of a show like Seinfeld
Nice info- best so far. Thanks. How about: Failing to be nice despite a new opportunity each day, the most caring doctor in the world continues his path of self- destruction after being cursed with his patient’s ridiculous disorders, distancing him from the woman he loves.
@D4Darious
9 жыл бұрын
Bill Thompson It's a bit confusing. how is he cursed with his patient's disorders? what opportunities to be nice? It's a bit to vague. It needs a little specificity.