16 Point Evaluation
Fresh Voices and Studio Ready have developed a unique yet effective 16 point evaluation system which scores all the elements of a great screenplay on a scale of 1-5.
The screenplay competition employs this method to judge every screenplay entered, bringing a consistency to the process and offers the results to each contestant.
All material that scores over 68/80 points (85%) will be submitted for wider industry exposure.
Below are the 16 points and some of the things we consider.
VOICE - Your voice is the style and personality with which you write. A strong voice should resonate long after the material has been read. It is the one aspect of screen writing that can not be taught, rewritten or developed through traditional development methods. It can however be developed by the writer themselves as they hone their skills and craft.
FORMAT - There are specific guidelines for writing screenplays. Are the guidelines being met? The format of your script is the first impression. A script that does not have proper formatting lacks professionalism. Formatting allows an experienced reader to scan material in a way that he or she understands what is happening and what is being said, without being bogged down in dense text.
STORY- The story includes the hook, the set up and the pay-off. Do the first ten pages hook the audience and is the story engaging enough to sustain their attention for a full 90 minutes?
STRUCTURE - Does the screenplay have a clear 3 act structure with beginning, middle and end? If not does it benefit the story? Does the end of act one challenge your protagonist, pose a question or force him/her to make a decision?
THEME - The theme of the film is what you want people talking about when they leave the cinema. Why do we care? Beyond the story and characters, what is your film about?
TONE - Tone is most likely determined by genre, so the question here is how well the tone of the screenplay compliments the genre.
PREMISE/ CONCEPT - How clear is the premise to identify? Is it a high concept premise, or low concept? Is it a genre driven concept, or character driven.
PLOT POINTS - Do the plot points twist and turn the story in unpredictable ways? Do the plot points add to the dramatic tension, provide obstacles for the protagonist in accomplishing his goal?
PACING - How well does your screenplay flow? Are the dramatic stakes constantly rising or is there a lull in the action? Pacing is closely related to structure so if the structure is flawed, pacing will often suffer.
CONFLICT - Conflict provides dramatic tension. Conflict is the driving force of any story and usually involves physical (man v man) and emotional (man v himself) conflict. What’s at stake for our protagonist?
CHARACTERIZATION - Are your characters likable and relatable? Are the character motivations believable? Does their personality fit their character? Do they have a strong, clear character arch? What do they learn and how do they change from beginning to end?
DIALOGUE - Dialogue should be natural, not "on the nose." People rarely talk like you write. People talk over each other, have accents, emphasize certain words and speak with different inclinations. Do all your characters sound a like? If the reader just read the dialogue, would they know which of your characters is speaking?
MARKETABILITY - How easy is this concept to market? Can the concept be conveyed easily on a movie poster? What is the merchandising potential? (Action Figures, Happy Meals, video games?) Does it have sequel or franchise potential? Does the concept lend itself to any of the new forms of marketing and distribution models? (Trans-media, social networking.) Is it a viral concept?
CAST-ABILITY - Are your characters rich and memorable? Do they scream out for a particular actor or actress? Will the characters prove challenging to a leading actor or actress or are they run of the mill characters that we've seen a thousand time before?
COMMERCIALITY - How broad is your film? Is it a 4 quadrant summer tent-pole or is it a personal, niche oriented film destined to a limited release in art house theaters.
MARKET POTENTIAL (SALABILITY) - The trends and needs of the market place change often. One day something is hot, the next its not. How easy is this film to sell according to the current landscape of the industry?
