Script Reader checklist
Checklist A: Concept & Plot #1. Imagine the trailer. Is the concept marketable? #2. Is the premise naturally intriguing — or just average, demanding perfect execution? #3. Who is the target audience? Would your parents go see it? #4. Does your story deal with the most important events in the lives of your characters? #5. If you’re writing about a fantasy-come-true, turn it quickly into a nightmare-that-won’t-end. #6. Does the screenplay create questions: will he find out the truth? Did she do it? Will they fall in love? Has a strong ‘need to know’ hook been built into the story? #7. Is the concept original? #8. Is there a goal? Is there pacing? Does it build? #9. Begin with a punch, end with a flurry. #10. Is it funny, scary, or thrilling? All three? #11. What does the story have that the audience can’t get from real life? #12. What’s at stake? Life and death situations are the most dramatic. Does the concept create the potential for the characters lives to