A one-sentence summary of a film or script describing the protagonist, conflict, and goal in 25 words or fewer, used for pitching and marketing.
Technical Details
The optimal logline comprises 15-25 words and includes three mandatory components: the protagonist with a characterizing trait, the central conflict as an active plot, and the emotional or physical stakes. It omits character names, supporting characters, and subplot details. Industry standard is the use of the present tense, active voice, and the exclusion of adjectives without dramatic relevance. Genre indicators are conveyed through tonality and conflict choice, not explicit naming.
History & Development
The logline originated in 1947 in the story departments of major Hollywood studios, where script readers evaluated hundreds of treatments daily. Roy Disney Jr. established the one-sentence format as standard for pitch meetings in 1952. In the 1970s, talent agencies like CAA adopted the logline as a sales tool for packages. Since the 1990s, it has also dictated marketing: 78% of all movie posters use a modified logline as a tagline.
Practical Application in Film
"JAWS" (1975): "A police chief battles a great white shark terrorizing a beach town." "ALIEN" (1979): "The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly extraterrestrial creature." Loglines serve as a compass during development – if a scene deviates from the logline, it jeopardizes narrative unity. Pitch meetings conventionally begin with the logline, followed by the treatment and character arcs. Financiers decide on project interest within 30 seconds of hearing the logline.
Comparison & Alternatives
The logline differs from a pitch (2-5 minute presentation), a treatment (2-10 page plot summary), and a synopsis (1-3 pages with character development and ending). While taglines are formulated with a marketing orientation and emotional appeal, the logline remains factual and plot-driven. TV series use series loglines, which describe the basic setup without a specific episode. Streaming platforms today favor hook lines with a stronger cliffhanger character for algorithmic recommendation systems.