Su-City Pictures East, LLC

Screenplay & Film Consulting By Susan Kouguell

Tag: LOGLINES

SUSAN’S TOP TEN LOGLINE TIPS for SCREENWRITERS UTOPIA

 

 

“What is that script about?”

A logline is a one-sentence plot summary; it is also known as a written pitch. The first step in writing a logline is to ask yourself: “What is my script about?” and then answer the question.

A logline is not a tagline, as seen in a movie trailer or movie advertisement, such as in this example:

BAD LOGLINE EXAMPLE #1

Will Jenny overcome her demons before it’s too late?

WHY IT’S BAD

•           It sounds like a movie trailer.

•           It doesn’t tell us what the story is about or what the major conflict is.

•           The phrase “too late” doesn’t tell us what’s at stake in your story.

•           It includes the character’s name, which loglines should not.

•           Jenny could be a child, a teen or an adult.

•           It doesn’t tell us who Jenny really is.

Loglines must clearly and succinctly convey what the core of your story is about, using your story arc as your guide.

BAD LOGLINE EXAMPLE #2

It’s a story about a teacher who learned life lessons as she discovered the meaning of life.

WHY IT’S BAD

•           It’s written in the past tense.

•           “It’s a story about” is too wordy and unnecessary.

•           We don’t know what type of teacher or person she is.

•           “Learns life lessons” and “discovering the meaning of life” identifies the themes of the story, and it repeats the word ‘life.”  (A logline must not include the theme of your script; it should be evident.)

•           It doesn’t tell us what the story is about or what major obstacle she must overcome.

TOP TEN LOGLINE TIPS

  1. Describe your story and setting, your protagonist, and his or her major goal and conflict/obstacle.
  2. Use present tense.
  3. Every word must do double duty. Less is more.
  4. Indicate how your characters are distinct by using strong adjectives to describe them.
  5. Show the reader how your story is different and unique, and what sets it apart.

To read more: http://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/a4d71de0

 

SUSAN’S ASK THE SCREENPLAY DOCTOR COLUMN – SCREENPLAY ETIQUETTE

Ask the Screenplay Doctor: Submitting Your Screenplay Etiquette

Pointers for good etiquette for submitting your script.

 

When I began writing this Ask the Screenplay Doctor monthly column about four years ago, the NewEnglandFilm.com editors had noted that this is not a column where writers can post their loglines synopses of projects, or submit queries – or even their screenplays. I know how challenging it is to get your query, synopsis, and scripts read and considered, but you are wasting your effort by sending them to someone who doesn’t want them. If you want to post those, feel free to do that through the Screenplays Available/Wanted page on NewEnglandFilm.com.

Of course, if you need advice about screenwriting, the business of screenwriting, then by all means, email me your question — but leave out the logine, treatment, or script.  So, with this reminder, here is some advice on this topic.

Top Five Pointers for Submitting your Project

  1. Confirm that the company you are querying is indeed accepting unsolicited material. (Unsolicited is defined as work that is not submitted by an agent, manager, or entertainment attorney.)
  2. Follow the company’s submission rules. For example: If a company requests only a one-page synopsis, send them only a one-page synopsis.  Nothing more.
  3. Only submit your logline, synopsis and/or script to companies who have requested it. When you submit work to a company that is not seeking unsolicited material, your work will be rejected. You are wasting your time and you are wasting the time of the person to whom you have submitted your unrequested work.
  4. Research the companies, film executives, and agents to confirm the spelling of their names and their titles. Film industry folks don’t appreciate seeing their names misspelled.  Executives’ titles frequently change — the industry person who is there today may not be there tomorrow.  The Hollywood Creative Directory and IMDBPro are two suggested sources (among others) to find extensive contact information for film executives, production companies and studios.
  5. Never submit a logline, query letter, synopsis, and/or script that has not been proofread. For screenplays, it is critical that you follow industry standard format.

To read more of my column: http://www.newenglandfilm.com/magazine/2014/04/screenplay

Ask the Screenplay Doctor: How to Find Agents and What to Write to Them

 

From Flickr Photographer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xsphat/

For some of you, this holiday season offers a few days of vacation time and, with that, the opportunity to send out query letters. Remember when you submit your queries, do not address the letter with “To Whom it May Concern” — this demonstrates to the letter’s recipient that you have not taken the time to research the company and the appropriate person you should be querying. It guarantees that your query will be discarded.

READ MORE:

http://www.newenglandfilm.com/magazine/2010/12/screenplay