How To Write TV Show Loglines: The Definitive Guide

We’ll cover what you should put in your logline’s last sentence and why it is important to have one in general. It’s crucial that a good final line leaves readers intrigued and wanting more!

This is a continuation of my blog series on how to write a logline, which is the most important element of your screenplay.

In this article, we will cover what makes up an action-based logline for TV scripts and give you a blueprint for better understanding them as well as writing them.

What Is A Logline?

A logline is a one-sentence summary of your movie or film.

It’s designed to give someone who doesn’t know about the project an idea of what it’s about and why they should be interested in reading more.

A well-written logline can be the difference between making a sale or not, so it’s important for filmmakers to get them right!

How To Write A TV Show Logline (With Examples)

When it comes to pitching a TV show, the logline is your hook. I’ve seen some terrible ones in my day… Many aspiring TV writers struggle with how to write a logline for their show.

No matter what genre or format it falls into – whether comedy, drama, thriller- your goal with the logline is always the same: engage and intrigue potential viewers by telling them enough about the protagonist’s journey that they are compelled to read on.

A solid TV show intro should establish the premise of the series, while also giving an indication of tone and genre.

It should be concise but not too vague or generic- it’s important that you state your unique selling point!

And finally, it needs to sound original and inspiring so people want more information about your project.

It also needs to mention who are main characters are and how they change over time.

Logline Formula

Examples include: A young man tries to win back his ex-girlfriend, but she marries someone else; An alien comes down to earth and takes over an unsuspecting family’s house.

The formula is: situation + protagonist’s goal + something bad happens + hero takes action + things get worse before they get better.

The logline formula can be used as a starting point in the process of creating your own loglines or pitching them to others.

A successful logline is concise, clear, and engaging. It’s purpose: to sell your story in just one sentence-and it needs to be good!

A logline is a one-sentence summary of your story that contains the following: protagonist, goal, conflict or antagonist (antagonist), and stakes.

For example: “In ‘The Hunger Games,’ Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her sister’s place in the Hunger Games.”

In order to write a successful logline you must be able to convey what your story is about in just one sentence.

How To Craft The Perfect TV Series Logline

Alisa Kwitney shares her tips on how to craft the perfect TV series logline. Her advice includes what not to do and where you should start when brainstorming ideas for your own loglines.

As she explains, “The best way I can sum up a good log line – it’s got all the information but it does so in just three sentences.”

A typical logline might be something like this: “After losing his job as an architect and having his wife abandon him with their two children, John struggles to find success in life.”

Or “A family living on a farm in rural Kentucky faces financial ruin when they can’t keep up with their mortgage payments after the bank forecloses on them.”

A logline is a brief summary of your story idea, but This isn’t just about your synopsis – it should be written as if someone had never read anything about your book before in order to get them excited about reading more or watching the movie adaptation!

It’s also used in screenwriting as a tool for quickly conveying the premise of a story and generating interest among people who read scripts.

Famous TV Show Loglines

A TV show is a medium for entertainment that has been around for decades. The past decade has seen the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.

With this surge in popularity, there are now more options than ever before to choose from when it comes to TV shows.

In order to help you navigate through all your choices, we want to share some famous TV show loglines with you!

Friends

A sitcom that revolves around a group of friends who live in Manhattan.

It’s all about the everyday lives, loves, and losses of this close-knit group of twenty-somethings who hang out at Central Perk coffee house.

Breaking Bad

This is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan.

The story follows Walter White as he transforms from a meek high school science teacher who wants to provide for his family after learning he has terminal cancer into a ruthless player in the local drug trade.

After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, chemistry teacher Walter White becomes a crystal meth producer after he’s told his family will benefit from his death.

Game of Thrones – In the mythical land of Westeros, seven noble families fight for control of the Iron Throne while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for thousands of years.

   

Famous Book Loglines

Quotes such as “You make me want to be a better man,” from The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks or “I’m just not that into you” taken from Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell can all be traced back to their original source material with some quick sleuthing through these famous quotes’ loglines.

For example, “A man who wants to be left alone in his cabin” is how The Shining by Stephen King is remembered.

It’s not just about remembering what book it was, but also what that sentence tells you about the story and genre of the novel.

Loglines are the short summaries you see on Amazon’s product page for books, and they often encapsulate what that book is about in one sentence.

Here is an example:

“The Stranger who saved Christmas” by Steven E. Wedel – When Santa falls off his sleigh during an emergency landing.

StudioBinder have some good examples:

Additional Logline Tips

Take a look at this list of tips to help get you started.

1. Keep it brief – The intro paragraph is just the beginning so don’t spend too much time on it!

2. Convey the topic quickly – To keep readers interested, summarize what they’ll be learning in the following paragraphs.

3. Have personality – Share something about yourself or how you felt when doing whatever activity you’re writing about.

4. Be honest – If there’s something that makes you mad or excited, say it!

5. Be specific.

6. Introduce conflict.

7. Show stakes.

8. Include something surprising.

9. Use dialogue.

Know The Difference Between A Tagline & A Logline

A tagline and a logline are two completely different things. A tagline is not even something that would be seen on the screen while a logline is what you might see before or after a movie trailer.

A tagline and a logline are both used to grab the attention of your audience, but they are not interchangeable.

A tagline is short and catchy, often just one sentence long. It’s usually used in advertising campaigns or marketing materials to summarize who you are, what you do, or what sets you apart from competitors.

A logline is longer than a tagline and can be 2-3 sentences long. It should focus on who the main character is and what their goal is at the beginning of your story (it might also mention any other important characters).

For example: “A mother struggles with her son’s Tourette Syndrome while running for public office.”

We all know that a tagline is a short phrase or sentence used as an advertising slogan. A logline, on the other hand, is more of a one-sentence summary. A tagline can be powerful and catchy but it’s not always enough to distinguish your company from competitors.

The purpose of a logline in marketing materials such as brochures, ads, and websites is to convey what your product does in one concise sentence.

Loglines are also useful when pitching ideas for TV shows or motion pictures because they’re so often the first things producers will ask about.

The main difference between these two pieces of copywriting? Ultimately, loglines should answer questions like ‘What’s this show about?’