A logline is a brief (one to two sentence) summary of a feature, TV etc. that hooks the reader in and describes the central conflict of the story.
The Logline:
Establishes a character with a problem
Proves genre
Shows the unique hook
Provides the situational recurring moment
The easiest way to write a logline and/or synopsis is to think of how a character’s life situation and his/her desires will then be placed within the plot situation of your story AND how those two things combine to create an ongoing problem (hence, conflict). A character with a goal pursues such a goal while facing a set of obstacles, and eventually succeeds in that pursuit but in an unexpected way. The same goes for a TV pilot, however you are instead presenting how the set of obstacles (the situation) will continually be a source of conflict over multiple episodes and seasons. Yes…this all can be presented in a logline too. “This type of character with these flaws must do this while facing these obstacles, until a big twist places the character within an even more conflicting situation for the long term.”
Summarizing your story in three paragraphs – one for each act – sounds relatively simple at first glance. However, it’s where writers often run into the most trouble.
The synopsis is not a moment-by-moment breakdown of plot points in your story. Instead, it’s a micro-version of the story. A beginning, middle and end that encapsulates your character’s journeys in the script. Think sweeping strokes here, rather than bite-sized breadcrumbs. Write your synopsis from the mindset that you’re telling someone what happens so that they can read the script and experience how those things happen. And yes, you should spoil the ending. Never withhold it in the hopes that it will encourage a reader to read your script.
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