What's a logline?

A logline is usually one to two sentences that summarize a movie or TV show. It's designed to help hook the reader and describes the central conflict of the story.

When someone asks what your script is about, you should respond with your logline. It is most important that your logline be concise yet engaging.

Examples

Below are some examples of loglines from famous movies.

The Godfather The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

Pulp Fiction The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.

Forrest Gump Forrest Gump, while not intelligent, has accidentally been present at many historic moments, but his true love, Jenny Curran, eludes him.

The Matrix A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.

Silence of the Lambs A young FBI cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.