Explaining the Three Central Ideas of a Movie: Premise, Logline, and Theme


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As a scriptwriter, understanding the three central ideas of a movie is crucial to crafting a compelling and engaging story. These three ideas - premise, logline, and theme - form the foundation of any good movie and help to guide the writer as they develop their story. In this article, we'll explore the differences between these three elements and how they work together to create a memorable and impactful movie experience.

The definition of premise, logline and theme

A movie premise is the central idea or concept upon which a story is built. It's a summary of the main points of the plot, and it's usually just a few sentences long (only consist of 25-27 word). The movie premise provides a broad overview of the story and introduces the main character, the conflict they face, the stakes of the story, and the setting.

A movie logline is a brief summary of the movie that captures the essence of the story in one or two sentences. The logline is designed to be attention-grabbing and engaging, and it should provide a clear and concise summary of the movie's main plot and characters.

A movie theme is the central idea or message that a movie explores or presents. It's the underlying message or lesson that the movie is trying to convey to the audience, and it ties all of the other elements of the story together.




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Some examples;

Here are some examples of how to write a premise, a logline and its theme all together to describe the central idea of a movie. To make things interesting, try to guess the title of the movie (the answer is at the end of the article)

01. 
Premise: In a world where technology allows people to enter and manipulate dreams, a skilled thief is hired to plant an idea in someone's mind.
Logline: "In a world where dreams can be hacked, a thief must infiltrate the mind of a powerful CEO to plant an idea."
Theme: The power of ideas and the blurred lines between reality and dreams.

02. 
Premise: In a prison where hope is scarce, a wrongly convicted banker forms an unlikely friendship with a fellow inmate as they navigate the harsh realities of prison life.
Logline: "In a brutal prison, an innocent man befriends a lifer as they find redemption in the most unlikely of places."
Theme: The resilience of the human spirit and the pursuit of freedom.

03. 
Premise: In a world where memories can be erased, a man undergoes a procedure to erase the memories of a failed relationship but soon realizes the value of love and the importance of embracing both the good and the bad.
Logline: "In a world of selective memory erasure, a man seeks to erase the pain of lost love but discovers the beauty of memories in unexpected ways."
Theme: The complexities of love, the impact of memories, and the acceptance of life's imperfections.

04.
Premise: In a dystopian future, a computer hacker discovers that the world he knows is a simulated reality controlled by machines, and he joins a group of rebels to fight against the oppressive system.
Logline: "In a simulated world controlled by machines, a hacker awakens to the truth and leads a rebellion against their digital overlords."
Theme: The nature of reality, the power of choice, and the fight for liberation.

05.
Premise: In a future where Earth has become a wasteland, a lonely robot tasked with cleaning up the planet stumbles upon a small plant and embarks on a journey through space to save humanity.
Logline: "In a post-apocalyptic world, a curious robot discovers a tiny plant that holds the key to the survival of humanity, leading him on an adventure across the galaxy."
Theme: Environmentalism, the importance of connection, and the resilience of the human spirit.

So what's the difference between these three central ideas of a movie?

A movie premise provides a broad overview of the story and introduces the main characters and conflict, while a movie logline is a concise summary of the main plot. A movie theme is the central message or lesson of the movie and ties all of the other elements of the story together.

In short, a movie premise provides the foundation for the story, a movie logline captures the essence of the story in a few concise sentences, and a movie theme is the underlying message or lesson of the movie. All three of these elements are important in creating a compelling and engaging movie.

As a main idea, do you need to write down all of them, or just one of them?

It is typically helpful to have a clear understanding of the premise, logline, and theme of a story when writing a synopsis.

The premise is the central idea or concept upon which a story is built, and it provides a broad overview of the main points of the plot. The logline is a brief summary of the movie that captures the essence of the story in one or two sentences. The theme is the central message or lesson of the movie, and it ties all of the other elements of the story together.

Having a clear understanding of these three elements can help you to write a concise and engaging synopsis that accurately reflects the main points of the story. Additionally, the premise, logline, and theme can serve as a roadmap for the story, helping you to stay focused and on track as you write your synopsis.

So, while it is not absolutely necessary to have all three elements in order to write a synopsis, having a clear understanding of the premise, logline, and theme can be helpful in crafting a strong and effective summary of the story.

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Okay, you have the premise, the logline and theme but now what ?

To write a synopsis based on an already written premise, logline, and theme, you can follow these steps:
  1. Begin by reading through the premise, logline, and theme to get a sense of the main points of the story.
  2. Next, consider the main character of the story and their goals and motivations. What are they trying to achieve, and what is standing in their way?
  3. Think about the main conflict of the story. What is the main problem or obstacle that the main character must overcome, and how does this conflict drive the plot forward?
  4. Consider the setting and time period of the story. How does the setting and time period contribute to the mood and atmosphere of the story?
  5. Reflect on the theme of the story. What is the central message or lesson of the story, and how does it tie all of the other elements of the story together?
  6. Using the information you've gathered, write a concise and engaging summary of the story. This should include the main character, their goals and motivations, the main conflict, the setting and time period, and the theme of the story.
  7. Review your summary to ensure that it accurately reflects the premise, logline, and theme of the story and that it provides a clear and concise overview of the main points of the plot.
By following these steps, you should be able to write a synopsis based on a summary from an already written premise, logline, and theme.

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A movie premise is a summary of the main points of the plot, introducing the main character, conflict, stakes, and setting. A movie logline is a concise summary that captures the essence of the story in one or two sentences, while a movie theme is the central idea or message the movie explores.

While it's not necessary to include all three elements in a synopsis, understanding the premise, logline, and theme can help in writing a concise and engaging summary. The article offers steps to write a synopsis based on these elements, involving understanding the main character, conflict, setting, and theme.

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