The best video / explanation read thus far, after a week of research, try and miss (and almost crying ... lol) thank you for your time, effort and offering: TOTALLY AWESOME!
These are good guidelines for features. I'd love to see a similar description for television shows. Most of the best TV shows evolve over time. Game of Thrones famously baited and switched viewers with who its protagonists and antagonists were, often killing off fan favorites. (The death stakes were, of course, the throne.)
The protagonists shouldn't be named, only described in terms of their defining characteristic. So for "Raiders of the Lost Ark": Instead of: In 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the US government to locate the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis, and stop them from becoming the most powerful army the world has ever known. (29 words) Maybe something like: In 1936, a swashbuckling archaeologist must find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do and weaponize its supernatural power to conquer the world. (23 words) In writing loglines less is more. The suggested logline for "The Hangover" is too l-o-n-g. Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night and the bachelor missing. Now they must put together the pieces of the night before and get him to the altar before it's too late (43 words. A logline should not exceed 40 words. Ever.) Try: Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of what happened -- and the bachelor is missing. Now they must find him and get him to the altar in time. (36 words) The logline for "Manchester by the Sea" contains unnecessary embellishments. "When his brother dies, a depressed handyman is forced to return to his hometown and confront his horrific past having been the sole guardian of his spirited 16-year-old nephew." (29 words) It can be trimmed down to the core concept: "When a taciturn janitor reluctantly becomes the legal guardian of his orphaned nephew, he must confront his estranged wife and a tragic past." (23 words)
The Logline for 'Manchester by the Sea' is very similar to that of 'Rain Man' - father dies .... car importing hustler ... inherits his savant bother ... must get home in time to finalise a deal. All longlines are BASICALLY the same - just make a few substitutes here and there.
theres no trick to it as long as your idea is compelling enough. if your logline doesnt have enough punch to it, it's because your key story elements arent compelling enough.
Notice that, what is being said here, is that for a movie to be "Popular", it needs to be about potential death. And, many movies have death in them. Sometimes many deaths, or in the case of The Lord of the Rings, thousands of deaths. Why is this? Are people not satisfied unless death is a major element in a movie? Why do people like death? Death is one of the grossest things there is.
Hi Don, it's largely connected to stakes. So, if not a physical death, think of in the emotional sense. What would make a character feel like they died and/or lost?
