Logline Formula Builder
A free, template-based logline builder for screenwriters. Pick a formula, fill in the elements of your story, and copy a finished logline. No AI, no signup — your premise stays yours.
A logline is the most important sentence you will write about your screenplay. This tool gives you four proven templates — classic, Save the Cat, thriller, and comedy — and a structured form so you can iterate quickly until the logline lands. No AI in the loop. The output is built from your inputs and the formula you choose.
When [inciting incident], [protagonist] must [goal] [stakes].
How to Build a Logline With a Formula
Three steps. Iterate until it lands.
Pick a Template
Choose the formula that fits your story — classic four-part logline, Save the Cat structure, thriller, or comedy.
Fill in the Blanks
Type your protagonist, inciting incident, goal, and stakes into the labeled fields. The logline updates live.
Copy and Tighten
Copy the result and trim. Strong loglines are punchy, under 30 words, and front-load conflict.
Why Use a Logline Formula
Templates impose discipline. Discipline makes loglines work.
Four Proven Templates
Pick from classic, Save the Cat, thriller, and comedy logline formulas — each grounded in the conflict, character, and stakes structure that buyers expect.
Live Preview
Every field you fill in updates the logline in real time so you can iterate quickly without retyping.
Not LLM-Generated
This tool uses templates and your own input. No AI hallucinations, no copying someone else's logline — your story stays yours.
One-Click Copy
Copy the finished logline straight to your clipboard for query letters, pitch decks, or contest entries.
Runs in Your Browser
All processing happens locally. Nothing uploaded, nothing stored, nothing shared.
Free Forever
No signup, no paywall, no usage cap.
Logline Formula Builder FAQ
What is a logline?
A logline is a one-to-two sentence summary of a screenplay or novel that conveys the protagonist, inciting incident, central conflict, and stakes. It is the single most important sales tool in a writer's pitch — agents, managers, executives, and contest readers use it to decide in seconds whether they want to read the script.
What makes a logline strong?
Strong loglines combine four elements: a clearly defined protagonist with a flaw or constraint that creates dramatic interest, a specific inciting incident that breaks their world, a concrete external goal that drives the plot, and stakes that make failure costly. Concrete details beat abstractions — 'a burned-out nurse' beats 'a young woman'.
How long should a logline be?
Twenty to thirty words is the sweet spot. Anything shorter usually skips stakes or character specificity; anything longer drifts into synopsis territory. Read it aloud — if it takes more than ten seconds to say comfortably, trim it.
What is the Save the Cat logline formula?
Blake Snyder's Save the Cat logline structure asks for: a sense of stasis-as-death (the world before the story), a flawed hero, a catalyst that breaks the stasis, a clear goal, and a ticking clock that makes failure feel inevitable. It is a useful skeleton because it forces you to identify the moment of change as well as the destination.
Should I write the logline before or after the script?
Both. Writing a logline before drafting is a focus exercise — if you cannot summarize the story in one sentence, the story may not be ready. Writing a final logline after the script is a sales exercise — it should reflect the strongest version of the story you actually wrote, which is rarely identical to the one you set out to write.
Is this tool AI-powered?
No. This is a template-based generator — you fill in the elements, the tool stitches them into a sentence using proven formulas. There is no LLM in the loop, so your premise stays your premise.
Logline Locked? Get a Full Coverage Report.
Once your logline lands, pressure-test the script behind it. Get an AI coverage report or detailed development notes — starting at $39.
Get a Coverage Report — $39