The Good place release
Executive Summary
Pass/Consider/Recommend/Highly Recommend
Overview
Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Drama
Setting: Present day, The Good Place, an afterlife neighborhood
Overview: The screenplay demonstrates creativity, strong character development, and engaging themes, but there are opportunities to enhance emotional depth and narrative innovation.
Themes: The Afterlife, Ethics and Morality, Redemption, Perfection and Flaws, Deception, Acceptance
Conflict and Stakes: Eleanor's struggle to maintain her façade as a good person in The Good Place despite her past actions, and the potential consequences if her true nature is discovered
Overall Mood: Lighthearted and comedic, with moments of introspection and emotional depth
Mood/Tone at Key Scenes:
- Scene 1: Eleanor's initial arrival in The Good Place, filled with wonder and excitement
Standout Features:
- Unique Hook: The concept of a flawed individual mistakenly ending up in a utopian afterlife.
- Plot Twist : The revelation that Eleanor's presence in The Good Place is a mistake.
- Character : The quirky and unpredictable nature of Michael, the guide in The Good Place.
- Setting : The visually stunning and surreal landscapes of The Good Place.
- Genre Blend : The unique blend of comedy, fantasy, and philosophy.
Comparable Scripts:
Market Analysis
Budget Estimate:$20-30 million
Target Audience Demographics: Adults aged 25-54, fans of comedy and fantasy
Marketability: It has a unique and engaging premise, a talented cast, and the potential to appeal to a wide audience.
The screenplay's focus on ethical dilemmas and the nature of the afterlife could limit its appeal to a mainstream audience.
The screenplay's reliance on fantasy elements could make it difficult to adapt to a film or television format.
Profit Potential: Moderate to high, due to its potential for strong word-of-mouth and repeat viewings
Scene Level Percentiles
Emotions Elicited Percentiles
This is a rough estimate of how the average intensity of emotions elicited in this script compare to all scripts in the Vault (all genres).
Higher isn't necessarily better. This is FYI.
Writer's Voice
Summary:The writer's voice is witty, clever, and characterized by humorous dialogue, playful banter, and sarcastic remarks. The narrative description is vivid and detailed, providing a clear picture of the environment. The writer's voice adds to the overall lighthearted and satirical tone of the screenplay.
Best representation: Scene 12 - The Experiment. Scene 12 is the best representation of the author's voice because it showcases the witty and quirky dialogue, moments of surreal confusion, and a balance of humor and drama that characterizes the entire screenplay. The scene is well-paced and filled with vivid descriptions of the bizarre world of the Good Place, capturing the essence of the writer's voice and contributing to the overall mood, themes, and depth of the screenplay.
Memorable Lines:
- Michael: Eleanor? Come on in. (Scene 1)
- Eleanor: Those aren’t my memories. I was not a veterinarian, I’ve never been to the Ukraine. I hate clowns. I think there’s been a mistake. I’m not supposed to be here. (Scene 6)
- ELEANOR: Someone royally forked up. (Scene 7)
- Tehani: Can I just say that I love your house? It is so tiny and cute. (Scene 9)
- Eleanor: You spent your life figuring out what makes someone good or bad -- now you have a perfect test case! (Scene 13)
Story Shape
Emotions Elicited
Screenplay Insights:
Premise: 8.1, The screenplay's premise, centered around Eleanor's fraudulent entry into The Good Place due to a system error, has the potential to be an intriguing and engaging setup for a narrative exploring themes of morality, self-improvement, and the nature of the afterlife. The screenplay establishes a clear premise that introduces a central conflict and intriguing characters, but there are areas where the originality and clarity of the premise could be enhanced to strengthen its impact and captivate the audience. See More
Structure: 8.2, The screenplay demonstrates a well-structured and engaging plot that effectively builds narrative tension while exploring intriguing themes. However, certain areas could be refined to enhance the clarity and coherence of the story. See More
Theme: 8.7, The screenplay effectively explores themes of morality, identity, and the complexities of the afterlife through the journey of Eleanor Shellstrop. The themes are interwoven into the narrative in a clear and engaging manner, resonating with the audience on an emotional and intellectual level. While certain aspects of the messaging could be further refined, the screenplay's overall exploration of theme is commendable. See More
Visual Impact: 7.3, This screenplay showcases a promising foundation for visual storytelling, with a clever and intriguing premise that offers some visually striking and imaginative moments. It effectively establishes a distinct visual style for The Good Place, capturing its whimsical and otherworldly nature. The creative use of vibrant colors, imaginative landscapes, and quirky character designs contributes to the screenplay's memorable visual identity. See More
Emotional Impact: 8.0, The screenplay has the potential to elicit a strong emotional response from its audience, however, there are areas where the emotional depth could be enhanced to create a more impactful and memorable narrative. The well-written dialogue and character dynamics provide a strong foundation for emotional connection, but the resolution of certain emotional arcs and the pacing of emotional moments could benefit from further development. See More
Conflict: 7.8, The screenplay presents a conflict that is clear and personal, with high stakes that drive the narrative and engage the audience. However, the integration of the conflict could be enhanced, and the escalation of stakes could be more gradual and impactful. By refining these aspects, the tension and overall engagement of the screenplay can be significantly improved. See More
Originality: 8.5, This screenplay presents a unique and creative concept by exploring the afterlife in a novel and humorous way. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and the story is engaging and entertaining. See More
Screenplay Story Analysis
Note: This is the overall critique. For scene by scene critique click here
Summaries
- Eleanor wakes up in a strange afterlife waiting room and is greeted by Michael, a guide to her new surroundings.
- Eleanor wakes up in the afterlife and meets Michael, who informs her about her new state and answers her questions.
- Eleanor wakes up in the afterlife and meets Michael, who explains the workings of The Good Place to her.
- Eleanor wakes up in the afterlife and learns about how her behavior on Earth earned her a spot in The Good Place, where she will be rewarded for her good life and get to spend eternity with her soulmate. She also meets various other neighbors who are excited to be there as well.
- Eleanor wakes up in the afterlife, learns about The Good Place, and meets Michael and her new neighbors.
- Eleanor wakes up in The Good Place and is introduced to Michael, who explains the afterlife to her. She meets her soulmate Chidi and is shown her life's most fulfilling memory. However, she realizes that there has been a mistake and she shouldn't be in The Good Place.
- Eleanor reveals to Chidi that she was not the person she was supposed to be to gain access to The Good Place, but rather a fraudulent and manipulative salesperson.
- Eleanor and Chidi enjoy frozen yogurt with their new neighbors while contemplating what will happen if Eleanor confesses her mistake to Michael. They ask Janet about The Bad Place and are horrified by the audio clip they hear.
- Eleanor frets about lying in The Good Place, meets her neighbors, and contemplates confessing to Michael.
- Eleanor and Chidi attend a party, where Eleanor struggles to find good deeds she's done. She also drowns herself in wine but doesn't feel drunk, as Janet explains there is no drunkenness in The Good Place.
- Eleanor gets drunk at a party thrown by her neighbors and embarrasses herself in front of Chidi. The next day, she wakes up without a hangover, but notices that something is wrong with the world.
- Eleanor and Chidi realize that the strange occurrences in The Good Place are happening because of Eleanor's presence. Eleanor tries to convince Chidi that others in The Good Place have flaws too, but Chidi points out that Eleanor's behaviour has corrupted the perfect utopia. Eleanor struggles to defend herself, but she is reminded of her narcissistic, superficial and inconsiderate behaviour at a party. The scene ends with Eleanor's realization that every single person in The Good Place is a 'dweeb'.
- Eleanor asks Chidi to teach her how to be good so she can earn her spot in The Good Place. They discuss the ethical ramifications of the idea and are interrupted by an emergency meeting.
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Character Eleanor
Description Eleanor's initial reaction to being dead and in the Good Place seems overly calm and accepting, which contrasts with her later displays of anxiety and attempts to avoid going to the Bad Place.
( Scene 2 Scene 6 ) -
Character Chidi
Description Chidi's strong moral compass and ethical principles as a philosophy professor seem to contradict his willingness to keep Eleanor's secret, causing him internal conflict and physical discomfort.
( Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 )
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Description The explanation of the point system for judging good and bad deeds seems overly simplistic and potentially inconsistent with the complexities of human behavior and morality.
( Scene 3 ) -
Description The immediate and drastic physical changes in the Good Place due to Eleanor's presence seem somewhat arbitrary and lack a clear explanation for how her actions directly cause such widespread chaos.
( Scene 12 )
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Element Eleanor's attempts to avoid revealing her true identity
( Scene 2 Scene 7 Scene 9 Scene 10 )
Suggestion Some of Eleanor's repeated lies and cover-ups could be condensed or replaced with more subtle forms of deception to maintain narrative tension without feeling repetitive. -
Element Chidi's internal struggle
( Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 )
Suggestion Chidi's expressions of moral conflict and stomach aches could be explored in a more nuanced way, perhaps through internal monologues or flashbacks to his past ethical dilemmas.
Eleanor - Score: 83/100
Role
Protagonist
Character Analysis Overview
Michael - Score: 77/100
Character Analysis Overview
Chidi - Score: 77/100
Character Analysis Overview
Janet - Score: 70/100
Character Analysis Overview
Theme | Theme Details | Theme Explanation |
---|---|---|
The Afterlife | The concept of the afterlife is introduced, with Eleanor waking up in The Good Place and meeting Michael, a designer of neighborhoods in The Good Place. Michael explains that there are many levels in The Good Place and that he’s just a helper. He also introduces her to the concept of Neighborhoods containing 334 perfectly matched human souls. | The theme of the afterlife is central to the screenplay, with Michael explaining to Eleanor and other recently deceased individuals how their good behavior on Earth earned them a spot in this eternal happy place. The concept of good and bad behavior leading to rewards and punishments after death is explored throughout the screenplay. |
Ethics and Morality | Eleanor proposes an experiment that involves Chidi teaching her how to be good. The scene ends with an interruption in the form of an emergency meeting called by Michael. | The theme of ethics and morality is explored through the character of Chidi, Eleanor's soulmate who teaches philosophy. The exploration of what it means to be good is a prominent theme throughout the screenplay, with Eleanor's fraudulent past serving as a conflict to this theme. |
Redemption | Eleanor wakes up in a pleasant waiting room and meets Michael, who explains she is in The Good Place. He answers her questions about how it works and tells her about the selective nature of the system. Eleanor is excited to learn she is rewarded for her good life and gets to spend eternity with her soulmate. | The theme of redemption is briefly explored in the screenplay, with Eleanor's past fraudulent behavior serving as a source of conflict for her character. The idea of earning a spot in The Good Place through good deeds also touches on the theme of redemption. |
Perfection and Flaws | Eleanor wakes up to find the world a confused mess; houses cut in half, trees twisted, people mutated, all because of her presence in The Good Place. Eleanor and Chidi unsuccessfully try to calm others and restore peace. Chidi slowly realizes that everything that is happening is due to Eleanor's presence. A frantic Eleanor tries to convince Chidi that others in The Good Place also have flaws and cannot be perfect. However, Chidi counters her by pointing out her past behaviour as narcissistic, superficial, and inconsiderate as well as the fact that every other person in The Good Place has contributed to making the place perfect. Eleanor ends up realizing that every single person in The Good Place is a 'dweeb'. | The theme of perfection and flaws is explored through Eleanor's realization that every single person in The Good Place has flaws and imperfections. The conflict arises when Eleanor's presence in The Good Place disrupts the perfect balance, leading to chaos and destruction. |
Deception | Eleanor expresses her dissatisfaction with her smaller house compared to those around her and asks her soulmate Chidi to assist her in maintaining the charade. Chidi refuses, stating his discomfort with lying. Michael proceeds to introduce her to her new neighbors, Tehani and Jianyu, with whom they plan to host a welcome party for the whole neighborhood. Eleanor struggles with maintaining the facade amidst her growing unease and hunger for frozen yogurt. Chidi contemplates telling Michael about Eleanor's secret, but ultimately is stopped by Eleanor, who reminds him of his promise not to hurt her. | The theme of deception is explored through Eleanor's fraudulent past and her attempts to maintain the facade in The Good Place. The conflict arises when the facade becomes increasingly difficult to maintain, leading to tension between Eleanor and her soulmate, Chidi. |
Acceptance | Eleanor wakes up in a waiting room with a sign that reads 'Welcome! Everything is fine'. She meets Michael, who greets her and invites her to 'come on in'. Eleanor takes it in stride and starts asking questions, including how she died. Michael, checking his clipboard, tells her that she was struck and killed in a grocery store parking lot by a runaway column of shopping carts and an erectile dysfunction truck. Eleanor giggles and asks about religion, and Michael tells her who was close to guessing the nature of the afterlife. Greta enters, excited to find out who burps loudly and drinks a blue solution to cure Eleanor's post-revelation gas expulsion. Eleanor is relieved to know she's in the good place and follows Michael to have her questions answered. | The theme of acceptance is briefly explored in the beginning of the screenplay, with Eleanor taking her death in stride and accepting that she is in The Good Place. The conflict arises when Eleanor's fraudulent past and attempts to maintain the facade become increasingly difficult, leading to tension between characters. |
Screenwriting Resources on Themes
Articles
Site | Description |
---|---|
Studio Binder | Movie Themes: Examples of Common Themes for Screenwriters |
Coverfly | Improving your Screenplay's theme |
John August | Writing from Theme |
YouTube Videos
Title | Description |
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Story, Plot, Genre, Theme - Screenwriting Basics | Screenwriting basics - beginner video |
What is theme | Discussion on ways to layer theme into a screenplay. |
Thematic Mistakes You're Making in Your Script | Common Theme mistakes and Philosophical Conflicts |
Goals and Philosophical Conflict | |
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internal Goals | Eleanor's internal goal is to come to terms with being dead and navigate the afterlife. She also desires acceptance in this new world while fearing judgment and punishment for her past behavior. Her internal goals later evolve to maintaining her fake identity as a good person and proving she belongs in The Good Place. The protagonist's goal is to understand her place in the afterlife and whether she deserves to be in The Good Place. Her fear and desire both revolve around belonging in the utopian community. |
External Goals | Eleanor's external goals are to understand how The Good Place works, explore her new home, and fit in with the other residents while avoiding trouble. Her immediate external goal is to enter the room and meet someone named Michael. The protagonist's external goal is to explore and understand her new home in the afterlife and the broader afterlife system. |
Philosophical Conflict | The overarching philosophical conflict of the screenplay is the tension between religious beliefs and the reality of the afterlife, as well as the nature of goodness being subjective and context-based. These conflicts challenge the characters' beliefs and values, forcing them to grapple with the consequences of their actions. |
Character Development Contribution: The goals and conflict contribute to Eleanor's character development by challenging her beliefs and values, highlighting her flaws, and pushing her towards redemption and growth. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery and grappling with her past actions deepens her character.
Narrative Structure Contribution: The goals and conflict provide a strong narrative structure by creating tension and driving the plot forward. The protagonist's internal and external goals, as well as the philosophical conflicts, create a framework for the story to unfold.
Thematic Depth Contribution: The goals and conflict contribute to the thematic depth of the screenplay by exploring concepts such as morality, redemption, and the afterlife. The philosophical conflicts highlight the complexity of these themes, challenging the characters' beliefs and values and pushing them towards growth and self-discovery.
Screenwriting Resources on Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Articles
Site | Description |
---|---|
Creative Screenwriting | How Important Is A Character’s Goal? |
Studio Binder | What is Conflict in a Story? A Quick Reminder of the Purpose of Conflict |
YouTube Videos
Title | Description |
---|---|
How I Build a Story's Philosophical Conflict | How do you build philosophical conflict into your story? Where do you start? And how do you develop it into your characters and their external actions. Today I’m going to break this all down and make it fully clear in this episode. |
Endings: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great | By Michael Arndt: I put this lecture together in 2006, when I started work at Pixar on Toy Story 3. It looks at how to write an "insanely great" ending, using Star Wars, The Graduate, and Little Miss Sunshine as examples. 90 minutes |
Tips for Writing Effective Character Goals | By Jessica Brody (Save the Cat!): Writing character goals is one of the most important jobs of any novelist. But are your character's goals...mushy? |
Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | Technical Aspects | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Click for Full Analysis | Tone | Overall | Concept | Plot | Originality | Characters | Character Changes | Internal Goal | External Goal | Conflict | Opposition | High stakes | Story forward | Twist | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | Engagement | Pacing | Formatting | Structure | |
1 - Welcome to The Good Place | "light-hearted" | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | |
2 - The Afterlife Prep | "Whimsical" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | |
3 - Welcome to The Good Place | "Light-hearted" | 7 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
4 - Welcome to The Good Place | "Humorous" | 8 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
5 - Welcome to Paradise | "Upbeat" | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | |
6 - Welcome to The Good Place | "light, whimsical" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | |
7 - Eleanor's Fraudulent Past | "Humorous" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | |
8 - Discovering the Truth about The Good Place | "Light-hearted" | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | |
9 - Welcome Party | "Light-hearted" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
10 - Party and Confessions | "Light-hearted" | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
11 - The Party and its Aftermath | "humorous" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | |
12 - Panic in The Good Place | "Frantic" | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
13 - The Experiment | "humorous" | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
Summary of Scene Level Analysis
Here are some things that came out of the scene level analysis.
This is a summary of the strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions found in each scene. Some things might appear in both strengths and weaknesses based on the variety of your scenes.
For summary of each criteria click in the top row on the criteria.
Scene Strengths
- Interesting concept
- Humorous dialogue
- Well-developed characters
- Strong chemistry between characters
- Emotionally impactful scenes
Scene Weaknesses
- Lack of conflict
- Slow pace
- Exposition-heavy
- Low stakes for characters
- Lack of emotional impact in some scenes
Suggestions
- Consider adding more conflict to increase tension in certain scenes
- Balance exposition with action and character development
- Continue to develop the unique tone and humor of the series
- Explore higher stakes for the characters to increase audience investment
- Ensure emotional impact in all scenes to keep the audience engaged
Scene 1 - Welcome to The Good Place
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 2 - The Afterlife Prep
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 3 - Welcome to The Good Place
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 4 - Welcome to The Good Place
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 5 - Welcome to Paradise
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 6 - Welcome to The Good Place
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 7 - Eleanor's Fraudulent Past
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 8 - Discovering the Truth about The Good Place
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 9 - Welcome Party
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 10 - Party and Confessions
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 11 - The Party and its Aftermath
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 12 - Panic in The Good Place
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Scene 13 - The Experiment
The #1 Rule of Screenwriting: Make your reader or audience compelled to keep reading.
“Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.”
The scene level score is the impact on the reader or audience to continue reading.
The Script score is how compelled they are to keep reading based on the rest of the script so far.
Explanation: