Two-line Pitch

A Story’s DNA

The two-line pitch, or logline, is arguably the most important and difficult sentence a screenwriter will ever write. It is the DNA of the entire story, a microscopic summary that contains all the essential elements needed to understand the film’s core narrative. Its purpose is to distill a 110-page screenplay into a single, compelling idea that can be easily understood and evaluated. A strong logline will not only summarize the plot but also hint at the film’s genre, tone, and stakes, while sparking the reader’s curiosity.

Loglines are the currency of the film industry. They are used in query letters to agents, in pitch meetings with producers, and in catalogues for film markets. A great logline can get a script read, while a weak or confusing one can get it dismissed without a second glance. It is the ultimate test of a story’s core concept: if the story cannot be summarized in a compelling sentence, it may have a fundamental structural problem.

The Classic Logline Formula

While creativity is key, most effective loglines contain several key components, often fitting into a flexible formula.

The Formula: When a [CATALYST/INCITING INCIDENT] happens, a [FLAWED PROTAGONIST] must [ACHIEVE A GOAL] by confronting an [ANTAGONISTIC FORCE], or else [THE STAKES] will come to pass.

Analyzing Great Loglines:

• Jaws (1975):

  • “When a giant man-eating shark begins to terrorize a small island community (Catalyst), a police chief with a crippling fear of water (Flawed Protagonist) must hunt the creature down (Goal) before it kills again (Stakes).”

• Back to the Future (1985):

  • “A small-town teen (Protagonist) is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean (Catalyst) and must make his nerdy teenage parents fall in love (Goal) or he will be erased from existence (Stakes).”

• The Silence of the Lambs (1991):

  • “In order to catch a serial killer (Goal), a young F.B.I. trainee (Protagonist) must seek the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibalistic killer (Antagonistic Force), who toys with her as the body count rises (Stakes).”