A log line or logline is a brief (usually one-sentence) summary of a
television program,
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
, short film, or book that states the central conflict of the story, often providing both a synopsis of the story's
plot
Plot or Plotting may refer to:
Art, media and entertainment
* Plot (narrative), the story of a piece of fiction
Music
* ''The Plot'' (album), a 1976 album by jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava
* The Plot (band), a band formed in 2003
Other
* ''Plot' ...
, and an emotional "
hook" to stimulate interest. A one-sentence program summary in ''
TV Guide'' is a log line. "A log line is a single sentence describing your entire story," 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
nga bigger meaning."
[Perebinossoff, Philippe; Gross, Brian; and Gross, Lynne S. (2005). ''Programming for TV, Radio, and the Internet: Strategy, Development, and Evaluation'', p.73. Taylor & Francis. .] "A logline is a one-sentence summary of the story's main conflict. It is not a statement of
theme
Theme or themes may refer to:
* Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work
* Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos
* Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...
but rather a
premise."
"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).
Elements
Narrative elements often referenced in a logline include the
setting
Setting may refer to:
* A location (geography) where something is set
* Set construction in theatrical scenery
* Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction
* Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to eng ...
,
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
,
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
,
inciting incident
In a literary work, film, or other narrative, the plot is the sequence of events in which each event affects the next one through the principle of cause-and-effect. The causal events of a plot can be thought of as a series of events linked by th ...
, and a
conflict and a
goal (the conflict's resolution). Change, such as character growth, and action should be suggested.
A log line should contain four facts: "the main character, what the main character wants," the villain(s) or obstacle(s), "standing in the way," and, "the unique aspect(s) of the story."
[Farnham, Ronald (2011). ''How to Write a Screenplay in 30 Days or Less'', p.51. AuthorHouse. .]
Examples
See also
*
High concept
References
*
Television terminology
Film and video terminology
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