A useful and proven diagnostic tool for the effective and constructive analysis and editing of dramatic screenplays. For writers, directors, producers, actors and others.

1. CRITICAL
DRAFT ANALYSIS
A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL

2. TWO QUESTIONS
FOR THE SCREENWRITER
• AUDIENCE – To whom is
your story addressed?
• TRIBE – On whose
behalf, or in whose name –
tribally – are you telling the
story?

3. Setting up
the characters & their conflict
1. Who/What is/are the main
character(s)?
2. What problem/opportunity does the
main character confront at the beginning of
the main story?

4. 3. What action (plan) – on the part of
the main character – is prompted by the
initial problem?
4. What goal does the main character
hope to achieve as a result of employing
this plan?
5. Who or what opposes the main
character/s?

5. 6. Other than what directly and
obviously opposes the main character,
what else does the character fear or
see as a (potential) threat?
7. In what manner or aspect is the
main
character [or characters]compelling?

6. 8. Obstacles/complications: What is/are
the major obstacle/s or complication/s
confronting the main character after he/she
has decided upon his/her initialplan of action?
9. In what ways does the problem evolve or
change, and what impact does this change
have on the main character’s objective and/or
plans for achieving it?

7. STAK E S
10. What is at stake in the main character’s
quest for his/her objective or goal? And
In what ways – if any – do the stakes change?
11. What is the main character’s final goal?
12. What new or significant realization or
Understanding does the main character have
at the conclusion of the story?

8. 13. List and identify any subsidiary stories,
and explain how they contribute to the
dramatic
meaning of the main story.
14. Scene sequencing: Does each scene
Either facilitate or frustrate or the main
character’s likelihood of attaining his/her goal?
Please note any scenes that do neither.
15. Unanswered questions: Does the script
raise any questions it never answers?
Specify.

9. DRAMATIC
QUESTION, LOG-LINE &
PREMISE
16. What is the dramatic question of the main story?
17. What is the answer provided at the end of the
story?
18. What is the premise?
19. What is the log-line?

10. GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES
Time of Action - What time-span is covered
by the action of the story?
Place of Action - Geographic location.
Where
the story set?
Society - What significant societal
groups, clans, or sub-cultures do the
characters belong to?

11. Interactions What characterises the
interactions that occur between and among
the different groups in the story?
Intellect / education - In what way/s that
are important to the story do the characters
express their intellectual identity?
Culture What do the groups DO that
characterises or defines their cultural identity?

12. Politics What principle/s do the characters
and character groups adhere to and uphold in
order to govern themselves?
Law How do the groups enforce these
principles?
Economics What principle/s do the groups
adhere to and uphold in the production,
distribution, trade andconsumption of goods
and services?

13. Spirituality - What sustaining spiritual
notions or values do the groups hold to be true?
(This refers to the formal religious elements that
may be present and inform their attitudes and
actions, inclduing the presence of religious
societies, churches, ceremonies, traditions,and
the relgious values espoused by the
characters.)
Neutral circumstances - Which, if any, of
these
circumstances or aspects are in evidence but
not