This drama report has been created by the Screen Content Division of the AFTRS as a key initial

tool in helping a screenplay engage with an audience. We encourage industry professionals and
others to use it although would like the courtesy of an acknowledgement.







DRAMA REPORT

FIRST 15pp





CAVEAT EMPTOR
It is possible that you may answer all the questions in this report satisfactorily and still not
have a screenplay worth making if the dramatic action in the script is predictable, stale,
obvious, clichd or formulistic.






Readers Name:
__________________________________________
Date of reading:
______________
Name of Screenwriter:
_________________________________________
Title:

_______________________________________________
Draft Number:
_____

August 2009 Screen Content Division
Australian Film Television & Radio School


2

IDEA, DRAMATIC QUESTION, GENRE


What is the storys BIG IDEA? That is, a story event, character/s, motivating idea or fact,
any single remarkable and noteworthy thing which makes this story worth telling?






What central DRAMATIC QUESTION emerges from the action of the first 15 pages?






In the light of the answer to the previous questions, what then is the GENRE?



SETTING THE CHARACTERS & THEIR
CONFLICT

What FACTS do we KNOW about the CHARACTERS at the beginning of the story? What
facts can we DEDUCE? How can we deduce them?








Which of the above facts or deduced facts will engage an audiences EMPATHY with the
MAIN character/s? And WHY?










August 2009 Screen Content Division
Australian Film Television & Radio School


3

Among the facts or deduced facts is there a FLAW in the character/s or their personal world
which is ripe for a TRANFORMATIVE journey of change from IDENTITY to ESSENCE







What is the storys INCITING INCIDENT and how is that the strongest test for the flaw?








What outer GOAL does this set the character and how will we know it is achieved?






What INITIAL ACTION or ACTIONS [list each one] does this character take to achieve
this goal?

+






What WANT is REVEALED by the main characters active pursuit of their goal?






How is the main characters NEED revealed?






August 2009 Screen Content Division
Australian Film Television & Radio School


4

Which other character OPPOSES them in their quest? And WHICH ACTIONS show this
opposition?






In terms of the characters initial goal, what is at STAKE for them?




What OBSTACLE/s or COMPLICATION/s, other than the opposing force/character, does
the main character confront after he/she has decided upon his/her initial plan of action?






DEVELOPMENT OF THE DRAMATIC
CONFLICT

Is there any new action/s or information in he first 15pp after the inciting incident that
FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE/S how the character sees the world? If so, what are the
CONSEQUENCES?