11 Questions to Ask After Reading a Screenplay

Somebody at the Coverfly website has given me enough points to allow me to participate in the coverflyx beta program where participants can submit drafts to a list for others to read and critique. After doing about ten of these screenplays of various lengths, I have been trying to develop my own questions and reasonings to ask myself while reading them and try to advise the best solutions and notes for screenwriters to use. The main goal for them to improve and provide ways for the writers to make changes.

Because when you claim a screenplay, the official page of submission says: "Please write at least 300 words on what worked about the concept, characters, plot, dialogue, and themes of the script. Try to focus on specifics and actionable items." Also, you have a five day window to read the screenplay and provide notes for the minimum of 300 words for strengths and weaknesses of the screenplay. Therefore, you have a requirement of 600 words to complete for the assignment.

So, I developed my own questions to help myself think more critically to each screenplay and thought I would share them down below.

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1. At what scene in the entire screenplay, did you think, “Ah, now the story has really begun”?

2. Where were places where you skimmed past? Or any places that were confusing or were not clear imagery in the screen direction? Why?

3. Were there any details you had to repeat to understand something later for the characters, story beats, or pieces of dialogue?

4. Did you have a sense of catharsis at the end of the story? If not, why?

5. Did you have a sense of set up, follow through, and understanding from beginning to end? If not, why?

6. Were there any scenes where it became too slow, too fast, or just right for your pace? Why or why not?

7. When and where did you fall in love with a character moment? Did it involve an outward action or a piece of dialogue?

8. Did all the characters receive what they wanted from the beginning to the end of the story? Why or why not?

9. Were there any scenes in the story where a conflict was solved too easily or didn’t make any sense with the character’s motivations?

10. Name a particular scene that was entertaining and memorable that you liked best and why.

11. What do you think is the main theme of this piece and what it means for the audience to see this as a film?