What is a log line?

A log line or logline is a brief summary of a television program, film, or motion picture often providing both a synopsis of the program's plot, and an emotional "hook" to stimulate interest. The aim of this is to create enigma to leave the audience interested and asking questions. It is not a long summary only two or three sentences.

1. A logline must have the following

–       the protagonist
–       their goal
–       the antagonist/antagonistic force

2. Don’t use a character name

It has no intrinsic information and so is a useless word. Instead, tell us something about the character.


3. Use an adjective to give a little depth to that character
This is your chance to show some character. Beware of cliché, and also of the power of irony. It’s helpful if the characteristic you describe will have something to do with the plot.
- A mute sous-chef
- An alcoholic ex-superhero

4. Clearly and quickly present the protagonist’s main goal

This is what drives your story and it will drive your logline too. Make sure that the goal is present early in the script – if you don’t make good on your logline’s promise early enough the rest of the script won’t get read.
- A mute sous-chef wants to win the position of Head Chef at her boss’ new restaurant
- An alcoholic ex-superhero searches for his daughter

5. Describe the Antagonist

The antagonist should be described in a similar, but preferably shorter, manner than the hero. If the hero faces a more general antagonistic force then make it clear that they are battling something, not just life’s bumps and buffets.
- A mute sous-chef wants must fight off an ambitious rival to win the position of Head Chef at her boss’s new restaurant.
- An alcoholic ex-superhero searches for his daughter after she is kidnapped by his dementing, jealous former sidekick.

6. Make sure your protagonist is pro-active

He or she should drive the story and do so vigorously. A good logline will show the action of the story, the narrative momentum that carries you through the script. In some cases the protagonist will be reactive, but note, this is not the same as passive.

7. If you can, include stakes and/or a ticking time-bomb

These are very useful narrative devices that add urgency tou your script. If they fit in easily, include them in your logline.
- To save his reputation a secretly gay frat-boy must sleep with 15 women by the end-of-semester party.

8. Setup

Some scripts operate in a world with different rules to our own and require a brief setup to explain them, e.g. most science-fiction stories. Others have a protagonist whose personal or psychological history is crucial to the story and needs to be explained. Again, be brief.
- In a world where all children are grown in vats…
- Driven to a mental breakdown by an accident at work, an aquarium manager…

9. About the ending

Do not reveal the script’s supercool twist ending, even if it is the next The Usual Suspects. The story, and thus the logline, should be good enough to hold up by itself; a surprise ending should be a lovely bonus found when reading the script. N.B. This all changes when you get to writing your treatment.

10. Don’t tell the story, sell the story

Create a desire to see the script as well as telling them what’s in it. Loglines are like poetry, every word counts. Tinker, test, and tinker some more.

Bonus

If you can’t write a decent logline of your idea before embarking on the script, then maybe reconsider writing that thing. If it’s unfocused and muddled at the logline stage, it’s not going to get any better as you write.

http://www.raindance.org/10-tips-for-writing-loglines/

The link above is where I got my information which I have written above on log lines. I feel it was very useful and gives a clear explanation of what is needed to create a good log line. I would recommend to anyone looking on how to make one.


Examples of Log lines.


-Title: Silent Night
Writer: James Luckard
Genre: Thriller
Logline: With a brutal serial killer stalking Nazi Germany at Christmas, the Berlin detective on the case gets reluctantly partnered with a Jewish criminal psychologist released from Auschwitz to profile the killer.


Title: Synapse
Writer: Matthew Sinclair-Foreman
Genre: Thriller
Logline: During a brain operation, a man has an out of body experience in which he witnesses a murder in the hospital. Debilitated by neurological post-op side effects, he must catch the killer before his investigation turns him into the next victim.

Title: Incision
Writer: Patrick Donohoe
Genre: Action/thriller
Logline: A black NYC coroner about to run for public office must struggle to prove his innocence when he is set up by white supremacists as the main suspect in a series of grisly murders.



My own Idea- Retired Father Sets out on a race against time as his son is mysteriously kidnapped. Evidence begins to show its not what the father had first suspected.