What your story is about.
Relating to the plot and structure you have created the following questions are addressed:
Does it hook you within the first 10-15 pages? Does it leap out of the starting gate and immediately capture your attention? Is the central conflict strong and clearly defined? Is it clear what the story is about? Do you like what the story is about? What it says? What it means? Might it offend a certain segment of the population? Is it racially biased or morally questionable without redeeming features? Is it sexist or misogynistic? Does it contain elements that could conceivably draw an audience into the theatre? For example, would it be a good starring vehicle for a particular actor? Is this a memorable story, or a rather simple, ordinary plot with some extraordinary touches? Is there a strong emotional pull? Does it touch you? Do you laugh, cry, get angry? Do you genuinely care what happens from page to page? Is it credible? Plausible? Logical? Is it timely or dated? Does it offer something for today’s audience? Are the stakes of the story high enough to make it compelling? Does the world of the story (the setting or milieu) have enough to offer?
How the forward motion of the storytelling is expressed
Is the structure appropriate to the genre, i.e. a solid actioner with a hard driving build, a taut, suspenseful thriller? Is there a clear-cut beginning, middle, and end? Does the first act set up the central conflict, i.e. establish what the protagonist wants and what he/she is up against?
Does the second act create greater and greater complications that build in a progression? Is there an increasing sense of jeopardy, urgency, tension? Does the third act solve the central conflict? Are there tangible climaxes at the end of each act? Is there sufficient conflict throughout? Does the script move, build, intensify, continually hold attention? Is the dramatic progression strong? (Note: this applies to any genre, comedy included – in this sense the word dramatic is used to denote plot progression).
Is there a logical, causal connection between each scene? Conversely, does it seem that some scenes are unnecessary or repetitive? Are the scene transitions smooth or visually interesting? Is there enough new information or does repetition set in? How is the exposition (non-dialog information about plot, character, time, and place) handled? Is it conveyed through conflict or stagnant dialog? Is the plotting too predictable, obvious, transparent? Too simplistic or complex? Too vague, jumbled, or confusing? Is the script cohesive? Does it gel? Does it flow? Is it written with clarity? How is the subplot(s) handled? Does it intersect with the main plot, affecting the life of the protagonist, or does it dangle in the middle of nowhere? Does the resolution tie up any and all loose ends? Is too much left to the audience’s imagination?
Is the ending predictable, i.e., two lovers reconciling in the third act after a breakup in the second, is the inevitable delayed as creatively and imaginatively as possible? Is the ending too pat and trite? Is there a satisfying payoff? Does the writer reward the audience for paying attention?
One of the most valuable elements of a professional
script consultation is how to gauge the uniqueness of your writing "voice".
Your voice is the style you write in which makes your writing feel fresh
and original, even if there are problems in some of the more basic storytelling
benchmarks. "Voice" is a much less quantifiable element and more
open to interpretation than the standard benchmarks.
The ability
to comment upon your screenwriting voice in a constructive manner can only
come from a seasoned entertainment industry professional with appropriate
experience and understanding of the art of screenplay writing and the realities
of the film business.