Writing a logline is hard: there’s a whole story to compress into one sentence. This page gives you a formula that guarantees every ingredient a professional reader looks for is on the page, then shows you how to extend or polish it once it is.
If you’d rather answer questions than stare at a blank page, the Logline Generator builds this formula for you, one element at a time. For the reasoning behind why this particular formula, and not one of the dozen others floating around online, keep reading to see Why This Formula Works.
The three essential ingredients
Every logline needs these three. Leave one out, and whatever the sentence contains, it isn’t a logline yet.
Character. Not just a name or a job title. Give us their function in the story and one trait of their sociology or psychology: a languid sheriff, a self-centred weather man, an exiled dream thief.