This is not a logline but a question. Will it be admissible for a logline for a SERIES be longer than a standard of 30 words (or so)?
torgodogLogliner
This is not a logline but a question. Will it be admissible for a logline for a SERIES be longer than a standard of 30 words (or so)?
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Great graphical presentation of logline lengths stats, well done DPG.
This demonstrates beyond a doubt that an ideal length for a logline is 25 words, however technically the answer to the OP’s question is still yes.
There is no rule, outside of independent statistical analysis, that defines a necessity of 30 words.? If a writer is structuring a plot and is using a logline in the process, they can make it as long as they want regardless the medium. The likelihood of the logline being better increases the closer it is to 25 words in length, and even more so for pitching purposes – the likelihood of the concept attracting a budget goes up the closer it is to 25 words.
I think OP wasn’t asking about the statistical probability of writing a good lolgline and making it longer than 30 words. I believe the question was more about industry wide standards, as there are none it comes down to the individual writer, the company reading the logline and their in house requirements of logline lengths.
Of course for best results it’s better to aim for 25 words and 30 at the most.
FWIW: ?Results of ?a survey of 675 randomly selected loglines for stories that cleared all the hurdles and actually got made into movies. ?
From which I conclude that the 25-words-or-less guideline is more than an intuitive rule of thumb; it rests on a sound statistical basis. ?
The survey also revealed that loglines between 25-30 words were infrequent. ?Loglines exceeding 35 words are rare and ?none–nada, zero, zilch — exceeded 40 words.
[img]https://loglines.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Logline_survey.jpg[/img]
Whether used to describe a series or film technically “yes” is the answer to OP’s question, as there is no set number of words required for a logline.
However as clearly stated above the less words used the better, and the ideal length has been found to be 30 words.
>>the difference between series and feature pitching, which is the function of a logline.
>>Pitch the world not the people. ?If you pitch the world they will see that it can last forever
Good points. ? ?But though the focus may be different in a logline for a series, brevity is still essential. ?We live in an era of ?media induced ADHD, ? of multitasking minds with ?short attention spans. ?This is especially true for the target audience for a logline — the industry movers and shakers. ?I am dubious that most of them would have the time and patience to read a 100 word logline?no matter how good it is.
More than ever, less is, uh, more.
All sins are forgiven if the words are wonderful. ?People would read 100 words if they were the best 100 words in history. ?I heard on a “Nerdist Writers Panel” podcast someone talk about the difeference between series and feature pitching, which is the function of a logline.
Pitch the world not the people. ?If you pitch the world they will see that it can last forever as characters change or leave.
Short answer to your question:
Yes.
Long answer to your question (recommended):
Loglines are industry wide used tools for structuring plots and pitching concepts, and according to whom ever you’re talking with the word count will vary. There is no set standard for a logline’s word counts – some people say 30 words, others say 25 and others 20, but the closer a logline is to 30 the better. A logline isn’t intended as a means to tell your story or dwell on beats, rather transmit in an efficient manner the major plot points and story critical descriptions: Main character, main character flaw, inciting incident, obstacle and goal.
In general terms you only need to write a logline for the pilot, the potential for narrative, drama and comedy throughout the season will become clear if it’s a good logline and a strong concept.