Frame One

A logline is a one or two sentence summary of a screenplay that tells the reader who the story follows, what that person wants and what stands in the way. Knowing how to write a logline matters because it is often the first thing a producer, reader or competition judge sees, and sometimes the only thing.

It is also a working tool. If a story cannot be squeezed into one clear sentence, the idea usually has a gap in it.

This guide covers what a logline is, a formula that works, four examples broken down piece by piece, the most common mistakes and a short exercise to write your own.

What is a logline?

A logline is the story of a screenplay in its smallest form. It usually runs between 25 and 50 words and works best as a single sentence.

Writers use it in query emails, pitch decks, competition entries and script platforms. Producers and readers use it to decide whether a script deserves their time.

Logline vs tagline vs premise vs synopsis

These four terms get mixed up constantly. They are different things:

• Premise: the underlying what-if idea. It describes a situation, not a story.
• Logline: the story in one sentence, with a protagonist, a goal and an obstacle.
• Tagline: a slogan on the poster. It sets a mood and does not explain the plot.
• Synopsis: a page or more that tells the whole story, including the ending.

The logline formula

Most strong loglines contain the same five elements:

1. Protagonist: described by a trait that matters to the story, not by name.
2. Inciting incident: the event that breaks their normal life.
3. Goal: what they must do.
4. Obstacle: the person, force or flaw standing in the way.
5. Stakes: what is lost if they fail.

A simple template to start from:

When [inciting incident], a [protagonist with a defining trait] must [goal] before [stakes], but [obstacle].

The template is a scaffold, not a rule. Once the elements are on the page, rewrite the sentence so it reads naturally. A logline never gives away the ending.

Logline examples, broken down

The four loglines below were written for this guide. They are not official studio descriptions, but they show how the five elements work in films most people know.

Jaws

When a great white shark begins killing swimmers at a beach town, a police chief who is afraid of the water must stop it before the summer tourist season brings more victims.

• Protagonist: a police chief afraid of the water
• Inciting incident: the shark attacks
• Goal: stop the shark
• Obstacle and stakes: the shark itself, and the tourist season that will bring more victims

Die Hard

When armed thieves take over a Los Angeles skyscraper during a Christmas party, an off-duty New York cop trapped inside must stop them and save the hostages, including his estranged wife.

• Protagonist: an off-duty cop, far from home
• Inciting incident: the takeover of the building
• Goal: stop the thieves and free the hostages
• Stakes: the hostages’ lives, and a marriage on the edge

Back to the Future

After a time machine accidentally sends him thirty years into the past, a teenager must make sure his own parents fall in love, or he will never be born.

• Protagonist: a teenager
• Inciting incident: the accidental trip to the past
• Goal: bring his parents together
• Stakes: his own existence

Finding Nemo

When his only son is taken by a diver, an overprotective clownfish must cross the ocean to bring him home, with help from a forgetful stranger.

• Protagonist: an overprotective father
• Inciting incident: the kidnapping of his son
• Goal: bring his son home
• Obstacle: the ocean, and his own fear

What makes a logline strong

All four examples share a few qualities.

• Irony or contrast. A police chief afraid of water. An off-duty cop in the wrong city. A son who must make his parents fall in love. The tension is built into the sentence.
• Clear conflict. The reader can see what the hero wants and what blocks them.
• Specific details. A skyscraper at a Christmas party says more than a dangerous situation.
• Visible genre and tone. A reader should know whether the film is a thriller, a comedy or a family adventure from the sentence alone.

5 common logline mistakes

1. Making it too long

A logline that needs three sentences and a subplot is a synopsis. Keep to one main character and one main line of story.

2. Using names instead of descriptions

A reader knows nothing about a character called Anna. They know a lot about a retired surgeon whose hands have started to shake. Describe the person, not the name.

3. Describing the premise, not the story

A world where dreams can be recorded is a premise. It becomes a logline only when someone wants something and something stands in their way.

4. Leaving out the obstacle or the stakes

If nothing blocks the hero, there is no conflict. If nothing is lost on failure, there is no reason to care. Check that both are on the page.

5. Using vague language

Phrases like a journey of self-discovery or a story about love and loss could describe thousands of films. Replace them with the concrete event or choice that drives the plot.

A ten-minute exercise

1. Write your story in three sentences: beginning, middle, end.
2. Underline the protagonist, the goal and the obstacle. If one is missing, that is the first problem to solve.
3. Write three versions of the logline, each built around a different element: the stakes, the irony, the obstacle.
4. Cut each version to under 40 words. Remove anything that is not the protagonist, the goal, the obstacle or the stakes.
5. Read the best one aloud to someone who has not read the script. Ask what the film is about and whether they would watch it.

Their answer shows whether the logline works. If they describe a different film, the sentence needs another pass.

When to write your logline

Write it twice: once before the outline, to test the idea, and again after the final draft, because the story that ended up on the page may differ from the one planned.

If a first logline is hard to write, the problem is rarely the sentence. It usually means the protagonist, the goal or the obstacle is still unclear. Fix the story first, then the wording. For help at the idea stage, see where great story ideas actually come from.

Logline FAQ

How long should a logline be?

One or two sentences, usually under 50 words. One well-built sentence is the safest choice.

Should a logline include the ending?

No. A logline sets up the story and the stakes. The ending belongs in the synopsis.

Do short films need a logline?

Yes. Festivals and funds ask for one, and a short film has even less room for a loose idea. Aim for one short sentence.

Where does the logline go in a screenplay?

Not on the script itself. It goes in query emails, pitch materials, competition forms and script platform listings. For how the script pages should look, see the beginner’s guide to screenplay format.