Log line

For the navigational device used to measure a ship's speed, see Chip log.

A log line or logline is a brief (usually one-sentence) summary of a television program, film, short film or book, that states the central conflict of the story, often providing both a synopsis of the story's plot, and an emotional "hook" to stimulate interest.[1] A one-sentence program summary in TV Guide is a log line.[2] "A log line is a single sentence describing your entire story,"[3] however, "it is not a straight summary of the project. It goes to the heart of what a project is about in one or two sentences, defining the theme of the project...and suggest[ing] a bigger meaning."[4] "A logline is a one-sentence summary of the story's main conflict. It is not a statement of theme but rather a premise."[5]

"A logline...helps content creators simply and easily sell their work in a single sentence, because the emphasis is on what makes their property unique...the logline provides the content creator with a concise way to focus on the three main anchors of their writing," the protagonist, the protagonist's wants (goal(s) or desire(s)), and what is at stake (risks).[6]

  1. ^ "How to Write Outstanding TV & Movie Loglines: The ULTIMATE Guide". Industrial Scripts®. 2019-06-11. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  2. ^ Brewer (2014, p. 29)
  3. ^ Russell, James (2000). Screen & Stage Marketing Secrets: The Writer's Guide to Marketing Scripts, p.61. James Russell Publishing. ISBN 9780916367114.
  4. ^ Perebinossoff, Philippe; Gross, Brian; and Gross, Lynne S. (2005). Programming for TV, Radio, and the Internet: Strategy, Development, and Evaluation, p.73. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9780240806822.
  5. ^ Steiff, Josef (2005). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Independent Filmmaking, p.57. Penguin. ISBN 9781592573905.
  6. ^ Bishop, Lane Shefter (2016). Sell Your Story in A Single Sentence: Advice from the Front Lines of Hollywood, [unpaginated]. Countryman Press. ISBN 9781581575101.