SCENES
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Scene Map 60
# PG SLUGLINE
1 1
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
2 4
10 INT. CAMPUS AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 10
3 6
12 EXT. SUBURBAN DRIVEWAY - DAY 12
4 7
13 INT. BLACK PANTHER HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT 13
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15 INT. COLLEGE CLASSROOM - DAY 15
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23 INT. SDS OFFICE - NIGHT 23
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30 INT. PRESS CONFERENCE - DAY 30
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35 EXT./EST. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - DAY 35
9 15
37 INT. JOHN MITCHELL’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 37
10 22
39 EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY 39
11 24
40 INT. COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY 40
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41 INT. COURTROOM - CONTINUOUS 41
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42 INT. DEFENSE CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY 42
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43 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 43
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49 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 49
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53 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 53
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60 INT. STAHL'S OFFICE - DAY 60
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61 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 61
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A62 INT. MAKE-SHIFT PRESS ROOM - EARLY EVENING A62
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64 INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 64
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66 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 66
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69 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 69
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70 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 70
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73 INT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 73
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74 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 74
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78 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 78
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84 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 84
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85 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 85
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93 INT. BAR - NIGHT 93
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94 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 94
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100 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 100
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102 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 102
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110 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 110
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114 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 114
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118 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 118
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120 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 120
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122 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 122
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124 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 124
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125 EXT./EST. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY 125
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A151 EXT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A151
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152 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 152
42 109
156 INT. COURTROOM - SAME TIME 156
43 112
157 EXT./EST. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 157
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159 EXT./EST. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY 159
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160 INT. FOYER - CONTINUOUS 160
46 119
161 INT. STUDY - DAY 161
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162 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 162
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163 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 163
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165 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 165
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166 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 166
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A169 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A169
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B170 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B170
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B174 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B174
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180 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 180
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185 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 185
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193 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 193
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202 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 202
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205 INT. HAYMARKET TAVERN - NIGHT 205
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207 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 207
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208 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 208
INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
60
# PG SLUGLINE
1 1
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 Written by Aaron Sorkin FADE IN:
2 4
10 INT. CAMPUS AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 10
10 INT. CAMPUS AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 10
10 INT. CAMPUS AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 10 RENNIE We were there. RENNIE DAVIS, mid-20’s, wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and tie, is speaking to a standing room only crowd of
3 6
12 EXT. SUBURBAN DRIVEWAY - DAY 12
12 EXT. SUBURBAN DRIVEWAY - DAY 12
12 EXT. SUBURBAN DRIVEWAY - DAY 12 DAVE Non-violence. Always non-violence and that’s without exception. DAVE, 55, who looks like (and is) a Boy Scout Troop leader,
4 7
13 INT. BLACK PANTHER HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT 13
13 INT. BLACK PANTHER HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT 13
13 INT. BLACK PANTHER HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT 13 BOBBY Fuck the motherfuckers up. BOBBY, 32, is talking to his girlfriend, SONDRA, and getting ready to leave. We’ll get a tour of Panther headquarters--
5 9
15 INT. COLLEGE CLASSROOM - DAY 15
15 INT. COLLEGE CLASSROOM - DAY 15
15 INT. COLLEGE CLASSROOM - DAY 15 JERRY’s demonstrating to the students-- JERRY It’s named after the Russian Commissar Vyacheslav Mikhailovich
6 10
23 INT. SDS OFFICE - NIGHT 23
23 INT. SDS OFFICE - NIGHT 23
23 INT. SDS OFFICE - NIGHT 23 TOM HAYDEN’s looking at a homemade map on the wall of the route from Grant Park to the convention center as volunteers roll out leaflets on a printing press. RENNIE DAVIS is on the phone.
7 12
30 INT. PRESS CONFERENCE - DAY 30
30 INT. PRESS CONFERENCE - DAY 30
30 INT. PRESS CONFERENCE - DAY 30 TOM is at the podium-- TOM We want to underscore again that we’re coming to Chicago peacefully,
8 13
35 EXT./EST. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - DAY 35
35 EXT./EST. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - DAY 35
35 EXT./EST. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - DAY 35 It’s a grey, rainy morning. TITLE: U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Newly Appointed Attorney General, John Mitchell
9 15
37 INT. JOHN MITCHELL’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 37
37 INT. JOHN MITCHELL’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 37
37 INT. JOHN MITCHELL’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 37 JOHN MITCHELL is standing behind his desk, lighting a cigarette. MITCHELL As a matter of courtesy and
10 22
39 EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY 39
39 EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY 39
39 EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY 39 We see the source of the chanting--a massive crowd being held back by rope lines and police officers. While most of the crowd is shouting its support of the defendants, a healthy number are making it clear they find the defendants’ hair too
11 24
40 INT. COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY 40
40 INT. COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY 40
40 INT. COURTHOUSE CORRIDOR - DAY 40 The corridor’s lined with press. The elevator dings and the doors open as WILLIAM KUNSTLER and LEONARD WEINGLASS step off. KUNSTLER is a rumpled man in his 40’s and WEINGLASS is quieter though no less a legal mind.
12 25
41 INT. COURTROOM - CONTINUOUS 41
41 INT. COURTROOM - CONTINUOUS 41
41 INT. COURTROOM - CONTINUOUS 41 The gallery is packed with diehard supporters of the defendants as well as a full press section in the back. There’s more than the usual amount of security and we’ll notice a half-dozen MARSHALS wearing blue blazers and badges.
13 38
42 INT. DEFENSE CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY 42
42 INT. DEFENSE CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY 42
42 INT. DEFENSE CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY 42 This is the room where the defendants will meet privately with their lawyers during recesses. There’s a carton of deli sandwiches on the table and some cokes. The defendants and lawyers are filing in. TOM’s the last one
14 44
43 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 43
43 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 43
43 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 43 DAVID STAHL is on the stand. STAHL S-T-A-H-L. TITLE:
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49 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 49
49 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 49
49 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 49 SCHULTZ Did you issue the permits? STAHL I did not.
16 47
53 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 53
53 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 53
53 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 53 SCHULTZ Thank you. JUDGE HOFFMAN Mr. Feinglass?
17 49
60 INT. STAHL'S OFFICE - DAY 60
60 INT. STAHL'S OFFICE - DAY 60
60 INT. STAHL'S OFFICE - DAY 60 TOM and RENNIE are meeting with STAHL-- STAHL I’ll tell you the same thing I told Mr. Hoffman, Mr. Rubin and Mr.
18 50
61 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 61
61 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 61
61 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 61 WEINGLASS So five times you were asked for a permit, five times you were advised of the dangers of not providing a
19 56
A62 INT. MAKE-SHIFT PRESS ROOM - EARLY EVENING A62
A62 INT. MAKE-SHIFT PRESS ROOM - EARLY EVENING A62
A62 INT. MAKE-SHIFT PRESS ROOM - EARLY EVENING A62 ABBIE and JERRY are sitting at a table in front of a dozen microphones. TV news cameras line the back of the room. REPORTER #7 Why won’t Bobby Seale let anyone
20 58
64 INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 64
64 INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 64
64 INT. DINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS 64 TOM and WEINGLASS are at the table with piles of documents. KUNSTLER I don’t want you guys holding press conferences.
21 59
66 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 66
66 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 66
66 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 66 Everyone’s in their places but the BAILIFF and a MARSHALL are at the bench. They’ve given a note to JUDGE HOFFMAN and he’s looking it over.
22 63
69 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 69
69 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 69
69 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 69 A large folder gets dropped on the table and opened. It contains pictures of all the jurors and alternates. The two who were just dismissed get ripped out. KUNSTLER, WEINGLASS and the DEFENDANTS are standing or
23 67
70 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 70
70 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 70
70 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 70 The jury box is empty but everyone else is there. KUNSTLER is addressing the judge. KUNSTLER We move to strike the order of
24 70
73 INT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 73
73 INT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 73
73 INT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 73 It’s a sweltering hot night as we get introduced to the park and its occupants for the first time. Thousands of people that can only be made out in silhouette with flickers of lanterns, flashlights and fires. We can HEAR a pick-up band
25 74
74 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 74
74 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 74
74 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 74 The pick-up band singing “America” continues over-- DELUCA Detective Bell and I spotted Rennie Davis walking in the crowd and
26 76
78 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 78
78 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 78
78 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 78 SCHULTZ And did he tell the crowd to get back? 79 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 79
27 78
84 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 84
84 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 84
84 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 84 JUDGE HOFFMAN We’ll stand in recess for one hour and court will resume at-- BOBBY
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85 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 85
85 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 85
85 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 85 The place is packed and smoke-filled and everyone is there to see and hear ABBIE, who’s up on stage at the microphone. He has a style onstage that’s not unlike Lenny Bruce. We come in on a BIG LAUGH and APPLAUSE...
29 82
93 INT. BAR - NIGHT 93
93 INT. BAR - NIGHT 93
93 INT. BAR - NIGHT 93 JERRY’s having a drink at the end of a crowded bar. The BARTENDER puts another drink in front of him. BARTENDER This is from the woman in the
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94 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 94
94 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 94
94 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 94 DAPHNE Special Agent Daphne O’Conner, FBI. Counter Intelligence. DAPHNE is on the stand looking professional now. WEINER leans
31 86
100 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 100
100 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 100
100 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 100 ABBIE on stage-- ABBIE The guy testified that Ginsburg was letting out a war chant. Some kind
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102 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 102
102 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 102
102 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 102 WOJOHOWSKI The group turned right on 11th Street. 103 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 103
33 89
110 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 110
110 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 110
110 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 110 SCHULTZ How would you characterize the mood of the crowd? KUNSTLER
34 91
114 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 114
114 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 114
114 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 114 ABBIE And the guys from Kappa Gamma Douchebag who were hassling the girl? They’re back.
35 92
118 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 118
118 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 118
118 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 118 SCOTT --it may have been Jerry Rubin-- KUNSTLER and WEINGLASS both jump up-- KUNSTLER
36 93
120 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 120
120 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 120
120 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 120 ABBIE The street name for chloroacetophenone is tear gas and it’s a fuckin’ blow torch--your
37 95
122 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 122
122 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 122
122 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 122 There’s silence. DAPHNE is on the stand and KUNSTLER is taking a moment before he begins his cross... KUNSTLER After bailing Tom Hayden out,
38 97
124 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 124
124 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 124
124 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 124 DAPHNE still on the stand. KUNSTLER Special Agent O’Connor, you testified that Jerry Rubin said,
39 99
125 EXT./EST. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY 125
125 EXT./EST. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY 125
125 EXT./EST. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - DAY 125 It’s a Saturday during the Christmas season and families are going into and coming out of the museum. 126 EXT. PARK BENCH - DAY 126 It’s a crisp, Christmastime afternoon. A couple of trumpets,
40 103
A151 EXT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A151
A151 EXT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A151
A151 EXT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A151 All the lights are off. We HEAR a phone ringing... B151 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B151 BERNADINE’s sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor. TOM’s asleep on a couch in sweatpants and a t-shirt. The ringing
41 105
152 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 152
152 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 152
152 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 152 DETECTIVE FRAPOLY’s on the stand. BOBBY’s all but dead behind his eyes. TITLE: Trial Day 90
42 109
156 INT. COURTROOM - SAME TIME 156
156 INT. COURTROOM - SAME TIME 156
156 INT. COURTROOM - SAME TIME 156 Tense silence. The side door opens and the MARSHALS bring BOBBY in--bound, gagged and chained. The GALLERY reacts in horror.
43 112
157 EXT./EST. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 157
157 EXT./EST. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 157
157 EXT./EST. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 157 We HEAR BERNADINE answer the phone-- BERNADINE (V.O.) Conspiracy office, how can I help you?
44 117
159 EXT./EST. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY 159
159 EXT./EST. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY 159
159 EXT./EST. SUBURBAN HOUSE - DAY 159 There’s a dusting of snow on the ground as a taxi pulls into the circular driveway. The side of the taxi lets us know we’re in the D.C. area. TOM, KUNSTLER and WEINGLASS get out of the cab. WEINGLASS
45 118
160 INT. FOYER - CONTINUOUS 160
160 INT. FOYER - CONTINUOUS 160
160 INT. FOYER - CONTINUOUS 160 JANE He’s in his study at the end of the hall. Can I get anyone coffee? KUNSTLER
46 119
161 INT. STUDY - DAY 161
161 INT. STUDY - DAY 161
161 INT. STUDY - DAY 161 RAMSEY CLARK, in khakis and a button-down shirt, is sitting with two men in dark suits, one of whom we recognize as HOWARD from John Mitchell’s office. Framed photos are on the wall of Clark with LBJ in the Oval Office, with Bobby Kennedy
47 123
162 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 162
162 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 162
162 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 162 TITLE: Trial Day 124 KUNSTLER The defense calls Ramsey Clark.
48 131
163 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 163
163 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 163
163 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 163 The DEFENDANTS--minus DAVE--are sitting around the entryway...dejected. The PHONE RINGS...JERRY picks up the receiver and hangs up. JERRY
49 138
165 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 165
165 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 165
165 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 165 KUNSTLER It seems like you guys attract an awful lot of underage minors. TOM
50 139
166 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 166
166 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 166
166 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 166 DAVE And when they called him anti- American. He said, “No. That ignominious distinction goes to
51 140
A169 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A169
A169 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A169
A169 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT A169 TOM Rennie was just trying to get the police off of the kid. KUNSTLER
52 141
B170 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B170
B170 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B170
B170 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B170 TOM It was six armed police officers versus Rennie Davis and a pocket protector so I can understand that
53 143
B174 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B174
B174 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B174
B174 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT B174 KUNSTLER Did you tell your crowd to stay calm or did you-- TOM
54 144
180 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 180
180 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 180
180 EXT. GRANT PARK - NIGHT 180 We see bloody faces on the ground as the feet of the protestors move by. TOM is going through the crowd and directing them-- TOM
55 145
185 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 185
185 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 185
185 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 185 KUNSTLER All access to the convention was blocked. TOM
56 148
193 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 193
193 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 193
193 INT. CONSPIRACY OFFICE - NIGHT 193 KUNSTLER You made it through the riot police, the tear gas, the national guard and you’re in sight of the
57 150
202 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 202
202 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 202
202 INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - NIGHT 202 ABBIE 60’s outside the bar. 50’s inside the bar. And then...? An unnecessary metaphor.
58 151
205 INT. HAYMARKET TAVERN - NIGHT 205
205 INT. HAYMARKET TAVERN - NIGHT 205
205 INT. HAYMARKET TAVERN - NIGHT 205 TOM is sitting on the floor in the rubble and the aftermath...He sees ABBIE sitting against a wall in handcuffs...They’re both bleeding and they share a look of defeat...
59 153
207 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 207
207 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 207
207 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 207 ABBIE’s on the stand. ABBIE It’s Abbie. JUDGE HOFFMAN
60 157
208 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 208
208 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 208
208 INT. COURTROOM - DAY 208 We see some familiar faces in the gallery. DAVE’S FAMILY, HOWARD, DAPHNE, BERNADINE...and we now see that FROINES and WEINER are in the front row of the gallery too, no longer with the defendants.
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The Trial of the Chicago 7

In 1969, eight anti-war activists are put on trial for inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, forcing them to confront a politically motivated prosecution and a biased judge while battling their own internal divisions.

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Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

This script uniquely combines a historical courtroom drama with contemporary political relevance, using the 1969 trial as a lens to explore timeless questions about protest, justice, and institutional power. Its strength lies in making complex legal proceedings dramatically compelling while balancing multiple ideological perspectives without reducing characters to mere archetypes.

AI Verdict & Suggestions

Ratings are subjective. So you get different engines' ratings to compare.

Hover over verdict cards for Executive Summaries

GPT5
 Recommend
Grok
 Highly Recommend
Claude
 Recommend
Gemini
 Highly Recommend
DeepSeek
 Recommend
Average Score: 8.9
Key Takeaways
For the Writer:
The script is structurally strong and emotionally propulsive, but it needs surgical tightening in the trial-heavy middle and deeper interior work on underwritten people and perspectives. Prioritize pruning repetitive courtroom skirmishes, planting the tape/surveillance threat earlier, and adding connective beats that make shocking set pieces (Bobby Seale gagging, Ramsey Clark’s barred testimony, Fred Hampton’s death) land with fuller emotional consequence. Also deepen the inner lives of a few secondary figures — especially Bobby Seale, Froines, Weiner, and key women — and give Richard Schultz a clearer, dramatized internal arc so the prosecution reads as human and conflicted rather than merely political machinery.
For Executives:
This is a high-premium, awards-friendly historical courtroom drama with clear commercial legs: powerful theme (free speech vs. state power), memorable set pieces, and signature Sorkin dialogue that critics and prestige audiences respond to. The risks are length, mid-act redundancy, and potential perception of ideological one-sidedness; without tightening and stronger minority/female perspectives, it could be criticized as top-heavy and less resonant for mainstream viewers. Fixing pacing and deepening a few underwritten characters will preserve the movie’s prestige potential while broadening audience empathy and reducing controversy risk.
See Details in P/C/R/HR Section
Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 60% Comedy 20% War 15% Action 10% Crime 30%

Setting: 1960s-1970s, Chicago, Illinois, primarily during the Democratic National Convention and subsequent trials

Themes: Freedom of Speech and Protest vs. Government Control, The Nature of Justice and Injustice, The Futility of Peaceful Protest vs. Systemic Oppression, The Corrupting Influence of Power, The Power and Limitations of Counter-Culture and Radicalism, The Intersection of Race and Political Activism, Idealism vs. Pragmatism in Activism, The Role of Media and Public Perception, The Personal Cost of Activism and Resistance

Conflict & Stakes: The primary conflict revolves around the anti-war activists facing trial for conspiracy and inciting violence during protests, with their freedom and the broader implications for civil rights and social justice at stake.

Mood: Chaotic and defiant, with moments of humor and tragedy.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The intertwining of real historical events with personal narratives of the defendants, creating a compelling drama.
  • Major Twist: The unexpected defiance of Tom Hayden during the sentencing phase, turning a moment of compliance into a powerful political statement.
  • Innovative Ideas: The use of archival footage interspersed with dramatized scenes to enhance the historical context and emotional impact.
  • Distinctive Settings: The contrast between the chaotic protests in Chicago and the sterile courtroom environment, highlighting the tension between activism and authority.
  • Unique Characters: A diverse cast of characters representing various facets of the counterculture movement, each with distinct motivations and backgrounds.

Comparable Scripts: The Trial of the Chicago 7, Selma, The West Wing, One Night in Miami, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, Milk, The Butler, 12 Angry Men, The Help

🎯 Your Top Priorities

Our stats model looked at how your scores work together and ranked the changes most likely to move your overall rating next draft. Ordered by the most reliable gains first.

You have more than one meaningful lever.

Improving Theme (Script Level) and Concept will have the biggest impact on your overall score next draft.

1. Theme (Script Level)
Big Impact Script Level
Your current Theme (Script Level) score: 8.2
Expected gain: ~13% closer to an "all Highly Recommends" score
Typical rewrite gain: +0.5 in Theme (Script Level)
Confidence: High (based on ~1,521 similar revisions)
  • This is your top opportunity right now. Focusing your rewrite energy here gives you the best realistic shot at raising the overall rating.
  • What writers at your level usually do: Writers at a similar level usually raise Theme (Script Level) by about +0.5 in one rewrite.
View Theme (Script Level) analysis
2. Concept
Moderate Impact Scene Level
Your current Concept score: 8.2
Expected gain: ~7% closer to an "all Highly Recommends" score
Typical rewrite gain: +0.3 in Concept
Confidence: High (based on ~4,676 similar revisions)
  • This is another strong option. If the top item doesn't fit your rewrite plan, this is a solid alternative.
  • What writers at your level usually do: Writers at a similar level usually raise Concept by about +0.3 in one rewrite.
View Concept analysis
3. Character Development (Script Level)
Moderate Impact Script Level
Your current Character Development (Script Level) score: 7.7
Expected gain: ~7% closer to an "all Highly Recommends" score
Typical rewrite gain: +0.3 in Character Development (Script Level)
Confidence: High (based on ~3,668 similar revisions)
  • This is another strong option. If the top item doesn't fit your rewrite plan, this is a solid alternative.
  • What writers at your level usually do: Writers at a similar level usually raise Character Development (Script Level) by about +0.3 in one rewrite.
View Character Development (Script Level) analysis

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 8.21
Key Suggestions:
The script’s biggest creative opportunity is to deepen the humanity behind the historical spectacle: give supporting characters clear, compact backstories and add a few intimate reflective beats after major violent events. Right now the leads (Tom, Abbie, Jerry, Dave) are well-drawn, but many supporting players function as plot devices. Adding 1–2 short, specific scenes or micro-flashbacks that reveal why a supporting character chose activism (family, loss, fear, moral debt) and inserting quiet moments where protagonists process the aftermath of tear gas, arrests, or Fred Hampton’s death will make motivations believable, heighten stakes, and sharpen the emotional payoff in courtroom scenes.
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Story Critique

Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.

Key Suggestions:
The script's strengths — vivid archival framing, strong central conflict, and well-drawn primary characters — are undermined at times by dense courtroom exposition and uneven pacing. Prioritize tightening courtroom sequences (cut or simplify legalese, shorten repetitive back-and-forths) and intersperse them with compact, emotionally specific moments that reveal secondary characters’ stakes (short flashbacks or intimate beats). This will preserve the historical and rhetorical heft while making the film more emotionally immediate and dramatically clear. Recalibrate comedic/harsh tones (especially with Abbie) so they serve character nuance rather than caricature, and space the epilogue/title-card material to let the audience process outcomes slowly for greater impact.
> Go to Story Critique
Characters

Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.

Key Suggestions:
The character analyses point to a strong ensemble but a diffuse emotional center. Tighten the script by making Tom Hayden the clear throughline: dramatize his internal conflicts with specific turning points (Grant Park, the Haymarket/Tavern incident, the Ramsey Clark moment, and the sentencing speech) and use his evolving relationship with Abbie, Kunstler and Rennie to illuminate stakes and consequences. Deepen moments of vulnerability (private scenes, small beats) so the audience can feel why these public protests and courtroom theatrics matter to one human being — this will give the ensemble coherence and heighten emotional payoff.
> Go to Characters
Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

Key Suggestions:
The script’s emotional highs are powerful (trial outbursts, Seale’s treatment, final sentencing) but uneven pacing and prolonged, single-note tension in several mid-sequence scenes (notably scenes 5–6, parts of 38–55) risk audience fatigue and dilute impact. Prioritize smoothing emotional rhythm: insert brief moments of levity or quiet human connection after intense beats, deepen a few secondary characters with short personal anchor scenes, and clarify internal stakes for the principal players so each peak lands with more resonance.
> Go to Emotional Analysis
Goals and Philosophical Conflict

Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.

Key Suggestions:
The analysis shows a powerful ensemble story with a clear thematic spine—freedom vs. institutional control—but the emotional through-line is diffuse. Choose and anchor the film on a clearer protagonist arc (or a clearly defined co-lead pair), and tighten scene beats to show concrete decisions that track their internal shift from activist zeal to moral reckoning and courtroom defiance. Strip or rework scenes that diffuse agency (too many interstitial vignettes) and add a few intimate, consequence-driven moments that make the protagonist’s ethical choices and losses feel visceral and earned.
> Go to Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Themes

Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.

Key Suggestions:
The script powerfully assembles documentary-style footage and a sprawling ensemble to dramatize the 1968 Chicago protests and trial, but its scope sometimes blunts emotional focus. Tighten the storytelling by choosing one or two emotional through-lines (for example Tom Hayden’s moral/practical struggle and Bobby Seale’s denial of justice) and lean scenes into those character arcs. Where the screenplay is montage-heavy or procedurally detailed, trim or rework sequences so every scene advances either plot or a chosen internal arc—this will sharpen pacing, heighten stakes, and make the political themes land through human feeling rather than exposition.
> Go to Themes
Logic & Inconsistencies

Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.

Key Suggestions:
Fix the script's spine: clarify the timeline and causal bridges between the street protests and the courtroom so the audience can follow why each man is there and what they risk. Anchor character behavior to clear, earlier beats so shifts (e.g., Tom's sudden impulsiveness or Abbie's tonal swings) feel earned. Cut or consolidate repetitive protest-violence scenes and rework overheated courtroom dialogue into sharper, more natural exchanges. Practically: add short connective scenes or montages (booking, arraignment, indictment, pre-trial negotiations), sprinkle emotional micro-beats that foreshadow later actions, and tighten dialog to rely on subtext rather than theatrical proclamations.
> Go to Logic & Inconsistencies

Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
Hover over the graph to see more details about each score.
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Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice

Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.

Key Suggestions:
Your voice — sharp, rapid-fire, witty and politically charged — is a major strength that energizes the script. To make it fully effective, pick a clearer tonal architecture: map out the script’s high-emotion beats and intentionally restrain the quips there so the stakes land. Tighten characterization so each lead’s voice and emotional trajectory are unmistakable (especially Tom, Abbie, Dave and Bobby). Trim any overlong exposition or repeated courtroom set-pieces that dilute momentum, and use quieter moments to let the audience absorb consequences of the violence and legal fallout.
> Go to Unique Voice
Writer's Craft

Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.

Key Suggestions:
The script has powerful set pieces, sharp topical stakes, and memorable moments, but it needs clearer, deeper character arcs to make those moments land emotionally. Prioritize defining each primary defendant’s internal goal, turning point, and end-state (even if subtle), then tighten dialogue to reveal those inner truths rather than just advancing plot. Use focused exercises — single-character monologues, beat sheets for arc milestones, and conflict-driven two-person scenes — to ensure every speech and comedic beat serves a revealed motive and escalates the moral/philosophical stakes.
> Go to Writer's Craft
Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
> Go to Memorable Lines
Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
> Go to Tropes
World Building

Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.

Key Suggestions:
You have an immersive, faithfully textured world — vivid locations, clear cultural conflict, and rich period detail. To strengthen the script, pick a single emotional throughline (a POV anchor) and tighten scenes to serve that arc: prune episodic detours, clarify the cause-and-effect between protest action and courtroom consequences, and sharpen contrasts (open park chaos vs. claustrophobic courtroom) so each environment reveals character and raises stakes. Keep the balance between Abbie-style dark humor and the trial’s moral weight, and use recurring motifs (tape recordings, cameras, typewriters) to unify theme and pace.
> Go to World Building
Correlations

Identifies patterns in scene scores.

Key Suggestions:
The pattern analysis shows your strengths: a clear, rising dramatic arc toward a powerful climax and effective use of dialogue in confrontations. However, the script repeatedly sacrifices interior change for spectacle — tense, high-stakes scenes often don't show corresponding character transformation, while reflective moments do. Tighten tonal balance so comic relief doesn't undercut stakes, and weave brief reflective beats or choice points into the most confrontational scenes so the audience sees characters change as a direct result of the action.
> Go to Correlations
Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.
> Go to Loglines