10 Tips for Writing Loglines

Burbidge, James. '10 Tips For Writing Loglines'. Raindance Film Festival. N.p., 2013. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

A logline distills 100+ pages of script into one sentence. Its purpose is to summarize, titillate and intrigue. You need to identify the crucial story elements and leave everything else out. 

A logline is a one sentence description that boils the script down to its essential dramatic narrative in as succinct a manner as possible, while a tagline is a piece of marketing copy designed to sell the film. The logline is more focused towards industry professionals. (Burbidge mentions that some people suggest writing a logline for your idea before embarking on the script)

1. The logline contains the character, their goal, and the antagonistic force
2. Don't use the character's name, instead say their description, e.g. profession
3. Use an adjective in this description too
4. Clearly and quickly present your character's main goal
5. Describe the antagonistic force, in a little less detail than the hero
6. Show that the hero is pro-active
7. If you can, add urgency with stakes
8. Mention a setup if it is needed: this could be the universe in which a sci-fi film takes place, or the psychological background behind a demented person
9. Don't write the ending
10. Create a desire to see the script: sell it!