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Loglines, outlines and treatments
Fabiola MercadanteMy servicesLoglines, outlines and treatments
It is the point where the so-called “hook” stops being an idea to pitch in a few words. It becomes a story to tell. It grows, takes shape and holds itself up through a structure. We get to know its protagonists, and their goals and desires take form. In other words, the story starts to live.
What is a logline
If you can sum it up in one sentence, then it’s the right idea. That is exactly what a logline is: one sentence that sums up your story, complete and self-contained.
What is a story outline
The outline is a synopsis worth giving a stylistic signature of its own. Only a few pages long, in the present tense and without dialogue, it still has to tell the whole story. That means setting out themes, characters, goals and narrative structure with absolute clarity. If one of these elements doesn’t work, the story doesn’t work.
What is a treatment
The treatment is the light at the end of the tunnel. Still without dialogue (or almost), it is the scene, the detail, the tone of the story. It has more room to breathe and more room to manoeuvre. Done well, it gets you halfway there.
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