• Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.

loglines wtf

kgasser2

kgasser2

I don't understand the fascination with loglines, or why everyone finds it so important. I know that in writing screenplays it is important to know your theme or 'message' (if you want to call it that) or the basic transformation the characters are making, but from what I can tell (which isnt much) its just a one or two sentance description of the STORY.

Maybe it comes down to whether you care more about the story or the theme, but I would think the logline is just an easy thing to say to your friends when they as what your movie is about, without really letting them what kind (i don't mean genre) of film it is.

I guess it could be benefitial to understand your logline, but is it necessary to spend so much time making it perfect? Isn't it more important to define the theme, so you know what it is you're trying to say?

The theme is the essence of the story.

the logline is a story summary.

I suppose this us up to debate. Am I wrong? (NO, Walter, you're not wrong. You're just an ASSHOLE)
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Basically, if you can't tell your story in one or two sentences, then it's probably too complex. It's the TV Guide version of what your story is about.

If you only got to meet a famous director for two minutes, what would you say to him or her when asked what you're story was about?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The logline has noting at all to do with your friends.

The logline has nothing at all to do with whether you care more
about the story or the theme.

In general a writer is not writing the script for their friends or
only for themselves. The writer is writing the script to sell. And
the people buying have over 100,000 scripts at their disposal.

The logline is something that producers look at when deciding on
which of the 100,000 submissions they have they will read.

If a writer can summarize their script concisely and effectively
in a logline, they have a better change of getting their script
read.

THAT’S the fascination with loglines.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
VPTurner said:
Basically, if you can't tell your story in one or two sentences, then it's probably too complex. It's the TV Guide version of what your story is about.

If you only got to meet a famous director for two minutes, what would you say to him or her when asked what you're story was about?
Click to expand...

Actually, I look at it this way:

If you can't tell your story in one or two sentences ...
you either don't know your story or don't have one.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I think everyone above nailed it pretty good.

It's true you don't need a log line if you're shooting your script yourself.

If you want someone else to shoot it, to spend a shitload of money and time and effort and sweat, you need to convince them the story is worth telling. The log line is your first shot, your first foot in the door, your first calling card, your chance to get them to say "tell me more..."

And, as Directorik pointed out, there are 100,000 others with calling cards that you're competing against.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Try pitching a film idea without starting with the log line, your pitch will crash and burn! It's very easy to get lost in the finer details of a film, by knowing where the story is going the first timer can make their own assumptions on the relevance of your awesome plot points.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Loglines are of grave importance. Especially, as mentioned above, you're planning to sell, or seek funding from an investor.

Do i start with a logline when introducting my crew the material? Not always, no. Yet this is merely because I create my own work, and will be running through the script, its motive and prospects in its entirety.

That's not say there will not be a logline present, there will, it's purely out of the relationship with my crew, that the work will not be deterred upon the logline. I'm simply giving you a scenario in which you're views may suffice.

Although I do see your point of discussion, i just don't happen to agree.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
It's also a part of the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid) philosophy. When advertising for cast and crew long-winded explanations tend to turn some folks off, especially the experienced ones. We don't have the time to slog our way through a lengthy description, and a solid logline also shows that you have thought your way through the project. From a strictly vendor/business point of view whenever I get that five minute deluge of plot/story/information my internal response is "Oh God; another one!"; I know that I'm in for a client who has trouble communicating their desires for the project.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
fair enough. i didn't really think about it that way because, well, i haven't considered writing a script to sell.

so should i assume everyone talking about a log line has written a script that they are prepared to sell?

or do some people start with the logline when developing a story?

i really hope the latter is untrue, though i know it is not.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
kgasser2 said:
fair enough. i didn't really think about it that way because, well, i haven't considered writing a script to sell.

so should i assume everyone talking about a log line has written a script that they are prepared to sell?

or do some people start with the logline when developing a story?

i really hope the latter is untrue, though i know it is not.
Click to expand...

I believe some people may conjure up a sentence, a moment of dialogue, an initial idea of the setting, and refer to this as a starting point, or a representation of the story itself. Yet i wouldn't necessary believe it to be a logline. Unless the story is written, any Writer, accomplished or not, will tell you the story grows on the page.

I have no intentions of selling any of my material, at present. But that in no way deters the importance of a logline, as Alcove and i have both said, it is an important tool when acquiring crew and cast. Although, i have to clarify that in my earlier post i was simply referring to my regular crew, those who i've worked with previously, and whom will gladly listen to my description upon the material.

It is a necessity in many ways, one, in both the circumstance you and I, and many here at IT, have found, and will find themselves in, is when hiring cast. A logline is presented to the Agent, which is then passed on to the talent. Upon this, and the finer details of a fee, is the script requested for reading.

Identical circumstances in many fields in the industry.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
kgasser2 said:
or do some people start with the logline when developing a story?

i really hope the latter is untrue, though i know it is not.
Click to expand...
I do.

Why do you hope people don’t start with a logline when developing
a story? I understand if you are not writing to sell the script,
but if you are, being able to succinctly pitch is important.

Even if you are making your own movie at some point you are going
to need to “sell” it. To a distributor or directly to an audience.
And again, being able to succinctly pitch your finished project is
important.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Selling (literally and figuratively) a script is obviously of the utmost importance to most screenwriters, but a logline is so much more than that. You need to know what the story is about. Have you never written an essay? Did you not write an outline, and a thesis statement, before writing the essay? Same thing for screenwriting. Many people use what's called "the board" -- that's like a screenwriter's version of an outline. Some screenwriters might use something pretty much exactly like an outline. In addition to that, you still need your thesis statement -- your logline.

Organization of thoughts is a good thing for any writer to practice.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
So, let me ask you guys what is the difference between a log line and a tag line?

I agree you have to sell a concept to sell a story.
Click to expand...

The difference is that they're not even slightly the same. A logline is what you tell the guy you're trying to sell your script to. A tagline is what you hear when you call Moviefone.

"Death Blow"

Logline: Officer Maloney, relegated to desk-work ever since his leg-injury, must confront his fear of clowns, in order to take down the circus-mafia, before they unleash a nuclear bomb on New York City.

Tagline: "Death Blow" -- When somebody wants to blow you up, not because of who you are, but for entirely different reasons, alltogether.

;)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
A tag line - also called an add line - doesn’t need to tell the
viewer much about the film.

“In space no one can hear you scream” tells nothing about the
story. You get the idea it’s going to be scary but that’s about
it.

"She walked off the street, into his life and stole his heart." is
a nice tag line, but what is the movie about?

"The bitch is back." - tells you nothing at all. But when it’s on
the poster for Alien 3 it makes sense.

Same with "Winner Kills All". You couldn’t pitch a story with
that. But it’s an effective tag line when you know what movie it’s
promoting.

Sometimes a tag line might make an effective pitch:
“A romantic comedy. With zombies.” says a lot as does “The last
man on Earth is not alone.”. Either of those might be good enough
to entice a reader to take a look at the script.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
kgasser2 said:
fair enough. i didn't really think about it that way because, well, i haven't considered writing a script to sell.

so should i assume everyone talking about a log line has written a script that they are prepared to sell?

or do some people start with the logline when developing a story?

i really hope the latter is untrue, though i know it is not.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if you are selling it or not. There are at least 2 other places where your logline will matter.

1) When someone is deciding whether or not to see your movie

I feel like I'm hawking copies of Save the Cat on here, but Snyder really nailed this subject. Imagine I tell my girlfriend that I want to see a movie, and she says "what's it about?". If I give her a vague 5 minute overview of the film "Well these 2 people get a camera... theres this monster in their hall closet... no one famous is in it, but its supposed to be good", she's not going to be interested. As opposed to "Paranormal Activity is a horror mocumentary about a demon haunting a young couple" (I chose the film to exemplify what a high concept can do to off set a low budget).

2) When you put together a press kit for festivals

If you don't have a logline and 3 seperate synopsis you are much more likely to end up in the no pile because you will be deemed unprofessional. It not seem fair, but it's true.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Cracker Funk said:
Selling (literally and figuratively) a script is obviously of the utmost importance to most screenwriters, but a logline is so much more than that. You need to know what the story is about. Have you never written an essay? Did you not write an outline, and a thesis statement, before writing the essay? Same thing for screenwriting. Many people use what's called "the board" -- that's like a screenwriter's version of an outline. Some screenwriters might use something pretty much exactly like an outline. In addition to that, you still need your thesis statement -- your logline.

Organization of thoughts is a good thing for any writer to practice.
Click to expand...

it's funny you mention essay writing, because i never used outlines or thesis statements. i pretty much just made shit up as i went along. Which is sort of how i go about developing a story (before the actual writing of the screenplay)

I can understand now that someone will probably need a logline somewhere down the road, but:

directorK, how does starting with a logline really benefit your project? I feel like, if i were to come up with a bitchin logline, then you have to squeeze your movie into those paramaters. But if you start with an image, a character, everything will grow from that. My project now started with an image, it led me to discover some interesting things i didn't expect, and that original image probably wont even be in the film now. But it gave me a mood, a glimpse of a character and a lifestyle.

Sure, once you start working on your story you could change your logline if it's necessary, but then what's the point in working so hard on one in the first place.

I see loglines as a restraint, and an image as inspiration.

Does anyone else here think this way?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top